"Don't look at me, I had nothing to do with it."
"Their destinies are interlinked with ours."
Protector of Silence
Chapter Forty-Four - The end of the beginning
You remember Owari's exasperation and confusion in the last chapter when coming across the stupidity of Hwita and Reo. Well, I don't think I need to repeat it again: I'll just say Jethro and Nevada were feeling exactly like that now.
"...What?"
You guys who enjoyed The Chronicles Of Narnia in their childhood, like the author, may remember that in Prince Caspian, the rebels refused to hold their meetings at the Stone Table because they thought it was too sacred for such an act. Same should apply to the Council of Fallen Rangers' table too, right?
Well, unfortunately all the members of the council died before having the chance or time (or patience) to read C.S Lewis' famous book series.
And then someone had forgotten to give them the 'sacred table - do not violate' memo.
Jethro and Nevada had just been minding their own business, strolling through the darkness, and discussing future meetings, what the world the world was coming to and how best to persuade Dialga to remove Erin Becket from the face of history. What they did not expect to find was...
"Happy Graduation Day!"
Jethro counted himself lucky his face hadn't ended up in that piece of hot-pink cake being shoved so close to his head.
"...Erin...get that cake out of my face" Jethro grit his teeth.
Erin shrugged, readjusting her red clown's nose with her other hand which almost caused her to drop the cake. "Suit yourself, Grumpy Pants."
It appeared to be someone's birthday, or some important occasion (depending on your definition of important). The great table, so ancient and powerful, was currently covered in a pink plastic table cloth which was laden with silver, red and pink glitter, silver platters of stone-cold party food and a large sponge cake covered with dark-blue icing that looked rather inedible. Each member of the little reunion had a plastic plate but no cutlery, so all their fingers were covered in icky grease, and each were wearing some kind of accessory: Erin was wearing a red nose, Rafe and Solana were wearing those paper hats you get out of Christmas crackers, Lark was wearing a big pink button reading: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! (Jethro later found out if you pressed a little button on the back it flashed different colours and sung the birthday song), Lunick was wearing a pair of those funny plastic glasses with a fake nose and moustache attached and even the stoic Lind (who looked considerably bored with his chin being propped up by his elbow on the table) was wearing a crooked party hat with a streamer coming out of the top of it.
"...What in Arceus' name is going on here?" Jethro asked, his teeth gritted together as he groundthe question out.
"It's Kelly's graduation day!" Erin announced, then pretending to wipe a tear from her eye "Our little boy's all grown up!"
"Even though you didn't know of his existence less than six months ago" Lunick reminded her.
Erin shrugged, stirring her tea in such a way Jethro was certain only sheer luck was holding the teacup together still. "Meh, senti-somethings."
"Semantics, you mean?" Solana inquired.
"Yeah, that."
Jethro then turned his attention to the one who had just questioned Erin - who was currently sitting in Nevada's seat, probably just to be near to Lunick. "And what are you doing here?"
"She was invited!" Lunick put in with a slight growl, but Jethro didn't need to be a mind-reader to know multiple people around the table were agreeing with the psychic being in his exact tone, just in their heads.
"Who invited her to this sacred place, may I ask?" he asked, but there was harsh tone to his voice.
"Me!"
"Me too!"
"She was a guest, like me."
"I would've if I'd organised the whole debacle!"
"Don't look at me, I had nothing to do with it."
Jethro was not surprised at the answers he got. I never said he wasn't furious and/or exasperated though.
Nevada frowned at Solana, who was still sitting in her seat, for a bit before asking the whole crew. "Why are you having a tea party?"
"You're safe Riku!" Erin cheered out-of-the-blue, but by now everyone was used to such randomness from the former Summerland Base leader.
"Oh please don't" Lunick groaned, setting his teacup down on his saucer and sliding his fake glasses up his nose again. "I can put up with movie quotes, but I swear I'll disown you if you start with video games."
"Good thing we're not related then" Erin shot him a smart-aleck grin. The look Lunick gave her just read: exasperated.
"I guess I should've expected this from you lot" Jethro sighed, then turning his gaze to Lark and Lind. "You two however..."
"Rafe, can you pass the sugar please?" Lark requested. Once the sugar had been passed, Lark turned to their redheaded leader. "Like Solana, I was invited. It would be rude to refuse."
Lind looked up at them, stirring a coffee with a wooden stick, and rolled his eyes. "Don't look at me, I was forced into it."
"There was a cheesecake on the line" Erin agreed.
Jethro looked about two seconds from bursting into flames and cinders. Before you ask, yes it has happened before (Lind has already proved dead people don't allow the laws of physics - or any laws actually - apply to them). "Alright, fine. I'm calling an emergency meeting. Now."
"Aw, c'mon!"
"No~!"
"Party-pooper!"
"You're a meanie, Jeffy!"
But if Jethro called an emergency meeting, his word was the only law they had to follow.
With a click of Nevada's fingers, all the party gear disappeared in a poof of yellow snow (Solana looked at Lunick a bit strangely at this, but he just shrugged and didn't seem bothered at all) except for the hats and badges and red-noses and funny moustache glasses that remained on people's heads and really just making the meeting look even stupider than it already was. Party-pooper 1 slid into his seat and Party-pooper 2 headed over to hers. Solana hastily moved from Nevada's stone chair and relocated to the armrest of Lunick's.
"Off" Jethro growled, glaring at her - appearing even more intimidating because he was sitting at the head of the table with his fingers drumming on the stone slab.
Solana jumped off the armrest and looked rather awkward just standing there.
"Oh, come sit here Solana!" Erin grinned.
She scooted her chair over, encouraging Rafe to do so as well (how they did it Jethro wasn't sure because he was under the belief the chairs were cemented into the platform below) and snapped her fingers. Automatically a chair popped into existence at the end of the row, which Solana took with a quiet 'thank you'.
"We're not adding an eighth member to this council" Jethro immediately spoke up.
The look Lunick sent Jethro after that...well, if looks could kill, Jethro would've had his second, third, fourth and eight-hundredth deaths right then.
"Oh come on, Jeth, she ain't hurtin' anyone" Rafe quickly jumped to Solana's defence. "Why do we only have seven members anyhow?"
Jethro looked rather disgruntled by this. "Because of the seven colours of the fl—"
"WIND!" Erin sang, pretty horrifically too considering it was only one word.
"Flag" Jethro finished with a warning tone in his voice, daring anyone else to cut him off. "Seven colours of the flag of Almia, where the Ranger Union was first set up."
"So there's only seven of us because of a flag?" Lark asked, tilting her head to the side in apparent bewilderment.
"Hey, imagine if there were, like, twenty colours on the flag" Rafe grinned "Imagine what ruffians we'd have to drag in here then!"
"Rina" Lunick suggested "Ivy."
"Grant Barnes" Erin added.
"Elijah" Solana suggested.
"Actually, he was still alive when I last checked" Lunick corrected her.
Solana grimaced. "He must be like, 100 by now then."
"Is Jackie still alive and causing trouble?" Lark inquired. This got a whole lot of grumbles or rolled eyes.
"Unfortunately yes" Rafe muttered "Always annoyed me, that kid. And he wasn't even stationed at my base!"
"Rico!" Erin quickly added in.
Everyone shuddered - even Nevada slightly.
"Can I please divert everyone's attention back to the matter at hand!" Jethro raised his voice, instantly getting everyone's attention. "It has become apparent you wayward youths - and troublesome adults - are incapable of being trusted with the welfare of this sacred meeting place, instead choosing to violate it wit—"
"Aw, c'mon Jeth! Don't you trust us?!"
Jethro grit his teeth at Rafe's interruption. "Of all you children - yes that includes you two leaders - the only one I trust is the youngest, which I do believe is what you call sad."
"D'ya hear that, ol'buddy, ol' pal?" Lunick grinned at Lind "You have Jethro wrapped around your little finger!"
"Oh hooray" Lind groaned, still looking unbelievably bored "Are we done yet? I have a cheesecake to go and rescue."
"Oh, it's already been eaten" Erin informed him. The glare she got from the thirteen-year-old was not pretty.
"And you expect me to keep your little secret in the mud when you ATE MY CHEESECAKE?!" Lind started off quiet and got louder as he spoke.
"Nope, you're doing that out of the goodness of your heart" Erin grinned sweetly at him.
"Well I guess I'm not very good then" Lind muttered, before turning to Jethro. "Sir, you are aware Erin and Rafe raided the confiscated drawer in your quarters in order to obtain off this foolish party stuff?"
"Spoilsport!" Erin immediately yelled at him.
"Lind, you weren't supposed to tell him that!" Rafe complained, despite the fact Jethro was more than aware of their little scheme when they set the alarm for his private quarters off in the process of raiding the confiscated drawer.
Lind shrugged. "Between being a liar and being tortured by Jethro, I choose the liar."
"But you promised!" Lark gasped, staring at him with wide eyes, as if by not fulfilling his promise to keep this little secret down he'd just sold his soul to Giratina.
"Well I'm un-promising now" Lind stated.
"Ah, ah, ah" Erin tut-tutted and waggled her finger back and forth "To quote Miyazaki's masterpiece of Spirited Away: 'But a deal's a deal, sweetie'."
The look Lind gave Erin for that could freeze lava. "You did not just call me sweetie."
Erin shrugged. "It was part of the quote. Besides, I swear Yubaba uses the word 'sweetie' more times than River Song."
Lind decided this ramble had got everyone distracted and he was therefore off the hook, so he started adding multiple sugar packets to his tea. Jethro, who was watching him do so, almost threw up. Almost. Because real men don't throw up. Even real dead men.
"Who?" Nevada didn't sound confused, but everyone who had known her for a substantial amount of time (like the other former base leaders) knew she was.
"Didn't you watch the last few series of Doctor Who?" Rafe asked.
Nevada now just looked annoyed, rolling her eyes to boot. "They're still running that thing?"
"You watch Doctor Who too?" Erin asked, turning to Rafe.
"Religiously!" Rafe nodded eagerly, his brown eyes wide and smiling.
"Me too!" Erin grinned "What's you fa—"
"Back on topic!" Jethro raised his voice, effectively ending the happy couple's joyful moment. "Due to the events come to pass on this..." he looked around the endless darkness. "...day, I henceforth put a ban on any non-council-related activities on or around the council table."
This was naturally met with lots of opposition, from yelling to jumping up from chairs. One fireball even flew over Jethro's shoulder, and the redhead reminded himself to find out from Owari if there was some sort of probation he could put on dead psychic beings' powers.
"That's enough!" he barked, shutting them all up and making Nevada smirk with satisfaction. "That's my final word on the matter! Have your party somewhere else! Meeting over! Shoo! Scat! Begone!"
Lunick sighed and stood up. "Well, I've got a graduate ranger to go and babysit. Let's go Solana."
Solana stood up and the pair linked hands and walked off down one of the paths of stone leading to the table platform, probably because Solana didn't know how to make portals yet.
Erin looked at Rafe. "Doctor Who marathon?"
"Way ahead of you" Rafe jumped up from his seat, but then frowned "Er, don't Aaron and Zara practically own the DVD player?"
"So we own it back!" Erin told him as if it was obvious!, getting to her feet too.
"Oh~!" Rafe nodded with understanding.
They portalled out, probably to go and raid Aaron and Zara's (two former Ringtown rangers who had rather wisely declined to be members of the council) small space of Giratina's realm.
Jethro turned his gaze on Lark, who's eyes got wide with probably fear and she ran after Lunick and Solana without a word.
Lind gave Jethro a bored look. "Do you think they're giving away alcohol at this graduation party?"
Jethro frowned. "You're thirteen."
"Actually, it's closer to 25" Lind corrected. Not allowing Jethro to have the last word, he hastily portalled out, not even bothering to stand up from his chair. Jethro prayed wherever place he was going to had a seat in it, or Lind was in for an uncomfortable landing.
Jethro sighed and hung his head, resting his palms on the table as he stood up. "Damn kids."
"I hardly call Erin and Rafe kids, even if they do act like it at times" Nevada pointed out, the only thing in the darkness still sitting.
"...Damn juveniles."
Nevada sighed too now. "At least you can keep them under control...mostly."
A slight smile stole onto Jethro's face. "Well, you're always a big help with that."
Although she didn't realise it, a smile also spread across Nevada's ususally cold face. "Anytime."
For all she stared into the mirror, all she saw was red.
Hunter J scowled as she glared at the slab of reflective plastic, trying to convince herself that the mirror had got the colours wrong and it was all the mirror's fault. But deep down she knew it wasn't.
She slapped the mirror dangling from the ceiling of the bridge of the main airship away from her, so she wouldn't have to stare and the despicable red irises that were now hers. The enchanting mix of gold and silver was gone - replaced with blood red, fire red, devil red.
It was the boy, she knew. The psychic boy who had done this to her. Maybe unintentionally, but he'd still done it. Stained her irises red like the devil he was sure she was. Taken away the last slab of her innocent youth and beauty she had left.
"Sir, what's our heading?"
Only now he'd made her even more dangerous.
Straightening in her chair - throne she liked to call it - she removed the lid of the armrest, which contained a hollow area large enough to hold a red visor meant to be worn like glasses. It was this visor she removed from the compartment and slid onto her face, the red drowning out those despicable eyes.
"Head for grid reference K25. And step on it - we have a paying client waiting."
"Right, sir!"
Right now, her only goal was escaping this blasted region. She may be running now, but someday she'd be back for that psychic boy. She'd been eluded by Lunick his whole life - she would never allow for this boy to do the same.
Someday, she'd be back to get him.
And right when his back was turned.
The graduation ceremony went on for several hours, but eventually everyone had began heading home or in the direction of Pueltown to get the ferry. Their stuff cleared out of their dorms, Keith, Rhythmi, Kate and Kellyn were stood with their bags on the path just outside the gates, trying to find any way of postponing the inevitable, even if only for a few seconds.
"So~" Keith spoke up after a small silence had come over the quartet "Where are you guys being stationed?"
"Fall City" Rhythmi announced.
"Summerland" Kate added - there was a smile on her face and it was apparent she was happy to be serving alongside her friends and family.
"Ringtown! Oh yeah!" Keith cheered, punching the air.
Kellyn's smile was thin as he announced: "Vientown."
The smiles briefly stopped before they grew back, but like Kellyn's they were thin and weak.
"Different regions, huh" Keith said what they were all thinking.
Another silence.
"Guys...it-it's okay" Kellyn spoke up, trying to sort this mess out without making it too painful for his friends. "We can always call each other - the proper stylers have a communication section right? And we can send letters and stuff." He made the mistake of looking at Kate. One glance at the heartbroken look on her face told him he had to cheer her up, at all costs. "And I wanna postcard from each of you for Christmas and my birthday, or I swear I'll march all the way to Fiore and beat you senseless with my new styler!"
This thankfully prompted some proper smiles.
"Yeah, right back at ya" Keith agreed.
Another silence fell upon them. Kellyn hated the silences - they just reminded him with what felt like a punch to the gut that their time together was almost up.
"Y-You guys are taking the ferry, right?" he swallowed "You...you better go, or you'll miss it."
"Are you sure?" Rhythmi asked "I'm sure if we asked we could stay th—"
"No, no it's okay" Kellyn quickly shook his head, his gaze lowered to his shoes "It..It'll only get harder if you..." Unable to finish that sentence in words, he ended it on a sigh.
He felt a hand grip his shoulder gently, but he shook it off. "I'll be fine Rhythmi, really."
Before he knew what was happening, he was suddenly grabbed in a massive hug as Rhythmi almost sobbed: "You take care of yourself, okay! Don't you let those big meanie rangers push you around!"
Kellyn very nearly laughed, his arms stuck to his sides so unable to hug her back - he couldn't help but think of Rhythmi as his very own big sister. "I won't Rhyth. And you're going to be a great operator, I just know it."
Rhythmi released him and stood a step back, her eyes a bit red and puffy. "Thanks Kellyn, really. And good luck."
Kellyn only had enough time to give an affirmative nod back before:
"Hey Shortie, remember to keep your chin up."
Kellyn turned his head to see Keith had approached him now, his smile faltering slightly but stronger than the others'.
"And that's Keith Leo René Dazuru's last weirdly-wise comment of the day" Kellyn joked. Dazuru laughed and the pair bumped fists.
"I'll see ya again, Kel" the ginger promised.
"Sure - when I've outgrown the Shortie comment" Kellyn agreed "Next time we meet, I'll be taller than you."
Now Keith's smile could only be described as mocking. "Oh, so you mean never come back?"
"You jerk!" Kellyn growled, playfully punching him on the arm "You never change!"
"Then you know exactly what to expect when you see me again" Keith grinned. The pair laughed it off, before Keith and Rhythmi made a turn to leave. "Hey Kate, you coming?"
"J-Just go on ahead, I'll catch up" Kate told them.
Keith shrugged and the duo headed on up the path. As they were almost at the bridge, Keith must have said something, because Rhythmi kicked him hard in the shin with her shoe. Keith yelped and lifted his leg to clutch it in pain, before chasing the blonde responsible for his wound up the path. Kellyn and Kate watched the pair until they were out of sight over the crest of the bridge before turning their gazes upon each other.
"...So..."
Kate didn't know how to end this, and Kellyn didn't know how to reply to it. He wanted to say something to cheer her up, but just looking at her made a dagger twist in his heart and cause him further anguish. He was still trying to process the idea he wouldn't have her as a part of his life every day anymore.
"...Well, I..."
Unable to say anything, for all his now working vocal chords, Kellyn looked down at Luna and Shadow, who had moved to stand just off to the side between the two humans - Sparks had said goodbye and left for a scone time after the graduation ceremony. He knew this was the time: it wasn't as if he could put it off any longer - Kate was leaving and this was his last chance to give at least someone happiness for the rest or their life.
"Kate, I need to ask you a favour" he requested.
Kate quickly tensed and her eyes widened a bit. "Anything Kelly. Seriously, this time I mean it. I'll do it."
Kellyn swallowed. He knew she wasn't expecting this, and neither was the receiver of this deal either, but it was the best option for both of them, he hoped. "I...I want you to take Shadow to Fiore as your Partner Pokémon."
"Say what now?!" Luna looked as surprised as Kate did at that - which was pretty shock.
Shadow's eyes grew to be the size of saucers. Regigigas-sized saucers. "M-Me?!"
The Umbreon promptly rolled his large yellow eyes back into his head and fainted.
"Are you ever gonna stop doing that?!" Luna complained, smacking him awake with her tails.
The two humans laughed nervously at this display of friendship between the two Eevee evolutions, before turning their gazes back on each other.
"Well? Because if you don't want to, I'll take him somewhere. Melissa always—"
"Kelly" Kate cut him off with a smile and a giggle "First you don't talk at all, and now we're struggling to stop you from talking!" This prompted Kellyn to duck his head in embarrassment as well as rubbing the back of it nervously. "I said I'd do anything you asked, remember. Of course I'll take dear Shadow along - if he wants to come with me that is."
Shadow stared at her. "I-I have a choice?!"
'I guess that's something you're not used to' Kellyn guessed 'It's your path Shadow - you have every right to choose the fork you take. But I promise you, if you go with Kate, it'll be worth it.'
"And don't faint" Luna quickly added "Not that you ever had much of a good first impression on anyone."
Shadow looked suitable embarrassed and probably about to faint again at this, but then he shook his head in a very dog-like manner and announced: "No! No more cowardliness! I've got a new master - er, mistress - and I'm going to be brave and loyal to her! Just like I was with Lind! Yeah, that's it! Bravery all the way!"
And after that much-needed if not slightly spontaneous rant, Shadow bounded over to Kate and rubbed his head against her leg, purring and cooing with joy.
"I'm going to take that as a yes" Kate giggled, before looking up at Kellyn and her smile went thin again. "We-we'll keep in contact, right?"
"Definitely " Kellyn nodded. "And remember - postcards. Every birthday and Christmas. Or else the blunt end of my new styler."
Another giggle was tempted out of the ginger. "Alright, I got it. And we'll see each other some day, I hope."
Their eyes met, and for a few heart-stopping second neither could move - trapped in the other's gazes.
Kellyn finally broke free and gave a single determind nod. "Yeah, I know we will."
The two reached out their hands and shook.
Shadow and Luna watched the two and smiled - no longer did they see Kate and Kellyn standing there, but Solana Hinata and Lunick Kazuki - two heroes saying their final farewells. Though they may part now, in time they would be together again, along with the ones they had sworn to protect. The Pokémon blinked, and once again they wre looking at Kate and Kellyn. Very slowly, as if to make these precious moments last, the female of the two drew back her hand.
"Goodbye Kellyn" she smiled, slinging her rucksack over her shoulder. She called for Shadow to follow her and, after a touching brief farewell between the two Eeveelutions, they made their way down the path towards Pueltown.
As Kate disappeared down the path, Shadow bounding after her, Kellyn lowered his hand to his side. He shifted the strap of his rucksack on his shoulder and walked towards Chicole Village, towards home.
"Come on Luna" he smiled, listening to his footsteps crunching in the dirt of the path. He heard a happy squeak before lighter paw-steps began to gallop after him. When Luna reached his side, she slowed down to a trot to keep up with him.
"Where to next?" she asked "A new adventure?"
'More than likely' Kellyn nodded 'Wherever our journey takes us. You remember what Percy said: If you're ever in trouble, trust in the stars...'
"...and let them guide your footsteps forwards" Luna finished "I know." There was silence for a few moments. In those moments, they reached Vientown and began to walk down the left side of the town towards Chicole Village. Luna looked at him with shinning indigo eyes "Do you think we'll see Kate and Shadow again?"
'Most definitely' Kellyn nodded 'Kate's determined to make herself Shadow's third and final partner. And beside, their destinies are interlinked with ours.' He shivered as he recalled the accented voice that had spoken to him.
"Yar journey is far from over, Hajime. Ya path still has many a'bstacles to cross and forks ya have to chose from. Irrevarsible and fatal decisions w'll be made, and you alone must 'elp others to carry that burden. Ya have a great battle ahead of ya, and it'll be sure to come for you when you least expect it."
"You okay? You're spacing out" Kellyn was snapped back to reality by Luna's voice.
'It's okay' he smiled down at her to reassure her 'I'll be fine, Luna.'
They continued walking until they entered Chicole Village, passed Kellyn's foster family's house and walked onto the farmland. Kellyn smiled as he saw a dozen children enjoying themselves in the slowly setting sun, casting shades of orange and red across the sky, laughing and smiling at the start if their summer holidays. Four children were playing tag, three were making what appeared to be a mud pie, a boy was giving a young girl a flower, two children were eating gobstoppers... wait, what?
Kellyn startled and blinked. A young boy had just given a yellow daffodil to a four-year-old brunette. The girl gave the boy a grateful smile before rushing over to join her tag-playing friends. As soon as she took her eyes off him, the girl seemed to forget the boy was standing there, engrossed only in the flower. The boy stood up straight, his blackish-brown hair ruffling in the slight summer breeze. Kellyn's eyes began to gleam with happiness as he realised who it was.
"You came!" The words that left his lips were barely detectable by the human ear. He doubted even Luna and her sharp hearing senses knew he had spoken.
Owari gave him a smile before turning and heading towards the entrance to the beach, a snow-drop white entrance like a gateway to a world beyond. Kellyn then realised, leaning against a tree near the entrance, a girl in her mid teens was watching him, pale-blue eyes peering out from underneath a long fringe of silver hair. A grey trainer resting against the bark of the tree, this girl had her arms folded over her chest and a confident smirk on her blemish-less face. Kellyn acknowledged her with a nod and she nodded back. She then pushed off the tree, looking at Owari expectantly. The messenger turned to look over his shoulder at Kellyn, a single dark-blue eye smiling with happiness, boring into Kellyn's soul.
"See, you don't have to worry any more" Owari's voice seemed to echo in Kellyn head. Nobody else reacted, only Luna who flicked her forked tail. Only he could hear the words of his late friend, now matter what life it was in.
Giving one last smile, the immortal boy made his way towards the light. The girl looked at Kellyn one last time before also turning. Together, the two made their way into the light, their dark forms being swallowed up the peaceful crystalline white sunlight.
'I know' Kellyn thought, nodding to no one in particular as a small smile made it's way onto his pale face, his unusual eyes sparkling in the sunset's light. He didn't need a voice - not to realise this. 'I'm not alone. I never was.'