A/N: I want to thank those who have taken the time to write some reviews and offer their thoughts on the fanfic. I hope that more people will do so because I appreciate it greatly.
Anyways here is your next chapter. I will continue to release chapter every 2 days for the rest of the year. However, I will make an except on Christmas for which chapter 14 is scheduled to go up. That'll be up next Monday. I will repeat this on Friday when Chapter 13 goes up. Also, starting in January I may publish chapters on a different schedule.
Only one previous time have I ever seen a Pokemon killed. I remember it like it was yesterday, recent events scourging it from the back of my mind to its very forefront.
I was 10 years old. I was with Aaron and my dad in Fallarbor town. We were there because Aaron had a contest to compete in. I remember us walking out of the Pokemon Center and a trainer battle had a occurred. One trainer had a Loudred and the other a Zangoose.
The trainer of the Zangoose lost and he freaked out. The Zangoose looked scared and was pretty hurt.
All it took was one hit in the head with a stone.
The trainer didn't care until my dad and a nurse checked on the Zangoose. The nurse bellowed at the man after seeing Zangoose had died.
Long story short, I was left rattled for a long time. It left me shaken, to see such brutality done to a Pokemon.
"Pokemon are our best friends, Cameron. Even when they fail, they are still our best friends. Love them unconditionally," my dad said to me as he sat on my bed trying to comfort me one night. "Unfortunately there are people like that man from Fallarbor Town out there. That is why we must make up for them, even if nobody sees it."
Remembering those words reminded me of what Kukui said yesterday. "Sometimes, the worst of mankind seems to overpower the good of it."
Taking the words of both my dad and Kukui the overarching point is that same. Evil will always gain more attention than good. That doesn't mean you should stop doing good.
Skitty is laying down next to me. Completely healed from yesterday's skirmish with Guzma. My dad instilled this idea of caring for Pokemon. It's why I rescued this lazy bum outside of Rustboro City during that stormy day.
I never wanted to applauded for it. I don't care. What I want is people to look at what I did/do and be inspired, especially after something terrible like yesterday happen.
The funeral for Rockruff will be tonight. Caleb and his family are doing their part to help the woman out. Apparently, her husband died a couple years ago. Then a year later her only son went to Unova as part of his travels to be a Pokemon researcher. He got her a Rockruff before he left to keep his mom company.
Yeah. The world has a way of kicking people when they are down. Then when you think it's done, it comes back harder than ever.
My mom has developed quite the bond with the woman since yesterday. She is currently making a cloth that'll be wrapped around the Rockruff when placed into the ground.
I haven't a clue what I'll do. I want to do something, but I don't know what.
"Just be there, Cam. You don't need to do anything special," Carl said as we video chatted. His Grovyle was meditating on the floor beside Carl's desk chair.
When Carl got his Treecko it was a bit of a rash Pokemon. Didn't know how to be calm so Carl took him to some lady who was an expert in meditation. Meditating has allowed Grovyle to harness an inner strength he normally wouldn't.
"But everyone I know is doing something special. My mom is making a cloth, Kukui has a speech prepared, and Caleb and his family are with the lady right now. Hell, Caleb and his sister are baking a pie."
One of the interesting traditions here in Alola is that the death of a Pokemon and a person are the same. There are 2 stages to dealing with them. The first is mourning. The second is celebration. When the body is in the ground, the celebration begins.
"Cam, you're worried about seeming rude and not caring. Trust me, that's not how you'll be looked at." Carl was slightly distracted by writing in his notebook. He is either writing things down about Pokemon behavior, which he loves to do, or real-life stuff.. Even though he is distracted, he seems like he is giving me is complete focus.
"I just feel like it's insufficient," I mutter.
"It's not. It's the average amount of what one can do, just showing up. You don't need to do anything extra. Just be there," he said trying to make me see his reason. He looked up and smiled at me.
I just let out a huge sigh.
"So how are you doing?"
"Still in pain but I'm okay." My ankle isn't broken. I suffered a mild sprain of it though so I'm wearing a support brace to get around. My abdomen is bruised but nothing serious to be honest.
Carl just glared at me and said just one word, "Cam."
"Okay. Physically, I'm okay. Emotionally, I'm pissed. I want to find these Team Skull guys and beat the crap out of them."
He chuckled. I asked him what was so funny and what he said kinda hit me really hard.
"That's the Cameron I remember. Not the weak, stifled kid afraid of conflict after his dad died. I remember the hard-headed, unafraid kid with a good heart."
I wanted to cry. But I saw the smile on Carl's face and realized it wasn't appropriate. He was happy.
I was guilt-ridden.
"I'm sorry Carl."
"For what?"
"For the last year. I haven't been myself. I've wasted our friendship."
His face tightened. He dropped his pen and shook his head. In the corner I saw Grovyle open his left eye as if he sense the sudden change in Carl.
"You didn't waste our friendship. You don't have to apologize for the last year. Your dad died. You are allowed to grieve however you feel."
I looked away, looking outside. The sea is as blue as ever and there isn't a cloud in the sky. It's the same as every other day but it is different all the same. The island just seems different, like something is casting an invisible shadow over us.
All because of one dead Pokemon.
In Hoenn, only the town it occurred in would be impacted. We didn't make a big deal. Here? It seems like everybody knows what happened and it's like that Rockruff was theirs. Even yesterday evening when I went to the mall with Illima, there was such a quieted anchor over everybody. The employees weren't as peppy as they used to be.
Illima said that'll change after tonight. The grieving phase will end. The celebration of life begins.
But some of us will still grieve, right? That woman will grieve. Her son will still grieve. Even I will still be hurt. Grieving just doesn't end overnight once the sun rises.
"Look at me, buddy."
I look back at the screen, at Carl.
"The last year has helped made us who we are. You wouldn't be who you are, and neither would I. It brought us closer. You're my brother, and there isn't a thing that'll change that. Even if you are in a completely different region."
There wasn't an ounce of sadness in his words or his face. It was the same positivity he brought to our friendship as usual. He wasn't a crier. He wasn't one to fall when the chips are down. He keeps picking up the chips and gets on with his life.
I'm the crier in the friendship. Shocker, I know.
But I smiled in this instance.
"Cam, don't ever think you did me or our friendship a disservice. I came over your house to see your ugly and mopey face every damn day the last year." He was interrupted by my laughter causing him to laugh. "I didn't do it because I felt bad for you. I mean, I did, but you were, and are, my best friend. I did for you what you would've done for me."
I didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. Carl knew that. He knew me. He knew I was thankful. After a couple moments of silence, we talked about how things were going back at Petalburg. We talked as if nothing happened even though it did. It was in the back of our head but our friendship allows us to not get stuck on it. We say what we have to, have that moment, and move along.
Okay, maybe I get stuck on it. Carl doesn't. He makes sure to hold my hand and drags me with him so I don't get lost.
The funeral service was heavy. Hala led a hymn has Rockruff was carried into the cemetery. The woman was a little tearful but she wasn't sobbing. My mother and Caleb's mother were by her side a long with a couple other woman. There was a tall young man with red hair holding her hand.
It was her son.
Lanterns were lit up along the cemetery. Even with the light a couple ghost Pokemon looked on. There were a few Ghastly just watching us. It was like they knew. It was eerie yet encapsulating of the entire situation.
Caleb stood beside me. Aaron was also next to me. We haven't said a word to each other since yesterday.
The body of Rockruff was wrapped in a piece of cloth inside of a small wooden box. The box was set upon a table. When everyone got settled Hala offered a few words. However, it was Kukui who had the main speech.
"As a Pokemon Professor it disturbs me to see Pokemon in pain. What happened yesterday was an egregious moment for our town. We don't know if this poor Rockruff, Rocky as he was nicknamed, died quickly or slowly. What we do know was that he brought joy. We know that he was part of community. We know he was part of our home. We know that he was our Rockruff, our Rocky." The emphasis on the word "our" became deeper and louder each time he said was like a bang of a gong each time he said it.
"The loss of Rocky will forever stain our hearts. But let us take this loss and remember we must cherish our Pokemon, even the wild ones. They are our friends. Let us not live in a cycle of sadness by the acts of evil. Let us live in a cycle of happiness and joy by those who do good."
Kukui briefly silenced himself and looked over towards Caleb and I. He looked away, but his glance was long enough to have others glance over to us. He didn't say another word. He placed his hand on the casket and kissed it.
Then there was a bright flash of light in the sky. The flash of light zipped down behind Kukui. When it cleared, Tapu Koko showed.
I ask Caleb if this was common at funerals. He told me it wasn't. Not even for Pokemon.
Tapu Koko approached Kukui and the casket. He looked at Kukui and then at the casket. It lifted it's arm and placed it on the casket dropping a shiny object on it. Then the Guardian Deity looked at the woman and her son. It closed it's eyes for a moment and then flew off.
Hala walked up to the casket and grabbed the object Tapu Koko left. It was a symbol from the Guardian. One of recognition of the Rockruff and what had happened.
I'm not familiar to Alola and these Guardian Deities but I'm willing to bet that stone is a huge deal. The presence of Tapu Koko is a huge deal.
Caleb told me that he had only seen Tapu Koko once before this week. He's seen him twice in as many days. Caleb was born and raised here. So strange but I guess that describes this Guardian perfectly based on what I've seen and heard.