"And you didn't see his face?"
"No, ma'am. It was too dark."
The police officer nodded, jotting something down in her notepad. She had introduced herself when she first arrived, but Ethan forgot her name nearly as soon as she said it.
Nearly an hour had passed since Ethan's encounter with Silver. After the red-haired boy had disappeared into the forest, Ethan nearly passed out. It had taken everything in him to steel up and trudge back to Elm's lab, where he made sure the egg was secure before hurrying upstairs, blasting past Krystal and into the Elms' bedroom. Professor Elm was downstairs in less than a minute to assess the damage, in a panicked frenzy as he noticed the broken window and the lone pokeball on his desk. He quickly deduced that Totodile had been the pokemon stolen, and notified the police soon after.
Serene as New Bark Town was, Ethan could hardly believe anyone would respond so late, but sure enough, an officer and her rather intimidating Luxray were at the door within twenty minutes. Ethan had never been more grateful for an officer's choice of partner pokemon- Luxray were less common amongst police than Growlithe or Arcanine, and famous for their electromagnetically enhanced eyesight as opposed to the Growlithe line's sense of smell. Any Growlithe worth its fur would've been able to track a trail as fresh as Silver's, but Luxray's vision would hardly help it.
The officer turned her attention to Gwyn.
"And you?" She asked the Cyndaquil. "Did you see anything?"
The fire-type shook his head. Something fluttered in Ethan's chest. Under different circumstances, Ethan might've felt proud of Gwyn for his act of solidarity. Instead, he felt the swell of pride collapse on itself and thicken until the guilt solidified into a pit in his stomach. Less than a day into his training career and he had made an accomplice of his pokemon.
The police officer made note of Gwyn's response on her notepad before flipping the page. "There's not much we can do, unfortunately," she sighed. "I'll file the report and let the Cherrygrove PD know to keep an eye out for a trainer with a Totodile, but without more information, we don't have the resources to launch a manhunt. I'm sorry."
Professor Elm nodded, waving his hand amicably even though his eyes betrayed a great amount of worry. "You did what you could," he responded. "Thank you for everything."
The officer nodded, scribbling something on her notepad before ripping out the page and handing it to Elm. "This is the non-emergency line to the precinct, my name, and your case number. Please give us a call if you find or recall any more information." With that, she left, her Luxray trailing behind her silently.
"I'm sorry," Ethan let out quietly as the door closed. His eyes flicked up to meet Elm's and quickly flicked to the ground again.
The older man shook his head, sighing. "Don't be. You did what you could." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes on the inhale and opening them after the exhale. He forced a faint smile. "It's up to the police now. And who knows, maybe you'll remember something in the morning. You must be very tired."
Now that Elm mentioned it, Ethan was exhausted. Of course, the professor was mistaken in thinking that his exhaustion had anything to do with his omissions, but it was an easy out. Ethan nodded without speaking.
"Right, then. Let's get you to bed."
The whole night, Ethan felt as if he were going to throw up. He kept tossing and turning, much to Gwyn's dismay (he had made a home under Ethan's blankets within seconds of entering his room). No amount of thinking was bringing forth a rational explanation for what he had done. Every version of context, event, aftermath came to the same conclusion- he had fucked up by letting Silver go. For no reason other than a strange feeling, he had betrayed the trust of Professor Elm, Krystal, and probably the entire Indigo League. Nothing could undo that.
He had also found himself thinking about Silver. As royally fucked as Ethan felt, the red-haired boy was currently in very real danger. Ethan hoped that he had at least made it to Cherrygrove, where he'd be safe from the dangers of the wild, but a part of him wondered if Silver wasn't more at risk of being found in the city. But found by who?
He didn't think it was the League. ACE trainers were remarkably well-trained, and Ethan didn't see how a kid his age with no pokemon could have evaded them successfully. They were also notorious for their pokemon training prowess- none of Indigo's agents would be caught dead using a gun when a well-honed Stone Edge or Psychic could get the job done just as well with less tangible evidence. No, whoever Silver was running from was working outside the law, that much Ethan was sure of.
A scratch at the door rustled Ethan from his half-sleep. He groaned softly, squinting as the morning sun shone through the window. "Come in," he yawned, sitting up slowly.
The door swung open, the handiwork of Scout, Professor Elm's Sentret. The normal-type had learned he could reach doorknobs if he stood on his tail, and often used this skill to wake Ethan up when Elm was busy. Scout scurried onto Ethan's bed, chirping cheerily. Gwyn stirred, poking his head out from under the blanket. Scout noticed him and barked, jumping nearly a foot into the air. Gwyn snickered before emerging from under the covers, sniffing the Sentret. Scout tapped him gently on the snout.
"Mornin', Scout," Ethan greeted, stretching his arms. Scout turned his attention to him, chirping and gesturing in a way Ethan understood. The professor wants you. Ethan nodded. With a loving chirp, the Sentret hopped off his bed and scurried into the hallway.
Ethan turned to Gwyn. "Let's go, buddy." Gwyn stretched, yawning softly, and hopped onto the floor. Ethan smiled half-heartedly and swung his legs over, placing his bare feet on the cold wood floor. Breathing in slowly, he zoned in, focusing on his heartbeat and the flow of blood throughout his body. He held his breath and went over his story one more time: he barely saw the guy, he lost him in the forest, he doesn't remember much else. His blood continued to pump, his heart continued to beat, his nerves steeled themselves, he exhaled slowly. He was ready.
To Ethan's surprise, Elm seemed considerably less shaken than he had expected. There was still a nervous air to the man, but that was a given for the professor. Despite last night's events, he managed a smile upon seeing Ethan. Krystal was already present, her eyes darting around the lab curiously. Scout and Princess, Elm's Corsola, sat at Elm's side, alongside the Chikorita Ethan had met the day before.
"Good morning," Professor Elm greeted. Ethan gave a curt nod in response, waving politely to Krystal and the pokemon as well. Gwyn chirped excitedly and ran from Ethan's side to greet Chikorita, who seemed equally thrilled. Ethan couldn't help but notice the absence of Totodile, bringing a bitter taste to his mouth.
"Ethan, I thought you might like to be here for your new best friend's first moments as a trainer," Elm explained. Wait, hold on, best friend? Ethan couldn't believe his ears. A noise not quite human, a sputter crossed with a scream, left his mouth, his face flushing.
Krystal bursted into cacophonous laughter, holding her sides as her body shook. Professor Elm chuckled as well, his smile wide. Once Krystal recovered, she held out her hand, which Elm met with a high-five.
"I told you he'd freak!" Krystal exclaimed, a little obnoxiously in Ethan's opinion. Any retort he had prepared died on the tip of his tongue as he remembered that he let Silver go. With one of her potential pokemon. He'd let her have this.
Ethan muttered some version of "Whatever, whatever," and let Professor Elm continue.
"Though the circumstances aren't ideal, I'm happy to be able to present you with your first pokemon," Elm announced proudly. Chikorita stepped forward, chirping excitedly.
Krystal grinned, kneeling down. She softly caressed Chikorita, stroking the grass-type's back as it purred in content. "Would you like to come with me?" Krystal asked, more ceremoniously than anything else. Chikorita nodded, yipping in excitement.
"Would you like to give him a nickname?" asked Professor Elm.
Krystal blinked. "Him?"
"Him," Elm confirmed with a nod and a faint smile.
Krystal blinked once more, her mouth twitching. Ethan felt a laugh attempt escaping from his throat, but he suppressed it. Krystal had clearly been expecting a girl. She inhaled slowly, bringing a smile to her face. "Of course, he needs a name."
Ethan was patient enough to stick around while Krystal found a name for Chikorita (Adonis, named for some mythological figure Ethan had never heard of but she swore made sense), but he dismissed himself for the clerical process of her registration, instead choosing to make his way back up the stairs and into the living room. He let out a small gasp of surprise as he noticed Veronica sitting on the couch, steaming mug of tea in hand.
Veronica Elm, the professor's wife and Lyra's mother, was a kind woman, and it showed on her face. She was in her early forties, like Professor Elm, and laugh lines had formed near her eyes and mouth. Her face was often, habitually, in a content smile, framed by shoulder-length brown hair with the faintest strands of grey. The bags under her eyes weren't lost on Ethan- he imagined she and the professor shared the same restless night he had experienced.
"Good morning," Veronica greeted him. She set her mug on the coffee table, standing up. Ethan felt himself reflexively reciprocating her hug before he was consciously aware, resting his head on top of hers as she patted his back. "How did you sleep?" she asked into his shoulder.
He pulled away gingerly, fighting a yawn at the mere mention of sleep. His shoulders pulled up with a shrug. "Not great," was all he responded with.
Veronica nodded in understanding. "Me neither." She gestured towards the kitchen. "Would you like a coffee?"
"I'll make my own in a bit," Ethan said with a shake of his head. The Elms were tea drinkers, and while they had been kind enough to buy a coffee maker when he moved in, their attempts at making the beverage had been watery at best and downright rancid at worst.
Veronica laughed and sat back down, picking her mug back up and taking a slow sip. Her eyes lit up as she noticed Gwyn for the first time. "Ah! You must be… what was it… Gwen?"
"Gwyn," Ethan corrected with a smile, nudging the Cyndaquil forward. "With a 'y'." Gwyn jumped onto the couch, crawling into Veronica's lap. Veronica grinned broadly as she pet the fire-type.
"Aw, who's a good boy?" she asked playfully. Gwyn loved it, relishing in the attention and nuzzling her face. Ethan couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Veronica had always had a way with pokemon, and he wasn't shocked that Gwyn had taken to her so quickly.
"Are you guys heading out soon?" Veronica asked, her attention turned to Ethan now.
He nodded hesitantly, breaking eye contact as his gaze fell to the floor. Shame pooled in his cheeks, which he bit the inside of lightly. He had always planned to leave as soon as he received his starter, and, well, that'd be now. He'd planned for this, he felt he ought to be a little more… ready. As it stood, he couldn't help but feel as if leaving would be a mistake, like he was just running away from the mess he had made. Or running towards it, he thought.
"After I get packed and Krystal gets settled," Ethan finally answered weakly, his voice shaky. As much as he wanted it to, it didn't go unnoticed. Veronica frowned empathetically, gesturing for him to sit on the couch. He obliged, sinking into the soft cushion next to her even with his body tense.
"Tired?" inquired Veronica.
Ethan nodded, a quiet "yeah" escaping his lips. Gwyn crawled into his lap from Veronica's, nuzzling his chest. The trainer smiled faintly, petting the fire-type's head.
"Don't feel guilty about last night, Ethan," Veronica continued. "These kinds of things happen. I've been telling Jon to update his security for years."
Ethan nodded, but didn't say anything, the pit in his stomach growing heavier. There was no way for her to know it, of course, but it was his fault. He couldn't feel anything but guilty.
"They'll find Totodile, I'm certain of it. I just don't want you worrying about it any more than you need to. I know how you can… internalize things."
Veronica Elm may not have been Ethan's mother, but she still had that maternal sense and two years of raising him. Her words cut to the bone in a way Ethan had thought only his mom would ever be able to. He clenched his jaw, tears stinging his eyes.
Ethan wanted to prove her wrong, to show that he didn't internalize the way she said he did, but he knew to do so would be disingenuous and purely performative. The events of last night were pressing on him with the weight of the entire world, and Veronica didn't even know the half of it. And he couldn't bring her into the loop, not in a million years. Ethan fucked up.
He didn't say anything. He couldn't even if he wanted to, not with the invisible hands clawing at his throat, suffocating any words he could try to conjure.
He still had reservations. He still felt guilty. But one thing was clear- Ethan had to leave.
Packing was a quick and quiet affair once Ethan got into it. Gwyn "helped" by sitting on the bed, but he seemed largely unsure on how to engage with Ethan in the state he was in. The trainer's tears had dried, but his face remained red and puffy. He didn't speak once.
Within fifteen minutes, Ethan's bag was packed and ready. Silph Co.'s storage technology made it absurdly simple, to the point where Ethan briefly wondered if he were actively inside a commercial. His top-of-the-line backpack (courtesy of Professor Elm) had a near infinite amount of storage for how small it was, utilizing a complex method reminiscent of pokeballs that Ethan just had no business even attempting to understand. Even Elm couldn't quite make sense of the quantum jargon Silph Co. had put out, but he was a pokemon researcher, not a physicist.
Ethan had been lying on his bed for a bit when someone knocked on the door- Elm, Ethan could tell, by the height and pattern of the knocks.
"Come in," Ethan responded hoarsely. He immediately cleared his throat, conscious of how he hadn't spoken in some time.
As expected, Professor Elm poked his head through, smiling anxiously. "Hey, Ethan, you got a second?"
Ethan nodded, sitting up. The professor entered the room fully and closed the door behind him. His gaze shifted across the room, noticing his protege's handiwork. Ethan had always lived minimally, but now nearly all of his belongings found themselves packed in his backpack, leaving only the most basic of furniture and a shelf full of books (Ethan considered taking those as well, but he'd already read them all, and most Pokemon Centers had libraries anyway).
Professor Elm's smile wavered. "You're all packed?"
Ethan nodded without saying anything. He didn't think he'd be able to.
The professor nodded. "Good on you. It's a great bag, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Ethan responded quietly. "It is."
The older man cleared his throat awkwardly. "I, um, well," he rambled. "I wanted to talk to you about last night, um, before you and Krystal left. Just wanted to see if there was anything you can recall this morning."
Ethan dropped eye contact with the professor. Now was his chance, his last opening to come clean. And he wanted to, so badly. It'd be so easy to confess, to blame his exhaustion for gaps in his memory and identify the red-haired runaway who stole away with Totodile. It wasn't too late. Cherrygrove PD could have Silver apprehended and Totodile back, safe and sound, by sundown!
But Ethan knew that he wouldn't bring himself to do it. He knew that he couldn't. So he just shook his head again.
Professor Elm nodded, but Ethan didn't miss the disappointment that flashes across his face. "Well, the girls are about to battle downstairs, if-"
"He was blond."
The words left Ethan's mouth before he realized he had formed them. Professor Elm's eyebrows shot up.
"At least… I think," Ethan stammered. "It was dark, and I only saw him from behind, but… Yeah, he was blond, I think."
Ethan watched Elm process the tidbit, weighing the information carefully. The professor nodded slightly. "Noted. Thank you, I'll make sure to pass that along."
Ethan nodded. Legends, what the fuck was his problem? Omission was bad enough, but in his panic he'd just lied, probably sending his mentor and the police on a wild Swanna chase.
"Ethan, I, um…" It was Professor Elm's turn to stammer. "I also wanted to tell you, um, before you left, that I… Well, I've never been good at the emotional part of parenting, have I?"
Indeed he had not. He was a kind and gentle man, but not particularly well-equipped to handle more volatile situations. Still, Ethan always appreciated his efforts- at least, he normally did. Right now, he felt unworthy of the effort. Gestures of goodwill did nothing to dispel the ever-expanding pit of guilt festing in his stomach.
"Still, I…" Elm continued. "I want you to know that I love you, and even though you're setting out and will probably earn enough money to buy your own place after the circuit, you'll… Well, you'll always have a home here, with us. I, we, are so proud of the man you've become."
Before the last words were fully out of the man's mouth, Ethan was out of his bed and across the room, throwing his arms around the professor in a tight embrace. Ethan was nearly as tall as Professor Elm, but felt so much smaller as the man returned his hug.
"I love you," was all Ethan was able to get out, sobs threatening to rack his body if he said anything further. He felt the professor plant a small kiss on the top of his head.
I love you. I'm sorry. Forgive me.
But he didn't say that. He didn't say anything. He just held on and didn't let go.
After a few moments, Elm had left Ethan to gather himself before he went downstairs. Ethan spent five minutes washing his face, eliminating any trace of tears, and another five steeling himself in the mirror. Five minutes, he thought. Normally I can do it in two.
Finally, Ethan and Gwyn made their way outside and downstairs, finding Professor Elm, Veronica, Lyra, Krystal, and their pokemon. Krystal's Chikorita (Adonis, he reminded himself) had made fast friends with Scout the Sentret and Bluey, Lyra's Marill. The three pokemon were running around in what Ethan assumed to be some sort of game of tag. Krystal and Lyra were equally amicable, chatting away excitedly.
"A Sneasel variant?!" Lyra asked enthusiastically, eyes practically popping out of their sockets.
Krystal nodded, a wide smile on her face. "They lived in Sinnoh a long time ago, like, a long time ago. Before it was even called Sinnoh."
Ethan thought Lyra might faint. "What happened to them?"
Krystal shrugs. "Nobody knows for sure. They were driven out of their habitats. Some people think they were hunted to extinction, but some think there may still be some left on the peaks of Mt. Coronet."
Even Ethan had to admit that it was exciting to think about. Mt. Coronet was famous for its anomalous nature- passages that shuffled directions seemingly at random, crests that shifted across the horizon, and a peak that still had yet to be explored by all except a solemn and sacred few. Even the famously powerful former Champion Palmer was allegedly hospitalized following an expedition to the top. It was truly impossible to map and navigate fully, so an extinct pokemon living near its peak wouldn't come as too much of a surprise.
Another question was forming in Lyra's mouth when she noticed Ethan and perked up. "Ooh! Ethan's here! We can battle now!"
Ethan's eyebrow shot up. Battle? He didn't sign up for that. Gwyn chirped excitedly.
Krystal met his eyes and explained, "She wants to battle Adonis, and she said we should wait for you."
Gwyn mewled in disappointment. Ethan ignored him. "Well, what are we waiting for?"
Immediately, the girls sprung into action, racing to the side of the house, where a makeshift battlefield had been etched into the grass for as long as Ethan could remember. Lyra whistled, summoning Bluey, who bounced to her side with surprising agility. Adonis followed suit, accompanying Krystal as she took her position across from Lyra.
Professor Elm gestured to Ethan. "Do the honors?"
Ethan nodded, adjusting his hat. He planted himself along the side of the field, halfway between Krystal and Lyra. Putting on his best mock announcer voice, he bellowed, "This will be a one-on-one battle between Lyra Elm and Krystal Odell with no substitutions. The battle will be over when one side is unable to battle. Are we clear?"
Lyra giggled and nodded. Krystal rolled her eyes but sent an affirmative thumbs up. Ethan grinned.
"Battle, begin!"
Krystal took the first move, sweeping her hand out in front of her as she called out an attack. "Adonis, Razor Leaf!"
The Chikorita responded quickly, swinging the leaf-like appendage on top of his head. A flurry of sharp leaves went flying towards Bluey.
"Dodge!"
The Marill once again used its tail to bounce with amazing dexterity, dodging the projectiles with ease. Unfortunately, the Razor Leaf kept flying, causing Lyra to duck with a yelp as they passed over her.
"Careful," Veronica lamented.
"Sorry," Krystal apologized bashfully
Lyra stood back up, dusting off her overalls. "All good!" She exclaimed, grinning and giving a thumbs up. A fire returned to her eyes as she commanded Bluey. "Water Gun!"
Bluey inhaled deeply before letting out a concentrated stream of water. Ethan couldn't help but be impressed- last time he had seen the Marill use that move, it had barely competed with a garden hose, but now it had some real power behind it. Adonis dodged on his own, to Krystal's joy.
"Go in with Vine Whip!"
Adonis broke into a run, closing the gap between himself and Bluey. Once he got close, two vines extended from either side of his flank, moving to attack the Marill. Bluey attempted to dodge once more, but Krystal anticipated this.
"Grab the tail!"
As Bluey bounced away from Adonis, the Chikorita maneuvered his vines to snare the Marill's tail. Bluey fell, caught off guard. A wide grin broke across Ethan's face. They were getting into it!
Lyra didn't skip a beat, though. "Tail Whip, fling 'em!"
Bluey caught her drift, swinging his tail rapidly, vines still wrapped around it, Adonis still attached to said vines. The move sent the Chikorita flying surprisingly high in the air. Ethan hadn't realized how much strength was imbued in a Marill's tail.
"Water Gun!"
Bluey let out another stream of water, this time nailing Adonis mid-air. The grass-type hit the dirt with a thud.
"Adonis!"
The Chikorita groaned weakly, but stood up, dusting himself off. Ethan had to admire his resilience. That combo looked like it was pretty brutal.
"Alright, we're not done yet!" Krystal exclaimed. "Tackle!"
"You too, Bluey!"
Ethan knew right there and then it was over. In terms of physical strength, Bluey outclassed Adonis by a fairly wide margin. Lyra seemed to know it too, judging by the grin across her face.
But then Ethan saw Krystal's mouth twitch. What was she up to?
Adonis and Bluey closed the gap fairly quickly, and were mere seconds away from colliding when Krystal shouted out, "Razor Leaf!"
With no time to stop, Bluey was met head-on with a flurry of leaves and the full weight of Adonis' tackle. The attack sent the water-type flying before he landed on the dirt with a pained squeal.
"Bluey!"
The Marill stirred but did not rise. Ethan decided to call it. "Bluey is unable to battle. Adonis and Krystal win!"
Krystal and her partner cheered at their victory. Lyra ran to take care of Bluey, fishing an Oran Berry out of her pocket (Gross, Ethan thought) and feeding it to the Marill. The water-type ate it gratefully and perked right back up, nuzzling Lyra affectionately.
"Oh, that was wonderful!" Veronica cheered.
Professor Elm nodded in agreement. "Great battle, you two. Bluey's gotten much stronger, and it seems Krystal and Adonis are already great partners."
Krystal grinned, petting Adonis lovingly. "I was so nervous, but he got us through!"
Lyra grinned, too, stroking behind Bluey's ears. "I'm so proud of you, sweet boy!"
Ethan looked down at Gwyn and grinned. The little fire-type seemed raring to go, excited by the prospect of a battle that fun. He had no doubt they'd be able to find one soon- the circuit began in less than a month, and all of Johto would be teeming with trainers looking to test their skills. Ethan knew that the Cyndaquil would be up for the challenge.
"Krystal, let's get Adonis looked at before you and Ethan head out," instructed Professor Elm, cautious as ever. Ethan laughed to himself and followed everybody else inside.
Their final goodbyes were much less teary than the rest of the day had been, thank the Legendaries. Ethan received the egg in its case, which Professor Elm was sending back to Mr. Pokemon with some information attached. Where he had found the time to do any research on it, Ethan didn't know, but the man ate, slept, and breathed academia, so it wouldn't have surprised him if the professor actually studied it in his sleep.
After that, a quick goodbye and a hug (and the gifting of a certain shirt for Lyra) were all that were exchanged before Ethan and Krystal departed, making their way out of New Bark Town.
Here, they stood, on the cusp of Route 29, Adonis and Gwyn by their side. Ethan was hesitant to take his first step.
"Cold feet?" Krystal asked teasingly.
Ethan rolled his eyes. "No." But he still didn't move.
"Well, we're losin' daylight, princess."
"It's barely eleven."
"Whatever."
"I'm taking it in, okay? I know you're already away from home or whatever, but I'm leaving mine right now."
"Fine, I said whatever. Take your time."
Ethan rolled his eyes again and pushed her words from his mind. A gentle breeze swept across him. His gaze fell onto the town's welcome sign.
"Welcome to New Bark Town," Ethan read aloud. "Where the winds of a new beginning blow."
He smiled faintly.
"I think I get it now."
Krystal's mouth twitched and possibly formed the faintest of smiles, but she didn't say anything. Ethan looked down at Gwyn. The fire-type looked up at him, the fire on his back beginning to flare from excitement. Ethan grinned and took his first step onto Route 29.
Adventure awaited.
AN: I know I said less than a week. Oops. I wrote and rewrote this chapter a few times and even almost gave up but I pushed through and I came back. Hopefully the next update comes quicker!
As always, feel free to follow, favorite, review! Any feedback is good feedback and stuff I'll consider moving forward. Thank you so much for reading!