Chapter 15: Festival

Normally time would seem to drag on during the summer months even more than the school months. These days, however, Bryce was beginning to appreciate the idea that 'time moves faster when you're having fun'. Although…perhaps 'fun' wasn't the right word. Fulfilling…that seemed to be more applicable. Violet had continued her research on how Earth operated in all of its facets as Bryce kept the house tidy and took care of any work that needed to be done otherwise. It even gave him the chance to cook for two. Normally, his folks would only complain about anything he made, even if it was exactly what they'd asked for. Violet, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy just about anything that he whipped up, provided it had some kind of meat involved for her carnivorous nature. To her credit, though she enjoyed spending time with Bryce, never once did her self-education end early, and Bryce never pushed her to finish at any time other than when she was ready. Aside from a daily lunch break, she worked steadily, only mentioning her work idly to the human as the two ate during midday.

Oddly enough, Violet never mentioned if she'd come to any sort of conclusion for the idea of Pokemon and humans living together. Part of Bryce felt afraid to ask, especially since he could confidently say that the answer was 'no'. Still, what he wouldn't give to see her world with his own eyes. He was hardly suited to be a Pokemon Trainer, but traveling around with Violet? Part of him wished he could do that here, flying around to different parts of the world. Maybe it would make the world feel more beautiful than it actually was to him.

Still, he couldn't exactly leave the house unattended to go off exploring with Violet, as much as he wanted to. Tempting as it was, it would only lead to him working odd jobs wherever they went as a high-school dropout to try and keep them going. But…that did give him an idea…

Until he could hop back on his computer though, Bryce decided on going for a swim, idly doing laps in the pool as he let his mind wander. June was already over, huh? And with tonight being the fourth, that meant tonight's plans were set. They wouldn't even have to travel to see the festivities, and as for the cooking, well…there was no way Violet would pass that part up. Heck, she'd already expressed interest in whatever the occasional banging noise was last night, but he'd made her swear to wait for the night proper. No peeking out the window, no searching the internet for answers, only asking him whatever she could get away with.

Really, he'd answered everything aside from what the noises were, aside from the fact that they were part of the celebration. As for why someone would set them off early, especially with the fourth being on a Saturday this particular year, he had no idea. It could be because people had their plans and also wanted to join up with others the following day. It could also be the typical human way of premature evacuation; simply unable to resist the urge to shoot off their toys. Regardless, Bryce had done his research; the proper show should start right at ten, so ten minutes before would be the perfect time to settle in.

Suddenly something in the water made Bryce stop, tilting his body so that he was floating proper. Not that he ever was swimming with anyone other than Violet, but even without all his senses, Bryce could just feel that something was off with the way the water bounced against the edges of the pool.

"Aww, I was going to splash you when you got closer." Violet folded her paws, hip deep in the shallow end. "You're no fun."

He merely blinked. She was already done for the day? And more importantly, had…nah, surely not. Perhaps there was some sort of way for Violet's energy to transfer over to his own. Something like…leaving a mark on him that sort of slowly gave him something. Pushing the thought to the side, Bryce swam over to her.

"Done already?"

The Lucario gave him a flat look. "I've been done for two hours."

Oh. "...oh." For all the good that being around her had done, Bryce sure seemed to lose track of himself and time around him.

"Sorry I didn't come out here sooner. I just needed some time to unwind by myself."

"After reading more about earth's history? I don't doubt it." Bryce agreed, nodding.

Anyone would want to relax and just listen to some music alone for a while after an afternoon of reading about a little bit of good and a lot of bad. Although he wasn't interfering with his own bias as best he could, Bryce was still glad he'd given her a warning that what she was likely to come across wasn't going to be pretty.

"But hey, tonight's the night you've been waiting for." Well, for the last day or two anyway. "So I'm sure something will cheer you up."

For example, what he planned to do the very next moment. Violet had easily become a good swimmer over the last month, and Bryce had also made it clear every time they were out here that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. So, it was all too easy to slide his arms around her waist, pulling her forward into the deep end while keeping her upper half well above the water.

A joke was only as good as it was received, and as funny as it was to hear her gasp and playfully shriek, he had no intentions of dunking her under the water. Pulling her into the deep end was plenty, and was also rewarded with Violet teasingly calling him a very unladylike word.

"Oh? And where'd you hear that from, hmm?" He smirked, still holding Violet in place slightly above himself.

"You!"

Guilty as charged. Though he'd used it the same way when addressing one of the CPUs when they'd been gaming the week before. It was only natural that she'd look up that word, but he hadn't expected Violet to add that to her vocabulary.

"So there is a bad girl in there somewhere, huh?" Bryce smirked.

Oops. Now that had pushed a button. Though less for the slightly blushing Violet and much more so for the human that quickly realized…potential implications. Hopefully ones that the alien above him had remained unaware of…if he was lucky. Thankfully, that seemed to be the case as Bryce changed course before anything else could continue.

"...nah, you're too sweet to be bad. All that training and I can't see you ever hurting any creature out there without good reason."

He gently set her back down as her squirming ceased.

"Yeah, well…" Violet folded her arms, attempting to think of some sort of comeback, "...so are you."

Ooh, clever. On most people, they would have merely given her grief for the weak retort. But for her particular conversation partner… "Yeah right." He gave a quick boop to her nose. "Just because I'm nice to you and Shadow doesn't mean that I am for everyone else. Or anyone else for that matter."

A bold claim, with one clear flaw. "You can't fool me…" She smirked, continuing in a sing-song voice. "~I know what your aura is…~"

That trick may have gotten him flustered a time or two already, but this time, Bryce was prepared. "Yeah, but can you read it now?" He dared.

There was a slight pause that lasted little more than two seconds before Violet blew him a raspberry, swimming back with her legs as she splashed him in the face with her paws.

"T-That's going to cost you dinner!" She giggled, starting to step out of the pool.

Bryce rolled his eyes, still smirking. Dinner was hardly a surprise tonight, considering he'd made sure they had everything necessary for hamburgers in front of her. Based on the smells that were starting to fill the air, though, it was high time for dinner. It was a relatively uneventful affair, aside from using the small grill outside and also a certain Pokemon who tried and failed to remain subtle in her eagerness to eat every last thing dropped on that grill. To think, he'd thought that twelve burgers would be way too many. By the end of dinner, he'd eaten two, while Violet had managed to polish off six–and probably would have had the drive to devour the last four if Bryce didn't remind her that they could be kept for tomorrow.

The good news was, although Violet could easily eat a hamburger plain and dry, she also wasn't opposed to adding vegetables and condiments, either. A diet of red meat alone may have been normal for her, but surely eating that much in one go couldn't be that good for her. Still, thus far, there wasn't anything that had gotten her sick. With full stomachs and the sun just about set by the time everything was cleaned up and stored away, it was time for the event of the evening.

Bryce had grabbed a few drinks and desserts, completed by a pair of pillows and all covered up by a blanket. No sooner was it all tucked neatly in his arms did he turn to see a pair of very excited eyes and a wagging tail, just across the way from him.

"Ready?"

Violet beamed, nodding. Sure, the human hadn't made a huge deal of it, but it was enough for him to deviate from his usual plans, so of course she would be at least a bit curious.

"Alright, to the roof, then."

"The roof?"

Bryce nodded. "It'll be just fine for the view, trust me."

Confused, but accepting, Violet opened the door to the backyard for him, the two walking outside.

"Alright, I'll go and get the ladder. Be right back."

"We don't need a ladder." Violet mused. "I could just jump up there with you in my paws."

Huh, so that was the noise he'd heard a few nights ago. He should have figured she'd try walking around on the roof, it was a good way to get a view of the street without giving herself away too easily. Bryce didn't doubt that Violet could carry him, either. The real question was, would his pride allow it? If it had been anyone else, not a chance. But, it would be easier than getting the ladder, so…

"You are not allowed to enjoy this." He gave her a flat look, accepting the conditions.

"Oh I will." Violet quickly replied, picking up Bryce, who gave a sigh as his back rested against one paw, knees bending so that they were draped over the other.

Knowing he could take solace in the fact that someone out there would likely have enjoyed being carried bridal style by a Lucario, Bryce watched with mild interest as Violet sprung up, easily making the necessary height for them to land on the roof. Between the jump and the soft landing, the human in Violet's paws had to admit he was a little bit impressed.

The roof itself was at a slight angle, based on where they were standing. Well, they would both be standing…if Violet was planning on putting him down. Which seemed to be only when given the appropriate 'thank you'.

"Fine." He sighed. "My hero." No way was he about to award a swoon and bat his eyelashes at her.

Violet giggled, putting him down.

"No more classic cartoon movies for you." He threatened.

Feeling that playful gaze on him, Bryce unwrapped the blanket, holding the drinks and dessert in one arm pressed against his chest as he tossed the two pillows down, followed by spreading the blanket out. The two each reclined against the now softer roof, staring up at the sky. Truthfully, Bryce was a bit surprised they hadn't heard anything yet. Though after opening the soda can for Violet, a soft screeching noise could be heard in the distance behind them.

"Alright, just tell me already!" Violet huffed, taking the drink from him.

"Ever heard of fireworks?" He asked, cracking open his own soda and leaning back against the pillow.

He was pretty sure the Pokémon world had fireworks. Whether Violet had seen them or not, though...

"R-Really!?"

Not quite the answer he expected, but evidently this was going to be her first fireworks show. Internally hoping they'd live up to her expectations, the two leaned back onto their pillows.

"Really. The town shoots off their own fireworks show in this direction, but we'll be able to see-"

Any fireworks in the same direction that others were shooting off...and hear, for that matter. Another screech could be heard, this time in front of them, as a trail of gold and green soared in a diagonal line before giving a small poof of green sparks and disappearing into nothingness.

As much as Bryce normally found the 'ooh's and 'aah's of others rather annoying, with just the two of them there, it was actually pretty magical to hear someone's first experience with bottle rockets and the low-exploding sparkling boxes full of colorful lights. Even before the proper show started, the well-known thud of a shell firing into the air filled their ears, and a few moments later, the shell itself exploded into a huge array of blue and white lights.

"Breathe, V." Bryce reminded her, chuckling.

She was far from scared. If anything, it seemed as if she was afraid to breathe, as if it might interrupt or stop the integrity of what she was viewing. Her chest started to rise and fall once more as she stared in awe, the Pokémon seemingly forgetting where she was. Even the gaps between fireworks, no matter how large, still held her full attention.

Well, she was definitely lost for the night. But it was sweet that she was invested in it so much. If anything, Bryce found himself watching Violet and her reactions more than the fireworks. He'd been up here just about every year since he was ten or so, but her reactions were once in a lifetime, her eyes as wide as they could be, pupils lighting up with whatever color of firework was currently shining through the air.

He'd seen many smiles from Violet, but never one quite like that. It was as if there was nowhere in any universe she'd rather be, nothing else she'd rather watch. Moments like that were priceless...Bryce would normally be jealous of that naivete. Instead...he was glad he could be a part of it.

Ten minutes went by, he supposed. It certainly felt like it was longer, but maybe that was because they were both staring…even if one of them was less focused on the show and more on the reaction of the other. Finally, Bryce settled into a more comfortable position as the local fireworks show began shooting off their fireworks. It made it far easier to let his eyes just find a resting position that was equally comfortable as they began with their simple displays. Individual strands of various colored lights, intertwined with the screech of bottle rockets...some various smaller shells that spun through the air with one color before exploding into another...and a few bigger shells that exploded into several smaller ones.

Somewhere along the way, Bryce had finished his drink, setting it off to the side carefully. Violet had done the same, though if he had to guess, she'd simply drank it all in a few gulps in order to not miss any of the show. He was never good with this kind of thing-it wasn't as if there was anyone he'd be showing any affection towards other than Shadow-but that didn't stop him from sliding a bit closer, pressing his side up against Violet. As bad as he was at affection, surely it was a good thing that her body relaxed, right? Her form wiggled closer, giving a soft sigh. Yep, definitely a good sign.

The two continued to watch in silence until the finale began. Hardly difficult to tell, considering the huge array of every color in the sky from the massive amount of shells firing greens, pinks, blues, reds, whites, yellows, purples...and every color in-between. The rockets continued to soar through the air in tandem, making crackling noises as they exploded into white and golden sparks. For the city's usual spectacle, it was far more impressive than the year before...and that made it all the much more special for Bryce to be able to show to Violet.

Regardless of how earth got to where it was, sometimes there were unfiltered moments like this with others that were nothing short of magical. Even as the finale for the city finally ended, they continued to rest there together, watching until the early hours of the morning.

After all, a good holiday wasn't just about the events, it was who they were with.

Author's notes:

First of all, happy 4th of July to all the United States citizens! Hope you all enjoyed the fireworks, barbecues and times with friends. After all, those kinds of moments are worth everything. Being able to enjoy moments, any moments, in a way where one isn't thinking about anything except for how much fun they're having is something I've definitely struggled with–in my entire life of nearing 30 years, I could probably count those times on a single hand–but when I can, those are moments that stick with me forever.

Aside from the idea of celebrating holidays–although I intentionally kept the location of where on Earth vague enough to just be somewhere in the United States–I also wanted to showcase a few smaller, more subtle things in this chapter. Naturally, with a time skip–and hopefully not too far into the future–Bryce and Violet have continued to grow closer. That initial phase of friendship where you always want to be around the other has worn off in a natural way. Being able to take time away from your friends for yourself, introverted or extroverted, is important for your own self-growth. It also allows time to process whatever's been going on in your life, with or without the other. They're also close enough to have more physical joking–Violet having to carry Bryce up to the roof or Bryce pulling Violet further into the water–which, for many, is something that takes a lot of time. Everyone shows their friendship in a different way, but there's not many out there that do so through touch. At the very least, not in my small social circle.

The other highlight I want to make note of is the change of Bryce's reaction to Violet reminding him that he's not as bad of a person as he likes to show off. For myself–and also for one of the people I'm currently working with at my job–we both struggle with the idea that we're just inheriently bad people. We weren't always following the rules–even if we made good grades and largely didn't act up–and so it was put upon us that we were just born as 'bad'. It's tough helping someone younger working though that, particularly when going through it myself, but it's been something that I've gotten better about in even the last few weeks. Rather than feeling as if only a small part of me is good and the rest is bad, I've had two friends in particular that have been showing me that it's not what I am, but it's what I've been portraying because it's what I'm comfortable with…but it's not the best thing for me.

So to those two friends, thank you. You've made the last two weeks of my life go from overworked, tired and depressed to uplifted and full of love and self-confidence that I haven't felt in quite some time.

We are able to change, and not just for the worse, but for the better. Putting up that front is easy to do, but what makes us so burnt out from it all is that no one gets to see the real us. Take some time to think about someone you really trust and open up to them, even if it's only a little bit at a time.

Comments are always appreciated, and remember that everyone has good inside of them. No matter how deep it's buried within you, you can find it by surrounding yourself with others that bring out the best in you, and you in turn, can do that for others. -Delta