Chapter 91: Our Story Is Only Halfway Finished
Yumi's POV
In the center of the white room, I was on my knees, holding in my arms an Espurr who has passed. Even though the feline suffocated to her death, her eyes were still wide open.
It was over. This battle was finally over, but at what price?
Espurr lost control of her powers, and ended up paying the ultimate price. But was it really all her fault? The whole point of her struggle was to grant me never ending happiness, even though you could describe that happiness as 'just pretend'.
All this time we were pretending…so much for 'my happy ending'.
"Is she?" Seth asked as he approached me from behind.
"Maybe it's for the greater good…" I answered, "If she remained alive, it would be a never ending, uphill battle for us."
"So you're just gonna let it be." Seth concluded.
"I remember when she first hatched from her egg…" I said.
That night in Eggseter, Seth, our pokemon and I all watched in awe as the beginning of a new life was in the making at the stroke of midnight. Her whole being radiated in a fresh, bright, white aura.
"Nya…" In Seth's arms, she yawned as she opened those ide eyes for the very first time. Her first sight was Seth and I together.
I sighed, "I was hoping that we would be this one big happy family."
If you think about, Espurr was really just a victim of my depression. None of this would've happened if it wasn't for me.
"Nyah…" I also remember when Espurr pulled the hands of Seth and I together. It was so cute, I ended up blushing, though in the night, nobody could see it.
Look at me. Even though Espurr was only with us for a short while, I was reminiscing about her like I've known her for years. I couldn't help but start crying. "I'm sorry. Your life ended before it really started….Those wide eyes and folded ears…I'll never forget them…You certainly had Seth's attitude…I'm sorry you'll never get to meet Chapel and Rose. And I'm really sorry that your life went nowhere…nowhere except 'up there'…Rest in Peace, Espurr…"
I took out Espurr's pokeball and stared at it. It was no longer of any use to me. Metaphorically speaking, Espurr was already released.
With Espurr in my arms, I rose from my knees and turned to face the others. Seth, Chikorita, Chandelure, Alice, and Umbreon all watched as Espurr's eyes were finally closed by me.
I looked at a Seth I could no longer deny I have feelings for. His eyes looked more focused on me than ever. "There was a cemetery in Autumn Town that we passed by earlier. We can bury Espurr there."
…
Location: Outside the Citadel
It was still snowing outside, and I was only wearing a white dress. I wore long black gloves and black leggings, but I wasn't wearing any shoes. I was freezing…
Seth's POV
Alice and I were up front. Chandelure was recalled, and Chikorita was on my shoulder. Alice has been very quiet since Yumi woke up…
Casually looking back, I took note that Yumi had not yet step foot outside of the citadel. She wasn't wearing any shoes, and she just stared at the snow.
I sighed as I started back toward Yumi, causing for Alice to stop.
…I went back for Yumi out of genuine concern for her, a lot like how I would've gone back to Chikorita if she were ever in trouble. I was becoming more and more aware of what was changing about my character. I could deny it no longer: I care about Yumi.
"What happened to you old clothes?" I asked the long, black haired girl holding Espurr.
"Espurr replaced them with my dream clothes." Yumi answered as her eye slowly drifted back toward the snow surrounding the citadel as she said, "I've never seen snow before."
"Me neither…" The difference between her and I was that I was wearing shoes and a black jacket. But of course, these have been my default traveling clothes since Day 1.
…
…
"…Come on…" I said as I turned my back toward Yumi, prompting Chikorita to hop off my shoulder.
"Huh?" Yumi looked back at me, beyond confused.
"I'm offering you a 'ride'." I clarified.
It was a 'piggy-back ride' I was offering, to be more specific. I didn't want for Yumi to go through any unnecessary struggle. Chikorita offered to carry Espurr, allowing for Yumi to climb up on my back.
She kept her eyes on me for a few second, and I began to wonder why she was staring at me. I kind of found it alienating.
"Hmhmhnhnhn!" She smiled and nuzzled me slightly, "Thank you Seth." Her arms wrapped around my neck as she hugged me from the back…
Alice's POV
Seth and Yumi…they were so different that they complimented each other like positive and negative. They've been through so much, it's made their connection stronger. And for the first time, that connection has surfaced and become physical.
…I hated that sight. I hated seeing those two together in this winter wonderland. I've always imagined myself in Yumi's position. I don't get it. I WON our battle in Seth's name, I promised him that he and I would defeat Neo Snagem together, he and I stood together in the 'From Autumn to Winter', AND I helped him rescue Yumi. But still…it means nothing if THIS was going to be the end result.
I felt so left out, and he seemingly didn't even notice me…Maybe it would be best if I kept walking.
I sniffled, and wiped a single tear from my eye as I continued ahead, wanting to leave this moment behind…
Location: Autumn Town Cemetery
Yumi's POV
Behind every face lies a soul that was once innocent. The soul that lies here was never given the chance to fully develop, but has now been claimed by eternal peace. May you rest in peace, our baby Espurr.
"We'll meet again in the next time…" I said as I stared at the tombstone of the buried feline, "…And when we do, we'll all right our wrongs…"
Snowfall had lightened up by the time we made it into the cemetery. I had asked Seth to let me down as I got on my knees and prayed at Espurr's grave. Even Seth had a look of despair on his face. Alice…she suffocated Espurr, while Chikorita dealt the finishing blow. And like I said before, it was probably best to just let Espurr proceed into the next life, where she can't 'self-destruct' if she loses control of her power again.
The funeral was nothing too formal. While Seth was in his normal clothes, I remained in my white dress, while Alice remained in her black one.
"It's a promise," I said to myself.
I'll tell Espurr everything about how life was in this world.
I stood on my feet, which were freezing on the cold ground where the snow was no longer sticking, even though I wore leggings.
I didn't want to be carried before turning to Seth and saying, "I need some new clothes. Let's stay the night here."
And so it ends, the time of Espurr…
Location: Autumn Town-Local Clothing Store
Autumn Town was a very small town. It was so out of the way…but that didn't mean that nothing was here. My guess was that my normal short skirted furisode was 'lost' during the formation of my dream world. The citadel that WAS my dream world disappeared following the burial of Espurr. With the citadel, went everything else I dreamed of…except my new look.
While Seth and Chikorita had annoyed looks on their faces because they said 'I was taking too long', everybody else was complimenting me on how beautiful I was once I came out of the dressing room with clothes paid for by a rarely generous Seth.
"So, how do I look?" I asked Seth with a smile on my face.
I wore a short skirted kimono that was very reminiscent to the original aqua blue furisode I used to wear, though this kimono was black and shoulderless. The obi that went with the kimono was aqua blue in color, while the obi's ribbon was pale purple. The skirt of the kimono was black a ruffled, as was the skirt's white trimming. I wore white pantyhose on my legs, and black knee high boots on my feet. Oh, and I thought I'd add a new accessory to myself. In my hair, I sport a ribbon that was the same amethyst color as the ribbon on my obi. This ribbon was basically a line in between my long black hair and aqua blue bangs.
I knew Seth wasn't going to give me any sort of positive answer. He's always so oblivious. Or maybe he's just stubborn. Nevertheless, I at least had to try.
"Come on, Seth. Tell me I'm pretty!" I walked up to him as I crossed my arms.
"Chico chicory." Chikorita tried to encourage her trainer, but all he did was look at me wordlessly.
…Maybe he was on the timid side when it came to this kind of stuff…
"Hey…" I said as I suddenly came to this realization. I came even closer to Seth and Chikorita, and looked him right in the eye as I asked him, "You really care about me, don't you? I mean, after everything that happened and all…"
words.
"Come on, don't be shy," I said.
"Very much…" Seth finally replied.
I smiled, but I wasn't going to let my excitement get the best of me. Why? Because I believed now was the time to finally tell Seth how I feel.
I wanted the setting to be perfect. Inside of a clothing store and in front of a lot of people was far from the perfect setting I had in mind.
I grabbed Seth's hand, but for the first time, I did it softly. Even though I wasn't slightly forceful this time, Seth knew the routine by now as he let me take him outside, Chikorita following.
…..
As I walked, I became more and more anxious for some reason. I was glad Seth didn't question me as I started kept walking faster and faster. I didn't want anyone nearby when I did this, so I ended up walking until we were just outside of Autumn Town-in a meadow filled with vivid roses. Because the falling snow already decorating the surrounding trees wasn't sticking to the ground, the setting was felt a little 'magical' to me.
'Here it goes…' I thought to myself.
As soon as I stopped in the meadow, I turned around and ran Seth into what was probably the deepest hug I've ever given him.
Am I taller than Seth? MAAYYBEE…Nah, I'm just standing on the tips of my feet. We were probably the same height, either that or the difference was microscopic.
Seth was slightly startled by my sudden force. Chikorita looked at both of us as if she knew what was coming next.
Nothing happened 'next'. I just stood there for a few long seconds, hoping Seth would embrace me. He tried to pull away after an unnecessary amount of time-
"-Please don't let go." I wasn't going to force him to return my hug. It was HIS decision.
Though he didn't pull away, he also didn't hug back…Good enough for me, considering who I'm talking about.
"You don't know how much you mean to me…" These words were only the surface of months and months of bottled up feelings, "Who would've thought, on the day my journey began, that I'd be pouring my heart out to you? Not you, of course." I guess Seth being hard to get is was makes me come at him with that much more passion.
Hard to believe I almost gave up on him and this and entire journey at one point…
"You know, I made a promise to Zero when I met him," I said to Seth while still hugging him.
"You never did tell me what happened between you two that day. Please, tell me this promise you're talking about." Typical Seth, while he IS obsessed with his enemies, he's also trying to avoid the subject of my feelings for him. I DID have an answer to his request, and I was very happy to show it to him.
"Hm?"
…He felt the touch of my lips planting a kiss on his cheek for the very first time. "I promised to keep you close…" It was my way of letting him know that I DID like him in THAT way, to say the least.
I let go Seth, and I gave him a very long and dragged out stare. He tried to look away multiple times, but he would catch me still staring at him whenever he looked back at me. 'That happy ending of Seth and I…I'll make it reality someday.'
I wanted Seth to blush. I wanted him to smile. Neither of those things happened. Well, I guess I'll have to earn those things while getting him to return my feelings. In other words: the story of Seth and I is only halfway finished…
To Be Continued…
Author's Note:
So, do you guys like? Some rare 'fluff' between Yumi and Seth that ISN'T OBSCURE.
And about Espurr...You wanna know the reason why she was written off so unceremoniously? Well, like Gothitelle, I plan to have Espurr featured very prominently in Anistar's Twilight, so prominent, that I cut her from Virus Version to prevent myself from getting Writer's Block due to writing too much with her character.
Don't like spoiling the next chapter via Author's Note, but why not? Next chapter, we'll FINALLY be in Mahogany Town! Seriously, I think it was in the first half of 2015 that I wrapped up Ecruteak City, meaning that I've dragged out what is perhaps the shortest route in Johto for ALMOST A YEAR! But hey, I have no regrets, especially since Zero, Rose, Seth and Yumi have all been critically developed.
Yumi's Party
Umbreon(Male), Synchronize
Braixen(Female), Magician
Shadow Gligar(Male), Sand Veil
Snivy(Male), Overgrow