This is... half a chapter. A quarter of a chapter. Sort of a small amalgamation of something for you guys, and a brief farewell. As you guys already know, I took a month to try and get my muse back and avoid burnout when I felt it kicking in. Short story made even shorter, it didn't exactly work. Now, don't get me wrong, my love for this story and desire to write it are still here, it's just more that I've lost the desire to write it, if that makes sense. My desire to write comes and goes, and my history on FanFiction's site is a testament to that. I've got quite a few stories that have been left on the shelf to gather dust, with only a handful of short ones completed.
While I'd like to blame ADHD, the truth is that's only a contributing factor. It takes two to tango, after all. I'm sure if I sat down and really forced myself to write, I could. It just... would suck. A lot. For me, and as a consequence, probably for you as well. I have a single unfinished chapter at about 2,500 words that I stared at for the last few days, unable to really bring myself to write anything down. My muse comes and goes in a cycle. My desire to write comes and goes in a cycle. I even tried playing some Pokémon games and watching the movies that inspired me in the first place to try and get that spark back, but no dice.
So what does this all mean? Well, it means this story is going on an indefinite break. However, as I said before, I still love this story. I love Taiyo, and Lucy, and Mohn, and their whole group of friends and family. I still want to see where they'll end up. So you have my promise that when my desire to write does come back, and I'm more than certain it will come back, this will be the story I work on. I won't be starting a new one, like I have before. Who knows; maybe this tale will go a completely different direction than I originally planned during my first ten chapters?
All that's really left to say is thank you. Thank you guys for supporting this story as much as you have. I know it's had its rough patches, and there's certain to be more, but all in all I love to write. I love to create worlds that people can be immersed in, but I also want to do that when the passion is still hot, so people can feel that love. I've learned over the years that it's not hard for someone to tell when there's no passion for a project; especially an an artistic one. So thank you.
So, as a going away present, I've got two things for you here. Some small snippets from characters about inane and important things alike, as well as answering a few questions and concerns that came up in reviews that perhaps I wasn't clear on, or may have just overlooked in my writing. So, let's get started with the latter, first.
Kaitenglory: I do know that the ages are a bit strange, and I was hoping that the last chapter sort of addressed that in a short few lines, but maybe it wasn't quite clear. The timelines and such are extremely fucked in this particular world. People exist when they shouldn't, and events are happening that are extremely convenient for Taiyo, and he's aware of that fact. He doesn't know the why, just that it is and there are things that shouldn't be.
PandaLord0: The older self portion was actually always planned, though perhaps you have a point about the content. Believe it or not, the first 10 or so chapter were me flying by the seat of my oversized clown pants, so there were some ideas I had that got thrown out, and while I tried to swap them out seamlessly, it obviously didn't always work. For example, your thoughts about Emmi. Kanu and Emmi were supposed to be Taiyo's main compatriots for this story, but once I wrote the Wela Volcano arc... well, things sort of spiraled from there. While I don't put too much stock into realistic Pokémon, I can only bend the suspension of disbelief so far. It made sense for me that Kanu was there, and with how he and Taiyo acted, he still likes Tai, but he also thinks Taiyo is far too reckless to be a trainer. Especially since his sister died in a similar accident. Emmi, however, only knows that Kanu got hospitalized because of Taiyo. Even if Kanu tried explaining it to her, she also was the one who suggested they be friends in the first place. There's a little bit of projection coming from her. She's angry at Taiyo, yes, but she's also angry at herself for having them all be friends in the first place; not that she knows that's going on at all.
Monkiepawn: It is rather dramatic, I'll give you that, but it's also a more dangerous world and there are things at play that not even Taiyo can understand. I'll be honest, I couldn't really make heads or tails of your concerns since it lacks a lot of punctuation and you posted it on Chapter 1, so I really have no clue up to what point you got to. I did notice you said you mostly skimmed the story though. While I can appreciate that as a speedreader, myself, I also can't help but think you may have missed a few things that might have alleviated your own concerns.
Jingerr: Don't worry, I have to use Google Translate for it as well. I really have no idea why I used that word in the first place, or why Lucy of all people would know it, but maybe I'll figure that out eventually as well. I was also considering bringing in Cynthia instead of Lusamine, but I felt Cynthia is overused to an extent as a love interest in these S/I stories, even though I barely read any others, but let's face it; the first blonde character the fandom is really down bad for that you think of is gonna be Cynthia. Our bad alien mom deserves some love, too!
Mikocon: Yep, weird stuff abound, and Taiyo has little to no idea as to why. However, things are beginning to move and I hope when I come back, the answers are satisfactory. Or they might be complete nonsense! I don't really know what you find weird about Tomoko and Lynn, since you never specify, but of the two I would personally find Lynn the strangest in your shoes. She says she has a mate, but there's no signs of it, and it's apparent she has something for Taiyo despite them having never met before. Right?
Viki909: Tropes are used because they work. I know chapter 1 was rough, in a few different ways even, though mama ain't dead. Just in a coma. Very big difference, there.
Perseus325: As much as I wanted to try and keep that a surprise, I really hate unwarranted twists and such in stories; especially nowadays. Yeah, the Prince is Taiyo's dad, though what that actually means is anyone's guess. I have a few ideas, though we'll have to see if those change by the time I return to this fic.
Alien58763: Well, he got one! Eventually. It took wading through hell and high water, but he finally got one. Welp, back to the front!
AlphaShenron: Well, by this point people should have a decent idea of who the "good" and "bad" guys are between Team Solar and the League, but that third party out there is still at large and there's still some more pieces on the board yet to be played. Guess we'll have to find out NEXT TIME, ON DRAGONBALL Z!
JoeMcLuvin: Well, hopefully the later chapters have answered some of your concerns, but there's still more to figure out. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you!
Flame punch: Well, thanks for getting as far as you did. As stated before, chapters 1-10 were basically me throwing darts at a wall to see what sticks, but my main focuses were to keep most of the chapters self-contained. There's usually a clear beginning, middle, and end to each one and, sometimes, a cliffhanger. While not everything worked, it did give me an idea of how to write Taiyo and the world he lives in. Additionally, it's made evident in chapter... 2, was it? Maybe three. That most regular people have no clue how types work. That appearances can be very deceiving. Someone like Kali would have no clue that incinaroar is a Dark-Type Pokémon, and even if she did, she'd not have a big idea on what that means. Her son may love Pokémon and know everything about them, but that doesn't automatically mean she does as well.
ymrgf: I love worldbuilding, and I wanted to get the foundations out of the way first. It's like trying to play with your friends without a playground; sure, you can do it, but the playground gives you so many more options. I personally find it's worth the time setting up.
Doctor Doofenshmirtz: "You're mentally fucked, get help, no offense." Offense taken, and ignored. Hope you find a fic more to your liking.
: Well, I hope that little heart-to-heart explained a bit for you.
Peddybritany: Let the buyer beware.
America_Yea: Jokes on you, I don't care about popularity. I care about having fun while writing. So bleh!
Intata: Yes. Yes he is. He is indeed mentally a child, having to deal with the memories of an adult and how to process them. He's just doing his best, man! Not his fault that sometimes his best isn't enough!
Draconicbrionic: Thanks for the words of support! Yeah, I really was hoping that I could write Kanu's dad as hateable, but understandable. From a protagonist perspective we absolutely hate what he did, but from a neutral perspective we can see why he did it. He didn't really hurt Taiyo or leave any physical scars, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been, but one does not choke slam a child into the wall.
Tykronos: While I wouldn't agree with Draconicbrionic that my admitted trashfire of a fic is well-written, the furballs are indeed also hornballs. Well, Lynn is, at least. Given that I have not and refuse to play the SwSh DLC, it may take Taiyo some time to realize Mustard should exist, and wonder what the hell happened with Galar to make its champ like this.
Finally,
pratikchakraborty911: Brother, you have commented on nearly every chapter I could find and your enthusiasm is a large part of why I was able to write this fic for as long as I did. Seriously man, thanks for the support. In the meantime, I hope you can find another fic that you're equally as, if not more, excited and invested in. That author is gonna be lucky as hell, dude.
Now, I promised you guys some snippets, so let's do it to it!
One Day More
Ah, the library. A haven of knowledge, resources, and simple peace and quiet that any introvert can instantly appreciate. People mind their own business and are normally quite polite with one another, and there's very little reason to cause commotion. Unfortunately for me, that part of my day lasted far-too-shortly. I winced as water splashed onto me, the cheerful grin of Lucy in her swimsuit the only thing keeping me from getting upset at.
"Come on, get in the water!" She shouted towards me as our new friends, Lance, Steven, Cynthia, and Di- well, Tiantha, waved from the water alongside Mohn. Off to the side, Lynn was teaching Lily how to make a sand castle while Tomoko was visibly suffering in the heat and sand in her fur. She already had a slowly melting igloo formed around her, and was actively using her own body-chill to stave off the worst of it. Yeah, maybe bringing an Ice-Type to the tropical shores was not the best of ideas.
"Mom, can you watch things?" I asked the woman beside me, dressed in her own two-piece. She glanced up from her own book, her eyes flickering between myself and my eager friends before she hid the smile that formed on her face. "If Tomo gets too hot, maybe take her to get some icecream, or something?"
"Icecream? What's that?" Tomo's ears instantly perked up at the sound of anything cold-related. "Is it a kind of food?"
"Don't worry, Tai. I'll hold down the fort. Um, igloo," mom replied with an easy tone, sounding far more relaxed than I'd ever heard her, before. I slowly stood from my little fold-able beach chair, giving the woman a hug that she returned with barely-restrained joy.
"Thanks," I told her, her smile no longer hidden. "I'm gonna go play with my friends. I love you, mom."
"I love you too, sweetie." That was it. We held our gazes for a second or two longer than what others might consider normal, but I honestly didn't care. I'd lost her once; the woman who had given up everything for me. I could take a few seconds to let her know how much I appreciated that. With a nod, I turned on the ball of my foot in the soft, baby-powder soft sand and took off running to join my friends in the water. The breeze was gentle as it hit my face, and the salty sea air was something I'd long missed from my previous life. I'd lived in Florida by the beach growing up, there, and I'd never appreciated it as much as I did, now. Maybe I should take up fishing, again...
"Hey!" I shouted, my feet splashing through the water as I ran out into the deeper areas where everyone else was. I slammed into Lance, laughing as I gently dunked his neck and chin into the water. "Tag! You're it!" Like mice, everyone scattered away from the rust-haired boy, laughing as the new game began.
"Wha- hey! Get back here, Oz!"
"No tag-backs, no tag backs!"
"What!? Gaaaah fine! Hey, get over here so I can tag ya!"
As we played, I happened to look over towards where mom was sitting. Her book was forgotten on her lap as she watched us kids play, and while I was quite a bit away, I could see the relaxed posture with which she sat. After seven long years of raising me, my mom finally looked like she could take it easy again. I was glad for that. I was also distracted.
"Tag!" Cynthia's voice rang out as she pushed me into the water. I sputtered out the salty sea as the others laughed, each one keeping a few feet of distance from me. I grinned in return, running up onto the beach. "Hey, where ya goin'!?"
"Is something wrong, sweetie- oh!"
"Tag!" I lunged at mom, pressing both of my hands against her shoulders and pushing her back on her chair. "You're it, mom!" Shock morphed into a sly, evil grin as mom finally figured out what I'd done.
"Oh, you're in for it now, kiddo!" She threatened, slowly standing up from her chair to give me time to run away. Then, she took off running after me, the other kids all screaming and laughing as they scattered away from the new player.
I really don't know how long we all played for. We all kind of cycled in and out of the game, and mom took a break at one point to get some icecream for Tomoko. She liked strawberry flavor, by the way. That fox has good taste. Y'know, after all that bullshit with that Champion of Galar yesterday, I think this was just what we needed.
Distractions
I stood apart from the others, my expression calm and polite. Ever on stage. Victory was called in my favor as the crowd cheered, though they didn't know my name. That didn't deter them. I withdrew my Pokémon into her ball, giving my opponent a polite smile before walking back through the bleachers to the contestant area. Reaching the small, air conditioned shack, I saw at that boy, Ozymandias, and the others waved over to me. However, I had other people to see. Still, I gave them all a polite wave and turned my back on them, much to their audible confusion. I walked towards a side room, where I knew he would be waiting. He was sat at a desk, the footage of my recent battle already pulled up on MewTube under the channel name GabbyCast. I sat down in the chair across from him, my feet dangling above the floor. I waited patiently for him to speak, brushing the creases from my white sundress. It was cold in here.
"Ralts was hit five times," he told me what I already knew, but I couldn't help the wince it brought to my face. My eyes met the floor as he turned in his chair.
"Her name is Serenity," I gently corrected him. It was quiet for a few seconds. The seconds stretched into eternity.
"Two hits or less. That's what I told you, didn't I?" He asked me. I remained silent. "Diantha."
"Yes, Mr. Arenberg," I replied at his insistence. "But it was an aron! There wasn't anything we could-"
"I didn't ask for excuses, Miss Diantha, I asked for excellence!" Mr. Arenberg scolded me. His voice was never raised, but I could hear the frustration and disappointment in his tone. I don't think he left home without it. "You, the rising star of Kalos, are struggling so much in a tournament made up of- of grape juice filled brats and backwater hicks!?" I felt my fists clench, imagining the face of that boy with a big grin on his lips. Backwater. Warm. Inviting. I let it go. "What would your fans say, Diantha? How can you be an actress and a trainer if you can't excel at either one!?"
"I-I'm trying my hardest! My fans will understand! That Serenity and I-"
"Aren't good enough!" Mr. Arenberg cut me off with a sharp look, one that promised pain if I spoke out of line again. "Tonight we'll film an apology video and post it to the site. Then we'll arrange a handshake event and a private fan greeting tomorrow. It might be short notice, but I'm sure the optics alone will improve your image." I hated fan greetings. Why couldn't my fans be my own age? Wait... but tomorrow I was-
"Mr. Arenberg, tomorrow I'm supposed to meet with my friends at the bea-"
"Friends? Friends!? You mean those snot-nosed brats you acquainted yourself yesterday? They're distractions, Diantha, nothing more! I- you're on the path to greatness! Fame! Fortune! Everything you could ever want at your fingertips! You wanted to get your family out of that shithole of a shack they live in, didn't you?" I- I did... I do. But...
Mr. Arenberg let out a sigh, glancing back at his PC as he relaxed back into his chair. I couldn't look at him as he stood, walking around the desk to stand beside me. Even though I expected it, I flinched when his hand rested on my shoulder.
"You know I only want what's best for you, right?" He asked me. I knew that. "Then you'll do as I say. I'm your agent. When you succeed, I succeed. And when you fail, I do as well." Yes. I know that. I tried to ignore the feeling of his hand rubbing my shoulder. "Come on, let's get back to the hotel and-" I jumped when the door flew open, slamming into the wall beside it.
"Hey, Tiantha, you never told me you were super popular on MewTube!" Oz's voice shouted as he, Rose, Cynthia, and Lance rushed in with Steven walking up behind them. "Look at this! You've got so many people saying how cool you are!"
"Excuse me, children, but you're-"
"Shove it, geezer," Oz rolled his eyes, pushing my agent aside as he got up in my face with his phone. "Look at this! Everyone thinks you were super cool! Hey, that beach day tomorrow is gonna be the best celebration ever!" I read comment after comment, unable to believe just what I was seeing. I'd never read comments straight from the videos, before. Mr. Arenberg always said they were mean and nasty; that the comments would always be full of weird people. But this... Did they really think I looked... cool?
"Is zis real?" I asked in Galarian, hiding the shame I felt at my poor accent. Still, they didn't seem to care at all.
"Yeah! I gotta agree, you were super cool out there," Oz told me without even a second of thought behind his words.
"But we're still gonna win," Rose added, a competitive smile on her face as she stood on the other side of my chair, opposite of Oz. "Now we know what Pokémon you're using, and Ta-Ozzy's the best when it comes to Pokémon!"
"Hey, we're gonna steal Tiantha for a bit. Seeya later, geezer!" Oz grabbed my hand- my hand!- and pulled me out of my chair, waving back at Mr. Arenberg who seemed to be in some state of shock as we left. I didn't resist the pull. All I could really focus on was how warm his hand felt compared to the countless others who had held mine. How right it felt. We ran outside, bursting through the doors of the competitor's waiting room to the outside world. I don't think I'd ever seen the sky colored such a deep, vibrant blue before.
Blond and Blonder
"Wait, so it was because of you that Professor Rowan decided to try and make a digital pokédex?" I asked, taking a bite from my jerky as the two of us walked along the sidewalk. Cynthia nodded, a happy smile on her face even though she was rubbing the long scar that stretched down her left arm. "Holy crap! M' pa told me that the dex was outdated, but he never said why he thought that!"
"I mean, it's not really that important, right?" The girl asked, her smile turning mareepish. "It was just a little accident it all. Couldn't get to the right page in time, y'know?"
"Still, the professor's gotta be some kind of genius to get that idea from it. You coulda died!"
"Coulda, but I didn't," Cynthia replied with a wink. The took another couple of licks from her chocolate icecream cone, and I took the time to take a bite out of my raspberry popsicle. Mmm, nice and sweet and tangy. "How about you, hotshot? Ozzy told me that you're workin' out an' stuff 'cause you lost, like, some super important battle or whatever."
"I-aha, I mean it's a thing, but not as impressive as you," I told her, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. I took a look down at my arms, which were skinnier than they'd been weeks ago. Well, skinny wasn't the right word, maybe? "Didn't ya say you've never lost before?"
"Yeah, sure, but hey, the old man's always tellin' me that losin' makes ya stronger, ya know? If I can't lose, then why not ask someone who did?" I winced at the way she replied, but I think I could get what she was sayin'. "Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean that in a bad way, ya know? It's just, uh, I mean you're probably pretty smart an' all, and part of that is 'cause of losin'?"
"Well, I lost in a battle for Ta- um, Ozymandias' honor, kind of?" I told her, hoping she wouldn't feel bad about being kinda rude. She perked up with interest when I went into it, so that was good. "He was supposed to be doin' the fightin', but he didn' have a Pokémon yet, so R-Rose an' me did it for him. Uh, but Kanu was real strong, ya know? His Pokémon's already evolved, an' all!"
"Kanu's that boy we saw on the first day, right?" She asked, and I nodded. We came to a stop at the crosswalk, waiting for the light to tell us we could keep going. "What a real piece of work, huh? What's he got against Ozzy, anyways?"
"Well, Ozymandias has always been kinda... weird?" I felt bad badmouthing my friend, but it was the honest truth. I don't think he'd really mind, anyways. "I mean, he spent like a week or somethin' tryin' t' make those poké balls a' his. Got int'a a lotta trouble too, ya know?" Cynthia nodded as I talked, an' I could tell she was thinkin' real hard-like on what I was sayin'. "Almost got me an' Kanu killed, which he feels real bad about. I mean, we're friends, ya know? We made up an' everythin'."
"Sheesh, that goof's that crazy, huh?"
"The craziest," I agreed with her, laughing along with her for a little about that. "But he's a cool guy. Got me int'a exercisin' and stuff. I gotta be stronger with my Pokémon if I wanna be better, ya know?"
"That's... really cool," Cynthia told me, brushin' a bit a' hair away from her face. Her smile was all sweet-like, and I could feel my heart thumpin' in that weird way it did when I liked Lusamine a while ago. I stomped it down. That wouldn' do me any good right now. "You're a really cool guy, ya know that, Mohn?"
"I-I mean, not as cool as Ozzy," I told her, laughing a bit harder than I did before. "I mean, he went all the way up t' Mount Lanakila t' get his Pokémon! That's, like, super cool!"
"Yeah, but he's not here right now, is he?" Cynthia asked. She had a smirk on her lips, and an intense look that made me shiver. "Right now, I think you're the coolest." The coolest. I was the coolest. I'd never been the coolest before. I liked it. "And as the coolest... would you buy me a soda?"
"Only if you buy me a nomelade," I told her. Cynthia rolled her eyes.
"Sure thing, cool guy!"
Beyond Normal
I rolled my eyes as Cassie's pleasured moan came out louder than she'd expected it to, chuckling as her brain caught up with her mouth and her cheeks flushed red at the sound she'd just made. Kali, of course, didn't hold anything back as she laughed out aloud; the sound coming straight from her belly. Me? I just hid my amusement behind my rocky road milkshake. Still, despite the embarrassment, Cassie dove right back into her banana fudge sundae to repeat the process all over again.
"So, thirteen years, huh?" I asked Kali, who was slowly working on her two scoops of raspberry sorbet. "Sounds like you've got some interesting stories to tell about Cass." Cassie tried protesting, but with a mouth full of dessert, it went about as well as you'd expect.
"Oh yeah," Kali rolled her eyes at her best friend's suffering, a sly smile spread across her face while her eyes twinkled with amusement and a hint of vengeance. "I've got plenty. How about the time Cass thought it was a good idea to down a glass of hot sauce to try and show off for Brad?" Oh? Brad?
"Kali!" My blonde girlfriend shouted, trying to launch herself over the cafe table to strangle her friend. Kali laughed it off, using her own arms to fend off the girl. Girlfriend. Man, how long it'd been since I had one of those. Well, I guess my stay in Alola was worth it in the end, despite all the hiccups. I hid a wince, remembering the scream of that boy when Kali had collapsed like a wooden puppet let off from its strings. My eyes traced her smile, and took in the relative paleness of her skin. Oh, it was getting better, but it'd be a while until it was like it was before. I could stand to spend some more time in Alola while that happened. Not like Mr. Balsam would let me leave any sooner; not after his own kid got abducted.
I glanced down at my phone, checking it from my pocket. Still nothing. Complete silence from him since that day. I still got my stipend, so it wasn't like I was unemployed or anything, but the lack of requests still made me uneasy. The last one I'd gotten was for a job playing security at Kukui Ana Cavern, and honestly... how much of that was coincidence?
"Hey, Kal," I spoke up as I put my phone back away. The two girls stopped wrestling- well, as much of wrestling as could be done at a metal table- and looked by way. "How's that kid of yours doing, anyway? He's in the junior tourney, right? With that Pokémon he... caught?" And wasn't that a hell of a surprise? All I knew the morning of his birthday was that Cassie was dragging me to some kind of party. I only learned it was the kid's birthday when I saw Kaliope up and about, and the cake. Then that Alolan vulpix showed up, and I instantly knew it had to be his. I just... had that feeling that the kid would go for something dangerous like that.
"He's doing alright," Kaliope spoke up, breaking me from my thoughts. There was a wistful smile on her face while Cassie sat back down across from her. "Made some new friends, apparently, and they're all gonna head to the beach tomorrow. I'm chaperoning, so no worries about that."
"Hah," I forced out a laugh at the idea. "With a kid like that, you'd need an entire group of adults."
"Muka!" Cassie hissed, and I realized my mistake. Still, Kali waved it off without her smile dropping.
"No, no, he's right," the tanned girl spoke with a lightness in her voice. "Taiyo's a... well, he can be a handful. But he's better now, honestly. I... still don't like that he caught his own Pokémon. Or that he still wants to be a trainer. But..." The woman was quiet as she gazed off to the beach across the road, staring out into the waters beyond. It was a nice day. A nice breeze, and while not cloudless, it didn't seem like it would rain any time soon. "Well, I think catching Tomoko's helped him calm down a little. It always seemed like he had something to prove, looking back on it, and I think Tomoko and Lynn are really helping him get over that." There was something about the way she spoke that felt off, and it took me a couple of seconds to take a guess at it.
"Hey, some kids just don't listen to their parents, okay?" I told her, hoping to ease her up a bit. "I mean, you've got probably the most stubborn kid I've ever met. I don't think there's more you could'a done. Seriously, you jumped in front of a Pokémon's attack for him! Even if he needed to get some help from... other sources, there's no doubt you're a great mom."
"An attack that wouldn't have even hurt them in the first place," the woman whispered. It was quiet, but I could still hear it over the noise of the beach and the cafe.
"Hey, you can't blame yourself for that," I told her, firming my voice up. "Seriously, most people don't know how type interactions work. Even putting that aside, the fact you jumped in the way you did proves you're an amazing mom! You didn't even think twice about putting yourself in harm's way for your kid, and that says a lot about you, Kali. Besides, everything's fine now. It all worked out, so no use worrying about it now, right? Your kid loves you, if those waterworks were anything to go by." Kali chuckled under her breath, a smile slowly forming on her lips as she seemed to take in what I said.
"Yeah. Yeah, I guess he does," she admitted, softly. I glanced over at Cassie, who had a smile on her own face as well. Her gaze caught mine, and she sent me a wink. "Well, how about you two?" Kali asked after calming down a bit. "I would have thought that... all of that would make you guys want to avoid each other. Especially you." She addressed that to me, and I couldn't help the wince despite the non-accusatory tone.
"Ah, well, funny story about that," Cassie began, a light blush on her cheeks. I smirked, coming in from the top rope.
"After a lot of complications, me and her met up at a bar, got drunk, and we kinda fucked our problems away after that," I told the woman. Kali gasped as her best friend whined, obviously not liking the way I summarized things. "Love ya, Cass!"
"I hate you!" She shouted back, pouting. I looked back over to Kali.
"She loves me," I whispered conspiratorily, earning a giggle from the woman. "We kinda talked things out, after. Things just... clicked, so we dove in head first. Haven't looked back, since."
"Which is probably for the best," Cassie added with a sigh. "I think we all could use a break and a new chapter in life, right?"
"I'll drink to that," I told her, raising my milkshake glass.
"Agreed," Kali did the same with her bowl. Cassie brought up her spoon to meet ours and we all clinked them together.
"To new, happier days without so much stress!" The blonde declared, earning smiles from all of us.
"Hah, can't wait for this to bite us all in the ass," I added, taking another sip of my shake. "Trouble seems to be drawn to you guys like a magnet."
"And that magnet's name is Taiyo," Cassie followed up. "Seriously, taking on the Galar Champion like that? I get the feeling he's gonna piss off a lot of people really fast, Kali. I hope you're ready."
"I hate you both," Kali grouched in response. "If that does happen, though... Well... I hope we can face it all together." Cassie rolled her eyes.
"Please, like you could ever get rid of me."
"I'm like a remoraid on a mantine," I agreed. "Where she goes, I go." Well, I did sign up for this kind of job, after all...
The Sleepover
"You jerk!" I rolled me eyes as the little boy, Lance, shouted when his little kart on the screen was hit by a squirtle shell. Lucy laughed in response, passing him by as the kids all played Pokékart Omegadrive on the big screen. I had to admit, the massive mansion that Lucy lived in put all the buildings back home to shame. Even Avalon Square's buildings had nothing on this place. Behind us, the adults in the room hung out at the snack bar of the massive theater this building had, talking amongst each other and such. Once upon a time, that had been me. No longer, though perhaps that was for the best. I'd dealt with enough social politics for a lifetime. I wasn't eager to do it all again. Still, I wondered if my children were doing alright. Elio could be such a rambunctious boy, but Selene would be more than enough to keep him from too much trouble.
"How do you keep winnin'!?" Mohn moaned as Taiyo came in first once again, cackling laughter escaping his lips as he played into his villainous persona of some almighty gamer. He'd come in first nearly eight times in a row at this point. Some things never changed... "Hacks! I call hacks!"
"Cool your jets, 'Cool Guy'," Taiyo shot back, making the poor blond whine in embarrassment while that girl, Cynthia, giggled behind her hand. I felt my own tail swish with my amusement at the sight. Just like Ophen and Calei. "I'm just built different."
"You're built dumb is what you are," Lance groused in reply, his own weakness preventing him from breaking the controller in his hands. "You're cheating. You gotta be!"
"Ah, but for the hand of my fairest Rose I shall win any race or battle! The power of love cares little for paltry glory!" Tai announced, and I could hear the chuckles from the adults behind me. All the while little Lucy hid her reddening face behind her hands, obviously unsure if she should be flattered or embarrassed.
"What a little charmer," the eldest of the men behind me commented, amusement laced within his stoic tone. One Professor Rowan, some sort of studious figure who proposed study of us Pokémon. It was a silly thought, but I supposed that if we had more humans around, the we'd have had our own human professors. "At such a young age. A result of media, Miss Kaliope?"
"Uh, no, he's kind of always been like that," Taiyo's mother replied, a nervous tilt to her tone. "Still, it's nice to see him finally playing with kids his own age. I was still kind of processing it at the beach, earlier, but... it's nice."
"What, did he spend a lot of time with grownups, then?" Another adult, a man wearing a pinstripe suit with a blue tie, asked. Out of all the people here, Kaliope seemed to be the most out of place, only wearing a pink tee-shirt and a pair of jean shorts. "He's awfully mature for his age. I didn't believe Steven when he told me he'd found another boy like himself, I admit."
"Oh, uh, well, he mostly spent his time with trainers and their Pokémon," the woman replied. The others hummed with understanding. "He's been obsessed with them ever since he could walk and talk. Still, it's nice seeing him be so normal." With those words, I decided I'd had enough hanging around with the humans. Honestly, I'd just stayed so I could see Taiyo with the others for a while. While he wasn't exactly the same as he was back then... there was enough of what I remembered there that I could see where he'd end up. After all, Taiyo was Taiyo. I stood up, stretched my legs, and leapt off the seat I was using before trodding out the door, leaving the noise behind me.
Outside the hallway windows I could tell how late it was getting. The kids would probably be ushered to bed soon enough, though I wondered how long they would actually stay up. I remembered those nights where my Mate and I would stay up late when visiting a new region, staying within the safety of those walls just talking about... well, anything, really. Anything to get our minds away from the reality of our situation. A shame it only really happened so late into our journey together. I really had been a little brat, back then.
Well, it was time to visit the other 'mons. To make sure Tomoko hadn't gotten into a fight with Weavile in the cold room. My steps were light on the carpeted floor, and it felt like the time I had to sneak through Aurumveil Castle in order to train for my umbreon form. I felt the cool shiver run through my body as I took on that form, moving swiftly through the halls with easy leaps and bounds as I headed for the Balsam garden. I leapt through the little flap at the bottom of the garden's door, feeling the warmer air of the outside caress my skin and fur. The moon was in its ascent in the sky, a beautiful pale-yellow. I felt its presence invigorate my current form, filling it with a calm, soothing energy.
The snores of the daytime Pokémon filled my ears as I made my way to the large building at the back of the garden, by the mountain's cliff. Already I could see that the lights were on inside, telling me that at least someone was awake in there. Outside of the building, I could see the large form of an aggron poking his head in through a window, the rest of his body molding with the building itself. On his shoulder was little Lily, moving and shaking in a way that told me she couldn't sit still for whatever was going on.
As I got closer, I could hear the gentle, rumbling voice of Aggron fill the air as he spoke. It reminded me of Miyashu. "-then he said, 'Bitch, I could literally turn you into a flapjack!' Hah! If you could see his face when he said it!" Tomoko's laughter, along with the laughter of several other Pokémon, echoed from inside the building. I moved past Aggron's feet, slipping into the open door of the building as I took in the space. The building itself was about the size of four Aggrons put together; more than enough space for Pokémon. Inside were Furret, Ribombee, Tomoko, Weavile, and a few others; including a lampent, a galvantula, and a durant.
"What's a flapjack?" Lily asked, her little body visible through the window that Aggron was peeking in from.
"It's a ting that humans eat dat's really flat, yeh. Tey usually eat it with butter and sugar and stuff," the durant told the little petilil, snapping his mandibles together. "Still, glad you was dere and not me, yeh! A steelix! He'd 'a eat me fer a snack, yeh!"
"The woes of being born of steel," Lampent lamented, his voice soft, yet powerful all the same. "To be doomed and destined as food for those whose jaws can crunch and gnash thy exoskeleton!" Things were quiet for a moment.
"Oh, Auntie Lynn!" Lily shouted, noticing me at the door. The rest all turned to look at me, each one greeting me as well. Well, all except Weavile, who seemed to be relaxing up in his little corner, ignoring everyone else with a grimace on his face. "Hi! Are the humans having fun?"
"Oh, they are, little dearie," I told her, allowing myself to take a few more steps into the building. "Hello to all of you! For those who I've not met, my name is Lynn. I'm one of Taiyo's Pokémon. A pleasure to meet you all. What exactly is this tale being told, hm?" I turned back to Aggron, who grinned alongside Furret.
"Ah, just telling the guys about how that insane kid pulled off the heist to get Lusamine back from Team Solar," Furret explained. I already had a clue, but it was nice to confirm it. "Hey, did I ever tell you about the things we got from that place? There was a whole treasure room in that base!"
"And that little shittle fed my treasures to that overgrown hunk of steel!" Weavile growled from his corner.
"Hey, this cold room is what you agreed on," Aggron growled in return.
"Tch!"
"Yeah, that's what I thought, little 'mon. Cool it. So, what did you guys pick up, Furret? I wasn't there for that, and I honestly never thought to ask."
"Well, assuming he hasn't emptied out his bag," the weasel pulled out a backpack from his fur, laying it on the ground in front of everyone. Tomoko plodded forward, opening the zippers with her teeth along with Furret. Even Weavile poked his head over the little cove he was using to take a peak. I shifted forward as well, equally interested. "Why don't we take a look?" With that, Furret and Tomoko dug some stuff out of the bag. Toiletries, pajamas, all sorts of stuff for a sleepover that honestly wasn't that interesting. However, in the top-left pouch there was finally something of note. My eyes widened as little Lily pulled it out with her vines. It was just like the one I remembered.
"What teh heck is dat, yeh?" Durant asked, looking at the little multicolored gem with interest. It listened in the light of the room.
"It's so small!" Tomoko added, able to cover it with her whole paw. "But it's really pretty!"
"I've never seen one before," Aggron told us. "Some kind of rock?" I stepped forward, closer to the item that seemed to draw in everyone who saw it.
"It's a keystone," I told them, never taking my eyes off of it. I stood hardly a few inches from the small rock. "It's used for Mega Evolution. A phenomenon that... makes Pokémon incredibly strong. But the keystone is only one part, needing to be held by... well, to say a Friend or a Partner would be to put it lightly." That seemed to get the attention of the others. "The best I could say it is that it would need to be held by a Mate."
"What's the second part, huh?" Weavile asked, obviously intrigued by something. "A Pokémon getting super powerful from a rock? Sounds too good to be true!"
"The second part is a Mega Stone, one keyed to particular Pokémon," I told them, gently returning to my eevee form and reaching up with my paw to pull out a small vanilla and coffee colored stone from my fur. "Like this Eeveeolite. My Mate and I... We..." I stared down at the little stone that had made everything possible, memories flashing through my head of that final battle. I gently tucked the small stone back into my fur, letting my eyes rest on Tomoko for a moment afterwards. Her gaze met mine. "You all should be getting some sleep, soon. It's getting late, after all." I offered each one a smile, but it felt brittle on my lips. Before they could see my tears, I turned to the door to leave.
"Just make a wish. A wish with all of your heart, Lynn. We'll see each other again, I promise! I love you. Goodbye."
And that's a wrap. I hope you guys enjoyed these little snippets and, who knows, maybe I'll make some more in my free time. While I enjoyed writing these, I still couldn't bring myself to work on the actual chapter, as much as I wanted to. Thank you all so much for joining me on thie journey, and I hope we can pick it up again sooner rather than later. So, for one last time for what I'm sure will be a while and a half, please favorite, follow, and/or review at your leisure, and I hope to see you guys again!
