Interlude: A Shoulder to Cry On

Delila hummed to herself as she washed the dishes, trying to keep her mind off things. It'd been a month since Ash had last contacted her, and as much as she trusted his ability to take care of himself and May, she couldn't help but worry about him.

"I wish I could call him," she thought out loud. "At least before we could still stay in contact, but now? I just hope he's alright."

"Mime!"

Mimey placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, and gave her a kind smile. Understanding the intended message, she returned it.

"Thanks, Mimey. You're right, I need to trust him."

"Mime Mime!"

After finishing her chores, Delila sat down on the couch and grabbed the remote.

"Maybe a little TV will help me relax."

But that hope was dashed when she turned on the news.

"We come to you live from Twinleaf Town with the ongoing new story of the disappearance of Dawn Berlitz."

Delila's attention was caught immediately.

"One month ago, Dawn Berlitz went missing from her home in Twinleaf Town. No signs of a struggle, forced entry, or running away were found."

The girl's worried mother appeared next. Delila vaguely recalled seeing her win the Grand Festival a while ago, Johanna Berlitz.

"If anyone knows anything, anything at all, PLEASE call me," she begged. "And Dawn, if you're seeing this, please come home. I'm not mad, I promise. I love you."

Delila shut off the TV, and sat back in thought. Ash had mentioned a girl who'd been sent back in time they were meant to help, and considering the circumstances it seemed highly likely they were the same person. But would Johanna believe her? She had barely, if any, proof, and the story was so farfetch'd. But at the same time, didn't Johanna deserve to know?

With a sigh, she picked up the phone and made a call.

"Hello, Miss Berlitz? I might have some information that might help you."

The next morning, Delila caught a ferry to Twinleaf Town and walked to Johanna's house. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Johanna? It's me, Delila. We spoke on the phone?"
"The door is open!"

Delila pushed the door open, coming face to face with the worried mother.

"Where is she? Where's my daughter?"

"It's a long story. Can I sit down?"

Johanna nodded, and led her to the couch. A minute later, she returned with some tea.

"Thank you so much for coming. I've been worried sick, I can't imagine why she'd run away like this."

"Well…she didn't run away…"

"You've spoken to her?"

Delila took a deep breath.

"Miss Berlitz…"

"Please, call me Johanna."

"Alright, Johanna. Before I begin, I should warn you that this is going to sound crazy, but I promise you I speak the truth."

"We're the first lead I've had in a month.I promise, whatever you have to say I'm all ears."

With a deep sigh, Delila told her everything. About Ash, about her own experiences with a child displaced in time, and how Ash told her about Dawn. Once she had finished, Johanna collapsed into her chair, trying to take it all in.

"Wow."

"I promise, I'm telling the truth."

"So even after all this is done, she may not want to come home?"

"Now, we don't know for…"

Suddenly, Johanna began sobbing.

"Johanna?"

"Oh god, I just remembered, the night before she disappeared, we had a fight. She told me her dream was to be a Top Coordinator like me. I told her that's great, but that it won't be easy, and she should expect to fail. She got upset, and accused me of not supporting her. I just…I just didn't want her to let her losses overwhelm her and to keep moving forward…now I may have lost her for good."

Delila got up and walked over to her, giving her a gentle hug.

"You haven't, I promise. I'm sure Dawn regrets how she reacted too, and wants to come home."

Johanna nodded, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Thank you. It's just…this isn't the first time someone from our town has gone missing."

"It isn't?"

Johanna shook her head.

"Five years ago, one of the kids Dawn's age vanished without a trace. We all searched the woods up and down, but he was nowhere to be found. Poor Dawn was so close to him, and it broke her heart. She didn't leave her room for a week."

"Oh…"

"He was never declared dead, and his family never gave up hope, but…you could tell that deep down they knew he was gone. And now I'm facing that same situation."

"No, you're not," Delila said kindly. "You know where Dawn is, and I promise she's in good hands. Ash and May will look after her, and he'll make sure she gets back safe and sound even if he has to drag her through the timehole kicking and screaming."

Despite everything, Johanna couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Delila."

"You're welcome, Johanna."

"Listen, I still have a few questions about everything, but I haven't slept in ages. Can I…"

"Please, feel free to call anytime. We'll get through this, one way or another."

The next morning, Johanna called off the search. She told the press Dawn had called her and they made up, she was just visiting relatives in Johto. Only her and Delila knew the truth.

Delila smiled as she watched the news update.

"I think she's going to be alright, don't you Mimey?"

"Mime Mime!"