* chapter 12: menhir trail 2 *
"Tout va bien?"
Clair awoke as if struck by lightning. She jerked awkwardly into a sitting position. Spirits, her body felt so heavy.
Blood pounded against her temples, an orchestra of noise and pressure. Crickets chirped nearby. Each song brought another burst of pain to her forehead. Beside her a man's voice spoke, but his words were incoherent, a jumble. Clair blinked, slow and deliberate, as if that would settle the confused chaos that was her mind.
Sweeping a leaden hand across her forehead, Clair brushed the bangs from her eyes. Her face was hot.
The man crouched in front of Clair, his tone gentle. "Ça va?" He wore muddy overalls over a tattered plaid shirt.
Clair looked at him, double vision slowly fading. She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a soft groan. She coughed, shook her head free. Her head pounded again. "I'm… where…?" she said. The words were Johtonese.
The stranger laughed. "Well, I'll be! A foreigner!" he said in Common. "The dizziness will pass," he continued, extending an arm to her. "Spirits are all riled up! Ain't never seen Dusknoir quite so agitated. Of'n course, I ain't seen none run faster'n them other folk, though! You got off easy, girlie!"
Clair blinked at his hand. Dusknoir? Shit. If there was anything that could throw the dragon tamer off her groove, it was spirits. Damned things had a way of messing with her head unlike anybody else. 'It's because you're blessed, child,' the elders had said. Clair had rolled her eyes. The spirits had done nothing but taunt her like a kitten with a feather toy. Not to mention exhaust her for days from the effort. How long would it take her to recover this time?
Shaking her head of unwanted thoughts, accepted the stranger's hand. He helped her to her feet. Steadied her when she wobbled. Taking a weary breath, Clair took a sharper glance at the man. He had short-cropped blond hair, a fluffy beard, and a broad, gap-toothed smile. Glancing around, she noticed for the first time that the sun was setting. How long have I been out?
"Now, let's get you situated," the man said kindly, shouldering her backpack. "You look paler'n bone. C'mon…"
As the man ushered Clair through the brush, she noted that she didn't recognize where she was. She had been in the middle of the graveyard, walking past the weathered stones. Clair remembered there being a worn fence that at one point had been white. Now she was in the middle of an empty field. A rusted green tractor idled nearby. Behind them was a hedge line of trees.
Why didn't she remember?
A Pokémon she didn't recognize bounded over and barked at her, its lightning-shaped stump of a tail wagging its entire behind. It yipped and ran in excited circles as the man helped a shaky-legged Clair to a worn path through the brush.
"Thor! Arête!" the man chastised.
It barked again and ran off down the path. Not long after, another figure appeared, the Pokémon running around her heels.
"Tonton! Qu'est-ce qui se passe?" she called.
"Ah! Korrina, my girl! Help me wit' this'un, all right?"
As the girl came into view, Clair noticed that this was indeed the same Korrina she'd met earlier. Her previous athletic outfit was replaced by overalls and a loose, long-sleeved plaid shirt. She held a straw hat to her head as she rushed over. Clair half-expected the twin Lucario to be with her, but there were none.
"Oh my gosh! Clair! Are you all right?" she asked, stopping right in front of them. The Pokémon at her feet barked excitedly.
"Oh, so you know each other!" the man laughed. He adjusted Clair's arm over his shoulder, making her wince. "Korrina, be a good lass an' tell your Tati that we'll have a guest tonight."
"Uncle, allow me to—" she protested.
He waved her off. "I've got 'er. That's a girl."
Clair frowned. They were talking about her like she was an invalid. She was right there. She could walk on her own, it was just… tough. She cleared her throat and shrugged herself out of the man's grasp. Once free, Clair took a confident step forward. Her knee gave out as soon as her foot hit the earth. She lurched.
"I'm fine," Clair asserted, catching Korrina's eye just before the girl went to grab her. Clair righted herself, adjusted her posture, and took another step. "I'm not frail."
The man laughed. "I see why you made it this far wit'out Dusknoir getting' t' you!"
Korrina's head whipped in her uncle's direction. "I'm—what? Dusknoir? Uncle, you can't be serious!" She looked around frantically, as if searching for something. "Are you sure? Dusknoir's supposed to be—"
"Yes, yes, I know," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "We'll talk about it when we get home." He clapped Clair on the back and ushered the small Pokémon, Thor, to go along with him.
When her uncle was out of earshot, Korrina gave Clair a curious look. "Clair, what happened? Did you really come through Menhir Trail?"
Clair looked at her for a long moment before answering. It appeared as if Korrina knew the area well, and even knew of the guardian of the burial ground. Clair hadn't seen it, hadn't felt it, yet she ended up far away from where she remembered she was. She checked the belt on her waist—her Pokémon were still there. And the girl's uncle had her pack. She hadn't been robbed. Windie and Jude must be nearby.
"I did," she said finally. She looked around a little too quickly, making her head spin. "Did you see anyone in suits come this way? Your uncle mentioned as much."
Korrina shook her head. "I haven't, but if Uncle did, then they must be in Geosenge by now. That, or they doubled back and went straight to Cyllage."
"They definitely came this way," Clair stated, her face darkening. "They were doing something there. I don't know what, but it made the spirit mad."
The girl gave a weak smile. "I'm sure they did, but… what were you doing there? For Dusknoir to… I mean, I don't want to assume…"
Clair turned on her. "What do you mean, what was I doing there?" she snarled. "My travels brought me that way. There were no signs. When I noticed where I was, some freaks decided to start a fight. I finished it. Then I walked away, and now I'm here." She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Wherever the hell here is."
"I'm…" Korrina started, then stopped. Took a deep breath. "Okay, I think Uncle was right. We should, um, we should head home, talk about this later." She gave Clair another weak smile. "You must be hungry. Tati makes the best ratatouille."
【*】
It smelled like summer.
Ratatouille, that was. The scent of zucchini, tomatoes, and sweet bell pepper filled the interior of the overly-furnished home with its seasoning. Clair inhaled deeply, allowing it to consume her. Her stomach growled. Clair watched zealously as Korrina's aunt, Manon, sprinkled fresh garlic and some kind of mixed herb into the dish. She whistled a cheery tune. Korrina's uncle, Arthur, meanwhile, worked the gas grill. Flank steak sizzled deliciously on the cast iron. Her mouth watered.
Almost on cue, Korrina leaped from the stool at the counter and began to gather bread from the pantry. She placed the soft loaves into a plaid basket and laid them on the table. Korrina refused to meet Clair's eye. She'd been quiet since the three returned to the homestead where they lived. Korrina mentioned meekly on the walk here that she grew up in their home, but ever since her Gym Leader debut, she'd been living in the Shalour gym. She visited them often, however.
The interior of the home was cluttered with knick-knacks of all sorts, mainly little porcelain dolls of children with doe eyes. Photographs and landscape paintings hung on the faded, flowery wallpaper with exclamations of "live, laugh, love" and "pray big, worry small." Clair assumed that the small girl with buck teeth and pigtails was Korrina. Many other photos had her aunt and uncle and other various family in them. Though extremely cluttered, it felt like home.
Manon gathered Clair and ushered her to the table. A long, white doily table runner ran across the length of the live-edge table, and fresh-plucked wildflowers in Mason jars decorated it. Manon refused to let Clair touch a single thing, and shooshed her when Clair offered to help. Korrina and Arthur took their seats as Manon prepared their plates.
"Bon appétit!" she said, setting an overfilled platter in front of Clair. Salad, ratatouille, flank steak, bread… It was all too delicious. She didn't know where to start.
"Thank you for the meal," she murmured.
Clair glanced at Korrina, who sat opposite her, before digging into her plate. The girl averted her eyes. Arthur and Manon, however, had already began eating. Taking this as permission, Clair took a bite and savored the sweet, tomato and herb-filled dish. It took her back to a time when her grandfather used to smile at her, and she lived in his shadow.
When she spoke, Manon's Common accent was thick and underused. "My love, tell me where again you found this delightful girl?" She smiled warmly at Clair.
"Found 'er right smack in the middle o' the fields!" Arthur laughed. "I heard a strange noise, and I said to meself, 'now this certainly cain't be right!' An' I looked, an' this lass was just layin' wit' nobody in sight. Couldn't've left such a good-lookin' woman alone," he said, leaning forward conspiratorially and giving Clair a wink. Manon smacked him on the side of the head. Arthur belly-laughed. "Just kidding, love! You know I only have eyes for you." He grabbed his wife's hand and kissed it.
Manon pretended to be mad. She looked to Clair and asked, "Whatever were you doing there? The boys didn't tell me there was anything off…"
Clair was in the middle of chewing a rather large slice of steak when Manon asked her question. She choked it down quickly. "I—was following the—trail," Clair coughed, hitting her chest. She swallowed the proffered water so that it would go down easily. "My thanks. As I told Korrina—" and here Clair glanced at the girl, who still refused to meet her eye, "—I was lead along Menhir by the trail. I found a couple of shady fools who challenged me, so I accepted. They ran away. I left soon after." Clair looked at Manon, who looked eagerly for more of the story. She cleared her throat. "Um, I got a headache and my vision grew blurry… I don't remember more after that. Arthur woke me up."
"Is that really what happened?" Korrina piped up, her blue eyes fiery. She looked at her aunt and uncle. "Tonton, when you say 'noise,' what did you mean?"
Manon gasped. "Korrina, my darling! Please, do not start fights!"
"Yes, that's what happened," Clair snapped. "Like I'd walk in there like I was some hot shit!"
Korrina slammed her hands on the table and stood. She glared at Clair. "I don't believe that! I've been nothing but ni—"
Arthur looked between the bickering women and swallowed hard. He raised his hands. "Now listen, I think there's been some sort o' miscommunication here—"
Clair rushed to her feet, meeting Korrina's challenge.
"Tonton!"
"That's no way to talk to guests!" Manon cried.
Korrina pointed an aggressive finger at Clair. "She's not a guest!"
"Get over yourself," Clair said, crossing her arms over her chest. "You're not the only one with a problem with me."
Korrina rolled her eyes. "I can see why!"
Arthur coughed. "Settle down, kids, settle down…" He took a deep breath. "I think there's a way we can all settle this, startin' from communication. Now, it appears as if Clair's story is improbable, but let's take 'er at 'er word. She was out in Menhir when she got attacked. She retaliated, an' then everyone left." He looked at Korrina. "Not three hours before I found her, I saw a couple o' strange folk run by, lookin' just as awful. S'possible Dusknoir got 'em both, they an' Clair."
"But Dusknoir just doesn't—" Korrina interjected.
"Well, yes, but those are just stories, dear," Manon said, patting her niece on the hand.
"Right before I found th' lass, I heard a noise. Like a 'plop.' I rushed over and, lo! Miss Clair was right where my tools 'ad been, fast asleep! Not jus' a second before, I'd used 'em on Ol' Rusty…"
"Heavens, honey, you're still trying to fix that old thing?"
Korrina's mouth was agape. "Wait! You're saying she just appeared there?"
Instead of answering, Arthur nodded, his mouth full of food. Korrina sat back in her chair. Seeing the girl deflate, Clair followed suit. None of this made any sense, but what spirit did? So she just appeared there, as if by teleportation. Hell, that's probably what it was. Clair rubbed her temples with both hands. Fucking spirits!
"So I was somehow transferred from Menhir to here?" Clair asked, her voice slowly losing its malice. "I don't remember seeing any Pokémon, but I did feel a presence."
After a few tense beats, the frigid air subsided. Manon and Arthur began eating, but seemed much less interested in conversation than before. Korrina moved the food around on her plate with her fork. She glanced at Clair a few times before sighing and sitting up. "Listen, Clair—" she began, biting her lower lip. "I'm sorry. Dusknoir just doesn't like confrontation, and sometimes resorts to vindictive measures to get rid of… problems. I've never heard of it moving people before. Maybe it brought you to Tonton for help after you fell unconscious."
Clair pursed her lips. Okay, so Korrina was playing nice. She could play nice, too. Did Clair escalate the situation? Sure she did. Did Korrina's accusation make everything that much worse? Yup. Did she owe the girl an apology? Clair averted her eyes. "I—may—have been a little harsh," she said, her voice thick. "You couldn't have known."
Korrina caught her eye and smiled softly. Maybe they were getting somewhere.
The rest of the meal went by much easier than before. Manon and Arthur were very interested in Clair's hometown, as they had only ever heard about Johto. Most travelers were from the wealthier Kanto, and a woman from the mountains was surely a surprise! Clair found herself enjoying their company. They made her feel welcome, like a family friend. Like she was supposed to be there. Meanwhile, family meals in the Takane clan were quiet, disinterested. One did not speak out of turn. It was suffocating.
Clair helped Korrina and Manon with the dishes while Arthur went to turn in the Pokémon in the fields. She noted the severe lack of Pokémon in the home. Based on Manon's mannerisms, Clair got the sense that she was scared of them. When they were done, she stood awkwardly in the kitchen while Manon made herself another cup of tea. Korrina fiddled with the drying rack for a moment, as if waiting for her aunt to leave.
"Hey, Clair," Korrina said, once her aunt had kissed her goodnight and retreated to the bedroom. "Join me outside? It's kind of warm in here."
Night had fallen. The stars shone brightly overhead in this small homestead, and Clair could swear she saw the purple swirls of the galaxy in between. She followed Korrina to a small paddock just to the edge of the property line. Korrina hopped the fence and into the field. Clair followed suit. The girl whistled, and not a moment later did two familiar Lucario bound over. She held them tightly in her arms.
"Clair, this is Sonny and Cher!" she said brightly. "I'm sure you remember. They've been dying to see Jude again. I think they believe he's their brother!"
For the first time since she arrived, Clair realized that Windie, Jude, and the others were nowhere to be found. She panicked—whirled around on the balls of her heels in an attempt to find them. Her heart skipped a beat—where were they? Korrina called out to her, but Clair didn't listen. She patted herself, their balls were with her, they couldn't have been stolen—
Their balls were with her.
Feeling immensely foolish, Clair grabbed Windie and Jude's capsules and released them. The two bipedal Pokémon materialized in a flash of light. Windie launched herself at Clair in an instant, crawling into her arms and whining and licking at her face. Jude nudged himself against her side, humming contentedly. Heart bursting with relief, Clair held them tightly.
"Oh my gosh!" Korrina exclaimed. "Is that—Jude?"
Jude turned at her voice. The two Lucario, who'd been play-fighting over a pile of dirt, rose up, their ears pricked. Clair watched as they rushed Jude. She noticed that their footsteps were in sync with one another. Windie, seeing this, leaped out of Clair's arms and ran to Jude, clinging to him for dear life. They were nearly the same height, but in that moment, Windie looked so much smaller.
Jude thrust an arm out, creating a barrier of light-blue energy that separated them from the Lucario. His other arm held Windie's. The two Lucario leaped back from the barrier just before colliding with it. Sonny and Cher looked at each other and cackled. With synchronized aura-tinged fists, they punched the barrier. It shattered into small fragments, then was gone.
"Wait, Sonny! Cher!"
Windie ran behind Clair. Her entire body trembled. Clair put a comforting hand on her head. Frowned. These Lucario were out of her league. Out of Jude's league. But her Pokémon stood his ground. Created what she assumed was an aura weapon into his palm. Jude barked a challenge.
The two Lucario grinned toothily. They assailed him from the front, their aura-tinged fists pummeling his newly-evolved body. Jude cried out at the first flurry of blows. He fell to his knees. But just when the golden Lucario was about to launch another stream of attacks, Jude grabbed a handful of sand and tossed it straight into its eyes. It gave him just enough time to follow-up with an attack of his own: an earth-shattering blow to the head with his aura weapon.
The golden Lucario staggered. Snarling, its partner raced toward Jude, but Jude dodged: he ducked underneath the flying fist and kicked the Lucario in the stomach. Clair saw him wince—that was his injured leg.
Korrina watched the three Lucario fight, mouth agape. She slowly made her way to Clair, eyes downcast. "I'm sorry, I—I don't think I can stop them," she murmured. "I didn't realize they would be so hostile. I thought they loved Jude."
Clair glanced at the girl from the corner of her eye. Her inexperience showed. Being able to partner with strong Pokémon was one thing, but being unable to control them during times of aggression? Ridiculous. An heir to anything should be able to control their subordinates. Clair crossed her arms over her chest. Jude was holding his own—but just barely. She knew he'd resent her if she called him away now.
He needed this one chance.
"Tell me about those stones," Clair said, her eyes on the three battling Lucario. Jude weaved through the two tiring Lucario as they rushed him from either side. It appeared as if they knew impressive melee, but nothing else. Good. Clair turned her head to Korrina. "The ones of Menhir. I felt a strange energy among them. What happened there?"
"You can feel the stones?"
The way she asked it made Clair turn entirely to Korrina. "What do you mean by that?" she blurted. Shit, she hadn't meant to sound so curious.
Korrina shook her head. "Just—okay, wow. This is crazy. Maybe that's why you had such a strong reaction to Dusknoir…" The girl rubbed her face. "All right. From what Grandfather tells me, there was a war 3,000 years ago. It was terrible. People and Pokémon from all over Kalos—before it was united—came together and fought with untold power. There was such bloodshed that even the king's Pokémon was sent to war. The war went on for months, with neither side relenting. Morale was low. Then one day, the king received a small box. His beloved Pokémon was inside it." Korrina stopped. Gasped as Jude took a devastating blow to the side with a merciless kick. He rolled to his side. But just when her Pokémon were upon him, he rolled again, evading another kick.
"They're fine," Clair assured her. "I'm watching. Keep going."
"Okay…" She took a deep breath. "So, the king's beloved Pokémon, who was more a pet than a fighter, arrived in the smallest of coffins. He was devastated. He swore he'd end the war one way or another. Legend says that he built a great but terrible device that sucked the energy from the land to power it. It didn't matter whose energy—people, Pokémon, everyone was affected. The machine's sole purpose was to bring the Pokémon back to life, or so the stories say." Korrina looked at Clair with big eyes. "He succeeded, but many people and Pokémon were killed to do it. The king's Pokémon left. The king was so distraught he destroyed his own device and ceded the throne to his younger brother. Nobody knows what happened to him." Korrina's pensive voice turned cheerful. "Hey—did you know that Lysandre Guillory is actually descended from the royal family? He's so famous—he's that inventor of most the technology that Kalos uses. Also, also! Did you know that he's a philanthropist? He's got so many charities—he's just amazing!"
At Lysandre's name, Clair choked on her own spit. "Just—what? What does—he—have anything to do with the story?" Her cheeks turned red and she felt her temper rising. "You can't just change the subject like that. What about the stones?"
Korrina blushed. "Oh, um, the stones are memorials leftover from the war. Tonton says the energy comes from the device itself, but nobody really knows. It's a popular spot for researchers, but everyone's too scared of Dusknoir to really get close."
There was a powerful blast.
Clair turned to see Jude once again in the dirt, the golden Lucario hovering over him. Its aura-tinged fist was in a small crater beside his head. Its partner growled at Jude.
Clair's breath hitched in her throat. "Call them off," she commanded, rushing over to them. "Call them off!"
Korrina was faster than Clair. "Cher! Enough!" she yelled, sprinting to her Pokémon.
The golden Lucario snarled before stepping back. Its partner also relented. Korrina ushered them back into their Poké Balls as Clair helped Jude to his feet. He staggered once, limping on his previously-injured ankle. Windie bounded over and began licking his face, whining softly. Jude nuzzled her. Clair felt as if she was intruding.
"Clair, I'm sorry—" Korrina placed a hand on her shoulder.
Clair shrugged her off. "Save it."
"But—"
"Korrina."
Clair turned to Korrina. Realizing her face was screwed into a frown, Clair tried to correct it. She failed. "Listen, it's fine," she said, breathing heavily. "Jude was holding his own. I should have stepped in sooner."
Korrina gazed at her with an expression Clair couldn't place. The silence was palpable. After a long minute, Korrina sighed and began to make her way back to the house. She raised an eyebrow—was Clair coming with? With Jude in Windie's capable paws, Clair and her Pokémon followed Korrina to the large, wrap-around porch of the homestead.
Clair sat beside the girl on the steps.
"You know, aside from earlier… it's been nice getting to know you, Clair," Korrina said after a moment. "It's a shame. I'd love to spend more time with you."
Clair shot her a curious look. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I have to head home tonight. Lysandre is actually hosting an event in Geosenge tomorrow, and although I really want to go, I shouldn't." Korrina giggled. "He's so dreamy! Anyway, he's sure to draw a large crowd and I don't want to be late getting home." She sighed. "Oh, if only I could talk to him! He's so passionate about what he does. Inventor, philanthropist, he's the whole package. And rich, too!"
Lysandre again? Damn, the man really had the worst timing. Clair coughed. "So… you're leaving to avoid the crowd?"
"Clair, he's Kalos' more eligible bachelor! Of course there's going to be a crowd! You think champion Diantha—who's, you know, super beautiful and an amazing actress and everything—draws crowds? You haven't seen anything like a Lysandre Guillory crowd. Trust me," Korrina said with a grin. "You're going to want to avoid it."
Geosenge… wasn't that where she was heading? As much as she wanted to avoid the crowd, she couldn't go with Korrina, not tonight. Clair glanced over at Jude, who'd been sitting beside Windie in the middle of a patch of flowers. She'd have to ice his ankle tonight, and then try to exercise it early next morning. If she left early enough, a crowd wouldn't be a problem. Events usually took place downtown and during late morning. They should be in and out of the town quick enough.
Korrina let out a pensive sigh. "I'm sorry, I must sound so silly! I've had a crush on him for the longest time. It's so embarrassing."
The girl was still talking about Lysandre.
Why was it that the man always appeared when she least expected it?
It was time to change the subject. "Shalour is just past Geosenge, is it not? That's where your gym is," Clair asked, matter-of-factly. "Is that where you're heading?"
Korrina blinked. "Um, yeah! I have to run an errand for my grandfather first, so I won't be in town for about a week. Shalour's actually a few days from here if you take the shortcut through Reflection Cave. Otherwise, you have to traverse the cave, or walk all the way around, or find a ferry to fly you over the mountain range."
Clair looked overhead at the stars. Korrina joined her. Around them, the sounds of nature burdened the night sky. Korrina glanced at Clair. "Thanks, by the way. For not judging me. I know I have a lot to work on as grandfather's heir, but… I don't even know what it means to be heir." She signed. "Sonny and Cher, my Lucario… they actually belonged to my mother. They were still Riolu when she passed; I just inherited them. Grandfather was sure it was the right choice."
She was silent for a moment. Clair looked at her pensively.
It was odd, really. Sharing a moment of familiarity with a stranger. What Korrina had been through hit too close to home, and Clair shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Korrina was wrong, though—Clair did judge her. She judged her by her inexperience, her hesitation. Korrina's spirit was weak. Clair, on the other hand—she acted. She fought, clawing her way through hesitation and uncertainty until all that remained was consequence. Good or bad, Clair took what came at her without fail.
What Clair didn't want to admit was the girl's maturity and her willingness to change. Unlike her, Korrina was humble. Korrina was everything Clair wasn't. They were complete opposites, yin and yang.
The girl smiled at her. Clair averted her eyes.
The two stayed outside for another half hour or so, long after when Clair would normally head to bed. Korrina fidgeted before finally getting up heading inside, presumably to gather her things for her upcoming trip. After a few minutes, the girl headed back outside.
"Well, I'm off," Korrina said at long last. "Tell Tati and Tonton I said bye. I'll be back to visit them again soon. And—Clair? I look forward to seeing you again. Find me when you get to Shalour. I'll make sure our match is phenomenal."
Korrina left with a wave. Clair, Windie, and Jude watched her until she faded from sight. Getting up with a sigh, Clair brushed the dirt off her legs and stretched. Then she went inside into the kitchen, gathered an ice pack, wrapped it in a hand towel, and came back outside.
"Here, let's get you fixed up," she murmured, wrapping the pack around Jude's ankle. "You really overworked yourself this time." Jude looked hurt, but Clair smiled. "You did great."