- Partners
-
Claris Willins is a ten-year-old girl on her Pokemon journey. It was not anything how she intended: her childhood friend refused to join her, and she couldn't fully escape her life of fame. While she pressed on regardless, a strange dream forces her to reevaluate her future and why she is traveling.
This is a sequel to an earlier fic, Nori Carino: The Question of a Journey. Like many of my series' fics, knowledge of it will certainly enhance your reading experience, but it isn't strictly necessary to enjoy this. It's set to undergo maintenance anyway (after which it'll be crossposted). On with the show!
========================
The sights were what Claris Willins liked best about being on a Pokemon journey. None of the films that she acted in compared to experiencing the real deal. She especially enjoyed the wilderness: there were no film crews, no fans, just nature. The only people around most of the time were her and him. Her childhood friend, her best friend, and maybe someday, her husband. They were walking hand in hand as they often did. Every day with him was something special, and that hadn’t changed since they had started traveling together.
Each energetic step he made had a spring in it, virtually pulling her along. His wild dark hair flowed with his motions and from the gentle breeze. His eyes were as red as a rose, and they met her green ones the moment she turned to look at him. He smiled, and she smiled back. She couldn’t believe she was traveling with Nori! It was a dream come true!
The two ten-year-olds were in a very majestic place. Claris had been in a couple of forests before, but none compared to this one. Sunlight was filtering in through the canopy, piercing the mist that enveloped the place. The trees had thick trunks and twisty branches with minty green foliage. The wind was gentle, massaging their skin and the plants. The dirt path was surprisingly clean and level.
“I’m really happy we’re on this journey together, Nori,” she blurted her thoughts out. The girl giggled as her heart fluttered. “I was worried about it, but it’s been so much fun traveling and seeing the region with you.”
“I know!” he replied with a big infectious grin. “Glad I decided to give it a chance!”
“I’m glad, too!”
It felt like she was drifting through air. Maybe it was also because of where they were. This forest was such a wondrous and ethereal place. She wasn’t sure how else to describe it except otherworldly. Claris was unsure of how long they had been wandering. Time tended to fly by when they were together. If nothing else, the sun showed no time of setting anytime soon.
“This mist is so thick,” she remarked. They could only see clearly to around four meters away, and just barely make out stuff from that point to eight meters. Everything beyond was shrouded in white. Neither of them had a Pokemon that knew Defog.
“Good thing there’s a clear path and we’re holding hands, huh?” he asked, squeezing hers lightly.
Claris’ face flushed. “Yeah.” In tandem, they wrapped their clammy fingers around each other’s knuckles.
At each of their sides were their starter Pokemon. Celeste was on her left, a mermaid-like Pokemon known as Primarina. She was pushing herself forward with her flippers. While she wasn’t truly Celeste-colored, it was close enough to her “hair’s” pigment. Plus, it was a cute name. She had a white body and a silk blue tail, too. To his right, there walked a crimson bipedal tiger with black stripes. His muscular torso was an ashen gray, and wrapped around his waist was what looked like a belt of brilliant flames. His gait was bold and confident, elbows bent and swinging his arms.
“Now that I get a good look at it, Nori,” she remarked. While they lived in Sinnoh, her uncle brought over some unique starters for them to choose from, rather than the region’s traditional trio or anything of a similar level. “Incineroar really suits you.”
He tilted his head. “You really think so?”
“Mhm! You may seem rough, but you’re actually very sweet. You’re cool and tough, too.” He was all sorts of things, really.
Nori shifted, brushing strands of hair behind his ears. “You think so? I just chose Litten ‘cause it looked neat, and I knew you’d want Popplio.”
She laughed. He got flustered so easily. “That’s what I mean.”
“I…er, th-thanks.” The boy rubbed the nape of his neck, unaware of how red he was. He eventually smirked devilishly and side-eyed her. “Well, Primarina’s blue and cute, and you like blue and are cute. So it fits, too.”
Claris’ eyes widened and her mouth fell agape. Rapid breaths escaped her quivering lips. She hadn’t expected him to say that!
He turned to her with half-closed eyes and a beam that could brighten the entire world. “Claris, this has been so great! I wish we could be together forever!”
A wave of euphoria surged from her head through to her entire body, blinding her momentarily and leaving blotches in its wake. Her stomach fluttered. He said it! She wanted to hear words like that from him for a long, long time! “Oh, Nori!” was all she could reply with.
They turned to face one another. She held him by the forearms, as he held her the same way. Words were unnecessary. They got closer until their bodies pressed together. He nestled his head into her shoulder. As his arms wrapped around, her senses intensified.
She felt her skin tingling from his touch, every pore on her body. Nori’s own goosebumps through his thin jacket and shirt. His boyish scent flowed into her nostrils, as well as the fragrance of all the plants and flowers around them. The chirping of birds, the whistling of the wind, the rustling of leaves. This was pure bliss, and she wished it could last forever.
As they embraced for what really felt like an eternity, there came a vague flash of light from the trees behind her to the right. Claris might not have noticed it if she wasn’t so hyper-aware. Her throat clenched as she let go and turned around.
A Pokemon was hovering there! Its form was only a silhouette in the dense fog. Its body was vaguely bird-shaped, except it had no legs, there were weird arc-shaped horns on the side of its head, and it had three shimmering rings around its body. The mere sight of it made her jaw and shoulders drop. Claris was left unblinking and barely breathing, unable to take her eyes off it.
“Nori, look!” She pointed at the majestic sight with one hand while reaching for him with the other. A voice in her head told her they were seeing something very special. “I’ve never seen a Pokemon like that before.”
She caught air. Claris briefly turned, then had to whirl around when she saw no one at her side. Nori and his Incineroar had vanished without a trace.
“Nori?” she called to him, taking a tentative step to where he had been. Celeste was still present, sitting there as if nothing was wrong. “Celeste, where did Nori go?”
Her faithful partner craned her neck in confusion. She let out a short, high-pitched hum. Claris knew what that meant. It was Celeste’s way of saying, “What’s that?” or something similar.
“He was just here!” she insisted. “I was just looking at–”
She turned to motion towards it, only to find that the Pokemon in the mist was gone. And on top of that, a thick wall of white was creeping towards her.
She tried to move away, only for her body to go in slow motion. Then it froze entirely. No matter how much she struggled, she went nowhere. She couldn’t speak, let alone scream, before the fog consumed her. Her sight slowly faded until there was only darkness.
##########
Claris let out a small, feeble cry as her eyes shot open. She clutched at her body, which felt too heavy to move, heaving as she strained to catch her breath. It was just a dream.
Just a dream. She covered her face and sank into the mattress. What a stupid dream to have. For so many reasons. Nori wasn’t on this journey with her. He’d refused. He wasn’t a part of her life anymore, and he never would be. Why did she keep having dreams like this? This was by far the stupidest yet. The girl groaned heavily and rubbed her temple. She heard people close by, but it felt empty in this–
Wait, where was this?!
Claris’ gaze darted around as she checked her surroundings. Was this some sort of shack? The dark brown wooden walls made it feel like one. They were thin enough to hear what was going on outside. She was lying in the middle of three cots. The furnishings were the bare minimum: three cabinets and a plain beige rug. Near the middle was a table with two chairs. The only light inside was whatever you brought and whatever came through the windows.
Her chest tightened when she confirmed that no one else was present. Celeste wasn’t sleeping out of her Poke Ball like she usually did – though she was only a Brionne in reality. She breathed a sigh of relief when she looked closer and saw her Poke Ball pouch sitting on one of the cabinets at the side of the room.
As she pulled off the sheets and swung her feet out, she noticed that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday. Thankfully, her backpack was lying on the floor below her pouch. Was there a shower here? Claris checked the building a little more thoroughly. No sign of any other room, not even a washroom.
Claris groaned. She hated going more than two days without bathing. Well, it was like Nori always liked saying: nothing to do but do it. Maybe there’d be a spring nearby or a shower somewhere else. This had to be a town. Certain that there was no one else present or coming, she undressed and pulled a fresh set of clothes from her bag. A sapphire-colored designer shirt alongside matching wool pants with frills along the waist and ankles. She placed the dirty clothes in a plastic bag to wash later. With no mirror to look at herself in, she could only brush her blonde hair by instinct and hope for the best.
As she tiredly moved to return the hairbrush to the bag, she accidentally hit the side and clipped a buckle. The contents of the tiny compartment jangled, a sound that made her halt.
Eventually, her senses returned. She placed the brush down, undid the clip, and reached inside. She shivered from the cold touch of metal. She pulled it out to look at it.
It was a blue toy convertible. There were times when she forgot she had brought this. Whenever she remembered, she questioned why she did. She had thought about getting rid of it, but could never bring herself to do so. The headlights on the toy seemed to be staring back. Assessing her. Mocking her.
With a heavy sigh, she put it back and picked up her capsule pouch. She zipped it open and counted the Poke Balls inside. One, two, three, four, five, six. Everyone was there and accounted for. She slung her capsule holder around her right shoulder and headed for the door on the far side of the shack. The floorboards creaked as she moved across them. Claris stopped and looked down. They didn’t look old or rotten. One good thing.
The girl rubbed her eyes as she reached the entryway. A shabby rug sat in front of the door. That black jacket hanging on the coat hanger was something she recognized. Though she questioned why the owner wasn’t wearing it, since it was the middle of October. Her white and blue shoes sat neatly below it. Actually, they were more like boots. They went all the way up past her ankles, so they were good for getting through mud and snow. She sat down to put them on.
After tying them, she stood up and brushed her clothes down to get the wrinkles out. She put a hand on the door handle. A little rusty. She jumped as it squeaked like a Rattata. The girl winced, glad that no one saw that. Why was she so nervous? Someone she knew was waiting for her out there. She took a deep breath and pushed it open.
As soon as she went outside, the blonde girl stumbled back and fell against the wall of the house. It was like she’d stepped into the past, if not, an entirely different world. None of the wooden buildings had a second storey to them. There were even some little huts made of stone and clay. People dressed in brown robes and the odd pair of jeans were walking around dirt roads with their Pokemon.
Claris took a step forward into the unknown. Only to let out a yelp as her foot caught an uneven patch of earth. She flailed her arms as she began to topple to the ground. She stopped short when something wrapped around her torso.
It held her until she regained her footing. Claris only noticed it was a noodly blue vine after it retracted. She spun around. “Moonblue?” she asked, turning to the Tangela. She opened her pouch and took a look inside. His Poke Ball was there and the light in the middle was on, indicating he was inside. Also, when she looked closer, this one was a vaguely different shade. Closer to blue koi, maybe? “Sorry, I mistook you for my Pokemon. Thank you, though.”
The Tangela saluted with a vine and sat back down in the garden. The mass of vines was sitting amidst a row of berry trees that had recently sprouted. Claris started walking again, making sure to raise her feet higher and lower them more carefully.
She wandered aimlessly around the strange village. A family of four waved at her as they entered the home next to the one she woke up in. Claris raised a shaky hand in return. This was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Where was this? How did she get here?
Her heartbeat slowed when she saw a familiar face. Tall and slender, she had royal blue hair that reached to her waist, and smalt-colored eyes. She was showing off a large orange bird with an ash-gray chest to a group of children.
Zaria Alexandra proudly presented her partner. “This is Talonflame, I caught it on one of my past journeys. It’s one of the strongest Pokemon on my team. It even has Gale Wings, so you know it’s tough.”
“Wow!”
“So pretty!”
“What’s Gale Wings?”
“Are they a boy or girl? Do they have a name?”
Her traveling companion flipped her hair. “I think the nurses said it’s male? And no, I ain’t really a nickname person.” She ignored the question about the ability.
“Do you have any Gym Badges?” one of the girls asked.
“How old are you?” drawled a simpering boy fixated on Zaria. His face was as red as a Tamato.
“I’m almost thirteen.” Zaria opened her black vest. She liked wearing black; her jeans and shoes were that color, too. “Got twenty-one, five from Sinnoh so far. I just got the Desire, Kiln, and Beacon Badges left.” She chuckled softly. “But I’ve been helping my friend around the region until she catches up with me. She just has the Fen and Vent badges left for that. Then we’ll hit up Celestic, Snowpoint, and Sunyshore together. Of course, we’re checking out other parts of the region too, like down here.”
One of the other boys pointed feverishly, tracing circles in the air. “Is that her over there?”
Zaria turned her head and put a hand on her hip. “That’s her, yeah. I ought to go talk to her.”
Before Claris could speak up and say it was fine if they wanted to keep talking, the kids scattered to go play somewhere else. That left them by themselves.
The older girl reached into her brown purse for Talonflame’s Poke Ball and recalled him. She walked over with a smirk. “Well, good morning, sleepyhead. Or should I say, good afternoon?”
“Good…afternoon, Zaria?” she slowly replied. Some of what happened was starting to make sense. How long had she been asleep, though? No, there was a more pressing question. “Um, where are we?”
“Just a village a little off the beaten path to Kinflow Town. I don’t think it has a name. You probably wouldn’t find it in any guidebooks, either. It’s kind of freaky. See that?” She pointed to a group of black and blue felines. A big one was standing proudly, watching over some cubs. “Those are wild Pokemon. The people here just live with them. Oh, and they told me not to catch any.”
Claris gave them a glance. Two of the cubs were holding each other and licking each other on the face. She giggled at the sight. She had thought about capturing a Shinx or one of their evolutionary relatives. The chance had never come up, and now she wasn’t in a hurry to get a seventh team member. She would have to start cycling them once she did.
She thought differently about the village. “It’s pretty neat to see a town where people and Pokemon live together,” she remarked. The child actress had been to many places on her travels, but had never seen or even heard of anything like this. She was glad they came here.
“I guess.” Zaria shrugged and shook her head. “They gave us hospitality, so you can’t complain too much.”
“Mmhm.” She rubbed her eyes and yawned, still a little groggy. “What time is it?”
Zaria raised her left arm and checked her watch. “It’s just past one,” she answered.
Her throat tightened. Moments after, her face fell into her hands. “I’ve never gotten up this late in my life.” She hoped it wouldn’t be hard to get to sleep tonight.
“It can happen after a hard day or a late night. In your case, you just needed it. Were just about collapsing as we were trying to find a campsite. Carried ya here since it was close by.” Zaria confirmed what she suspected with a smirk. She probably got help from her Tauros, too.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Anytime,” Zaria winked before chuckling. “You had the biggest smile on your lips in your sleep. I reckon you must’ve been having a really good dream.”
Claris stood to attention. Her breath squeezed out of her like paste. That was right, she had nearly forgotten about it. She hated it when she had a good dream and couldn’t remember it when she woke up.
Wait, good? Did she just think that? It was stupid! She slapped her forehead, leaving the hand there afterward to cover her eyes. And…yes, it was a good dream.
“I did,” she said, running her fingers through her blonde hair. “I don’t remember the start of it. At the end, I was in a misty forest with Nori, when this strange Pokemon showed up.”
Zaria’s eyebrows drew together. “Nori?” she asked, taking a step forward. “That was the guy you were with before, right?”
“N-no!” she shouted. Her hands flew to her face, though they stopped short. She wasn’t sure whether to cover her mouth or her cheeks. She could feel the latter going red. Claris rapidly shook her head and clarified, “I mean, Nori and I weren’t together or anything. We were just best friends!” She wanted more, but it never got that far and never would.
Her traveling companion nodded. It appeared like she was about to say something, only for her mouth to hang open. Eventually, words did come out of it. “Some friend he turned out to be.”
“I know.” She felt a weight push down upon her shoulders as she admitted that. The fact was that she had poured her heart out to Nori, and he all but slapped her in the face. It hurt, like a part of her had been ripped out, leaving a void that remained to this day. The pressure became heavier, forcing a sigh out of her. “Though, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still think about him sometimes.”
How was Nori doing? Did he still think about her? Would he even want to see her again? All she heard from him was one message from her parents a week after she left.
Zaria clenched her fists. “He’s a piece of crap, Claris. If he cared about you, he would’ve gone with you without question. Guys like him only ever think about one thing.” She gently patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll find a way better person eventually.”
She shifted away. That wasn’t the first time that Zaria had spoken that way about him. It always made Claris feel uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to speak up about it. Zaria had been a big help on her journey, especially when it came to keeping her fans away – or keeping away from her fans. Claris felt so fortunate to have found a good traveling companion, and didn’t want to do anything to lose her.
“So you said you saw a weird Pokemon in the dream, too?” Her friend tilted her head. “What was it?”
“I don’t know. It was one I didn’t recognize,” she told her. Zaria was well-traveled, so maybe she would know? “It was shaped like a bird. It was floating without flapping its wings. It had horns and glowing rings around its body. And it had no legs. Do you have any ideas?”
Zaria looked up, curled her lips, and tapped her head. She always did that when thinking. “Doesn’t sound like anything I ever heard of. Maybe your brain imagined a new Pokemon or something like that.”
Claris shut her eyes, attempting to imagine what it looked like outside of the mist. After coming up blank, she was left certain that wasn’t the case. The shape alone was nothing she could’ve ever envisioned existing. Was it possible to dream about something you didn’t know about?
“How’s Brionne’s Rain Dance coming along, by the way?”
The girl looked and tilted her head at the sudden change of subject. She wanted to keep talking about the dream. “We haven’t really gotten started on practicing it,” she admitted.
“You should make sure it’s good at it before your Veilstone Gym Battle,” Zaria advised, wagging a finger with a smile. “It’ll be a real asset to your team,” she repeated what she had said when she gave her the TM as a random gift a few days ago.
“I know,” Claris sighed. “I’m sure Celeste will get it down eventually.”
“I’m sure it will, too,” her companion agreed. “Just don’t put this off for too long. The sooner you start on those things, the better. It always takes a Pokemon effort to make artificial weather.”
“Yes, we’ll try to start soon. Thank you.” If there was another thing Zaria was good at, it was Pokemon. She trusted her companion after all the success she had in the past. While Claris wasn’t as serious of a trainer as Zaria, her advice helped a lot. She would be satisfied with just winning all eight badges; if she wanted to enter the League, that would have to be in August of next year. It would depend on how she felt when the time came.
“Ah. If it isn’t our guests,” came a gravelly, yet gentle voice.
Claris turned to see an elderly man in a filthy brown cloak approaching. His eyes were milky white, his face looked like a speckled prune, and he held a walking stick fashioned from a gnarled tree branch. If she had to make a guess, he was in his eighties or maybe even his nineties.
“Yo,” Zaria greeted. She motioned with a finger. “This is the village elder.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Conscious of her manners, she performed a small curtsy.
“The pleasure is mine.” He bowed slightly in return. “How are you two doing? How are you finding our little settlement? I am always curious to hear what travelers think of how we live in harmony with Pokemon.”
“It’s fine,” Zaria crossed her arms and chimed in before she could speak. “We were just talking about our Pokemon and some dream she had with some bird Pokemon in mist and a guy who betrayed her.” She said the last part with a snort, especially the word ‘guy’. She looked out of the village before turning to her. “We’re probably going to hit the road again in an hour or so.”
“Did I hear that correctly? You dreamed of a bird Pokemon in the mist?” the elder gaped, looking her up and down inquisitively.
Claris’ pulse quickened. She lurched towards the elder. “Do you know something about it?” she asked, leaning forward. Her uncle told her that dreams have meanings. Claris never really believed in that herself. But her instinct was telling her that there was something more to this.
“I might have some ideas,” he replied while scratching at his chin. “Would you like to come into my cabin to talk about it?”
“Um, sure!” The dream was gnawing at her mind like a hungry Bidoof. It would be great to have someone interpret it for her. And it seemed he knew!
The man nodded. “That is where I live.” He gestured towards a building on the far side of the village that looked much like the one she walked out of, only a little bigger. Its position and size marked it as the most prominent place in the village. “Come along.”
“Well, I gotta admit,” Zaria agreed, flicking her hair back. “I’m curious about whatever it is too. Let’s go.”
The elder raised a palm. “Just her, please.”
“What?!” The blue-haired teenager stomped forward with balled fists. “We’re traveling companions! We do everything together! What’s wrong with me coming and hearing this, too?” She furiously jerked her arms as she ranted.
“It’ll be all right, Zaria,” Claris reassured her. She wasn’t sure why the elder wanted her to come alone, but she trusted he had a good reason. And if it wasn’t okay, she’d call for help right away. Her Pokemon were with her, too. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
“It better be all right, or there’ll be hell to pay,” she warned the elder before she stomped off.
Claris sighed. “Sorry about Zaria. She can be a bit overprotective at times.” She didn’t hate it. Better safe than sorry, as the saying went.
“It is understandable. I can tell that it comes from caring for you deeply.” The elderly man motioned to follow.
##########
The elder’s home was more presentable on the inside. There was a bit of decoration on the walls, from little trinkets to hand-drawn art. Some of it looked borderline professional, others were obviously drawn by the kids. There were also couches, though they had seen better days and didn’t match: one was dark green and had several holes in it, another was beige with an indescribable pattern and looked like it had served as a scratching post. The table was larger and there were more chairs. Most notably, it had a second room that he disappeared into, which was probably where his bed was. Violet curtains separated the spaces, and Claris didn’t try peeking in.
The girl put her knees together and rested her hands on them as she waited for him to return. He said he would only be a minute or two. She wasn’t sure how long it really took. There was no clock, and she didn’t have a watch of her own. Wearing them bothered her wrist.
Time dragged. After what felt like ten times what was promised, the curtain opened. The elder emerged carrying a brown cup on a plate. He closed the curtain before approaching while steadying the tableware with both hands.
“Here, I thought you might want a drink,” he said, placing it down on the table. “It is made from Aguav and Durin berries.”
Claris rose from the sofa and walked over. She involuntarily pulled away as she caught sight of the swirling bright green liquid in the ceramic cup. Weren’t those really bitter berries? Her nose curled from the acrid scent wafting up from it.
She looked over at the elderly man as she sat down. He watched expectantly with folded hands and a neutral smile. It would be bad manners to refuse him. It might even offend him. So she gripped the cup in both hands and brought it to her mouth. Her lips tensed as she forced them apart with the lid. She tilted back to take a dainty sip.
The blonde girl recoiled the moment the concoction touched her tongue. That was way worse than she expected! It made her eyes water! Shutting them tightly, she managed to gulp that tiny swig down, after which she placed the cup back on the plate.
“It’s all right,” she managed to squeak out. It was actually the most vile thing she’d ever had in her mouth, but she’d be thrown out if she said that aloud.
“You can be honest, Ms. Willins,” the elder gently scolded. He reached out and pulled the plate to the side. “It’s not to your liking.”
Was it that obvious? Claris winced and turned away from the village elder. She may have been a trained actress, but there was no way you could hide not liking food. It was hard enough when acting, even if she was prepared for it. One of her roles was a vegan girl, and there was a scene that called for her to eat asparagus. It took a lot of takes before she could pull it off with a straight face.
“How do you know who I am?” was the question on her mind. If there was anywhere she expected not to be known, it would be a village in the middle of nowhere.
“I have a little solar-powered radio I listen to sometimes. I thought that your voice sounded familiar. It seems my hearing’s still sharp in my old age.” The man wiggled his eyebrows and chuckled to himself.
Claris slumped into the chair. People really did recognize her no matter where she went, even in a place like this. “Part of the reason I decided to go on this journey was to get away from my fame,” she groaned. “It really hasn’t happened.”
“I see. That is understandable. You will not be judged by me, or anyone here.” He tapped his finger. “That was only part of the reason for your journey, you say?”
Her eyebrows went way up. She reflexively turned away. “Sorry, it’s kind of personal.” She lowered her head. No, she had come here to talk about the dream she had. And he had promised not to judge her. “Actually, it’s related to the dream. There’s someone I was really hoping I could journey with.”
He gave a patient nod. “Tell me.”
So Claris did. She started off by giving some context about Nori. She told him everything she could remember about the dream. About traveling with him and how happy she felt. She described the forest, the strange mist, and the Pokemon she saw right before he vanished.
“I thought so,” the man said after she had finished. “The Pokemon that you met in your dream is the Great Cresselia.”
Claris gasped. She had at heard the name Cresselia before. She knew at least one was known to live in Sinnoh on Full Moon Island. And the Great? That was what religions used to refer to Legendary Pokemon.
“But how could I dream about a Pokemon that I’ve never seen before or knew that much about?” She could understand dreaming about Nori. It wasn’t the first time. Plus, she figured he’d pick Litten of the foreign starters her family had prepared for them, so that was a logical thing. But why a Cresselia?
“It means that you saw the real thing,” the elder explained with a slight smirk. “She and her counterpart, the Great Darkrai, sometimes influence dreams. In special cases, they will enter them directly. Both do so with good intentions.”
A Legendary Pokemon visiting her in her dreams. It sounded like a bad movie script, yet as the saying went, the truth could be stranger than fiction.
“But why me?” she wondered aloud. “Why would a Cresselia want to visit me in my dreams?”
“She did not necessarily need a reason, other than to help you.” The elder leaned back in his seat. “This is just my interpretation. But I believe she sensed the discord in your heart and was trying to send you a message.”
“A message…” she repeated. An altruistic message. “I guess that’d be how I feel about Nori. But he…” He had hurt her. “But I…” She hadn’t even tried to work it out. She just ran off.
Claris met Nori in first grade, though his reputation preceeded him. She saw him sitting alone during a class activity where you needed a partner. She chose him because he seemed nice and wasn’t clamoring for her. She was surprised it was him, and (surprisingly) he didn’t know her. It was the best decision of her life. That day four months ago when she decided to journey without him, not even a day after being turned down, was the worst.
She took Nori to a licorice confectionery after school to talk about her plans for a journey. The events of their conversation had become a blur in her memory. It had ended with him shouting that he wouldn’t go with her. So she ran off in tears. She wasn’t sure what was going through her mind when she went to her maid and asked to be taken to Jubilife City. In hindsight, she was shocked that Eloise agreed to it. They got there quickly on her Charizard. Eloise accompanied her until she met Zaria when she went to Canalave for her first Gym Battle, then flew back to the mansion.
She and the elder had been silent for many long moments, both lost in thought. He opened his eyes and spoke up. “I wish to tell you a story from a time long ago. Would that be all right?” He wasn’t making eye contact, instead peering distantly at the far wall.
Claris nodded slowly. Wherever he was going with this, it had to be meaningful.
“It was around fifty years ago when this happened. Back then, I was part of something far greater. I was in the public eye as a revered and respected individual. One day, the authorities came to ask for my help with a case that had been baffling them for months. So I played my role, only for the suspect to be found not guilty. They blamed me for the verdict.”
Claris felt her chest and shoulders tightening. “What was the case about?” she asked.
“My apologies. I don’t wish to go into more detail than that,” he said with a firm shake of his head. “Though I will assure you that I did not lie about what I learned.”
Claris didn’t think he was the type to lie, but was left wondering about his evasive answer. He addressed a Legendary Pokemon in a formal sense, so it was a safe guess that he might have had ties to religion. Just who was this man?
He continued with his story. “I felt that I had brought shame to my family. My instinct was to flee so that they would not suffer the consequences. I left behind all but my closest Pokemon partner. After a few weeks of living in the wilderness, I realized that I had made a rash decision. Still, I was not sure how to explain myself. I thought there was no way I could return.” He hung his head. “In retrospect, it was a foolish assumption. By the time I realized that years later, it truly was too late.”
The parallels finally began to sink in. She clutched at her head as it began to throb.
“I believed I could never atone for abandoning them. My travels brought me to this place, where I have lived ever since. I chose this life to get away from the world.” He looked over at her. “Your being here may be fate, for both of us.”
Fate. Claris had never believed in destiny. She was fortunate, yes. Fortunate to be born to such a rich family. Fortunate to get the chance to act, but she still had to work at that. She was lucky to meet Zaria. Even luckier to meet Nori. Was helping her the elder’s way of making up for what he did? How could she ever make up for what she did?
“Ms. Willins,” the elder said sternly, though his voice cracked just a little. “I do not believe it is too late for you. It is my opinion that the Great Cresselia gave you that dream because she sensed your heart’s true desires. That you wish to make amends with your friend. Why did you choose this journey? You said that one of your reasons was to escape your life for a time. I think that being with him was the more important thing to you.”
It was one thing to suspect it. It was another to have someone else tell her so. Thinking about how her journey had played out made it all the more obvious. She hadn’t fully escaped her life as a child actress. It was still hounding her. No, what she really wanted to do was go on a journey with her best friend. Someone who, in one moment of weakness and heartbreak from a betrayal that never was, she had assumed the worst of. The dream itself made too much sense. She was happy to be with Nori, and crushed when he vanished. Like in reality.
“It was,” she sobbed. This wasn’t the journey she wanted. She felt that from the day she set out, but she kept denying it. No more. “I wanted it to be with Nori! I…want to be with Nori!” She blurted that out, and could only keep crying. “But…but what can I do?”
She was shaking, her vision was blurring, all her limbs hurt. That was what was so difficult about this. What was she supposed to do after she ran off to go on this journey less than a day after he refused to go on it? No, she remembered now. He called to her as she was leaving. He regretted it right away. Knowing him, he went to her mansion the day after. She didn’t give him that chance to apologize. She had been the one to betray him! If she had just calmed down and not run off on impulse, what would’ve happened?
“That is not something I can tell you,” the elder solemnly told her. “You must look within to find your own answer.”
What was the answer to the question of a friend she had abandoned? What were you supposed to do when you talk to someone for the first time in months after a bad parting? It was unfamiliar territory. Her mind was a jumbled mess, thoughts of what was and what could be echoing in her thoughts. Would she…? No. Should she–? That wouldn’t work.
“I think…” No, no thinking. She shook her head and looked up at the man with a steely gaze. This was a definite. “I really do have a lot that I need to consider. Thank you, sir.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Willins.” To her surprise, the man bowed at her. She should be the one doing that! In fact, she did so right after him. It made him laugh. “I am certain that things will go well. Things always have a way working out.”
Claris leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. Her arms dangled listlessly at her sides, while her fingers and toes tingled. She hummed. That was just a saying. You had to work hard to make your dreams come true.
“Would you like some tea before you go?” the elder rose and asked her. After a moment, he added, “Chamomile and peppermint, with a touch of lemon to balance the flavor. It should help calm you.”
Yes, she had the jitters and a dry throat. “Yes please, that would help,” she hyperventilated. She frowned over at the bitter berry blend. “I don’t really like this, sorry.” She wondered who even would. Maybe he did.
“You can never be sure if you like something until you try it,” the man answered her unspoken question with an enigmatic smirk. He picked up the bitter drink and rose from his seat. “Reactions are telling. How you act, moreso.”
Claris snapped to attention as the man disappeared behind the curtain. Was that a hint he just gave her?
##########
After having her tea, saying her thanks to the elder, and leaving his cabin, Claris went straight to the guest house. The sights and sounds around her blended into nothingness as she marched. A contrast to how she woke up or how she felt in the cabin, there was no tension or stress in her mind or body.
She found Zaria waiting for her at the table in the main room. “Gotta say, the novelty of this place has already worn off for me,” the teenager said as she flicked her hair.
“I like it,” Claris remarked, sitting across from her. She made sure to let the elder know that before she left, since she didn’t get the chance to before. “It’s nice and relaxing, and even the people who know me won’t bother me. I can see why you wouldn’t, though.” She gave her friend a smile.
“Yeah, this place is way too slow and dull for my tastes. No real chance to train here, either.” The teenager threw up her arms before resting one on the table. She rested her chin on the other. “So how’d it go?”
“It went well,” she replied. She took a deep, satisfied breath. “He told me what the dream was about. I think I understand myself a little better now.”
“Oh, like what?” Zaria leaned forward.
Claris opened her mouth to speak, only to hesitate. Her traveling companion wasn’t going to like what she had to say, but she had to tell her. It concerned their future plans. “I think I need to contact Nori and let him know…” Let him know what?
As she trailed off trying to find the words, her friend’s nostrils flared. “Wait, what?” The chair scraped as she push back. “Claris, it was a dream. It doesn’t mean anything!” The smalt-haired teenager gripped the edges of the table.
“I thought that too at first,” she admitted, closing her eyes. “Maybe if this was isolated, or if a Legendary Pokemon wasn’t involved.”
“A Legendary?” Zaria parroted, gritting her teeth. She jerked her head back, and in that one motion, she gasped. The teenager bit her lip. “Hold up, was that bird you saw a Cresselia?”
“That’s what the elder told me.”
Her friend grumbled. “What in the world?”
She was sure he was telling the truth. There was no reason for him to lie, and she was sure that a search online or in a library would show her exactly what she saw.
“But it wasn’t just this one dream,” she continued. “Nori’s been in my thoughts a lot on this journey, especially lately.” Maybe it was because they were getting close to Veilstone City. Her hometown. Even in the worst case, it wouldn’t take them more than a month to get there. “It’s only now that I realize I’ve been lying to myself. I miss him. I want to see him again and be friends like we were before.”
She said it. And she had no regrets about saying it. It was like a weight lifted. She knew what she wanted to do – what she needed to do – better late than never.
Zaria stood up, frantically brushing her clothes. “Claris, I need to tell you something.”
“What is it, Zaria?”
“I…” She trembled and clammed up.
Claris could only wait patiently. She understood what that was like. It was so hard to find the right words sometimes. Even when pitching the journey to Nori, she had to pracice it like a script before telling him.
“People want to be with others,” her companion finally began, her voice straining. “And sometimes you see someone who seems good, but then they show their true colors. Sometimes people think too much of the good and go back to people they know who are bad for them because of all that. It happened with my older sister. Our parents, her friends, even I tried to warn her.” Her voice had built to a crescendo, culminating in an anguished scream and pounding on the table. “Now the jerk’s in jail, and she’s stuck with a kid!”
Was that why Zaria felt so strongly about this? She had always told her not to bother with Nori. Maybe if she hadn’t been doing that, Claris would’ve realized her true feelings sooner.
Claris shook her head. Slowly at first. She owed a lot to Zaria. That was a fact. It didn’t change the fact that she was wrong about him. She was standing her ground here, and only hoped it wasn’t a mistake.
“I’ve known Nori since we were six, and he was my best friend,” she calmly explained.
“Was!” her friend snapped.
“Zaria, please let me finish,” she requested. Zaria scowled and pursed her lips, but nodded. “Nori can be a little outspoken, but not without reason. He’s one of the kindest people I’ve known. I don’t think he was showing his true colors by not wanting to journey with me. It was just a disagreement.”
For so long, she thought that he wasn’t considering her feelings. Well, she also wasn’t considering his. His reason was a little silly, sure, but Nori still had feelings of his own. It was their first real argument, and it was just so stupid.
Claris sniffed. One hand went to her heart, the other went to her eyes to wipe away tears. “A disagreement blown way out of proportion. I need to make things right while I still can.”
“Argh!” Zaria buried her face in her arms. “I’m trying to help you! That’s why I’m traveling with you! Just listen to me!” She pleaded with puffy eyes.
Was she jealous? Or maybe she was just worried, for one reason or another. Claris got up and patted her on the shoulder. That made her gasp and stop.
“I appreciate everything you do for me, Zaria,” she said, smiling at her. “I’m really sorry to hear about your sister, and I know you’re just trying to look out for me. You’re still my friend, and you always will be. But I want to do this, at least to get some closure.”
There was still one thing. A possibility that made her skin crawl. Claris shuddered and turned away.
“And if you’re right about him…” she whispered. “Or if he doesn’t want to see me again… I guess that’ll be it.”
“Fine,” Zaria begrudged. With a heavy grumble, she got up and started for the door. “I’ll go see what this place has in the way of lunch. Is it fine if we get outta here after?”
Claris could only laugh. “Yes, that’d be all right.” If she could do anything to make Zaria feel a little better, she would. “And thank you for accepting this.”
Her companion didn’t answer before she left, leaving Claris alone with her thoughts. She walked over and sat down on the cot. Now she just had to figure out how she was going to go about apologizing. She had thought about how to approach things like Gym Battles before, but never anything like this. What to do?
##########
Claris furiously crossed out another set of handwritten words from her current sheet of paper. It was more stuff that wouldn’t work. Another page was now full on both sides from so many discarded ideas. She folded it up several times and shoved it into her bag to recycle later.
She rubbed the back of her head and readjusted her neck light. It was the dead of night, but she wasn’t tired at all. Apart from not feeling tired due to waking up late, thoughts of Nori consumed her mind. It was just like in the dream: her heart and stomach were fluttering, her palms were clammy, and her head was spinning. She was trying to put what was in her mind into words. She had to get this perfect.
He didn’t have a phone, not even at home. It was hard with his mom’s lack of income. A letter was one possibility, but she didn’t want to have to worry about when it reached him, if at all. She had been racking her brain for several hours on what to do until the solution hit her like a Flash.
She frequently spoke to her parents over the videophone at Pokemon Centers or wherever else. One of the promises she made was to check in with them as often as possible. A week after she left, they relayed a message from Nori. She was still mad at him at the time. It was, “I’m sorry,” followed by some stuff that she tuned out. If he could send a message to her that way, so could she. Her parents wouldn’t mind contacting and telling him. She just had to write her thoughts down so she could recite them.
Zaria wasn’t interested in helping her out with the message. She was sound asleep in their tent right now; fortunately, it was easier to find a place to pitch it than yesterday. But that was okay. Claris wanted this to come completely from her own heart. She picked up the clipboard, set it back down on her thighs, and clicked the pen open again.
She stared down at the blank page. The lines on it seemed to bend and smile at her, encouraging her to write words between them. It all started with a good beginning. There was a lot to say. What should she start out with?
A thought flickered through her brain, and she leaned forward to jot it down.
“I’m sorry, too.”
Three words. It was the best start yet. Claris raised her hand to write more, only for her instincts stopped her. She looked the words over. Was there anything else to say? She sat back as the answer came to her: no. Three simple words were all she needed.
She placed a hand over her heart and exhaled, and right after that, the exhaustion hit. It was done. She would call her parents after getting to the next town with electricity and ask them to deliver the message.
She knew Nori well. He was definitely still worrying and stressing about her. As belated of a reply as it was, it would be enough to put his mind at ease. She was going to have to head back to Veilstone City to battle for a Vent Badge eventually. Priority one when that time came wasn’t going to the Gym or even going home. The first thing she was going to do was visit Nori. Yes, there was so much more she wanted to tell him, but she wanted to say it all in person.
That was going to be her strategy. There were a billion other things to go over, all stuff she could only figure out later. It was like her mother sometimes said: one day at a time, one step at a time.
Claris took the sheet of paper off the clipboard, folded it delicately, and placed it in her backpack. Then she went for the side pocket and opened it up. She took out the blue convertible and held it in front of her eyes. A warmth rose through her body and into her face.
She wasn’t sure why she had brought this until now. It was just a toy car she had won for winning that group activity with Nori. Now it made sense. It was her way of keeping a little piece of him around in his absence. A subconscious desire from the beginning. Maybe someday, they would get to go on a journey together for real. Whenever he was ready for one, she would be ready for her next. And if he never was, that was fine too.
A giggle escaped her, and when she realized that it did, she only giggled more. She was really looking forward to calling her parents more than what awaited her next on her travels! The only thing she was looking forward to more was the response!
She stared up at the night sky with a contented sigh. There were so many stars up there, way more than you could see in the city. It was little sights like these and that nameless village that made this journey still worthwhile. She did miss home. Another part of her couldn’t wait to get back and show everyone her Pokemon partners. They’d also get to meet Zaria. The funny thing was despite her current opinion, Claris was sure Zaria and Nori would get along fine!
A rustling sound broke the silence. Claris tensed up and turned to the bushes. “Is someone there?” she called, her heart pounding. It was probably a Pokemon, come to think of it. You always had to be careful when camping.
“Just me,” came Zaria’s voice from their tent.
Her shoulders dropped. She must have misheard, there was nothing to worry about. “Oh. You’re still up?”
“Just woke up to take a sip of water,” she replied. “You still working?”
“I’m done, actually. I’ll be in shortly.” Despite her excitement, it was a good idea to go to sleep now. And who could say? Maybe tonight’s dream would be fun, too.
The child actress picked up her bag and headed for the tent. Celeste was asleep next to it. She gave the Brionne a gentle stroke on the forehead, which made her hum happily. With one final look to the horizon, Claris Willins turned in for the night, eager for tomorrow.
This is a sequel to an earlier fic, Nori Carino: The Question of a Journey. Like many of my series' fics, knowledge of it will certainly enhance your reading experience, but it isn't strictly necessary to enjoy this. It's set to undergo maintenance anyway (after which it'll be crossposted). On with the show!
========================
The sights were what Claris Willins liked best about being on a Pokemon journey. None of the films that she acted in compared to experiencing the real deal. She especially enjoyed the wilderness: there were no film crews, no fans, just nature. The only people around most of the time were her and him. Her childhood friend, her best friend, and maybe someday, her husband. They were walking hand in hand as they often did. Every day with him was something special, and that hadn’t changed since they had started traveling together.
Each energetic step he made had a spring in it, virtually pulling her along. His wild dark hair flowed with his motions and from the gentle breeze. His eyes were as red as a rose, and they met her green ones the moment she turned to look at him. He smiled, and she smiled back. She couldn’t believe she was traveling with Nori! It was a dream come true!
The two ten-year-olds were in a very majestic place. Claris had been in a couple of forests before, but none compared to this one. Sunlight was filtering in through the canopy, piercing the mist that enveloped the place. The trees had thick trunks and twisty branches with minty green foliage. The wind was gentle, massaging their skin and the plants. The dirt path was surprisingly clean and level.
“I’m really happy we’re on this journey together, Nori,” she blurted her thoughts out. The girl giggled as her heart fluttered. “I was worried about it, but it’s been so much fun traveling and seeing the region with you.”
“I know!” he replied with a big infectious grin. “Glad I decided to give it a chance!”
“I’m glad, too!”
It felt like she was drifting through air. Maybe it was also because of where they were. This forest was such a wondrous and ethereal place. She wasn’t sure how else to describe it except otherworldly. Claris was unsure of how long they had been wandering. Time tended to fly by when they were together. If nothing else, the sun showed no time of setting anytime soon.
“This mist is so thick,” she remarked. They could only see clearly to around four meters away, and just barely make out stuff from that point to eight meters. Everything beyond was shrouded in white. Neither of them had a Pokemon that knew Defog.
“Good thing there’s a clear path and we’re holding hands, huh?” he asked, squeezing hers lightly.
Claris’ face flushed. “Yeah.” In tandem, they wrapped their clammy fingers around each other’s knuckles.
At each of their sides were their starter Pokemon. Celeste was on her left, a mermaid-like Pokemon known as Primarina. She was pushing herself forward with her flippers. While she wasn’t truly Celeste-colored, it was close enough to her “hair’s” pigment. Plus, it was a cute name. She had a white body and a silk blue tail, too. To his right, there walked a crimson bipedal tiger with black stripes. His muscular torso was an ashen gray, and wrapped around his waist was what looked like a belt of brilliant flames. His gait was bold and confident, elbows bent and swinging his arms.
“Now that I get a good look at it, Nori,” she remarked. While they lived in Sinnoh, her uncle brought over some unique starters for them to choose from, rather than the region’s traditional trio or anything of a similar level. “Incineroar really suits you.”
He tilted his head. “You really think so?”
“Mhm! You may seem rough, but you’re actually very sweet. You’re cool and tough, too.” He was all sorts of things, really.
Nori shifted, brushing strands of hair behind his ears. “You think so? I just chose Litten ‘cause it looked neat, and I knew you’d want Popplio.”
She laughed. He got flustered so easily. “That’s what I mean.”
“I…er, th-thanks.” The boy rubbed the nape of his neck, unaware of how red he was. He eventually smirked devilishly and side-eyed her. “Well, Primarina’s blue and cute, and you like blue and are cute. So it fits, too.”
Claris’ eyes widened and her mouth fell agape. Rapid breaths escaped her quivering lips. She hadn’t expected him to say that!
He turned to her with half-closed eyes and a beam that could brighten the entire world. “Claris, this has been so great! I wish we could be together forever!”
A wave of euphoria surged from her head through to her entire body, blinding her momentarily and leaving blotches in its wake. Her stomach fluttered. He said it! She wanted to hear words like that from him for a long, long time! “Oh, Nori!” was all she could reply with.
They turned to face one another. She held him by the forearms, as he held her the same way. Words were unnecessary. They got closer until their bodies pressed together. He nestled his head into her shoulder. As his arms wrapped around, her senses intensified.
She felt her skin tingling from his touch, every pore on her body. Nori’s own goosebumps through his thin jacket and shirt. His boyish scent flowed into her nostrils, as well as the fragrance of all the plants and flowers around them. The chirping of birds, the whistling of the wind, the rustling of leaves. This was pure bliss, and she wished it could last forever.
As they embraced for what really felt like an eternity, there came a vague flash of light from the trees behind her to the right. Claris might not have noticed it if she wasn’t so hyper-aware. Her throat clenched as she let go and turned around.
A Pokemon was hovering there! Its form was only a silhouette in the dense fog. Its body was vaguely bird-shaped, except it had no legs, there were weird arc-shaped horns on the side of its head, and it had three shimmering rings around its body. The mere sight of it made her jaw and shoulders drop. Claris was left unblinking and barely breathing, unable to take her eyes off it.
“Nori, look!” She pointed at the majestic sight with one hand while reaching for him with the other. A voice in her head told her they were seeing something very special. “I’ve never seen a Pokemon like that before.”
She caught air. Claris briefly turned, then had to whirl around when she saw no one at her side. Nori and his Incineroar had vanished without a trace.
“Nori?” she called to him, taking a tentative step to where he had been. Celeste was still present, sitting there as if nothing was wrong. “Celeste, where did Nori go?”
Her faithful partner craned her neck in confusion. She let out a short, high-pitched hum. Claris knew what that meant. It was Celeste’s way of saying, “What’s that?” or something similar.
“He was just here!” she insisted. “I was just looking at–”
She turned to motion towards it, only to find that the Pokemon in the mist was gone. And on top of that, a thick wall of white was creeping towards her.
She tried to move away, only for her body to go in slow motion. Then it froze entirely. No matter how much she struggled, she went nowhere. She couldn’t speak, let alone scream, before the fog consumed her. Her sight slowly faded until there was only darkness.
##########
Claris let out a small, feeble cry as her eyes shot open. She clutched at her body, which felt too heavy to move, heaving as she strained to catch her breath. It was just a dream.
Just a dream. She covered her face and sank into the mattress. What a stupid dream to have. For so many reasons. Nori wasn’t on this journey with her. He’d refused. He wasn’t a part of her life anymore, and he never would be. Why did she keep having dreams like this? This was by far the stupidest yet. The girl groaned heavily and rubbed her temple. She heard people close by, but it felt empty in this–
Wait, where was this?!
Claris’ gaze darted around as she checked her surroundings. Was this some sort of shack? The dark brown wooden walls made it feel like one. They were thin enough to hear what was going on outside. She was lying in the middle of three cots. The furnishings were the bare minimum: three cabinets and a plain beige rug. Near the middle was a table with two chairs. The only light inside was whatever you brought and whatever came through the windows.
Her chest tightened when she confirmed that no one else was present. Celeste wasn’t sleeping out of her Poke Ball like she usually did – though she was only a Brionne in reality. She breathed a sigh of relief when she looked closer and saw her Poke Ball pouch sitting on one of the cabinets at the side of the room.
As she pulled off the sheets and swung her feet out, she noticed that she was still wearing her clothes from yesterday. Thankfully, her backpack was lying on the floor below her pouch. Was there a shower here? Claris checked the building a little more thoroughly. No sign of any other room, not even a washroom.
Claris groaned. She hated going more than two days without bathing. Well, it was like Nori always liked saying: nothing to do but do it. Maybe there’d be a spring nearby or a shower somewhere else. This had to be a town. Certain that there was no one else present or coming, she undressed and pulled a fresh set of clothes from her bag. A sapphire-colored designer shirt alongside matching wool pants with frills along the waist and ankles. She placed the dirty clothes in a plastic bag to wash later. With no mirror to look at herself in, she could only brush her blonde hair by instinct and hope for the best.
As she tiredly moved to return the hairbrush to the bag, she accidentally hit the side and clipped a buckle. The contents of the tiny compartment jangled, a sound that made her halt.
Eventually, her senses returned. She placed the brush down, undid the clip, and reached inside. She shivered from the cold touch of metal. She pulled it out to look at it.
It was a blue toy convertible. There were times when she forgot she had brought this. Whenever she remembered, she questioned why she did. She had thought about getting rid of it, but could never bring herself to do so. The headlights on the toy seemed to be staring back. Assessing her. Mocking her.
With a heavy sigh, she put it back and picked up her capsule pouch. She zipped it open and counted the Poke Balls inside. One, two, three, four, five, six. Everyone was there and accounted for. She slung her capsule holder around her right shoulder and headed for the door on the far side of the shack. The floorboards creaked as she moved across them. Claris stopped and looked down. They didn’t look old or rotten. One good thing.
The girl rubbed her eyes as she reached the entryway. A shabby rug sat in front of the door. That black jacket hanging on the coat hanger was something she recognized. Though she questioned why the owner wasn’t wearing it, since it was the middle of October. Her white and blue shoes sat neatly below it. Actually, they were more like boots. They went all the way up past her ankles, so they were good for getting through mud and snow. She sat down to put them on.
After tying them, she stood up and brushed her clothes down to get the wrinkles out. She put a hand on the door handle. A little rusty. She jumped as it squeaked like a Rattata. The girl winced, glad that no one saw that. Why was she so nervous? Someone she knew was waiting for her out there. She took a deep breath and pushed it open.
As soon as she went outside, the blonde girl stumbled back and fell against the wall of the house. It was like she’d stepped into the past, if not, an entirely different world. None of the wooden buildings had a second storey to them. There were even some little huts made of stone and clay. People dressed in brown robes and the odd pair of jeans were walking around dirt roads with their Pokemon.
Claris took a step forward into the unknown. Only to let out a yelp as her foot caught an uneven patch of earth. She flailed her arms as she began to topple to the ground. She stopped short when something wrapped around her torso.
It held her until she regained her footing. Claris only noticed it was a noodly blue vine after it retracted. She spun around. “Moonblue?” she asked, turning to the Tangela. She opened her pouch and took a look inside. His Poke Ball was there and the light in the middle was on, indicating he was inside. Also, when she looked closer, this one was a vaguely different shade. Closer to blue koi, maybe? “Sorry, I mistook you for my Pokemon. Thank you, though.”
The Tangela saluted with a vine and sat back down in the garden. The mass of vines was sitting amidst a row of berry trees that had recently sprouted. Claris started walking again, making sure to raise her feet higher and lower them more carefully.
She wandered aimlessly around the strange village. A family of four waved at her as they entered the home next to the one she woke up in. Claris raised a shaky hand in return. This was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Where was this? How did she get here?
Her heartbeat slowed when she saw a familiar face. Tall and slender, she had royal blue hair that reached to her waist, and smalt-colored eyes. She was showing off a large orange bird with an ash-gray chest to a group of children.
Zaria Alexandra proudly presented her partner. “This is Talonflame, I caught it on one of my past journeys. It’s one of the strongest Pokemon on my team. It even has Gale Wings, so you know it’s tough.”
“Wow!”
“So pretty!”
“What’s Gale Wings?”
“Are they a boy or girl? Do they have a name?”
Her traveling companion flipped her hair. “I think the nurses said it’s male? And no, I ain’t really a nickname person.” She ignored the question about the ability.
“Do you have any Gym Badges?” one of the girls asked.
“How old are you?” drawled a simpering boy fixated on Zaria. His face was as red as a Tamato.
“I’m almost thirteen.” Zaria opened her black vest. She liked wearing black; her jeans and shoes were that color, too. “Got twenty-one, five from Sinnoh so far. I just got the Desire, Kiln, and Beacon Badges left.” She chuckled softly. “But I’ve been helping my friend around the region until she catches up with me. She just has the Fen and Vent badges left for that. Then we’ll hit up Celestic, Snowpoint, and Sunyshore together. Of course, we’re checking out other parts of the region too, like down here.”
One of the other boys pointed feverishly, tracing circles in the air. “Is that her over there?”
Zaria turned her head and put a hand on her hip. “That’s her, yeah. I ought to go talk to her.”
Before Claris could speak up and say it was fine if they wanted to keep talking, the kids scattered to go play somewhere else. That left them by themselves.
The older girl reached into her brown purse for Talonflame’s Poke Ball and recalled him. She walked over with a smirk. “Well, good morning, sleepyhead. Or should I say, good afternoon?”
“Good…afternoon, Zaria?” she slowly replied. Some of what happened was starting to make sense. How long had she been asleep, though? No, there was a more pressing question. “Um, where are we?”
“Just a village a little off the beaten path to Kinflow Town. I don’t think it has a name. You probably wouldn’t find it in any guidebooks, either. It’s kind of freaky. See that?” She pointed to a group of black and blue felines. A big one was standing proudly, watching over some cubs. “Those are wild Pokemon. The people here just live with them. Oh, and they told me not to catch any.”
Claris gave them a glance. Two of the cubs were holding each other and licking each other on the face. She giggled at the sight. She had thought about capturing a Shinx or one of their evolutionary relatives. The chance had never come up, and now she wasn’t in a hurry to get a seventh team member. She would have to start cycling them once she did.
She thought differently about the village. “It’s pretty neat to see a town where people and Pokemon live together,” she remarked. The child actress had been to many places on her travels, but had never seen or even heard of anything like this. She was glad they came here.
“I guess.” Zaria shrugged and shook her head. “They gave us hospitality, so you can’t complain too much.”
“Mmhm.” She rubbed her eyes and yawned, still a little groggy. “What time is it?”
Zaria raised her left arm and checked her watch. “It’s just past one,” she answered.
Her throat tightened. Moments after, her face fell into her hands. “I’ve never gotten up this late in my life.” She hoped it wouldn’t be hard to get to sleep tonight.
“It can happen after a hard day or a late night. In your case, you just needed it. Were just about collapsing as we were trying to find a campsite. Carried ya here since it was close by.” Zaria confirmed what she suspected with a smirk. She probably got help from her Tauros, too.
“Thank you,” she said.
“Anytime,” Zaria winked before chuckling. “You had the biggest smile on your lips in your sleep. I reckon you must’ve been having a really good dream.”
Claris stood to attention. Her breath squeezed out of her like paste. That was right, she had nearly forgotten about it. She hated it when she had a good dream and couldn’t remember it when she woke up.
Wait, good? Did she just think that? It was stupid! She slapped her forehead, leaving the hand there afterward to cover her eyes. And…yes, it was a good dream.
“I did,” she said, running her fingers through her blonde hair. “I don’t remember the start of it. At the end, I was in a misty forest with Nori, when this strange Pokemon showed up.”
Zaria’s eyebrows drew together. “Nori?” she asked, taking a step forward. “That was the guy you were with before, right?”
“N-no!” she shouted. Her hands flew to her face, though they stopped short. She wasn’t sure whether to cover her mouth or her cheeks. She could feel the latter going red. Claris rapidly shook her head and clarified, “I mean, Nori and I weren’t together or anything. We were just best friends!” She wanted more, but it never got that far and never would.
Her traveling companion nodded. It appeared like she was about to say something, only for her mouth to hang open. Eventually, words did come out of it. “Some friend he turned out to be.”
“I know.” She felt a weight push down upon her shoulders as she admitted that. The fact was that she had poured her heart out to Nori, and he all but slapped her in the face. It hurt, like a part of her had been ripped out, leaving a void that remained to this day. The pressure became heavier, forcing a sigh out of her. “Though, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still think about him sometimes.”
How was Nori doing? Did he still think about her? Would he even want to see her again? All she heard from him was one message from her parents a week after she left.
Zaria clenched her fists. “He’s a piece of crap, Claris. If he cared about you, he would’ve gone with you without question. Guys like him only ever think about one thing.” She gently patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll find a way better person eventually.”
She shifted away. That wasn’t the first time that Zaria had spoken that way about him. It always made Claris feel uncomfortable, but she didn’t want to speak up about it. Zaria had been a big help on her journey, especially when it came to keeping her fans away – or keeping away from her fans. Claris felt so fortunate to have found a good traveling companion, and didn’t want to do anything to lose her.
“So you said you saw a weird Pokemon in the dream, too?” Her friend tilted her head. “What was it?”
“I don’t know. It was one I didn’t recognize,” she told her. Zaria was well-traveled, so maybe she would know? “It was shaped like a bird. It was floating without flapping its wings. It had horns and glowing rings around its body. And it had no legs. Do you have any ideas?”
Zaria looked up, curled her lips, and tapped her head. She always did that when thinking. “Doesn’t sound like anything I ever heard of. Maybe your brain imagined a new Pokemon or something like that.”
Claris shut her eyes, attempting to imagine what it looked like outside of the mist. After coming up blank, she was left certain that wasn’t the case. The shape alone was nothing she could’ve ever envisioned existing. Was it possible to dream about something you didn’t know about?
“How’s Brionne’s Rain Dance coming along, by the way?”
The girl looked and tilted her head at the sudden change of subject. She wanted to keep talking about the dream. “We haven’t really gotten started on practicing it,” she admitted.
“You should make sure it’s good at it before your Veilstone Gym Battle,” Zaria advised, wagging a finger with a smile. “It’ll be a real asset to your team,” she repeated what she had said when she gave her the TM as a random gift a few days ago.
“I know,” Claris sighed. “I’m sure Celeste will get it down eventually.”
“I’m sure it will, too,” her companion agreed. “Just don’t put this off for too long. The sooner you start on those things, the better. It always takes a Pokemon effort to make artificial weather.”
“Yes, we’ll try to start soon. Thank you.” If there was another thing Zaria was good at, it was Pokemon. She trusted her companion after all the success she had in the past. While Claris wasn’t as serious of a trainer as Zaria, her advice helped a lot. She would be satisfied with just winning all eight badges; if she wanted to enter the League, that would have to be in August of next year. It would depend on how she felt when the time came.
“Ah. If it isn’t our guests,” came a gravelly, yet gentle voice.
Claris turned to see an elderly man in a filthy brown cloak approaching. His eyes were milky white, his face looked like a speckled prune, and he held a walking stick fashioned from a gnarled tree branch. If she had to make a guess, he was in his eighties or maybe even his nineties.
“Yo,” Zaria greeted. She motioned with a finger. “This is the village elder.”
“It’s nice to meet you, sir.” Conscious of her manners, she performed a small curtsy.
“The pleasure is mine.” He bowed slightly in return. “How are you two doing? How are you finding our little settlement? I am always curious to hear what travelers think of how we live in harmony with Pokemon.”
“It’s fine,” Zaria crossed her arms and chimed in before she could speak. “We were just talking about our Pokemon and some dream she had with some bird Pokemon in mist and a guy who betrayed her.” She said the last part with a snort, especially the word ‘guy’. She looked out of the village before turning to her. “We’re probably going to hit the road again in an hour or so.”
“Did I hear that correctly? You dreamed of a bird Pokemon in the mist?” the elder gaped, looking her up and down inquisitively.
Claris’ pulse quickened. She lurched towards the elder. “Do you know something about it?” she asked, leaning forward. Her uncle told her that dreams have meanings. Claris never really believed in that herself. But her instinct was telling her that there was something more to this.
“I might have some ideas,” he replied while scratching at his chin. “Would you like to come into my cabin to talk about it?”
“Um, sure!” The dream was gnawing at her mind like a hungry Bidoof. It would be great to have someone interpret it for her. And it seemed he knew!
The man nodded. “That is where I live.” He gestured towards a building on the far side of the village that looked much like the one she walked out of, only a little bigger. Its position and size marked it as the most prominent place in the village. “Come along.”
“Well, I gotta admit,” Zaria agreed, flicking her hair back. “I’m curious about whatever it is too. Let’s go.”
The elder raised a palm. “Just her, please.”
“What?!” The blue-haired teenager stomped forward with balled fists. “We’re traveling companions! We do everything together! What’s wrong with me coming and hearing this, too?” She furiously jerked her arms as she ranted.
“It’ll be all right, Zaria,” Claris reassured her. She wasn’t sure why the elder wanted her to come alone, but she trusted he had a good reason. And if it wasn’t okay, she’d call for help right away. Her Pokemon were with her, too. “I’ll tell you about it later.”
“It better be all right, or there’ll be hell to pay,” she warned the elder before she stomped off.
Claris sighed. “Sorry about Zaria. She can be a bit overprotective at times.” She didn’t hate it. Better safe than sorry, as the saying went.
“It is understandable. I can tell that it comes from caring for you deeply.” The elderly man motioned to follow.
##########
The elder’s home was more presentable on the inside. There was a bit of decoration on the walls, from little trinkets to hand-drawn art. Some of it looked borderline professional, others were obviously drawn by the kids. There were also couches, though they had seen better days and didn’t match: one was dark green and had several holes in it, another was beige with an indescribable pattern and looked like it had served as a scratching post. The table was larger and there were more chairs. Most notably, it had a second room that he disappeared into, which was probably where his bed was. Violet curtains separated the spaces, and Claris didn’t try peeking in.
The girl put her knees together and rested her hands on them as she waited for him to return. He said he would only be a minute or two. She wasn’t sure how long it really took. There was no clock, and she didn’t have a watch of her own. Wearing them bothered her wrist.
Time dragged. After what felt like ten times what was promised, the curtain opened. The elder emerged carrying a brown cup on a plate. He closed the curtain before approaching while steadying the tableware with both hands.
“Here, I thought you might want a drink,” he said, placing it down on the table. “It is made from Aguav and Durin berries.”
Claris rose from the sofa and walked over. She involuntarily pulled away as she caught sight of the swirling bright green liquid in the ceramic cup. Weren’t those really bitter berries? Her nose curled from the acrid scent wafting up from it.
She looked over at the elderly man as she sat down. He watched expectantly with folded hands and a neutral smile. It would be bad manners to refuse him. It might even offend him. So she gripped the cup in both hands and brought it to her mouth. Her lips tensed as she forced them apart with the lid. She tilted back to take a dainty sip.
The blonde girl recoiled the moment the concoction touched her tongue. That was way worse than she expected! It made her eyes water! Shutting them tightly, she managed to gulp that tiny swig down, after which she placed the cup back on the plate.
“It’s all right,” she managed to squeak out. It was actually the most vile thing she’d ever had in her mouth, but she’d be thrown out if she said that aloud.
“You can be honest, Ms. Willins,” the elder gently scolded. He reached out and pulled the plate to the side. “It’s not to your liking.”
Was it that obvious? Claris winced and turned away from the village elder. She may have been a trained actress, but there was no way you could hide not liking food. It was hard enough when acting, even if she was prepared for it. One of her roles was a vegan girl, and there was a scene that called for her to eat asparagus. It took a lot of takes before she could pull it off with a straight face.
“How do you know who I am?” was the question on her mind. If there was anywhere she expected not to be known, it would be a village in the middle of nowhere.
“I have a little solar-powered radio I listen to sometimes. I thought that your voice sounded familiar. It seems my hearing’s still sharp in my old age.” The man wiggled his eyebrows and chuckled to himself.
Claris slumped into the chair. People really did recognize her no matter where she went, even in a place like this. “Part of the reason I decided to go on this journey was to get away from my fame,” she groaned. “It really hasn’t happened.”
“I see. That is understandable. You will not be judged by me, or anyone here.” He tapped his finger. “That was only part of the reason for your journey, you say?”
Her eyebrows went way up. She reflexively turned away. “Sorry, it’s kind of personal.” She lowered her head. No, she had come here to talk about the dream she had. And he had promised not to judge her. “Actually, it’s related to the dream. There’s someone I was really hoping I could journey with.”
He gave a patient nod. “Tell me.”
So Claris did. She started off by giving some context about Nori. She told him everything she could remember about the dream. About traveling with him and how happy she felt. She described the forest, the strange mist, and the Pokemon she saw right before he vanished.
“I thought so,” the man said after she had finished. “The Pokemon that you met in your dream is the Great Cresselia.”
Claris gasped. She had at heard the name Cresselia before. She knew at least one was known to live in Sinnoh on Full Moon Island. And the Great? That was what religions used to refer to Legendary Pokemon.
“But how could I dream about a Pokemon that I’ve never seen before or knew that much about?” She could understand dreaming about Nori. It wasn’t the first time. Plus, she figured he’d pick Litten of the foreign starters her family had prepared for them, so that was a logical thing. But why a Cresselia?
“It means that you saw the real thing,” the elder explained with a slight smirk. “She and her counterpart, the Great Darkrai, sometimes influence dreams. In special cases, they will enter them directly. Both do so with good intentions.”
A Legendary Pokemon visiting her in her dreams. It sounded like a bad movie script, yet as the saying went, the truth could be stranger than fiction.
“But why me?” she wondered aloud. “Why would a Cresselia want to visit me in my dreams?”
“She did not necessarily need a reason, other than to help you.” The elder leaned back in his seat. “This is just my interpretation. But I believe she sensed the discord in your heart and was trying to send you a message.”
“A message…” she repeated. An altruistic message. “I guess that’d be how I feel about Nori. But he…” He had hurt her. “But I…” She hadn’t even tried to work it out. She just ran off.
Claris met Nori in first grade, though his reputation preceeded him. She saw him sitting alone during a class activity where you needed a partner. She chose him because he seemed nice and wasn’t clamoring for her. She was surprised it was him, and (surprisingly) he didn’t know her. It was the best decision of her life. That day four months ago when she decided to journey without him, not even a day after being turned down, was the worst.
She took Nori to a licorice confectionery after school to talk about her plans for a journey. The events of their conversation had become a blur in her memory. It had ended with him shouting that he wouldn’t go with her. So she ran off in tears. She wasn’t sure what was going through her mind when she went to her maid and asked to be taken to Jubilife City. In hindsight, she was shocked that Eloise agreed to it. They got there quickly on her Charizard. Eloise accompanied her until she met Zaria when she went to Canalave for her first Gym Battle, then flew back to the mansion.
She and the elder had been silent for many long moments, both lost in thought. He opened his eyes and spoke up. “I wish to tell you a story from a time long ago. Would that be all right?” He wasn’t making eye contact, instead peering distantly at the far wall.
Claris nodded slowly. Wherever he was going with this, it had to be meaningful.
“It was around fifty years ago when this happened. Back then, I was part of something far greater. I was in the public eye as a revered and respected individual. One day, the authorities came to ask for my help with a case that had been baffling them for months. So I played my role, only for the suspect to be found not guilty. They blamed me for the verdict.”
Claris felt her chest and shoulders tightening. “What was the case about?” she asked.
“My apologies. I don’t wish to go into more detail than that,” he said with a firm shake of his head. “Though I will assure you that I did not lie about what I learned.”
Claris didn’t think he was the type to lie, but was left wondering about his evasive answer. He addressed a Legendary Pokemon in a formal sense, so it was a safe guess that he might have had ties to religion. Just who was this man?
He continued with his story. “I felt that I had brought shame to my family. My instinct was to flee so that they would not suffer the consequences. I left behind all but my closest Pokemon partner. After a few weeks of living in the wilderness, I realized that I had made a rash decision. Still, I was not sure how to explain myself. I thought there was no way I could return.” He hung his head. “In retrospect, it was a foolish assumption. By the time I realized that years later, it truly was too late.”
The parallels finally began to sink in. She clutched at her head as it began to throb.
“I believed I could never atone for abandoning them. My travels brought me to this place, where I have lived ever since. I chose this life to get away from the world.” He looked over at her. “Your being here may be fate, for both of us.”
Fate. Claris had never believed in destiny. She was fortunate, yes. Fortunate to be born to such a rich family. Fortunate to get the chance to act, but she still had to work at that. She was lucky to meet Zaria. Even luckier to meet Nori. Was helping her the elder’s way of making up for what he did? How could she ever make up for what she did?
“Ms. Willins,” the elder said sternly, though his voice cracked just a little. “I do not believe it is too late for you. It is my opinion that the Great Cresselia gave you that dream because she sensed your heart’s true desires. That you wish to make amends with your friend. Why did you choose this journey? You said that one of your reasons was to escape your life for a time. I think that being with him was the more important thing to you.”
It was one thing to suspect it. It was another to have someone else tell her so. Thinking about how her journey had played out made it all the more obvious. She hadn’t fully escaped her life as a child actress. It was still hounding her. No, what she really wanted to do was go on a journey with her best friend. Someone who, in one moment of weakness and heartbreak from a betrayal that never was, she had assumed the worst of. The dream itself made too much sense. She was happy to be with Nori, and crushed when he vanished. Like in reality.
“It was,” she sobbed. This wasn’t the journey she wanted. She felt that from the day she set out, but she kept denying it. No more. “I wanted it to be with Nori! I…want to be with Nori!” She blurted that out, and could only keep crying. “But…but what can I do?”
She was shaking, her vision was blurring, all her limbs hurt. That was what was so difficult about this. What was she supposed to do after she ran off to go on this journey less than a day after he refused to go on it? No, she remembered now. He called to her as she was leaving. He regretted it right away. Knowing him, he went to her mansion the day after. She didn’t give him that chance to apologize. She had been the one to betray him! If she had just calmed down and not run off on impulse, what would’ve happened?
“That is not something I can tell you,” the elder solemnly told her. “You must look within to find your own answer.”
What was the answer to the question of a friend she had abandoned? What were you supposed to do when you talk to someone for the first time in months after a bad parting? It was unfamiliar territory. Her mind was a jumbled mess, thoughts of what was and what could be echoing in her thoughts. Would she…? No. Should she–? That wouldn’t work.
“I think…” No, no thinking. She shook her head and looked up at the man with a steely gaze. This was a definite. “I really do have a lot that I need to consider. Thank you, sir.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Willins.” To her surprise, the man bowed at her. She should be the one doing that! In fact, she did so right after him. It made him laugh. “I am certain that things will go well. Things always have a way working out.”
Claris leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. Her arms dangled listlessly at her sides, while her fingers and toes tingled. She hummed. That was just a saying. You had to work hard to make your dreams come true.
“Would you like some tea before you go?” the elder rose and asked her. After a moment, he added, “Chamomile and peppermint, with a touch of lemon to balance the flavor. It should help calm you.”
Yes, she had the jitters and a dry throat. “Yes please, that would help,” she hyperventilated. She frowned over at the bitter berry blend. “I don’t really like this, sorry.” She wondered who even would. Maybe he did.
“You can never be sure if you like something until you try it,” the man answered her unspoken question with an enigmatic smirk. He picked up the bitter drink and rose from his seat. “Reactions are telling. How you act, moreso.”
Claris snapped to attention as the man disappeared behind the curtain. Was that a hint he just gave her?
##########
After having her tea, saying her thanks to the elder, and leaving his cabin, Claris went straight to the guest house. The sights and sounds around her blended into nothingness as she marched. A contrast to how she woke up or how she felt in the cabin, there was no tension or stress in her mind or body.
She found Zaria waiting for her at the table in the main room. “Gotta say, the novelty of this place has already worn off for me,” the teenager said as she flicked her hair.
“I like it,” Claris remarked, sitting across from her. She made sure to let the elder know that before she left, since she didn’t get the chance to before. “It’s nice and relaxing, and even the people who know me won’t bother me. I can see why you wouldn’t, though.” She gave her friend a smile.
“Yeah, this place is way too slow and dull for my tastes. No real chance to train here, either.” The teenager threw up her arms before resting one on the table. She rested her chin on the other. “So how’d it go?”
“It went well,” she replied. She took a deep, satisfied breath. “He told me what the dream was about. I think I understand myself a little better now.”
“Oh, like what?” Zaria leaned forward.
Claris opened her mouth to speak, only to hesitate. Her traveling companion wasn’t going to like what she had to say, but she had to tell her. It concerned their future plans. “I think I need to contact Nori and let him know…” Let him know what?
As she trailed off trying to find the words, her friend’s nostrils flared. “Wait, what?” The chair scraped as she push back. “Claris, it was a dream. It doesn’t mean anything!” The smalt-haired teenager gripped the edges of the table.
“I thought that too at first,” she admitted, closing her eyes. “Maybe if this was isolated, or if a Legendary Pokemon wasn’t involved.”
“A Legendary?” Zaria parroted, gritting her teeth. She jerked her head back, and in that one motion, she gasped. The teenager bit her lip. “Hold up, was that bird you saw a Cresselia?”
“That’s what the elder told me.”
Her friend grumbled. “What in the world?”
She was sure he was telling the truth. There was no reason for him to lie, and she was sure that a search online or in a library would show her exactly what she saw.
“But it wasn’t just this one dream,” she continued. “Nori’s been in my thoughts a lot on this journey, especially lately.” Maybe it was because they were getting close to Veilstone City. Her hometown. Even in the worst case, it wouldn’t take them more than a month to get there. “It’s only now that I realize I’ve been lying to myself. I miss him. I want to see him again and be friends like we were before.”
She said it. And she had no regrets about saying it. It was like a weight lifted. She knew what she wanted to do – what she needed to do – better late than never.
Zaria stood up, frantically brushing her clothes. “Claris, I need to tell you something.”
“What is it, Zaria?”
“I…” She trembled and clammed up.
Claris could only wait patiently. She understood what that was like. It was so hard to find the right words sometimes. Even when pitching the journey to Nori, she had to pracice it like a script before telling him.
“People want to be with others,” her companion finally began, her voice straining. “And sometimes you see someone who seems good, but then they show their true colors. Sometimes people think too much of the good and go back to people they know who are bad for them because of all that. It happened with my older sister. Our parents, her friends, even I tried to warn her.” Her voice had built to a crescendo, culminating in an anguished scream and pounding on the table. “Now the jerk’s in jail, and she’s stuck with a kid!”
Was that why Zaria felt so strongly about this? She had always told her not to bother with Nori. Maybe if she hadn’t been doing that, Claris would’ve realized her true feelings sooner.
Claris shook her head. Slowly at first. She owed a lot to Zaria. That was a fact. It didn’t change the fact that she was wrong about him. She was standing her ground here, and only hoped it wasn’t a mistake.
“I’ve known Nori since we were six, and he was my best friend,” she calmly explained.
“Was!” her friend snapped.
“Zaria, please let me finish,” she requested. Zaria scowled and pursed her lips, but nodded. “Nori can be a little outspoken, but not without reason. He’s one of the kindest people I’ve known. I don’t think he was showing his true colors by not wanting to journey with me. It was just a disagreement.”
For so long, she thought that he wasn’t considering her feelings. Well, she also wasn’t considering his. His reason was a little silly, sure, but Nori still had feelings of his own. It was their first real argument, and it was just so stupid.
Claris sniffed. One hand went to her heart, the other went to her eyes to wipe away tears. “A disagreement blown way out of proportion. I need to make things right while I still can.”
“Argh!” Zaria buried her face in her arms. “I’m trying to help you! That’s why I’m traveling with you! Just listen to me!” She pleaded with puffy eyes.
Was she jealous? Or maybe she was just worried, for one reason or another. Claris got up and patted her on the shoulder. That made her gasp and stop.
“I appreciate everything you do for me, Zaria,” she said, smiling at her. “I’m really sorry to hear about your sister, and I know you’re just trying to look out for me. You’re still my friend, and you always will be. But I want to do this, at least to get some closure.”
There was still one thing. A possibility that made her skin crawl. Claris shuddered and turned away.
“And if you’re right about him…” she whispered. “Or if he doesn’t want to see me again… I guess that’ll be it.”
“Fine,” Zaria begrudged. With a heavy grumble, she got up and started for the door. “I’ll go see what this place has in the way of lunch. Is it fine if we get outta here after?”
Claris could only laugh. “Yes, that’d be all right.” If she could do anything to make Zaria feel a little better, she would. “And thank you for accepting this.”
Her companion didn’t answer before she left, leaving Claris alone with her thoughts. She walked over and sat down on the cot. Now she just had to figure out how she was going to go about apologizing. She had thought about how to approach things like Gym Battles before, but never anything like this. What to do?
##########
Claris furiously crossed out another set of handwritten words from her current sheet of paper. It was more stuff that wouldn’t work. Another page was now full on both sides from so many discarded ideas. She folded it up several times and shoved it into her bag to recycle later.
She rubbed the back of her head and readjusted her neck light. It was the dead of night, but she wasn’t tired at all. Apart from not feeling tired due to waking up late, thoughts of Nori consumed her mind. It was just like in the dream: her heart and stomach were fluttering, her palms were clammy, and her head was spinning. She was trying to put what was in her mind into words. She had to get this perfect.
He didn’t have a phone, not even at home. It was hard with his mom’s lack of income. A letter was one possibility, but she didn’t want to have to worry about when it reached him, if at all. She had been racking her brain for several hours on what to do until the solution hit her like a Flash.
She frequently spoke to her parents over the videophone at Pokemon Centers or wherever else. One of the promises she made was to check in with them as often as possible. A week after she left, they relayed a message from Nori. She was still mad at him at the time. It was, “I’m sorry,” followed by some stuff that she tuned out. If he could send a message to her that way, so could she. Her parents wouldn’t mind contacting and telling him. She just had to write her thoughts down so she could recite them.
Zaria wasn’t interested in helping her out with the message. She was sound asleep in their tent right now; fortunately, it was easier to find a place to pitch it than yesterday. But that was okay. Claris wanted this to come completely from her own heart. She picked up the clipboard, set it back down on her thighs, and clicked the pen open again.
She stared down at the blank page. The lines on it seemed to bend and smile at her, encouraging her to write words between them. It all started with a good beginning. There was a lot to say. What should she start out with?
A thought flickered through her brain, and she leaned forward to jot it down.
“I’m sorry, too.”
Three words. It was the best start yet. Claris raised her hand to write more, only for her instincts stopped her. She looked the words over. Was there anything else to say? She sat back as the answer came to her: no. Three simple words were all she needed.
She placed a hand over her heart and exhaled, and right after that, the exhaustion hit. It was done. She would call her parents after getting to the next town with electricity and ask them to deliver the message.
She knew Nori well. He was definitely still worrying and stressing about her. As belated of a reply as it was, it would be enough to put his mind at ease. She was going to have to head back to Veilstone City to battle for a Vent Badge eventually. Priority one when that time came wasn’t going to the Gym or even going home. The first thing she was going to do was visit Nori. Yes, there was so much more she wanted to tell him, but she wanted to say it all in person.
That was going to be her strategy. There were a billion other things to go over, all stuff she could only figure out later. It was like her mother sometimes said: one day at a time, one step at a time.
Claris took the sheet of paper off the clipboard, folded it delicately, and placed it in her backpack. Then she went for the side pocket and opened it up. She took out the blue convertible and held it in front of her eyes. A warmth rose through her body and into her face.
She wasn’t sure why she had brought this until now. It was just a toy car she had won for winning that group activity with Nori. Now it made sense. It was her way of keeping a little piece of him around in his absence. A subconscious desire from the beginning. Maybe someday, they would get to go on a journey together for real. Whenever he was ready for one, she would be ready for her next. And if he never was, that was fine too.
A giggle escaped her, and when she realized that it did, she only giggled more. She was really looking forward to calling her parents more than what awaited her next on her travels! The only thing she was looking forward to more was the response!
She stared up at the night sky with a contented sigh. There were so many stars up there, way more than you could see in the city. It was little sights like these and that nameless village that made this journey still worthwhile. She did miss home. Another part of her couldn’t wait to get back and show everyone her Pokemon partners. They’d also get to meet Zaria. The funny thing was despite her current opinion, Claris was sure Zaria and Nori would get along fine!
A rustling sound broke the silence. Claris tensed up and turned to the bushes. “Is someone there?” she called, her heart pounding. It was probably a Pokemon, come to think of it. You always had to be careful when camping.
“Just me,” came Zaria’s voice from their tent.
Her shoulders dropped. She must have misheard, there was nothing to worry about. “Oh. You’re still up?”
“Just woke up to take a sip of water,” she replied. “You still working?”
“I’m done, actually. I’ll be in shortly.” Despite her excitement, it was a good idea to go to sleep now. And who could say? Maybe tonight’s dream would be fun, too.
The child actress picked up her bag and headed for the tent. Celeste was asleep next to it. She gave the Brionne a gentle stroke on the forehead, which made her hum happily. With one final look to the horizon, Claris Willins turned in for the night, eager for tomorrow.