Disc 0:
The Monster… Coach and the Rainbow!
“Bullies, Athletes and Golden Bonfires”
***
[Note: this chapter uses Japanese names of Pokémon, people and locations. I’m making sure to help determine who is who and what is what throughout the narration, however.]
***
A Lucky Yakisoba for
Kotone, filled with fried noodles, fresh eggs and thinly cut mushrooms, and a
Matoma Ramen for Silver, an explosion of mild spicy tomato flavor and seafood. Those were the specialties of the
Oceanic Blast, a restaurant popular among Trainers because of its lovely atmosphere made of enthralling scents, freshly prepared dishes, wooden tables and black paintings on blue walls depicting Lugia and other underwater creatures.
Also, it had a well-kept internal garden where people could let their Pokémon out and give them foods appropriate to their species, ranging from protein shakes enriched with iron and other minerals for Silver’s Crobat and some stranger’s Ariados, to some berries for Kotone’s Pichu and Silver’s
Foodin (who was entertaining the younger Pokémon by telekinetically juggling some bowls with his two psychic spoons), to raw fish for
Ordile and a Persian with a pink ribbon around its neck.
Despite the minor grievance of not being able to eat with their own Pokémon for hygiene reasons, that was the ideal place for many Trainers to talk about their respective journeys and trade battle tips.
Kotone’s eyes gleamed under the lighting of the restaurant and her cheeks became rosier as she stared at her dish; what a wonderful aroma!
“Oooh yeah! This gotta go to my food diary!” exclaimed the brunette. She activated her Pokégear and snapped a few photos, choosing the best angles and beam her best smiles. Just the time for her photos to be online that she received plenty of virtual Lovecus — or, as her Galarish-speaking friends would say, Luvdisc — in response, which made her grin in delight.
Silver, however, focused entirely on his ramen, nodding a few times as he enjoyed the taste and texture of the handmade noodles. And that sauce! It had the perfect balance between spice and spiciness, enough to give that tingling pleasure without making the mouth burst into flames. A massive step up from the instant noodles he used to eat, that’s for sure.
He blinked at his table companion, befuddled by her behavior. “I thought you were hungry. What’re you doing?”
“Oh, I gotta update my blog. My friends love to check out my food diary, where I upload photos of the dishes I try out and recipes of
bon juices to improve my Pokémon’s performance,” she responded, her gaze locked on the screen. “I could send you a link, if you want.”
Silver inspected her smartwatch: crisp LCD graphics, customizable cover, and dozens of available functions. That was a
Pokégear HGSS-09, the latest trend popular among young Trainers… Tch! What a waste of money! He was perfectly fine with his five-year-old
Pokégear GSC-00. It’s not like he used it for anything outside of messages, radio and GPS, anyway.
“I’m not really interested in that kinda stuff,” he said, wrapping some noodles around his chopsticks, “but you mentioned bon juice recipes.”
Kotone nodded. “Yeah?”
“Aren’t those usually prepared by Pokéathletes?”
Another nod. “A-ha.”
Silver paused, his eyes narrowed, and the dots connected. “So you’re a Pokéathlete?”
“Yup! That’s correct.” Kotone put her Pokégear in sleep mode and started digging into the noodles with her chopsticks. “Participating to the Pokéthlon has always been my dream! Pokémon battles are fun and all, yeah, but they’re a secondary goal for me.” She took a piece of mushroom out of her plate. “Though, I always do my best to balance both activities out. After all, Pokémon must build their stamina and strength, too.”
“Ah…”
Neither teenager talked as they focused on eating their noodles — they had to eat their dishes while they were still warm, after all! However, it didn’t take long for Kotone to speak up again. “…And say, have you ever tried the Pokéthlon?”
Silver glanced at the girl, before staring at his ramen and fishing a piece of crab from his bowl. “No, never cared about it.”
“I think you should give it a go. The Pokéthlon is an excellent way to improve a Pokémon’s finesse, after all.”
“Tsk! That’s hardly relevant during actual Pokémon battles. Working on ways to overpower my opponents has worked well for me,” he rebutted, before chewing on the crab piece. “So why should I bother with that frivolous stuff?”
“Because brute force alone isn’t enough.”
Silver rolled his eyes. “Hmph. I know well that brute force alone isn’t enough! That’s when strategy comes into play.”
“Well, what if I told you that
Akane participates in those, too? And that she’s very good at both her Gym Leader duties and athletic performances, especially the speed competitions?” asked Kotone, waving a piece of egg in her chopsticks.
That bit of information piqued Silver’s curiosity: Akane, the infamous Normal-type Gym Leader and renowned “Destroyer of New Trainers”, participated in those competitions, too? Not that it was too surprising, considering her obsession with cute and graceful Pokémon.
“Okay… so?” he asked, not understanding where Kotone was getting at.
“You must have challenged her to get the Regular Plain Badge, right?”
“Yeah, of course I did.”
“Then you must know how tough she is, no? From what I’ve heard, her Attract and Rollout combo is really strong and can catch many inexperienced Trainers by surprise.” Kotone waved her chopsticks. “And how did her
Pippi’s Attract become so effective? How did her Miltank’s Rollout become so fast? That was by focusing on her Pokémon’s appeal potential and speed, too, which are essential skills in both competitions.”
Silver frowned. He remembered clearly what a nuisance that combination used to be. That pink star-shaped Pokémon throwing hearts left and right… Ugh! Such a sappy-looking attack!
“Yes, that was indeed annoying. However,” he glanced at his noodles and wrapped a clump of them around his chopsticks, “people make a bigger deal about it than it really is. All I needed was to use
Ghost against Pippi to disrupt her with Confuse Ray, then go with
Coil to paralyze Miltank and finish the job with a few Sonicboom.” He ate the noodles, then chuckled with pride. “Got the Badge on my first try!”
“Wow! That’s impressive!” remarked Kotone, staring at the redhead in awe.
Silver smirked. “Heh. Nothing more than some basic planning, really. Anyone can come up with some half-decent strategy if they stop to think about what they’re doing for a second.”
“Well, you’ve surely grown a lot as a Trainer! What have you been doing these past months?” she asked, before eating a clump of soba.
Silver narrowed his eyes, trying to recall the last time he met Kotone so that he could start from there… but nothing came to mind. He stared blankly at her, not knowing how to begin.
Kotone sensed his plight, so she lent him a hand. “
Hibiki told me he has seen you in Kanto, and that Trainers are tougher over there. It must have been an excellent place to train!”
Silver grumbled: why couldn’t Hibiki mind his own business and not blab about their meetings and stuff with strangers? Granted, Kotone was no stranger, and that was the hook he needed to not keep staring at her in awkward silence.
“Yes… that’s correct,” he responded, stirring the remaining broth. “I’ve been gathering the Badges over there so that I can participate in the Kanto League at the end of the year.”
“Oooh! Planning the big stuff here! Nice!” exclaimed Kotone, looking at the redhead in admiration. “And how’s your progress? Did you get ‘em all?”
“Almost. I’m missing the Green Earth Badge.”
“Oh? Why’s that? Is the last Gym Leader too tough?”
Silver glared at the remaining noodles and poked at a piece of octopus. “No. The Gym Leader’s on a trip and won’t be back until next month.”
“Really? That’s odd.” Kotone poured some green tea into her glass, pondering about the closed Gym. “Shouldn’t there be a temporary substitute, in case a Gym Leader can’t attend their duties for such a long time?”
Silver’s glare intensified. “Hmph! Indeed, but apparently that concept makes way too much sense.”
“Wow. It must really suck, though. To know you’re one Badge short and that you can’t get it yet…”
Silver grumbled, refusing to say anything else on the matter, and brought some noodles into his mouth. Kotone got the message loud and clear and drank her tea, scrambling to find some way to change topics. Then she found a small foothold.
“Well, huh… but you already have other plans, right?” she inquired.
“…Yes. I must reach
Asagi by the end of the day.”
“Ah! Lemme guess, you wanna try the Battle Tower?”
“I considered that,” he shook his head, “but no. I need to catch a ship tomorrow in the late morning.”
Kotone blinked. “A… ship? Funny that you mention that, because I’ve got to catch a ship tomorrow morning, too! For a tournament, to be exact.”
Now it was Silver’s turn to be surprised, and he stared suspiciously at Kotone. “…For Pokétopia?”
“Yes! That’s it!” She took a second to connect the dots and her eyes widened. “Wait! If you know about it, that means… You’ve got an invitation as well?”
“Yeah. I received it yesterday.”
“For me, it was a week ago. Though, I hung around at my grandparents’ place to help them out with their work.” She grinned and placed her hands on her lap. “Even so, it’s great that you’re in! I always knew you were a capable Trainer, and the fact they’ve invited you is the proof. You’re pretty famous, after all!”
“Famous, or
infamous?” asked Silver, his eyes narrowing.
“Does it matter? Your skills as a Trainer are undeniable. I mean, didn’t you place in the Top 4 or something at the latest Johto League?”
“Yeah, I was the runner-up…” he muttered, before drinking some tea to placate the increasing tingle in his mouth.
The winner of the
silver trophy… it was almost like the universe itself looked for creative ways to mock him about his ‘perennial runner-up’ status.
But! Things would have changed soon! He knew it! Next time, he would have reached the top of the top!
“Then you have what it takes for this tournament!” exclaimed Kotone with confidence. “I’m sure you’ll go very far!”
And of course, that girl had to bring more of her optimism to the table. Silver cocked an eyebrow and lowered his glass. “…You know we’ll be competing against each other, right? Encouraging and rooting for your opponents doesn’t seem exactly a wise strategy.”
“Well, I’m participating more for the experience than for the victory. There will be so many people from all regions: it’s a unique opportunity!” she responded, before pumping her fists with enthusiasm. “But don’t get me wrong; I fully intend to give it all during the tournament! So watch out; you’ll have to sweat to snatch the victory from me!”
Silver chuckled, somewhat amused. So even she had some competitive bones. Good. “Heh. We’ll see about that.”
“Anyway, wanna know a few goodies I’ve found out about the championship?” she asked, winking meaningfully.
“…I’m all ears.”
“Okay, good! So, as you might have found out from the timetable, Trainers from all over the world will attend the tournament. However, I’ve heard that many members of the various Elite Four and regional Champions will participate as well. In fact,
Wataru will be there, too.”
Silver regarded Kotone with a stunned glance, before flashing an intrigued smirk. “Now that’s interesting! I have a score to settle with that Dragon Tamer!”
“And, ah… as the current Johto League Champion, Hibiki told me he has accepted and will be there, too.”
That goody was far less exciting, and Silver’s smile faltered. Not unexpected, but it didn’t make the news any easier to swallow. “I see…” He looked again at his bowl and sipped some broth.
“And the same goes with… huh…” she started twiddling her fingers, knowing well that Silver wouldn’t like
that news, “with Kris…”
Silver stiffened; the shock was so great that he sipped the broth too fast. He coughed to clear his throat and his eyes widened. “K-Kris?!”
Kotone looked apprehensively at the redhead and patted him on his back to help him out. “Oh, my! Do you need water?”
Silver coughed again and shook his head. “N-no, I’m fine now…”
Kotone sat back and scrutinized Silver, looking for any unconscious signals for trouble: she knew from their few meetings that he refused to ask openly for help, so she got ready to assist him even without being asked to. However, the redhead recovered without a hitch and huffed when his windpipe was cleared of any liquid.
“So, Kris will be there, too.” He groaned. “What joy…”
The shift of expression on his face was noticeable, with one emotion standing out — disgruntlement.
“Huh, yeah. I could infer that you two are still on bad terms, from what she told about you…”
Oh, great! Not only Hibiki had to blab about him, but that annoying blue girl had to do the same and share whatever nonsensical gossip with other people? It was a matter of time until Wataru emulated those two kids… if he wasn’t doing that already, of course.
Pushing his grievances aside, Silver stared unhappily at Kotone. “‘Bad terms’ is quite the understatement. She plainly despises me!”
“Err… You just need to give her some time; Kris is stubborn like that. She… always disliked criminal organizations and irresponsible Trainers, and her hatred toward them intensified after a grunt of Team Rocket tried to steal her Chicorita. And considering that your relatives are… huh, well…” she trailed off, unsure of where her train of thought was going.
Silver’s eyes narrowed and his lips thinned. “Right…”
“B-but I’m sure she’ll get around that and get to know you for who you are!” She paused, drumming her fingers on her lap. “Someday…”
Silver shook his head. “It’s far more likely that
Donfan will learn how to fly than to get Kris to change opinion about me.”
“Aww, don’t think like that,” replied Kotone, her eyes full of sympathy toward the redhead. She could only imagine how difficult it must be to stay in his shoes.
Silver gazed downward. “…But I can’t really blame her. I always pushed my Pokémon too hard and rarely thanked them for their efforts.” He sighed and shook his head. “I’m still surprised they didn’t abandon me by now…”
“Hmm… But you’ve got better at understanding their needs and feelings, no? That’s what matters!” she pointed out, before rubbing her chin. “Besides, Pokémon are very accepting and forgiving by nature, for better or for worse. I bet they’ve found something in you that attracted them.”
Silver laughed hollowly. “Indeed. Perhaps they appreciate my dry sense of humor or they have bad tastes in people…”
“Silver! Don’t say such things!” exclaimed Kotone, pouting and placing her fists on her hips. “Besides, I can tell you’re taking good care of your Pokémon!”
The redhead flashed a taunting gaze. “Oh, really? Then enlighten me. How d’you reach such a brilliant conclusion?”
Kotone cocked an eyebrow; Silver was definitely provoking her into proving him right, but she knew already how to respond. It was time to show off her newest skills!
She motioned toward the garden, where Ordile was interacting enthusiastically with Maril.
“Well then, let’s look at your Ordile, for example. I don’t see any loss in the muscle mass around his jaws, nor his neck, nor even his tail. That’s a sign of both good alimentary habits and training regimen —
Wakinoko and its evolutions need plenty of food and exercise to have firm muscles and swift reflexes. So, that’s covered.”
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “His scales have minor to none signs of injuries. That means he’s producing enough keratin to keep his external armor as sturdy as possible, limiting the risks of getting seriously injured by attacks. Also, those scales are bright, so his thermoregulation works efficiently, and he isn’t suffering from any illness or emotional stress.” She glanced at the redhead. “So, to put it simply, you’re taking good care of your Pokémon. Nice job!”
Silver stared at Kotone in stunned silence and the brunette beamed a proud smirk, amused by the redhead’s flabbergasted expression. He wasn’t expecting to have his taunt countered so cleverly and scrambled to find some angle to tackle her argument.
Then, after a minute of awkward silence, he found his voice. “How d’you…?”
Kotone kept smiling, but her pride made way to cheerfulness. “My grandparents are the owners of the Pokémon Day Care in Route 34. You should have heard about it.”
“…By hearsay.”
“Anyway, I’ve learned a lot of things about how to raise Pokémon from them. They taught me all the secrets to detect the most common body signals and find out whether a Pokémon is stressed out or sick, and what to do in the various cases.” She sighed. “I sure hope I’ll be able to reach their level someday…”
Silver flashed a puzzled expression. “So, wait… You wanna become a Pokémon Breeder?”
“That’s a path I had considered, yeah.”
“Ah.”
“Nothing’s confirmed, though. For now, I’m focusing on becoming a better Pokéathlete, alongside my team. After that, well, I’ll see what to do. But I believe that it’s better to develop multiple skills in various areas, so that I can be ready to take on whatever path I choose later, no?”
“…I suppose,” he narrowed his eyes in deep thought and nodded, “there’s some merit in that.”
“Glad we agree!” She gazed at their empty dishes and glasses, before looking again at Silver. “So, shall we get going? There are a couple more activities we could do before traveling to Asagi.”
Silver blinked. “Huh? You’re… suggesting going to Asagi together?”
“Well, yeah! We have to take the same ship, so I don’t see why we can’t travel together, if only for a day.” She paused, her smile waning somewhat. “Unless you… don’t want to do that? It’d be fine either way.”
Deep inside, Kotone hoped to spend some extra time with Silver. It was very refreshing to see that side beyond his usual gruff battle persona, and Silver himself seemed genuinely intrigued by that idea. Sure, a part of him balked at the thought of traveling with such a Pollyanna, but another side was actually… warming up to her? It felt nice to talk with someone who didn’t hate his guts, that’s for sure.
In the end, his intrigued side won.
“Heh… Sure, why not?”
***
Having returned to the main plaza, Silver was waiting by a stall alongside Ordile and Maril. He turned a rainbow-colored feather in front of his face — a common feather like any other, embellished with cheap paint and sold as a lucky charm. He saw nothing special about it, but Kotone had made a huge deal about the Ritual of Purification, right before she went to perform the ritual herself…
That rainbow feather will help cleanse your heart, so that you will have an easier time turning a new leaf and connecting with others! Or at least, this is what the legends claim.
Silver huffed.
‘She can’t really believe that trash! It’s not like burning a feather will erase my past mistakes and magically turn me into a better person.’ He shook his head.
‘It’s… not that easy…’
He glanced at the enormous bonfire, enclosed between a circular wall of stones and fueled with some charcoal, monitored constantly by a few
Rokon and
Gardie — any stray ember was caught into their manes and neutralized with their Flash Fire.
He spotted Kotone among the crowd, holding a silver-colored feather in her hand. She mentioned wanting to use it to clear her mind and help her find her true vocation or similar nonsense. With a swift motion, she threw the feather into the fire, held her hands together and bowed in a quick prayer, and returned with the others.
“Okay, I’m done. You can go now, Silver!”
The redhead frowned at the brunette, then glanced at his feather. “So, all I need to do it’s dropping this feather into that bonfire…”
“Yup! Nothing else.”
Silver stared skeptically at the feather, still unconvinced about that whole ritual, before feeling a pat on his back. He turned to Ordile, who gave a few reassuring nods and motioned toward the bonfire. There was no harm in attempting that, wasn’t there?
“We’ll wait for you here.” Kotone beamed an encouraging smile. “Remember to pour your heart into that feather, so that Ho-Oh can connect with your soul and send its blessing!”
Silver rolled his eyes. “Tch, alright.”
Without another word, he walked in front of the giant bonfire. The warmth of the flames caressed and shone on his face, giving to his eyes a golden tint. He glanced around, noticing a sign with depicted Ho-Oh and Lugia, as well as some texts:
If the soul is of pure heart, Ho-Oh shall grant it eternal happiness.
If the soul is of wicked heart, Ho-Oh shall feed it to the sacred flames of the spirit realm.
If the soul is of pure mind, Lugia shall bestow it boundless wisdom.
If the soul is of wicked mind, Lugia shall plunge it to the bottomless depths of the spirit realm.
Silver cocked an eyebrow. “How reassuring…”
He continued checking out his surroundings, this time focusing on the crowd — people of all ages were feeding the flames with their feathers. Some elders prayed to the bonfire, thanking Ho-Oh for blessing them with longstanding and joyful lives, while some young people thanked Lugia for clearing their troubled minds and helping them make life-changing decisions.
Silver sighed and turned to the flames. “Well, since I’m here, I may as well go through with this nonsense.” And so, he tossed the lucky charm into the burning coals.
The feather caught fire immediately, its shape twisting and crumbling and the paint evaporating. Dark smoke rose from the vanishing ashes, carrying a pungent scent reminiscent of hot vinegar mixed with pepper. Silver was unperturbed by the smell, however. He stared impassively at the bonfire, wondering why people made such a big deal about this Ritual of Rebirth. If they were so eager to burn feathers, they could just collect some of them and light them up with a Fire-type or something. They didn’t need to wait for a seasonal festival to do so.
Also, pouring his heart into a cheap feather to connect with Ho-Oh? Pfft! Sure, whatever! Even if that were true, that legendary would surely be eager to connect with
him, of all people. Right.
Silver turned to rejoin the others when he saw with the corner of the eye a golden gleam in the middle of the bonfire. He blinked and leaned toward the flames to see better. However, all he could see was a red and orange fire in the middle of red and orange fire, and he shook his head.
‘This was just a waste of time…’
He sighed and stepped away from the bonfire, walking past the crowd to rejoin his companions.
***
The sun was about to set, its fiery form barely above the Burned Tower and its beams tinging the sky in a bright orange glow. The festival was reaching its end, and the monks and Kimono Girls gathered in front of the ancient building and readied themselves to perform one of the last events.
“…The
Seinaru Hai Mai,” muttered Silver, narrowing his eyes in thought. “I may’ve heard something about it. That’s the Dance of the Sacred Ash, right?”
Kotone nodded. “Yes. It’s the traditional dance performed in honor of Ho-Oh, in order to reach out for it and ask it to share some of its life force with the land, so that the plants can survive during wintertime and be reborn in spring. I’ve heard they do something like that in Unova, Kalos and Galar, too, with people communing with Landorus, Zygarde and Calyrex.”
“Wonderful, more stuff about the oh-so-amazing Ho-Oh…” commented Silver, his tone oozing sarcasm.
Kotone shrugged. “I mean, this festival takes after this city’s folklore, and Ho-Oh and Lugia are prominent figures. So…”
That made sense. It would be kind of stupid to celebrate and give tributes to the legends without featuring the legendaries prominently. However, even with that notion in mind, hearing the constant ‘Ho-Oh here’ and a ‘Lugia there’ all day long got old, and very fast.
However, that was the last activity. Only a few more minutes, and then nothing would have stopped Silver from traveling to Asagi, whether or not he was in company. As such, he cleared his mind and focused entirely on the incoming event.
The Kimono Girls were standing side by side, their clothes and poises as graceful as always. Their Pokémon were with them, focused and unmoving as they waited for the signal. Silver noticed three more Kimono Girls, who looked younger than the ones he had faced years ago. Each of them owned a different evolution of
Eievui:
Leafia, the Grass-type fox;
Glacia, the Ice-type fox; and
Nymphia, the Fairy-type fox.
A chorus of clear bells chimed, their limpid sounds rippling throughout the surroundings. The crowd quieted down, and even the wild Pokémon became silent, in an unspoken sign of reverence.
“Oh! The mai is about to start…” half-whispered Kotone, readjusting her hat. Silver simply nodded and crossed his arms. It was time to see what that dance was about.
The Kimono Girls broke up the formation and split in couples, with each pair moving beside each corner of the Burned Tower. Dancers and Pokémon looked toward the sky, silently praying for the deities living above, until a soft and pleasant melody of zithers and traditional bells filled the air.
Then it started: the Kimono Girls and their Pokémon strode around the imposing building with slow and rhythmic steps. Shining leaves waved above the dancers, carried around by a gentle breeze and illuminated by the shy sunset beams.
One, two, three steps; a slow clockwise twirl and a bell chime.
Thunders, Booster and Showers stepped toward the crowd. A skyward thunderbolt from the electric fox and a pillar of fire from the fire fox illuminated the tower with yellow sparks and bright embers, giving off the impression that it was ablaze. The musician sounded their zithers faster, even faster, almost frantic.
Then, the water fox summoned a rain cloud, making droplets fall in front of the tower. A calming rain, accompanied by a relaxing melody, and the flames became embers, then smoke. The three Pokémon walked after their Trainers.
One, two, three, a twirl and a chime.
It was the turn of Blacky and Glacia. The dark fox unleashed a pulse of darkness and surrounded himself in a black veil, while the ice fox cloaked himself in a faint mist made with his frosty breaths. Thick darkness permeated the base of the tower, with only Blacky’s crimson eyes glowing in the haze, and hoarfrost chilled the terrain. A gloomy atmosphere, rueful and heartbreaking — even the melody of the zithers slowed down and took a more melancholic and somber timber.
The darkness and frost dissipated, and the two Pokémon rejoined their Trainers.
One, two, three, a twirl and a chime.
Eifie, Nymphia and Leafia took the stand at last. The psychic fox summoned a Morning Sun, bright enough to outshine even the sunset, while the fairy fox lifted his tendrils toward the sky and filled the air with a Misty Terrain. The light of the miniature sun gave to the pixie-powered mist a plethora of pastel hues, reminiscent of cotton candy. With a few twirls of Nymphia’s tendrils, the cloud took the shape of a rainbow twister.
That was the cue for Leafia. The grass fox poured his energy to the ground, making many grassy knots sprout underneath the trio’s paws and covering the terrain with fresh grass. The zithers played a joyous melody, the soothing song of life and rebirth, and the three Pokémon dispelled their attacks to rejoin their Trainers.
One, two, three… a final twirl and a final chime. The melody of the instruments faded slowly… slowly… and silence. Only silence.
Seconds passed, and an uproar of applause exploded. The dancers and musicians took in the praise with pride, bowing at their audience. Even the wild Pokémon seemed elated and made loud and cheerful cries from the depths of the woods.
Kotone grinned in delight and clapped with enthusiasm. Despite having watched that same dance countless times as a child, she felt her heart brimming with joy and peace at watching those elegant motions.
“So, whatcha think about it?” she asked, glancing sideways at Silver.
The redhead traded glances with her, mulling over her questions. “That was… something, I guess.” He shrugged. “I’ve never been into dances and that kinda stuff.”
“Hmm… That’s fair. I know many people who don’t like those, either.” She stared intently at the Burned Tower, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. “…Just looking at the tower… it’s hard to believe it’s been two years already.”
Hm? What was Kotone talking about now? Silver blinked in confusion and turned to the brunette, who was tapping her mouth with her hand.
“Two years…?” he asked.
“Yeah. Y’know, since
that happened?”
Once again, Silver blinked and looked even more puzzled. “…Okay, can you stop talking in riddles and explain what you mean?”
“Huh? Don’t tell me you forgot!” she replied incredulously.
The redhead said nothing, limiting himself to shoot an impatient glare. Right, no more riddles.
“Well, it’s been two years since the day we met each other,” she replied, before motioning toward the tower. “And it was right there, during a spring day.”
Two years… has it really been that long? Silver never thought much about meetings and encounters, what with his focus being mostly toward training and getting stronger. When he started off as a Trainer, relationships outside of rivalries were irrelevant and just a waste of time.
However, after some quick racking of his brains, vague fragments started surfacing. Burned Tower… spring… Kotone… hm, nope. Still too vague. He needed some other clue to jog his memories.
“Ah! And you also used to wear that black jacket, now that I think about it,” continued Kotone, before winking at the redhead. “Though, you look fab in those dark blue clothes, too! You truly have an expert eye for fashion!”
Silver glanced at the brunette in surprise. Nobody had ever commented about his clothing, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit flattered by that comment. “Huh… It’s just clothes, not really—”
He paused when he registered an important detail. She mentioned a black jacket. When did he wear a black—oh!
Silver’s eyes widened in realization. The black jacket… Yes, he remembered that piece of clothing. But wow, how did he forget about it, to begin with?
Well… there was a reason. That jacket was nothing more than a perpetual reminder of the weak person he used to be and a foul memento of his home. Something he had grown to resent as he kept honing his skills and his heart. Something… painful to keep looking at.
Tsk! No wonder he got rid of it at some point. He wouldn’t have been able to move on if he stayed stuck to the past. It was already hard enough to move on as is.
“…Oh. Yeah.” Silver nodded slowly. “Now I remember. It was back when…” He trailed off, refusing to finish the sentence.
A scaly hand gripped his shoulder, and the redhead turned to Ordile. The Pokémon had a knowing stare, his eyes saying that he remembered that period, too.
Kotone took a deep breath and looked at her Maril, who seemed somewhat apprehensive. However, the brunette’s expression became more serious and determined. She
really wanted to tackle that topic.
“…I remember that day so clearly. Back when there were rumors of legendary Pokémon lurking in the depths of the tower and all of that. It was…” she twiddled her fingers, “something…”
***
Two years prior…
It was a pleasant spring day. Countless light gray clouds filled the sky, announcing an incoming rain, and cherry petals swirled in the wind, carried around by a fresh breeze.
However, there were a few oddities about that day: the sun was hotter than usual, the clouds poured rain at irregular intervals, and an anomalous northern wind blew continuously across the entire city. Also, there were reports of strange creatures lurking in the depth of the Burned Tower, whose descriptions from witnesses matched the ancient legendary beasts — something that hadn’t happened in almost a century!
Despite the uniqueness of that event, very few dared to explore the tower because of its unstable and fragile foundation and the infamous prowess of those creatures. But Kotone was one of those few daring people — she always found legendary Pokémon fascinating and wouldn’t miss this chance to see them for anything in the world!
Some inhabitants warned her about the dangerousness of the tower and recommended her to not fight inside the building unless absolutely necessary — an intense fight could make the already-fragile floors collapse.
Keeping their advice in mind, Kotone ventured into the ancient building, with her Maril following closely. The mouse glanced around their surroundings, using her fine ears to pick up even the faintest noises. She detected echoes of wild Zubat and the noisy squeaks of groups of Koratta, but nothing that made her think of “legendary beasts”… even though she didn’t know how a legendary beast sounded like.
“We’d better be careful,” said Kotone, looking at some holes scattered around. “We don’t want to stumble into any of those — the fall wouldn’t be pretty!”
Maril nodded, keeping eyes and ears peeled. Then, she detected some unknown noise and tapped her Trainer on her leg. Once she got Kotone’s attention, the mouse beckoned the brunette to follow her, and the two walked toward a quieter side of the tower. They could see many more holes scattered around the place, and even the wild Pokémon seemed gone. Maybe they were wary of that area?
Kotone and Maril blinked when they spotted somebody standing beside a giant hole. He was a kid with red hair and red eyes, wearing a black jacket and blue jeans, with his gaze fixed on the darkness below. What was he looking at? Kotone approached slowly…
Crack!
She yelped and looked under her foot, noticing fragments of carbonized wood. The sudden noise had alerted the redhead, who whirled toward her.
“Who’s there?” he demanded, eyes narrowed.
Kotone flinched and stared at the other Trainer, before raising her hands defensively. “Ah, sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!”
Silver glared at the girl and grumbled in annoyance. He evidently didn’t want other people around. “…Who are you?”
“I’m Kotone! Hi!” she said with a friendly smile, waving her hand. However, the redhead humphed at her and crossed his arms, which made her lower her hand. “Huh… Did I say something wrong?”
“No. I simply don’t meddle with wimps.”
Kotone frowned. “Wimps…?”
“And why’s someone like you here, of all places? It’s because…” His eyes narrowed further. “You must be here to catch the legendary Pokémon to make yourself look stronger. That is only a dream. You see, the legendary Pokémon suit a Trainer like me,” he motioned toward himself and smirked arrogantly, “who has sworn to become the strongest Trainer.”
“…Huh, I’m not here for that reason. All I’d like to do it’s seeing the legends, nothing else.” She tilted her head. “But wait! You’re… planning to catch them?”
Silver sneered at the girl. “Well, duh! We’re talking about
legendary Pokémon here. And I’m going to make them my partners by force, if I have to.”
“By force? But… what about proving yourself to the Pokémon, getting their consent and all of that?” she rebutted, not liking where the discussion was going.
“Tch! That’s the lousy thinking of a loser. Strength’s what matters and gets things done,” his voice darkened, “and I’ll use it to crush whoever gets in my way.”
A roar sounded from inside the hole, and both Trainers looked at it. Was that the cry of the legendary Pokémon?
Silver spotted a nearby staircase and started walking toward it, but Kotone and Maril rushed in front of him. The redhead froze on his steps, then glowered at the girl. “What are you doing?”
“Getting in your way,” she responded, clenching her fists defensively and holding them close to her face. “You’re going to enrage the legendary Pokémon with that attitude! I… I can’t let you pass!”
“Are you asking for trouble?”
Kotone didn’t respond, but she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by those piercing red eyes. Maril stood protectively in front of her Trainer, ready for an eventual fight.
“Hmph. Alright. If you’re so eager to get trounced,” he growled and readied a Poké Ball, “then so be it!”
Silver threw the sphere upwards, which released a middle-sized blue alligator with a cave dweller-like pattern on his belly. The Pokémon roared at Kotone and Maril, showing off his sharp fangs, and took a battle stance.
So that was it — he was asking for a fight, and by judging his glare, he wasn’t going to back off.
Well, there was no time to be cautious. They had to stop him!
“Maril, go!” shouted Kotone, opting for a speedy assault. “Aqua Tail!”
Maril grabbed her tail and started rotating it like a lasso, while a stream of water came out of the glowing sphere. She squealed a battle cry and swung her appendage forward, carrying the power of a wrecking ball. Silver and his Pokémon were unfazed by her bravado, however.
“
Alligates, bite into that tail!” commanded the redhead.
The alligator nodded and opened his jaws wide. Just before the opposing attack connected, he lurched forward and bit hard into the blue tip, easily enduring the stream of water. Maril winced when the fangs sank into her tail, but that was nothing compared to what followed. Alligates threw his head back, pulling the trapped mouse with him, before swinging his head forward and slamming Maril into the floor. She squealed in pain, the wood breaking under her back and the splinters scratching her skin.
Kotone gasped in shock, horrified by Alligates’ assault. “Maril!”
Maril hissed as she endured the ringing pain, then glared at her opponent. She pulled at her tail and bolted forward with a spring-boosted Body Slam. That counterattack took Alligates by surprise, who received the attack head-on and let go of the mouse’s tail.
Freed from the alligator’s vise, Maril distanced herself from her opponent and puffed her fur, while her tail swayed threateningly — she wouldn’t lower her guard anymore.
Silver smirked arrogantly. “What a joke. A battle with Team Rocket grunts is just right for you!” he sneered, before shaking his head. “But hey! Out of desperation, weak people sometimes do okay at fighting back.”
“Do okay…?” parroted Kotone in disbelief, before glaring at her opponent. “We’re just getting started! Maril,” she clenched her fists, “Defense Curl!”
Maril nodded and emulated her Trainer. Her fur puffed and her skin hardened, covering all the scratches sustained so far and giving to her body a rounder shape.
Silver cocked an eyebrow. “That’s really all you got?”
“…Rollout.”
The redhead’s eyes widened. So
that was what she was trying to do. “Alligates, Rage!” he shouted.
Alligates nodded and crossed his arms, just as Maril curled into a tight ball and rolled toward him. The smoother skin allowed her to race at higher speed, while rocks and debris stuck on her body to strengthen her attack.
And
slam! The rolling mouse rammed into the alligator, who clenched his fangs as he let his ire build. He swiped at his opponent, hitting the living ball with a rage-powered strike and sending it against a column. Maril didn’t seem bothered by that, as her hardened skin cushioned both blows.
“Keep going, Maril! Rollout!”
“Rage once more! Take her down!”
The two Water-types glared at each other and carried out their respective commands. Maril became faster and stronger with each rush, while Alligates’ rage built up with each collision and retaliated in kind. With each charge and swipe their stamina took heavier and heavier tolls, but then the tides turned: Alligates dodged the last Rollout, making Maril lose her momentum… and leaving her open to another assault.
Silver smirked in triumph. “Aqua Jet!”
Alligates roared, feeling the surge of power from both his rage-induced status and his Torrent ability, and sped toward the mouse like a watery bullet. Both Kotone and Maril stared in shock at the massive stream of water surrounding the alligator, and the mouse braced herself with a last-resort Defense Curl.
Smack! The impact had such raw power that it sent tremors and bursts of water across the entire area. Maril careened into a nearby column and squealed aloud when she smashed through the wood. The collision was too much for the mouse, who fell forward and lolled on the rim of the wood, senseless.
“M-Maril…” stammered Kotone in dumbfound, before withdrawing her unconscious Pokémon into her Poké Ball.
“…Hmph! I’m not fighting with another weakling ever again. It’s just too much playing around,” said Silver, dusting off his sleeves with indifference.
Kotone glared defiantly at the redhead and reached out for another Poké Ball. “You think you’ve already won? Then—”
A sharp crack and the wood shook. Kotone blinked and checked out the area: the water blasts from the Aqua Jet had smashed enormous holes into the floor. The weakened floor cracked underneath her feet, and she gasped when the planks split into a zigzagged crevice. But before she could even move, the floor collapsed, sending her screaming and plummeting into the darkness below.
Alligates cried in shock, and even Silver’s mood shifted instantly. Gone was his cockiness, and his face twisted into a horrified grimace.
No! He didn’t mean to… that wasn’t meant to happen! He wanted to teach a lesson to that girl, not to…
Silver and his Pokémon ran toward the hole, making sure to not fall into it as well. Even though the redhead didn’t have a high opinion of Kotone, he didn’t want her gravely injured… or worse. He peered through the raised dust, trying to spot her silhouette.
“Hey! Can you hear me?”
The two waited for any sign of life — groaning, moaning, even crying — but all they got was silence.
Alligates hissed a concerned call. More silence. More dust clouds. No, she couldn’t be…
“C’mon! Answer already!” yelled Silver, growing anxious.
Still no response. Only silent dust. Dread crawled on their backs as they began fearing the worst…
“I-I’m here…” came the pained response.
Alligates made a soft hiss and Silver gasped. The dust cloud dissipated completely, showing the girl lying on her back. She was regaining consciousness!
“Hey! Are you hurt?!” asked Silver, barely able to mask his concern.
“Ow…” Kotone slowly sat up and checked on herself. “No, I’m fine… sorta. My bag cushioned the fall. I’ve got a few scrapes, yeah, but nothing concerning.”
Silver sighed in relief. “Thank goodness…”
However, nearby creaks alarmed everyone. Silver supervised the area where Kotone was sitting, finding out that more cracks were making their way on the blackened wood.
There was no time to lose.
“Don’t move a muscle, alright? We don’t want that other floor to collapse, too,” commanded Silver. “I’ll get you outta there.”
“O-okay!” responded Kotone, staying as still as she could.
Okay… okay… but how could Silver get her out safely? He took another look at his surroundings when his gaze stopped on a mostly intact column. Mental gears spun, and he rummaged into his belt bag. There it was — an Escape Rope. Perfect!
Without skipping a beat, Silver tied the rope to the pillar and tugged the rope to test the endurance of the wood. No creaks, no jolts. Yes, it would surely support her weight.
He brought the other end of the rope toward the hole and threw it to the brunette. “Tie this around your waist! Quick!”
As soon as the brunette did as told, he looked at Alligates. “C’mon, we gotta pull her back up!” he commanded, clutching the rope. Despite being weary, the Pokémon nodded and emulated his Trainer.
“Ready?”
Another quick nod.
“Then pull!”
Silver and Alligates started pulling the rope, slowly lifting the girl. Kotone glanced around the dark floor, holding onto that line for dear life. With the corner of her eyes, she noticed a few shadows in the darkness. Were those…?
But then, a jolt startled her, and she looked upward. Her eyes widened in shock: the rope was unraveling, as the jagged wooden pieces cut through it like knives. “Aah! The rope!”
Silver became alarmed by her shout and studied the rope, immediately spotting the problem: it was going to break! He had to act quickly!
And then it snapped.
Kotone felt her breath rushing out her lungs and she shut her eyes, too shocked to even scream, when something caught her arm. She looked back up and gasped — Silver was holding onto her arm.
“I… gotcha…” he grunted, straining to not let her go. Alligates came to his aid, and with their combined effort, they pulled the girl back up. And just in the nick of time, as the floor below collapsed not a second too late.
Deep breaths and gasps were the only noises heard in that area. Kotone was holding her hand over her heart, feeling it thumping as if ready to burst out of her chest. Meanwhile, Silver wiped the sweat with a sleeve, and Alligates lied down on the floor, completely drained after the effort. The Water-type tapped his Trainer on his leg, and the latter withdrew him into his Poké Ball without uttering a word.
Then Kotone caught enough breath to speak. “T-thanks…”
Silver shook his head dismissively. “…Don’t mention it.”
The two teenagers stayed silent afterward, looking in completely different directions. Neither knew what to say, with Kotone still assimilating everything that happened and Silver finding himself in an awkward spot between what his mind wanted to say (“What an idiot! That’s what happens when you get in my way!”) and what his heart reminded him (“It wasn’t even her fault. I shouldn’t have behaved like that…”).
Tired of the stifling silence, Kotone tried to start a conversation. Something friendly. “Um… Say, what’s your name? You didn’t tell me earlier,” she said, leaning forward with mild curiosity.
The redhead stared hard at her for a long time, then he looked away. “…I’m Silver.”
Silver? Silver… why did that name sound so familiar?
Then, Kotone remembered: Hibiki and Kris had warned her about a kid with red hair and red eyes. He was a thief. He was a bully. And yet, in that moment, he was a hero. She smiled sweetly. “That’s a nice name!”
Silver glanced at the girl in puzzlement. How did she retrieve her cheerfulness so fast?
“Hmph. Yeah, well, my name isn’t exactly popular nowadays…” he grumbled.
“Yeah, I guess I know why.”
He blinked in confusion. “Huh?”
“You’re the red-haired thief, right?”
Silver scowled at Kotone and growled. “If you’re gonna lecture me, then—”
“I won’t.”
“…What?”
“Yes, you’ve done some bad things. And that rudeness you’ve shown earlier… I didn’t like that, either. However,” she smiled sweetly, “I can’t hate the person who just saved me. That was so brave~!”
Befuddlement filled Silver’s mind. That was a turn of events he
didn’t expect. Nobody had ever talked or behaved around him in such a way in a very long time. With… kindness. That was new.
“Well, I… couldn’t just leave you there…” he muttered, finding it harder to keep eye contact.
Kotone tilted her head and stared curiously at the redhead, as if analyzing him with her sharp receptivity. The rapid shift from uncaring jerk to audacious rescuer didn’t go unnoticed to her, and suspicion started seeping into her mind. “…You’re one of those guys who hide their sensitive sides by behaving grumpy and gruff all the time, huh?”
Silver stiffened and felt uneasy, almost panicky. “What?! N-no, I’m not—!” He quickly regained his composure and scowled at the girl. “Don’t spout such nonsense!”
Ha! There it was: stammering, followed by a vehement reaction. She had seen right through his act and her grin widened. That was enough to unnerve Silver.
“Oh my gosh! You totally are, aren’t you?” she chirped, holding her hands together. “Aw! That’s so endearing!”
In one fell swoop, Silver’s entire gruff persona shattered once more, and he stared numbly at the brunette. “E-endearing?!”
“Yup! But don’t worry! I won’t tell anyone.” Kotone winked reassuringly. “Your little secret is safe with me.”
Silver stared blankly at the girl, struggling to process the entire situation.
What was going on? He didn’t understand! Just… how? Why did that make him feel so restless? What was that strange fuzzy sensation? What was happening to him?!
Unable to wrap his head around his own emotional state, Silver got back to his feet and gazed at the floor. He was grateful that his hair was long enough to cover his face; he didn’t even want to imagine his expression and surely didn’t want that girl to look at him like that.
“Hmph! Whatever! Don’t go fall into other holes on your way back!” he grumbled in annoyance, then bolted away from Kotone, much to her astonishment.
Only once he was out of the tower he stopped running and took several calming breaths, trying to get a grip of his racing emotions.
How did that girl make him feel like that with just a few pretty words? How dare she make him feel so weak?! He hated feeling weak! He wasn’t weak!
…
But despite the initial panic and anger, once his adrenaline worn off and his heart slowed down, he began feeling… good, almost as light as a feather.
Yes. Those words of hers felt… nice. For once, someone didn’t treat him with scorn and contempt, and that was… very nice. Much appreciated, even. And… no! He refused to admit that. He was too proud to admit that.
Silver huffed and glanced pensively at the burned building. With a conflicted mind, he slipped his hands into his pockets and resumed his journey. There would have been another time to capture the legendary Pokémon…
***
“Ooh! So you really remember!” exclaimed Kotone, before ginning at the other teenager. “Especially the last moments!”
Silver grumbled and crossed his arms. “Yeah… Did you really have to spout all that sappy stuff?”
That remark got a hearty laugh out of Kotone, making Silver humph and roll his eyes in annoyance.
“Well! That ‘sappy stuff’ was my younger self being my younger self,” she responded between her giggles. “Still, it was back then that I understood.”
“…Understood what?”
“That even though you treated everyone with hostility and everyone treated you with hostility, there was some good in you.”
“Good in me…” Silver scoffed at that sentence. “Tsk! Right…”
“Oh, c’mon! You know that’s true, and I don’t understand why you keep denying the evidence.”
“Ah, I dunno. Maybe because I’m an irredeemable jerk and everything?” He frowned unhappily. “Or maybe because ‘the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree’, so I must be as horrible as…” he paused as the memories of his grandma flashed in his mind, and growled, “my family?”
Ordile stared sadly at his Trainer, his gaze screaming
‘no, don’t say such things, you aren’t
like them’. Luckily for him, Kotone shared his same sentiment and wasn’t afraid to voice that out.
“Now that’s not true! You’re different, and you’ve also changed,” she protested.
“Am I really? I don’t think so.”
“And I believe that.”
“Oh please! Do you honestly think it’s that easy for people to change? Besides, you barely know me! Most of the stuff you know it’s from others!”
“I know what I need to know.”
“No, you don’t, so don’t make absurd assumptions about me!” he hissed angrily. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’ve done many terrible things, like stealing someone’s Pokémon and treating people who got on my nerves like garbage! I’m not some goody two-shoes like you!”
For the first time in the entire day, Kotone dropped completely her cheerful demeanor and challenged his glare with her own serious stare. She wouldn’t back down.
“My gosh! Will you stop berating yourself so much? Nothing stopped you from just abandoning me in that hole!” she harrumphed, before pointing toward the tower. “Why bother getting me out of that place if I just got in
your way? You could have just treated me like garbage — like you said — and move on as if nothing happened!”
Silver gnashed his teeth and scowled at her. “C’mon, what’s the big deal? I’m not
that heartless!”
A heavy silence fell as soon as those words registered in everyone’s mind. Kotone gasped and her frown turned into a triumphant smirk, while Silver’s eyes widened upon realizing what escaped his lips. Even the two Pokémon were stunned.
“…Forget I said anything…” muttered Silver, trying to sneak out of that uncomfortable situation.
“Nope! Won’t do. Especially not that final sentence~!” teased Kotone with a playful wink. “‘I’m not that heartless?’ Those are your words, not mine!”
Silver blinked and noted the pleased grin on Ordile’s muzzle — even the alligator seemed elated to hear those words from his Trainer. The redhead was disorientated, completely taken off-guard, and failed to come up with some witty comeback.
‘Drat! I’ve been had… again!’
Having detected his discomfort, Kotone beamed a reassuring smile.“Aw, don’t be so flustered. There’s no shame in being open about how you feel, and I see you needed to tell those words to yourself.” Her hands went behind her back and she giggled happily. “I’m not gonna think any less of you!”
Silver said nothing at first, slowly processing everything, then he looked toward the floor. “How…?”
“Hm?”
“I don’t understand how you do that…”
Kotone tilted her head in confusion. “Huh… do what?”
“How you… always treated me so kindly despite our divergences, and after…” he winced, his guilt weighing on him once more, “everything I’ve done. And even now, you…” He trailed off and shook his head. “I don’t get it!”
“Well, I’m not someone who dwells on grudges, Silver. I’ve forgiven you back then, and I forgive you now.”
“But why?”
“Because I know who you
really are. You aren’t just some irredeemable jerk like some people claim, and I’ve seen how regretful you were and still are about everything. I trust you’re doing your best to atone for your past and are working very hard to change,” her smile became radiant and her voice melodious like a lyre, “and that’s something I admire and respect. You’re an inspiration for me, Silver.”
Silver stared at Kotone with genuine surprise, touched by her words. “…Really?”
“Yeah! Of course!” she said, not a single trace of doubt in her voice. “Sure, you may act tough and gruff all the time, but I know that deep down you have a soft heart of gold.”
His eyes widened. “Hey! What do you mean by—?!”
“Teh heh heh! I’m just messing with you now! Relax!” she said reassuringly, amused by his reaction.
Silver blinked, feeling some heat going to his cheeks, and hastily turned his back to everyone and crossed his arms. If he waited a second longer, his face would have flushed as red as his hair. “Hmph, whatever! What we get over with this stupid festival?”
“Hmm… Yeah, I’d say we can go. We’ve done pretty much everything,” responded Kotone, before glancing at her kimono. “But if you don’t mind, I’d like to go to the Pokémon Center to change my clothes first. I’d prefer to travel to Asagi with my usual attire — it’s better suited for long walks.”
Silver huffed. “Tch. Fine. We can take a detour there. But you’d better be quick or I’ll leave you behind.”
“Sure, sure! I won’t take long, I promise!” she said. “Let’s go, then!”
Kotone walked by Silver’s side and nodded at him, and the two teenagers and their Pokémon started their trek toward the Pokémon Center. They noticed that there were fewer guests around, and some merchants were retiring their merchandise and closing their stalls. The brunette gazed curiously at the booths, while the redhead’s stare was locked toward the ground. Multiple thoughts were flooding his head, longing to flow out of his mind, with one thought ringing louder than the others.
He gazed at Kotone. “Hey…”
“Hm?” She turned to Silver. “Yeah? What’s up?”
“…I’m sorry. For lashing out at you back then,” he murmured, his expression slightly softer than usual. “That was uncalled for.” And then he looked away, refusing to say anything else.
Kotone blinked. She wasn’t expecting an apology, but that was far from an unwelcome surprise. That Silver… he was slowly but surely changing for the better, and it was a pity he couldn’t see that yet.
“It’s okay, Silver,” she replied with a sweet voice. “No hard feelings.”
A lone
hmph was the redhead’s response. Nothing that his companions didn’t expect. Soon, the Pokémon Center came into view, and Kotone glanced at Silver.
“I’ll be right back.”
Kotone got a slow nod as her answer, which was her cue to enter the Pokémon Center with Maril in tow. Silver stared silently at the building, when he felt a pat on his back, making him jump in surprise. He glanced at Ordile, who grinned and showed a thumbs-up with his free paw, expressing how proud he was of his Trainer. Silver shot an unimpressed stare and huffed, then looked away.
But even though he refused to acknowledge it, Silver felt like his chest had become warmer and lighter.
***
Dusk had come, and the first stars became visible in the sky. Route 39 brimmed with swarms of
Barubeat led by their leaders Illumise, who coordinated the male fireflies to form complicated geometric designs, almost as if they wanted to compete with the firmament itself for the most creative patterns. Hidden amidst the tall grass there were some
Korotock, playing a concert of violin-like melodies with their long knifelike arms, and wild
Nyarth looking for lost shining items or producing golden orbs with the coins on their heads.
Silver had become much quieter, his mind working hard to process and assimilate the events of the day, and Kotone gave him the space and peace he needed. It’s not like she had anything to talk about, and she didn’t want to spoil the mood when they were just starting to get along. When they were… almost friends.
Flying in front of them there were Silver’s Crobat, who clicked happily as he played sound-and-find with the hidden musician crickets (winning every time thanks to his echolocation), and Kotone’s
Morphon, who illuminated the path ahead of the humans with beams of light projected from her compound eyes.
The purple moth gazed curiously at the bat zipping from a direction to another, following his movements with a fraction of her eyes. «You seem to have fun over there,» she trilled.
«Yes! These melodies are so good! Also, I love flying around!» replied Crobat with a few rapid squeaks. «Hey! Why don’t we chase after those Korotock together?»
«As nice as that would be, I can’t. I’ve got to lead our Trainers with my Flash.»
«Hmm… Yes, makes sense!»
Crobat flew silently above Morphon, attracted by the bizarre scent coming off of the moth’s wings, and she clicked her mandible nervously. «…Why are you flying above me now?»
«I like the scent of your wings! It reminds me of lavender, and…» He paused and tilted his head. «Hey! How did you know I was above you? I didn’t make any sound!»
«I can see everything around me with my compound eyes. I’m seeing the path ahead of us, our Trainers behind, you above me, and… I can also see a few Persian prowling through the grass with my sonar. All of that at the same time.»
«Really? That’s impressive!» squealed Crobat, zipping downward to fly by Morphon’s side. «Speaking of eyes, I still find them weird. I’ve lived my life as a Zubat without being able to see, and then,» he swung his upper wings upwards with a dramatic flair, using his lower wings to keep flying, «whoa! I evolve into a Golbat, I gain eyes and I can see!»
«Sounds like that was quite the experience.»
«It was! But it was also worth it — I could finally see my friends’ faces!» he squealed, before clicking his fangs in delight.
«Yes, I get what you mean…» Morphon tilted her head. «Well, not about the eyes, but about gaining an extra body part and not being used to it. Like, I never had wings as a
Kongpang, and then I evolved and I could fly. I took some time to get used to that.»
«Yes, I…
see!» Crobat moved close to Morphon and stared into the black orbs. «How many eyes do you have there…?»
«Kyah!» squeaked Morphon, scattering some toxic powders in fright. Crobat noticed the purple cloud and hastily flew underneath, then blew the dust away with a powerful gust to keep their Trainers safe.
The moth took some time to calm down, rubbing her head with one of her upper legs. «Ugh! Don’t fly so close, please! That was startling!» she squeaked in annoyance.
«Sorry, sorry! I won’t do that again!» squealed Crobat, his ears flattening in shame. He flew once again by Morphon’s side and shot a curious gaze. «…But wow! How did you do that?»
«What? My powder attack?» she trilled in confusion.
«No. How did you speak like a Crobat?»
«Oh, you mean,» her trill morphed into a squeak, «with this voice?»
Crobat nodded. «Yes! That!»
«This is a skill that we Morphon have developed to protect ourselves from predators — we confound them by speaking like them.»
«Aah! But why imitate a Crobat?»
«Because Crobat are our primary predator, of course.» Morphon paused as she remembered with
what she was talking to and fluttered in embarrassment. «Oh! Huh… No offense.»
«None taken! In fact, I find that amazing!» squealed Crobat with admiration.
«Oh… thank you?» trilled Morphon uneasily, her Flash faltering a little. «But, well… You aren’t hungry right now, right…?»
«…Hm?» The bat narrowed his eyes in confusion, before flying backward in shock. He shook vehemently his head. «Oh! No, no! I’m not one of those Crobat, no! I prefer to feed on fluids — much easier to find.» He clicked his fangs. «Besides, I would never eat a friend! That would be horrible!»
Morphon trilled, feeling somewhat reassured. «Good…»
«And if there’s some Crobat around who tries to sneak on you,» he flashed his sharp fangs, «I’ll chase him or her off, alright?»
«…Thanks. I appreciate that.» Morphon cleaned her eyes with her upper legs, while her wings flapped slower. She felt more relaxed. «It sure is weird, though, to talk so casually to a predator…»
«Keh heh heh! I can only imagine!»
The Pokémon kept chatting to themselves, with Crobat and Morphon also challenging each other to see who was the loudest squeaker of the two. Kotone was amused by their antics and shenanigans, while Silver stared impassively at them… or at least, that was the impression he gave.
***
When dusk gave way to the night, distant illuminated windows greeted the two teenagers and their Pokémon (even if Crobat had to hold back the light-obsessed Morphon with a wing), but one powerful glow from an elevated position outshone the others — the Flash of the
Denryu living in the Radiance Lighthouse, leading safely night ships with his beams of light.
Silver stared intently at the rotating yellow beam, recalling his callous comment about just letting the Pokémon die because he couldn’t fight, and felt a knot in his stomach. He sighed and looked away, mentally kicking himself for that lack of consideration. It was no wonder that Kris became even more indisposed toward him when he told her those words —
Silver himself would feel the same way if he were to hear that kind of comment from his younger self.
“So, where do you think we should spend the night?”
Silver turned to Kotone, somewhat grateful to be brought back to the present, and narrowed his eyes in thought. “…I’d say we should go to a capsule hotel. They have a good combo of quality and price.”
“Capsule hotel… Sounds good to me.” Kotone looked at her Pokégear and typed on its screen. “Let me check where we could—”
“There’s no need.”
She gazed at her companion in puzzlement. “Huh?”
“I know a place. Follow me.”
Without saying another word, Silver led his companions through the illuminated streets of Asagi. They walked past the Gym, with Silver barely stifling a sigh, and they reached the port. The gentle sounds of waves lapping against the pier and the underwater glows of
Lantern brought some serenity to the four—no,
three travelers, as Kotone withdrew Morphon before she dove toward the lights. After some more minutes of walking (and flying, in Crobat’s case), they reached a building that seemed made of multiple azure bubbles glued together. There was a sign placed by the entrance, depicting a Starmie with a glowing neon gem and an illuminated text:
Starmie Hotel, a most original name.
“So, this is the place?” asked Kotone, staring at the building.
Silver nodded. “Yeah. I stayed here the night before traveling to Kanto to start my Badge quest. It’s pretty good.”
“Well, I trust you. Let’s go check if they have some vacancies!” she chirped with confidence.
Silver stood in numb silence as he mulled over what she just said:
I trust you. Those words were so simple, and yet they felt like a victory for the redhead. However, he showed nothing aside from a neutral expression and nodded again.
“Hmph. Yeah.”
After withdrawing Crobat into his Poké Ball, the two teenagers walked through the door and left their shoes by the reception to wear the complimentary slippers — a common custom in every Tojohnian hotel.
They were in luck: the hotel had some available slots for both, which they immediately took. While eating a light dinner, they discussed their plans for the next morning: wake up at eight o'clock so that they could take a refreshing shower and some breakfast, then they would have enough time to reach the terminal and get aboard the ship.
Having struck an agreement, Silver led Kotone through a familiar path to him while she glanced around: the hotel was splint in half by a long central corridor, with the left side filled with capsules reserved to females and adorned with Love Ball patterns and the other side for males and decorated with Moon Ball designs. Just a typical male/female capsule hotel like any other.
Silver and Kotone stopped by the crossroads of the sleeping area. The brunette stretched her arms as the fatigue got to her, and even the redhead had to suppress a yawn. They were exhausted after walking around all day.
“Phew, I’m beat! I can’t wait to lie down on my bed and catch a few Z’s,” mumbled Kotone, managing out a smile despite the soreness in her cheeks.
“Yeah. Same here…” responded Silver, blinking slowly.
“Anyway! I had a lot of fun today, and I bet tomorrow will be even better!” She held her fists close to her face. “Aren’t you excited?”
He shrugged. “Not really. It’s probably gonna be a ship journey like any other ship journey.”
“Well, I guess there’s only one way to find out,” she smirked, “and that’s doing as planned so that we can get on-board on time.”
Silver cocked an eyebrow, his gaze silently saying ‘no kidding’. The brunette didn’t seem to notice, however.
“So, um… We’d better sleep now. I wish you sweet dreams.” Kotone waved her hand slowly. “Until tomorrow, then~!”
The redhead nodded. “Yeah… Until tomorrow.”
Kotone flashed one last grin and entered the women’s area, leaving Silver alone in the corridor. With nobody around to see him, a content smile made its way on his face and he entered the men’s area to look for his assigned spot.
He had to admit it: that was one of the best days of his life.
