Wanderer Once More

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The next day, we set out at as early as possible, knowing that the later we wait the harder the inevitable goodbye will be. I pick up the Pokegear, dial a number, and hold it up to my face, waiting for the beep. "Hello, this is Morty. If you'd like to challenge the gym, press 1- haha, just kidding, this is my personal number. If I gave it to you, you probably have permission to bug me. Unfortunately, I'm not able to get to the Pokegear right now. Leave a message at the-" Beep.

"Uh. I- I'm heading out. I just wanted to say that I'm going to miss you a lot and we should try to talk to each other. I know we just hung out for what, a few days... but they were a good few days, this time. Thanks for everything."

I put the phone down and then dial him up again.

Same message.

"Miki makes good tea. Tell her I miss her too. Bye, I promise."

Click.

"You're a bit of a mess sometimes, Ashley." Ten says, hopping along as we pass by the barely lit candles to the west of Ecruteak. They make the dawn glow even more violently, as if the entire world is just begging to be illuminated by the light emanated from these lanterns and the sky above.

"I know," I tell him, stuffing the Pokegear in my pocket resentfully. I slide it out, put it on silent, and put it back in my pocket.

"Are you okay?" asks Rose, nervous. "Why are you angry?"

"I'm not, I'm just-" I stuff my face into my hands for good measure. I make a note to stuff my foot into my mouth while I'm at it. "Ugh."

"It's alright to be upset about leaving." D'spinas says. "It is time to move on now. We have many long routes ahead of us. Lots of grinding."

That makes everyone groan in unison, save for D'spinas, who's always up for grinding (although I have no idea why).

"Right, we can skimp a little bit on the grinding if you guys are going to be touchy about it, but at least try and remember why this is a priority to begin with. If we don't grind, we're going to get steamrolled when we get to the next gym."

"That's Jasmine, right?" Reginae asks. "I've been doing some research. If we head to Olivine, we should-"

"Sheeeee's busy." I tell him.

Everyone already knows what I'm capable of so they decide not to question it. We pass onto the next route, which is covered in gardens and an assortment of trees, and I crack my knuckles. "Time to get to work."

A nearby trainer approaches and we strike up a match, Ten swooping and turning in the breeze with excited hoots. As he dives in to finish off a Raticate, his body glows a bright blue and becomes longer, more streamlined. The final blow comes seamlessly down and he draws back, wings catching the wind before he settles down.

"Ten!" I call, racing over to him. He's as tall as I am now, minus a few inches (at the most), and he finally has two sturdy legs. He looks immensely proud of himself.

"I could get used to this." he tells me, fanning his wings out and testing out both of his legs.

"Me too." I say, in awe of how large his wingspan has become.

"Think I'll need a bigger stick?" Testing his luck, he adds, "Think I could use a real power tool instead?"

"I don't believe the League mandates will let me have a five-foot owl wield a screwdriver in battle."

"What about a jackhammer?" he asks.

"I think we're done here." I say.

"I was just asking!" he calls after me, trilling with excitement. His wings open again and he soars up over me, the two of us racing together across the land. Reginae is working in tandem with Luna while Rose is being babysat by Clay.

"I didn't know you liked children!" I laugh as I run past him.

Clay holds Rose closer.

"Clay is gonna help me with my Metronome!" Rose waves at me, just as excited as the much larger child currently over my head.

I stop. "Clay, you know how risky that is."

"She could be an asset to your team, Ashley. I'm only assisting her."

The image of Shell lying with his shattered back pointed skyward turns my stomach. "Maybe you could work on Extrasensory instead?"

"Can we?" asks Rose.

"I... I don't see why not."

D'spinas emerges beside us on the other side of Route 38. She's covered in green liquid.

"Someone else's?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Critical."

My eyes widen. "Take it easy." I apply some Super Potion to her abdomen, which makes her sigh in relief, and then offer her the Pokeball.

She shakes her head. "You're going to need me."

Reginae and Luna pop up last and since we're all together, we head on to the next route quickly as possible.

The world is alight with poppies and the faint smell of sea breeze coming in from the south. For once everything feels so right. Celebi's pulse bangs against my ribcages, calling please please please as it begs to be set free, to live again even though it has already died long ago.

Sometimes I feel more like a prison than a person because I carry something something living inside of me but all I can do is let it fester there.

Ignoring how guilty I feel, I press on, watching as my Pokemon take on an adversary of foes. D'spinas beats down a Pikachu and I think of that battle long ago and my heart beats inside of my throat. Ten approaches on one side, D'spinas on the other. She looks extremely satisfied with herself.

"Are you two alright?" I ask. "No injuries?"

"No new ones." she says.

"I've been fine. Attacking from the air is so much easier." Ten says. "I even found a new stick! I mean, it's sort of a log, but I thought we'd go back for it."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, sure. You two keep up the good work!"

Rose races over only to fall down. "Ashley!"

"What is it?" I ask.

"I learned Extruh- Extrah-"

Clay tells me, "She's perfecting her Extrasensory. She looks far better now. Don't you?"

Rose motions to be picked up and I do so. "I'm so proud of you!" I say. "You're so strong!"

Rose tries to fit her stubby arms around me but can't do so. "I'm gonna make you so proud!" she says.

"I think that's good enough for today," I say, stroking her fondly before putting her down. "Who's ready to go relax in Olivine?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested. I'll head back in now." Clay says, glaring resentfully at me and I reluctantly zap him back into the Pokeball.

Holding it in my hand, I whisper, "I think you're like it if you tried."

He doesn't answer so I tuck it away. "Anyone else?"

"Has anyone seen Luna?" Reginae asks. "I mean, I just took a headcount... there are only five of us."

"Wasn't she with you?" I ask, nervous.

Reginae nods. "She said she was going to meet up with you while I finished an encounter with this one Flaaffy up."

The word Flaaffy makes me cringe but I'm not naive enough to believe that it was Lilly. Instead, my duty rests with my current Pokemon.

"Fan out. Ten, can you be my eyes?"

Ten nods. My eyes burn gold and try as I might to split my focus, I find myself dragged all the way into his body. We stare down at Reginae, who stands like a loyal guard dog over my body. D'spinas goes back, thankfully with Clay in case anything happens, while Rose sits next to Reginae. Neither of them even attempt to console each other.

We soar over Olivine, our vision enhanced fiftyfold what it was as a... well, human and Hoothoot both fit, but none of that matters now. What matters is she isn't there and we have to keep looking. We flit downwards, moving towards the Pokemon Center (if she is there, she's safe, so we'll check that later), and then arrive over the beach.

Luna lies face up in the beach with her head dipped into the surf. The waves draw her in, just for her to fall out again, and we can feel our- mine- breathing. We can feel it violently shaking with the waves.

Ten's claws are covered in blood as I try to drag her out, failing miserably in our panic.

No no no no no no no-

I find myself awake in my body, firmly seated on the ground on Route 39. I push Reginae aside and run through Olivine, my feet numb and fall down on the beach. The body is still there. It's real. She's dead. She's- she's gone.

My arms close around her and her body becomes Dill's, dripping wet and cold. My trembling arms threaten to drop him- her. It's Luna. It's Luna.

The scent of brine invades my nose and chokes me from the inside. I turn her over and her blank and glassy eyes stare up at me. Thunder rumbles in the distance- an unexpected storm blowing from the middle of nowhere.

"Did you find her?" calls Reginae.

I don't say anything but he immediately knows. "She wouldn't. Luna wouldn't just jump into the ocean. Something happened. Someone had to have pushed her, someone-"

"Someone did." 

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