Four Paws and A Tale

Chapter 40

Glair, Tertle, and Pixie walked towards the Guild, Adrie had left for a nearby town and was going to meet with them the next day. The three stopped outside the cave, Pixie moved to walk over the grate but froze.

Glair's voice was filled with concern, "Pixie, what's wrong?"

Pixie's voice broke, "Last time I saw him... I, we, what if..." What if? One question with thousands of answers. Glair frowned and Tertle nodded sadly.

"If you're looking for Jacob he's not here." The trio jumped at the voice, a short black creature emerged from the shadows; "Hi there, I'm Marv, I'm a Marshadow, I'm Jacob's sidekick and yeah, that's about it."

Glair didn't miss a beat, "Hi Marv! Nice to meet you! I'm Glair, this is Pixie and the Old Fart is Tertle." Tertle frowned.

Pixie frowned as well, "What do you mean he's not here?"

"Well, you, see, he was here but now he's not, I think."

Tertle was confused. "He's not here, you think?"

"No, no I am mostly certain, he is somewhere but not here. Sorry."

Pixie's brows furrowed, Tertle was about to continue the odd conversation but she interrupted. "I know where he is."

Pixie turned and started walking, Glair started following until Pixie stopped.

"I'm sorry Glair but, I have to go alone."

Glair sounded sad, "Oh, are you sure?"

Pixie poured courage into her voice, "Yeah, don't worry, we'll be okay. I'm not sure when it happened but he's not the Ace we once knew, somewhere along the way, he grew up."

With that, Pixie left. Glair, Tertle and Marv walked into the guild and waited.

*****

Jacob sat on the edge of Sharpedo Bluff, below him was the cave he had once shared with Pixie. The wind blew softly, it ruffled his fur and carried away the sigh that escaped his lips.

"Pixie, I'm sorry... If only tears could bring you back. I miss you, but, I have to let you go... Everyone's fighting so hard for the future, I can't keep living in the past. Thank you, for everything you taught me. Goodbye, my friend."

The Eevee sat crying hard, tears slid down his cheeks and his body shook with sobs.

Someone sat beside him, he didn't notice, until that someone spoke, and his eyes flung open.

"Goodbye hurts more than anything, especially when deep down you know you'll never say Hello again. Let's never say Goodbye."

Pixie was staring out at the open ocean, when she looked at him her eyes were wet.

"Pixie... I'm so sorry."

Pixie leaned in and nuzzled his neck, she whispered in his ear.

"I wonder how many times we forgive, just because we don't want to lose someone."

"I, I don't deserve, your forgiveness."

"Then try, try and earn it."

"I don't deserve you."

"You never will, I'm out of your league, remember?"

The pair laughed, and cried and were okay, they were okay.