Finding Red

27

"Shaking is a good sign," Blue responded. "It means that the egg is doing well and is on its way."

"I can't believe I have so many Pokémon with me now," Crystal said. "Once this hatches it's going to be three already. It's just kind of unbelievable, really. I never intended this, you know."

The gym leader stared off into the distance. "You know, I also never intended to be a gym leader, but here we are. I guess it can be hard to accept when things don't really go according to plan, especially when the places that you are in come from the results of your mistakes, but trying to do your best and fix things now is what you can do."

She nodded. "Sounds a lot like your point earlier."

"Don't take me too seriously," Blue hung his head in his hands. "I may be happy in the gym leader's life, but there are still mistakes that I need to make up for."

"I have some pretty serious responsibilities now too," Crystal responded.

It was not hard to notice the way that Blue went silent after that. It was the thoughtful kind of silence, one he probably needed greatly. As he sat there and processed things, Crystal watched Red. She began to wonder what he was thinking, if he was scared, bored, or missed his best friend. Thoughts of her conversation with Red on the way to Azalea Town flashed through her mind and she couldn't help but agree, Blue was an interesting person when he opened up. She wondered if there was a time in their lives when they talked like he was talking with her now, deep, thoughtful, and with minimal reservation or barrier. She wondered what kind of friendship he and Red had, and if Red missed the memories that they had together.

One of the things that she wondered about was what it felt like to know that there was an entire two years that was gone, a whole part of a life that was missing. Was it strange to see the way things had moved on? To know that he was the equivalent of a modern folktale? Crystal wondered how it felt for him to know that there were sins he'd committed that he didn't know. Did it seem real, or like a figment of his imagination? How did reality feel to Red? Somehow the sudden awareness of Red's inner turmoil bubbled up inside as she watched him playing with Nuria and Blue's Eevee.

"They're getting along well, aren't they?" Blue commented at the display.

Crystal nodded as Red seemed to pat Eevee on the head and make her chase around her tail. "Yeah, they are. I'm sure they're happy to be around each other."

His Eevee bounced around Red with Nuria in chase, and Crystal couldn't help but stifle a small giggle as she watched what to Blue had to look like a strange game of tag. Deep down she knew that the excitement was mainly due to Blue's Pokémon getting to see Red once again. It was evident by the way Blue's Eevee hung close to Red's side, as if scared that he was going to vanish into the ether. Much like how Crystal was scared that if she didn't act that was what was going to happen to him. It made Crystal wonder just how devastated Blue's team was when Red went missing. But of course, she knew she couldn't ask. Because then she would have to tell, and she knew she couldn't say a word, because she wasn't sure what would happen to Red if she did. That was what was written on the photograph, after all. She was forbidden from telling anyone.

"It's strange though," Blue commented, pulling Crystal out of her thoughts, "it almost seems as though the two of them are hopping around something. I wonder if there's a ghost type Pokémon there or something."

Panic bubbled through her system. "It's a National Park, Blue. I doubt it'd be haunted."

For a moment he seemed to assess her and then he chuckled. "What, are you scared? You know, where we're going there's lots of ghosts. Be careful, one might decide to follow you around."

"Who's to say I don't have one following me around already?" She joked.

Blue finished. "You might, considering how our Pokémon are acting."

Red, having heard this comment, looked over and waved at her, and she resisted waving back. Blue only meant it as a joke, and so she could see the brief twinkle of light in his eyes, reflecting the ever fading twilight around them, full of bubbling mirth inside. She couldn't help but wonder if there was a part of his true personality that was actually the cocky, humorous man that everyone was so familiar with. It would make sense if he was, and would probably be quite amusing. She couldn't help but wonder if he was the kind who liked to tell a lot of jokes.

"So," Crystal said, watching the sky fade more from a light blue into the soft hues of a royal navy, "you said you wanted to spend the evening here. What did you have in mind?"

"You like sleeping in the open air?" Blue asked.

She nodded. "It's how I've slept pretty much every night I've been journeying."

This seemed to content the gym leader even more. "I'm glad. I'm a big fan of sleeping open air."

"It's comforting to see the stars above you," Crystal replied. "It reminds me that although there are a lot of things happening, in the end I'm still under the same sky."

He laughed. "Well, tonight you won't just be under the sky. Just wait and see."

Blue then sat down and pulled a blanket out of his pack, which he laid out on the ground at his feet. Crystal did the same, pulling out her bedroll and everything she needed to be comfortable, and laid next to him in the dark of the night. As she climbed into her bedding setup, she became aware of how close the heat of his body was, and the way his chest rose and fell slow as he took peaceful breaths in. As someone who had slept beside Red, but had never been able to touch him, the presence of another person to her side was comforting, and the sweet yet boyish smell that came from Blue led her into an intoxicated wave of calm.

"Hey Crystal," Blue whispered.

She turned over to face him. "What is it?"

The normal million watt smile was replaced by something softer and lighter as he looked at her. Crystal couldn't help but notice how his hair fell light and soft across his forehead, the ginger still visible in the darkness. The sound of the rushing fountain gushed behind his head in the background, and Crystal couldn't help but start to close her eyes as the soft sound lulled her to sleep.

"Stay awake, Crystal," Blue said, poking her cheek with the touch of a feather. "And look up. I don't think you're going to want to miss this."

As Crystal gazed at the blackness of night, she was shocked that above her head suddenly behind the light of an Illimuse, followed a train of shining Volbeat. Behind her they reflected across the fountain which was shining into the sky, buzzing around and shining like the stars above her head. She watched as one lit up with a sapphire light and glided every so light against the water as a green one chased it. The sound of the water lapping against the sides of the fountain returned the drowsiness as she watched the display under the bands of the milky way.

"It's really beautiful isn't it?" Blue said.

She didn't take her eyes off of what she was looking at. "Yes, it really is."