Nowhere to Hide

12: Old Friends

"Yeah I'm off," Hilbert said, walking to room 205. "Nice meeting you guys."

"You too," I replied.

We sighed, walking up to the door of room 221. "Well, this is it," I said. "Behind this door, is Paul and the other person we're staying with."

"Do you wanna check who it is before entering?" asked Zinnia, snatching my rotom-phone and entering the Email app.

"How do you know my password?" I asked.

"PokemonMaster123" she said proudly as if it was obvious.

"Give me that!" I said reading the names. 

Confidential: Your Assigned Room and Roommates.

Room 221

Occupants: 4

Ash Ketchum

Paul Shinji

Lana Suiren

Zinnia Higana

"No way," I whispered in disbelief, looking at Zinnia, "No way Lana is here..."

"That can't be the same Lana you were friends with in Alola, right?" asked Zinnia.

I frowned, "Sure sure, it can't be," I whimpered, mentally preparing myself to meet an old friend again.

 Who am I kidding? I'm not ready for this!

"Please say YOUR name is Ash Ketchum," I begged.

"Not gonna work. Our tournament IDs."

"We can swap!"

"They have our pictures," said Zinnia. "Listen Ash, you'll be fine. You're the second strongest trainer in the world, you can manage an uncomfortable conversation with a friend who thought you were dead for three years-"

"Not helping."

"Let's just go on three. Whatever happens happens, alright?"

I sighed. "Whatever happens happens," I said, as we started counting down. "One, two three-"

The door didn't open.

"I think our IDs are keys," I deduced.

"Makes sense," she said, taking her ID off her neck and swiping it past the door till it flashed green and made a beeping noise. We walked inside. 

Directly in front of us was a balcony that oversaw a lot of the tournament and had an amazing view of the moonlit sea. There was a corridor to the left, which was probably where the four bedrooms were. To the right of us was a dining area and Paul... oh shit, Paul.

He looked comfortable where he was sitting. He held a book 'How to kill a Salamence' in one hand. Sitting on the table was a comically large glass of orange juice, as well as a Rotom-Pad with Pokemon Showdown open. 

"Didn't take you for a gamer, Paul," I said, startling him. He quickly tried to hide his Rotom-Pad, but in his panic, he spilled his glass on the book.

"Why are you here?" he grumbled accusatorily, "look at what you have done!"

"It's a bad book anyway," Zinnia smiled.

"You can read? I just assumed you communicated in cryptic cave carvings like the rest of your people." Paul snapped back.

Zinnia was stunned. "You.... you're a cave carving!"

"Sick burn." I whispered.

"I would love to not continue this conversation," Paul said. "Luckily, someone else wants you, Ketchum."

"Who?" I asked, before it dawned on me. "Oh..."

"Oh indeed," Paul said, Glancing toward the balcony, where a girl I hadn't noticed rose like the moon. 

I shook. "Hi... Lana," I said carefully.

"Sit down." she said commandingly. I was unsure whether she meant beside her on the balcony, or inside on the couch. I took a gamble and sat on the couch. I caught Zinnia smiling at me, as if she was enjoying my torment and asking me to scream externally as well as internally. 

Lana moved inside from the dark and into the light. I studied the girl, noticing she was doing the same to me. She seemed shorter to me than before, but that's probably just me. Despite this, looking at her I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Actually, that's a bad way to put it. Something wasn't off about her, she just seemed... different. More intimidating and warrior-like, kind of the same vibes that Champion Cynthia gives off.

"Why'd you do it." She said, probably preparing to gut me like a magikarp. "You left us, Ash. I thought you were dead."

"I know," I pleaded, "I'm sorry!"

"I'm sorry? I'm sorry is what you say when your Rowlet falls asleep mid-battle, not when you leave your friends for three years without so much of a goodbye-"

"I'm sorry," I repeated.

"Don't interrupt me! That is an order!" she shouted. "I can't believe you just disappeared like that! All for some stupid title!"

"I didn't-"

"What did I say about interrupting me?" She said furiously. "You don't get to do that after you left us with your stupid girlfriend and didn't bother letting us even know you were alive! Where is she anyway? I'm surprised you didn't get a room alone so you can fuck her just like you fucked us over-"

"Lana." I shouted, causing her to immediately shut up. "Sorry for interrupting again," I said, "but I didn't leave because I lost my chance at the title to Champion Red. I know more than anyone how hard it is to lose a battle you care about, but I wouldn't do that to you guys just because of a hard loss."

"If it wasn't the battle..." Lana said quietly, "Ash, why did you leave?"

I sighed. "I didn't leave with Serena, I left because of Serena."

"Ash, I can handle her." Zinnia said, stepping in, approaching Lana. "He doesn't have to explain anything to you!"

"Thanks, Zinnia," I said, "but she deserves to know the truth," I said, turning to Lana.

"I left because Serena is dead."