Pathos「Pokemon Fanfiction」

Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen: Trespass

"I'll need you guys to come with me," Lillian whispered. "If we want the plan to work, I'd like there to be as much backup as possible. Yan, I'm aware that your Butterfree is pretty strong, so—"

"No," she blurted out, the word coming out far more forceful than she had meant, and she bit her lip tightly as she glanced at the duo in front of her. "I'm sorry, but I won't. If you ask me, I think I've done more than what was warranted."

Avis' expression softened at that, and he turned to his partner with a doubtful look. "I don't think we should force her this time. She's been through a lot."

Lillian frowned in response, golden eyes thoughtful as she pondered the possibilities of success without her, but Yan's stumbled reply came sooner and a panicked flush flooded her face as she spoke.

"I don't have anything against you," she muttered. "I just—I think I need a small break from all of this. It's been pretty overwhelming, and there's something I've been wanting to do, so I hope you can understand that."

"I do," Lillian replied with a sort of unusual hastiness. "I was just hopeful, but I understand what you mean. Still, what are you planning to do?"

She bit her lip at that, glancing behind and startling when she realised that Aiden was still behind her and watching the conversation without saying a word.

It calmed her down a little, making her remember that there was at least one person on her side—and she took a deep breath before repeating the former knight's words to her.

"There's a shrine in a nearby village that's rumoured to be able to summon Dialga," she uttered. "I've only mentioned this to Avis before—and of course, he never believed me—but I can see ghosts. That's how I knew about Terminus Cave and the Kalos Headquarters, and I heard that Dialga would be able to help me figure out why I can see spirits."

Lillian said nothing; she just gazed at her with golden eyes that seemed as if they were making a hundred observations per minute, and every moment that passed was another moment that Yan felt more uncomfortable.

"All right," the Hoenn girl conceded, and that alone made her jerk in surprise. "It's not my place to question if you are sane or delusional, but you aren't lying. Thank you for telling me, then."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Avis asked, blue eyes blinking at her in worry that she couldn't see falsity in. "I can come with you if you want."

She was about to bite back a reply, because somehow she was still a little mad at the guy despite how much she cared for him, but Aiden stopped her before she could do anything stupid.

"You should let him," he suggested. "I know it's hard to forgive him, but he had no choice. Besides, not even I know what Dialga's going to do."

Yan took a few moments to consider his opinion—and as much as she wanted to refuse, she couldn't deny the irrefutable logic in the ghost's statement.

"Fine," she sighed. "I'll let you come, but just stay out of my way."

§

It was hard to choke back tears when she caught a glimpse of Avis being himself.

She didn't know why, exactly, but she felt a small tinge of sadness when she caught sight of the boy, posture as stiff and awkward as she had remembered and face set in an expression almost meant to keep others at bay.

Perhaps it was the fact that he was letting his guard down around someone he knew less than her, but she knew that he had his reasons for doing that. It wasn't fair to blame him when she was sure he was miserable acting like his brother.