Nightmare here, Nightmare there. How many more can she get? She won't ever know.
It's been more than a week and Lynelle already wanted to just fall flat on the ground. It was just too confusing for her. Not even going back to sleep helped her.
The events of last night never left her mind, and It wasn't even the dream itself that made her feel restless.
It was the fact that Leon witnessed her sleepwalking, knows she has been getting nightmares, and saw that something weird was going on with her.
Her mind began overflowing with thoughts as she walked down the stairs. Then she smelled the aroma of coffee and pancake batter, warmth starts filling up the house. Such warm and delicious smell made Lynelle forget her worries for only a bit.
"Good morning, Dear!"
Lynelle jolted in surprise from the enthusiastic voice from Leon's Mother. Lynelle softly smiled at her and to the rest of her family, Hop and Leon too. "Why don't you come have breakfast with us? I made extra." Leon's Mother beamed, her happy aura made her feel incredibly welcomed but it also
"Oh... I don't mean to intrude..."
"No no, we insist!"
Lynelle sweatdropped at the incredible hospitality coming from her friend's Mother. Leon even pulled out a seat right next to him and gestured her to sit. Lynelle still felt slightly overwhelmed, but she didn't want to refuse nor to be rude.
"Thank you." Lynelle smiled and sat next to Leon. The Champion smiled back but Lynelle could see a hint of concern and worry despite his happy expression. Looking at him brought back the worries she had from last night.
"Morning, Grandma! Morning, Grandpa! Morning, Mum! Morning, Lee'! Morning, Ms. Lyn'!" Hop skipped down the stairs with a huge smile on his face as he greeted everyone.
"Good Morning, Hop. Did you sleep well?" Lynelle was the firsf to greet him. "Me, Wooloo and our new buddy, Scorbunny slept like babies! It felt nice." Hop beamed and letting both of his Pokémon jump happily along side him.
"That's nice, Hop. Now come eat your breakfast. It's your favorite and they're getting colder by the second!" His Mother jokingly says but Hop immediately sat down and ate his breakfast in a fast manner.
"Hoppy... eat a little slower, would you?" Leon sweatdropped at how fast his brother was eating. Hop looked at his brother and slowing down. He muttered an apology with food still stuffed in his mouth like a Skwovet.
Lynelle giggled at their interaction as she drinks her coffee. It reminded her of the times she and her brother used to bicker a lot when they were younger...
...When they were once complete...
A solemn expression was present on ravenette's face. Her sudden quietness earned the attention of the man beside her.
"Lyn'?"
Lynelle jolt up, shaking the table and earningbthe attention of everyone. "I... uhh... felt something bite on my leg hahaha..." Lynelle nervously laughs. The rest breathes out in relief but Leon didn't buy her excuse and looked at her suspiciously.
Lynelle could feel his gaze fixated on her, and it made her a little uncomfortable. Luckily, she has already finished her breakfast, and so she decided to excuse herself. "Thank you for your kindness last night, Mrs. Sandra. I'm very grateful."
"Oh... are you leaving soon?"
"Y-yes..."
"Well... you're always welcome here at my household! If you ever need anything, just ask me or anyone here, even Leon!" The whole family smiled and nodded. Lynelle felt embarrassed and overwhelmed by the support of the family.
She couldn't help but be reminded how her parents and her brother were the same when she started out her journey, her start of her new life.
Before she know it, tears formed in her eyes.
"Th... Thank you... I'll keep it in mind. Goodbye." Lynelle waved goodbye and exited out of the house in a hurry. "Goodbye!" Leon's Mother waved goodbye after Lynelle left.
"Such a sweet lady. Am I right, Leon?" Mrs. Sandra looked at Leon with a smirk, but she only see him staring at the door where Lynelle left.
"I...gotta go. Thanks for the food, Mum. Hop, go ahead and get ready."
As soon as he finishes talking, he hurriedly exited out of the house.
"Huh... he's in a hurry. Didn't he say that he's free today?" Hop looked at gis mother in confusion,
But Mrs. Sandra only had a proud look on her face.
"He definitely did..."
~~~~
~~~
~~
~
"I got pretty sentimental back there didn't I?"
Lynelle gave off a deep and tired sigh as she walked down the pathway towards Wedgehurst. She needed some fresh air after almost crying in front of a friend's family.
She missed her parents so much... and seeing other families happy... made her a little envious.
She took a deep breath in, the memories of last night returned. One thing she can never forget is the worried and terrified look Leon had. 'I must've made him worry... I did left abruptly...' Lynelle thought as she gradually slowed down her pace.
The feelings of guilt began to choke her. She thought her abrupt leave made her friend's family feel terrible about themselves and it was never her intention to do so.
Her nightmare kept her up last night, and she needed reassurance. So she decided to visit Sonia in hopes that she has some idea on what her weird dream was.
"Lyn'!"
Lynelle stopped and looked behind her to see Leon running towards her. "Oh hey, Leon. Why are you in a hurry?" She looked at him confused. Then she remembered how she left his family's house in an abrupt manner.
"Oh... I did leave so suddenly didn't I? Please tell your mother that I did mean to offend her and that her food was incredible." Lynelle bowed down apologetically, but Leon just looked at her confused. "What are you talking about? If anything, my Mum would love to have you leaving with a smile on your face rather than seeing you slumped if you go back." Leon laughed but gradually stops when he noticed Lynelle wasn't laughing along, she wasn't paying attention.
Worried, Leon stopped laughing and tapped her shoulder, which made her slightly jump from the small touch. "Lyn'... it's bothering you, is it? What happened earlier at midnight."
Lynelle flinched.
"*Sigh* Lyn'... I want to help you." Leon looked at her with a stern expression. Lynelle sighed and looked at him dead in the eye. "Leon... I'm okay. I've gotten over it already." Lynelle showed him a soft smile to hide the lie.
Leon knew, but he'll let it slide... for now.
"... Okay. But... please don't hesitate to ask me for help. My family always keep their word, after all." Leon shot her a bright smile, his words letting her remind the last thing his mother said before Lynelle left.
"... I'll keep that in mind." Lynelle quietly says but loud enough for Leon to hear. "I'm just going to have a quick visit at Sonia's. I won't be too long, I'll be back."
"... Okay... I'll tell Hop and the others."
Lynelle flashed a soft smile before excusing herself and headed towards Sonia's house. Leon could only stare at her as she walks away from him. The feeling of guilt engulfed him for not giving even the slightest bit of help for her.
~~~~
~~~
~~
~
"This is getting weirder by the minute."
Sonia groaned and rested her head on the table. The information of Lynelle's recent dream was too much for her to even comprehend the whole message behind it.
"By what you've told me so far, it seems like these two wisps wanted to tell you something... but I'm not even sure what they want to tell..." Sonia grumbled.
Lynelle just sat there, feeling more and more nervous seeing Sonia be all frustrated. Guilt started to crawl upon Lynelle. Even she couldn't believe the absurdity that was laid upon her sleep. Now that she's seeing Sonia having trouble decoding her dream, she started to loose hope on finding the answer to her problem.
"I'm...I'm so sorry... this is starting to get weird... maybe we should sto-"
"-and not be able to solve your problem? Not happening, Lyn'."
Lynelle froze as she and Sonia stared at each other, one in clear nervousness and one with a look of determination. "I am not letting this problem go worse." she said with utter seriousness, stunning Lynelle.
The ravenette took a moment to register, but when she did, she smiled softly. She was impressed at how determined and serious Sonia was. Quite fitting for a soon-to-be professor.
"Thank you, Sonia." Lynelle breathes out in relief. "So what can you make off of my uh... dream?" Sonia thought for a few moments, then she suddenly dragged her whiteboard and grabbed her pilot in front of them.
"Okay, here's what I gathered from you so far." She says as she readies her marker. She began drawing the a map of the things Lynelle has told her before.
"So. To start off, you heard voices last week when you visited Postwick, right?"
"Yes."
"And they were coming from the Slumbering Weald?"
"Yes..."
"That one night, you had a weird dream where those two wisps appeared, yes? And they're somehow connected to the Slumbering Weald?"
"That's what we theorized, yes..."
Sonia encircled the drawing of the two wisps and faced Lynelle. "And you saw them again last night, and they made you sleepwalk?"
Lynelle silently nods.
"hmm..."
Sonia thought long and hard. She thought about the connections of the events of Lynelle's dream, how the relate, what they were trying to convey, why Lynelle keeps getting them, and why each are similar.
"...Wait... they are similar..."
Sonia mumbled out loud as the thought came up. Her mind began to fill with theories and possible answers to Lynelle's dreams. She quickly wrote down her every single thought and theroy on the white board. Her movements were incredibly fast but precise, which made Lynelle stare at her in shock.
Then one theory stuck onto Sonia's mind.
"Lyn'... perhaps your dreams aren't dreams...but rather...
...they're visions."
"..."
Lynelle just stared at Sonia, baffled at her theory. 'my dreams... are visions?' Lynelle's head lowered, deep in thought. She pieced all evidence they have so far and Sonia's theory made some sense. Her dreams showed her a real place, she was able to feel cold and the pain of death, and she was able to see those two wisps in real life.
"I... think this is enough for today..." Lynelle stood up, her face filled with fear and confusion, unsure on what to do next. She needed to be alone, she needed time to think it through. If she was getting visions... then that dream where she was killed may come true.
Sonia could only feel guilty towards Lynelle. She felt like a bad friend for not figuring out her friend's concerning problem. "Okay... Just call me if you need me, okay?" Sonia gave Lynelle a reassuring hug, which the ravenette needed badly. "I will... thank you for your time." Sonia could only watch Lynelle smile, hiding the negative emotions she was feeling. Lynelle waved Sonia goodbye and left, leaving Sonia questioning if she was helpful.
One thing's for sure, She's definitely never going to give up.
"...Okay... time to learn more... and hopefully figure out the source and problem of her nightmares..."
~~~~
~~~
~~
~
"Leon?"
"Lyn'?"
Lynelle was surprised to see Leon right outside the laboratory, seemed to be waiting. "Are you visiting Sonia?" Lynelle stood next to him as she asked. "Later yeah. I'm waiting for Hop and the others... though they seemed to be running a little late." Leon let out a tired sigh. "Hmm... I'll wait with you." Lynelle softly smiled at him, surprising him.
"Huh? You don't really have to, Lyn'..."
"It's okay. I did say that I was going to come back after a quick visit to Sonia."
Leon smiled, though he couldn't help but be worried for her. The events of last night were still fresh in his mind, it never went away. He just stared at her, the feeling of familiarity rose in him. It wasn't the way she looks made him feel something was familiar to him rather, It was the way she hides what she's truly feeling. Kind words, soft voice, faking a smile...
Just like him.
Both embraced the comfortable silence as they began the wait for the trio to arrive at the laboratory...and they have been waiting over ten minutes. During within that time period, both adults started to get worried.
Leon knew the trio wouldn't be late over something Pokémon related, Lynelle had the same feeling too despite her meeting them yesterday. Anxiety began to pile up within them as they waited longer. Lynelle began to wonder what could hve taken them this long to prepare... unless...
"Leon... you don't think...?"
"No... They couldn't have..."
"But... what if... they went in?"
"... Let's go check..."
Both Lynelle and Leon hurriedly ran from Wedgehurst all the way towards the worn-out gate, the same gate that leads towards the Slumbering Weald. The second they saw the gate, they felt their heart stop a beat.
They stared at the opened gate. The gloomy pathway was open to them. The cold breeze made them shiver, and the atmosphere it gave off was unsettling, but it seemed to be inviting them in.
Both adults stood there, contemplating on whether they should enter. But the thought of the trio being in possible danger, they couldn't stand by. "I'm going in." Leon firmly says. But as he took a step forward, Lynelle grabbed him by the wrist, stopping him.
"I'm going with you." Lynelle firmly says, but Leon wasn't going to allow her to put her safety at risk.
"Lyn', I'll be fine on my own. I don't want you to get hurt."
"As an adult - and a newfound friend - I can't rest easy knowing that my friends are possibly stuck in there, and I'll regret staying here and do nothing. I want to help, Leon."
Lynelle stood firm, giving him a determined look and letting him know that she won't take no for an answer.
Leon was impressed at how firm and determined she was. She was risking her safety to enter a dangerous place just find his brother and his friends and see if they are okay. He immediately remembered that she was a Ranger, and that she was someone who has faced risk before. Leon sighed in defeat and then smiled at her.
"Well then, stay close to me. We don't want to risk getting lost in there." Right after he finished, he heard Lynelle snicker. He rolled his eyes playfully at her and finally entered the Slumbering Weald.
.
"It's cold and dark... it's still the same as last time." Leon mumbles as he observes the gloomy forest around him. He heard his Charizard grunted beside him, bothered by the unsettling feeling within the Slumbering Weald.
"Lyn'? You coming?"
"Yep, I'm in."
Lynelle voiced out as she sets aside the vines blocking her way. As she stood beside Leon, Lucario comes out of his pokeball. "Lucario? Why are you out?" Lynelle asked in a surprised tone. Lucario didn't answer, he closes his eyes for a few moments and then suddenly opened them, showing his now-glowing eyes. His aura flared up, he slowly scanned his surroundings before stopping by his left.
"Ragh..." Lucario grunted and used his arm to point towards his left. With a few seconds of confusion, Lynelle understood what Lucraio was doing.
"Oh that's right! Lucario can sense their auras. This way, we can surely find them." Lynelle beamed, but she immediately became worried. "...which means that the three of them are indeed here..."Lynelle said quietly, catching Leon's attention. "Well.. let's not stand here any longer, we have t get-!"
*SHWISHWOO!!*
"Whoa!"
Leon got cut of by a sudden strong gusts of wind. The fog suddenly became thicker and denser as it swirled around them. The winds become wilder and stronger by the second... and within, a loud howl was heard.
Another howl was heard, and it was louder than the last. The winds then slowly died down and the fog began to thin. Leon lowered his arms and checked if the winds are still strong. A few moments passed and Leon thought it was safe to lower his arms but still having his guard up. He became anxious at the thought of how strong winds can happen in the Slumbering Weald, he syarted to become even more worried of the safety of his brother and others.
"Ugh... Lyn'? Charizard? Lucario? You guys alright?" Leon looked around and saw his Charizard and Lynelle's Lucario struggling to stand up... but to his horror, he didn't see Lynelle anywhere.
"L-Lyn'!? Lyn'!" Leon frantically looked around in hopes to see the ravenette, but all he could see are trees, grass, and fog everywhere, and no sign of her.
"LYN'!!"
~~~~
~~~
~~
~
"..."
"Ugh... what happened...?"
Lynelle slowly stood up, dusting off the dirt on her clothes. She looked around her and realized that she's all alone. "Leon? Lucario!? Charizard!?" Lynelle called out to them, but she didn't hear a response. "What's going on? Where am I? Where... where is everyone?" Lynelle mumbled to herself as the feeling of fear and anxiety began to rise.
"How did I separate from them? I was just behind them..." Lynelle mumbled to herself again. She slowly hugged herself, something she does when she's feeling stressed out.
Then, she heard familiar ringing bells. Lynelle immediately became quiet as she listened and try to pinpoint where the bells are coming from. When the bells got louder on her right, she turned and saw the Magenta wisp floating just inches near her face.
Lynelle took a step back out of pure shock. The Magenta wisp showed up right in front of her, along with the Cyan wisp behind it.
"y-you're... real...?" Lynelle looked at the two wisp in pure horror. She prayed that her dreams were only dreams and nothing more. But seeing the mysterious wisps right in front of her made her question herself... and thought that Sonia's "Vision" theory was true...
The two wisps circled around her from her legs up to her head. Then they flew past her and showed her a large pathway where there was only fog. Lynelle knew what will happen next, and she did not dare to move.
The two wisps float next to each other before floating away, as if opening something.
Right after they did, Lynelle saw something moving in the fog. She saw red, blue, and the shape of something similar of a Mightyena or a Lycanroc.
She stood still, unsure of whether she should run or not. She wanted to run but at the same time, she wanted to see what this mysterious creature was and why the two wisps wanted her to see it.
As soon it reaches her view, Lynelle immediately felt her memories flooding in her mind.
In front of her was a Pokémon in a similar body type of a large Canine. It had red fur and blue in some parts of its head and paws. Lynelle immediately recognized the creature, and she remembered its blue-furred companion, and the message they gave her.
-----
"Be brave."
"Galar will need you in the future."
"When you come back, we will be here, waiting for you."
----
Those words echoed in her head. Bits and pieces of her memory began to return and piece together. The presence it gives off was mysterious, and it felt like the creature was somewhat of an important figure. She felt the same feelings she felt back then.
"It's... you..." Lynelle quietly voices out. The mysterious creature acknowledges her presence and began to approach her. Lynelle stood still, only this time, she wasn't feeling any fear or terror. Rather, she felt like it was needed for her to stand still and wait for the approaching creature to get near.
The second the creature got near to her, it-.
"GRRAAAAGHHH!!!"
"Wha-!? Charizard!?"
Charizard swooped down from the air and stood in front of Lynelle protectively as he tries to scare off the creature. The creature jumped back but remained unfazed. "Wait a moment, Charizard! It didn't hurt me!" Lynelle ran in front of the Fire-breathing Lizard. She gave him some soft pets and helped him calm down. Then she turned towards where the mysterious creature was, only to find out that it disappeared.
Lynelle couldn't help but feel disappointed at herself. But at the same time, she was glad that Charizard had found her. "...Thank you, Charizard." Lynelle thanked the orange pokemon, but she couldn't help but feel disappointed to not be able to interact with that mysterious creature. She wanted to know what it was, she wanted to know why those wisps showed up in her dreams, she wanted to know what those words mean.
"LYN'!!"
Lynelle turned around and was tackled in a hug by her Lucario. Following behind him was Leon who had a worried look on his face. "Thank goodness you're alright! Are you hurt? Disoriented? Anything??" Ever word he says, the closer he gets. "Uhm... I'm fine. I'm sorry for concerning you..." Lynelle blushed at the close proximity of their faces.
Leon sighed in relief before stepping back. "It's okay, I'm just glad you're not hurt... But how did you get separated from us? The winds were strong but not as strong that it could carry a human being."
"That's what I thought too... I have no idea how we got separated... it'd be too far-fetched to say that I got teleported...but..."
"It's the most sensible one. Lucario manage to sense you and lead us to you... but the distance was too far to say that you got blown away and not get injured." Leon sighed while Lynelle nodded in agreement.
'But... who...or what teleported me here?'
*SWHISSHWAA...*
Lynelle's thoughts got cut off when they heard a bush rustling near them. Everyone raised their guard up as they face the rustling bush. Lucario looked at Lynelle for confirmation, to which Lynelle nodded. Lucario slowly approached the bush... and used his paws to create an opening and see-!
"Be-Beeh!!"
A Wooloo tangled in vines.
Everyone breaths out in realief knowing that it was a harmless Wooloo. "It's just a Wooloo... but what's it doing here of all places..." Leon sighed. Lynelle brushed him off and walked up to the bush. She grabbed out her pocket knife and began to cut the vines trapping the Sheep pokemon in.
"...When did you have a pocket knife?" Leon looked at Lynelle with visible confusion and awe as he watches the ravenette cuts off the vines. "Had this when I was a kid. Kept it secret and as a last resort if things get ugly - there we go." Lynelle successfully freed the Wooloo out of the vines. She lets it stand up but noticed it struggle. Lynelle observed the Wooloos legs and saw a gash on one of them.
"Hang on..." She grabbed her handkerchief and wrapped it around the Wooloo's leg. "It's not much but... it at least lessens the pain." Lynelle softly says towards the Wooloo who only looked at her with a smile.
"Beeh!"
The Wooloo hopped around her happily, making Lynelle giggle. Leon stayed quiet, he was in awe of how caring she was, and how she gets along with wild pokemon easily. He felt like she was a natural, like she has some sort of aura or talent of making Pokemon feel calm and reassured. He felt like her job as a Ranger was really fitting to her.
He was amazed at her.
"Okay. Now that this little guy is doing good, let's go find hop and the others." Lynelle stood up and carried the Wooloo. She looked at Lucario and gave him an affirmative nod. Locario followed her order and lets his aura flare up. He turned towards right and pointed ahead. "That's where they are? Let's go."
"Wait, Lyn'."
Lynelle stopped and looked at Leon who was slightly blushing. "This may seem... uncalled for, but can we hold hands?"
Lynelle blinked in confusion before her face began to go red. "I-I know! It's weird but... If you ever happen t get teleorted again, I'll instantly know." Leon explained. Lynelle was still red, but she understood that Leon meant no harm. "S-sure..." Lynelle's blush became redder as she held out her hand. Leon - who was blushing as well - held Lynelle's hand gently.
"L-Let's not waste any time now..." Lynelle stuttered. Leon nodded and walked ahead, Lynelle and their pokemon following behind.
"Alright, Lu. Lead the way."
~~~~
~~~
~~
~
Walking along and carefully avoiding the tall grass and sharp branches, The five are getting closer and closer to Hop and his friends. During their whole travel, Lynelle couldn't help but remember the time she was stuck in the Weald when she was a child. Holding hands with Leon made her remember the kid who got her out of the forest.
'I wonder how he's doing these days... I hope he's doing well...' Lynelle wondered, her head now above the clouds. Leon looked back and see Lynelle looking all absent-minded. He started to get worried for her. "Lyn'? You okay?" Leon gripped her hand, earning her attention. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Lynelle smiled at him, but Leon saw through it.
"Lyn'... You can tell me."
"Leon, I'm fine."
Leon sighed in defeat. Not wanting to force her, Leon let it slide for now. "Okay then. Just checking..." Leon gripped her hand again. It didn't hurt, but it felt a little uncomfortable. With him getting all worried for her, Lynelle thought to be more creative with her excuses so as to not make him worry even more. 'He doesn't need to know...' Lynelle mentally noted.
She stared at him as they walked. She couldn't help but feel a strong sense of familiarity on him. The way they walked while holding hands to be secure. It was the same feeling as the time she was saved by that kid...
Then she saw a flash of her memory the longer she stared at Leon.
----
"Charmander, you remember where the entrance was, right?"
"Chaar!" The Charmander cried happily and walked in front of the two children. The golden-eyed boy held the girl's hand tightly, letting her know to start walking and follow his fire companion. While walking, young Lynelle didn't know what the purple-haired boy meant by what he said earlier and just stared at him confused. The boy noticed her staring and blushed. "I'm... not really good with directions." He sheepishly rubbed his neck.
----
'He had purple hair, golden eyes, and dark skin... and he wasn't good with directions too...' Lynelle's eyes widened. She did not believe one second that the kid who got her out of the Weald was Leon...
But he has lived his whole life in Postwick, He looked the same as the kid back then, he's bad at directions... and he has a Charizard, who she knew he got it when it was a Charmander. She couldn't ignore the strong connections, but the image of the kid was too blurry for her to say that it was the same person.
"Ragh!"
Everyone's attetion went towards Lucario pointing at three silhouttes laying on the ground Upon inspecting further, they realized it was the three kids, struggling to stand up and looking all confused.
"HOP! VICTOR! GLORIA!"
Both adults released their hands and sprinted towards the trio, worry and concern with a mix of relief present in their faces.
"Miss Lyn'! Leon!"
"Wha-? Lee'? How'd you manage to find your way here? I get that Miss Lyn' is beside you. But you? You're pants with directions. You always get lost." Hop looked at him in shock, which made Leon's eye twitch. "Oh, that's nice to hear from the little brother who had me worried sick!" Leon slightly raised his voice.
"We've been waiting ages for you three, and you never showed! Of course we came looking for the three of you!" Leon raised his voice slightly again.
"Wait, where's the Wooloo!? We we trying to rescue that Wooloo!" Hop began to worry which made Victor and Gloria worried as well. "That's right! We came to rescue that Wooloo, it had and injury on its leg and we got worried!" Gloria exclaimed.
Leon was taken aback at how strong and caring they were about the injured Wooloo, but he smiled, feeling proud of them. He turned to where the Wooloo was. It was being playful towards Lynelle as it keeps on rolling around her and jumping onto her arms. Lynelle on the other hand kept laughing and playing along with the Wooloo. The scene itself made him smile softly.
"Meh!"
"The little chap's just fine. Though all of you had fainted by the time we found you here. You know this place is out of bounds... But it took courage to come in her all the same. And I can understand well enough why you did it. You did good, Hop!" Leon beamed but Lynelle stepped forward.
"Yes.. well... Let me ask you three this...
Did you have a plan before you entered?"
The trio gulped in nervousness as they saw the ravenette's stern gaze. Victor and Gloria hid behind Hop who was just as nervous as they were. The young golden-eyed boy took a deep breath before answering. "W-we already uh... knew what the Slumbering Weald is all about and we had a good idea that the Wooloo is all safe and sound."
"That just sound like you didn't have a plan and you just exposed yourselves in danger." Lynelle firmly says. "What you did was reckless, dangerous even. You cannot just barge into possible danger with a plan and some backup plans. All of you could've been hurt. Or worse, killed."
The trio flinched at Lynelle's scolding. They didn't dare to look at her in fear of seeing her angry face. The three bowed down apologetically. "We... We're so sorry, Miss Lyn'. We won't do it again" Victor apologized on behalf of his friends. His voice was a little shaky which made Lynelle worried.
"The three of you, look at me." The trio hesitantly looked at Lynelle who knelt down to their height, guilt present on her face.
"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have been too harsh on you guys. What I mean is... you guys shouldn't run into danger unprepared. It's always important to plan it out, even on the fly." Lynelle paused to look at the three and smiled.
"What Leon said, it is indeed admirable that you run into this forest just to save that Wooloo. It takes a lot of courage and bravery to do so. I would know from experience since I also do that, a lot. I am a Ranger, after all." As soon as she said what her occupation was, the trio's faces lit up.
"You're a Ranger!??"
"Have you done something similar like this? I wanna hear it!"
"Calm down both of you..."
Lynelle blushed at how excited they were. She never gotten anyone to become interested at her job. She turned away to hide her blush from everyone... but Leon didn't hesitate to tease her.
"Heh, someone's happy."
Lynelle looked at him smirking at her, she blushed even more and turned away from him. "Sh-Shut it..." Lynelle mumbled and heard Leon snickering. Moments after that, she went back to normal and faced the trio.
"As a Ranger, I'm quite impressed at your actions. The only flaw was that you didn't thought of a plan or a backup plan before entering. You just went in with the 'want' to save the Wooloo, not taking into account your safety. That itself is fine because it's a goal you have to achieve, but it wouldn't be worth it if you can't return home safely, right?" The trio nodded in agreement, guilt returned in their faces.
"I'm not saying you shouldn't do that again. It's rare to see brave and courageous people like you three. What I'm saying is to be prepared and be careful when running into danger." Lynelle pats their shoulders and smiled proudly at them. Her smile made them realize that she wasn't mad at them.
"Just some advice from someone who has done the same thing multiple times."
The trio smiled wide and nodded in agreement. Lynelle breathes out of relief, thankful that her message was successfully received.
Leon looked at her, amazed at how wise and experienced she was. It made him feel like a bad role model for praising for their reckless action, but with Lynelle backing up what he said and gave some advice was the final nail on the coffin for him to trust her completely.
"Well at least that Wooloo's alright... right, guys?" Victor turned towards Victor and Gloria who nodded in agreement.
"I thought we'd had it when that weird fog started rolling in and that mad Pokémon attacked.. But at least it wasn't all for nothing!" Hop cheered happily but "mad Pokémon" earned Leon and Lynelle's attention.
"Attacked by some mad Pokémon? What are you talking about, Hop?" Leon looked at him seriously. "It seemed loads stronger than any other Pokémon I have ever seen. And it just had this sort of presence. Our moves didn't even touch it. I mean, really - they seem to pass right through it."
Lynelle knew what they wete describing.
"Your moves passed right through it? So the fearsome Pokémon they say live in the Slumbering Weald... are they actually illusions or something?" Leon mumbles out loud. "Hmmm... Get strong enough and maybe the three you could be the ones to reveal the truth someday." Leon flashed them a confident smile, making thrle trio's confidence rise higher than before.
"For now, let's get out of this spooky forest, yeah?"
----
"Hey...let's get out of this spooky forest, yeah?"
----
Lynelle froze the second she heard those words from Leon. The memory of the kid became clearer and clearer and made her remember that it was indeed the Galar Champion in front of her who saved her. She now believes that the kid was Leon back then, but she doesn't know if Leon remembers. She is too afraid to ask in fear of their friendship getting broken. But she wanted to confirm it or else it'll cloud her mind.
"Lyn'?"
Lynelle snapped back to reality and instantly smiled at Leon. "Hm? What's up?" Lynelle innocently asks. Leon let out a heavy sigh, noticing her putting up an act. "Let's get out of here." He says. Lynelle nodded and followed behind.
...
Hop, Victor, and Gloria were playing along as they walked along the pathway towards the exit. Their rambunctiousness hide the fact that Lynelle was unusually quiet the whole travel.
"Hey look! A blue ribbon." Gloria voiced out as she heads toward a branch wity a long, thin, dirty piece of blue cloth. Lynelle stopped besides Gloria and inspected the ribbon.
Then, she remembered...
----
Fearing for her life, she slowly stepped away from the shaking grass. She doesn't know if it is a Pokémon that would kill her instantly or if it is just a small Pokémon that might hurt her or just passing by. She hopes for the latter to be true.
Then she felt something poking behind her, she yelped and tried to get away from it but she felt the ribbon on her dress tugged by something, keeping her in place. She panicked and tried to get away from it, pulling her dress and ripping the ribbon in the process, she finally manages to free herself.
She gasped to see that it was just a branch and a long piece of her ribbon was on it.
----
'This was mine...' Lynelle mumbled as she caresses the worn-out ribbon. Her sudden quietness started to concern Gloria and the others. "Uhm... Miss Lyn'?" Gloria shook Lynelle's arm, bringing her back to reality.
"Oh uhh... L-let's go now." Lynelle avoided the trio's confused gazes as she walks ahead. They decided to shrug it off and follow behind her. But Leon was starting to get even worried for her.
...
"AHHHH... WARM SUN. I MISSED YOU!"
"Gloria! Don't shout!"
"YOU CAN'T STOP ME, VICTOR! AHAHAHAHA!"
Gloria ran across the pathway, dodging her cousin's attempts on catching her. Hop decided t join in and it now bacame a game of tag. Leon chuckled at how much they're having fun. He looked at Lynelle and shaw her staring onti the sunset. Her eyes reflected the warm light of the setting sun, and the breeze let her hair flow and dance.
Leon smiled and watched the sunset along with her. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" He glances at her. A smile formed on her lips as she turned to face him. "Yeah, it really is." She softly says.
Leon stared at her with wide eyes. The sunset radiated from her, giving her a warm glow and giving her eyes a warm shine. Her hair shone along while dancing with the soft breeze passing by. Leon couldn't deny it, she looked beautiful in front of him.
Lynelle was confused why Leon became speechless. She looked behind her to see what he was looking at. It was just the sunset behind her. 'This feels so... nice.' Lynelle thought.
The breeze passed by again, and a flash of memory hit her.
The bright and warm light from the setting sun hit Lynelle's face as they run out of the forest. Her eyes widen as she saw the beautiful scenery in front of her. Butterfrees flying high in the sky, a herd of Wooloo gathering together in farms or plains eating grass, the setting sun gave off the warm feeling that she missed. Seeing the sight made her eyes teary.
----
"It's really pretty, right?" The purple-haired boy turned to the ravenette and suddenly became worried when she suddenly had flowing tears on her face. The girl sniffled, knowing that it will probably be the last time she would see this in this small neighborhood. "Wha-what's wrong?" The boy slightly panicked, he didn't know what made the girl beside him cry. Lynelle's sniffles gradually became quiet. She rubbed her nose with the cloth on her dress and then looked at the boy. "I'm... going to move away soon."
"O-oh... That's too bad." The boy's face became sad as she said that.
"Well... think of this view... as a gift from me and Charmander to you!" The boy beamed, surprising both Lynelle and Charmander.
"A... gift?" She asked, clearly confused on what he's implying.
"Yeah! you don't get to see this every day so I promise you that you won't ever forget this!" Her eyes widen as she hears this.
"Thank you so much! And... thank you for getting me out of that spooky forest." Lynelle hugged the boy tight, the boy was shocked at first but he happily returned the hug.
----
Lynelle's eyes began to tear up at the memory. She remembered the times when she was young. She cried at the fact that she wouldn't be able to see Postwick again. She remembered crying at the fact that she couldn't play with Sonia anymore. She remebered being sad that she wouldn't be able to see the sunset that the boy showed her.
The boy happened to be...
"Leon?"
"Yes?"
"... Have we met before?"
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A/N: Super long time for me to update and I'm so sorry. School took up most of my time.💀💀💀
Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!