Rebecca's home reminded me a lot of a grandmother's household for some reason, although if it was because of her voice or another thing, I couldn't put my finger on it. The design of the rooms and the quality of the furniture did nothing to help the feeling either. She even sat in a seat that looked a whole lot like a rocking chair! We had decided to stay there for a few days, while we figured out what we needed to do next.
"Just hold still for another minute..." Rebecca said to me, a canvas partially covering my view of her. She was painting a picture of Sam, Rou, Laura, and I. We were taking turns standing in frame so that she could paint us individually together.
"How much longer?" I asked, my joints feeling stiff.
"Almost done...... there! Now you can move."
I got off the crate we were using as a pedestal, and walked around to see what she had done on the canvas. She had made a charcoal sketch of me, along with Laura and Rou.
"I thought you were painting us?" I asked her.
"I am," she said. "I just need to start with a sketch first. I can paint in the little details after I get the main portion done."
"Oh." I replied, feeling a bit underwhelmed.
"Now it's Sam's turn. Could you go get him for me?"
"Sure." I went to retrieve my buddy Sam from the dining room. He was learning how to play the card game "Speed" from Laura, and he had just lost another round.
"Agh! How are you so fast?!!" He exasperated.
"I've had lots of practice." She said, smiling. "Just be glad we aren't betting!"
"Sam, your turn." I interrupted.
"Alright." He said, leaving the table and walking into the other room.
"Mind if I play?" I said, sitting in Sam's seat.
"I was actually thinking of starting my morning meditation." Laura said with an awkward smile and a paw behind her head. "It helps to keep a level head."
"Alright." I replied.
Rou came over and plopped himself into another seat as Laura left to go outside. I watched through the window as she sat in the snow in a cross-legged position. Maybe should I try meditation at some point?
I looked back at Rou to find him staring down at the wooden table, as if he was focused on something.
"Whatcha thinking about?" I asked him. He looked up at me.
"I'm just thinking about Sam I guess... I mean, it was so... unselfish for him to rescue us. Well for you it makes sense, but for me... how can someone be like that?"
"There are just some people out there who are like that I guess." I replied. "Back in my world, there was this guy named Mister Rogers. He was so kind and personal with other people, it was hard not to like him!"
I paused. "Sam is kind of like that. He is the kind of person we all want to be a little more like. He has his challenges, sure, but being forgiving and doing kind things is what life's all about."
"Like Mister Rogers?" Rou asked.
"Like Mister Rogers." I replied. "I could tell you about him if you want?"
"Okay!"
I then proceeded to tell Rou everything I could remember about Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
"The show would start with a peaceful view of the town, and then focus on his house." I explained. "He would then walk in the door and take his jacket and shoes off, all while singing about how wonderful the day was and how happy he was for you to be his neighbor.
"He would talk to you like you were really important, and show you around the neighborhood. He would try his best to solve issues for others, and he would also teach you about things you might not know. He was always kind, and he never shouted or got upset."
"So he would just talk to people about things? Like how he felt?" Rou asked, his eyes shining brightly like I've never seen before.
"Pretty much, yeah. But he would never criticize or complain. He only really would say nice things, and he would explain things to you like you were his best friend." I said. "He made everyone feel special and unique!"
"Wow... I hope that I can be like that one day..."
"Maybe you can. I think all of us could. We just need to keep on trying to be the best people that we can be towards each other."
"He sounds like he's got it figured out all right." Laura said from behind me. She must've come back inside at some point.
"Yeah." I said.
"Alright. I'm gonna try and do that." Rou said with a determined look on his face.
"Me too." I said.
"Ditto." Laura agreed.
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Soon after, Rebecca was done with painting us and showed us our picture. She was a very good artist! Laura was in the back, Sam and Rou at the sides, and me in the front, with all of us looking forward. Sam and Rou looked really happy, I looked happy, and Laura had a little smile on her face. It looked really great!
The one thing I was really worried about though, was what we were still doing here. I mean, we've been here for a couple days, but aren't I supposed to be saving the world or something? I still hadn't even gotten all the answers I've been looking for. Besides, I had a question that I forgot to ask.
"So, Rebecca. I was wondering... what happened between you guys and Jake?"
Rebecca's gleeful smile she had on immediately disappeared off her face as it grew more somber. "I.... Hmm." She said quietly. "It's sort of complicated. Jake and Hector had a disagreement, and I felt they were overreacting a bit. I don't really like to talk about it."
"Oh." I said quickly. "Sorry."
"It's fine." She said, trying but struggling to brighten the mood again. "We don't talk much now anyways!"
"Do you think things will get better?" Sam asked.
Rebecca went really quiet. "I hope so..." she said in a small voice.
"Sooo..." Laura interjected, clapping her thick paws together. "What about that Feraligatr... Bart? You talk to him lately?"
"Bart?" Rebecca asked, now beginning to cheer up again. "Oh yes! I send letters to him all the time! He's actually where I want you four to go next!"
"To Bart? Why?" Laura asked.
"Because he has the key to gain access to the Relick stone." She said simply. "You guys are gonna have to get it from him if you're going to fix things."
"Wait, fix things? What do you mean?" I asked.
"Well, in Hector's book, he wrote that we had hidden the relic stone. Since then, Jake actually found its location, but he still can't get to it because Bart has the key to open the room it is held inside."
"Oh, so it's no longer hidden, but it is still contained? As in, Jake still can't use it?" Sam asked.
"Yep." Rebecca winked.
"So we need to go to Bart to get the key so that we can use the stone?" I asked.
"Correct again dearie." Rebecca replied
"Wait a minute-" Rou Began in his usual exasperated tone before catching himself, "S-sorry. Um, so, why did Pos send us to you, if Bart has the key?"
"Well Pos figured out you were coming, and so she contacted me. After some collaboration we realized that you would need a blessing if you wanted to succeed."
"That's it? So what have we been waiting around here for?... i-if you don't mind me asking." Rou quickly added. At least the poor bird was trying.
"Not at all," the old fox smiled reassuringly. "I was being just a teensy bit selfish- I don't get many visitors up here, and I love having company. I hoped you would stick around a little bit longer. You did seem to enjoy it here didn't you?"
"Of course!" Sam replied, almost automatically.
"Yeah, we should come here again, when this is all over." Rou responded, looking around at the cozy room.
"I would like that very much." Rebecca said, moving swiftly over to the little bird.
Rou tensed up like a stiff board when Rebecca suddenly started patting him on his head. But once he recovered from the initial shock, he slowly melted into her fur and let out a quiet, muffled trill. I wonder if he'd ever been shown affection before.
"There is one thing, however..." Rebeca said as she released her hold on the bird and looked over at me and glanced at Sam.
That's right, I had almost forgotten that Rebecca used to be a human too. And if I succeed, and all of us humans go back home, then my friends here would...
I shook away the thought. I didn't want to get all emotional again.
There was a slight nod before Rebecca continued speaking, she must've caught my drift. "...I need to bestow upon you four my blessing! All you need to do to receive the blessing, is touch one of my tails. Eva, go ahead."
I stepped forwards, extending a paw to touch a tail before Sam frantically grabbed my paw, and pulled me back. "W-wait Eva!" Sam looked back at Rebecca. "W-w-won't that curse her?!"
I stared at him blankly. Compared to some of the things I've seen and done in the past month or so, touching a pokemon's tail seemed pretty normal to me.
"Legends say that when someone touches a Ninetales' tail they get cursed, and all their descendants for 10,000 years or more!" Sam explained.
I stood in shock. Why would Rebecca ask me to touch her tail then? I looked back up at her with confusion plastered over my face.
"You are very clever Sam, but unfortunately you can't believe everything you read." Rebbecca corrected him. "That is only half true. Think about it. If someone flicked water at your face, you would blink and try to shield yourself with your claws. But if you know it's coming, you can tell yourself not to blink. A ninetales' curse is like that. Imagine how impractical it would be if we accidentally cursed anyone within the range of these things, they take up so much space!" She softly chuckled as she swung a couple fluffy tails around.
Laura chimed in. "This is true. Although most ninetales learn to control when they curse people as a Vulpix, talented ones such as Rebecca can learn to channel that energy in other ways, like for healing and blessings."
That was good enough for me. I reached out once again and placed my paw on the flowing cluster of silky white-blue fur.
"Eva." Rebecca said with a deep tone. I could feel a warm energy surge through me as she said my name, as if my fur was around a warm fire (although no one else seemed to notice, was this all in my head?). "You will be faced with tough and challenging decisions ahead. The blessing I give you is one of leadership, that you may have the wisdom to guide your choices, and the choices of those who stand with you. Eva, your talent to bring people together is your greatest gift. Even the strongest of bonds can break when tested... But If you are vigilant, you will be able to mend these bonds, so that they cannot break again. Be kind to all you meet, and in time, you will be given that which you seek."
What? Me bringing people together? It sounds good, but I could hardly keep my two friends together on the way up here, and we even could've died on the way! What does that tell you?!! How am I supposed to have that talent? And me, a leader? Laura seems like she would do far better! Why doesn't she just lead us there?! What makes me, a dumb little human, so special that I have to be the leader? And I just have to be nice to everyone in order to go home?! How much time will this take? This gives me more questions than answers!
"Which of you would like to go next?" Rebecva asked, breathing slightly heavier as she removed her tail from me. Sam and Rou awkwardly glanced at each other, clumsily trying to communicate without words.
"I-I suppose I can go next." Sam answered, awkwardly taking a step forward.
Rebecca did the same to Sam, and we watched as they closed their eyes and she gave the blessing.
——— Sam's mind ———-
"Sam, your loyalty to your friends and determination to assist them is remarkable. The blessing I give you is one of courage. That if you do your best you will not hesitate to act when your friends need you the most. And that you may learn to fortify yourself and your mind, that you may have confidence in what you can do."
Uh, okay? So I just have to do my best? But! What if it's still not enough?!! How do I fortify my mind?? How do I have confidence, if I don't know for sure???
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Sam stepped away after a moment of quietness. I guess either Rebecca speaks directly to the mind.
Either that, or it was just really awkward.
Rou came up next. He hopped up and leaned his head on one of the tails.
She closed her eyes and we all fell silent.
"Rou I also bless you with courage, the courage to be vulnerabl-"
"W-what!?" Rou exclaimed, suddenly pulling away from the Ninetails.
Rebecca winced in what looked like a small, sudden pain, although her gentle smile didn't fade. "Please, try not to break the connection, these blessings take a lot out of me, and I need you to stay still."
"But! -I don't wanna be vulnerable! I wanna be big and strong!" Rou cried.
"Y-you can still be vulnerable and be strong." Sam chimed in, trying his best to neutralize the situation. "You could be a tough guy with a tender heart!"
Rou glanced back at Sam, and then at me. I nodded at him and gestured back over at Rebecca with my head.
Rou gave a large sigh and looked back up at Rebecca. She smiled and brought one of her tails back over towards him. He gently touched her tail and she continued the blessing.
"Rou, I bless you with the courage to be vulnerable. You have lived most of your life afraid, although not in the way you might generally think of fear, but in fear of trusting and connecting with others. This fear can turn even the best of intentions into a double edged sword.
"Given your circumstances, one could not blame you for being distrustful. However, if you wish to reach your fullest potential, you must be brave enough to be open and genuine, even sometimes when your first instinct is to guard yourself. Your friends will let you know when you should be open, and when you should be closed.
I bless you that as you watch and learn from the examples of those around you, that you may use that desire to comfort and reassure others, as others have done for you."
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Once we said our goodbyes, we began our trek back down the mountain, with Laura taking us down the main path. After the snow storm, the mountain actually looked really beautiful and peaceful. The sun would glimmer off of the white snow, and that along with the fresh air and beautiful surroundings, it was amazing.
I just wondered what other stuff would happen by the time we got to meet Bart?