Around 30 Pokémon were scattered around mom's farm. All of Wayne's Pokémon, along with the grunt's, have been removed from their Pokéballs. Some decided to scatter off while the others were given new Pokéballs for the sake of their safety
"My..." mom sweat dropped, looking at them all "there's... a lot!" I nodded
"I hope you don't mind taking care of them. I don't expect you to do it forever. My old friend is busy at the moment, so when he's done I'll ask him to help find homes for them" I looked at the larger Pokémon playing with the farm Pokémon and even the shiny Pokémon that were going to be sold for money "I might have a place for them, can you care for them until then?" the Pokémon the gang members had were oddly large for their particular species, probably given steroids to build up muscle and power "they shouldn't be too hard to handle" I could feel mom staring at me "I can't tell you where I got them, just know they are rescued"
"Actually..." she pointed at Pichu in my arms "you're holding..." I sighed, feeling the heat build up in my cheeks
"I don't want to talk about it, mom" even if it's great that I got over my fear, it's not a happy story if I think about how I got over it... "will you be able to handle them for now?"
"Oh! Yeah, it shouldn't be too hard to handle them all. They seem pretty sweet for their size"
"I suppose" I popped my neck
"Anyways... have... you heard of anything" I looked at mom looking at me with eyes full of hope "you've been gone for so long to find her... I-I don't want to loose hope!" She cupped her face
"Mom..." I reached to hold her, but stopped, not knowing how to show sympathy "you don't have to worry... she's... fine" she snapped her head up at me "please don't tell anyone this, I promised her"
"Promised her..?" I took her shoulders
"She's depending on me, mom. Keep this between us. She's fine" I smiled "she's still the same Serena" she burst out in tears of joy and attacked me with a hug, nearly crushing Pichu
"Oh dear... I knew she was still alive!" I nodded, holding onto the back of her shirt "go get 'em honey. Even if I don't know what's going on, I believe in you to protect her" I nodded
"You can count on me. I won't let anything happen to my twin sister" she giggled and played with my hair
"Your hair... it looks good when it's up" I played with my ponytail I put together "you should keep it like this more often" I took out my scarf and once again, wrapped my hair to hide it all
"I can't do that, not yet anyway..." she sighed
"Well, with whatever reason you have to hide your beautiful features, I'm just happy you're doing better" I was confused "you're glowing a little... only a little. Are you in love?" My face felt hot
"W-what!?" She giggled, cupping her lips
"Don't tell me, you and Calem!?" I cupped my face, feeling weird about what's happening. What's going on right now!? "Oh! How cute! You know your sister was always talking about how you two would look so cute together?" She pinched my cheeks. I slapped her hand away and rubbed my face
"You have it all wrong... he's" I looked at the Pokémon I saved running free "just a friend" to think I've accepted the others as my friends, and to Shauna... I told her and she looked like she just won a award or something "he's very clingy"
"Friend? I thought you didn't need friends" she smiled "I can see why you're glowing. You're not the same girl you were when you first came home" I widened my eyes
"I-I'm not..?" She nodded. That's what I've been wanting, to change! But... it's not enough. I'm still two worlds away from where I'm wanting to be. Mom held my keystone "C-Calem gave this to me" she looked like she wanted to say something "it doesn't mean anything! His reason for giving this to me means nothing! I only accept it because I like jewelry" and somehow... it's connected to my heart
"You do?" That's another thing about me, though I don't own anything, I really like shiny things and admired diamonds of all kind. This keystone was just as shiny, but I didn't accept it as a engagement. I'm not worthy of such a thing, especially when he can find someone else who can help him better than I can
"Y-yeah..." I went to lean on the fence and finally I'm able to pet a Rhyhorn! Maybe one day I'll be able to ride one like mom "I think it's time for me to head back to my journey"
"Awe... do you want me to cook you something for your journey?"
"That'll be nice" she nodded and went back in the house and I jumped the fence to approach all the Pokémon of the farm. The large Pokémon huddled up and cuddled with my face, not expecting such treatment "you guys are going to have a better life soon, I'm going to make sure of that" they all smiled at me "my mother will take care of you all, so don't cause trouble, and try to help her" I held my hip "I have to go now..." I turned to see Absol chasing after a bunch of mom's Mareep into the barn. I smiled and took out a Pokéball from my bag
I know this Pokémon shouldn't even deserve to be near me after what it did to Calem, but because he was a murder himself, it must've known the whole time and didn't want him hurting anyone else. It's needless to say that I don't know why this Pokémon chose me for protection, but it's still hanging around, like it likes me and doesn't want harm being brought to me again. The creature was asleep when I murdered Wayne's gang, so it doesn't even know that I am also like Calem... at least, close
Calem was founded to be a psycho serial killer who enjoyed slaughtering his victims. Wayne described him laughing while killing half his team, but what confused me was when Calem told me I was the only one that made him feel. Like many psycho paths, they don't have much to feel and would often do bad things to satisfy themselves. I'm not sure exactly what he did in his youth back in Sinnoh, but whatever it is, he let his mom disown him and has officers keeping an eye on him, hating him and calling him dangerous.
Though he is dangerous, he's been confused his entire life I'm guessing. The time back in town when he tricked me into sharing a room, he ran out after seeing me without my scarf in the bathroom with only a towel. He didn't come back that night, so I went after him and found him in front of a grave, a grave he must've made when he killed Furfrow. I don't have proof of this, but it's best if I keep this to myself. I don't really care if Calem is a psycho path killer, he's depending on me to make him sane. At least he's trying... I'm not any better
"Absol!" I called out. It ran over and sat down like a good Pokémon "you followed me all the way here home, and you rode on the back of a Pokémon to make sure you stay with me. Is there a reason why?" Z floated around it to get a answer.
The file I read back in the hospital of what it said before after it attacked Calem was: "You are safe now..." I shook my head, knowing it didn't understand
"What I don't understand is why you choose to stay around. You attacked Calem, and I know he might be very bad, but I'm not any better" it blinked at me "I'm just as bad... I'm a very bad person who stole from people and ruined their lives. I even killed others... but only for a good reason" I shook my head "I can't say it was a good reason... and it was wrong of me to do what I've done, but that's the past..." which was like a few hours ago "Calem is sick, but he's trying. I am more than capable of taking care of myself, especially now that he's in a coma and will have to live with a scar his entire life... if you can't accept Calem for who he is, why should you keep following me and accept me for who I am?" Absol looked down. Z floated to my face and spoke. I took out my laptop to read the file, only seeing a single word
"Fine" fine? Absol brushed on my Pokéball with its nose and forced it open, capturing it so suddenly. I stared at the ball confused, not knowing why it agreed to accept me.
There was another file uploaded to my computer "where there is disaster, I follow it" I cupped my face, knowing the sad reality of my life
"Yeah... I can relate to you on that" after awhile, mom came back with my food and I was on my way back to Lumiose by flight. I was dropped off in front of Sycamore's lab and kept the green dragon in my bag
"Sophia!" I watched Sycamore leaving his place "what a coincidence you're here! Was that your Pokémon?"
"For now" I typed in my computer to know where I should head next, since I uploaded a map of the region long ago... I just had Calem navigate me through it, so I never needed to use the map "see yah"
"Hold on!" I looked back at him, seeing that he noticed I wasn't in the mood. I didn't know why, but I feel really mad now that I don't have Calem helping me out. He's injured in the hospital, I feel so weird that I don't have him by my side like I've had him the entire 6 months since I've started this journey "I wanted to talk to you for a little bit, if you don't mind. Come with me to Lysandre Café, yeah?"
"What is it that you can't tell me now?"
"Lysandre will be joining us" Lysandre? He means that weird guy I met back in his lab? I didn't bother talking to him much. What could he want? "I'll even pay for your meal"
"We're having lunch? No thanks. I have my own. Will this lead me to a closer path to route 14?"
"It will, actually. It's in the side of the city that was blocked off due to the power outage" knowing now that I can head to route 14 now, I agreed and took a taxi all the way to the other side of the city and arrived at a red cafe, literally... everything was red
When walking in, there were a few customers having lunch together. What brought my attention was the servers working behind the counter and with the tables. They stopped what they were doing to stare at me, like they hated me or something. Something about them seemed familiar
"Welcome! Welcome!" Lysandre raised his arms and greeted us. Sycamore gave him a handshake while I looked around, wanting to get this over with as fast as possible "I'm glad you're able to make it" we sat down and the men talked amongst themselves as I put my attention to the servers keeping a eye on me
The staring went for a long while, slowly getting on my nerves until I snapped and stood from my seat "what!? You want a piece of me!?" They glared at me and continued to do their work without watching me this time. I huffed and sat back down, seeing the men staring at me
"Still quite the talker, aren't you?" Sycamore chuckled "Shauna told me about you, that you're really started to open up to her and her friends"
"Got a problem?" He waved his hands
"No, no! It's pretty refreshing" I sighed "what I wanted to talk to you about... I heard Calem gave you his keystone" I held onto my necklace "For him to give you something as important as something that came from your heart... I know much about him, Sophia. His mother told me the story of why they had to leave Sinnoh" I listened "It was a gift from his father, who actually found it near Lake Verity" found? "At one point, he tried selling it, but it was priceless and worthless to sell because of the connection to one's heart and won't work for anyone else" I looked down at the stone "I believe I met Calem's father once before" I leaned on my elbow, wanting him to get to the point "His father couldn't use it, neither could Calem, so I'm hoping somehow you can use it. Who knows, maybe it's your heart to begin with and you happen to loose it, somehow coming back to you. You did live in Sinnoh after all"
"What is that suppose to mean?" That I lost my heart for all these years? "What's this keystone got to do with a physical heart?"
"Mega evolution... it's a thing that makes your Pokémon evolve temporarily in battle as the trainer and Pokémons energy collide, making this possible. When you hold a heart special enough, and use that heart to create a strong bond with a Pokémon who is able to mega evolve" he glanced at Banette on my shoulder, who climbed on for the hell of it "I don't know if it's in your case, have you tried using it yet?" I shook my head "ah"
"I am aware that you need a mega stone, so there's no way I can try"
"You are a bright young lady for knowing that" I shrugged, knowing that "Calem never got the chance to use it. It didn't belong to him or his dad to begin with if they could never use it. I'm not sure if Calem has the kind of heart to make a keystone" Lysandre looked confused "but since it's in your hands now... not only are you probably able to use it, since there aren't a lot of people who can, not saying you don't have the potential" he nervously chuckled, trying not to piss me off, seeing the impatient look on my face "but you're also engaged!" I flinched. Everyone in the cafe clapped for me "congratulations! I wish Calem was here for the celebration" C-Celebration..? What kind of celebration is this?
"I would like to congratulate you as well" Lysandre smiled "mega evolution is something I, too, would like to be able to use. He gave you quite the gift not many people are able to obtain"
"H-hold on!" I blushed hard "I-I am not engaged! Are you serious right now!? He's in the hospital!"
"I understand that, but truth be told, this isn't exactly why I brought you here" Lysandre nodded and went over to the back of the counter where the employees worked to fix something up "Calem is going to remain in that hospital for a few days, and then he'll be able to rejoin you and your friends on your search"
"W-what? What do you mean a few days!?" It's strange how I'm caring so much. I didn't want to go alone either, but I care just as much as I care about Serena, in a different way strangely "he had surgery, how exactly is he going to be able to travel again?" He leaned on his chair and looked over at Lysandre
"The healing takes a long while to heal... Did you know Lysandre himself is of royal ancestry?" I looked at the man confused, making coffee or something "he's very intimate about this world and the people who live in it"
"How did we suddenly change the topic?"
"He's always saying that people can be divided into two groups. Those who give... and those who take... he even compares them to the legendary Pokémon of Kalos, the ones who take life and give it... when I hear this story, I think of Calem and his mother" I became slightly confused "with what Calem has done... taking lives" he whispered a bit "and his mother who gave him life... the reason why I brought you here today is to tell you, because you're so close to Calem and becoming his change, I wanted to tell you that his mother send me her Pokémon that is powerful enough to heal his wounds in under a few days" my eyes widened "she wanted to make sure he survives... a mother's love is strong, even if he told her to disown him and destroy the proof of being related... she wanted to give him life, and because he took so many, she looks pass it. I'm not sure if he truly changed since then, but you are giving him a change to live" I looked down
"B-but... I can't. I can't be there for him like that. I'm the wrong person. I'm a bad person, Sycamore. Calem saw it all... I don't care who he is... I don't care if he killed. I'm just too far away from this world" I remembered seeing earth from my dream from the moon, and leaving Calem in between...
"Did you know about this before?" I shook my head
"I recently found out... and it's not something I want to talk about" he nodded
"long, long ago, the king of Kalos sought to take everything for his own, and he created a terrible weapon. Then the fire of destruction was unleashed... that is the legend that has been passed down. In Lysandre's words 'the future isn't decided. You can't be sure each day will be like the one before' you are far still too young to look down at your actions. Calem has said he's wanting to change, but he still holds nothing in his heart. I've seen that in the hospital. The way he looked at me was the same as I first met him" he patted my hand "you may decide on your future or not, but things can still happen. It's whether up to you if you want to choose the right road. I'm not saying this for Calem's sake, but yours as well" he leaned back "your mother told me a bit about you as well as Serena. Serena thinks your the best person in the world and so talented, so strong, so confident... but even if I see you're strong, you lack confidence"
"W-what?" I was taken back, not liking what I just heard "I-Is it really that noticeable?"
"Many may not see it, but seeing you right now, talking to me, it's clear to see it. You don't open yourself to others, that's why they don't see through you. Does Calem see through you?" I looked down, shamefully nodding "I don't want to make you feel bad, but I want you to understand that we all have to take care of ourselves. This was about Calem, but I think I come to see what kind of person you are" I stood up and walked to the exit "Sophia?"
"Thanks for telling me about Calem... I think I'm looking forward to seeing him be put back together" I spoke quietly to myself "I wish I can say the same about me... at least he'll be healed..." I held the side of my stomach "I'm still stuck with this scar..."
~
A scar? I wonder where the scar came from! And also... if you're confused on the making of the keystone, keep reading to find out more. Can Sophia even use it? Lake Verity is in Sinnoh, so... yes? No?