A Lucario's Trainer
This story is sad so far, be warned! Also, AGNPH will always get the exclusive for this series. A few days or maybe even a week seems prudent.
A Lucario's Trainer
Kat was walking through the forest at the base of the volcano. It was thick, and lush, due to the rich volcanic ash and mud that had been deposited by the eruption almost a hundred years previously. An eruption that had wiped out all life on the island, except for the tiny fishing village she called home, saved by the efforts of Pokémons that were legend to her people. It was her sixteenth birthday in a few days, and, as tradition stated, she was to find a Pokémon as her partner, and best friend, for the long years ahead of her.
She was dressed in the trainers outfit already, the skimpy blue skirt, short blue shirt with barely any sleeves, and a red bow in her long brown hair, holding her ponytail in place.
With a soft sigh, she started towards the caldera of the Volcano. It wasn't really that the eruption had killed all the Pokémon. It has just scared them all away, and being on an island, the only Pokémon that would come back were water types, and she really wasn't interested in water types overly much.
The hike was hard, and long, but it was a nice day, and she wasn't lazy, so she was moderately fit. At the top of the Volcano, the caldera became visible. It was at least a mile across, filled with sparkling blue water, and, notably, water Pokémon. She could see the red gleam of Magikarp scales under the waters surface, and Shellder, huddled against the silt on the side of the caldera lake, feeding on the little animals that lives in the rich volcanic mud.
Shaking her head a little, her shoulders slumped, she started around the edge of the Caldera, looking for any kind of Pokémon that wasn't a water type. But even the flying types didn't come here. It had been far too long since she'd even seen a Spearow, or a Pidgey, or even a Ratatta, for all that they were pests on the mainland.
She wasn't really paying attention to much, just walking, staring down at her feet, when she paused, frowning, leaning down to the ground and peering at the odd tracks there...
Those...definitely were not tracks of any Pokémon she had ever seen before!
Immediately, she picked up her speed, jogging a little, following the odd Pokémon tracks, eyes narrowed down at them, before she slowed right down, and began to sneak. She was approaching the old Pokémon shrine, one of the few things to survive the eruption. It has to be several hundred years old, and it was of a Pokémon that the adults of the village called 'Darkrai'.
At first, she didn't notice anything amiss...but then she saw the blue and black Pokémon kneeling in front of the ancient alter, reciting something that she couldn't understand. His words were muffled by the acoustics of the area, but when the alter began to glow, she didn't need to know what he was saying!
"Hey!? What are you doing!?" she asked, moving out from around the rock, her hands at her sides, feeling stupid, blushing a little.
Stay out of this, human! A male voice said in her mind, with a force that sent her reeling backwards, onto her ass, blinking about a few times.
"Leave the altar alone! You're not supposed to touch it! The elders say so!" she said with a firm nod, climbing to her feet and advancing on the Pokémon.
Its head turned towards her, and the red eyes seemed to glow, and she blinked a few times, falling to her knees, and then forwards, onto her stomach, unable to move her arms or legs at all...or any part of her body! I said, stay out! the Pokémon said, his tone malicious, almost a snarl.
She tried to balk back away from this angry, mean Pokémon, but her body was immobilised, from whatever the Pokémon had done to her.
"Stop it! It's wrong!" she said, struggling to move, managing to get an arm under her and heave herself into a sitting position, panting with the exertion. "You'll make the gods angry!"
The alter stopped glowing, and the Pokémon slowly, slowly turned to face her, his eyes a dark, angry red colour, and for all of his diminutive size, his presence seemed to make him ten feet tall as he rounded on her. Who are you to talk to me about god?! his snarling tone came into her head, like being hit with a massive hangover and a migraine at the same time.
I did nothing wrong! She did nothing wrong! And she was still taken from me! God is a lie! he growled, drawing his arm back, a blue ball coalescing at the point, which he then tossed at her almost carelessly.
It hit her square in the chest, with no chance for her to block or dodge it, and she felt herself thrown backwards against the rock she had hid behind a few moments previously, sprawling out over it, her head hitting it rather hard, sending stars shooting through her vision. She could feel herself sliding down the rock, falling flat on her butt, lifting a shaking hand to touch the back of her head, her fingers coming away red. Trying to move, she found she couldn't again, for a different reason this time, shock, and the concussive force of the blow that had hit her.
In front of her, she was dimly aware of the Pokémon murmuring something, and the altar glowing brightly, the amount of light it was emitting increasing as time went by. But then, she saw something she never expected to see on her island...a Scyther!
It seemed to just flicker into existence behind the blue and black Pokémon, who was oblivious to its presence. It raises a long, wicked scythe, and drew it back for a strike at the unprotected back of the Pokémon.
Without even being aware of it, Kat launched herself at the Scyther, tackling it around the midsection, crashing them both to the ground. The blue Pokémon whirled around to face them, and gave a growl of anger, even as Kat scrambled backwards on her ass and hands, trying to get away from the flailing scythes, even as one of them flailed and caught her leg, slicing easily through her flesh and leaving a shallow gash that smarted and stung.
"Oooow!" she whimpered, clasping both of her hands over the wound and rolling onto her side, continuing to try and back away.
This time, the Scyther turned on her, lifting its arm high, the long, wicked scythe gleaming, red, bug-like eyes gleaming down at her, like giant, many-faceted jewels.
The scythe began to come down, and she whimpered, trying to move and just slumping with a cry of pain from her leg, clasping the wound and staring up, helplessly, at the descending scythe.
A ball of blue energy slammed into the Scyther, from the side, and it was blasted off its feet in a glimmering ball of flying shrapnel like a bursting glass globe being thrown at a wall.
Kat shielded her face as best she could with her forearm, her free hand clasped firmly to her wound, wincing and peering up at the blue Pokémon...it was standing right above her!
The odd, canine form of the Pokémon was super-imposed upon the sun, his shadow falling over her, obscuring his features, except for his eyes, those glowing red coals that peered down at her, narrowed.
She couldn't be sure, but the look in his eyes as he peered down upon her, it was almost as if...as if he saw something in her, but then the darkness gathering at the edges of her vision began to creep further towards the centre, and she made a faint noise of distress as she saw the shadowy figure of the Pokémon lean in towards her...but then the darkness became complete and she was aware no more.
* * *
Kat groaned faintly and opened her eyes, staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling, her head swimming, her entire body seeming to ache and throb faintly. There was movement next to her, and she blinked sideways, shying away from the blue and black Pokémon that was reaching for her.
Stay still. the gentle voice ordered, and though she gave a slight whimper, she didn't move.
A moist cloth was laid on her forehead, and she gave a long, happy groan at the coolness.
Are you okay? it asked of her, and she opened her eyes, peering at him blankly.
"I...I guess." she managed.
....I'm sorry for hitting you... he murmured faintly through his telepathy, and she stared at him a few moments.
"W-why did you attack me in the first place?" she asked cautiously, a little nervously.
Why...Why did you put your life on the line for me? Even after I attacked you? he asked, without answering her question.
"I guess...because I couldn't just let it attack you..." she seemed to suddenly find the blanket she was under intensely interesting, fidgeting with a stray thread.
But...I had shown nothing but animosity towards you... he murmured faintly.
"...and that's no real reason to leave you to get struck from behind." she said, turning her head and looking at the opposite wall, blushing faintly. "W-why were you doing that thing with the altar anyways?...it must be important to you..."
More than you could ever know... came the bitter reply, and the Pokémon shook his head slowly.
"...What are you?" she asked curiously, tilting her a little.
I'm a Lucario...we're not common. he murmured in return, tilting his head at her and perking his ears.
"I've never heard of anything like you before...your trainer must miss you." she said with a firm nod.
The Lucario paused a moment, and his eyes became dark, narrowing a little, making her wince backwards away from him and give another faint whimper.
My trainer is dead. he said bitterly.
"Oh. Sorry..." she murmured, looking away, hoping not to spark the Lucario's anger.
She was about your age too...she was even my parents trainer as well. But then she got killed by a rampaging Rhydon at a Pokémon show. the Lucario's tone was bitter, and sad.
"I'm sorry..." she murmured in return, unsure what to say.
She was nice...and I just want one day with her. One. More. Day. the Lucario's tone broke and she sneaked a quick glance back, blushing as she realised what he was doing. There was a silent tear coursing through down the Pokémons downturned muzzle, dripping off his nose and onto the floor next to the bed.
"Is that...is that what you were doing at Darkrai's altar?" Kat asked of him, not turning towards him, trying to let him retain his dignity.
Darkrai is a master of time...he could let me see her again! And I can summon him with the altar and enough Aura power! The Lucario's tone had become dark again, his teeth bared, sounding quite cold and angry. And you interrupted me! So now I don't have enough Aura power to summon Darkrai! And I need enough left over to bargain with! the blue canid Pokémon punched the bed with his right fist, shaking with anger. But...you helped me...when the altars power angered the Pokémon, you helped me...that was something Mistress would have done... he murmured softly.
kat tilted her head to one side curiously, and risked a glance at the Lucario, frowning. She had heard about the Aura power. It was apparently something that surrounded them, infused them all, was in all living creatures. But if you didn't have any left...
"You'd...give up all your Aura just to be with your mistress for one more day?" she asked with wonder. It was what amounted to suicide, death, after a single day with his mistress.
I would. the Lucario replied with a single nod, his ears laying back against his skull.
She nodded slowly in reply, and toyed with the blankets once more. "Where am I?" she asked, peering at the Pokémon.
A building on the opposite side of the island to your village, I think...Stay here. Rest...find your way back when you are strong enough. Farewell, kind trainer. I'm going to see my Mistress. the Lucario said, standing and heading for the door.
"Wait!" she said, holding out a hand in placation, frowning deeply, unsure what she even wanted to say. The Lucario paused on the threshold of the door, and peered back at her over a shoulder, waiting.
"Just...your mistress. She sounds like an awesome person. A person that would be worth all of your admiration and respect, and your love and servitude as well. But is she worth dying over?" she frowned and shook her head, holding out her hand again. "No! I didn't mean that! I meant...would she want you to do this? Or keep living? One more day with her will give you more memories of her...but you can't enjoy those memories if you're gone, can you?" she asked, raising a brow at him, helplessly, "Why not just keep the memories you already have? And remember her, every day? If you go and sacrifice all of your tomorrows for a single yesterday, isn't that being selfish? Are all of your tomorrows worth a single yesterday? Who will remember her if you're gone? She might only be a memory to you now, but that's all everything is in the end, isn't it? Memories. And you can't make more memories if you trade all of your chances to make more just so you can experience something you already remember. Why not make more memories?" she continued, pausing to take a breath, and frowning slightly to herself.
"...F-forget it. I probably don't even understand." she murmured softly to herself, peering down at her hands, playing with the blanket again.
The Lucario stayed staring at her again for a few more moments, his eyes narrowed, red eyes dark and cold. You know...You're right.
Kat looked up hopefully, her eyes widening a little. "I-I am?"
You really don't understand. he said firmly, and then turned back to face forwards, squaring his shoulders and walking out the door, leaving Kat frowning down at the blankets covering her legs.
* * *
The Lucario frowned at the altar, his eyes narrowing, ears laying back as he lifted his paws and started to drain his Aura into the stone, focusing as hard as he could upon the cool stone, and the likeness of Darkrai atop it, concentrating on summoning the Pokémon to him, to let him make a deal with it, and see his mistress again!
But it was hard to concentrate properly...the female trainers voice kept intruding, as if an echo within his mind, her own special telepathy or so it seemed.
Frowning, he redoubled his efforts, starting to feel weak, blue balls of aura coalesced at his fingertips and slowly siphoning into the stone, which was glowing once more.
Are all of your tomorrows worth a single yesterday?
He frowned a little deeper, and shook his head to clear it. He wasn't going back for the time, he was going back for her.
Who will remember her if you're gone?
She was gone. That was all that mattered, and he could get her back, even if it was only for one day...
She might only be a memory to you now, but that's all everything is in the end, isn't it? Memories.
That was all she was now. A memory in the mind of a Lucario. And he had the power to bring her back, make her more than just a memory.
Why not just keep the memories you already have? And remember her, every day?
It was impossible not to remember her every day. The whisper of her hair against her skin, the sound of her laugh, training with her in a Field of flowers, winning Pokémon competitions with her...easily the happiest days of his life. He could remember it, remember it all. As crisply and as fresh as if they had just happened. But all memories fade. she would fade. It was only a matter of time before he forget what her face looked like, or what her voice sounded like. Only a matter of time before she became a barely-remembered hurt in his past, and that was the last thing he wanted for her to be.
He shook his head vigorously to clear it, and then growled faintly, his eyes narrowing on the altar, which had begun to radiate light, falling to one knee and then rising back to both feet once more, determined.
"If you live in the past, you become part of it..." the female trainers voice echoed within his head again, and he growled once more, trying to get rid of it, before pausing, distractedly...she had never said that to him...
Peering back over his shoulder, he blinked at her, red eyes dimmed, the Lucario panting hard, sweat dripping from his body. G-go away! he growled, baring his teeth at her weakly. I have to do this!
Kat stood on one leg, leaning against the rock and peering at him sadly, shaking her head. "No...you really don't. You don't have to to trade your future for a day with your mistress. Because then you'll be gone too, and it'll be pointless."
A long, vicious snarl escaped the Lucario's muzzle, and he turned a ball of blue energy towards her. You know how much I need this! And you keep trying to stop me! You don't even know me! why?!"
"Because it's what I believe in." she said stubbornly, and then crossed her arms, setting her stance and pouting at him slightly.
The altar began to lose its glow behind him, and the Lucario began to laugh, just softly, peering down at his paws as the aura began to fade. You remind me so much of her... he murmured softly, watching as his paws stopped glowing, and he slumped down to his knees. And it hurts, you know...? Everything reminds me of her, and every memory hurts, and it doesn't get any better. And it just keeps hurting, and hurting. And I just want her back, and I don't care what happens after that. his tone had changed during his little speech, from a almost-laugh, to an almost-sobbing, tears falling off the forwards edge of his muzzle again. You don't understand! You try and convince me not to do it when you. Don't. Understand. he sighed and shook his head slowly.
"Of course I don't understand. But I know you shouldn't just go throwing everything away for a single day...why can't you find someone else to be happy with?" she asked calmly, raising a brow at him.
I was happy with her! he shouted, hitting the ground with his fist in anger, and then just slumping downwards, putting his muzzle in his paws. You don't understand...and I don't understand either! he said, pawing at his ears and then tugging at them like a person losing control and pulling their hair. I was told that everything happens for a reason! That we're all here for a reason! Well what's the reasoning behind her dying?! he asked of her, staring up at her with red eyes, and not only from their natural colouration. he waved a hand dismissively. You can't explain that. No one can. It doesn't make sense.
"...It doesn't make sense now..." she murmured a little, shifting closer to him, gingerly lowering herself down onto one knee. "But f you give it time, it might..."
The Lucario stared at her for a long moment, and shook his head, taking a deep, shuddering breath, looking like he was trying his very hardest not to break down. N-no. It can't make sense! Her dying is the ultimate irony on any belief! She never did anything wrong, and a Rhyhorn killed her because its stupid trainer didn't discipline it properly! he spat on the ground in complete and utter fury, crossing his arms and glaring at her.
Shifting closer to him, she shook her head a little. "I never said it would make sense right now...and trying to is going to make you angry..." she murmured soothingly, sitting besides him, brushing herself off a little and gingerly extending her sore leg. "But if you go making rash decisions while you're grieving, then you're going to bad decisions." she murmured to him gently.
The Lucario went to open his mouth, to say something, but before he could, Kat had leaned sideways and wrapped her arms around him in a hug, like his old mistress had done, during times of happiness.
The Pokémon was stiff in her arms, rigid, his arms at his side, eyes wide. This was not a time for celebrating! This was a time of mourning, of anger, of doing everything in his power to bring her back, not a time for her to hug him as if he had won something!
His mind cast back to the last time he had been hugged, by his mistress, after winning a grueling competition, how happy she had been, how ecstatic she was that he was good enough to win that ribbon! it had swelled his heart with joy, made it so big that it seemed to want to escape out of his mouth...and now that same place was a empty pit of howling darkness and pain...
Slowly, he gave himself to that hug, and didn't even flinch when her arms wrapped around him properly, and began to gently rock him from side to side, along with a soft patting of his back, and he felt as odd sensation rushing throughout his body.
S-stop it! Stop making me w-weak! he sniffled, tears bursting out of his muzzle and rolling down through his fur. Stop making me remember these things! I don't want to remember any more! he gave a faint wail into her arms and then wrapped his own around her, tightly, almost a vice-grip, burying his muzzle in that comforting warmth and sense of closeness.
"let it all out..." she murmured, stroking the back of his head gently, and he did, howling into her embrace, a sound of pain and anguish and loss, that seemed to echo around the Caldera, until he was a veritable puddle of Lucario, limp and honestly, quite moist in her arms.
She let him exhaust himself in her arms, until he was hoarse, red-eyed, and listless, confused, seemingly unable to process what was happening. "Lucario?" she asked of him, peering down at him and stroking at his back gently.
W-what? he asked after a pause, as if he was trying to remember his manners.
Kat gently disentangled his arms from around her, and then drew back, climbing slowly to her feet and holding her hand out to the Pokémon. "Come with me...come make new memories..."
The blue and black Pokémon peered up at her, and then looked from her outstretched hand, to the alter...from a possible future, to a definite past. A tangible memory of her, a possible reunion with Her.
He shook his head slowly, and gave a hoarse whine, sprawling out on the ground and clasping onto it as if it were a lifeline and he were drowning. I don't want to leave!
Kat gave a slight sigh and held her her hand for him, frowning, "You have to let go, Lucario..." she murmured, gently.
If you live in the past, you become part of it.
Her voice echoed in his head, and he covered his eras, trying to block it out, shaking his head repeatedly. He wanted to be part of the past, to be with Her.
"She isn't here any more, Lucario." Kat murmured to him, and he gave another long whine, trying to block out the painful words. "Living in the past won't bring her back...and until you let go, you can't do her memory justice, can you?"
The Lucario shook his head again, and then beat at the ground with his fists. I don't want to move on! he shouted, fresh tears streaming down his muzzle.
"Nobody ever wants to..." she murmured sadly to him, and then lightly touched his muzzle with her hand, pulling it up to face her. "Come with me, move on, make new memories. Find your place in the world. Live in the present, remember the past, look forwards to the future. Anything else is pointless." she murmured.
He frowned up at her hand, like a petulant child refusing to leave his favorite place, only so much desperate, so much more needy, and even though she didn't even know him, it broke her heart to try and make him choose like that.
With a look of grim determination, the Lucario took her hand, climbing to his feet and peering down at the ground, sniffling once and rubbing at his eyes. I have to be strong for her. I have to honour her memory. he said defiantly, staring up at her with a tear-streaked muzzle and sore red eyes. She thought she had never seen a more determined person in her life.
She might just be a memory now...but she's my memory...any new memories are nothing compared to the ones I have of her...
* * *
Kat huffed faintly and kept climbing, her eyes flitting back and forth between the grass, and the rocks, and the nearby cliffside, hearing the crashing, pounding ocean waves breaching upon the shore. It was the morning after her meeting with the Lucario, and she was searching, once more, for pokémon. She knew there was a scyther on the island somewhere, and that was her target. Hence her climbing up the volcano in the early hours of the morning, while it was still mostly dark.
She hadn't seen the Lucario after an incident the previous day.
It was late in the afternoon, after they had returned to her village on the eastern side of the island. It wasn't anything big, or even really permanent, with a pokémon, a pokecentre, and a few houses. It was made, mainly, for the spring, when her entire village acceded to their nomadic origins and came to the island for a season of fishing while the Magikarp were good.
The memories were vivid to her. Every step had been a pain, and blood had soaked across her entire lower leg from the cut the Scyther had inflicted upon her. It wasn't a mortal wound, but it had hurt like hell. She had gone to the pokémart and bought the Lucario a silver bow as a way to show him that it was alright that she had gotten hurt, that she didn't hold it against him, and while she was gone, it let him acclimatise himself to her house, where she had told him he could stay for a while, until he figured out what he was going to do.
She had presented the bow to him, in her lounge room, just holding it out with a smile.
The Lucario had taken the bow, and stared at it for the longest time, as if lost, before turning and literally fleeing the house, as if it were on fire. She hadn't seen him since, and doubted she ever would. He had seemed...emotionally unstable. The way she saw it, he probably needed to be alone.
Kat's head tilted to one side, and she listened intently. From up ahead, along the line of the rocky cliff, she could hear something. She wasn't quite sure what it was, and so she crept slowly closer, to try and figure out what it was, sidling up to a rock and peering over top of it.
It struck her then, how infernally easy it was to sneak up to someone who was in the middle of an embarrassing moment, and then how hard it was to sneak away without them realising.
The Lucario was a silhouette against the dark backdrop of the unlit ocean, the one red eye she could see in the darkness glowing like a dying coal, a glimmer of moisture tracing a path from it to the Lucario's nose, and from there, dripping into his lap. She could barely see the edge of the silver bow she had given him, sitting in his lap.
I-it seems you are destined to see me in my weakest moments... came the soft, sad mental voice of the Lucario, before she could even begin to try creeping away.
"I-I'm sorry...I didn't know you were here, honestly! I was looking for that Scyther, from yesterday, and the cliff is one of the places I haven't searched and..." she trailed off with a faint sigh. "I'll go." she murmured gently, turning away.
No! the Lucario's tone was almost needy, desperate. Stay...please... he murmured, patting the ground nearby him with a paw, head still down turned, though his tears had stopped...probably because of her.
She nodded the once, and slowly made her way over to him, sitting down on the edge of the cliff with him, with her legs over the side, not too close, but not too far away from the blue-and-black pokémon, waiting for him to speak first.
E-everything... he murmured faintly, and then paused and brushed at his eyes with the back of his paw, taking a steadying breath, Everything reminds me of her...there's a flower, in the volcano's lake...I remember she wore perfume that was made with the pollen of that same kind of flower...and every single time I smell it, I remember her hugging me, keeping me and the rest of her pokémon tight to her for warmth on cold nights when we were adventuring...But it isn't just the big things! he held his head in his paws, and gave a long sound of pain. Every time the goddamn wind passes through my fur in just the right way, I remember standing with her on a hillside, whenever I hear a bird call I remember walking with her through the forest! Everything reminds me of her, and now she's gone...a-and I'm never going to be able to do all of those things again... he made a strangled noise and then sniffled once, before drawing in a deep breath, trying to steady himself.
"I know..." she murmured, helplessly, inching a little closer to him, and then wrapping her arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close to her.
T-the bow you got me...it reminded me of her as well... he murmured faintly, leaning against her and wrapping his paws around her as if he were drowning and she were driftwood.
"I'm sorry..." she murmured, gently patting his back.
No...it wasn't your fault...everything reminds me of her. But the bow... he gave a long sigh and shook his head sadly, burying his nose in her side for comfort.
She was training me so hard... he said, shakily, before drawing in a deep breath and seeming to calm down slightly. I couldn't learn the move she wanted me to...and I tried, I tried so hard to learn it for her...but she just gave up on it. Gave up on me. She said it was alright, that I didn't need to learn the new move to be perfect in her eyes...but I wanted to! I needed to learn that move for her, to make her proud of me...And she already was proud of me! I was just too young and stupid to see that. She was proud of me for trying_...she didn't care if I could do it or not, she didn't care one way or the other, but it mattered to me, I wanted to learn that move for her...and so I trained in secret. Every night, I would sneak out, and practice..._ he shook his head gently, and stared down at his lap, his tail giving a weak little flick.
And then we had this battle...it was against a really, really strong pokémon. A Venusaur. It had been trained so well...there was just nothing the other pokémon could do against it, and she let me out as a last resort. I was the last pokémon she had left out of the six, and she told me later that she sent me out last because she didn't want me to get hurt...but I had trained, I'd trained for her_, I'd learn the Flame Punch she tried to teach me, and when I used it on that Venusaur and beat it with a single move...she was_ so proud of me... silent tears were coursing down the pokémons muzzle again, splashing into her lap, and he had to stop as his voice broke, and he was unable to continue.
...She took me to the pokémart afterwards, after she had healed the rest of her pokémon...she let me walk there, out of the pokéball, and she was smiling at me...t-that sweet smile of hers...she took me in there, and told me I could have anything in the shop, anything I wanted at all...but I just said something stupid and sweet to her...I don't even remember what it was, something like, 'All I ever want is for you to be my trainer'...and she was just so happy at that moment...she got me that silver bow right afterwards, and as she tied it on, she told me it was a special sign from her...a sign that she would always be my trainer, and my friend...and then she hugged me...and the entire world seemed to just...stop...and I was so happy at that moment...she was proud of me, and that was all I ever wanted!
Tears were now splashing readily into her lap, and she continued to gently pat at his back, as soothingly as she could, rocking him a little back and forth.
W-when you gave me this silver bow, I-I remember that moment... he murmured softly, staring down at the slightly-moist, and now fairly dirty silver bow that was sitting in his lap.
"But that's something to be happy about..." she murmured faintly, peering down at him.
I-I remembered it...in vivid detail...the smell of her hair, the feel of her arms around me, her warm breath washing over my ears, the warmth of her body...I remembered how perfect it was...and how I-I'll...I'll n-never feel that again...she's gone...and she's never going to h-hug me or smile at me again...ever... he trailed off into an almost silent sob, and then clung to her, burying is face in her shoulder, trying to block out the world. She's gone, and it's not fair! I-I just want her to smile at me again! Or hug me! Or just hear her tell me that she's proud of me no matter what_happens!...nothing else matters! Can't you see?! I don't want any tomorrows! Tomorrow without her isn't worth it! A million days without her aren't worth one with her!_ he cried out faintly and buried his nose further into her shoulder, wailing softly against her, like a child throwing a tantrum. Don't you understand?! What's the point if she's not here with me?!
She shook her head slowly, and gently, soothingly stroked at his back, hugging him tight and just listening, letting him expend his anger before she spoke again. "It won't make sense." she murmured softly, "And trying to make sense of it won't help you in any way. You just have to move on, you have to stop being a part of the past and move onwards. Find someone new. No one will ever replace your old trainer, but perhaps someone else could help you move on?"
But I don't want to move on! I don't want to forget...and I don't want to remember either! It j-just hurts...and it never stops...this stupid, burning pain just claws at my insides constantly, and it never ceases...I-I just want it to stop...I want it to stop hurting...please...someone make it stop h-hurting... he pleaded, sobbing faintly and hugging her fiercely, his eyes clenched shut as tears ran freely, the rising sun starting to wash its light over them in soft gold tones.
D-don't go please...p-please just s-stay with me for a little while...I'll p-pay you back for this, I p-promise...but when you're hugging me like this...I-I can almost imagine...imagine that she's here again, hugging me...and it stops hurting...a little... he gave a pained sound, and she hugged him in close again, gently stroking at his back, smoothing his ears back against his skull, leaning down to gently, soothingly whisper to him,
"Take all the time you need..."
* * *
[End notes!] (All of you pokemon nerds, I understand that Darkrai is NOT the time pokemon. Please don't point that out, it's deliberate :3)