“So, this isn’t Mistralton City?” I asked.

“Nah, that’s a bit further up,” Ella shook her head, looking at a shiny, black wooden cane in her hand.

“I guess we could use a rest,” I said, sighing as I laid back against the bench in the Pokemon Center, my head against the wall.

“That’s an understatement. If anyone needs a rest, I deserve it more than either of you two.” Ella squinted at me jealously. “Your shoulder is all better, and June only needs a cane at this point.”

June smiled, gripping her cane in her left hand. Her head was no longer wrapped in bandages, and her left leg was relieved of its bondage as well.

Nurse Joy had checked on the three of us after receiving our Pokemon and stated that June and I were recovering just fine, offering to remove my sling and June’s gauze and medical boot while informing us that if we wanted to be on the safe side, we could still keep them on until we were entirely recovered. June and I insisted on being freed if the option was safe, and Nurse Joy confirmed that we’d be fine. She told June that she should continue to use her cane, as her leg needs time to not only recover, but learn to walk again after the time it’s had out of use. She said it would be a rehabilitation period for it. She also told me that my right arm and shoulder would need some time before they would be fully functional like they had been before and to be gentle with them.

My arm and shoulder sure did feel strange now that I was able to move them again after such a long time, and my shoulder still hurt quite a bit when I moved it, but I was too happy to be rid of that sling to care. I’d just have to be extra careful with myself for a little while.

Ella’s leg wasn’t broken, but it was bleeding at the knee continuously and causing her a lot of pain, so Nurse Joy wrapped it in gauze and gave her a cane to use, saying that her leg should be fine in a few days, but if it wasn’t, she should find a hospital to look at it immediately.

Now, the three of us were resting in the lobby of the otherwise empty building, Nurse Joy and her Audino in the back with our Pokemon.

“Nurse Joy said you’d be fine in a short time,” I smiled at Ella.

“Yeah, well, tell my leg that,” Ella snapped, looking down at her leg.

Her tone made my heart beat in fear that I had upset her. I didn’t want to make Ella mad at me.

“What hit me?” Ella wondered in a more gentle tone. “Man! This really stinks. How am I supposed to travel like this?”

“I did it,” June told her happily. “And my leg was in really rough shape! You’ll be fine in no time.”

Ella sighed and shook her head. “I’m really not-”

“June?” a voice said from near us.

The three of us gasped as we looked up, surprised that there was somebody else in the lobby with us.

I was certain that we were alone just a few moments ago.

A young kid stood in front of us, leaning forward just a bit, his light blue eyes wide with surprise. His face broke in an overjoyed smile and he stood up straight as he ran his right hand through his dirty blonde hair that sat at the sides of his face. “June! I can’t believe this! What are you doing here?”

“Frederick!” June gasped hard, her eyes wide as she raised a hand to cover her mouth. Her eyes instantly watered up.

“June.” The stranger opened his arms wide.

June tossed her cane aside and immediately stumbled over to the young guy and embraced him in a huge hug.

Who the hell is this guy? I wondered, raising an eyebrow, twisting my face in a look of uncertainty.

“Frederick! How? Why? I can’t believe this!” June’s face buried itself into the chest of Frederick’s white sweater and I could hear her sniffling as she began to cry.

“June, how have you been?” Frederick asked gently, rubbing June’s back slowly.

June’s body appeared to give a slight shiver. “Freddy, I’m just fine!” June cried, lifting her head to look at him. “Freddy, oh, wow! What are you doing in Unova? What are you doing here? Freddy!” She planted a kiss on both of his cheeks. “You’re cold!”

My eyes squinted and my eyebrows furrowed as they moved from this boy to June, back and forth a few times. Okay, seriously, who is this guy? I silently demanded. A nudge in my side made me turn and I stared in surprise at Ella.

She nudged me again and gave me a wink, motioning with her head at June and Frederick with a childish grin on her face.

I nodded slowly and turned back, feeling my eyebrows furrow again.

Fred kissed June’s cheeks in return and held her by her shoulders as he gazed at her, a couple of inches taller than her. “It’s a bit chilly today, I suppose. I’m here in Unova to visit my distant relatives,” Fred explained. “How about you?”

June got silent and her face blushed a deep red. “Oh, um…” She turned around and waved at Ella and I. “These are my two friends, Gary and Ella. They’re Pokemon Trainers and I… am traveling with them through Unova…”

“Oh, my pleasure,” Fred nodded at us with a smile.

“Yeah,” I muttered, nodding back.

Ella got to her feet and extended a hand to Fred. “It’s nice to meet you!”

Fred looked down at Ella’s hand, but didn’t release June’s shoulders.

After a couple of seconds, Ella’s hand started to lower, her smile fading slightly.

Fred slowly released June and finally grasped Ella’s hand.

“Oh, my!” Ella gasped. “You are cold!”

“You’re warmer than I am,” Fred chuckled. “It will be nice when spring gets here, eh?”

“About a month away,” Ella nodded. “I can’t wait.”

Fred released her hand and nodded before looking to me. His smile faded. “And you must be Gary.”

“Yeah,” I mumbled, squinting at him.

He stared into my eyes with his own, a cold look coming over his face.

Neither of us spoke a word as we stared suspiciously at each other.

“Uh… Way to make things even colder!” Ella laughed at our unfriendly staring contest.

I stood up and took a couple of steps closer to him, continuing to glare at the kid.

Fred looked away and stared at the ground. He bent over to pick up June’s cane and turned to her. “A cane? Are you alright?”

June had been leaning on her right leg since Fred had let go of her. “I am. I just got into a little accident a bit ago. I’m alright, though. I’m just using this for a couple more days. My leg is fine, though.” She gently took her cane from Fred.

Fred turned and looked at Ella’s cane before returning his eyes to June. “What happened? If you don’t mind me asking.”

June looked down silently. “Well…” She swallowed.

“Excuse my rudeness,” Fred bowed. “What matters is that you’re here now, and looking so well. No need to dwell on the past. I’m so glad to see you again, June.” He wrapped his arms around her again and June squeezed him back.

“So, do you two have some kind of history Gary and I should be knowing about?” Ella teased slyly.

June turned to Ella with an even redder face than before. “Well, this is Freddy, my very best friend from back home in Gringey City. I haven’t seen him since I left home about three years ago.” June shot me a lightning fast glance.

“June, what happened back then?” Fred asked sadly. “We were all so upset by your decision to leave. I couldn’t believe it. Why did you go? I never understood why you chose to abandon us like that. And your Gym! Why?”

June closed her eyes and lowered her head. “I told you, Freddy. I was a failure as a Pokemon Trainer.”

“But, why leave us like that? Why not just quit as a Gym Leader?” Fred insisted.

“Freddy, dear.” June turned to her friend, and her voice started to tremble. “You have no idea how embarrassing it was. The entire city supported me for countless battles; endless losses. To quit was just a spit in the face of everyone there. My family. Everyone there is my family, including you. I turned my back on you all by quitting. I ran away from my hopes and dreams. I had no other choice but to literally turn my back and-”

“Please, don’t cry, June,” Fred said softly, pulling June into another hug. “I’m so sorry.”

June sniffled in Fred’s hold that pulled her tightly into him.

Stupid jerk, I glared at him silently. Ruining everything June and I worked so hard to get over, together, back in Kanto. Now’s he’s just bringing all this crap back up.

Fred’s eyes rose and he glared directly at me.

My eyes widened, taken by surprise.

“Aren’t they so cute?” Ella whispered to me.

I shot her a short, sideways glance from the corner of my eye, but I didn’t respond.

“June,” Fred whispered after a couple more minutes of silent hugging.

June sniffled and cleared her throat, but didn’t move or speak.

Something grabbed my hand, and I turned with a start to see a hand holding mine. “Ella?” I whispered in disbelief.

Ella’s eyes were stuck on June and Fred, but her hand was gently holding mine, a wide smile on her face, a longing look in her eyes.

“Freddy,” June whispered, placing her right hand on his chest and looking at him. “Where did you go?”

Fred didn’t reply, glancing down sadly at June.

“You left Gringey City. You moved. I came back a couple of years ago. They told me you moved to Sinnoh. My parents told me that you all moved away, about half a year before I got back to Gringey City. They said that your parents promised to keep in touch, and that you swore you’d call everyday to ask about me, but that none of you ever did. Even your cell phones weren’t working. They were disconnected or something.”

Fred smiled and nodded. “The cost of living came first, before having such pleasures as phones and such. My relatives paid for my trip out here, actually. I’m so sorry, June. When I saw you headed for the Pokemon Center, I was certain I was hallucinating. I almost kept going on my way home, but I couldn’t do that. Even if it wasn’t you, I had to be sure.”

“I’m so glad you did, Freddy,” June smiled. “I’m so happy you’re here.”

“June, I know you’re with your friends, and I know, as Pokemon Trainers, you don’t have a lot of time to waste, but, would it be too much trouble to ask, after all the time I’ve spent away from you, if I could take you out to dinner tonight.”

“Dinner?” June gasped.

“If not, I understand. I don’t mean to come off the wrong way…” Fred’s eyes turned sharply towards me.

June turned to face me, her eyes wide. “Oh, Gary’s not my boyfriend!!” She burst out laughing, holding on to Fred’s shoulders.

I grit my teeth tightly and I stared angrily at June. Why’d she have to say it like that? I thought, getting angrier by the second as she continued to laugh. And what’s so damn funny?

“Yeah!” Ella laughed. “He’s my boyfriend!”

Time froze.

Nobody moved.

“Oh, well, in that case, June, might I take you to dinner tonight?” Fred asked her, smiling, a hopeful look on his face.

June turned around and stared at me and Ella, a shocked look on her face.

Ella pulled me closer to her and rested her head on my shoulder, sighing happily.

I imagined that my face matched June’s stunned glance as I looked back at her. WHAT?!?! I screamed in my head in confusion.

June didn’t move as she locked eyes with me.

“June?” Fred asked, staring at her, and then he looked at me.

June turned away from me slowly and smiled at Fred. “That would be really nice, Freddy.”

What is going on here right now? I asked myself. None of this is making any sense.

“I know you’re sixteen, now. I haven’t had the opportunity to wish you a happy birthday in so long,” Fred told her. “Consider this a belated birthday present, if nothing else.”

“Oh, my gosh! She’s sixteen!?” Ella cried. “How cool is that? Ha! Happy birthday!” Ella giggled joyously and squeezed my hand with both of hers.

I tried hard to swallow, but nothing went down my dry, empty throat as I continued to stare at June and Fred, frozen.

“Why, yes,” Fred said, looking up at us. “Her birthday was only a little over a month ago. How long have you guys been traveling with her, again?”

“Well, I’ve been traveling with Gary and June for almost a month,” Ella told him.

Fred raised an eyebrow at me and then looked at Ella. “What do you mean?”

“Well, Gary and June were traveling together for a long while, like, even since back in Kanto a couple of years ago,” Ella explained. “I only just came recently.”

Fred stared at me solemnly. “Is that so?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” I replied sternly.

“Now, now, don’t take it like that,” June laughed, waving her hand at me dismissively.

Whoa, I thought, gripping Ella’s hands tightly in reaction to June’s nonchalant attitude over me.

“He’s really nothing but a great friend of mine,” June added. “And always has been. You boys are so silly.”

“Yeah, don’t think anything stupid,” I said firmly, keeping my eyes on Fred.

“I wouldn’t consider what I had been thinking as anything stupid,” Fred shot back as June turned to me, her smile fading as what I had said sunk in.

Despite the cold energy between me and Fred, I felt strangely hot, and my skin prickled as I felt an urge to remove my coat, but I stayed still.

Fred gave me a cocky grin. “I’ll be sure to have your friend back before midnight,” Fred joked. “If you’d like, I also know a nice place where you two can spend your evening.”

“Oh, gosh! Really?” Ella squealed, gripping my hand even tighter and leaping up and down.

Fred nodded, smiling pleasantly at Ella.

Ella turned to me and beamed lovingly at me.

I smiled against my will, unable to fight off whatever magic she held within her that she was showering me with.

“Great. I can catch up with June, and you two can have a wonderful date, as well,” Fred said.

I looked at Fred, nodding my head slowly, and then turned back to Ella, looking down at her wearily.

June and I turned to each other once again before looking back at our individual companions.

I have a date…? My eyes were sucked into Ella’s sexy eyes. With Ella…?

*

“This is gonna be amazing,” Ella said happily as we walked together, our shoulders nearly touching as we walked underneath the several glimmering stars above us, down the sidewalk, past a variety of different kinds of stores.

“Yeah,” I said, looking across the street at the block lined with stores selling doughnuts, snacks, fast food, clothes, and hardware products.

“Kind of sucks being a Pokemon Trainer when you don’t come prepared,” Ella giggled. “I mean, if I had known I’d be going on a date while traveling, I may have taken at least one pair of nice clothes with me instead of all this rough terrain stuff.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” I said, managing a nervous smile, my heart dribbling against my chest like a basketball. I reached my hand up and rubbed at my twitching right eye. Stop it already, damn you, I cursed the eye. You’ve been doing this for the past few hours. Relax, please!

“This is it!” Ella stopped and pointed at a building to her right.

Baby Blue

“Sounds like the place,” I said, cocking my head at the black building with tinted black windows, the sign above in a shade of blue so light, it was shaking hands with the color white.

“This will be great!” Ella walked forward and pulled open the tall door, and I grabbed it as I followed behind her.

You idiot! I yelled in my head. YOU’RE supposed to open the damn door! YOU!! And she has a cane!! I am such a failure. I sighed as I rubbed my twitching eye and looked around, stopping next to Ella at a counter with a small cash register, a man in a black and white waiter’s outfit smiling at us from behind it.

“Welcome to the Baby Blue restaurant,” he greeted us. “Will you be dining with us this evening?”

“Yes, just us two,” Ella said before I could find the right words to answer the man.

This is getting embarrassing, I thought to myself. Man up!

“Right this way,” the man nodded, and walked ahead of us swiftly.

Ella turned to me and let out a joyful squeal before hurrying after the man.

As I walked quickly across the baby blue carpeted floor after the two, I looked around at the tables occupied by either couples or groups of people enjoying their meals and conversations, some laughing, others whispering. My mouth nearly watered looking at a man slicing his large steak with a knife, his fork in the middle of it, juices running out of the meat and onto the plate.

I’m one of these people, I thought in amazement. I would never dine alone, and I’m not with my family or anything. I’m at a restaurant, with a girl! My… girlfriend?

“Here you are,” the man said as he stopped beside a table with a large white cloth draped over it, the ends a few inches above the floor.

I moved forward quickly and offered a huge smile as I attempted to pull out Ella’s chair.

Unfortunately, Ella was already in the process of pulling it out herself.

I grabbed the back of the chair she had been pulling out and gave it an overzealous tug, smiling broadly at Ella, merely attempting to do the right thing.

With a loud cry, Ella was pulled forward and dropped to the floor, her cane collapsing next to her. “Ooowww! Hey!” She looked up at me angrily as she rolled off of her knees and onto her backside, grabbing her pained knee.

The sound of whispers and a couple of gasps lasted only a couple of seconds before the entire restaurant went completely silent.

“Ella!” I knelt down next to her. “Ella, I’m so sorry! I was only trying to pull your chair out for you! I’m such an idiot. I’m so sorry! Ella, I’m so sorry!”

Ella stared at me, her look of anger fading as a look of pity took its place for a few seconds, and then, suddenly, she burst out laughing!

I was so embarrassed, my heart bouncing from all angles inside my chest.

The people in the restaurant murmured as they watched us.

“Madame, are you alright?” the waiter asked her, offering her a hand.

Ella kept on laughing. “Yes, I’m fine! That was just so funny to me. Thank you.” She took the waiter’s hand and I grabbed her cane, handing it to her. She was still laughing as she took her seat and set her cane next to her chair, and my shaky legs carried me to my own seat, avoiding the eyes of those in the restaurant.

The waiter nodded off to the side, and another waiter who stood with several other waiters and waitresses several feet away, all of them watching me ruining my date, walked up to our table and placed a menu in front of us both, swiftly walking away.

Another waiter walked up to us from the group of waiters and waitresses as the rest of them scurried off, and he set a basket of bread in front of us, a tiny plate with a large stick of butter and two butter knives placed next to the bread, and he walked off.

A waitress walked up to us and placed two large cups in front of us. She poured ice from a clear pitcher into both cups, and then filled them with water from another pitcher before leaving.

“Once you are ready to order, please, let us know,” our original waiter bowed, and then he left.

I held my menu in shaky hands and stared at the front of it, looking down the list of food, but not really reading it.

“Gary, will you look at me?” Ella pleaded.

Surprised, I lowered my menu and stared across at her smiling face, her eyes wide and pleading. “You’re so cute,” she spoke sweetly.

Nervousness morphed my face as my eyes looked around me nervously. “Thank… You…?” I swallowed hard. Say it back, you dimwit! I urged myself.

“You’re so nervous, aren’t you?” Ella asked, sorrow coming over her face.

“I guess.” I looked down at the menu again. French fries, rice, chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, mixed vegetables, I quickly read in my head before turning the page. Spaghetti, lobster, chicken breast, hamburger…

“Gary, I’m so sorry about earlier, and all of this, really,” Ella told me as she gazed down at her menu, looking up at me after a moment. “I didn’t mean to call you my boyfriend like that back there. I just felt like things were getting awkward and I just…” She paused, glancing down at her menu again, and a smile slowly crept across her face. Her eyes returned to me again. “I think you’re very kind. And sweet. And cute. And I guess I wanted to show them up just a bit.” She giggled, but her smile faded quickly with a sigh. “I’m stupid and I only made things worse, though, huh?”

Do it, do it! I shouted in my head. I opened my mouth and hesitated as Ella glanced over her menu some more. “You’re b-b-”

Ella looked up at me expectantly.

“You’re very pretty, Ella,” I said shakily. “Very, very-” Beautiful! Freaking hot!! “Very much. Um, I think you’re really b-beautiful, actually. And I’m glad we’re on this date.” My eyes shot around nervously as I swallowed.

“Aww! Gary!” Ella’s eyes twinkled at me and her cheeks went red.

I smiled back broadly, suddenly wishing I had a wedding ring with me that I could give to Ella while on one knee. My eyes actually swept the floor quickly, hoping that by some miracle, a ring might just be waiting for me to pick up from the floor so that I could propose to her. “I’m really happy you came along with us on this journey,” I added.

“This has been one of my most favorite parts of this journey; traveling with you and June,” Ella nodded eagerly. She turned the page of her menu and scanned through it before returning her gaze to me.

“Are you two ready to order?” a voice said next to us, and we turned to see our first waiter standing with an electronic pad in one hand, a stylus in the other, smiling.

“Yes, actually, I’d like the chicken parmigiana, please?” Ella said to the waiter as my eyes frantically tore around the menu.

Everything’s so expensive! I realized. I can’t afford this stuff!

“And for you, sir?” the waiter asked me.

“Um, yeah, I’ll have… Fries…” I said feebly, my face growing hot as I refused to face the man.

“And what else?” he asked patiently.

“That’ll be all,” I muttered, lowering my head. A frightening thought suddenly came to my head. What if Ella expects me to pay for all of this? How much money do I have left??

“Um, just French fries?”

“Yes, please.” I closed my menu and pushed it away from me.

“Okay, sir, madame.” He took our menus and walked away.

“Being a Pokemon Trainer isn’t the most cost effective way to live, huh?” Ella laughed lightly.

“Well, not at this restaurant. For that price, the fries better leave me needing a new size in pants,” I sighed, embarrassed that I wasn’t the richest man in the world, and also at my horrible joke I instantly regretted making.

Ella laughed and I managed a smile back, surprised that she was laughing. “You’re funny!” She sighed happily. “So, you think June and Fred are having a good time?”

“Maybe…” My mind reflected on Fred.

“I’ll see you guys later,” June had said to us as Fred walked behind her, his hand on her waist as she led the way out.

“Bye, June! See ya, Fred!” Ella called to them, waving. She had then turned to me. “What’s wrong?”

I was glaring at June and Fred as they walked through the open doors of the Pokemon Center, and then I turned to Ella and shook my head, my eyes lowering to the floor.

“Gary, are you jealous?” she asked, crossing her arms, a teasing smile on her face.

“It’s not even that. I just-” My sentence was halted as I watched the doors to the Pokemon Center close behind Fred, his foot still in the building. I squinted in the sunlight that was shining in through the windows and the glass doors as the doors seemed to close and go right through Fred’s foot! I had shaken my head in disbelief and stared at the doors in shock.

Fred’s foot was no longer in sight.

I squinted in confusion at the doors. Stupid sunlight, I thought, rubbing my eyes.

“He seems nice, huh?” Ella asked me. “It’s nice to meet old friends again. His relatives sure were kind to pay for his trip from Sinnoh into Unova.”

“Yeah…” I muttered.

“Where could he be taking her?” I asked Ella a little after June and Fred had left the Pokemon Center.

“Maybe to his house so she can change into some nice clothes?” Ella suggested. “I’m afraid I’m gonna be looking like trash for our date.” Ella smiled at me, displaying her perfect teeth, making me feel self conscious about my own.

“No, you won’t. Don’t be silly.” I managed a small smile behind closed lips. “I don’t have any dressy clothes, either.”

“Yeah, well, my non dressy clothes aren’t for dining out,” Ella laughed. “Gary?”

My gaze had returned to the front doors. “It’s the middle of the afternoon. What could they be doing until later tonight…?”

“Well, she is sixteen,” Ella replied.

“What’s that mean?” I asked, turning to her in confusion.

“Ha, nothing. Just a joke,” Ella said, shaking her head. “Gary, she’s fine. She’s a big girl. I had no idea she was sixteen. I thought she was younger. Good on her!”

I didn’t reply, looking back at the doors to the building.

“-miss Cheryl,” Ella finished saying as something landed in front of me.

“Huh?” I looked up to see a short waiter place a large plate in front of me on the table, barely a quarter of it containing fries, heat rising from them.

Ella’s plate contained two large pieces of steaming, breaded chicken topped with red sauce and melted cheese.

The waiter took the forks, spoons, knives, and napkins from our table and replaced them with fresh ones, along with a bottle of ketchup, salt, pepper, and a few other various condiments.

“This looks so yummy!” Ella said happily, eagerly grabbing a fork and knife. She looked over at my fries. “Not sure that’s gonna fill ya up, hon. Wanna share mine?”

“No, this will be just fine, thank you,” I smiled weakly at my fries.

“I was gonna just slide one of the chickens onto your plate. I know you don’t want my germs,” she laughed.

“No, it wasn’t that! I just-”

Ella laughed. “Gary, will you lighten up?”

I sighed and smiled, looking down at my plate of fries, and I got lost in my head as another thought about Fred made its way into my mind. “Whoa!” I exclaimed as I was removed from my thoughts as Ella used her fork to slide one of her pieces of chicken onto my plate.

“Eat up!” Ella said as she took her plate back. Her giggle was cut short when she saw me finally smile. Concern came over her face. “You’re really worried about June, aren’t you? You really care about her.”

“No, I don’t!” I said angrily.

Ella gazed at me as if I were crazy.

“I mean, not like that! I do care, and I’m sure she’s fine… I just was thinking about something Fred said that I just realized was a little odd,” I explained.

“Like what?” Ella stabbed at her chicken with her fork and sliced off a piece. She raised the fork into her mouth and her eyes lit up. “This is amaaazing!” Her eyes widened and she covered her mouth, looking around as a few diners turned to her. She stifled a laugh and chewed rapidly before swallowing the food. “Sorry, go on,” she whispered.

I managed a smile. “Right, well, he said that once he saw June, he couldn’t believe it was her.”

“Right…”

“We got there in the middle of the night,” I told Ella. “He said he wasn’t sure it was June, but that he ran after us anyway to make sure it was her, just in case, right?”

Her mouth full of more food, her eyes full of confusion, she nodded.

“We met him in the afternoon, Ella,” I continued. “That means he saw us in the middle of the night, went home or something, and waited until the next day to see us. Why would someone who said they wouldn’t risk missing June like that, wait so long?”

“I guess that’s a little odd, but I think you’re overthinking it.” She sliced off another piece of chicken. “Maybe he just was thinking about it the next day and finally decided to come to the Pokemon Center to check.”

I shook my head, staring at my food.

“Gary, are you gonna eat that?”

I didn’t answer her, glaring now. Something’s wrong here, I knew. He lied.

“I almost kept going on my way home, but I couldn’t do that. Even if it wasn’t you, I had to be sure,” I remembered Fred’s words.

“I can’t!” My hands rose up and dropped onto the table, rattling the plates and silverware, and I stood up and walked away from my food.

The diners, as well as Ella, gasped at my outburst and the restaurant was filled with silence.

“I’m sorry, Gary,” Ella said sadly. “I really didn’t know you didn’t like chicken parmigiana.”

“No, it’s not that, Ella,” I said firmly. “I can’t leave June with that guy.”

Ella squinted up at me with what could have passed for a pained look. “June…?”

Knowing I couldn’t waste another second, I ran, my feet pumping hard out of the restaurant, people screaming as I ran for some reason. Now what? I wondered. What restaurant did they go to? Full of adrenaline, I hopped in place, looking around me quickly, and spotted an old, balding man staring at me, surprised.

“You need help, son?” he asked me hesitantly.

“Um, yes!” I said quickly. “Do you know what fancy restaurants are in this town? I need the best one!”

“Well, there’s the Baby Blue behind you, and then there’s the Fareign Establishment, but that’s not the fanciest place to eat,” the man said out loud, thinking. “In fact, I’m pretty sure they’re gonna get closed down soon. I took a young girl there just last month, and we ordered the-”

“Sir, I really need the name of the best place to eat, here!” I said impatiently, wondering in the back of my head what this old man meant by taking a “young girl” out to eat.

“Hmph. Well,” the man thought to himself, a frown on his face. “Personally, I think the Baby Blue restaurant is best, but if that’s not what you’re looking for, there’s the Illumise Beat restaurant. A lot of young couples go there. Sweet little place for the sappy lovers, I guess.” The man laughed.

“Where is it? Please!” I begged him.

“Cross the street, head down about five blocks, and you shouldn’t miss it,” the man pointed.

“Thank you, sir!” I looked both ways before running across the street, and then I tore down the sidewalk, running as fast as I could, nonstop, past stores, people, and across streets. I’m so sorry, Ella, I thought. I just can’t. Something just isn’t right with that Fred guy. About five minutes later, out of breath but refusing to slow down under any circumstance, I saw the sign from across the street in glowing white letters that read: Illumise Beat.

A large, plastic Illumise and Volbeat hung above the sign, their bodies glowing, their faces smiling, Volbeat’s tail flashing yellow repeatedly.

I immediately ran into the door, surprised by how heavy it was, and forced it open, running onto the black carpet along the floor.

“Excuse me, sir?” a voice called out behind me.

I ignored the voice as I scanned the inside of the restaurant, gasping noisily, my throat dried out.

Several loving couples looked up at me from their tables, surprised by my intrusion.

I finally spotted June.

She wasn’t dressed fancy, and neither was Fred, both of them dressed exactly how they had been when they left Ella and I in the Pokemon Center. They sat by a window further back in the restaurant. Even from far away, I could see June’s face was flushing red, a plate of food in front of her, untouched, while Fred stared at June with a handsome smile, talking to her, ignoring his plate of food as well.

In a rage, I ran through the restaurant, people screaming out in shock.

June looked up at me with a smile as I got closer, and her smile faded immediately as disbelief took over. “Gary?”

Fred turned around as I stopped near him out of breath, and I slammed my hands on the table. I snatched up a glass of water from his side and gulped it down thirstily, finishing the glass before slamming it back down angrily.

“Are you completely insane?” he glared at me, speaking slowly.

“You listen here you little creep,” I told him, pointing my finger in his face.

“What is wrong with you?” June screamed in horror.

“Excuse me, sir, but you are going to have to leave,” a voice, accompanied by a prodding finger on my shoulder, said strictly from behind me. “I’m sorry if this young man is a guest of yours, but he has been causing far too much of a commotion.”

“Please, take him away, sir,” Fred insisted. “Call the cops, in fact. I have no affiliation with this guy.”

June covered her face with her hands and shook her head.

“Sir, come with me,” the man said.

I didn’t even turn to face him, keeping my eyes on Fred. “What do you want with June?” I demanded.

“What happened to your girlfriend? Is she not good enough?” Fred asked seriously. “I thought she was quite attractive. Not as beautiful as June, but beautiful all the same.”

“Gary, where is Ella?” June asked, her hands over her mouth.

“Sir!” the voice behind me insisted, grabbing my shoulder.

“NO!” I shouted, and pulled away from him, turning to face him.

The waiter, dressed in red and black, towered over me, a furious look on his face. He inhaled deeply and puffed out his enormous chest, his broad shoulders widening. “You’re coming with me, right now!” He reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

“Wait, please!” I begged as his large, powerful fingers dug into my shoulder.

A loud roar grabbed my attention, and I turned to the window by June and Fred, the both of them turning to it as well.

A huge, dark figure hovered by the window, glaring at us with one eye! With another loud cry, the ghostly creature raised a huge fist, and its entire arm was outlined in a mix of black and purple. The dark energy separated itself from the monster and flew out in the form of a fist, smashing through the window!

Everyone screamed, June ducking to the ground, Fred scrambling out of his seat, me stumbling backwards, the waiter releasing me as he covered his face with his arms.

People around us ran in a panic as the monster flew into the hole it made.

“Fred!” I yelled angrily as I watched him scurry for the front door.

With another roar, the monster flew past me and through the restaurant.

“Oh, my gosh, what is that Pokemon?” June exclaimed, shivering in place.

I pat my pockets, but I didn’t have my Pokedex, my Pokemon, or any empty Poke Balls with me. June, Ella and I had left our stuff at the Pokemon Center.

“That coward!” I screamed, my eyes on Fred as he shoved several people out of his way and made his way out the door.

“I can’t believe he would do that,” June said sadly, shaking her head, staring after him.

I walked over to her and helped her to her feet, picking up her cane and handing it to her.

Dusknoir. The Gripper Pokemon and Duskull’s final stage of evolution. It holds lost spirits in its belly and can receive messages from the spirit world instructing it to bring certain humans or Pokemon back with it.

I turned to see a young boy, his arm around a girl who was shivering in his hold, holding a Pokedex in his hand as he scanned the Pokemon. “It’s a Ghost type Pokemon! It’s trying to take us all to Hell!” he screamed in fright.

Everyone shrieked, jumping through windows, pushing each other out the door, and running through the back of the restaurant, the alarm sounding as people ran through the emergency exit.

Dusknoir looked around silently as the restaurant emptied out. “DUSK!” Dusknoir flew right through the front door as if it wasn’t there and disappeared.

“We have to stop him!” June whispered, still trembling on the spot.

“But we don’t have our Pokemon!” I told June. “I guess we can run to the Pokemon Center and back, but who knows how many people it will have taken by then!”

“It’s better than doing nothing!” June screamed at me.

June was right, and I nodded in agreement. “Let’s go!”

June tossed her cane to the side and ran past me.

“June!” I stared after her with wide eyes.

“We don’t have time for that! Let’s go!” June didn’t even look back as she ran.

We both made it outside, people running all around us in various directions.

Dusknoir was in the air, flying past large amounts of people.

“He’s after specific people!” June said, pointing at him.

“But who? Why?” Is this how some people die? Their time just comes like this, at the hands of a vicious ghoul? Is this natural? Why these young teenagers? This can’t be right!

“Freddyyyy!” June shrieked.

“Fred?” I gasped.

Fred ran frantically, far ahead, but Dusknoir was gliding easily after him.

June ran towards the two, and I ran after her.

Dusknoir reached out for Fred, who turned around and swatted his hand at the Pokemon.

“Leave Freddy alone!!” June burst out shrilly. “Why my Freddy? STOP!!”

Panting heavily already, I struggled to catch up to June.

Dusknoir came to a stop. His eyes glowed a bright orange and the designs on his body also flashed orange. A huge, blue beam fired from him and flew past Fred as he screamed and ducked. The beam seemed to collide with an invisible wall as it hit an empty space just a few feet in front of Fred. A hole opened up, and Fred came to a stop, backing up. The hole’s contents were colors of purple, black, red, blue, and orange, swirling inside.

I was short on breath as I gazed at the hole spreading even wider, a strong wind pulling at June and I, Fred struggling to back away.

“Dusknoir!” Dusknoir yelled, pointing at Fred.

“DUSKNOOOOIR!” June ran past the Pokemon and extended her arms out in front of Fred.

“June! STOP IT!” I ran past Dusknoir and grabbed June’s arm, but she angrily pulled away and turned back to Dusknoir.

The terrified people in the area had stopped running and were now looking at the four of us in awe, fear on most of their faces.

“Please, don’t take him from me! He’s my best friend!” June begged, tears running from her eyes. “I love him. I love him! Why? Why does he have to die so young?”

Dusknoir stared at June silently as the wind behind us continued to pull at us, the three of us struggling to maintain our footing.

“June…” Fred whispered.

I turned to face him and watched him place a hand on June’s shoulder.

“I won’t let him take you!” June insisted.

“I see you still can read the genders of Pokemon,” Fred chuckled.

Why is he so calm? I wondered, staring at him in confusion. Why is he smiling?

“Yes,” June nodded, staring determinedly at Dusknoir. “And I can still understand them when they speak, and they can understand me, too.”

“I’m so glad to have witnessed this one last time,” Fred said, lowering his hand from her shoulder. “I think it’s time now.”

“Time for what? What are you talking about, Freddy?” June said, her voice rising, but not taking her eyes off of Dusknoir.

“I apologize to everyone for the panic I’ve caused here,” Fred said, gazing around. His eyes stopped on me. “I only wanted to say goodbye to my best friend. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”

“Freddy…?” June’s arms lowered and she turned to her friend.

Fred turned to June. “June, please forgive me. I didn’t intend on causing any of this. I thought, maybe I could escape long enough to meet my best friend again. When I saw you, I knew I didn’t have a lot of time. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, I broke free and reached you before you had left.”

“Freddy, you’re not making any sense! Stop it! You’re scaring me!” June was shivering in place, her voice cracking.

“I had a date with my best friend in the entire world, and my secret crush,” Fred smiled. “I was unworthy of such a gift, but I was so desperate. When I saw you, I knew it might just be my only chance. I’ve thought of you every day, even in death.”

June gasped long and sharply.

My eyes and mouth both expanded.

“Seeing you again was like a dream. I could never give up on a dream. As my best friend, you know that better than anyone else.” He laughed.

No way. My heart was beating itself against my insides.

“Freddy,” June whispered. “No, Freddy. No!”

Fred looked up at Dusknoir, and then looked back down to June, whose eyes twinkled behind a constant buildup of tears that tumbled down her cheeks, her lips quivering. “I’m so sorry for lying to you, June. I have to go now. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day. I do love you.” Fred turned around and walked towards the hole in the air that was tugging him towards the spirit world.

“Fred!” June cried out, and ran after him.

“June!” I screamed as she ran towards the hole, and I took a step after her.

June grabbed Fred’s shoulders and turned him around, to Fred’s visible surprise.

I watched, frozen in place, my body trembling in fear. What is she doing?

“Freddy, I love you so much. Even as a kid, growing up, I loved you with all my heart. Other than the Pokemon, you were my best friend. My family. And much, much more. I’m so glad I could meet you again. Please, what happened? When did you…?”

“Noir…” Dusknoir said in a low voice, making us turn to him. He stared at Fred, bobbing silently in the air.

June and I turned back to Fred.

“Dusknoir will tell you everything,” Fred chuckled. “I have to go. I love you, June. Thank you so much.” He tried to turn around, but June held him tight, not letting go of his shoulders. “June, I-”

June leaned forward and kissed his lips, her eyes closed tightly, her right hand resting on the side of his face.

Fred’s eyes bulged open in shock before he closed his own eyes.

My already rapidly thumping heart beat even faster, my lips parted slightly as I watched.

June pulled back slowly and stared at Fred mournfully.

Fred slowly opened his eyes and stared back at June. “June.”

“Goodbye, Frederick.”

“I’ll never forget today, June,” he beamed. “I’ll keep it with me, forever.” He turned to me and squinted a little bit before looking back at June. “You’re in good hands.”

“Huh?” June asked, confused.

Fred turned around and walked into the hole, June taking steps back to avoid being pulled in.

I ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders.

“Gary!” she gasped, turning to me, and she wrapped her arms around me as she stared back into the hole, Fred’s black silhouette morphing inside of it until it disappeared, and the hole slowly closed up.

The wind ended as soon as the hole disappeared, and June and I were left staring at the town we were in. We slowly turned around to Dusknoir, the people around us watching silently, several couples holding onto each other as they waited for what was next.

Dusknoir kept his eyes on us.

June pulled me in even closer, staring back at him, my own arms enclosing around her.

“Dusknoir. Noir, Noir, Noir. Dusknoir,” Dusknoir spoke gently. “Noir. Dusk Dusk Dusk. Noir Dusknoir.”

I listened as Dusknoir spoke to June, June trembling in my arms as she listened to the Ghost’s words.

“Dusknoir,” Dusknoir nodded.

June nodded back. “Thank you,” she whispered weakly.

Dusknoir immediately flew into the air, disappearing into the night sky.

My eyes met with a stocky teenager wearing a blue bandana around his forehead, an amazed look on his face.

I looked away as June slid down my body, collapsing to her knees, and she covered her face, crying loudly, gasping painfully, lowering her head to her lap, her screams and cries echoing throughout the town.

*

“It’ll be nice visiting Mistralton City, where Ella grew up,” June said to me, smiling as we waited outside.

“Yeah. It’ll be a little strange, though,” I said, staring at the ground. “Meeting her family and stuff.”

“Ha! That’s kind of how I felt when I met your mom…” June’s voice died down near the end of her sentence, signifying that she had regretted even bringing that up.

I pretended I didn’t even hear it. “And then, we can continue collecting Badges.”

“Yep! Ella’s town has a Flying type Gym. A lady named Skyla, who’s a legendary pilot in Unova. Her grandfather was also a famous pilot. Ella had told me a lot about him. He hosted a lot of contests and events in the area around Mistralton. A lot of it was stuff for the kids. He was very much involved in his community.”

“I wonder what my best bet against a bunch of Flying types would be,” I pondered to June.

The doors to the Pokemon Center opened before June could reply, and a cheerful Ella came out, smiling beautifully at us. “Hey!”

“Hey, Ella!” June greeted her.

“You ready to go? How was your phone call home?” I asked.

Ella chuckled, her smile fading as she avoided my eyes, keeping them to the ground. “Um, well, it was nice… I spoke to my dad, and everyone’s doing well...”

“Okay…” I replied. She’s hiding something, I told myself. Something’s wrong.

“Ella, is everything alright?” June asked.

Ella nodded at her, looking up. “Mhm. I guess. I mean, yeah.”

“Ella, you don’t have to tell us everything that’s going on in your life, but if there’s anything you want to tell us, you know you can always tell us anything,” I assured her.

Ella sighed. “I know.” She still refused to look at me, looking down again.

Silence surrounded our trio.

“Okay, well, let’s head off for Mistralton City,” I said, trying to smile a little, but concerned about Ella.

June didn’t move, keeping her eyes on Ella.

Ella’s eyes closed tightly. Her fists shook at her sides. “I have to leave!” she blurted out.

“Huh?” I didn’t understand what she meant.

“I have to leave! I can’t keep traveling with you guys anymore!” Ella looked up at June, and then finally turned to me, her eyes shimmering with tears.

“Ella, what happened? What’s wrong?” June questioned, confusion and shock on her face.

“I’m going to Mistralton City to see my dad, and…” Ella paused, closing her eyes tightly again. “My dad, and my boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” June and I exclaimed in unison.

Ella closed her eyes even tighter, her entire face scrunching up, sinking her teeth into her beautiful lips.

“You’re back with... Him?” Disappointment was deep in June’s voice, and she shot me a quick glance.

I didn’t say a word and lowered my eyes, my heart crying inside of my chest, beating so hard, I was certain it was trying to commit suicide.

“I did,” Ella said, covering her face with her hands. “I think that, considering everything, I should go to Mistralton alone. I’ll even try to only stay a couple of days if you two really want to go there for the next Badge.”

“We’ll find another city,” I said quickly. “Enjoy your time in Mistralton City, Ella.” I forced a slow, painful smile onto my face, refusing to show any tears that I could feel burning behind my eyes. “It was an incredible journey with you. Thanks for coming along with me and June for a while.”

Ella cried out and wrapped me in a hug, crying against me.

I held her back, but refused to shed a single tear, or even sniffle. I couldn’t help but inhale the sweet scent of her hair, the aroma of a variety of sweet fruits infiltrating my nostrils. My hand rubbed the back of her coat, and after a couple of minutes, we let go of each other.

She wiped at her eyes and looked up at me, still crying heavily. Her gaze eventually shifted over to June. “My Juni!”

“My Ella!” June’s face was lined with tears, and the girls embraced in a tight hug. “Honey, have a nice time with your family and everything. You’re always welcome back, my love!”

“June, you’re too sweet, you know that? I love you so much. I’m so sorry about what happened last night. You’re one of the strongest people I know, babe.”

June paused for a moment at Ella’s words. “You’re pretty strong yourself, after what you told me about your night,” June laughed, pulling away from Ella.

Both girls laughed and turned to me.

I forced another smile to my face and rolled my eyes as if I was taking all of this nonchalantly. “I can’t apologize enough for that, can I? My heart was in the right place.”

“And what a beautiful heart it is,” Ella said softly.

“Thanks, Ella,” I smiled back.

“Yeah, but you ruined a date that was already starting off bad enough, for nothing.” June crossed her arms with a smile. “I could have handled the entire situation on my own. You didn’t actually do anything to help.”

My smile faded and I shot her an angry look.

Ella laughed. “You two crack me up.” She sighed. “Maybe I can finally get my fifth Badge. You’ve been nothing but bad luck for me, Gary! I missed out on two Badges, busted my leg, and got ditched on a date. Maybe us separating is a good thing.”

My heart was stung by her words, but I managed a shaky smile to my face as I looked up at the sky helplessly.

“Don’t be mean,” June said lightly, pushing Ella gently.

“Okay, that was a little harsh,” Ella agreed. “But he knows I’m only kidding. Right, Gary?” Ella looked at me with pleading, sorry eyes.

I nodded, looking at her puppy dog face. “I know you are, Ella.” In the back of my mind, I felt like those things Ella had listed were the reasons why she was leaving our group and getting back with her boyfriend. I didn’t believe she just brought them up for no reason. The saying, “many a true word is spoken in jest,” was one I believed was displayed by most everyone.

Ella sighed, looking down again. “This is so hard for me, honestly. I’ll miss both of you guys and all of your Pokemon. This has been the most fun I’ve had since my journey began! I mean, I didn’t get anything done and I got hurt, but being with you two was so great!”

“I really wish you didn’t have to go, Ella, but I understand.” June turned to me.

“Yeah,” I nodded. “We understand. You go on, and we’ll just find a different Gym to challenge. There’s tons out there.”

Ella’s eyes shimmered and overflowed with tears. “I love you guys! You two are the best!” She wrapped us both in a hug, and we hugged her back together. “I can’t wait to see my dad! I’ll tell him all about you guys. I promise! I’ll miss you so much!!” She stared at me for the longest time, her lips quivering, and she slowly lifted her hand up towards my face before dropping it to her side and closing her eyes. “Goodbye...” She turned away from us. “Goodbye!” She began to break down in tears, gasping and sobbing loudly, mournfully, as she walked away from us quickly, wiping at her cheeks.

“Ella!” June stepped towards her.

“June, no,” I said, grabbing her shoulders gently.

“No!” June turned to me. “Oh, Gary. You…” She reached up and wiped at my cheeks covered in my tears. She got closer to me and hugged me, her head against me as she wept, staring at Ella.

I wrapped my arms around June, not taking my eyes off of Ella as she walked further away from us, not looking back, tears flowing painfully, but quietly, from my eyes.