A Mistakes' Long Path
Whew! Let's see, yup, about four or five months since the last time! Sorry, not so much writers' block, just amazingly pointless laziness, you know, same old. I just thought that this would be perfect to get out right before Valentines' Day, love floatin' around and all that. Anyway, this chapter does NOT contain any sex or such, except a slight mention of body parts, that's about it.
This one I really spent time on, and checked through so I could best avoid my usual gaping plot holes, or missing parts in the story that I was usually too lazy to see. None of that this time...! Hopefully. Also, you may notice usage of Japanese, which may be scary to some, but is fun for me, though this time it's actually legimate words, maybe. Look them up if you want. Enjoy...
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This story contains creatures, locations, and general content from the Pokemon series, which is copyright Nintendo, Creatures Inc, etc.
Please do not use these characters without permission, as it can and will be upon asking.
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In a northern area of the vast country of Hoenn, between Mt. Chimney and Fortree sat an inn resting on the mountains' trail. This inn, two stories high, four wide, classical log cabin design currently painted brown to counter the snowy season and appear much more welcome to travellers in this cold climate, and even though it had only been open shy of two years, in that time it had been become a well-thriving resting institution and earned its' two keepers a nice, quiet life.
First of these two was a man by the name of Ian Cole, age twenty nine, around a standard six feet tall. Red scruffy hair, brown eyes, not too different from your standard individual of his age. Accompanying him in this simple establishment was a young woman named Lo-ann Simmons, in her prime ages at twenty one, adorned with simple long brown hair, blue eyes, and around three-fourths a foot shorter than Ian. Together these years they've been keeping this inn, Jikou no Imata, going strong.
The interior of the inn was different, though still pleasing nonetheless. Lo-ann designed the inn so that whoever was currently manning the upstairs desk would be able to see perfectly through, above the main door, a large window for several reasons, right now for Ian to just being able to look outside at the horizon. Of course the extreme whiteness derived from the heavy clouds of the season made seeing past your own feet or a few trees a miracle, but regardless it wasn't like he had anything else to look at right now.
While the winter was difficult to suffer through, at least the other seasons merited better conditions for them. As Ian looked down the stairs at the partial lower walkway and aforementioned main door, he breathed a deep sigh. "Why is it that the season brings such harshness upon travellers and yet we can barely get one guest a night?", he thought. Given, while the area was a popular area to see the seasons at their best, winter wasn't any less unforgiving anyway, so once again both of them found themselves stuck inside another lonely winter.
He heard Lo move to another room for her regular tidying up, not that there was much to tidy up anyway. Regardless, with so many rooms unused it was no surprise that dust would gather pretty well. Once again, thanks to her great design they were able to host fourteen small rooms on bottom floor with four large rooms on top, so it was true that there were often lots of unused rooms, but not like this time of year.
At least they were well dressed for the cold, same brown pants and shirt on both of them, to match the paint. Eventually, succumbing to his boredom, Ian started to feel himself doze off. Some time later however, he heard a familiar voice: "Hm-hmm?"
Ian almost instantly sprung back to conciounceness, "MayIhelpyou!? Oh, it's just you Lo..."
"This is what happens when you insist on keeping a night shift, y'know."
"Sorry, it's hard to stay awake when there's just so little happenning."
"You say that like it's the first time, that was last year, and the winter before that we spent building the place. I'm sure you didn't fall asleep that time, did you?"
"Of course not, how could I forget that discontentful winter?", Ian said, remembering that harsh season.
"Regardless, why don't you go get some sleep, I've already finished my cleaning so I can get pick up the rest of the days' shift, okay?"
Even though he was too nice to have to accept that, a nice, deep sleep sounded too good at the moment. "Well, if you say so. I suppose I'll get another night shift in, if that's the case.", said Ian, exiting from his desk.
"Get some rest, and try not to push it again like today, you know you spoil me already.", Lo-ann said, keeping her usual sincere tone.
Guiding himself to the large bedroom on his near left, he chose the bed nearest the window, still always wanting to be aware of any possible guests. Lord knows this place could use some activity about now. Little would he know that he would get a little more than he wished for.
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Later That Night...
As Ian began to stir he quickly noticed something outside the window. Amidst the developed snowstorm, he spotted an outline of what appeared to be a strange traveller clad in ragged cloth passing eastwards. "Looks like we might have some company after all". He noticed that Lo was, as he thought, currently gone from the desk, likely asleep by now. He looked through the drawers to find a flashlight and hurried down the steps. After unlocking the door he hastily peered out to see the stranger, wearing blue cloth as he could see easily from there.
"Oi, you need someplace to stay?" he shouted, "This isn't the best weather to brave during the night!". The person stopped, and almost as if to realize what he just said, quickly collapsed into the deep snow. Ian ran over to the stranger, and before taking them inside, opened the cloth on the strangers' head and couldn't believe what he saw.
"Who, no, what are you!?", Ian said, seeing the face of both a woman...and a Pokemon.
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Not Too Much Later...
"This...this just isn't possible...", Lo-ann said, for probably the fifth time that night.
"I know but...how did this happen?", he said, again looking over this creatures' unconcious body. It had the combined features of a human and a Typhlosion, long legs ending in paw-like feet, arms the same, except ending in beautiful thin-fingered hands, body a vanilla color, with the blackish-blue stripe extending from the head down to a cape-ish end. Human-looking face, red eyes, small ears, and instead of hair on its' head, it had a spiky collar of hair around the neck almost as if flame was really coming out.
After realizing its' condition Ian had quickly taken the creature inside, knowing how flame-elementals have such an intolerance to cold and water, he wondered just how far it had come from. Regardless, after resting it in the room he had been currently staying in, he woke up Lo to tell her of the situation. Needless to say, at first she thought him crazy, and then herself once she saw it. They both already disrobed it of its' few garments, tattered shirt and pants, and discovered that it was, indeed, a female.
"I can only guess that she wore these rags to hide her indentity, so we can probably assume that she's somewhat intelligent", said Ian, still trying his best to contemplate all this.
"She has the breast size of a human female...but the amount of them comparing to a female of that species", she said.
"But from the top they're human size, and they seem to scale down to pokemon size at the bottom. Too strange..."
"Well...what should we do then?"
"She's running a fever from the cold, so we should probably just let her rest for now"
As they left the room both tried to keep as calm as possible, both hoping that tomorrow they might get some answers to all this.
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The Next Day...
After Ian woke up sometime during the afternoon, due to lack of sleep that night, he decided that he would check on their strange guest, extremely anxious to find out anything about her. Already outside the door he found Lo, who looked like she was waiting for him to arrive all this time.
"Did you-"
"Not yet" she replied, "I just woke up about half an hour ago, so I decided it would be best to wait for you before checking on her"
"Well, let's go greet our new guest", he said, opening the door to the creatures' room. Inside they saw that she was indeed awake, looking away out the window, they also noticed that she had helped herself to the rooms' white night-clothes, given that Lo had taken her old ones away with plans to repair them as best she could. She quickly turned to face them about as soon as they entered the large three-person bedroom.
"Oh...umm, hello. You must be the ones that brought me here, right?", she said, in a voice kinder and gentler than any they'd heard before.
"Er, yes...yes we did. Are...you feeling better?", Ian said, relieved and even more intrigued at the same time that it knew how to talk.
"Thank you so much! If it hadn't been for you I might've died out there!", said the creature, making a quick bow to them.
"Well actually it was mostly Ian, he found you after you went unconcious, he's the one you should thank"
"Well then thank you Ian, I owe you my life.", she said, bowing once again.
"It's fine, really. I'm always glad to help out another..." Ian uttered a deep sigh, "What are you exactly, and where did you come from anyway? If you don't mind me asking"
"What am I...I'm afraid that I don't have the answer to that"
"Well, do you at least have a name?", Lo-ann said.
"I'm not sure but, when I was a child I remember being called Hibashiru, so I've just been going with that name up until now"
"Well then Hibashiru, it's nice to meet you. I'm Ian Cole, this is Lo-ann Simmons, and..."
"We'd both like to welcome you to The Jikou no Imata Inn, where there's fun to be had all year round!", they said, both having been waiting to say that for a while.
"...Okay...", said Hibashiru, face blank from confusion as well as other things.
"Sorry, it's just been a while since we've had any guests, I'm sure you can figure out why", she said.
"Right, so why exactly did you come by here anyway?", Ian said.
"Oh, well it's kind of a long story, but...
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Twenty Years Ago, We Revisit A Familiar Face...
"Hiba! Come inside now, it's getting dark!" Millie yelled, seeing that her now only two-year old daughter was already adopting her old hobby of gazing far into the ocean. She had also figured out how to walk and speak and understand decently fluidly. As expected she quickly ran to follow her mother into the beach den where she remembered always living in since she was born. Since Millie had now completely adapted to the water, they both got used to living on cooked fish.
She had also found a river relatively close by so they could drink fresh enough water that they could stay healthy. Indeed, while life became a complete restriction, she had also found more than what she had been looking for all her life, ever since that day...But that was the past, now she had to raise her daughter, and make sure she could live the best life she could give her, which often proved to be a difficult endeavor.
Through their dinner Millie noticed she had a constantly troubled look on her face, which concerned her more and more everytime she looked, so eventually she had to ask.
"Hiba, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"
"Mommy, why do I look less like you every day?", she replied, her gaze still locked to the ground.
"Don't worry about that, it's something all of us go through while we're children", Millie said, hoping to console her and drop the subject as soon as possible.
"But...that's what you say all the time, and I still keep changing and looking more and more different than you each day? Why? Why can't we leave here? Why, mommy, why?", she said, face welling up in tears.
Bringing her body close to hers', hoping to make her feel better, while still trying to keep the truth as far away as she could. "You know it's much too dangerous to wander out of here, there's too much trouble than we don't need to bother with"
Hugging her mother tightly, still crying, she said "I'm sick of eating fish, and I want to meet other kids. I don't care if it's dangerous, I just want to see what it's like outside of here!"
"It's okay child, I promise one day we'll leave here and you'll be able to see all the world! Just you wait..."
Nine Years Later
Hibashiru stood on that very spot ever since, looking out to sea every day ever since...
What's wrong mommy? Why won't you get up?
...three years ago...
Everything is fine child, I'm just going away for a while.
...when everything...
No, don't go! I don't want to be alone!
...everything she had in this world...
There are two things I need to tell you before I leave however...
...was taken...
For your own good, I want you to never leave this beach. And...
...away from her...
Your father, his name...
...forever.
...Was Evan.
Taking one last look into the sea, she said "I'm sorry mother, but I think I have to leave too. If I ever want to find out who this Evan really is..." As she walked this trail upwards, the one she had always wanted to walk, she remembered her mothers' last words.
Farewell, for now, my child.
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Back To Present...
"So, you were raised by this mother of yours', Millie, until about nine or so years ago when she died? How did you go on all that time by yourself?", said Lo-ann, ending the long silence from after Hibas' story.
"I can only guess that the next thing you did after you left was search for this Evan though, am I right?", Ian said.
"That's correct, I've been spending all this time trying to find out anything about him, that was, at least after I finally figured out why I was so different..."
"You...saw some actual children of that species?", he said.
"Yes, and while at that time I was shocked that she had lied all that time to me, it didn't take me long to figure out why she did"
"She just wanted to keep you away from others of your...kind, so that you wouldn't feel rejected, I'm sure of that", said Lo-ann.
"That's what I figured out, although I'm not sure what would've been worse for me, being kept away from everything outside that little beach, or being rejected by everyone around me. But...I know that she tried to do what was best for me"
"Well, regardless of all of that, about this Evan fellow who seems to be your father, I'm already sure that it didn't take you very long to figure out he must have been a human, strange indeed. But what's more curious, I actually do remember knowing someone by that name...", Ian said.
"Really!? Do you think it might have been the same person!?", Hiba said, suddenly getting excited.
"Extremely doubt it, at worst it's a coincidence, at best...well...", he said, also slightly curious over the possibility.
"I suppose you're right...", she said, quickly losing that excitement.
"Didn't you find out anything about him?", Lo-ann said.
Hibashiru breathed a deep sigh, "Actually, I did, but...I don't think I found out anything I really wanted to know..."
"Well, what was it? What did you find out? And on top of that, where have you been staying all this time since her death?", he said, getting a bit impatient.
"Now Ian, she's had a long ordeal, and she still has a fever! We don't want to stress her out, do we?", she said.
"No, it's fine, really. Besides, if I had anything of a serious fever, I'd probably setting everything I touch on fire, you don't have to worry about me", again she sighed, "eventually, not a year afterwards, I found my way to a by-the-road tea house and inn, called The Enkiseigan no Annon-"
"Ah!", Lo-ann quickly interupted, "I know that place! That's the inn that my father ran and stayed in!"
"Hmm? Oh, why didn't I realize it before? Yes, Ren Simmons, that was his name, wasn't it?", she replied.
"Yes! How is he doing? Is everything going well since the last time you saw him?"
"It's been a year or so but last time I did, he seemed healthier than you yourself! I'm sure he's still doing well", Hiba let out a much more satisfied sigh, "Well, anyhow, Ren, even after he saw me, promised to raise me regardless. I suppose kindness runs in the family!"
"Thank you very much! Our family is know for being the kindest innkeepers and tea-house owners all over the country. It's no surprise he would do something so nice as that", said Lo-ann, with a bright smile her family was also known for.
"Don't forget about me and my family! Your' may be the best designers and keepers, but we hold title to sturdiest and most well-built!", Ian said, giving a big goofy smile on his own face, that of which his family was known for.
"Well, I can't argue with that, these are the most solid structures I or anyone else around here have ever come across", Lo-ann commented.
Hiba giggled softly at this. "What?", Lo and Ian said simultaneously.
"Sorry, it's just that...you two seem so similar, almost made for each other!", she said, actually making them both blush from the embarrasment of that very true statement.
"Anyway, while I stayed there I was actually able to become pretty popular with many men coming through the place, as Ren had me dressed to look like some sort of exotic dancer, so that no one would figure out who and what I was. Not that it would matter to them, given how much they seemed to drink while they were there. An-y-way, thanks to that general popularity, I was able to find out a few things, as I said. The thing was, several recalled a man in those parts named Evan Skie, who, as I found out, had been an escaped convict...", she said, voice becoming more serious as the story went on.
"A...convict?! There's no way that could be the same one...", Lo-ann said, thinking to herself at the same time; "Although, it would probably take someone as messed up as a criminal to do what he did...I hope Hiba hasn't thought about that herself..."
"Yes, that's what I thought too, though I deduced myself that it would probably take someone as messed up as a criminal to do what he did...", Lo sunk her head in disapointment hearing that, "Figuring that out, I decided to scoop around for more information on this Evan Skie, and found out from a few old men that he was seen around that same beach, which I had already discovered that it was known as Dondengaeshi Shoal, something that I found to be very interesting indeed", she exhaled the deepest sigh of all, "So after a while I came to accept that my father was some kind of weird deviant criminal, which would most likely explain why I was never told anything about him, or anything about the concept of a "father" in the first place..."
"I'm sorry to hear that, I am. I'm sure it would be a shame to find out that your father was...that", said Lo-ann, now feeling extremely sorry for how things seemed to turn out for her. "Say, Ian, what's with that look on your face? You seem to have been spacing out for a while now, is something wrong?" Hearing this, Ian seemed to snap back to reality.
"Oh, oh! No, it's nothing, it's just hard to accept having so much tragedy happening to someone so undeserving of it all. Right Lo?", Ian said.
"...Right. It is very tragic indeed", she said, unknowing of what he seemed to be trying to hide.
"Regardless though, why did you come here anyway?", he said, trying his best to change the subject.
"That's simple, I heard someone who knew him or knew someone who knew him lived around here", and hearing this, Lo-ann and Ian both shared very heavy looks, "I had happened to finally run out of strength and give in to the cold right around here, all I remember before passing out was someone saying something to me. I assume that person was you Ian"
"Y-yeah...it was me..."
"What's wrong? Now both of you look really serious"
"Wha-? No! No, it's nothing, really!", she replied hastily.
"Yeah! We were just...interested! Yes, we would be very interested in letting you stay through the winter! During this time I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about your father, and maybe yourself!", said Ian, replying just as hastily as her, anything to change around the subject.
"Indeed, there's always a lot worth discovering around these parts! We'd be glad to let you stay here!"
"Thank you both ever so much! Saving me from the cold, offering to let me stay! I just don't know how to thank you enough...!"
Noticing that night had already come while they were listening to Hibashirus' long story, they bid her good night and head off into the right-most large room, Ian knowing that he would have some explaining of his own to do.
Lo-ann sighed deeply, "Ian, I just know it. I knew from the look on your face. Who, who is this Evan really, and on top of that why is he a criminal? Please, tell me why!"
"Well, here's what I know. I remember Evan being a close friend of my fathers', the two of them were travelling carpenters, actually, my father falling in love with a woman he met during his travels, my mother Tiava, though, due to their profession, I didn't get to see very much of either, so I was often told of them by her"
"You already told me all of this but...why did you seem to always exclude this Mr. Skie? Was what he did that bad?"
"Look, the truth is, I don't really know what he did, murder, theft, I'm not sure, but I remember my father telling me about how his friend had been framed by an enemy of his, or something like that. Seeing now that he did something as irrational as what he seemed to have done with Millie, I don't know what to believe anymore", Ian said, sinking his heavy gaze.
"Ian, there's something I want you to know, it's very important. You know how that day, you and I both devoted ourselves together, eternal love, never to be with another for as long as we would live, all that. Well-"
"Ann, are you honestly saying that you want me to, with...?"
"She has gone through lots of trouble in her life already, and I'm just saying that if you were to, nothing between us would ever change, just know that. I love you Ian Cole, more than anyone I've ever met"
"And I love you too Lo-ann Simmons, more than anyone in this country, or, even on this planet! And I would go to the ends of the it just for you, so if that's truly what you want, then I'll make sure that Hiba-chan will remember what love feels like, for the first time ever since she lost her mother!"
"Thank you Ian, you're the kindest man I've ever known..."
Lo-ann and Ian shared the most passionate kiss of their lives that day.
To Be Continued...
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Okay, did I do it this time, am I good? Hope so, tell me if I missed anything again, your desired comments go toward a better next time, y'know! Anyway, two things to note, next chapter will actually contain good stuff, and will also be the last, trilogy y'all. Until next time...
This one I really spent time on, and checked through so I could best avoid my usual gaping plot holes, or missing parts in the story that I was usually too lazy to see. None of that this time...! Hopefully. Also, you may notice usage of Japanese, which may be scary to some, but is fun for me, though this time it's actually legimate words, maybe. Look them up if you want. Enjoy...
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This story contains creatures, locations, and general content from the Pokemon series, which is copyright Nintendo, Creatures Inc, etc.
Please do not use these characters without permission, as it can and will be upon asking.
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In a northern area of the vast country of Hoenn, between Mt. Chimney and Fortree sat an inn resting on the mountains' trail. This inn, two stories high, four wide, classical log cabin design currently painted brown to counter the snowy season and appear much more welcome to travellers in this cold climate, and even though it had only been open shy of two years, in that time it had been become a well-thriving resting institution and earned its' two keepers a nice, quiet life.
First of these two was a man by the name of Ian Cole, age twenty nine, around a standard six feet tall. Red scruffy hair, brown eyes, not too different from your standard individual of his age. Accompanying him in this simple establishment was a young woman named Lo-ann Simmons, in her prime ages at twenty one, adorned with simple long brown hair, blue eyes, and around three-fourths a foot shorter than Ian. Together these years they've been keeping this inn, Jikou no Imata, going strong.
The interior of the inn was different, though still pleasing nonetheless. Lo-ann designed the inn so that whoever was currently manning the upstairs desk would be able to see perfectly through, above the main door, a large window for several reasons, right now for Ian to just being able to look outside at the horizon. Of course the extreme whiteness derived from the heavy clouds of the season made seeing past your own feet or a few trees a miracle, but regardless it wasn't like he had anything else to look at right now.
While the winter was difficult to suffer through, at least the other seasons merited better conditions for them. As Ian looked down the stairs at the partial lower walkway and aforementioned main door, he breathed a deep sigh. "Why is it that the season brings such harshness upon travellers and yet we can barely get one guest a night?", he thought. Given, while the area was a popular area to see the seasons at their best, winter wasn't any less unforgiving anyway, so once again both of them found themselves stuck inside another lonely winter.
He heard Lo move to another room for her regular tidying up, not that there was much to tidy up anyway. Regardless, with so many rooms unused it was no surprise that dust would gather pretty well. Once again, thanks to her great design they were able to host fourteen small rooms on bottom floor with four large rooms on top, so it was true that there were often lots of unused rooms, but not like this time of year.
At least they were well dressed for the cold, same brown pants and shirt on both of them, to match the paint. Eventually, succumbing to his boredom, Ian started to feel himself doze off. Some time later however, he heard a familiar voice: "Hm-hmm?"
Ian almost instantly sprung back to conciounceness, "MayIhelpyou!? Oh, it's just you Lo..."
"This is what happens when you insist on keeping a night shift, y'know."
"Sorry, it's hard to stay awake when there's just so little happenning."
"You say that like it's the first time, that was last year, and the winter before that we spent building the place. I'm sure you didn't fall asleep that time, did you?"
"Of course not, how could I forget that discontentful winter?", Ian said, remembering that harsh season.
"Regardless, why don't you go get some sleep, I've already finished my cleaning so I can get pick up the rest of the days' shift, okay?"
Even though he was too nice to have to accept that, a nice, deep sleep sounded too good at the moment. "Well, if you say so. I suppose I'll get another night shift in, if that's the case.", said Ian, exiting from his desk.
"Get some rest, and try not to push it again like today, you know you spoil me already.", Lo-ann said, keeping her usual sincere tone.
Guiding himself to the large bedroom on his near left, he chose the bed nearest the window, still always wanting to be aware of any possible guests. Lord knows this place could use some activity about now. Little would he know that he would get a little more than he wished for.
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Later That Night...
As Ian began to stir he quickly noticed something outside the window. Amidst the developed snowstorm, he spotted an outline of what appeared to be a strange traveller clad in ragged cloth passing eastwards. "Looks like we might have some company after all". He noticed that Lo was, as he thought, currently gone from the desk, likely asleep by now. He looked through the drawers to find a flashlight and hurried down the steps. After unlocking the door he hastily peered out to see the stranger, wearing blue cloth as he could see easily from there.
"Oi, you need someplace to stay?" he shouted, "This isn't the best weather to brave during the night!". The person stopped, and almost as if to realize what he just said, quickly collapsed into the deep snow. Ian ran over to the stranger, and before taking them inside, opened the cloth on the strangers' head and couldn't believe what he saw.
"Who, no, what are you!?", Ian said, seeing the face of both a woman...and a Pokemon.
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Not Too Much Later...
"This...this just isn't possible...", Lo-ann said, for probably the fifth time that night.
"I know but...how did this happen?", he said, again looking over this creatures' unconcious body. It had the combined features of a human and a Typhlosion, long legs ending in paw-like feet, arms the same, except ending in beautiful thin-fingered hands, body a vanilla color, with the blackish-blue stripe extending from the head down to a cape-ish end. Human-looking face, red eyes, small ears, and instead of hair on its' head, it had a spiky collar of hair around the neck almost as if flame was really coming out.
After realizing its' condition Ian had quickly taken the creature inside, knowing how flame-elementals have such an intolerance to cold and water, he wondered just how far it had come from. Regardless, after resting it in the room he had been currently staying in, he woke up Lo to tell her of the situation. Needless to say, at first she thought him crazy, and then herself once she saw it. They both already disrobed it of its' few garments, tattered shirt and pants, and discovered that it was, indeed, a female.
"I can only guess that she wore these rags to hide her indentity, so we can probably assume that she's somewhat intelligent", said Ian, still trying his best to contemplate all this.
"She has the breast size of a human female...but the amount of them comparing to a female of that species", she said.
"But from the top they're human size, and they seem to scale down to pokemon size at the bottom. Too strange..."
"Well...what should we do then?"
"She's running a fever from the cold, so we should probably just let her rest for now"
As they left the room both tried to keep as calm as possible, both hoping that tomorrow they might get some answers to all this.
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The Next Day...
After Ian woke up sometime during the afternoon, due to lack of sleep that night, he decided that he would check on their strange guest, extremely anxious to find out anything about her. Already outside the door he found Lo, who looked like she was waiting for him to arrive all this time.
"Did you-"
"Not yet" she replied, "I just woke up about half an hour ago, so I decided it would be best to wait for you before checking on her"
"Well, let's go greet our new guest", he said, opening the door to the creatures' room. Inside they saw that she was indeed awake, looking away out the window, they also noticed that she had helped herself to the rooms' white night-clothes, given that Lo had taken her old ones away with plans to repair them as best she could. She quickly turned to face them about as soon as they entered the large three-person bedroom.
"Oh...umm, hello. You must be the ones that brought me here, right?", she said, in a voice kinder and gentler than any they'd heard before.
"Er, yes...yes we did. Are...you feeling better?", Ian said, relieved and even more intrigued at the same time that it knew how to talk.
"Thank you so much! If it hadn't been for you I might've died out there!", said the creature, making a quick bow to them.
"Well actually it was mostly Ian, he found you after you went unconcious, he's the one you should thank"
"Well then thank you Ian, I owe you my life.", she said, bowing once again.
"It's fine, really. I'm always glad to help out another..." Ian uttered a deep sigh, "What are you exactly, and where did you come from anyway? If you don't mind me asking"
"What am I...I'm afraid that I don't have the answer to that"
"Well, do you at least have a name?", Lo-ann said.
"I'm not sure but, when I was a child I remember being called Hibashiru, so I've just been going with that name up until now"
"Well then Hibashiru, it's nice to meet you. I'm Ian Cole, this is Lo-ann Simmons, and..."
"We'd both like to welcome you to The Jikou no Imata Inn, where there's fun to be had all year round!", they said, both having been waiting to say that for a while.
"...Okay...", said Hibashiru, face blank from confusion as well as other things.
"Sorry, it's just been a while since we've had any guests, I'm sure you can figure out why", she said.
"Right, so why exactly did you come by here anyway?", Ian said.
"Oh, well it's kind of a long story, but...
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Twenty Years Ago, We Revisit A Familiar Face...
"Hiba! Come inside now, it's getting dark!" Millie yelled, seeing that her now only two-year old daughter was already adopting her old hobby of gazing far into the ocean. She had also figured out how to walk and speak and understand decently fluidly. As expected she quickly ran to follow her mother into the beach den where she remembered always living in since she was born. Since Millie had now completely adapted to the water, they both got used to living on cooked fish.
She had also found a river relatively close by so they could drink fresh enough water that they could stay healthy. Indeed, while life became a complete restriction, she had also found more than what she had been looking for all her life, ever since that day...But that was the past, now she had to raise her daughter, and make sure she could live the best life she could give her, which often proved to be a difficult endeavor.
Through their dinner Millie noticed she had a constantly troubled look on her face, which concerned her more and more everytime she looked, so eventually she had to ask.
"Hiba, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"
"Mommy, why do I look less like you every day?", she replied, her gaze still locked to the ground.
"Don't worry about that, it's something all of us go through while we're children", Millie said, hoping to console her and drop the subject as soon as possible.
"But...that's what you say all the time, and I still keep changing and looking more and more different than you each day? Why? Why can't we leave here? Why, mommy, why?", she said, face welling up in tears.
Bringing her body close to hers', hoping to make her feel better, while still trying to keep the truth as far away as she could. "You know it's much too dangerous to wander out of here, there's too much trouble than we don't need to bother with"
Hugging her mother tightly, still crying, she said "I'm sick of eating fish, and I want to meet other kids. I don't care if it's dangerous, I just want to see what it's like outside of here!"
"It's okay child, I promise one day we'll leave here and you'll be able to see all the world! Just you wait..."
Nine Years Later
Hibashiru stood on that very spot ever since, looking out to sea every day ever since...
What's wrong mommy? Why won't you get up?
...three years ago...
Everything is fine child, I'm just going away for a while.
...when everything...
No, don't go! I don't want to be alone!
...everything she had in this world...
There are two things I need to tell you before I leave however...
...was taken...
For your own good, I want you to never leave this beach. And...
...away from her...
Your father, his name...
...forever.
...Was Evan.
Taking one last look into the sea, she said "I'm sorry mother, but I think I have to leave too. If I ever want to find out who this Evan really is..." As she walked this trail upwards, the one she had always wanted to walk, she remembered her mothers' last words.
Farewell, for now, my child.
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Back To Present...
"So, you were raised by this mother of yours', Millie, until about nine or so years ago when she died? How did you go on all that time by yourself?", said Lo-ann, ending the long silence from after Hibas' story.
"I can only guess that the next thing you did after you left was search for this Evan though, am I right?", Ian said.
"That's correct, I've been spending all this time trying to find out anything about him, that was, at least after I finally figured out why I was so different..."
"You...saw some actual children of that species?", he said.
"Yes, and while at that time I was shocked that she had lied all that time to me, it didn't take me long to figure out why she did"
"She just wanted to keep you away from others of your...kind, so that you wouldn't feel rejected, I'm sure of that", said Lo-ann.
"That's what I figured out, although I'm not sure what would've been worse for me, being kept away from everything outside that little beach, or being rejected by everyone around me. But...I know that she tried to do what was best for me"
"Well, regardless of all of that, about this Evan fellow who seems to be your father, I'm already sure that it didn't take you very long to figure out he must have been a human, strange indeed. But what's more curious, I actually do remember knowing someone by that name...", Ian said.
"Really!? Do you think it might have been the same person!?", Hiba said, suddenly getting excited.
"Extremely doubt it, at worst it's a coincidence, at best...well...", he said, also slightly curious over the possibility.
"I suppose you're right...", she said, quickly losing that excitement.
"Didn't you find out anything about him?", Lo-ann said.
Hibashiru breathed a deep sigh, "Actually, I did, but...I don't think I found out anything I really wanted to know..."
"Well, what was it? What did you find out? And on top of that, where have you been staying all this time since her death?", he said, getting a bit impatient.
"Now Ian, she's had a long ordeal, and she still has a fever! We don't want to stress her out, do we?", she said.
"No, it's fine, really. Besides, if I had anything of a serious fever, I'd probably setting everything I touch on fire, you don't have to worry about me", again she sighed, "eventually, not a year afterwards, I found my way to a by-the-road tea house and inn, called The Enkiseigan no Annon-"
"Ah!", Lo-ann quickly interupted, "I know that place! That's the inn that my father ran and stayed in!"
"Hmm? Oh, why didn't I realize it before? Yes, Ren Simmons, that was his name, wasn't it?", she replied.
"Yes! How is he doing? Is everything going well since the last time you saw him?"
"It's been a year or so but last time I did, he seemed healthier than you yourself! I'm sure he's still doing well", Hiba let out a much more satisfied sigh, "Well, anyhow, Ren, even after he saw me, promised to raise me regardless. I suppose kindness runs in the family!"
"Thank you very much! Our family is know for being the kindest innkeepers and tea-house owners all over the country. It's no surprise he would do something so nice as that", said Lo-ann, with a bright smile her family was also known for.
"Don't forget about me and my family! Your' may be the best designers and keepers, but we hold title to sturdiest and most well-built!", Ian said, giving a big goofy smile on his own face, that of which his family was known for.
"Well, I can't argue with that, these are the most solid structures I or anyone else around here have ever come across", Lo-ann commented.
Hiba giggled softly at this. "What?", Lo and Ian said simultaneously.
"Sorry, it's just that...you two seem so similar, almost made for each other!", she said, actually making them both blush from the embarrasment of that very true statement.
"Anyway, while I stayed there I was actually able to become pretty popular with many men coming through the place, as Ren had me dressed to look like some sort of exotic dancer, so that no one would figure out who and what I was. Not that it would matter to them, given how much they seemed to drink while they were there. An-y-way, thanks to that general popularity, I was able to find out a few things, as I said. The thing was, several recalled a man in those parts named Evan Skie, who, as I found out, had been an escaped convict...", she said, voice becoming more serious as the story went on.
"A...convict?! There's no way that could be the same one...", Lo-ann said, thinking to herself at the same time; "Although, it would probably take someone as messed up as a criminal to do what he did...I hope Hiba hasn't thought about that herself..."
"Yes, that's what I thought too, though I deduced myself that it would probably take someone as messed up as a criminal to do what he did...", Lo sunk her head in disapointment hearing that, "Figuring that out, I decided to scoop around for more information on this Evan Skie, and found out from a few old men that he was seen around that same beach, which I had already discovered that it was known as Dondengaeshi Shoal, something that I found to be very interesting indeed", she exhaled the deepest sigh of all, "So after a while I came to accept that my father was some kind of weird deviant criminal, which would most likely explain why I was never told anything about him, or anything about the concept of a "father" in the first place..."
"I'm sorry to hear that, I am. I'm sure it would be a shame to find out that your father was...that", said Lo-ann, now feeling extremely sorry for how things seemed to turn out for her. "Say, Ian, what's with that look on your face? You seem to have been spacing out for a while now, is something wrong?" Hearing this, Ian seemed to snap back to reality.
"Oh, oh! No, it's nothing, it's just hard to accept having so much tragedy happening to someone so undeserving of it all. Right Lo?", Ian said.
"...Right. It is very tragic indeed", she said, unknowing of what he seemed to be trying to hide.
"Regardless though, why did you come here anyway?", he said, trying his best to change the subject.
"That's simple, I heard someone who knew him or knew someone who knew him lived around here", and hearing this, Lo-ann and Ian both shared very heavy looks, "I had happened to finally run out of strength and give in to the cold right around here, all I remember before passing out was someone saying something to me. I assume that person was you Ian"
"Y-yeah...it was me..."
"What's wrong? Now both of you look really serious"
"Wha-? No! No, it's nothing, really!", she replied hastily.
"Yeah! We were just...interested! Yes, we would be very interested in letting you stay through the winter! During this time I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about your father, and maybe yourself!", said Ian, replying just as hastily as her, anything to change around the subject.
"Indeed, there's always a lot worth discovering around these parts! We'd be glad to let you stay here!"
"Thank you both ever so much! Saving me from the cold, offering to let me stay! I just don't know how to thank you enough...!"
Noticing that night had already come while they were listening to Hibashirus' long story, they bid her good night and head off into the right-most large room, Ian knowing that he would have some explaining of his own to do.
Lo-ann sighed deeply, "Ian, I just know it. I knew from the look on your face. Who, who is this Evan really, and on top of that why is he a criminal? Please, tell me why!"
"Well, here's what I know. I remember Evan being a close friend of my fathers', the two of them were travelling carpenters, actually, my father falling in love with a woman he met during his travels, my mother Tiava, though, due to their profession, I didn't get to see very much of either, so I was often told of them by her"
"You already told me all of this but...why did you seem to always exclude this Mr. Skie? Was what he did that bad?"
"Look, the truth is, I don't really know what he did, murder, theft, I'm not sure, but I remember my father telling me about how his friend had been framed by an enemy of his, or something like that. Seeing now that he did something as irrational as what he seemed to have done with Millie, I don't know what to believe anymore", Ian said, sinking his heavy gaze.
"Ian, there's something I want you to know, it's very important. You know how that day, you and I both devoted ourselves together, eternal love, never to be with another for as long as we would live, all that. Well-"
"Ann, are you honestly saying that you want me to, with...?"
"She has gone through lots of trouble in her life already, and I'm just saying that if you were to, nothing between us would ever change, just know that. I love you Ian Cole, more than anyone I've ever met"
"And I love you too Lo-ann Simmons, more than anyone in this country, or, even on this planet! And I would go to the ends of the it just for you, so if that's truly what you want, then I'll make sure that Hiba-chan will remember what love feels like, for the first time ever since she lost her mother!"
"Thank you Ian, you're the kindest man I've ever known..."
Lo-ann and Ian shared the most passionate kiss of their lives that day.
To Be Continued...
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Okay, did I do it this time, am I good? Hope so, tell me if I missed anything again, your desired comments go toward a better next time, y'know! Anyway, two things to note, next chapter will actually contain good stuff, and will also be the last, trilogy y'all. Until next time...