Story Notes:
This story is set on EARTH. our earth, you and me earth. you get the idea.Pokemon copyrighted to nintendo, blah blah blahdy blah blah
Chapter 12
For a few days, the routine the group went through was the same. Will instructed the tribe leaders, now his assistants, in what needed to be monitored and done. Tom would sit for hours on the rooftop, rifle in his hand, box of ammunition at his side. Sometimes they saw him sitting there with his rifle lowered and his head dipped, setting sleep overtake him for maybe an hour or two before jolting awake, shaking the tiredness from his head and taking up watch once again. None of them had been able to talk him out of it, or coax anything out of him about what was troubling him. They left him alone in the end, knowing they weren't going to get through to him, but it didn't ease their concern. Michael and Melody, although drawn to one another, made an attempt to avoid each other. The link they shared was still strong, making the avoidance all more the worse when they knew each other's grief. But out of some misplaced sympathy for themselves, they didn't talk about it, fearing that talk would only further the doubt in their minds. Being the only ones with nothing to do, they busied themselves with various things to keep the boredom from their minds. Michael had gathered some of his art supplies out of the car and moved them inside. He would then sit on the porch or in the fields and draw anything that captured his interest. Most of the sketches he made came down to the old, rusted machinery lying about, testing his skills with all their geometric angles and contrasting curves. Sometimes he would draw the vistas he was given from the bedroom window or the seat on the porch, capturing the infinite expanse of field and field and sky in front of him. During the rare times Melody was near, he chose her as a subject. He felt strange as he sketched a realistic picture of someone who was never supposed to be real. The other Pokémon around him became subjects too, resembling ordinary animals with a gleam of intelligence in their eyes, which too, was strange and difficult to communicate through paper. Melody talked to the other Pokémon a lot, having been isolated from her kind for so long it made sense to be drawn to them. She talked with them about her experiences in detail, and they shared their stories of how they came to be in this world, the curiosity was mutual. She early talked with all of them save one, that lone Blaziken as he fixed his cold glare on the group from afar, uncommunicative with nearly anyone. What she had gotten out of him consisted of simple answers to equally simple questions, containing nothing of significant value. The others knew little of him as well, only that he was from northern Hoenn, was the father of that single Torchic, and never to threaten him or his son. The Pokémon themselves increased in bravery while patrolling, coming closer to the house and not shirking the idea of sleeping inside where it was warm. The Absol who had been using the living room mat for her bed every night belonged to a trainer, Melody discovered, and so was used to humans and their dwellings. When she asked the Absol if she missed her trainer, she had simply told her
"A bit, but being free again is nice"
"Don't you miss his friendship?" she had asked, knowing that the Pokémon she knew who had been captured often became friends with their new trainers if they were fortunate enough to be caught by a kind trainer.
"Kid was young, too focused on battling and travelling, it was irritating"
"I would have loved to travel" She said, thinking back to the deep green forest she has been confined to, where each new acre had seemed like a wonder to her.
"Trust me, it isn't as good as it sounds" Absol replied "Long walks and climbs up mountains, cold snow and chilly winds, and my fur was always horribly dirty with something. I would just have been happy to stay in that mountain town with the hot pools, it was so relaxing after climbing for so long to reach it" Despite her warnings, it didn't deter Melody from her fantasies about exploration and adventure through the wild lands of the Hoenn region and beyond.
The two had continued to talk of life with a trainer, Melody wanting to know of all the places she had seen while she herself had been unwilling to leave her tribe in the forest, and the tales she heard from the Absol amazed her. The stories passed on from Swellows and Tailows who heralded the news to her tribe were nothing next to this. The Absol had travelled from forest, through desert and across tundra, all within a year or so. It made her yearn to go back to the world and take the chance she never took, bringing Michael along to share the thrills of sightseeing. This world could be interesting enough, but hers was a place where they had little chance of being killed or pursued. Through these discussions, the two struck up a friendship rather quickly, easing the loneliness she felt when she wasn't with Michael. The Absol was curious of their relationship, as most of the others were, but she showed a more intimate interest, asking now how they came together, but why they were together. Melody retold her story of how they had met, going into more detail than they had done at the camp, but some things she withheld, such as the bond which she had made in a time of weakness. The Absol was content to hear her story, remarking on the two when she finished.
"Seems like you too got closer really quick" She said "Not surprising when he may have saved your life"
"Yes, we did grow close easily" Melody said "Maybe it was because he just wanted a friend, his life before seemed very lonely"
"I think he got more than he asked for when he asked for a friend" She replied, smiling "It's nice to know that you got together, even though you must have seem strange to him"
"Strange? Apart from being a different species?" Melody asked
"You didn't act like a human would have back then" She observed "And even now you act differently, but he treated you like one and didn't remark on it"
She looked towards the fire burning in the hearth that had become her sleeping area, muscles tired from the day's patrols
"You were new, different, maybe that's what he wanted" She explained, laying her head on her front paws and closing her eyes to rest "Someone different"
Maybe the Absol didn't know the wisdom in her words, but Melody thought over them for a long while. She was different, and this she knew, but that was what Michael wanted? He loved her because she wasn't like anyone else, because of how she acted, thought and spoke. She was fresh start with someone who wouldn't fall prey to the ways of humanity, because humanity was foreign to her, maybe as it seemed to him. A man who no longer knew if he was human, found love in someone inhuman, and didn't question it for a second. Even though the bond forced their minds to feel as one, the acceptance was still there. He could have rejected her but remained close, was it all him? or was it the bond that sparked this feeling? It gave comfort in that even if the bond had forced his hand in love, maybe he had accepted it willingly instead of waiting for the bond to force him into the feeling. But even still, it worried her more. No matter how comforting the advice was, the state of doubt she had some to hate so much over these left few days, ate at her heart, pushing away any attempts to console her. With every bit of her being, she hated it.
Currently, night had fallen over the house once again. Will was sleeping on the living room couch, now his de facto bed; while the group of leaders, save one, had teleported themselves back to the camp. Michael had been out on the porch, sketching dark forms of Pokémon he saw in the fields, silhouetted by the moonlight. But the moon having clouded over, he now headed inside for the night. The warmth of the house stung his flesh, cold from the night air, as he made his way through the living room. Will didn't stir at the laugh Michael gave at the sight of him, eyeglasses skewed, great wide mouth gaping over as he snored, looking like a caricature of himself. As he made his way up the stairs, he heard soft, shuddering breaths coming from the master bedroom. He placed his sketchbook aside on a hallway table and opened the door gently, peering inside. Melody sat on the edge of the bed, features bathed in the pale moonlight cast from the window she peered out of. Her breath came out softly, small whimpers interlacing them, failing to keep steady. Her shoulders shook and her head dipped as she sat upon the soft bed sheets. Michael made himself know, moving towards her.
"Melody?" He called gently, his call met with silence. He tried again
"Melody, Are you alright?" This time she weakly mumbled something, not turning her head to speak.
"What was that...?" He reached a hand towards her, trying to place it upon her shoulder. He was invisibly pushed back, Melody whipping her head around in a sudden burst of anger, her voice echoing inside Michael head
"Leave me alone!" She screamed, anger true in her voice, but not in her face. For Michael now saw the tears that had fallen from her eyes, breaths becoming whimpering gasps as she glared at him, he stood seeing a side of her he had only seen once before.
"What's wrong....you...I..." He stammered tenderly. Michael couldn't find anything to say after her outburst, no comforting words came to mind for someone so deep in rage. She didn't let him think of any as she closed the gap between them, the furious sorrow still etched into her face as she leaned into his.
"You're the problem! I'm the problem!" She shrieked, slamming his chest with her fists, trying to pound him away "I won't talk to you, you won't talk to me but I want to see you and you want to see me..." Her voice broke more and more the further she spoke, her blows became weaker and weaker until they were just gentle pats and her voice broke into deep sobs and loud whines. Michael could do nothing at this moment but slowly put his arms around her, letting her let everything out as his own tears flowed down his face, dripping through her hair. The floodgates broke as guilt spilled from his heart.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Melody, I'm sorry!" He cried, it was all he could think of as he apologised for everything wrong he had ever made. He cried for the times he had avoided her, he cried for the times he didn't speak up, he cried for the times he hadn't held her just that extra second longer to let her know he wanted to fix everything he could.
"I'm so tired..." Melody wept "I don't want it....anything..." She cried for the doubt driving them apart, and for the bond that caused it, the unbreakable curse.
Under the pale moonlight of an autumn night, they wept for each other, knowing that all this sorrow for the other did nothing to solve anything. Yet it was all they could do to try and prove their love, using a force with drove them away in an attempt to dispel the doubt of their feelings. They fell asleep in each other's arms that night, just like the time they first met, and Melody had been scared of the world, now it was Michaels turn to be the one scarred of the world. That it may never give them the chance they needed.
Sleep was only a temporary gift however, as they were awoken during the early hours of the morning, the sun had not risen and the stars still shone in the dark sky. What had woken them was the sound of metallic clanking and banging coming from down stairs, followed by the slam of a car door. They pulled away from each other reluctantly, fearing that letting go would set them adrift again. They made their way out of the bedroom, continuing down the stairs to find Will gathering all the various gear he had set up throughout the living room, the leaders were helping as well, easily lifting the equipment psychically. Will didn't notice them until Michael cleared his throat. He turned to Michael, then quickly back to the equipment he was dismantling, speaking quickly to them.
"The sensors in the field picked up some tachyon spikes, we need to go" He said, placing the components of the machine into a box and then heaving it from the table, making for the door.
"Go where?" Michael asked, stopping him as he awkwardly turned to face them, box of parts putting him on a lean
"To find it, of course. Isn't that why I was monitoring it in the first place?" he replied matter-of-factly
"But...does this mean it's another portal?" Michael asked, hope flared in Melody's chest, Michael could feel it, it was a welcomed feeling from the sadness and grief they had shared for these last few days.
"Maybe, it may just be a small rift" He continued to edge closer to the door, eager to leave. Michael thought it wise to follow; if Will wanted to leave so quickly then time must be important. They moved quickly into the icy morning air, Melody shivering as the warmth of home left her. Michael kept badgering Will for details as they moved swiftly towards the car, already idling by now.
"How far away is it?" He asked
"Can we go through it?" Melody joined in the questioning "Where would it go...H-how long will it last?"
"Will we be able to come back?" Michael asked cautiously, Will dumped the box into the car trunk and slammed the lid closed.
"Too many questions!" He said, his voice stressed and dire "Get in, I'll see if I can talk along the way". He motioned for them to get into the car, they did so as he positioned himself in the driver's seat and unceremonially lurched the car forward. Not caring for the gravel and dirt it threw up or for the engine's weary chugs. Melody and Michael were pressed to their seats as Will accelerated well past the speed limit. They were dragged right as the car turned out of the long driveway and back onto the main road. Melody just noticed that they were missing someone
"Where's Tom?" she asked, knowing that leaving him there may seem like abandonment. Wills eyes were still trained on the road as he answered
"Back there. He was asleep, finally, and this would have all just unnerved the man" Will said, adjusting a small GPS system on his dashboard which had enough wires sprouting from it to be mistaken for a very large black spider "He's unstable enough already"
"He's just scarred" Melody said "It's...natural for someone...who hasn't seen us before"
"And that is why you don't give a paranoid catholic a gun" He said, muttering to himself "It'll be the crusades all over again..."
"I asked before, but how far away is this portal?" Michael said, knowing that despite there being time, he may not get a straight answer
"I told you, it may not be a portal, and I don't know, I'm still tracking the burst" He said, fiddling with more settings on the GPS system enough that Michael was beginning to worry he would run off the road.
"If it is, can we go through it?" Melody hastily asked, eager to get a positive answer
"Normally, that would cause you to be ripped apart, burned, radiated, frozen, eviscerated and sub atomically annihilated all at one time" Will answered, Michael paling slightly for the idea of going through one now "But given the circumstances, it might be stable enough for you to make it through"
"For how long?" Melody continued
"I don't know! Those bloody assistants of mine will be figuring all that out" he said, motioning out the window. They both saw the way that the leaders flew alongside the car on the various flying Pokémon that had brought them here, the younger one which seemed to be feeling rather dangerous, was riding on the back of the Mightyeena.
"The longer we take to get there, the less time we have to observe it. It would be best to just catch the thing at inception" He explained "What do hope to accomplish by going through anyway?"
In all honesty, it was just Melody's desire to see her world once again. Much would have changed, towns may be laid to waste and abandoned, Pokémon could roam free around the streets. It seemed so far away to her and Michael now. It was unlikely they would find anything useful.
"I...I just want to visit there again" Melody answered, the best reason she could think of.
"So I'm just some bloody inter-dimensional tourist agent?" Will yelled theatrically "All this trouble to give you two a short vacation?"
"We might find something" Michael said, knowing the very real chances of accomplishing nothing with this, his response was just an excuse for this chance to see a world where he and Melody could be free.
"What could you find that would possibly help reverse any of this?" Will asked. This was a catastrophe on a godly scale, one which wouldn't be solved by help from a random stranger or from some mythical item. It was one which seemed to have no solution, and would happen occur no matter what any person in either world did. "This is whole thing pointless"
"Then why are you coming along?" Michael mused
"In hopes that I'm wrong..." Will muttered, turning back to the GPS system and continuing his work.
The atmosphere in the car darkened after this, no talk of the coming ordeal, just stuffy darkness and the rumbling of the tarmac below them. They drove for only a short while, but with all the stops and turns Will made, it seemed like much longer. He constantly doubled back, retraced his steps and made abrupt U-turns in a frustrated attempt to find a road to the place he was seeking. The GPS system displayed their destination as a small blue dot in the middle of a blank patch, inaccessible by road. Will found the closest spot to the place and parked the car on the side of the road. This area was remote and the risk of detection was nil, but the doubt was in their minds that they may be seen by someone with unsavoury ideas. After all, surely there were people in the same position as them, forced away from their home and now travelling the country in seek of sanctuary. They left the car, stepping out to observe the area they had stopped in. Small open fields surrounded them, interlaced between bush and forest. Moonlight illuminated the field, blanketing an air of clam over the area, making it seem like some sort of fairytale garden. Shadows danced over the land as long grass swayed in the wind, revealing invisible waves of wind. Without a word, Will set off across the field, gallivanting over the wire fence, GPS system in hand, forcing Michael and Melody to hurry in order to keep up. Being a small field, they both stopped not far from the edge and watched will trek aimlessly about the area. Will twisted and turned as he walked through the field, eyes constantly on the GPS. This was the supposed location where the portal may open, but the GPS reading was anything but precise. It only used data from what they had picked up while back at the house, if anything, the spot could be anywhere from a few metres to a mile away from where they were now. But Will trusted his numbers, having checked and rechecked his calculation for distance, direction and time. Will stooped suddenly, eyes running over the GPS screen before he placed it in his pocket. He called out to the leaders, who had set down now on the open field, to start bringing out all the equipments from the trunk of the car. Michael and Melody simply watched as they transported the scientific machines needed to measure various things, not wanting to break will out of the now near trance like state he was in as he wordlessly rebuilt the machines, tweaking settings and running wires from one to another. A large battery sat next to him as he worked, half of the machines apparently being powered from it. Michael took this time to ask Melody about her world, and what he could expect.
"Do you still want to go back?" he asked, voice betraying he hidden concern
"It's hard for me to know" She answered "I want to see my world again...and I wish I could return, but..." Michael blamed himself for this conflict of interest. The bond they shared meant they were drawn to one another. She couldn't stay, the anchor of the bond pulling her back to him. Doubt still played in his mind, in both their minds, of their true feelings. If he remained with her, she could never leave this world, and neither of them could abandon Will and Tom to fend for themselves. The world which would accept them taunted them instead, with something they knew they could never have.
"...You don't have to stay" he said "I...don't want to weight you down, you...could go back to your life" Michael failed at the attempt of sincerity, making it sound as if he wasn't trying to push her away, perhaps purposefully in an attempt to guilt her back, he didn't know.
"What life?" she answered solemnly "You wouldn't be there, my tribe would be gone, and I would be alone"
"I could be there" He interjected, trying to convince her that he really did want to love her "I could go with you if wanted to stay, we-we could still have a life"
"Michael, you know you couldn't..."
"Yes, I could!" He said, utterly pleading with her now "I could go with you and we could find a place in the world, we could be happy"
"Then why aren't we happy now?" She asked poignantly, deep sorrow resounding through her; Michael felt its pang as the battle was slowly lost "What chance do we have at happiness there, when we can't be happy here?"
"Melody..." He murmured "Do you really love me?" Melody was silent for a while. Michael could feel the mixture of emotions coming off her, her eyes reflecting the churning of thoughts in the white light of the night. The question that had been on both their minds since the admission Melody had made in the camp those short days ago, and it was once which depended on the answer of the other. An answer that neither wanted to risk hearing. Again, she turned to him; sadness welled in her voice, but she spoke the truth in clear tones, the words that caused Michael the shattering pain of heartbreak for the first time in many long years.
"I don't know..."
Michael knew she could feel the sorrow dragging in his chest, and that hurt him all the more. The empty feeling, reminded him of the times in his life in which he had gravely contemplated suicide. Even for someone like himself, the thought of suicide was often far from his mind, and only had been thought about it twice in life. The first was when he was young and naive, over some insignificant matter that held no real bearing, but the second stretched over years. The second time was every day at that lonely farmhouse, every day the thought would weigh heavy on his mind. The sadness he felt then was something he didn't understand, something that simply was. When Melody came, he forgot it all, to busy in trying to help her. It was the first time in an eternity that he had felt content, and he hadn't realised until now, when the person he leaned on for support couldn't say that she loved him for all he had given. This was the third time, and the one that hit strongest too. But he swallowed the bitter pill in his throat and simply put an arm over Melody's shoulder, trying to savour the feeling before it would lose meaning. Melody let her shoulders fall in despair, trying to enjoy the lingering feeling of his touch. She reached up with both hands and held the one draped over her shoulder, feeling the warmth that contrasted to the cold night air around them.
It was then; something new overcame Michael as he felt her hold onto his hand, gently pulling it close. The feeling that welled up inside him as they stood so intimately for a couple who were unsure of their love, was one that was foreign to him, so long forgotten from him that it took a second it realise what it was. Hope. The hope that he may still be able to redeem them both, to prove himself to her and know that in doing so, he did adore her with every ounce of himself. He grasped Melody's hands in return of her gesture and turned her head gently towards him, as so he was gazed into her eyes as deeply as he could. To the deep ruby eyes he stared into, he spoke
"You may not know now, Melody, but I swear, I'm going to prove myself to you. and nothing, not even all this, will stop me" he said, every word pure as his hope for them. He pulled her close and kissed her, softly and caringly. He looked back at her, feeling himself smile gently as he said the words
"Now I can't break that promise"
Melody stood in a trance, Will called out to them and Michael called back, but she heard neither of them. Only did she break from it when Michael gently pulled her along with him, towards Will. All the equipment had been set up and calibrated while they were talking; the leaders had positioned themselves at various consoles, all transfixed on their duties. Will was looking slightly tired from the quick set up of all the gear he had taken, and spoke slightly out of breath.
"The equipment is set up, we were right, this is the area emitting the tachyons" He stopped, taking a few deep breaths before continuing "We estimate at the rate of expansion, the portal could possibly open within only a few minutes. He glanced back at the area in which a large black dish was aimed on a tripod. "We cut it rather close"
"How long will it be open for?" Melody asked, eager to show Michael her world, and eager to return and see what had happened in her absence.
"Right now, we aren't sure, but I would say..." Will flicked numbers off his fingers, making motions as if drawing on a chalkboard "...about three hours at least?". Melody was disappointed in the short time they would be there. They couldn't stray too far from the exit, knowing that they had to come back before the hours were up, and to lose it would be disastrous. Will saw the disappointed look and tried to encourage her
"But maybe more, we can get a better estimate when it does open" He said, again flicking the numbers off his hand, trying to mentally calculate such a vast sum at such a precise level. In the middle of this, he snapped his fingers with a small "ah". He moved over one of the boxes on the group and drew some small plastic bags, sealable.
"Get me some samples of flora and fauna" He said with enthusiasm "and anything technological if you can!". The Pokémon world as imagined in this world, was supposed to be very technologically advanced, and Will relished the thought of examining the inner workings of something as mystifying as a pokeball or other seemingly impossible tools. Michael looked to him amusedly
"Still eager to study something, since you can't get willing subjects?" he asked
"Think of it as payment for making me drive here this early, just to send you two on a holiday" He removed his eyeglasses and wiped away some moisture that had condensed on the lens "ah, how I'd love to go myself, but until I'm sure these ones can handle it, I'll have to stay"
"Or don't you want to risk it before we see if it's safe?" Melody asked in mock accusation "You let us make sure this won't kill you"
"That may play a part..." Will answered quietly, trying to dismiss the question "But anything you find will help, I may be able to do something useful with it here". Will looked at his watch impatiently, like a youth waiting for a great display of fireworks set up in his own backyard. There was still no indication of any portal, or anything at all in fact, but they simply had to trust him in knowing what he was doing. He suddenly flinched, arm jerking slightly as he let out a yelp of surprise. He answered their questioning looks
"Something bit me, most likely a mosque-ah!" he yelped yet again, rubbing the spot under his watch to dull the sharp jolts from before. Once again he yelped, swatting at the air, thinking bugs flew around him in the dark field. He quickly removed his watch and dropped it to the ground, rubbing the now red spot on his wrist. Their eyes all caught the flicker of light below them. They all looked down to the light emanating from the dropped watch, growing lighter as it began to buzz. But when they looked closer, they could see streams of light dancing over the silver surface, crackling and popping. Michael tensed as he felt his hair stand on end; Melody's did the same, stray strands floating in the air as if submerged. The buzzing from the watch grew louder, but now other things drew their attention. The buzzing increased as sparks of light jumped from the metallic casings of scattered equipment and tall grass of the field, the air now charging with the feeling of the raw power. Will quickly ushered them back as the sparks grew to form large chains of lightning, illuminating the area further with their pearly glow. The leaders quickly stepped back along with them, not wanting to temp a stray arc. The Mightyeena who had accompanied them growled at the sceptical, lowering his front as if to intimidate it. The buzzing reached a crescendo, as a loud bang erupted, the buzzing beginning to build again. Each bang grew closer together as the light grew to near blinding and the stray arcs of energy danced around them, illuminating the faces of the leaders who stood with a mixture of awe and terror in their eyes. Despite the bright light blinding them, they all noticed the bulge in the heart of the lightning storm, growing as shrinking, looking as if the world had be sucked through a fish eye lens. The bulge withdrew sharply as the final, loudest bang was cast. Michael's ears rang as the sound faded, the pinched area of space bow stood still, floating harmlessly in the air. They were about to start forward, before a final burst of light shed from the distortion and cast them back. They all looked on in silent awe as space and time rent itself, pinching reality further, a white abyss filling the centre where nothing remained. Will stood stupefied, only coming to grips as the Mightyneena let out a large bark, after which he hastily moved foward, urging his assistants with him. They cautiously took their places near the equipment and lapsed back into their trance like state of calculation. Will quickly conversed with the once who remained conscious, though still in deep thought. The two exchanged chains of numbers and data, relaying information to and from all of the leaders who gazed into the screens before them. Will looked over at Michael and Melody, calling to them
"Get over here, come on now, this is your chance!" He beckoned. They both hurried over, will stopping them before they could step close to the crack of dead white light in the dark area. The sound of buzzing was still present, quieter than before, but still loud enough for will to near yell his instructions.
"You have roughly five hours in there" He bellowed "Don't stray too far or you might lose the portal". He reached into the box near his feet and pulled out a small metal object. He pressed it into Michael's hand, Michael realising from the grip of the item that it was a pistol, shocked that Will would give him it before they left for a world they hoped to find good. He yelled to will over the piercing shriek of the portal
"Where did you get this?"
"Took it from Tom while he was asleep, he won't miss it!" Will yelled back, stepping aside and gesturing to the tear in reality, yelling louder and more demanding than before.
"Now go!"
Michael and Melody stood before the great abyss that would lead them past the thresholds of reality and into a new and frightening world. Melody slowly grasped Michael's hand in reassurance, the thought of his promise still fresh in her mind, she gently smiled.
"Do you want to see my world?" She asked, her voice calmly clear in his mind over the din around them, he smiled genuinely and replied, thoughts being as clear as hers were
"More than anything"
And with that, they stepped forward, feeling gravity shift, pulling them further. Then at the edge, they placed one leg after the other though the gap, hands together, bound for a new and perhaps amazing world.
"A bit, but being free again is nice"
"Don't you miss his friendship?" she had asked, knowing that the Pokémon she knew who had been captured often became friends with their new trainers if they were fortunate enough to be caught by a kind trainer.
"Kid was young, too focused on battling and travelling, it was irritating"
"I would have loved to travel" She said, thinking back to the deep green forest she has been confined to, where each new acre had seemed like a wonder to her.
"Trust me, it isn't as good as it sounds" Absol replied "Long walks and climbs up mountains, cold snow and chilly winds, and my fur was always horribly dirty with something. I would just have been happy to stay in that mountain town with the hot pools, it was so relaxing after climbing for so long to reach it" Despite her warnings, it didn't deter Melody from her fantasies about exploration and adventure through the wild lands of the Hoenn region and beyond.
The two had continued to talk of life with a trainer, Melody wanting to know of all the places she had seen while she herself had been unwilling to leave her tribe in the forest, and the tales she heard from the Absol amazed her. The stories passed on from Swellows and Tailows who heralded the news to her tribe were nothing next to this. The Absol had travelled from forest, through desert and across tundra, all within a year or so. It made her yearn to go back to the world and take the chance she never took, bringing Michael along to share the thrills of sightseeing. This world could be interesting enough, but hers was a place where they had little chance of being killed or pursued. Through these discussions, the two struck up a friendship rather quickly, easing the loneliness she felt when she wasn't with Michael. The Absol was curious of their relationship, as most of the others were, but she showed a more intimate interest, asking now how they came together, but why they were together. Melody retold her story of how they had met, going into more detail than they had done at the camp, but some things she withheld, such as the bond which she had made in a time of weakness. The Absol was content to hear her story, remarking on the two when she finished.
"Seems like you too got closer really quick" She said "Not surprising when he may have saved your life"
"Yes, we did grow close easily" Melody said "Maybe it was because he just wanted a friend, his life before seemed very lonely"
"I think he got more than he asked for when he asked for a friend" She replied, smiling "It's nice to know that you got together, even though you must have seem strange to him"
"Strange? Apart from being a different species?" Melody asked
"You didn't act like a human would have back then" She observed "And even now you act differently, but he treated you like one and didn't remark on it"
She looked towards the fire burning in the hearth that had become her sleeping area, muscles tired from the day's patrols
"You were new, different, maybe that's what he wanted" She explained, laying her head on her front paws and closing her eyes to rest "Someone different"
Maybe the Absol didn't know the wisdom in her words, but Melody thought over them for a long while. She was different, and this she knew, but that was what Michael wanted? He loved her because she wasn't like anyone else, because of how she acted, thought and spoke. She was fresh start with someone who wouldn't fall prey to the ways of humanity, because humanity was foreign to her, maybe as it seemed to him. A man who no longer knew if he was human, found love in someone inhuman, and didn't question it for a second. Even though the bond forced their minds to feel as one, the acceptance was still there. He could have rejected her but remained close, was it all him? or was it the bond that sparked this feeling? It gave comfort in that even if the bond had forced his hand in love, maybe he had accepted it willingly instead of waiting for the bond to force him into the feeling. But even still, it worried her more. No matter how comforting the advice was, the state of doubt she had some to hate so much over these left few days, ate at her heart, pushing away any attempts to console her. With every bit of her being, she hated it.
Currently, night had fallen over the house once again. Will was sleeping on the living room couch, now his de facto bed; while the group of leaders, save one, had teleported themselves back to the camp. Michael had been out on the porch, sketching dark forms of Pokémon he saw in the fields, silhouetted by the moonlight. But the moon having clouded over, he now headed inside for the night. The warmth of the house stung his flesh, cold from the night air, as he made his way through the living room. Will didn't stir at the laugh Michael gave at the sight of him, eyeglasses skewed, great wide mouth gaping over as he snored, looking like a caricature of himself. As he made his way up the stairs, he heard soft, shuddering breaths coming from the master bedroom. He placed his sketchbook aside on a hallway table and opened the door gently, peering inside. Melody sat on the edge of the bed, features bathed in the pale moonlight cast from the window she peered out of. Her breath came out softly, small whimpers interlacing them, failing to keep steady. Her shoulders shook and her head dipped as she sat upon the soft bed sheets. Michael made himself know, moving towards her.
"Melody?" He called gently, his call met with silence. He tried again
"Melody, Are you alright?" This time she weakly mumbled something, not turning her head to speak.
"What was that...?" He reached a hand towards her, trying to place it upon her shoulder. He was invisibly pushed back, Melody whipping her head around in a sudden burst of anger, her voice echoing inside Michael head
"Leave me alone!" She screamed, anger true in her voice, but not in her face. For Michael now saw the tears that had fallen from her eyes, breaths becoming whimpering gasps as she glared at him, he stood seeing a side of her he had only seen once before.
"What's wrong....you...I..." He stammered tenderly. Michael couldn't find anything to say after her outburst, no comforting words came to mind for someone so deep in rage. She didn't let him think of any as she closed the gap between them, the furious sorrow still etched into her face as she leaned into his.
"You're the problem! I'm the problem!" She shrieked, slamming his chest with her fists, trying to pound him away "I won't talk to you, you won't talk to me but I want to see you and you want to see me..." Her voice broke more and more the further she spoke, her blows became weaker and weaker until they were just gentle pats and her voice broke into deep sobs and loud whines. Michael could do nothing at this moment but slowly put his arms around her, letting her let everything out as his own tears flowed down his face, dripping through her hair. The floodgates broke as guilt spilled from his heart.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Melody, I'm sorry!" He cried, it was all he could think of as he apologised for everything wrong he had ever made. He cried for the times he had avoided her, he cried for the times he didn't speak up, he cried for the times he hadn't held her just that extra second longer to let her know he wanted to fix everything he could.
"I'm so tired..." Melody wept "I don't want it....anything..." She cried for the doubt driving them apart, and for the bond that caused it, the unbreakable curse.
Under the pale moonlight of an autumn night, they wept for each other, knowing that all this sorrow for the other did nothing to solve anything. Yet it was all they could do to try and prove their love, using a force with drove them away in an attempt to dispel the doubt of their feelings. They fell asleep in each other's arms that night, just like the time they first met, and Melody had been scared of the world, now it was Michaels turn to be the one scarred of the world. That it may never give them the chance they needed.
Sleep was only a temporary gift however, as they were awoken during the early hours of the morning, the sun had not risen and the stars still shone in the dark sky. What had woken them was the sound of metallic clanking and banging coming from down stairs, followed by the slam of a car door. They pulled away from each other reluctantly, fearing that letting go would set them adrift again. They made their way out of the bedroom, continuing down the stairs to find Will gathering all the various gear he had set up throughout the living room, the leaders were helping as well, easily lifting the equipment psychically. Will didn't notice them until Michael cleared his throat. He turned to Michael, then quickly back to the equipment he was dismantling, speaking quickly to them.
"The sensors in the field picked up some tachyon spikes, we need to go" He said, placing the components of the machine into a box and then heaving it from the table, making for the door.
"Go where?" Michael asked, stopping him as he awkwardly turned to face them, box of parts putting him on a lean
"To find it, of course. Isn't that why I was monitoring it in the first place?" he replied matter-of-factly
"But...does this mean it's another portal?" Michael asked, hope flared in Melody's chest, Michael could feel it, it was a welcomed feeling from the sadness and grief they had shared for these last few days.
"Maybe, it may just be a small rift" He continued to edge closer to the door, eager to leave. Michael thought it wise to follow; if Will wanted to leave so quickly then time must be important. They moved quickly into the icy morning air, Melody shivering as the warmth of home left her. Michael kept badgering Will for details as they moved swiftly towards the car, already idling by now.
"How far away is it?" He asked
"Can we go through it?" Melody joined in the questioning "Where would it go...H-how long will it last?"
"Will we be able to come back?" Michael asked cautiously, Will dumped the box into the car trunk and slammed the lid closed.
"Too many questions!" He said, his voice stressed and dire "Get in, I'll see if I can talk along the way". He motioned for them to get into the car, they did so as he positioned himself in the driver's seat and unceremonially lurched the car forward. Not caring for the gravel and dirt it threw up or for the engine's weary chugs. Melody and Michael were pressed to their seats as Will accelerated well past the speed limit. They were dragged right as the car turned out of the long driveway and back onto the main road. Melody just noticed that they were missing someone
"Where's Tom?" she asked, knowing that leaving him there may seem like abandonment. Wills eyes were still trained on the road as he answered
"Back there. He was asleep, finally, and this would have all just unnerved the man" Will said, adjusting a small GPS system on his dashboard which had enough wires sprouting from it to be mistaken for a very large black spider "He's unstable enough already"
"He's just scarred" Melody said "It's...natural for someone...who hasn't seen us before"
"And that is why you don't give a paranoid catholic a gun" He said, muttering to himself "It'll be the crusades all over again..."
"I asked before, but how far away is this portal?" Michael said, knowing that despite there being time, he may not get a straight answer
"I told you, it may not be a portal, and I don't know, I'm still tracking the burst" He said, fiddling with more settings on the GPS system enough that Michael was beginning to worry he would run off the road.
"If it is, can we go through it?" Melody hastily asked, eager to get a positive answer
"Normally, that would cause you to be ripped apart, burned, radiated, frozen, eviscerated and sub atomically annihilated all at one time" Will answered, Michael paling slightly for the idea of going through one now "But given the circumstances, it might be stable enough for you to make it through"
"For how long?" Melody continued
"I don't know! Those bloody assistants of mine will be figuring all that out" he said, motioning out the window. They both saw the way that the leaders flew alongside the car on the various flying Pokémon that had brought them here, the younger one which seemed to be feeling rather dangerous, was riding on the back of the Mightyeena.
"The longer we take to get there, the less time we have to observe it. It would be best to just catch the thing at inception" He explained "What do hope to accomplish by going through anyway?"
In all honesty, it was just Melody's desire to see her world once again. Much would have changed, towns may be laid to waste and abandoned, Pokémon could roam free around the streets. It seemed so far away to her and Michael now. It was unlikely they would find anything useful.
"I...I just want to visit there again" Melody answered, the best reason she could think of.
"So I'm just some bloody inter-dimensional tourist agent?" Will yelled theatrically "All this trouble to give you two a short vacation?"
"We might find something" Michael said, knowing the very real chances of accomplishing nothing with this, his response was just an excuse for this chance to see a world where he and Melody could be free.
"What could you find that would possibly help reverse any of this?" Will asked. This was a catastrophe on a godly scale, one which wouldn't be solved by help from a random stranger or from some mythical item. It was one which seemed to have no solution, and would happen occur no matter what any person in either world did. "This is whole thing pointless"
"Then why are you coming along?" Michael mused
"In hopes that I'm wrong..." Will muttered, turning back to the GPS system and continuing his work.
The atmosphere in the car darkened after this, no talk of the coming ordeal, just stuffy darkness and the rumbling of the tarmac below them. They drove for only a short while, but with all the stops and turns Will made, it seemed like much longer. He constantly doubled back, retraced his steps and made abrupt U-turns in a frustrated attempt to find a road to the place he was seeking. The GPS system displayed their destination as a small blue dot in the middle of a blank patch, inaccessible by road. Will found the closest spot to the place and parked the car on the side of the road. This area was remote and the risk of detection was nil, but the doubt was in their minds that they may be seen by someone with unsavoury ideas. After all, surely there were people in the same position as them, forced away from their home and now travelling the country in seek of sanctuary. They left the car, stepping out to observe the area they had stopped in. Small open fields surrounded them, interlaced between bush and forest. Moonlight illuminated the field, blanketing an air of clam over the area, making it seem like some sort of fairytale garden. Shadows danced over the land as long grass swayed in the wind, revealing invisible waves of wind. Without a word, Will set off across the field, gallivanting over the wire fence, GPS system in hand, forcing Michael and Melody to hurry in order to keep up. Being a small field, they both stopped not far from the edge and watched will trek aimlessly about the area. Will twisted and turned as he walked through the field, eyes constantly on the GPS. This was the supposed location where the portal may open, but the GPS reading was anything but precise. It only used data from what they had picked up while back at the house, if anything, the spot could be anywhere from a few metres to a mile away from where they were now. But Will trusted his numbers, having checked and rechecked his calculation for distance, direction and time. Will stooped suddenly, eyes running over the GPS screen before he placed it in his pocket. He called out to the leaders, who had set down now on the open field, to start bringing out all the equipments from the trunk of the car. Michael and Melody simply watched as they transported the scientific machines needed to measure various things, not wanting to break will out of the now near trance like state he was in as he wordlessly rebuilt the machines, tweaking settings and running wires from one to another. A large battery sat next to him as he worked, half of the machines apparently being powered from it. Michael took this time to ask Melody about her world, and what he could expect.
"Do you still want to go back?" he asked, voice betraying he hidden concern
"It's hard for me to know" She answered "I want to see my world again...and I wish I could return, but..." Michael blamed himself for this conflict of interest. The bond they shared meant they were drawn to one another. She couldn't stay, the anchor of the bond pulling her back to him. Doubt still played in his mind, in both their minds, of their true feelings. If he remained with her, she could never leave this world, and neither of them could abandon Will and Tom to fend for themselves. The world which would accept them taunted them instead, with something they knew they could never have.
"...You don't have to stay" he said "I...don't want to weight you down, you...could go back to your life" Michael failed at the attempt of sincerity, making it sound as if he wasn't trying to push her away, perhaps purposefully in an attempt to guilt her back, he didn't know.
"What life?" she answered solemnly "You wouldn't be there, my tribe would be gone, and I would be alone"
"I could be there" He interjected, trying to convince her that he really did want to love her "I could go with you if wanted to stay, we-we could still have a life"
"Michael, you know you couldn't..."
"Yes, I could!" He said, utterly pleading with her now "I could go with you and we could find a place in the world, we could be happy"
"Then why aren't we happy now?" She asked poignantly, deep sorrow resounding through her; Michael felt its pang as the battle was slowly lost "What chance do we have at happiness there, when we can't be happy here?"
"Melody..." He murmured "Do you really love me?" Melody was silent for a while. Michael could feel the mixture of emotions coming off her, her eyes reflecting the churning of thoughts in the white light of the night. The question that had been on both their minds since the admission Melody had made in the camp those short days ago, and it was once which depended on the answer of the other. An answer that neither wanted to risk hearing. Again, she turned to him; sadness welled in her voice, but she spoke the truth in clear tones, the words that caused Michael the shattering pain of heartbreak for the first time in many long years.
"I don't know..."
Michael knew she could feel the sorrow dragging in his chest, and that hurt him all the more. The empty feeling, reminded him of the times in his life in which he had gravely contemplated suicide. Even for someone like himself, the thought of suicide was often far from his mind, and only had been thought about it twice in life. The first was when he was young and naive, over some insignificant matter that held no real bearing, but the second stretched over years. The second time was every day at that lonely farmhouse, every day the thought would weigh heavy on his mind. The sadness he felt then was something he didn't understand, something that simply was. When Melody came, he forgot it all, to busy in trying to help her. It was the first time in an eternity that he had felt content, and he hadn't realised until now, when the person he leaned on for support couldn't say that she loved him for all he had given. This was the third time, and the one that hit strongest too. But he swallowed the bitter pill in his throat and simply put an arm over Melody's shoulder, trying to savour the feeling before it would lose meaning. Melody let her shoulders fall in despair, trying to enjoy the lingering feeling of his touch. She reached up with both hands and held the one draped over her shoulder, feeling the warmth that contrasted to the cold night air around them.
It was then; something new overcame Michael as he felt her hold onto his hand, gently pulling it close. The feeling that welled up inside him as they stood so intimately for a couple who were unsure of their love, was one that was foreign to him, so long forgotten from him that it took a second it realise what it was. Hope. The hope that he may still be able to redeem them both, to prove himself to her and know that in doing so, he did adore her with every ounce of himself. He grasped Melody's hands in return of her gesture and turned her head gently towards him, as so he was gazed into her eyes as deeply as he could. To the deep ruby eyes he stared into, he spoke
"You may not know now, Melody, but I swear, I'm going to prove myself to you. and nothing, not even all this, will stop me" he said, every word pure as his hope for them. He pulled her close and kissed her, softly and caringly. He looked back at her, feeling himself smile gently as he said the words
"Now I can't break that promise"
Melody stood in a trance, Will called out to them and Michael called back, but she heard neither of them. Only did she break from it when Michael gently pulled her along with him, towards Will. All the equipment had been set up and calibrated while they were talking; the leaders had positioned themselves at various consoles, all transfixed on their duties. Will was looking slightly tired from the quick set up of all the gear he had taken, and spoke slightly out of breath.
"The equipment is set up, we were right, this is the area emitting the tachyons" He stopped, taking a few deep breaths before continuing "We estimate at the rate of expansion, the portal could possibly open within only a few minutes. He glanced back at the area in which a large black dish was aimed on a tripod. "We cut it rather close"
"How long will it be open for?" Melody asked, eager to show Michael her world, and eager to return and see what had happened in her absence.
"Right now, we aren't sure, but I would say..." Will flicked numbers off his fingers, making motions as if drawing on a chalkboard "...about three hours at least?". Melody was disappointed in the short time they would be there. They couldn't stray too far from the exit, knowing that they had to come back before the hours were up, and to lose it would be disastrous. Will saw the disappointed look and tried to encourage her
"But maybe more, we can get a better estimate when it does open" He said, again flicking the numbers off his hand, trying to mentally calculate such a vast sum at such a precise level. In the middle of this, he snapped his fingers with a small "ah". He moved over one of the boxes on the group and drew some small plastic bags, sealable.
"Get me some samples of flora and fauna" He said with enthusiasm "and anything technological if you can!". The Pokémon world as imagined in this world, was supposed to be very technologically advanced, and Will relished the thought of examining the inner workings of something as mystifying as a pokeball or other seemingly impossible tools. Michael looked to him amusedly
"Still eager to study something, since you can't get willing subjects?" he asked
"Think of it as payment for making me drive here this early, just to send you two on a holiday" He removed his eyeglasses and wiped away some moisture that had condensed on the lens "ah, how I'd love to go myself, but until I'm sure these ones can handle it, I'll have to stay"
"Or don't you want to risk it before we see if it's safe?" Melody asked in mock accusation "You let us make sure this won't kill you"
"That may play a part..." Will answered quietly, trying to dismiss the question "But anything you find will help, I may be able to do something useful with it here". Will looked at his watch impatiently, like a youth waiting for a great display of fireworks set up in his own backyard. There was still no indication of any portal, or anything at all in fact, but they simply had to trust him in knowing what he was doing. He suddenly flinched, arm jerking slightly as he let out a yelp of surprise. He answered their questioning looks
"Something bit me, most likely a mosque-ah!" he yelped yet again, rubbing the spot under his watch to dull the sharp jolts from before. Once again he yelped, swatting at the air, thinking bugs flew around him in the dark field. He quickly removed his watch and dropped it to the ground, rubbing the now red spot on his wrist. Their eyes all caught the flicker of light below them. They all looked down to the light emanating from the dropped watch, growing lighter as it began to buzz. But when they looked closer, they could see streams of light dancing over the silver surface, crackling and popping. Michael tensed as he felt his hair stand on end; Melody's did the same, stray strands floating in the air as if submerged. The buzzing from the watch grew louder, but now other things drew their attention. The buzzing increased as sparks of light jumped from the metallic casings of scattered equipment and tall grass of the field, the air now charging with the feeling of the raw power. Will quickly ushered them back as the sparks grew to form large chains of lightning, illuminating the area further with their pearly glow. The leaders quickly stepped back along with them, not wanting to temp a stray arc. The Mightyeena who had accompanied them growled at the sceptical, lowering his front as if to intimidate it. The buzzing reached a crescendo, as a loud bang erupted, the buzzing beginning to build again. Each bang grew closer together as the light grew to near blinding and the stray arcs of energy danced around them, illuminating the faces of the leaders who stood with a mixture of awe and terror in their eyes. Despite the bright light blinding them, they all noticed the bulge in the heart of the lightning storm, growing as shrinking, looking as if the world had be sucked through a fish eye lens. The bulge withdrew sharply as the final, loudest bang was cast. Michael's ears rang as the sound faded, the pinched area of space bow stood still, floating harmlessly in the air. They were about to start forward, before a final burst of light shed from the distortion and cast them back. They all looked on in silent awe as space and time rent itself, pinching reality further, a white abyss filling the centre where nothing remained. Will stood stupefied, only coming to grips as the Mightyneena let out a large bark, after which he hastily moved foward, urging his assistants with him. They cautiously took their places near the equipment and lapsed back into their trance like state of calculation. Will quickly conversed with the once who remained conscious, though still in deep thought. The two exchanged chains of numbers and data, relaying information to and from all of the leaders who gazed into the screens before them. Will looked over at Michael and Melody, calling to them
"Get over here, come on now, this is your chance!" He beckoned. They both hurried over, will stopping them before they could step close to the crack of dead white light in the dark area. The sound of buzzing was still present, quieter than before, but still loud enough for will to near yell his instructions.
"You have roughly five hours in there" He bellowed "Don't stray too far or you might lose the portal". He reached into the box near his feet and pulled out a small metal object. He pressed it into Michael's hand, Michael realising from the grip of the item that it was a pistol, shocked that Will would give him it before they left for a world they hoped to find good. He yelled to will over the piercing shriek of the portal
"Where did you get this?"
"Took it from Tom while he was asleep, he won't miss it!" Will yelled back, stepping aside and gesturing to the tear in reality, yelling louder and more demanding than before.
"Now go!"
Michael and Melody stood before the great abyss that would lead them past the thresholds of reality and into a new and frightening world. Melody slowly grasped Michael's hand in reassurance, the thought of his promise still fresh in her mind, she gently smiled.
"Do you want to see my world?" She asked, her voice calmly clear in his mind over the din around them, he smiled genuinely and replied, thoughts being as clear as hers were
"More than anything"
And with that, they stepped forward, feeling gravity shift, pulling them further. Then at the edge, they placed one leg after the other though the gap, hands together, bound for a new and perhaps amazing world.