Desolate [Pokémon Arven x Protagonist]

My Treasure

Arven's eyes grew wide, realizing his own outburst. He took a shaky breath and unraveled his fists. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted like that," he lowered his voice.

I scratched the back of my head uneasily. "It's okay."

Arven noticed my expression and sighed. He slumped into the cave wall, Pokéball fiddling in his hand. "Listen..." He paused for a while, clearly ashamed and finding the right words to express it.

Unable to speak, he released the Pokémon from its ball and a mabosstiff appeared, lying limply on the ground, sagging head in its dirty paws. "This is my partner, Mabosstiff," Arven started. The Pokémon was so frail. He made no noise besides the dull wheezing of his breathing. "My buddy here was hurt pretty bad a while back. Real bad, in fact." Arven kneeled down to the mabosstiff's level and tore a piece off the sandwich and handed it to him beneath his nose. Mabosstiff barely budged, opening his mouth only enough to nibble half a bite. "Small bites are fine. Chew nice and slow."

I watched the once-vile boy melt into a gentle, sympathetic human with his dog. I could tell he was afraid to touch him as he ate, paranoid his friend would fall apart beneath his fingers. "Potions, Pokémon centers, I've tried everything," he continued, feeding Mabosstiff piece by piece. "Nothing seems to work. I'd do anything for him. Mabosstiff is the only thing in the world I care about. I'd do anything."

I felt a pit in my stomach with both the hopelessness of the situation and the idea that the boy had loved nothing more than his partner since what had happened had happened. I studied his face as it tensed into a painful grief of confusion and denial. "I told him I'd do whatever it takes to make him feel better. I promised I would."

He stood up and took a book out of his backpack on the table and flipped through it, looking for a certain page. "I've searched online, I've read books, I looked all over and tried every cure and remedy I could find, but nothing really worked." He stopped turning the pages. "I'd almost given up hope, but..." He turned the book around so I could see the illustration. It was an exact replica drawing of the plant we had discovered in the cave the titan had eaten. "That's when I found out about Herba Mystica."

Suddenly, I felt bad for allowing Koraidon to take a part of the sandwich Arven had crafted. I hadn't realized how important the spice had been. "Has it... done anything?" I asked.

Arven nodded with a glimmer in his eyes, but settled as he brought the book back to himself and reminisced. "I found this book in my mom's lab. It said titan Pokémon became as strong as they are after eating Herba Mystica." He laughed sadly as he closed the book and put it away. "This book is full of crazy stories and legends and things— stuff nobody would ever believe." He glanced over at Mabosstiff. "But I believe it." He crossed his arms across his chest, holding himself together. "According to the book, eating all five types of Herba Mystica can cure anything that ails you."

Mabosstiff seemed to stretch the toes of his paws, wiggling them slowly and feeling the dirt. I saw Arven smile. I think it was the first time I've seen a genuine smile on his face. His eyes glimmered with pride and his entire face seemed to glow. "Before he ate that spice, he couldn't move his paws...." We watched the Pokémon for a moment rediscovering his ability to move just barely. I glanced back at the boy, hugging himself tighter. My chest tightened realizing every change in his demeanor. Arven had become so relaxed, so much tension released from his shoulders. He allowed himself to show his vulnerability and compassion for his friend. Something was brewing in my stomach that made me want to help him become who he once was, his real self I never met. I wanted to see him happy like this all the time. No one deserved to be so broken watching their one true friend drifting away in spirit.

Arven caught me staring and I felt a twinge of embarrassment and focused back on the dog. "The power of these herbs is amazing," he commented, his voice faintly shaking. "I'm going to bring Mabosstiff back to full health, I swear it!" Mabosstiff was trying his hardest to lift himself up, but his legs were too weak to carry anything. His paws were trembling with effort.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I swung my head at Arven. "Three herbs to go. Do you still want to help me?" He was so lively. It felt like a dream seeing him like this. Only hours before had he been just a cold-hearted, uncaring teenager, but suddenly he was here with me, a shy smile lighting up his face, blue eyes dilated and hopeful. I realized his eyes had a hint of green, making them look a lot closer to the color of turquoise in the dim light. I had never realized how pretty they were....

Arven really did trust me, and I wanted to make it my goal to complete his with him. I think... that's what Director Clavell meant when he said we needed to found our Treasure. I think this was mine. "Yeah," I smirked. "Let's do this... together."

Arven grinned. "I'm glad you have my back, Lugosi." I felt his warm hand drag away from my shoulder as he left for the table with his supplies. "I'd like to see you tomorrow, after you figure out your Pokémon and get some rest. The next one I think we'll handle will be an orthworm. That's a pure steel-type."

"Where will you be going until then?" I asked with genuine curiosity.

He began packing his things neatly into his backpack. "I'm going to be heading down to Cortondo to buy some more sandwich ingredients then do more reading at the Academy." He shrunk into himself a little and turned his head gingerly, not looking directly at me. "I didn't ask: did you like the sandwich?"

"Yeah," I told him truthfully. "It was delicious, thank you."

Arven shuffled around his things awkwardly. "It was... the least I could do."

I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder and started to head out, listing out ideal Pokémon to combat the next titan in my head. "See you tomorrow," Arven called out from inside. I spun around, still walking, and waved back, watching his softened posture fade into a silhouette in the cave. This was my journey now: to defeat the remaining three titans and saving Mabosstiff. It didn't sound like much, especially when compared to the other more ambitious students at the academy aiming to become the next Pokémon champion, but that feeling Arven's smile gave me and having seen that real part of him creep out meant more to me than anything else Paldea had to offer.

It was... the only thing in the world I cared about.