Oscillate

Nostalgia

  There was something so satisfying of the flickering fire. It gave off a feeling that made her want to burn the world to the ground, to want to watch the fire crackle forever. Of course she wouldn't do such a thing but the feeling still held in her. Fire gives a new start and to build something new one has to break down the old; she knew that very well. A clean slate is an old slate.

Her breath gave the fire a life as it grew just a little, clinging to the small gathering of wood. She found it amusing how the little fire had no life yet it was something of magnificence. The fire would never know the help it offered, the warmth it gave, it just was and she wished she could just be but she was better than that. She knew only diehards wish and she had a life to live, whether she wanted to or not.

The stars lingered in the sky as she laid back on a torn and old sleeping bag. Her small journey was coming to an end and she would face the responsibility she must take up. She didn't even know why she did agreed, why she came back or whom she was doing it for. Was it for herself? For her own pity? Or for the people she cared about? She was too annoyed by the thought to answer it and turned over in the bag, trying to let the small sound of nearby pokemon lure her to sleep.

-

Blaire awoke to the sun glaring in her eyes. She opened them only to quickly shut them again. Turning over, she opened her eyes and blinked multiple times to adjust herself to the brightness of the morning sun. The fire had died out along with the nighttime depression that usually struck Blaire, however also like the fire it still lingered in the dark.

Scurrying she gathered her things which all somehow fit into a large backpack she had. She walked alone on the forest route, a few caterpies and pidgeys coming here and there. It was a nostalgic feeling of her first trip into the route. Her pokemon rested quietly in their pokeballs which were safely attached to her belt. Normally she would have one of them out, just for a companion. But at the moment she didn't want another face looking at her for an answer.

She was a heroine in the Kanto region and returning to such a title was unfitting to her. And yet now she was here, returning to save the region from an infamous threat. If she was honest to herself the only reason she was doing this wasn't because of Locke begging of her help or Juno's plea to see her. It was because this was a result of her doing, this was connected directly to her and she wasn't going to let it destroy the home she grew up in, the place she began.

After an hour of walking through the route Blaire finally approached the entrance to Saffron City. Staring at the city in front of her she took a breath, debating if she was even ready for this. She had to go against her own instinct to step into the city and walk down its streets. Locke, Mr. Organizer had arranged for her, him, Juno, and Carter to meet at a local restaurant. She was already most likely late and yet she bothered no rush to get there. She needed to take all this slow.

No hesitation appeared in her movements as she entered the restaurant called Ball Point, a weird name she remembered never quite understanding as a child. As she opened the door a little bell went off at the top to call the employees that there was a customer. A waiter walked up to her and she explained her situation and he lead her to her company that was awaiting her. Juno was the first to see her coming and instantly jumped out of her chair to hug-tackle Blaire. She nearly fell over as Juno often didn't know her own strength. Juno squeaked things about missing Blaire so much and why the redhead had left in the first place. Locke and Carter, a man unknown to Blaire got up to greet her. Juno released Blaire from her death hug and stood back next to Locke.

"We thought you had bailed on us, Blaire." Juno whinned but still happy her friend was present. Locke nodded along, agreeing with the dark skinned girl's statement.

"Anyways, this is Carter." Locke motioned to the orange haired boy, the oldest of the group who also had freckles splattered on his face and arms like Blaire herself. Carter gave a half smile and wave to Blaire.

"Right, you're the new champion aren't you? Having fun with that buddy?" She tried joking, knowing the toughness of being the champion. He seemed not to quite understand and just gave a forced sounding kind of laugh as a silence fell soon after.

Locke was the one to break it as he suggested for them to sit back down. Cups of water were on the table, one left untouched for Blaire.

Locke, the poison-type specialist, was definitely an interesting person. He was always fixated on the bigger picture, always looking in the future and worrying of what was to come. It was that worry and fear of failure that made him sharp and successful. Blaire knew he had managed to secure a spot in the Elite Four and she was proud of her friend. But behind all that intelligence she knew a darker person rested, someone built off terror and horror and as the conversation lead closer to the topic at hand she could see that person waver in and out of Locke's blue eyes.

Juno on the other hand was quite an opposite, Blaire was astonished at how her and Locke were friends. The black beauty was one who lived in the moment yet whenever she slipped she always managed to climb back up, it was something Blaire wished she had. Even though Blaire had only known her a year before their adventures together, they grew close. Though unlike Blaire, Juno was clingy. Even after she left to be a gym leader in her home region of Unova she always kept in contact with Locke and was always trying to get to Blaire. And Blaire knew her act of leaving had left a bad scar on Juno.

Though Carter was the one character Blaire was unknowing of. She only knew his name and status and that was not something Blaire could really work with. Locke and Juno's apparent trust of him bothered her, however she knew him and Locke must've worked together for a while as they both were trainers in the Indigo League.

As her brown eyes stayed on Carter, guessing his past or anything that he was about, Locke started talking about the one thing that had brought Blaire home. Her blood boiled at the thought, at the idea, at even the mention of it like her blood was trying to cleanse itself.

"As being famed trainers of this region when threats like this are made, we're looked too. Especially myself and Carter. I knew we could not do this alone and when I found out about... Blaire's connection to this I understood who we needed to defeat this. We're lucky to have this much understanding of this has it is. We were able to notice it before it was too late and now we need to act before it gets worse."

Blaire was barely paying attention and was occupying herself with her scarf. She knew what this was about and didn't think Locke's sweet talking them into it was necessary. In battle and in life Blaire was one to get to the point and not start small and get bigger. She hit with her best move first, she took the worst damage first so she could get a firm result. And with the many times that had worked for her she determined it was successful.

"Cut the crap, Locke. My father, brother, and some random girl have assembled a gang. Like Team Rocket, Galactic, and all the many other who have threaten our world. But they don't care about pokemon like the others have. They're tactical, demanding. They want control, they want influence of us, humans. Political control. So this shit isn't going to be won with a quick pokemon battle." Blaire cut Locke off as he was explaining how this was an "important mark in history". Her intimidating words muffled the others as her intimidation commonly did. She had gained that trait from her father.