Pokemon: Fate's Path

Chapter 16

Soren Rivers

I wanted to move out of the barn but Jay had fallen asleep and I didn't want to wake her up by moving. The others had stopped by earlier after finishing their wandering, though I was sure they were just giving Jay time to take in what happened without disturbing her grieving. Ivan had found a pokéball containing a rapidash, which Jay had told him to keep without really even looking at him. Looking down at her now, her head on my chest as I leaned against a cement pillar that had once held up the roof while her hand still rested on Curse's side, I could see bruises on her arms due to her jacket sliding off slightly. It wasn't hard to guess where they were from and I sighed as I carefully wrapped my arms around her; she would've been fine if I had been faster. Why hadn't she just told us she was hurt? I was certain she had let them get worse just so she could pretend to be fine for the rest of us.

Jay shifted, her eyes half opening as she tried to roll over only to find it more uncomfortable on her neck. She scowled slightly before fully waking up and seeing me holding her against me, confusion followed by sorrow as she remembered what happened. "Sorry..."

I let her go as she started moving away. "It's fine. I didn't mind... um, I mean-"

I stopped upon seeing she didn't seem to be listening as she stared off at the burned floor while absentmindedly petting Curse. It had started snowing again and without her beside me the cold was starting to seep back into my body, though if she was cold she didn't show it. I stood up and stretched, wincing as the blood started flowing through my stiff muscles again and into my foot that had fallen asleep.

"Where are the others?" Jay finally asked, her voice sounded better than it had prior to her nap.

"They went on ahead after coming to check on you." I took out my phone. "That was about an hour ago."

She sighed and got up, fixing her bag on her shoulders, before walking in the direction of Savage Pass. "Alright... we should get going then."

My arm twitched slightly as she walked by me, wanting to stop her-confront her- and tell her she needed to take it easy before she used up her energy on acting fine. However I just grabbed my own bag and followed after her, ready to help her if she needed it. "Jay...? Um, can you slow down? My leg is still asleep."

Jay looked back and nodded, slowing down to match my pace. It was only half true that I wanted her to slow down because of my leg, the other half was so she didn't strain herself and whatever other wounds she was hiding, but I wasn't going to tell her that part. If anything saying that reason would only make her go further into denial of her wounds and make things worse... I wish I could see the extent of her injuries other than those on her arms. There was just a small hope I was overreacting about what the rockslide did.

We walked in silence up the path, picking up pace as the prickling in my leg stopped and I lost my excuse to keep a slower pace. Jay was still holding Curse in her arms as we walked, her shoulders slumped and her features blank: emotionless.

"Hey, do you guys want to have a double battle with me?" I glanced away from Jay as a younger trainer caught up with us. "I just started my journey a few days ago, please?"

I hesitated before nodding, maybe a battle would lift Jay's spirits. "Alright."

I took out Hoodini's pokéball and released him, he could handle a new trainer and at least make the fight a little fairer. Jay stepped up beside me and took out her own pokéball before releasing Litten onto the path.

"Froakie, Rattata, let's fight!" The beginner trainer released his pokémon and they stood there ready for battle. "Froakie, bubble. Rattata, quick attack."