Destiny [Pokémon]

❥ chapter XXII

"So, you really decided to go on your Pokémon journey now after all, huh?" your dad asked with a mischievous grin and then added, in mock reproach, "Interesting how we, your parents, are the last ones to find out."

You shrugged, feigning indifference, but you couldn't suppress a smirk. "Well, it's not my fault you were busy the whole time."

Your mom covered her lips with one hand to muffle her laughter, though a few giggles still slipped past her lips. "Tell us the whole story on our way home, alright, sweetie? I bet that these two"—she smiled sweetly at the shiny Ralts siblings who were still sitting on your thighs—"tipped the scales for you. They are the ones you found in Lucus Grove and who disappeared from their room during the night, aren't they?"

You chuckled. "Yeah, exactly. C'mon, guys, let's go home." Motioning the Feeling Pokémon to jump from your lap and the Bite Pokémon to get up from your feet, you stood up afterwards. You stretched and put your hand over your mouth just in time to stifle a yawn. After this non-stop busy and eventful day, you were slowly getting tired ...

"Are these your parents?" Phiala asked. She was sniffing the air while cautiously eying the (in her eyes) strangers. "They smell a little like you."

After a quick glance about the waiting room to make sure you were really alone and no one was about to come in—better safe than sorry, right?—you nodded, smiling. "I haven't introduced you to each other yet, have I? Yep, these are my parents. Mom, dad, these are Raleia, Rineis, and Phiala."

Raleia cheerfully waved to your mom and dad who both laughed and waved back. "Hey, Mr. and Mrs. [Last name]! Nice to meet you!" she chirped, with her brother Rineis and Phiala greeting them as well, and you relayed their words to your parents.

Your mom bent down and held out her hand toward the female Dark-type Pokémon, giggling when Phiala licked her hand. "Nice to meet you too, darlings. I'm sure you will take good care of my daughter."

"Hey, it's not like I can't stand on my own two feet," you muttered, putting on an expression that was something like a fake pout mixed with a barely restrained grin.

"We'll see about that, honey," your dad replied, deadpan, causing you to pout for real this time. Unfortunately, you noticed too late that he was reaching for the top of your head or, more specifically, your hair—and the inevitable happened once again.

"Dad! Not again!"

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On your way home, you told your parents everything you had already told your co-workers. This time, however, you really told them everything and didn't skip a single thing. Though you did so in muted tones while making sure that no one was listening in on you, neither unintentionally nor intentionally. You especially kept an eye out for those weird pseudo nobles, but you didn't see them for a second time—thank Arceus. If it were up to you, you wouldn't come across them ever again.

However, at that particular time you didn't yet know that these people were dead set on finding you and would spare no expense or effort to achieve this goal of theirs. They were determined to find you at all costs, even if it meant scouring the entire region, searching high and low for you ... You were bound to meet again.

Right after dinner, you went upstairs into your room with your three Pokémon. Carefully taking the map of Virno off the wall above your desk, you spread it out on the floor, and Raleia, Rineis, and Phiala immediately gathered around it.

"Are you going to tell us what your friends and you talked about, regarding our journey?" the female dual-type Pokémon asked as she plopped down on the floor. Reaching for the now nearly empty bowl of various Berries she and the two others had had for dinner—your friendly neighbour had allowed you to pick them from the trees growing in his garden—she popped a few into her mouth.

"Yeah. See, we're here." You pointed to an isle located to the south of a peninsula and to the east of a larger island. "This is Hydrus Island. And I think it'd be best if we go here first," you said, moving your finger to the tip of the peninsula where Caelum City was sited. "My friends recommended visiting Origines Cave in Mount Primo—which is here"—your index finger wandered over to a mountain in the southeast of the mainland—"so we'd go to Corona City afterwards to get there." You traced the route from the port city to the nearest city and then to the nearby mountain with your finger.

Having concluded your explanation, you looked over to the three Pokémon. They had been listening attentively this whole time and even ignored the remaining Berries, their eyes following your finger's every move. "Are you okay with that?" you asked. "Or would you like to go somewhere else, take some other route maybe?"

"That's totally fine by us!" Raleia immediately piped up. "Right, brother?" She cast an expectant glance at her brother who hurried to nod his head.

"Y-Yeah ..."

"And what about you, cutie? Is that alright with you too?" you asked Phiala.

Without any great hesitation, the Dark-type Pokémon nodded in agreement. "I don't care about where we go," she began, but then hesitated and averted her eyes, her voice dropping to a mumble when she added, "as long as we go there together."

"Aww, aren't you cute," you said, chuckling, and rubbed her head affectionately. "Well, this is settled then. After we've been to Origines Cave, we'll just decide on a whim where we're gonna go next. There are so many places I want to go to, so many things I want to see ..."

As your eyes scanned the map, taking in the countless symbols representing cities, towns, villages, and places of interest, your gaze fell on the marker of a town sited on the grassy slopes of Mount Circinus. Near this mountain town, which was famous for its thermal springs, stood Campana Tower—a tower that was rumoured to be a roost of Ho-Oh. Maybe—just maybe—you would come across the Rainbow Pokémon there. And then, perhaps, you would be able to talk to it, find out why it appeared before you and seemingly chose you ...

You knew that the chances of you actually meeting it were slim. But it was still worth a shot, especially since you were going to go in that direction anyways. Lyra Town was not too far away from Corona City, you just had to follow the mountain path connecting the two settlements to get there. And afterwards, you could proceed to Auriga City which was perched on Mount Circinus's peak and visit Katy just like you had promised.

Again, Phiala didn't hesitate a single second before agreeing with this suggestion of yours—but the siblings did. For a split second, they exchanged sidelong glances you couldn't quite interpret as an equally inscrutable expression flitted across their faces, and then they looked back at you, smiling broadly.

"S-Sounds like a p-plan," Rineis said.

"I don't mind! You're the boss, after all!" his sister Raleia added in a cheerful sing-song voice.

You stared at them, a little confused. You could have sworn that they had looked like they had wanted to say something ... But had you just imagined it? In the end, you just shook your head, a smile building on your lips. "Glad to hear that."

You went to bed far earlier than usual this evening, even before your parents. You still had to make up for the time you had lain awake last night, and you wanted to be well-rested when you hit the road tomorrow morning. You also expected excitement to keep you awake for a while, but just a few seconds after you had burrowed down beneath the covers, with the three Pokémon huddled up to your side, sleep overwhelmed you.