FSE

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A deafening silence lingered in the closed study. As if a thin veil had covered the walls of stone and captured every sound of the last sentence pronounced by the unfazed Metagross in front of me, his deep red eyes betraying the truth behind his words. I stood there, mouth agape, trying in vain to process these very words, to make any sense of them the best I could. But no matter how much I tried, no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't bring myself to register his sentence, unconsciously treating it as a fruit of my imagination. I asked for confirmation, the tone of my voice betraying my lack of belief:

“W…What did you say just now?"

Unwavering, the monotone, matter-of-factly voice of the Steel-type resonated in my mind:

“I SAID THAT THE LAST TIME WE BOTH SAW OUR TRAINERS WAS ON THE FIFTEENTH OF MARCH, YEAR NINETEEN ZERO THREE."

Hearing it a second time made the information all the more real, carving it deep in the recesses of my mind. I looked at Kouji's face, still ominously laidback, and resumed, my voice now shaky:

“That's…That's more than a hundred years ago! That means…"

“YOUR INTUITION IS CORRECT, HUMAN. OUR TRAINERS' LAST INTERACTION WITH US GOES BACK TO APPROXIMATELY A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS AGO. THEY ARE NO LONGER A PART OF THIS WORLD."

The shock was ruthless. Strong and sudden, as if someone punched me in the gut. My heart started to pound at the realization that the two Pokémon were way older than I could ever hope to become. But most of all, the painful realization that Rikiya had actually lied to me was now crystal clear. All the doubt that I casted away regarding the big Pokémon, the one that I had begun to refer to as my best friend, came back in full force, weakening my body and disorienting me.

I headed sluggishly for the chair in front of the desk, faltering, under the Metagross' curious gaze, all the while replaying in my head every moment when Rikiya mentioned his trainer. A lurching feeling of uneasiness assaulted my body, manifesting the start of a headache, as I slumped on the mahogany furniture, a loud, eerie creak disrupting the silence in the study, the harsh fact now creeping its way into my mind. I struggled to look back at the Pokémon, standing as still as a scarecrow, and formulated the next words that were ringing endlessly in my brain, despair almost visible:

“But…Rikiya never told me that his trainer died. What does this mean? What happened?"

“SO IT IS AS I FEARED. HE STILL HAS NOT ENTIRELY COME TO TERMS WITH HIS TRAINER'S DEATH…"

The Metagross solemnly closed his eyes, contemplating his next words for a few seconds, while I retained my composure with difficulty, preparing myself for any other outlandish information he might throw at me. Kouji seemed to reach a decision right when my heartbeat returned to normal, and addressed me more gravely than before, a determined look in his eyes:

“VERY WELL. I WILL TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED, HUMAN. LISTEN VERY CLOSELY. "

I casted a glance at Kouji, refocusing my own eyes and ears, and signaled for him to start with a decisive nod, now mentally ready.

“AS I JUST SAID, IT ALL HAPPENED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO. BACK THEN, RIKIYA'S TRAINER AND MINE WERE VERY GOOD FRIENDS, AND BOTH OF THEM PROVED TO BE EXTREMELY OUTSTANDING TRAINERS. THE FACT THAT RIKIYA CAN SPEAK HUMAN LANGUAGE FLUENTLY PROVES IT MORE THAN ANYTHING, I THINK YOU CAN AGREE WITH THAT."

I nodded again as an answer, which prompted him to continue forthwith:

“BECAUSE OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP, RIKIYA AND I ALSO DEVELOPED A FRIENDSHIP OF OUR OWN. SINCE OUR DAYS AS DRATINI AND BELDUM, OUR RESPECTIVE BASE FORMS, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER WHENEVER OUR TRAINERS MET."

“So, you're kind of his childhood friend?" I asked with curiosity.

“INDEED. OF COURSE, BOTH OF OUR TRAINERS HAD OTHER POKEMON OF THEIR OWN, BUT I ASSUME TELLING YOU THEIR SPECIES WOULD ONLY MUDDLE THE STORY, SO I WILL REFRAIN FROM DOING SO."

Agreeing with his reasoning, I nodded once more.

“EVERYONE WOULD PLAY AROUND, LAUGH, EXPLORE, TRAIN TOGETHER, OR SIMPLY CONVERSE ABOUT MUNDANE TOPICS. THOSE WERE REALLY PEACEFUL, WONDERFUL TIMES. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT LAST FOREVER. ONE DAY, BOTH OF OUR TRAINERS RECEIVED AN OFFICIAL LETTER FROM THE STATE. WAR HAD BEEN DECLARED, AND THEY WERE ORDERED TO GO TO THE FRONT WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE TEAMS."

My eyes went wide at the mention of war. I timidly prodded for confirmation:

“Do you mean…the war fought with the country north from here? I learned about it at school…I heard it was so deadly and atrocious that, after the conflict ended, international organizations put a complete ban on military use of Pokémon, with strict regulations on Pokémon training and battling."

“YOU HEARD RIGHT, HUMAN. IT WAS THE VERY SAME WAR. IT SCARRED THE POPULATION SO MUCH THAT IT SERVED AS A TRIGGER THAT PUSHED HUNDREDS OF THOUSAND PEOPLE TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM US AND POKEMON TRAINING AS A WHOLE, AS OUTLANDISH AS IT MAY SOUND.“

Despite him qualifying it as “outlandish", that was the part of the story I was most prone to trust. The reason being, my very own family had been among those people. The topic at hand made me remember about that, but a few years ago, I had heard that one of my great-great-great uncles had perished in that war, and everyone in the family back then blamed it on the fact that he was a capable Pokémon trainer, which prompted the government at the time to send him to the frontlines. Perhaps out of grief, they limited access to all kinds of Pokémon-related media inside their houses, and everyone in our family was discouraged from pursuing a career involving the mysterious creatures, instead incited to find a more mundane profession like I did.

Of course, my own parents were no exception and dutifully enforced that policy at home, while barely tolerating the mandatory courses taught in primary school. One could argue that they could've gone even harder and registered me at a facility that didn't provide such courses, but as I heard later, those were scarce and out of the public system, therefore preventing me from entering any prestigious college had I enrolled in one, which had always been their priority…and mine, I guess.

Nonetheless, although that episode of my family history hadn't crossed my mind until now, I harbored no doubt that it was one of the reasons that fueled my disinterest in Pokémon growing up. By that, I don't mean that I held a grudge against the creatures, especially when they had no responsibility in starting the conflict, but simply that my original lack of curiosity wasn't helped by the conservative stance regarding the mention of Pokémon in our house. As a result, I simply coasted along by doing the bare minimum that was required, and never bothered to memorize any speck of information delivered by those courses in the long-term, leading to my present ignorance.

“YOUR EXPRESSION TELLS ME THAT YOU ALSO KNOW ABOUT THIS ASPECT OF THE WAR'S CONSEQUENCES, DESPITE IT NOT BEING TALKED ABOUT TOO MUCH IN PUBLIC. I PRESUME SOMEONE IN YOUR FAMILY HAS BEEN INVOLVED AS WELL?"

“Ah, yes." I blurted, surprised by Kouji's astuteness. “One of my ancestors apparently died in that war, and since then Pokémon have been kind of a taboo subject at home."

“I SEE NOW. THAT EXPLAINS WHY YOU ARE SO…UNFAMILIAR WITH US. MY APOLOGIES, I DID NOT EXPECT YOU TO HAVE BEEN RAISED IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT."

“It's fine, Kouji. You don't need to apologize. But, about your trainers, then…? Did you and Rikiya fight in that war?"

“THAT IS WRONG. RIKIYA'S TRAINER WAS SENT AS A SOLDIER, WHILE MY TRAINER WAS SENT IN AS A NURSE. HE WAS MORE OF A MAN KEEN ON BATTLING, WHILE SHE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN RAISING AND PAMPERING POKEMON. ALTHOUGH WE WOULD HAVE GLADLY ACCOMPANIED THEM, BOTH OF OUR TRAINERS SIMPLY REFUSED AND ORDERED US TO STAY BEHIND. BACK THEN, REGULATIONS ALLOWED ALL TRAINERS TO LEAVE ONE POKEMON OF THEIR CHOICE BEHIND. I REMAINED BY MY TRAINER'S FAMILY'S SIDE, AND RIKIYA WAS ASKED TO GUARD THIS PLACE."

“This place…?" I asked curiously. “You mean this secret base?"

“THE BASE, AND THE ISLAND. ALTHOUGH THE PROTECTIVE MIST BARRIER WAS ALREADY ACTIVE AT THE TIME, HIS TRAINER STILL DREADED THE EVENTUALITY THAT SOMEONE MALICIOUS MIGHT FIND THE ISLAND AND CLAIM HIS EMPTY SECRET BASE AS THEIR OWN, AND THREATEN THE SAFETY OF THE WILD POKEMON AROUND HERE. FURTHERMORE, HE WAS VERY AWARE OF RIKIYA'S KIND PERSONALITY, AND KNEW THAT DESPITE HIS TREMENDOUS STRENGTH, HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ENDURE THE ATROCITIES OF THE BATTLEFIELD IN THE LONG TERM. THUS, HE ASKED HIM TO STAY ON THE ISLAND UNTIL THE CONFLICT WAS RESOLVED. THE LAST DAY WE SAW THEM WAS THE DAY I MENTIONED EARLIER, WHEN WE SENT THEM OFF AS THEY BOARDED THE TRAIN TOGETHER, HEADING UP NORTH TOWARDS THE BATTLEFIELD."

I could roughly guess where the story was headed, so I hesitantly attempted a guess:

“I assume both of them died in the line of duty…?"

“THAT WAS INDEED THE CASE OF MY TRAINER. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE CONFLICT ENDED, HER FAMILY RECEIVED A CALL STATING THAT SHE PASSED AWAY. THERE HAD BEEN A SURPRISE ATTACK WHERE SHE WAS DEPLOYED, WHICH KILLED EVERYONE THERE, POKEMON AND HUMANS ALIKE. EVEN MY…MY TEAMMATES DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH."

This was the first hint of emotion I could detect in the Pokémon's voice. The Metagross closed his eyes and took a break, most likely because of the painful nature of the event he was remembering. I figured it must've been a very hard thing to say, most of all to someone he did not seem to hold in high esteem. Thus, in order to show my appreciation for opening his heart even for a small moment in time, I offered a few comforting words:

“My…my condolences, Kouji…It might not be much, but I'm sure she was happy that at the very least, you remained safe."

“THANK…THANK YOU. IT IS MUCH APPRECIATED…YOUNG MAN."

A small lull took over the isolated study, allowing him to reflect and pay his respects to his now deceased trainer. I recalled Rikiya's remark from a few moments ago about how he liked to be coddled by her, my heart twinging at the thought. It probably attested to how much Kouji must've loved her. To my utmost surprise, tension seemed to have left Kouji's body as he slowly opened his eyes, a strange kind of inner peace shimmering through their red hue. As he glanced in my direction, I gave him an encouraging smile, fully sympathizing with his circumstances. Once he was ready, the Pokémon resumed, a less strained tone in his voice:

“ALTHOUGH MY TRAINER WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY, THE CASE OF RIKIYA'S TRAINER TURNED OUT COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. HE VANISHED AT SOME POINT IN THE WAR, WITH NOBODY BEING ABLE TO CONFIRM HIS DEATH. EVEN AFTER THE CONFLICT ENDED, HIS TRAINER'S FAMILY NEVER GOT ANY NEWS ABOUT HIM OR HIS TEAM FROM THE AUTHORITIES."

“So, he possibly never got killed on the battlefield?"

“IT IS A POSSIBILITY. HOWEVER, I STRUGGLE TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE CASE. AS I HAVE MENTIONED BEFORE, RIKIYA'S TRAINER WAS A COMPETENT ONE, AND IT IS EXTREMELY STRANGE THAT HE WOULD VANISH FROM THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH WITHOUT GIVING ANY NEWS TO ANYBODY, MUCH LESS HIS OWN POKEMON. NONETHELESS, RIKIYA STILL BELIEVED IN HIS RETURN. EVEN WHEN HIS TRAINER'S OWN FAMILY GAVE UP ALL HOPE AND FORBADE HIM TO VISIT THEM ANYMORE, HE STILL HAD FAITH THAT HIS TRAINER WILL COME BACK ONE DAY."

“They chased him away?!" I blurted, shock manifesting in my voice.

“YES. I ONLY HEARD IT FROM RIKIYA HIMSELF, BUT AFTER THEY CONSIDERED THEIR RELATIVE TO BE DEAD, THEY BLAMED THEIR LOSS ON THE FACT THAT HE WAS A POKEMON TRAINER, AND LASHED OUT AT RIKIYA IN RETALIATION. FROM THEN ON, HE REMAINED ON THIS ISLAND, WAITING PATIENTLY FOR HIS TRAINER WHILE PERFORMING THE TASKS HE WAS ASKED TO AND MAINTAINING THIS SECRET BASE. FOR YEARS, THEN DECADES. BUT NOW, IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN A CENTURY. WHATEVER HOPE THAT HIM, AND ME FOR THE MATTER, MAY HAVE CLUNG ONTO, IT HAS NOW BECOME CERTAINLY VAIN. "

“Then…there really is no chance that he is still alive, somewhere in this world?" I asked, a feeble undertone in my voice.

“IT IS OBVIOUS THAT NO HUMAN WOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE THIS LONG. AND BEFORE YOU INQUIRE, YOUNG MAN, THERE IS NO POKEMON SPECIES RECORDED THAT COULD HELP HIM LENGTHEN HIS LIFESPAN BEYOND ITS USUAL DURATION. THIS THEORY, ALTHOUGH ENTICING AT FIRST GLANCE, PRESENTS TWO MAJOR FLAWS. THE FIRST IS THAT, AS I JUST STATED, NO SUCH POKEMON HAS BEEN RECORDED. THE SECOND IS THAT RIKIYA'S TRAINER WOULD PRIORITIZE GOING BACK TO HIS SECRET BASE BEFORE LEAVING ON SUCH AN ILLUSORY QUEST, OR SEND ONE OF HIS POKEMON AS A MESSENGER TO NOTIFY SOMEONE OF HIS WELL BEING. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE THAT HE IS NO LONGER WITH US, AND THE SAME PROBABLY GOES FOR HIS OTHER POKEMON ASIDE FROM RIKIYA."

Every word pronounced by the Metagross felt like a hammer stroke relentlessly driving a stake down my chest, a deep sadness settling in afterwards. I shivered at the thought that, if that story managed to affect me in such a way, it must've been even more painful for Rikiya to live alone like he did for decades after being chased away by his trainer's own family.

I had now become familiar with the unbounded optimism Rikiya could show from time to time. Someone with such a bouncy personality would most likely not get discouraged that easily, as proven by the mentions implying that he believed his trainer to still be alive somewhere. I looked back at the Metagross, a small wave of curiosity generated inside my body, about whether he tackled this heavy matter frontally with his Pokémon friend:

“Have you ever talked with Rikiya about this? What does he think now?"

“IN FACT, I HAVE. HE SHOWED THAT, ALTHOUGH HE STILL HOLDS A SMALL FLICKER OF HOPE IN HIS HEART, IT SEEMS HE DOES NOT WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT MUCH. I HAVE STATED EARLIER THAT HE HAD NOT COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACTS, BUT RIKIYA IS FAR FROM STUPID. HE PROBABLY HAS PARTIALLY ENTERTAINED THE IDEA. BACK THEN, I DID NOT PRESS ON BECAUSE I DREADED HOW HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT BADLY. I CANNOT GUESS WITH CERTITUDE HIS STANCE ON THE MATTER. DESPITE THAT, I STILL HELPED HIM TO KEEP UP WITH SOCIETY'S VARIOUS PROGRESSES AND ENCOURAGED HIM TO MAKE HIS OWN LIVELIHOOD A BIT MORE COMFORTABLE. INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH NOW, RIKIYA NEVER OPPOSED THE PROPOSAL. HE REASONED THAT THIS COULD PERHAPS BENEFIT HIS TRAINER IN THE EVENT THE LATTER CAME BACK."

At the last sentence, my mind wandered back to the furniture laid around the base. What I heard just now seemed to explain a lot of the incongruities I noticed yesterday; The strange mishmash of old and new furniture, the still boxed gaming device, the absence of any personal effects in his bedroom, save for old human clothes, the kitchen seemingly tailored for Rikiya's exclusive use…

Although some of the furniture was most likely present since the beginning, it all seemed to reflect the Dragonite's conflicted stance on the matter. Most of all, our argument from earlier. All of this explained why he was reluctant to agree to let me meet his trainer, because he had gotten no news of his current status yet. As Kouji said, deep down, he perhaps was aware that his trainer wouldn't come back, but still did not want to acknowledge it completely.

A sudden knock on the other side of the door startled us both, Rikiya's meek voice making itself heard from the other side soon after:

“Kouji? Buddy? I'm done with my shower. Is…Is everything okay?"

Still frazzled from all the information I just learned of, my body failed to react properly as I stared in the direction of the door, a mess of conflicted feelings brewing sluggishly in my heart. Kouji replied immediately as he came around, his voice reverting to the monotonous one I first heard about an hour ago:

“YES, DO NOT WORRY. WE WILL BE DONE IN A FEW MINUTES, RIKIYA."

“Alright!" The Dragonite said, his chirpy tone back. “I guess I'll get started on dinner then! Come out whenever you're done talking!"

His heavy steps fading away from our position, the Metagross turned back to me, a serious undertone lacing his voice as he came back to the point:

“IN ANY CASE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW, YOUNG MAN? WITH RIKIYA'S TRAINER NOW DECEASED, YOU WILL NOT ABLE TO MEET HIM, MUCH LESS ASK FOR HIS PERMISSION TO LIVE HERE. AS OF NOW, THIS SECRET BASE TECHNICALLY BELONGS TO RIKIYA HIMSELF, AND HE ALREADY INVITED YOU TO STAY HERE. DESPITE KNOWING ALL OF WHAT I JUST SAID, WOULD YOU STILL DECLINE?"

As if it had fallen under a spell, my mind returned to focus as I reassessed the whole situation. It was true that the only obstacle that prevented me from simply accepting Rikiya's offer had now entirely vanished. Both him and Kouji were suggesting a viable solution, as the Steel-type named it, and the prospect of intruding in someone's private space unbeknownst to them had become more bearable as a result of knowing Rikiya's backstory.

Yet, my mind inevitably drifted to the Dragon-type's feelings about this whole story. I did not know what to make of Rikiya's white lie, although I could easily understand that he did not lie out of malice. The mere depiction of the suffering he must've endured pained my soul, and I wanted to help him overcome that suffering. Despite our small argument and the resulting insecurities from earlier, I still thought of the big and kind Dragonite as my best friend. And if I wanted to be of use to him in that regard, it would be more efficient if I stayed with him for a while. I lifted my head to face Kouji, having made up my mind:

“Alright, Kouji…I'll accept the offer."

A small glint flashed in his eyes, before he acknowledged my answer with a nod:

“VERY WELL. I WILL ASK YOU TO GIVE ME YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, SO THAT I CAN MAKE THE MONEY TRANSFER WITHOUT ISSUES."

Fishing around in the pocket of my denim trousers, I produced a small wallet, fishing out a slip of paper and showing it to the Metagross:

“I have a paper with my bank account details in my wallet, is that okay?"

Kouji took a small glance at the paper, then immediately turned back to me:

“THAT WILL DO FINE. YOU CAN PUT IT BACK, NOW."

“Huh?! Aren't you keeping it?" I blurted out, his request taking me off guard.

“I HAVE JUST MEMORIZED THE NUMBER. THE INFORMATION IS NOW STORED IN ONE OF MY BRAINS. I WILL BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE TRANSFER AS SOON AS TOMORROW."

I stood there, dumbfounded at the Pokémon's information processing speed, but ultimately complied, as he followed up, an eerie imperviousness to what he demonstrated:

“FURTHERMORE, YOU SHOULD ORGANIZE WITH RIKIYA SO THAT YOU CAN SETTLE YOUR BUSINESS IN TOWN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AND MOVE YOUR BELONGINGS HERE. OTHERWISE, I TAKE IT THAT THIS WHOLE MATTER IS SETTLED."

Before the hasty Metagross could head toward the door, I called out to him, something intriguing having come to mind during our talk:

“Wait. I have one last question, please."

“WHAT IS IT?"

Standing up from the chair and coming to the side of the sturdy desk, I looked at the Metagross, who had now stopped midway and was facing me back, showing his signature poker face. My voice quivered from my lack of confidence, but I pushed through:

“Why…did you tell me all of this? I don't understand why you would tell me such a personal story just so I could be convinced to change my mind. Not to mention that you don't seem to hold me in high regard. Not that I blame you, I mean, it would be nice to get along, but I know I can't force you to…Simply put, I'm just struggling to believe that you considered it appropriate to disclose something that personal to someone you do not seem to appreciate…So why?"

Like the supercomputer he compared himself to, the stern Metagross seemed to process my query, my fingers grasping the edge of the mahogany desk in anticipation of his answer. After a moment, he followed up:

“IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE THAT YOU WOULD FEEL LOST WHEN TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF MY BEHAVIOR. AS YOU CORRECTLY ASSESSED, I DID NOT HOLD HIGH ESTEEM FOR YOU. IN FACT, I EVEN INTENDED TO DECLINE HELPING YOU WITH YOUR ISSUES WHEN RIKIYA FIRST CALLED ME YESTERDAY, BUT RELENTED TO AT LEAST HEARING YOUR WOES AFTER HE SPOKE HIGHLY OF YOU."

“He…spoke highly of me?" I asked, hesitation noticeable in my tone.

“HE DID. WHEN WE MET TODAY SO THAT HE COULD ELABORATE ON WHAT HE EXPECTED FROM ME, HE TALKED OF YOU AS IF YOU WERE A GREAT FRIEND. I HAD NOT SEEN HIM THAT GENUINELY HAPPY IN A VERY LONG TIME. BEFOREHAND, HE ALWAYS SEEMED TO STRAIN HIMSELF TO LOOK HAPPY, BUT THIS HAD CHANGED OVERNIGHT, ALL BECAUSE HE MET YOU BY CHANCE. THAT PIQUED MY CURIOSITY. I NEEDED TO MEET THE PERSON WHO SPURRED SUCH A TRANSFORMATION IN MY CHILDHOOD FRIEND'S MOOD."

“What…made you change your mind?" I replied, a warm, mellow feeling manifesting in my stomach from Rikiya's raving words.

“THE WAY YOU HANDLED THE SITUATION WITH THAT SHINY ARON." He stated matter-of-factly.

“That little guy?" I asked, puzzled by why that event was brought into the conversation.

“YES. FROM WHAT I HAD HEARD ABOUT YOU, WHEN I LANDED BEFORE THE BASE'S ENTRANCE, NEVER WOULD I HAVE EXPECTED TO FIND INSIDE A HUMAN CASUALLY READING A BOOK WITH A WILD SHINY ARON SLEEPING PEACEFULLY IN HIS LAP. THAT VERY SIGHT SHOWED ME THAT YOU MUST POSSESS AN ASTOUNDING AMOUNT OF EMPATHY. LIKE RIKIYA SAID, NOT MANY TRAINERS CAN BOAST ABOUT SUCH AN ACCOMPLISHMENT, MUCH LESS HUMANS WHO ARE NOT TRAINERS ALTOGETHER."

Taken even more aback by the Metagross' praising words, my tongue started fumbling around due to my growing embarrassment:

“I-I mean…To be honest, I did not expect t-that to be such a big deal. To me, he just looked like a normal Pokémon who needed help."

Kouji resumed his explanation as he gave a curt nod:

“IN ANY CASE, THAT LEADS US TO WHY I ENTRUSTED YOU WITH SUCH A PERSONAL STORY. DESPITE THE SLIGHT DISPUTE THAT ALMOST TOOK PLACE BETWEEN YOU TWO, I COULD NOTICE THAT YOU REALLY CARED FOR RIKIYA AS A GENUINE FRIEND FROM HOW YOU DID NOT WANT TO BOTHER HIM OR HIS TRAINER AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY COULD. THEREFORE, I FIGURED THAT DOING SO WOULD ALLOW YOU TO UNDERSTAND RIKIYA A BIT MORE, AND ESPECIALLY ALLOW YOU TO BE THERE FOR HIM AND HELP HIM COME TO TERMS WITH HIS TRAINER'S DEATH."

My eyes widened as I realized the Metagross' explanation strangely coincided with my ulterior motives, allowing me to take the chance to share my doubts on the issue:

“But…Isn't it a sensitive topic? I'd like nothing more than to help him deal with this onward, of course, but I feel like I could upset him more than he might already be if he's not fully convinced of his trainer's death…"

“YOUR CONCERNS ARE JUSTIFIED. I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO CONFRONT HIM IN AN ADVERSARIAL FASHION ABOUT THIS MATTER. BUT, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, IT CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT AND BEARABLE FOR POKEMON TO TALK ABOUT TRAINER-RELATED MATTERS WITH OTHER HUMANS THEY TRUST. AS LONG AS YOUR STANCE REMAINS COMPOSED AND YOU TRY TO BE UNDERSTANDING, RIKIYA SHOULD NOT BE HARD TO TALK TO. NOT TO MENTION THAT THIS RELATES TO YOU DIRECTLY, SINCE YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE WITH HIM FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME. RIKIYA HIMSELF IS AWARE OF YOUR DOUBTS REGARDING HIS TRAINER'S STATUS. HE KNOWS THAT, SOONER OR LATER, HE WILL OWE YOU A TRUTHFUL TALK ABOUT THE MATTER."

Kouji's reasoning wasn't that far-fetched, and now that I was aware of him being Rikiya's childhood friend, I knew I could trust his assessment of the Dragonite's character. Although I did not know yet how or when I would bring up the topic, his words gave me some much needed reassurance regarding the task at hand. More than anything, it was invigorating to learn that I had an ally, that someone else cared about Rikiya as much as I did, even if they were a Pokémon. I let out a long sigh, my body visibly feeling the exhaustion of today's evening, and manifested my gratitude towards the metallic Pokémon, a laxer tone in my voice:

“Thanks, Kouji…I feel more confident now. Thanks for everything else, too. Who knows what would've happened if it weren't for you."

“YOU DO NOT NEED TO THANK ME, YOUNG MAN. IF ANYTHING, I SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR MY UNFAIR INITIAL TREATMENT OF YOUR PERSON. I KNOW SOME POKEMON WHO WOULD VERY MUCH APPRECIATE A KIND TRAINER LIKE YOU."

“Apology accepted. And although I'm not a trainer, I appreciate the compliment." I replied with a sheepish smile.

“YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CONSIDER THE OPTION. TODAY'S EVENTS SHOW THAT YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME A GREAT TRAINER."

As his eyes seemed to flash with a faint hint of determination, I looked at the Metagross with questioning eyes:

“Isn't it impossible, though? Am I not too old for that?"

“THERE IS NO MAXIMUM AGE REQUIREMENT. ALTHOUGH YOU ARE CORRECT IN ASSUMING THAT MOST TRAINERS BEGIN AT A YOUNG AGE, SOME PEOPLE START DELVING INTO TRAINING WELL INTO ADULTHOOD. SEVERAL INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD OFFER COURSES FOR PEOPLE WHO WISH TO MAKE A VOCATIONAL RETRAINING IN ORDER TO BECOME A POKEMON TRAINER."

“A vocational retraining…"

Thoughtfully, I repeated the words aloud. In the back of my mind, I was aware that the Metagross probably used it on purpose, as if he waited for me to latch on it like a prey on a bait. Before I could think about it any further, he kept going:

“OF COURSE, THIS IS MERELY A SUGGESTION. THE CHOICE IS ENTIRELY YOURS TO MAKE. NONETHELESS, I ADVISE YOU TO REFLECT THOROUGHLY ON THE QUESTION."

With how my situation had only been solved in theory, it seemed a bit early to ponder about Kouji's suggestion. On the other hand, I could not deny that it was a pertinent one, what with how I had found a sudden interest in Pokémon that surprised even myself. I decided to save the idea in a corner of my mind, and nodded at the Metagross to show my agreement with his opinion, a bashful smile on my face:

“I'll keep it in mind. Thanks again, Kouji. I thought you were somewhat of a tactless nerd at first, but you can be a really nice Pokémon."

The Metagross replied immediately, a tint of surprise and indignation coating his voice:

“A TACTLESS NERD? NOW THAT IS RUDE. I AM NOT A NERD."

“So you admit to being tactless, then?" I asked with fake innocence.

“I DID NOT SAY THAT EITHER. DO NOT FEIGN INNOCENCE, HUMAN. I…ERR..."

It was unexpected, yet very entertaining, to say the least, to find Kouji stammering about and trying to explain himself because of my comment. After a while, he relented, letting out a sigh of defeat:

“I WILL ADMIT THAT…I CAN BE…BLUNT AT TIMES. I APOLOGIZE, BUT THIS IS HOW I OPERATE. ALTHOUGH I TRY TO REIN IT IN, IT IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF MY CHARACTER."

I dismissed his worries, waving my hands back and forth remorsefully:

“No, it's fine! I'm sorry too. I was just kidding, I didn't mean to speak badly of you. To be honest, I'm kind of a nerd myself, so the last thing I'd do is actually shame you for being one."

“OH…I SEE…APOLOGY ACCEPTED, THEN."

Before an awkward silence started to settle in the room, the Metagross decided a change of atmosphere was of the essence:

“ANYWAY. NOW THAT OUR BUSINESS IS DONE, I SUGGEST THAT WE HEAD OUT AND JOIN RIKIYA."

We both left the quiet study behind us and found Rikiya in the kitchen, opposite to where we had come out in the living room. I looked at the big Dragonite, who was busy serving a couple of plates in front of him with a happy smile, and recalled my discussion with Kouji, as well as what happened beforehand. Realization dawned on me that I hadn't been entirely fair to him, and a regretful expression started forming on my face. As he glanced in our direction, Rikiya greeted us back :

“Hey, guys! I'm almost done, just a little longer!"

“OH, DO NOT MIND ME, RIKIYA," the Metagross answered. “I AM JUST SAYING GOODBYE BEFORE I GO HOME."

The Dragonite jerked his head around in utmost surprise, his big eyes widening and almost dropping his utensils in the process:

“What?! But it's been so long since you visited! Come on, Kouji, stay for dinner!"

The Metagross' expression remained unwavering, as he retorted back with his signature monotonous voice:

“I AM AFRAID I MUST DECLINE. I NEED TO HURRY BACK HOME FOR NOW. IT HAS BECOME LATE AND MY TRAINER'S FAMILY WILL WORRY OTHERWISE."

Rikiya's expression saddened at his childhood friend's confirmation:

“I see…You do live a bit far from here. It's a shame, though."

“How will you go back?" I curiously asked, swooping in the conversation.

“THE SAME WAY WE CAME HERE. FLYING."

“You can fly?!"

“I DID TELL YOU EARLIER THAT I “LANDED" HERE, DID I NOT, YOUNG MAN? INDEED, MY SPECIES IS CAPABLE OF FLIGHT. A VIRTUE OF HAVING THE PSYCHIC-TYPE, TO NO DOUBT."

“I see…" I mumbled, trying to wrap my head around how such a heavy-looking creature would be able to simply lift itself off the ground.

“So, uh…how did it go?"

We both looked back at the Dragonite after his intervention, now having reverted to a meeker behavior and fidgeting in place, which I figured was because of the tense atmosphere from before we split. He immediately elaborated:

“Do you still not want to stay here…?"

Trying not to let the thoughts of his trainer tank my mood, I put up a relaxed expression and answered him reassuringly:

“It went fine. I will be staying here…if you still don't mind?"

Rikiya's face beamed at my words, as he seemed to struggle holding back from hugging me on the spot:

“Really?! That's awesome! Of course I don't mind, buddy, you can stay here as long as you want!"

“Thanks, Rikiya." I retorted, a shameful expression forming on my face. “By the way, I'm sorry for earlier. I shouldn't have protested like that when all you wanted was to help me."

The Dragonite shook his head sideways, manifesting an apologetic look of his own:

“No, I'm sorry too. I was too excited at the idea of having you here for a bit longer, that I spoke on your behalf. I shouldn't have forced your hand like that."

“Let's put it behind us, shall we?" I suggested in an attempt to change the uncomfortable subject. “I know you didn't have any ill intentions."

“Yeah, let's do that!" Rikiya agreed enthusiastically. “Don't worry, I'll do everything to make you feel at home here!"

“I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT THIS WHOLE OPERATION IS ALREADY OFF TO A SMOOTH START." The aforementioned Metagross replied, a satisfied tone in his voice. “I CAN DEPART WITHOUT WORRYING MUCH. I WILL STILL CONTACT YOU SOON TO CHECK WITH YOUR PROGRESS, RIKIYA."

“Anytime! Thanks for everything, Kouji, I owe you one!"

“I WILL HOLD ON TO THAT. UNTIL NEXT TIME, THEN. "

“Oh, wait, I'll see you off!"

Rikiya put down the plate in his paws and wiped them off hastily with a nearby cloth, having conveniently finished dishing out the meals. The three of us then headed for the entrance door, the Dragonite opening it, allowing Kouji to step outside. The scenery I had witnessed this afternoon was now draped in a nocturnal veil, as my eyes could barely make out the features of the trees highlighted by the starry sky above. A chilly wind snuck its way inside and made me shiver, prompting me to wrap my arms around my body.

Kouji gave Rikiya a parting nod, the latter replying with a small wave of the paw, before turning back to me again, his intense red eyes staring deep in thought at me as if to confirm my state of mind. However, there was no need to elaborate any further on what we had discussed behind closed doors. My mind was set to help Rikiya to the best of my abilities. I nodded firmly at the Metagross to convey my intentions, and gave him some parting words, my face sporting a determined look:

“Thanks again, Kouji. I'll make sure we do fine."

The Metagross replied in kind, seemingly reassured at my answer:

“IT WAS A PLEASURE MEETING YOU, YOUNG MAN. I HOPE YOU WILL NOT FORGET ABOUT MY OTHER SUGGESTION."

“Don't worry, I'll keep it in mind. See you soon!"

With a final nod on his end, I watched in awe as the bulky Metagross neatly folded up his clawed legs under his main body and propped himself up in the air, now levitating in front of us. He rapidly ascended, his silhouette not far removed from a miniature flying saucer, and in a matter of seconds, he was gone, far too high for my eyes to be able to make out his metallic features. As we both looked up, I heard Rikiya's cheerful voice next to me:

“What did you think of him, buddy? He's pretty reliable, right?"

I nodded along, my feelings about Kouji expressed with the most honesty I could muster:

“Yeah. He sounded a bit rough at first, but you're right, he was a big help. I'm finally starting to see a way out of this mess thanks to you two."

Rikiya then faced me, a beaming smile on his face:

“I'm glad you both got along! Now, how about we go back inside and get started on dinner? I made a berry pie because it's his favorite and thought he'd stay for dinner, but hey, now that means more for us!"

“A berry pie? That does sound really appetizing! If it's as good as what you made so far, I can't wait to try it!"

“Aww, thanks!"

Without further ado, we both made our way back to his dwellings, Rikiya motioning me to wait at the dining table while he headed back to the kitchen to bring both of our plates. I considered offering my help for a brief moment, but knew that my hands wouldn't be able to reach over the countertop either way, prompting me to comply obediently.

As I took a seat on the now familiar mahogany dinner table, a small realization dawned on me regarding the piece of furniture: it was most likely one of the items originally brought here by Rikiya's trainer. His situation forced an exhausted sigh out of my mouth, as I now further grasped the severity of the task the Metagross trusted upon me.

Although I had confidence in maintaining the lie for some time if it came to it, I knew that such a decision would backfire on me pretty quickly, and that we both would have no tackle the matter at some point, with Rikiya's faith in me broken in the process for never mentioning it. Yet at the same time, it felt completely unappropriate to corner him aggressively and ask for his real feelings about such a touchy subject out of the blue. Delicacy was required, yet the issue of when to broach on the topic remained a hassle to figure out properly, leaving me lost about how to solve all this.

“Buddy? Is everything alright?"

Rikiya's sudden interruption made me gasp, my focus thoroughly disrupted. Redirecting my gaze to the table, I noticed both our meals served, an appetizing, plump slice of the aforementioned berry pie in each of the plates, my tongue immediately salivating at the sight. Pushing my eyes further up, however, showed me Rikiya's worried expression, his round eyes glittering with concern. Recalling his inquiry, I opted to deflect the truth of my woes a bit and give a more off-handed answer:

“It's…alright. I mean, as much as it can be. I'm still processing how I…I'll soon have to put all of my current life behind. I know I have to do this, of course, I'm not having second thoughts. Still, I'm thinking about the best way to wrap everything up fast and clean."

Rikiya's eyes relaxed at my reply, although I could still detect a tinge of suspicion in his voice:

“Oh…I understand. By the way, you can count on my help with moving here. I freed my schedule for the next few days before coming home. And hey, maybe my trainer will come back in the meantime!"

I cringed internally at the mention of his trainer. Barely a few hours had passed since Kouji had told me everything, yet I was already struggling to maintain the facade that I was completely oblivious to the situation. Bouncing back on the matter of which day I should take to settle everything, I pondered for a moment, trying to decide on the best day to carry out the fateful operation. However, given my current standing of having skipped work, there was only one day that could work reasonably:

“Thanks, Rikiya. Ideally, I'd like to do it tomorrow."

The Dragonite looked at me with surprised eyes, clearly not expecting such an early date:

“Tomorrow?! Isn't that a bit too fast, buddy?"

“It is, but I don't have much room otherwise. Kouji said that the faster, the better, and I agree with him on this. Not to mention that I skipped work, and my phone is still at my studio. The workplace probably blew it up today since I haven't shown up, and if they haven't already fired me, they probably won't hesitate tomorrow. Not to mention my rent issue is also on a timer."

I looked at Rikiya, my face betraying a tired expression after explaining in detail why it had to be tomorrow, and he reluctantly agreed with my reasoning, his eyes uneasy:

“I guess you're right…but will you be able to settle everything in one day? That does sound very heavy just for tomorrow."

“If I arrive in town early in the morning, I think I can make it work and have everything settled by late afternoon. Would that…be okay with you?"

“Of course, buddy! I guess we're sleeping early, then! Oh, but what about lunch? I can find somewhere to eat in the wild, but what about you? Should I prepare something else tonight…?"

“Thanks for asking, but it'll be fine on my side too. I can order something in town when the time comes."

The Dragonite nodded in approval and smiled satisfyingly:

“Alright. Then it's settled. Now eat, little buddy! Your pie's going cold!"

Having completely forgotten about the homemade dish, sitting still in front of me, Rikiya's mention prompted me to look down embarrassingly at the slice of pie, its golden crust baked to perfection and wrapping around a mish-mash of cooked berries I failed to recognize after the time they spent in the oven. My fork slowly approached the layer of dough, piercing it a few seconds later and letting out a crispy sound in the process, before bringing a small bite above my palate. The festival of spicy and sweet savors that I expected to take place on my tongue delivered on its promise, and my senses were once again overwhelmed by the sheer quality of Rikiya's cooking. A small moan of bliss escaped my lips as my mouth wrestled with the chunk of pie until it had enough, relenting to letting it sink into my stomach. A chuckle brought my mind back to attention, and I looked back at Rikiya, who seemed to enjoy watching my reaction, before elaborating:

“This is so delicious! No wonder Kouji likes this dish!"

“Aww, thanks! He usually likes it when I put Tamato berries inside, but it can be a bit too spicy for me, so I replaced them with Pomeg berries instead."

I nodded at his explanation:

“Oh, I see. To be honest, I don't really like spicy food either, but this tastes awesome."

“I'm glad you like it! I haven't had the chance to bake it for my trainer yet, so I hope he'll be as pleased as you whenever he comes back."

He had mentioned him again. For a moment, I wondered if perhaps he had done so out of reassurance, so that I would notice him taking into account my previous grievances regarding my lack of knowledge about his trainer. Nonetheless, pretending like everything was okay, like I was still oblivious to his situation, was slowly becoming unbearable. My brows unintentionally furrowed and the smile I had going on vanished slowly, enthusiasm sapping out of my body gradually, my enjoyment of the delicious pie slowing to an unenthusiastic display.

A struggle took place in the recess of my mind, weighing in between having a heartfelt talk about this all here and now and confessing about what Kouji told me, or wait for Rikiya to be truthful of his own volition. Both scenarios left a sour taste in my mouth, as the former could potentially jeopardize my friendship with the Dragonite, while the latter could end up not happening before weeks, months, perhaps even years, provided I didn't blow it up before that and reveal that I already knew of his trainer's demise.

“Buddy? What's wrong? You don't look well…"

Rikiya's worried voice reached my ears once again, making me feel even guiltier than before. Not only was I making him worry, but if this kept up, I'd end up actively lying to him, even though he generously offered to take me in for the foreseeable future. It almost made me want to laugh at my own arrogance, for thinking I'd even be able to keep the charade up in the first place.

I couldn't do it anymore. I didn't want to lie to him anymore. I had to be honest. Upfront. Otherwise, that fierce guilt that was starting to settle in would eat at me even further, leaving nothing but a heart torn by regret. Even if I might alienate him, even if I ended up involuntarily lacking diplomacy, I just couldn't keep lying and pretending that everything was fine, when it clearly was not. The sooner I did this, the sooner I could potentially be of assistance for him to grieve, the sooner I could repay my debt to him. Fretful of the consequences, my lips quivered:

“Rikiya…I…I want to talk. It's…It's important."

I looked up at the Dragonite, his round and cute eyes staring at me with a puzzled look. He replied, a reassuring tone coating his voice:

“Of course, little buddy! What do you want to talk about?"

Looking past the irony of him reassuring me for being about to delve in a sensitive topic for him, I elaborated, almost stuttering:

“N…Not now. Could we talk after dinner…In the bedroom?"

His innocent gaze remained still, before he nodded in approval:

“Sure! Let's finish first, and we'll move to the bedroom afterwards, okay?"

Perhaps because of our mutual anticipation, dinner played out faster than yesterday, in undisturbed silence, both of us finishing our meal at about the same time. My own efforts in trying to rush through that delicious pie just so I could have that all but compelling discussion a bit earlier scared me. I gave Rikiya my plate back and headed first into the bedroom, while he stopped by the kitchen to drop said plates in the sink. Finding a seat on the edge of the bed, I twiddled my thumbs together in anxiety, trying my best to find and rehearse the appropriate words I would tell the orphan Pokémon in a way that had the least chances of setting him off.

My respite did not last long, however, as I soon heard the daunting sound made by Rikiya's heavy footsteps. Glancing in the door's direction, he soon crossed the threshold of the bedroom's entrance, a kind smile adorning his maw, which did all but ease my mind. I quickly looked down in a mixed bag of shame and fear, while he took a seat next to me, at the same spot where we had slept yesterday, and spoke up, initiating the daunting conversation:

“Alright. Tell me everything, buddy. What's the matter?"

I gulped audibly, trying to remember how I decided to approach the matter, before finally articulating words of my own:

“Well…Err…It's about when Kouji talked to me."

“Kouji? Oh right, you mean when you were in the study?" He asked for confirmation.

“Y…Yeah. He…He told me something."

“Something? Wait…Buddy, did he say something inappropriate?"

Lifting my head up, I noticed that his brow had furrowed, his eyes starting to turn angry at the possibility. Not wanting him to get the wrong idea, I quickly shut down his assumption before it devolved into anything out of control:

“No, no! Nothing…Nothing inappropriate."

“Are you sure? He wasn't rude to you?" He asked again, a slight doubtful tone in his voice.

“No, he wasn't. It…It was about your trainer."

“My…trainer?" The Dragon-type replied, puzzled.

“Yes…He…He told me everything. About how both your trainers were friends…About the war…About how they were sent to the frontlines with both of their teams…How they never came back…And…And about how all of that happened more than a hundred years ago."

My hands were firmly grasping each other, overwhelmed with the stress that came with my entering the heart of the matter. There was no turning back now. The weight of the pressure pushed my head back down, as I was too afraid of his upcoming reaction, and looking at him would have chipped away at my hard-found resolve. The nerve-wracking silence that had now taken place in the bedroom was all but helping. Several seconds passed, with me waiting for Rikiya's inevitable answer. I expected him to be in denial, to turn angry, or to just be extremely upset. Yet, silence kept reigning mercilessly, taking me aback, before I decided to proceed carefully, my chest heaving:

“I…I honestly didn't expect to hear that, at first. Or that both of you were more than a century old. I never suspected something like that, with how you spoke of him like he was still on some journey and was coming back soon. I understand that it's something you'd never want to talk about, because of how…painful it can be. Not hearing from your trainer for decades, I can't even imagine how you must've felt. I myself never intended to bring it up if I could. I'm feeling even guiltier and meaner about insisting on your trainer like I did. But now, I…I'm just worried about you. And about…about the implications. I'm also still doubting it all, mainly because I've noticed some details about the base that don't match up with Kouji's story. So, I guess…What I want to ask is…Is that true? Has it…Has it really been more than a century since you last saw your trainer?"

Another stretch of silence. The tension in the air was slowly gnawing at my nerves, any potential wrong movement feeling like a terrible mistake I'd regret for the rest of my life. After a few agonizing seconds, Rikiya's surprisingly frail voice echoed around the walls:

“Yeah. It's true."

My heart sank. A small part of me still clung to the faint hope that Kouji was just exaggerating, or perhaps that I misheard the time period, but Rikiya's blunt confirmation had shattered all of those away in one clean strike. I slowly looked up at the Dragonite, but where I expected to come face to face with an upset, betrayed expression, his face only showed sadness and vulnerability, bringing forth even more guilt and shame in my soul. I did my best to push those negative emotions deep back, resolving to support the gentle Pokémon with his trip down a bleak memory lane. As our gazes met, he took it as his cue to resume:

“Everything you just mentioned is true, buddy. In a corner of my mind, I've always held hope that he'd come back one day."

He took a shaky breath to compose himself, then kept going, fiddling with his paws:

“When I first heard the news from Kouji, I was devastated. Sure, he didn't outright say that Hiroshi and my other teammates had been killed in battle, but I never received any news. If he had just disappeared, he should've still been able to send me a message and tell me he was fine, since that's what had happened so far. Not knowing was unbearable, it made me anxious. And at the same time, I was afraid to go search for him myself. I mean, he could've…he could've been anywhere around the world. So…I decided to not think about it and just wait…Just have faith in him. Did…did Kouji tell you about Hiroshi's family?"

My eyes hadn't turned away so far, and I nodded at Rikiya's question, memorizing what I assumed to be his trainer's name and elaborating on the information I had:

“He told me that they drove you away after they received the news…"

“Yeah, they did. In only one day, I couldn't visit there anymore, and then they moved away soon after, so I lost track of them. Even if Hiroshi would've come back to them, they said I wasn't allowed to come visit him."

“That's really mean of them…And completely unfair to you."

I had blurted those words in a clumsy attempt to sympathize with the Pokémon, chastising myself for not letting him talk uninterrupted. As if reading my thoughts, he immediately bounced back on my remark:

“Honestly, I…I don't blame them. They were upset just like I was at first, and I know everyone reacts differently to that kind of news. I didn't want to make a scene, and I figured my trainer would be able to contact me and come back if I stayed there. So…I just complied."

Rikiya took another pause, while I moved closer to him, my attention still focused on his tale:

“At first, I just kept doing what I did so far. Some odd jobs here and there, with sometimes Kouji tagging along. My trainer had registered me, but the association treats sapient Pokémon as independent individuals, so they didn't ask me about his…his status. It was a nice distraction, and I was content doing it for as long as I could. Going to work, coming home to the base, and keeping the place clean. Sometimes, I'd notice some evolutions in technology, or some part of the base needing maintenance, so with Kouji's help again, we did renovations around the base when needed. I'd keep most of Hiroshi's furniture and belongings around, of course, but buy one or two new things when I felt like it, because I wanted to surprise him in the event he came back."

Hearing about the state of the secret base, I jumped on the occasion to ask for clarification regarding some of my doubts, my voice remaining reassuring as much as I could:

“So…is that why there are electronics around the house? Like the TV and the gaming console?"

Rikiya affirmatively hummed, his tone still meek and hesitant:

“Yeah. I discovered TV a few years after the war ended, and…I thought it'd be nice to have at home. I've been upgrading it with the times, and I watch it by myself once in a while. The gaming console is supposed to be a…a welcome back present for him, since I, well…I can't really use it myself because of my big paws."

A sudden realization hit me, and I wondered out loud:

“Come to think of it, it's strange that there aren't any pictures or paintings of you or your trainer in the base. Why is that?"

He let out a sad chuckle, before resuming:

“Hiroshi wasn't keen on having his own photos or pictures around. That's also why the other rooms might feel strange. You probably noticed the bedroom doesn't have anything personal besides Hiroshi's clothes, right? That's because he doesn't stay in it except for sleeping. He spends a lot of time working in the study, so I took extra care to keep it just as it was when he first left. The kitchen was a present from him when I first started to look into cooking. It wasn't for long before he got dispatched, but he…he always encouraged me to try new recipes…and…and when I'd make some basic ones for him, he always said they were…among the most delicious stuff he'd ever tasted."

Although his specific answers about the state of the rooms quelled my own doubts regarding his trainer's fate, Rikiya's tone wavered more and more, and I could feel his composure starting to falter gradually as he delved into his past. Intending on giving him words of comfort, my plans were instantly thwarted, as he suddenly put me on the spot with his next question, his eyes on the verge of tearing up:

“Tell me, buddy…What…What do you think about all this?"

The implication of his question sent a shiver down my spine, as I tried to show no discomfort and asked for precisions:

“My…opinion? About what, Rikiya?"

“About…my trainer. To tell the truth…I don't know how long humans live. Until now, I've always avoided searching for the truth. Because if I did, it…it'd feel like I'd put a time limit on the question, and I didn't want to do that. The last time I talked with Kouji about it was shortly after my trainer disappeared. But, now that I'm reminiscing about it all, it feels like I've been running away. I feel ashamed…cowardly. And most of all, I…I realize how long I've been waiting, and that the…the more I've been waiting, the more likely the other possibility is turning out. And I…I can't bear it anymore."

He took another deep breath, his paws slightly clenching from the stress, and reiterated his fateful question:

So I…I need to hear your honest opinion on this, buddy. What do you think? Do you think he…he could still be alive, or that…that there's no hope anymore?"

My breath hitched. Of course, I agreed with the Metagross' conclusions. There was little to no hope left for Hiroshi, as seemed to be his name, to still be alive somewhere in the world. Yet, despite the eventuality of telling the truth crossing my mind when I first decided to have this talk with Rikiya, now that it mutated into a certainty, it was a far greater trial. I wanted to spare the kind Pokémon, who never asked for any of this. Seeing him on the verge of breaking already made me reconsider everything, and I hesitantly asked for confirmation:

“I…Uh…Are…Are you sure?"

“P-Please, buddy. Tell me honestly…I…I need to know."

No matter how I looked at it, I wouldn't be able to extricate myself out of this situation. I looked down again, gripping my hands hard, and, after miserably trying to delay it for no more than a few seconds as a last resort, relayed the sentence to my Pokémon friend:

“I think…It's too late. Humans rarely live up to a hundred years, and your trainer was already an adult back then. It's safe to assume he's…he's no longer in this world."

I prepared myself for screams, outbursts, anger, denial. Who could blame him? He just learned that he had lost the most important person in his life. The one who raised him, taught him how to communicate, gave him a chance to be an independent Pokémon…And he couldn't even mourn him properly. He didn't even get to tell him goodbye. Anybody in that situation would be justified in letting themselves go.

Despite all odds, as I reluctantly looked up again, Rikiya remained quiet at first. The easygoing, extroverted jolly Pokémon that I had first met yesterday was nowhere in sight, save for a shell of himself. His cute round eyes, usually vibrant, full of playfulness, were now threatening to collapse in a pool of tears. He muttered something, his already shaky enough voice finally giving in to the grief that had taken over:

“I see…I…I had a feeling…But he's really gone…"

His paws quickly hid his pupils, and he started whimpering. Continuously. His guttural wails echoed in the bedroom, now seeming to reflect his barren hopes in looks. They sounded nothing like his normal speaking voice; they were rawer, more primitive, as though he had removed the filter that allowed for human communication. And yet, I didn't have any issues to empathize with his suffering. His voice told me everything I needed to know, made me understand how hard this actually hit him.

A part of my mind couldn't help blaming my own self for pushing this outcome. He may have asked for the truth, but it was my wish to talk about it in the first place, to dig up this intimate part of his life I was told without his consent that led up to this. To my only friend, my best friend, crying helplessly in front of me after I told him the worst news he'd hear in his life. I did it to him. I could've tried waiting more. I could've tried pretending, even just for a day, but I didn't. Because of my lack of confidence, of my weakness in keeping up appearances. Because I also believed it would be detrimental to our friendship down the road.

Yet, another, stronger part of my mind, told me that it was inevitable. That sooner or later, it would've come to this, and that even if he hurt in the moment, the way he was pushing himself to talk about his trainer wasn't healthy in the long-term. Still, I had to take responsibility and commit to that dreadful decision. Now that I'd done it and Rikiya was actually grieving, I had to be there for him. To soothe him. Help him come to terms with his trainer's death, as Kouji had accurately described the deed. My friend needed me more than ever, and if I was so insistent on saying that we shared a precious bond, I'd have to prove it by comforting him and asking for forgiveness for putting him through this terrible experience.

So I did what any friend would do in these circumstances. I stood up from the bed, and immediately went to hug him. Our difference in size made it a bit awkward, my arms only reaching halfway around his belly, but it didn't deter me from taking the natural course of action. I expressed my feelings, eyes closed in self-reflection:

“My condolences, Rikiya. I wish…I wish it had turned out differently. I wish you'd have heard it differently. If there's something I can do for you, please tell me."

The big Dragon-type still whimpered meekly, in striking contrast to his imposing shape. As I rubbed my right hand slowly around his orange scales, he answered, his crying still soaking his voice:

“I…Could you let me…hug you? I…I need it. Please."

His request was unexpected, yet the corresponding right answer was manifest:

“Of course."

Rikiya slowly removed his paws from before his eyes, now puffy as a result of extensively tearing up. Like yesterday night, I extended my arms toward his head, as he moved down and picked me up like he did earlier. My legs were flopping down against his underbelly, and his big arms only clutched my upper half, mine wrapped around his neck as usual. Although it wasn't uncomfortable, and he seemed to still rein in his physical strength, his hold was tighter than before. Perhaps because of our physical proximity, his cries turned more audible. In an attempt to reassure him, I reached around his neck and started stroking the back of his head, accompanying the gesture with a few gentle whispers:

“Shhh…I'm here. I'm here…."

The more I kept at it, the more his crying eased up, and his whimpers subdued. If someone told me before that I'd be able to comfort a giant Pokémon in the middle of grieving, I would never have believed them. Yet, slowly but surely, Rikiya seemed to feel less upset by the news. He was still weeping and squeezing my body, but nothing like the feral expressions that first crossed his maw. I trusted that time would naturally mend this wound, but deep down, I felt relieved. Because despite my insensitive actions, I managed to do something for him in the end.

A few minutes had passed now, and neither my gestures nor my comforting words had stopped, before Rikiya meekly resumed back a conversation that I thought was closed with a surprising statement:

“You…You look so much like him…"

I didn't process the sentence immediately, the ambiguity of it delaying my comprehension. But before I could ask him to elaborate, he picked up:

“L-Like my trainer, I mean…You see, the more time passed, the more he'd be nothing but an afterthought…I only focused on the routine, working, coming home, eating and sleeping. By the time a century had passed, I had almost forgotten about him."

I continued petting him on the back of his head, stopping my whispers to let him talk uninterrupted:

“Until…Until I met you on that cliff yesterday."

The abrupt mention of myself had me taken aback, my strokes stopping in a similar fashion. Looking up and facing his jaw, I had a feeling Rikiya noticed my attention on him, as he resumed on the spot:

“I…I couldn't believe my eyes, buddy. You were all alone on the edge of the cliff, so at first, I had planned to just check on you, but when you turned around, you were his spitting image. I was so happy. I thought I had finally reunited with my trainer after all these years, that my wait wasn't in vain. But then, when I went to talk to you…Something didn't feel right. You…You told me to…to kill you. That took me off-guard, so I immediately talked back, which surprised you in turn, and then you almost fell down the cliff. But…But worst of all…You were afraid of me."

The retelling of those grim events created a small pit in my heart, despite them having occurred merely yesterday. In hindsight, my initial demand must've been an insane shock to him. His grip tightened even more before he resumed:

“Then, you asked me how I could speak. I pondered about telling you the truth right then and there. But I was scared that if you saw me as a wild Pokémon who didn't have a trainer anymore, you'd still be afraid of me. So…For the first time in a long while, I told someone about him. I still had faith that he'd come back, and thought that just mentioning him would reassure you about me. I didn't think any further than that. Then, you told me about your personal issues, and I could see that…that even though you seemed different at first, you were just as kind and as thoughtful as Hiroshi back in the day. At that point, my instincts had kicked in. I wanted to help you, to be there for you. To know more.

When I offered a sleepover, it was so that you could take a break, of course, but I also thought that bringing you here…would…would trigger something, perhaps in your memories in case you were my amnesiac trainer or if you were related to him. Overall, I felt…conflicted, lonely…I felt confused. That's why…In hindsight…I'm glad you confronted me, little buddy."

My eyes widened in astonishment. He wasn't upset? Even though I just made him cry all the tears he had kept inside himself? I couldn't believe it at first, before Rikiya elaborated:

“The…The more time I spent with you, the more I realized how much time actually passed. That perhaps…perhaps my trainer would never come back. I…I played around with the idea of moving on, even. But I was still afraid…When Kouji suggested housing you, I thought it would be fine, but then…You said you wanted to meet my trainer first, so I panicked. Kouji probably noticed, but…I didn't think he'd actually tell you everything.

So when you accepted, I still tried to reassure you…and I guess myself, about my trainer still being around. But now…now that I'm talking about how I've been feeling all this time…I feel less burdened. Thinking about what could've happened to Hiroshi…starts hurting less. It feels like I can actually move on, for good. So…I really want to thank you, with all my heart."

I silently listened to the large Dragon-type, my full attention on his words. Of course, that was a lot to process, but even though most of his actions so far seemed to bear an ulterior motive, it was obvious to me that he didn't act out of malice, rather out of loneliness and desperate hope. In the end, he was just trying to grieve the best way he knew. His next words only confirmed my suspicions:

“I'm sorry, little buddy. I'm sorry for lying to you…For deceiving you. I know it's a lot to ask, but…please forgive me. I can't bear the thought of breaking your trust."

My hand had found the back of his neck before he even started asking, and I immediately reassured the big, kind Pokémon, attempting to make my voice sound soothing:

“It's okay, Rikiya. You're not at fault. You poor thing, you must've suffered so much…For what it's worth, I'm not any better, for cornering you like I did. I was afraid that remaining silent whilst being in the know, that letting you cling onto a fruitless hope would break your trust too. I feel absolutely awful for making you cry like that. Please forgive me too."

“I…It's fine…I-I know you were doing it for my sake."

Rikiya fell silent for a while, and resumed talking, a few sparse sobs mingling in his words:

“W-Would…Do you still really want to live here…Despite knowing that I have no trainer? Despite me not having been entirely honest?"

I smiled at the question and the Dragonite's endearing plea, knowing that I had nothing to fear or doubt about him anymore:

“I wouldn't be happier…It's not your trainer who's my best friend…It's you, Rikiya. I'll always think so."

He let out a relieved sigh, pulling up my legs to wrap them around his chest, his large arms tightening their hold around me, while he kept nuzzling and ruffling my hair with his jaw:

“Thank you so much, buddy…Thank you. You're…you're my best friend too."

As he kept crying, his emotions a mixture of grief, relief, sadness and happiness, I squeezed back, still petting his head. My mind wandered to all the information I learned on this exhausting day. In particular, the mention of his trainer looking just like me. For a fleeting moment, I wondered why Kouji hadn't touched upon this detail, but then again, perhaps he wasn't of the same opinion as Rikiya. But more importantly, it made me recall what I heard about my ancestor, whose circumstances strangely matched Hiroshi, Rikiya's trainer. I did not know about my great-great-great uncle's name, or his team, or where we used to live before. Perhaps there was something more to it, and curiosity was starting to manifest itself about the coincidences.

Yet, hearing Rikiya's mixed whimpers, and how he finally seemed to have found closure, I decided against bringing it up. The poor Pokémon had suffered enough, and for so long. I had already made him cry, I didn't want to add any more to it. I didn't want to start investigating, which would eventually lead me to confronting my family, and putting him on the spot. Perhaps later, when time would've worked its magic and soothed his deep emotional scars. For now, I simply kept nuzzling his neck softly, a gesture of affection he quickly reciprocated.

The hours passed slowly, and Rikiya's crying gradually led to fatigue. As if bound by a silent agreement, we didn't let go of each other for the whole night, eventually falling asleep just like that, me not bothering to ask for time to change my clothes. After all, we needed all the rest we could get; not only to recover from this heavy heart-to-heart, but also because tomorrow was going to be a big day, and we'd need to get up early. In the now peaceful silence of the secret base, our breathings remained in sync as we drifted away.