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By the time Claudine emerges out of the Super Contest Hall, it’s nearing sundown. The evening winds are picking up, blowing through Hearthome. Claudine shivers, wishing she had a coat. She still hasn’t gotten used to how colder it is in Sinnoh in general compared to the other regions she’s been in.
“We should get some dinner, and turn in for the night, hm, Growlithe?” Claudine says, turning down. At her side dutifully as always, Growlithe is standing there with his tail wagging, still exhilarated from his victory in the contest. Of course Claudine knew they would win. Next week, they’ll finally challenge the master rank.
Claudine holds up her fingers, listing off the things she needs to do. “Find a coat or something warm, dinner, and go to Amity Park tomorrow. Sounds good, doesn’t it?” Growlithe barks his agreement, and she smiles, bending down to ruffle the top of his head even.
All in all, an uneventful day, if Claudine had to say. She’d come to Sinnoh to conquer the Super Contests, moving on from Hoenn after she finished. The burning drive for competition has always driven her forward. No time for rest when there’s always room for improvement.
So, Claudine’s a little caught off guard when, on what feels like just another day for her, something flies into her.
“Oof!” Claudine falls over onto the ground from the force. Dimly, she’s aware of Growlithe barking before something wet is pressing against her face. His nose, trying to nudge her, she realizes, still dazed. There’s another loud sound now. It’s foreign to Claudine’s ears. It sounds like a Pokémon cry.
Claudine pulls herself together and quickly pushes herself up. The source of the sound is coming from her lap. She immediately looks down—
Wide unblinking eyes stare up at her. Claudine blinks at it.
It’s… some kind of flying Pokémon, that much Claudine hazards guessing, what with its beak and brightly colored feathers, a beautiful blue shade.
And, there’s the most awful gaudy rainbow-colored ribbon on top of its head. Claudine’s nose is wrinkling at the sight of it.
It tilts its head from side to side, obviously curious. Right now, it’s perched within her lap, comfortable, as if it’s already more than familiar with her. But, of course, that’s impossible, Claudine has never seen this Pokémon in her entire life—
Ah, wait. Claudine has seen this Pokémon.
She reaches deep into her mind, thinking of her time in Unova. “A… a… Ducklett?”
The Pokémon honks. Loudly.
“... a Ducklett,” Claudine mutters with absolute certainty.
Growlithe cautiously moves closer, sniffing at the Pokémon. He circles around, sniffing all the while. Then, he stops, barks, and, oh no, Claudine sees it, how his tail starts wagging furiously. He thinks it might be a new friend.
“This Ducklett has a ribbon on it. I don’t think it’s wild,” Claudine says apologetically. Growlithe whines, his ears flattening against his head. Now even she feels sad.
The Ducklett turns its attention to Growlithe, honks softly, and starts to nibble at his head. Growlithe’s ears immediately perk up, and his tail wags so hard that he can barely keep his back still as he shakes from excitement.
Claudine watches everything play out, unsure of what she should be doing, or what she should even be thinking. She’s secretly praying for its owner to come and take it back.
“Ducklett?! Ducklett! Where are you—oh!”
Claudine’s prayers have been answered. She turns around, to see who’s shouting—
And Claudine blinks, because of all the people she’d been expecting, it hadn’t been her.
… except Claudine can now faintly recall a phone conversation telling her to come visit Hearthome sometime.
Nana giggles as she crouches down next to them. “I see you’ve already met Ducklett.”
“I think it met me first,” Claudine mutters, still trying to shake off her fall from earlier. Nana smiles apologetically and reaches out to take the Pokémon off her lap.
Ducklett immediately looks over at the hands reaching for her. Nana freezes. Claudine’s not sure what’s going on, but it feels… tense.
“Ducklett…” Nana calls out, her voice low. Ducklett doesn’t respond other than a small tilt of its head. Ducklett doesn’t even blink.
Growlithe starts to whine, and he sidles up to Claudine before laying down. Ducklett makes a chirping sound and finally stands up.
And makes its way over to Growlithe, plopping over onto his back. Both Nana and Claudine can only stare as Growlithe effortlessly stands up, his tail still wagging from excitement. He looks over at them, expectant. Claudine doesn’t even know what to say. She looks over at Nana, but Nana looks like she’s struggling to hold back her laughter, smiling like she’s in on some kind of secret instead.
“... anyway,” Claudine mutters, and stands up before Ducklett can change its mind and come back to her lap. “Ducklett is yours?”
“Oh, no,” Nana says with a wave of her hand. “She’s, ah, I’m helping take care of her right now, I guess?”
“... you guess? Her trainer couldn’t leave her over at the Daycare instead?”
“Her trainer is… someone special,” Nana says vaguely, not quite meeting Claudine’s eyes.
“Oh?” A sly smile comes to Claudine. It’s not everyday she gets to see Nana being so secretive. “You mean, it’s not Junna’s?”
Nana sighs as she stands up, holding out a hand to Claudine, who gladly takes it. “It’s complicated. But whatever you’re thinking, it’s definitely not that,” she says firmly, so firmly that Claudine thinks she might be a little bit more in denial. But they’re not old friends for nothing, and there’s a certain look in Nana’s eyes that makes Claudine not want to push her, so she decides she’ll let it go.
… for now, at least.
“What are you doing here anyway?” Nana asks. Before Claudine can answer, though, she gestures down the path. “Oh, wait, let’s go to my home and we can talk on the way. I have to cook some dinner for you! And Junna will be happy to see you too!”
Claudine immediately shakes her head, but she knows better than to argue with Nana. A small smile comes to her lips instead. “Alright, I guess I can’t say no to that.”
They talk as Nana leads her through the city to her home. At their side trots Growlithe, still with Ducklett on his back. Claudine glances down at him every now and then but he doesn’t even seem winded, still with his tail wagging. Ducklett lets out a chirp every now and then but not the loud honk she used to make. Claudine’s glad for that, she’s sure when she goes to sleep tonight, she’ll hear nothing but honking.
“We’re here!” Nana announces once they arrive in front of a modest looking house near the outskirts of the city. From behind, Claudine can see the forest that surrounds Hearthome. It doesn’t seem like much, but Claudine knows there must be a huge yard, especially given Nana’s penchant for taking care of stray Pokémon that wander in.
Nana opens the door, calling out, “I’m home!”
“Welcome back,” comes faintly from down the house. But Claudine knows that voice, and she looks over at Nana who’s frozen in place.
“I thought Junna lived next door?” Claudine asks with a snicker. Nana coughs into her hand.
“Yes, she does, but she, er, has a key to here too,” Nana mumbles very quickly and goes further into the house, toward the kitchen Claudine figures. “Guess who’s here!”
Ducklett lets out a honk, as if to fill the space between them. Claudine can hear the sound of someone shuffling on the house floor.
“Is it finally T—” and Junna appears out of a hallway, her eyes bleary as she glares at the door, but the rest of her words die on her lips when Claudine catches her eyes widening. “O-oh. Claudine.” On her shoulder is her Eevee, mewling at her.
Claudine waves to her. “You look awful, Junna. What even happened to you?”
“Ducklett,” Junna mutters. “Research,” she says in a louder voice afterward. Claudine watches as her eyes going down to where Ducklett is now quiet, still perched on Growlithe’s back. “Huh. Cute,” she mumbles, raising a hand to her mouth to yawn behind it.
Claudine is about to speak again, except a shiver runs through her. There’s a certain… feeling she has, like she’s being watched. Growlithe barks and tugs on her pants. “Hm? What is it, boy?” she asks, bending down to tend to him.
Bending down just in time to avoid the giant tongue falling from the ceiling. Claudine slowly looks over at it, her heart beats three times—
She screams.
“Wh-wh-what is that?!” Claudine yells as she scrambles away from the tongue. Her eyes immediately dart up—
“Greninja!” Nana shouts from the kitchen. Junna sighs, shaking her head. Greninja retracts his tongue and lands onto the floor. He croaks rapidly, reminding Claudine of laughter, and then when she blinks, he’s gone. Claudine would be lying if she didn’t admit to being slightly miffed, but she remembered he had always liked playing tricks even when he was still a Frogadier, sometimes even with Nana in on them too. It’s been a long time, so Claudine can’t find herself too angry for too long.
“Sorry, Kuro, he really likes doing that,” Nana calls out. “Likes surprising guests, even though it’s Junna most of the time.”
Junna rolls her eyes and shuffles further into the room, settling down on the couch. She pats the seat next to her for Claudine, who sits down next to her too. “If I had known you were coming, I would have tried to… look a little more presentable.”
“I didn’t know either! It was Ducklett who flew into my head!”
“... I’m sorry?”
“And then Banana came chasing after her!” Claudine finishes.
“... ah.”
Growlithe strolls over and sits down in front of them, clearly looking up at Junna. Ducklett’s already hopped off, and when Claudine looks for her, she’s perched atop the armrest of the couch, large eyes will unblinking and seemingly staring off in the distance.
… who could even have a Ducklett like this?
Junna bends down to pet Growlithe on his head. “You still look the same as always.” He lets out a soft bark, his tail thumping loudly against the floor. Eevee leaps from Junna’s shoulder, rubbing her face against his fur.
“What are you doing here in Hearthome, anyway, Claudine?” Junna asks.
“I came for the Super Contests. I was in Hoenn earlier, and now I’m here,” Claudine answers, trying not to fidget. She’s starting to feel a little guilty about not remembering Nana and Junna being here. She’ll have to treat them out to some dinner or bring a cake over for them during her stay.
“Wait, you came straight from Hoenn?” Nana’s head peeks out of the kitchen. “Kuro, when’s the last time you had a proper break?”
… that’s a good question, if Claudine’s had to be honest. And she knows Nana can sense her hesitation, by the way she hears the click of the stove being turned off and Nana coming out, apron and frown and all. Even Junna’s eyeing her worriedly even though she’s trying to look like she’s not.
Claudine doesn’t want to worry her friends, but she knows she’s already done so by hesitating on her answer. It isn’t that Claudine’s not trying to give herself a break, it’s… complicated. If she stops, if she doesn’t throw herself into the next competition, if she doesn’t distract and focus her mind on something else—
“Do you still think about her?” Nana asks, softly, but to Claudine, it sounds like the bellow of a Loudred.
… of course, how can Claudine not? If she gives herself a moment of peace, in the silence that ensues, it’s all she can think about. Even now, so many years later, it still haunts her.
Claudine Saijou, child star of the Pokéstar Studios, aspiring to become the very best in the Unovan musicals…
All of it, competing against her.
And then—
Gone.
Gone.
“Claudine.” Junna lays a hand on her arm. It snaps Claudine back.
“No,” Claudine says suddenly in a sharp voice. “That time is behind me now.” Her hands in her lap clench into fists. “I mean, it’s already in the past, what else can I do?” The hint of anger and bitterness seep into her voice.
Claudine knows she’s not very convincing and sounds more like she’s trying to persuade herself instead. She doesn’t miss the way Junna and Nana exchange glances.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up something uncomfortable,” Nana apologizes.
“No, no. That’s… that’s fine. You were only worried.” Claudine takes a deep breath, and looks up at Nana, a small smile on her lips. “That made me hungry, though.”
“O-oh!” Nana rushes back into the kitchen. “Let me get that right up!”
That’s one person out of the way now, Claudine thinks. She understands that Nana only means good, but Claudine hadn’t been expecting to deal with this arriving in Sinnoh. Although she feels like she should have expected that now, as she can start to recall Nana giving her a call and telling her to visit sometime.
There’s a tap on the other side of her arm, and when Claudine looks over, it’s Ducklett, softly pecking it. She stops when it looks like she has Claudine’s attention. Her stare is still just as blank as always, but Claudine gets the strangest feeling she might also be trying to comfort Claudine. How odd. Claudine’s just met this Pokémon, and…
Claudine reaches out, running her fingers through Ducklett’s fur. It’s soft, almost ridiculously so. Claudine wonders if that’s how it is, or if her trainer’s taken care of her so meticulously. It makes her smile. Even that dumb awful rainbow bow on her head is starting to slowly endear itself to her.
… not that Claudine still doesn’t feel the awful need to swap it for something better.
Growlithe whines in worry, rubbing his face against her leg. She reaches down to ruffle his head. He barks, and looks over at Junna, who nods at him, and he leaps up onto the couch, laying half of his body across Claudine’s lap. Claudine scratches under his chin, and his tongue lolls out. Even Junna reaches over to scratch behind his ears.
“You can always talk to us, too, you know,” Junna says.
“I know,” Claudine mumbles. It’s uncharacteristic for her to feel this way; she’s never been one to bottle up her emotions.
But what else can she do?
… why does she have to feel so trapped?
“Dinner’s done!” Nana calls out. The timing has never been more than perfect. Sometimes, Claudine thinks Nana’s got the perfect sense of these things. More than glad for the distraction, Claudine immediately stands up, rubbing her stomach.
“I haven’t had your cooking in a while, I’m looking forward to it!”
Nana’s giggle echoes from the kitchen. “I made sure to add something Kalosian to it!”
Dinner is the most delicious thing Claudine’s ever tasted in the while. She’s dined at more than various places around the world in her travels but still, somehow, nothing quite beats Nana’s homemade cooking. If she had to say, she’s a little jealous of Junna.
When they all finish, Claudine rises to help put the dishes away but Junna pushes her back down into her seat. “None of that here,” Junna chides as she takes away Claudine’s plate and hands it off to Greninja standing dutifully off to the side with the other plates Junna’s given him. Nana makes to get up too but Junna sends her a sharp glare and she immediately seats herself again.
“Okay, Junna will take care of it,” Nana says with a small laugh that sounds both nervous and amused, somehow. Claudine’s sure they’ve been through this thousands of times already. But since Nana’s prevented from taking care of the post-dinner cleaning, it means she has full access to Claudine right now, as she turns to Claudine with a smile.
… the way they can work together so well scares Claudine a little.
“Kuro, how long are you staying in Sinnoh for?”
“I don’t know?” Claudine shrugs as she thinks to herself. “I was really only here for the Super Contests. I wasn’t really planning on… sightseeing.”
“Really? That’s such a shame!” Nana’s smile turns into a pout. “Sinnoh is so beautiful! You have to go around the region! Floarama is especially beautiful around this time of the year.”
“A-ah?” Claudine waves away Nana. “I’m close to reaching master rank, maybe… maybe afterward.”
Nana’s eyes widen. “Whoa, already? You’ve only been here for a few weeks, haven’t you?”
“Yeah, well,” Claudine flips her hair and grins. “Of course I’m winning! It isn’t as if I have any real competition here! They’re all nothing compared to—”
And Claudine freezes, realizing what she’d been about to blurt out.
Of course everything’s easy. Of course she’s not running into any real competition. Of course Claudine’s coming out on top every single time—
But clawing for the top didn’t even feel the same if she wasn’t—
A loud honk startles her. Claudine nearly shouts with surprise before she whips her eyes down. Ducklett is there, pecking her leg and then staring up at her expectantly. “W-what?! What is it?!” Claudine can’t help her snappish tone, her heart pounding fast.
Nana laughs. “She just wants a treat,” she explains. “I’ll make something for the Pokémon soon.”
Claudine settles back down into her chair with a loud sigh. “Seriously… this Ducklett sounds like a handful. Her trainer must be someone special for you to put up with her.”
“Ah… actually… about that…” Nana pushes her fingers together and looks at Claudine. “Would you be able to do me a favor, Kuro?”
… Claudine thinks she might have a feeling where this is about to go.
“It’s been a few days since… ah, her trainer’s come by, so I was wondering if you could go and check up on them for me?” Nana smiles apologetically. “I wanted to go by myself but some injured Bidoofs wandered into the pond a few days ago and I can’t just leave them alone so…”
Claudine sighs, her answer more than sealed already. “Ugh, when you put it that way, how am I supposed to refuse?”
Nana beams at her. “Thank you so much, Kuro!” And as if Ducklett’s just understood the whole conversation, she hops right up, into Claudine’s lap.
She looks down at it, her brow raised. Ducklett looks at her, honks once, and then goes back to tilting her head curiously. She doesn’t make a fuss, strangely enough. Claudine had half-expected her to, given all the trouble she’s now put Claudine in.
“So, what happened with her trainer then?” Claudine asks.
Nana shrugs, laughing nervously. “Ah… that’s kind of what I want to know. Usually Ducklett wanders here for a day and then flies off. But it’s been a few days and she hasn’t left so…” Claudine doesn’t miss the worried tone in her voice.
“You think something’s happened to her trainer then?” Even Claudine can’t help but feel slightly anxious. Ducklett’s trainer, lost out in the wild… and Ducklett, here, without knowing what’s happened to her trainer. What a dreadful thought.
“Oh, it’s nothing awful like what you’re thinking,” Nana immediately reassures. “Her trainer has some good Pokémon with her too. I’m just wondering why Ducklett’s decided to stay here for so long, and why her trainer hasn’t really come to pick her up either.”
Claudine narrows her eyes. “So her trainer just let Ducklett wander over here, and forgot about her?! What kind of trainer just… dumps their Pokémon and forgets about them?!” The thought is roiling Claudine. “What an irresponsible trainer! I’ll be sure to give them an earful from you!”
“Ah…” Nana’s smile turns sheepish. “It’s not… really that big of a problem. As long as Ducklett, and her trainer, are safe and sound, that’s more than enough for me.”
Claudine can’t help the sigh that escapes. Nana is too darn nice for her own good sometimes. Most of the time. Okay, all of the time. “If you’re fine with it,” she finally says, sighing again. “So? How am I supposed to find her trainer?”
Nana gives her a blank stare. Claudine is too dignified to throw her hands up in the air but she’s close. “Honestly! You really expected me to scour all of Sinnoh for her trainer?!”
The way Nana laughs nervously tells Claudine exactly Nana’s thoughts on that. Claudine narrows her eyes. “Banana, I love you but this is…”
Nana laughs again, this time teasing. “I know, I was just kidding.” She puts a hand on her chin, clearly thinking to herself. “Hm… fishing spots in Sinnoh…” Nana continues to mutter over and over to herself, paying no attention to Claudine. So while Nana ponders over whatever it is she is, Claudine turns her attention down to Ducklett instead.
… she swears she still hasn’t blinked at all since Claudine’s first seen her.
“Mount Coronet.”
Both Nana and Claudine jump. Junna’s at the table now, looking over them.
“Ah! Yes! That’s right! Of course that’s where she’d be.” Nana nods and looks at Junna as if she’s answered a miracle of life. Junna clears her throat and looks at Claudine, her cheeks red as she tries to ignore Nana’s obvious fawning.
“A lake runs through the lower levels of Mount Coronet. I’m fairly certain you’ll find Ducklett’s trainer there.”
“... why there?” Claudine feels the need to ask. It all sounds a little… too convenient.
“Because the feebas are there,” Junna mutters.
Claudine blinks. “I’m sorry?”
“Ducklett will let you know when you’re close by,” Nana speaks up then.
“... how?”
“You’ll hear.” Nana answers just as cryptic as before. Claudine doesn’t like the sound of that.
“Anyway!” Nana claps her hands together. “If you’re not busy, you should stay the night with us—ah, I mean me!” Nana looks over at Junna, who only sighs.
“I guess I’ll be here as well,” Junna says with a shake of her head but Claudine can see the corners of her lips tugging upward. Claudine would have been more surprised if she had actually refused. They look at Claudine expectantly, including Growlithe whose tail she can hear thumping against the floor in anticipation.
“How am I supposed to refuse?” Claudine finally answers with a smile.
Whatever it’d been that Claudine expected as she trekked into a mountain, fog is not one of those things.
Growlithe whines, also just as unsettled by the fog as she is. Claudine looks down, to where Ducklett is nestled in her arms, but she seems entirely unfazed by the fog, or… Claudine doesn’t know. She hasn’t made any noise at all since they’ve come in, which actually bothers Claudine more than she realizes. But at least she’s not honking Claudine’s ears off right now.
She looks back up, trying to squint through the haze. To her horror, she can barely even see right in front of her. A golbat could be flying at her face right now and she wouldn’t even be able to see—
Claudine immediately ducks. She might just be overly paranoid, but she’s not going to risk that chance. At her side, Growlithe watches her with amusement.
Ugh, this fog is just awful.
But this isn’t anything she can’t handle!
“Staraptor!” Claudine calls for him with a toss of his Pokéball. He comes out, a mighty screech, one that would render any prey immobile. Claudine hopes it’s at least stopped the golbat in the cave from coming closer. “Help me with this fog!”
Staraptor looks at her and trills in acknowledgement. With great flaps of his wings, he easily clears away the fog in the immediate vicinity. Easy!
“Good,” she praises, reaching into her bag for one of the poffins Nana thought to prepare for her. She tosses it up to him, and he easily catches it in mid-air, cooing in contentment afterward. Now, with the fog mostly cleared, Claudine can finally step without fear of falling over on her face and being ambushed.
… what sort of person would even be down here? What sort of person would even be down here fishing?
“Nana owes me so much for this,” she mutters. Letting out a sigh, Claudine gingerly steps forward. Might as well get this over with so she can be out of this awfully damp cave as fast as she can. It’s not doing wonders for her hair, she knows that.
Save for the sound of her boots and the flapping of Staraptor’s wings, it’s mostly silent. There are the occasional drops of water but when Claudine tries to look over, she can barely see the lake over the floor of the cave. How deep is it? She’s kind of curious, but she’s also worried about being attacked by a golbat and falling right in. Golbat were pesky like that.
The more Claudine walks further into the cave, though, the more unsettled she feels. The fog still keeps trying to come back, like it’s trying to engulf her or something. It’s a dumb description, but the fog is just so insistent, no matter how many times Staraptor blows it away. Now she’s glad that Nana forced her to wear a thick coat for inside of here. Claudine can feel the tips of her fingers freezing. She’s tempted to call out Litten so she can hold him and bury her fingers in her warmth but she might not appreciate that either.
Claudine doesn’t know how long she’s walked, but just when she thinks about taking a break, Ducklett lets out a chirp. She startles, because now Ducklett’s making a sound—
Ducklett honks, and honks, and honks. She doesn’t stop at all. Now she’s wiggling in Claudine’s grasp. If Claudine hadn’t held on at the very last second, she suspects Ducklett would’ve gotten out of her grasp and then most likely gotten lost. That’s the last thing Claudine wants, going to search for Ducklett in this awful cave. Even that ugly rainbow ribbon, a beacon it might be, is still hidden in the dense fog.
”Ducklett will let you know when you’re close by.”
“Am I close? Is that it?!” Claudine wants to scream, but she swears Ducklett will be even louder than her anyway. Staraptor answers with a screech of his own and flaps his wings, clearing enough of the fog for Claudine to run through if she wants.
“Thank you!” she shouts over her shoulder as she takes off. Ducklett continues to honk but Claudine swears she’s guiding Claudine through, honking louder when she goes in the right direction, and stopping to peck at her arm when it looks like she’s went down the wrong path.
Finally, finally, Claudine chances upon a break.
She finds some stairs that she’s hesitant to go down but Claudine can see it, some sort of figure at the bottom, at the edge of the rocks. The fog envelops some of them that Claudine can’t make them out completely, but Ducklett’s stopped honking though she’s still wiggling as hard as she can.
Claudine cautiously makes her way down, careful of her steps. She squints her eyes. It looks like they’re sitting down, and there’s something long with a string attached to it—a fishing rod, Claudine guesses.
… Ducklett’s owner really is just sitting inside this awful cave fishing. And not looking for what might have happened to Ducklett in the past few days?!
Irresponsible! The nerve of some people! To just impose their own Pokémon upon Nana for so long without any care in the world—
Once Claudine’s done with them, they’re going to want to give Ducklett to her, and Claudine can pass her to someone that can give her the proper care she deserves!
“Excuse me!” Claudine shouts, barely able to keep the anger out of her voice as she marches right over. Ducklett lets out a loud honk. Claudine can see the figure move, casting back their line and carefully setting it down on the ground. They turn around, but even with the fog, Claudine can barely make them out. Well, good thing Claudine was already coming over to them to give them a piece of her mind anyway!
Ducklett continues to honk, happily, to Claudine’s disgust. Ducklett actually likes her trainer? Her foolish and irresponsible trainer that didn’t even bother to go look for her? Awful! She’s really going to go and give it to them. They could at least take proper care of their Pokémon!
Claudine comes closer, squinting as hard as she can to make out more details of the trainer. Ducklett finally flies free from her arms and now she’s flapping around her trainer, coincidentally clearing away the fog too. Now, Claudine can see, her trainer is a woman by the looks of it, dressed in shabby clothes and a fisherman’s vest, long hair tied back in a ponytail with a purple ribbon, hair clips on their bangs—
Claudine widens her eyes.
She knows this woman.
This—
This is—
“Maya Tendou.”
The name slips out of Claudine’s lips before she even realizes. The cave had already been cold, but now it feels downright freezing, as if she’s just seen a ghost. Disbelief and shock run through her. She’s almost half tempted to ask Staraptor to give her a nice headbutt right now, just to make sure she isn’t dreaming.
It—
How—
This can’t be—
But it is. The woman standing in front of her, blinking and staring at her not unlike how the Ducklett in her arms once did earlier in the day—
Everything is the same. Claudine had already long memorized the details of her face, every single feature—
How could she forget her?
The woman who haunted Claudine no matter how much she wanted to forget—
The woman who Claudine couldn’t escape no matter what she did—
The woman who looks at Claudine now and asks, “I’m sorry, who are you?”
It is as if time both stops and moves too fast for Claudine in this single moment. The question slowly registers in Claudine’s mind, ricocheting all over. A simple question, and yet, its magnitude is just as awful as an earthquake from a Mudsdale.
The single precarious thread that had held together Claudine snaps in this very moment.
“How dare you?!” Claudine screams as she stomps over to the woman—no, she is decidedly and self-assuredly confident that this is Maya Tendou and not some elaborate Ditto or Mimikyu now that she’s in her face and can confirm for herself—this is Maya Tendou in the flesh!
And she does not remember Claudine Saijou! The one who swore to chase after her! The one who swore to stand by her side! The one who swore to fly even further and higher than her upon the stage—
She does not remember! She does not remember who Claudine Saijou is!
She does not remember her!
Snarling, Claudine’s hands fly out and grab the top of Maya’s shirt. Claudine knows she’s being highly improper and rude, but she can hardly care for that in this moment. Maya’s eyes widen and she immediately grabs Claudine’s wrists, trying to throw her off. Maya has always been stronger than her, Claudine remembered, but not now, not here, not with all the anger and bitterness and hurt Claudine is holding onto in this very moment. Even as Maya’s fingers dig into her, it is nothing compared to everything bottled up inside of her.
Claudine looks up, looks into the very eyes that don’t even recognize her—
And she shatters once more.
“You don’t even—” Tears gathering inside Claudine’s eyes. She’s so ashamed to be crying but she can’t help it. Maya Tendou doesn’t even deserve her tears! Even so, Claudine’s grip slowly weakens and she sinks to her knees, her tears falling onto the rock floor. Her voice is barely a whisper as she comes to the truth. “You don’t even remember me.”
Nothing stings worse than realizing she'd been forgotten.
There’s very little sounds afterward save for the drops of water upon the still lake, and her own labored breathing. She doesn’t dare to look up at Maya. Is the foolish woman looking at her like someone to be pitied? Claudine doesn’t know if she can handle that, right now, not so bare as she is.
What else is there for her to do now? Deep down, a small part of her must have been searching for Maya; if not for Maya herself, than at least some kind of news for what must have happened to her.
And, now, after so many long years, Claudine has finally gotten her wish, and it is that Maya Tendou spends her days in a suffocatingly foggy cavern fishing.
It is the most ridiculous thing she’s ever experienced, and yet, here she is, in the flesh.
… perhaps, this is why Claudine could not find her. Or, perhaps, it is more that Maya did not intend to be found.
Claudine sucks in a breath.
If Maya… didn’t remember her, then… then that… is more than fine too. It would be cruel of Claudine to come all the way out here and ask Maya to remember a past she may have been running away from, no matter the burning need inside Claudine. Sometimes, things are left better unsaid, she knows.
Closure.
At the very least, that’s… what… Claudine’s gotten. She can—she can finally move on now. Claudine looks up—
There’s a hand in front of her. Claudine blinks, and slowly looks past it, up at where Maya is.
“Claudine Saijou, please stand up,” she speaks softly.
Claudine’s eyes widen. “You—you actually—you—!” She can’t even finish her sentence.
“Forgive me for my cruel joke, I only thought to tease you.”
Claudine’s hands clench into fists. Even now, Maya is still so—so—
“Of course I remember you,” she continues. “I could never forget you, Claudine Saijou.”
“Gah!” Claudine’s hand snakes out and grabs Maya’s hand and tugs herself up in one go. Now she’s eye level with Maya—no, this awful woman had grown even slightly taller than her and Claudine does have to move her eyes up a little to meet her gaze—
“Vexing!” Claudine hisses out. “Even now, Maya Tendou, you’re still the same as ever!”
Maya’s eyes widen, blinking at Claudine. A grin breaks across her face, and she laughs, and laughs. Claudine’s stunned at the sight. Back then, Maya would have never allowed herself to laugh so… so brazenly, cackling so loudly as she’s doing now.
Maybe… maybe she really has changed.
“I’m happy to see you’re still the same as well,” Maya says. She looks down at where Growlithe is. “Ah! Growlithe! I haven’t seen you for a while either!” She bends down, scratching his chin. His tail wags furiously, shaking so hard that even his hind legs wiggle back and forth. Claudine makes a face. She’s never learned why and how Maya’s scratches make him so excited.
Maya stands up, looking behind Claudine now. “And… you have Staraptor now. I remember when he was a Starly—ah, no, he evolved to a Staravia in the middle of a performance, did he not? It was an incredible moment.”
Claudine’s nails are all but digging into her palms at this point. Maya is… acting… so nonchalant. As if she hadn’t just gone and played a joke that hurt Claudine more than she realized! And simply acting as if they’re only something like old acquaintances meeting again for the very first time and not… and not… not—
The anger is roiling through her.
“Why?!” she blurts out before she realizes. “Why?!”
“Why?!” Maya’s face is impressively passive. Perhaps, this is what snaps Claudine again.
“Why did you leave?! You just—disappeared! Left it all behind! Left me—” and Claudine chokes back the rest of her sentence. No, not that. She can’t say that. No—
Maya steps away from her, closing her eyes. When she opens them, she looks straight into Claudine’s. Even now, the intensity of her gaze hasn’t even dimmed at all. It makes Claudine shiver. She hates it.
“... I watched the movie, you know,” Maya finally says. “A wonderful performance.”
Claudine closes her eyes and grits her teeth. Don’t say it, don’t say it, don’t say it—
“But… there had been… something off about you, on the screen,” Maya continues, heedless of Claudine’s darkening expression. Instead, she looks away, humming thoughtfully. “I thought you would enjoy it. The stage, without me there, all yours for the taking. The lead of the show, all yours...”
Claudine bursts.
“But what was the point if you weren’t there?!” Claudine sinks to her knees, hates the tears in her eyes. She’s done more crying today than the last several years. And all in front of Maya!
This day can’t be going worse. Except, it does, as the words continue to spill out of her like the tears falling from her eyes.
“I wanted to surpass you! I wanted to be the one who would take the lead from you… I wanted to be the one you would acknowledge! The only one that could stand by your side! And you threw it all away! For what?! Why did you leave me behind, Maya Ten—”
A honk echoes through the cave.
Claudine reluctantly spreads her fingers, and sees Ducklett has climbed onto her lap now. She’s looking at her, tilting her head all around. She honks again, but softer this time, and holds out a wing, like she wants Claudine to take it.
… why is Maya’s Pokémon somehow even more polite than she is?
But it makes her smile. She wipes her eyes, trying to hide her face from Maya even though she knows that’s a useless cause. Maya’s already seen everything, but Claudine might as well try to pretend to hold some shred of dignity.
Even if she always seems to lose it all in front of Maya Tendou.
Ducklett’s wing dabs at her cheek, and Claudine shakes her head. “Thank you, though,” she mumbles, trying not to hiccup. She reaches out to pet Ducklett on the head—the ugly rainbow bow makes so much sense now. Only Maya could commit a fashion crime of the highest degree like this.
Claudine finally stands up, and though she knows her eyes are still red with tears at the corner of her eyes, even if she knows her nose is puffy, even if she knows all her make-up is ruined, she still meets Maya’s gaze defiantly.
Maya’s eyes widen and she quickly averts them. Claudine blinks, not expecting that. The woman in front of her seems… shy, bashful now. Almost… uncomfortable.
“I did not realize my sudden departure would affect you so much. There are no amount of apologies in the world that I could offer to you to… ease the pain I have clearly caused you.”
Even in her apologies, Maya is still so theatrical. Claudine almost smiles, but the mood is too somber for her to do so. Maya looks and sounds so contrite that she can’t even meet Claudine’s eyes.
“I will…” Maya inhales sharply. “Forgive me, I shall make myself as scarce as possible from now on. I wish nothing but the best for your future, Claudine. I admit it was very lovely to see you again after so many years, and…” She turns away, clearly intending to walk off, but Claudine’s arm shoots out, grabbing Maya’s arm.
“I didn’t—I didn’t say that!” Claudine almost feels like laughing. Maya, acting so flustered now. “H-hold on! You’re just—you’re just putting words into my mouth!” She takes a deep breath. “I’m… I’m still…”
How does she feel? That’s really the crux of the matter here, isn’t it?
“I’m not mad—okay, maybe I am.” Maya’s shoulders slump. Claudine can hardly believe it. Maya, acting like some sort of scolded herdier. “A little. I don’t know. I didn’t—I mean, I wasn’t expecting to see you today! Or at all! And you’re still just! I don’t!” Claudine takes a deep breath. “I don’t know,” she finishes in a quiet voice.
Maya stares at her. Claudine doesn’t dare to meet her gaze right now. There’s nothing but a whirlwind of emotions inside of her right now. Is she supposed to feel happy? Angry? Bitter? Frustrated? Elated? Claudine doesn’t know. There’s too many feelings surging through her right now.
“But… it would be better if I disappeared again, wouldn’t it—”
“No!” Claudine’s fingers unconsciously dig into Maya’s arms, and Maya winces. “I mean… no. It’s not—that’s not the right answer either! Must you always still be so excessively dramatic in everything?!”
Maya's lips push together but she says nothing. Claudine sighs and finally lets go of her arm. “Sorry,” she mumbles, seeing Maya immediately rub where she was gripped tightly. Maya only shakes her head, and looks away from her. Awkwardness and silence fill the space between them now.
… so what now?
“Well, I guess… I guess that’s it then. I ran into Nana and… she asked me to drop off Ducklett for you since it’s been a few days since she last saw you—” And Claudine narrows her eyes, an entirely unpleasant thought coming to her. “You were keeping in contact with Nana?” And not me? is the rest of her unspoken question.
Maya shakes her head. “Yes, and no. Ducklett, you see, has an awful habit of wandering off, but I realized she has some kind of sixth sense for finding Nana. Who else would leave a bag of poffins for Ducklett every time? So…” she shrugs, “I saw no danger in letting her wander as she pleased. She has always come back. I give her letters sometimes to pass to Nana to let her know I am well. But the last time I have seen Nana… I cannot recall.”
“Were you in Sinnoh this whole time?”
“No, I traveled around. I made for Kalos after Unova, and came to Kanto afterward. It’s been a year since I’ve come to Sinnoh?” Maya puts a hand on her chin, trying to think. “It’s all been very fuzzy, really. If I had a calendar, I might be able to pinpoint my tracks more closely.”
Claudine can hardly believe what she’s hearing. “You’ve been doing nothing but just wandering all around, then!? Do you even have a place to stay!?”
“I—hm, yes, I suppose you can say that.” Maya raises her hands, as if shrugging helplessly. “My only company are my Pokémon, the stars, and my thoughts.”
… incredible. Even now, after so many years, Maya Tendou can still surprise her so utterly…
Claudine finds herself so… tired. “And? What are you doing the whole time? Fishing?” she asks, half as a joke and half sarcastic, as if this could really be what Maya Tendou has done since her own disappearance.
“Yes.” Maya turns to her with a smile. “My rod is super, after all.”
Claudine exhales loudly. All the memories are coming back to the forefront, as she remembers just exactly how aggravating Maya can be.
“Allow me to roast some food for you before you go,” Maya says suddenly, moving down to a cloth. Unwrapping it reveals pieces of wood inside, and Maya quickly throws them together into a pile. Growlithe barks and blows out a puff of fire, setting the wood alight. “Ah? You’re still such a helpful boy, aren’t you?” Maya reaches over to scratch under his chin, which he happily accepts.
A loud splash almost makes Claudine scream, and when she turns to the lake, there’s a Pokémon standing there—
“Feraligatr,” Maya calls out. Claudine blinks, and now she can recognize the Pokémon before her, Maya’s very first one. Although, he had been a Croconaw in the years back then. In his jaws is a magikarp, and Claudine remembers what Maya is about to do.
“You don’t have to cook anything!” she yelps. Everyone turns to look at her. “I mean, I just came here to drop off Ducklett. I’ll be returning to Hearthome now.”
“Hearthome? Is that where you’re staying?” Maya’s expression softens. “I suppose I will have to come by and say hi to Nana then.”
Claudine doesn’t know why this is making her face feel warm. This is too much for her. Maya has always done and said things without a second thought, to Claudine’s ire.
“But, please, I insist. At the very least, allow me to give a treat to your Pokémon,” Maya says, and well, how is Claudine supposed to refuse something like that then? She knows if she looks behind her, Staraptor will be watering from his mouth already. In fact, he lets out a pleasant chirp and hops closer to the campfire. Too easily won over, Claudine thinks with a sniff.
“So? What have you been doing out here?” Claudine asks after a while of watching Maya roast some magikarp for them.
“Fishing,” Maya answers plainly, and says little afterward.
“... I know that. I mean, for what? Why?”
Why fishing, is what Claudine wants to ask.
“Ah. Because…” She gestures behind her. “There’s a special Pokémon here, and I was looking for them. Actually…” Maya reaches into her pocket and pulls out a Pokéball. She holds it out for Claudine, a smile on her face. “A gift, from me to you.”
Claudine looks down at it, and back up at Maya, skeptic. “A Pokéball?”
“There’s a Pokémon inside. I believe it’ll be worthy of your attention. A beautiful Pokémon, for a beautiful woman.”
“D-don’t just say that!” Claudine’s cheeks warm again. Maya still just—she still just says things so carelessly! Claudine struggles to compose herself. “And y-you don’t think there’s anything weird with just giving me a Pokémon after all these years?”
Maya tilts her head. “No, why would there be?”
“... never mind.”
“I have clearly hurt you, so I wish to make amends,” Maya murmurs. “Out of everything I left behind, it was you I felt regret for.”
Once more, it is as if time stops for Claudine. What… what is Claudine supposed to take away from those words? She looks up at Maya, eyes wide, but that is a mistake, she quickly finds. The sheer sincerity Maya directs her way is… too intense, too fierce, too profound.
How… how is Claudine…
There’s a touch on her hand that startles Claudine, and she realizes Maya has grabbed her hand. She’s cradling it so gently, holding it so loosely that if Claudine were to wish, she would immediately retract her hand. But Claudine is frozen, paralyzed, as Maya places the Pokéball in her hand.
“Please,” Maya murmurs, pushing Claudine’s fingers to curl around it. She steps backward, her fingers falling away from Claudine’s hand.
Claudine slowly turns her head to look down at it. A regular Pokéball sits in her hand. She wonders if she might call it out and see what it is, but she has a feeling Maya would rather wait for her to be in her own company first.
… wait, no, Claudine shouldn’t accept this. She isn’t some easy woman to be bribed with mere gifts to forget the past! She looks up, trying very hard to resist the urge to throw the Pokéball back at the infuriating woman—
Maya’s sitting down now, handing Growlithe a roasted piece of fruit. He happily takes it, chomping through the treat. Maya laughs, reaching out to scratch the top of his head. His tail waggles so hard he can barely stand still to eat his treat. Maya turns away from him and picks up one of the skewers with the roasted magikarp and gestures to Staraptor, who hops right over and picks at his meal. Maya beams at him and carefully reaches out, fingers brushing out his feathers in near reverence. She’s always liked birds, Claudine’s remembered.
Even Claudine can tell that there is… something different about the way Maya holds herself. She’s… tired, haggard almost. Her shoulders, once strong and proud, are slumped, but no longer with a burden she once held, but with relaxation. In fact, when was the last time Claudine has ever see Maya so open? All those years ago, when they were both striving for number one?
Claudine quietly sits down, sighing to herself. She doesn’t know how to feel; she doesn’t know what to feel. There had been a small part of her secretly wishing that she would encounter Maya again, but she never thought that it would happen like… like this. She dreamed of all the words she thought she would say to Maya, of blowing up in her face on her worst times. But, now, encountering her here, like this, Claudine feels…
Claudine lets out another breath. She looks over at Maya, squinting at her. Her hair, once long and luxurious, held to a pristine state with her ribbon, is disheveled and sticks out all over the place, tied back messily with the same purple ribbon. Her clothes are dirty, and she smells of… something fishy, slightly rank, and dirt. This is not the image of Maya Tendou Claudine remembers.
And yet, the Maya Tendou of now… she wears the most genuine smile Claudine has ever seen from her.
“Claudine,” Maya calls out, and when she looks, Maya is holding out a fish for her. “For you,” she says. Claudine silently nods and gingerly takes it. Might as well…
It’s… not the best thing she’s ever eaten, but not the worst either. Is this how Maya has lived for the past several years? Out in the wilds? Fishing? None of this makes sense. Why would Maya go and do this? For what reason?
There are so many questions Claudine wants to ask, but she knows Maya wouldn’t answer them, not here. Claudine isn’t even sure if she can process anymore after today. She needs… to sleep. Maybe it’ll have all been a dream when she wakes up.
But she knows it isn’t. She could never be that imaginative or cruel to herself to dream up meeting Maya Tendou like this again.
“Will you be leaving now?” Maya asks after Claudine and all her Pokémon are finished eating.
“Yeah, I guess.” Her nose wrinkles. “A cave isn’t really… much for me.”
“Ah.” Maya nods. “You’ll have to come back when the weather isn’t so cold. Spear Pillar is a wonderful place to visit.”
“R-right,” Claudine says. “Will… are… are you…” She feels herself clamming up. Asking this feels… awkward. Luckily, Maya does it for her.
“You’ll be at Hearthome still?” Maya asks.
“Yeah, I’ll be around there still. Still got Super Contests to win.” At that, Claudine can’t help but let out a smirk.
“I’m sure you’ll exceed everyone’s expectations,” Maya says, crinkling her eyes. Claudine hurriedly averts her eyes, unable to face the way Maya is so… earnest about that. “I had been curious about them… perhaps I will stop by to watch too.”
“H-huh!? You don’t—you don’t have to do that! Coming back to town just to—”
“I still need to restock on supplies,” Maya points out, “I should thank Nana for taking care of Ducklett so many times as well. And,” she smiles softly as she speaks her next words, “I will be able to see you again.”
Claudine feels as if her heart is ready to burst. Nothing has ever prepared her for Maya Tendou, from their very first introduction so many years ago in Unova at the Pokéstar Studios, and up to now, in the lowest floor of Mount Coronet, surrounded by teething gobat and explosive graveler.
“Do as you will! I’ll win regardless of whether you’re watching me or not!” The thought of Maya coming to watch her perform is…
“I know,” Maya says, and Claudine grinds her teeth together. “But, you should really get going. Nighttime will fall upon you, and Hearthome is far.”
“O-oh!” Claudine quickly nods. “Right, yes. Then…”
They both awkwardly shuffle their feet. Claudine really should go, but when she thinks about actually leaving…
Maya looks just as torn too, looking away from Claudine as if she should say something more. But they’ve already said everything they can. Today. Claudine knows there’s still so many more things they need to talk about, so many more things left unresolved, but this is… the best. Today.
… will Claudine actually see Maya again—
A loud honk echoes through the air.
Both Maya and Claudine jump, and look down, to where Ducklett is. She stares up at Claudine, eyes wide, unblinking—Claudine looks back up at Maya. Now, she understands everything.
Ah, wait, there is one more thing for Claudine to say.
“The ribbon she has on is ugly. Really, Maya, rainbow with those colors? You should change it to something else,” Claudine mutters. And Maya laughs, a slow smile spreading across her face.
“I rather like it. But, you’ve always been much better versed in fashion than I am.”
“It’s not even about fashion, it just doesn’t even match at all!” Claudine shakes her head. “I mean, if you’re going to let her wear something cute, at least make sure it also looks good on her!”
“Ah…” Maya bows her head. “Yes, of course. Ducklett’s feelings… I had thought she would like it. But I will return to the city and give her another ribbon then.”
“Good,” Claudine says, satisfied. “I’ll be around, don’t even try to run away.”
Maya’s eyes crinkle again. “I promise I won’t. You’ll definitely see me.”
“Then!” Claudine spins on her heels. The entire exchange she’s just had is honestly so silly, but she feels so much better for some reason. She marches up to the top of the stairs, Growlithe at her side hopping up the stairs, Staraptor already waiting at the top.
When she reaches the top, she can’t help but turn around, looking downward. Maya is still there, watching her, Ducklett on her shoulder now, Feraligatr looming behind them. They’re watching each other again, but Claudine can’t seem to tear her eyes away, just as Maya doesn’t seem to do the same either.
The fog creeps in from the edges of Claudine’s vision. A few more seconds, and it settles in the space between them now, neither of them able to see through it. She waits for several more seconds, as she knows Maya is doing as well, and spins around once more, finally resolved.
Claudine makes it out of Mount Coronet and back to Hearthome. It’s nighttime by the time she arrives at Nana’s house, who at least has the grace to look apologetic.
“Where’s your pond,” Claudine only asks before Nana can say anything.
“P-pond?” Nana blinks at her before pointing out. “You can get to it by walking around the house. What for?”
“I need to check something,” Claudine only says, striding around the house to the backyard.
The edge of the water is still. Nana must have moved the injured Bidoof elsewhere. Claudine looks down at the Pokéball still clutched in her hand. Knowing Maya and everything she’s learned… this is most likely a water Pokémon. She might as well learn what it is.
Claudine tosses the Pokéball out, the Pokémon plopping into the lake before resurfacing.
Wide, unblinking eyes stare up at her. Claudine stares back at it.
She feels nothing, absolutely nothing at all. She should have expected this. As expected of Maya Tendou, she should say.
And, yet, Maya always seems to find some new way to surprise her every single time.
“Kuro? What are you—o-oh!” Nana’s at her side now, looking down at the Feebas whose mouth keeps opening and closing like the fish it is. “It’s… it’s—”
“Beautiful,” Claudine chokes out.