Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 27: A Haunting Vision

Holly's Cinderace was expected to recover, but remained in hospital for monitoring after surgery. Ilirian brought her guitar and a tambourine. He knew Cinderace well. They were together, at the Battle Tower in Wyndon, when Holly received a little Scorbunny from Victor. Ilirian received a Sobble. Both Pokémon struggled to adjust to being so far from their families and Victor when they returned to Orre. Their songs – which were comprised of Holly's voice, a toy piano and pair of maracas, back then – calmed them both. That was much appreciated by Ilirian's family, because the tears shed when Sobble bawled made everyone's eyes water and agitated the crowd of Fire-type Pokémon crammed into the house.

Most of the other Pokémon on the ward were terminally ill. They all enjoyed the songs and, especially, the sound of the jingling tambourine. Inteleon's dancing cheered up their grieving Trainers. Pokémon did enjoy Aiko's voice, especially since she had a more impressive range than Holly, but she only had one volume. It was for the best she wasn't frightening the dying Pokémon.

Her friends were still worried. No-one could talk her out of working overtime to ensure there was a Team Magma presence, prepared to face a Shadow Trainer, wherever Reira might appear; or to help plan Elijah's funeral and Kazuki's wedding, both of which were frantically brought forward so Courtney could attend. She was diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer. She didn't want to know how long she had left, because that felt like waiting for death, but she knew it wasn't long. Yan knew he couldn't stop Aiko, so he helped her. It reassured her loved ones that the burden was at least a little lighter when it was shared.

The funeral came the day before the wedding. Aiko knew Courtney was physically and emotionally dying inside, but she never showed anything but her endlessly reassuring smile to her children. She remained perfectly poised, like a rock to cling to in a stormy sea, while Aiko quietly sobbed into her shoulder throughout the service; even as she knew her daughter would soon be crying over her own casket. Seeing that strength made Aiko wonder if she could feel normal again, one day. That was exactly what Courtney wanted. It was what she believed, too.

Elijah's mom tentatively approached Aiko as they stood with bowed heads around the grave. Even she wasn't as visibly distraught as Aiko was. Was there something wrong with her? One thing was for sure. Seeing other Team Magma members her age have kids made her think she was ready for a child of her own – maybe with another singleton who longed for one, since she didn't expect anyone to ever override her feelings for Yan – but she certainly wasn't. She could hardly take care of herself and her Pokémon. She didn't even feel worthy of her Admin position.

Cinderace was well enough to go with Holly to the wedding. She replaced Dixie as a bridesmaid. Whitby was still Kazuki's best man. He was another one of Cipher's targets the night Lavender died, but his battered teeth were already fixed and whiter than ever.

The dress code was all black. Faces were eerily illuminated only by The Under Colosseum's neon signs. Seth had to bring a tripod. For once, moody Wyatt looked in his element, officiating a marriage in a black cloak instead of a stuffy suit.

Kazuki couldn't maintain his vacant expression. He was too excited. Clover's love of all things spiritual came from losing her dad when she was four. Lyndon held a photo of him when he walked her down the aisle. Everyone had to laugh. That was the first and last time Lyndon would look like a walking Halloween decoration in his own black cloak. They laughed even more when Verzant said he was still hot. Lyndon didn't wait for vows to be exchanged before he threw a plastic skull at him. It was almost possible, then, to believe everything was normal.

Lyndon filmed the first dance to a spooky instrumental at the King Jonesy Bar. After a few songs, Chalcedony took Alfie's guitar. Special events were his excuse to dance with Abbey. Laila told Ilirian to go away. He sighed and danced with Inteleon instead. Aiko sat cross-legged in a skeleton-hand-shaped chair, cramming in more of the deep black wedding cake than she could fit in her mouth. Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She accidentally inhaled a large chunk of cake when she glanced up. Yan offered his hand. He ended up performing first aid instead of dancing, but once Aiko returned from washing her face, she pulled him onto the dancefloor. In that moment of deceptive peace, she was happy.