Chaser and the Rising Mountain

Chaser and Sparkling Comet

 Even though it was still in many ways the same object, the Clear Wing's new red color drew Goh's attention as they walked up the mountain. He held the warm feather in his hands, opting to carry it instead of placing it back in the glass container. It still seemed to quietly shed light, though it was red now instead of the gentle white glow from before.

"You know," he said, "calling it the Clear Wing doesn't feel quite right now."

"Do you think we should call it the Red Wing?" Ash asked, looking at it as the trio walked.

"Pikachu..." the mouse cooed, looking at it with wide eyes.

Chloe snorted out a laugh. "That's not a very creative name, you know?"

"Well, what would you call it?" he asked back.

"I'd call it the Crimson Wing."

Now Ash was laughing. "Isn't that just another word for red?" he asked.

Chloe crossed her arms, frowning. "Well, it just sounds better, you know?"

"Eievui?" her Pokémon asked, walking quickly behind her.

"Crimson Wing..." Goh muttered to himself. "Yeah... that sounds pretty good, actually."

"Grooki!"

Even his Pokémon agreed.

"Seriously?" Ash asked, slumping his shoulders. "It's not that different from mine, though."

"Pikapikachu," his partner said, patting him on the face from his shoulder. He was sympathetic that his choice was overlooked.

Chloe merely giggled, but her expression quickly faded, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.

Goh noticed her faltering and knew almost immediately what the root cause was. Despite their further unraveling of the mystery of the Clear Feather, her mind was clearly still with her father, still in Team Rocket's clutches.

Her sadness tugged at him, as well, and so he reached out a hand and touched her arm. "Don't worry. We'll save him. The closer we get to solving this mystery, the more Team Rocket we're going to run into, and we'll make them give the Professor back. I promise."

Chloe gave Goh a smile, though her heart still wasn't quite into it. "Thank you, Goh," she said. "I know you guys are trying your hardest, and that this is the best way for us to go. But I can't help but worry, you know?"

"I know," he said. "You've always loved your dad a lot, even when he was trying to push you into Pokémon related things."

"I mean..." She stopped and looked at her feet. Eevee softly walked between her legs and looked up at her, brown eyes sparkling in the light. She crouched down and picked up the fluffy Pokémon, hugging her closely. "...there were times I wasn't always on the same page as Dad and you were, but I've always loved him. I know Mom and Parker would be having a fit if they knew he was in danger..."

"And we're going to get him out of that danger." Goh's tone was firm and confident, but soft. "So chin up, okay?"

She smiled back, nodding. "Thanks, Goh. You've gotten really mature after all this time, haven't you?"

Goh chuckled, his own pride swelling. "Well, I have been working really hard lately taking care of Argent."

Chloe's gentle smile quickly morphed into a more teasing one. "As soon as you get praised, you suddenly turn uncool." She walked ahead of Goh, further ahead on the path they were on.

As much as he wanted to be mad about her teasing him, he couldn't ignore that if she was teasing him, she must have felt at least a little better. The path the three of them were on seemed to have only one path ahead. Goh quickly spun the feather in his fingers, looking at it from all sides, his mind quickly getting wrapped back into the mystery.