Beyond the Adventure - A Pokémon Story

Chapter 6: Clear Skies, Clear Soul pt2

                We leave the department store and I guide Darius and Jaws to my home.  Once we get there, I take out my key and open the door.  We walk in and I hear noise in the kitchen.  Mother is home!  “Mom?” I call out.

                Mother peeks her head out of the kitchen doorway.  “Huh?  Is that you, Crono?”

                I smile and nod.  “Yes, I’m home.”

                Mother comes barreling out of the kitchen and scoops me up in a huge hug.  I grimace a bit from the healing burn on my back, but return the hug.  Mother seems to notice me grimace and pushes me back.  “What’s wrong?” she asks.  “Are you hurt?”

                “Meh,” I shrug.  “I got hurt a while back, but I’m fine, I promise.”

                “Show me,” she demands.

                “Mom, not right now,” I say.  “We have company.”

                Mother looks over my shoulder and sees Darius and Jaws standing by the door.  “Oh!” she says, turning red.  “Yes, it seems we do.  Sorry for embarrassing you.”  She lets me go.

                “Heh, it’s all right,” I say.  “This is Darius.  We met at Olivine City.”

                Darius steps forward and extends a hand.  “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

                “Well-mannered, I see,” Mother says, shaking his hand.  “Nice to meet you too.”

                “Darius is going to Hoenn with me,” I explain.

                “It’s nice to know you’ll have company,” she says.  “How long will you be home?”

                “Uh…”  I hesitate.  I had not really thought about that.  I look over at Darius, who shrugged.

                “We both have been through a lot, bud,” he says.  “We all could use a little rest.”

                I nod.  “A couple days, I suppose,” I say to Mother.

                Mother smiles.  “Good,” she says.  “I work from 2-5pm each day, but should be home in time for dinner, so I’ll cook you guys something nice!”

                “Awesome!” I say.  It has been a while since I had a home-cooked meal, and it would certainly be better than my travel rations.

                We hang out for a while, telling Mother about my adventures.  I think about telling her about Father and what Lugia taught me about him, but I decide against it for the time being, not wanting to ruin the joyful reunion.  I decide to tell her later, in private.  I tell her about my injury, to which she offers to change my bandages.  She also offers to wash our clothes, since we smell of ocean and mud.  Darius turns red at this, but takes her up on her offer.  I offer a set of my clothes from my dresser, since all his clothes got soaked in the storm.  We then let all our Pokémon out, which made for a very crowded living room.  Cyndaquil and Hoot-Hoot join them and there is a lot of happy playing.  Jaws does not seem afraid of Cyndaquil anymore, and the two frolick around the house together.  Hoot-Hoot and Talonflame fly around the room together.  Unown hovered around, and I find myself wishing I knew if it was happy or not.  Kind of difficult to read its emotions when it does not have much of a face.  Darius plays ball with Eevee while we talk and Brawny juggles Piplup, Pachirisu, and Dunsparce around.  Darius decides against letting Lapras out since she is too big.  After a couple hours, Mother stands up.