Redemption

Chapter 24

"Right now?" Silver asked her. Another string of fireworks shot up through the air from afar, bursting into new colors. (Y/n) furrowed her eyebrows and stared at the disappearing shades of blue and orange.

"It doesn't have to be now, but it crossed my mind that you've opened up to me about your past, yet I haven't explained anything to you about mine. I thought it would be fair to tell you while I had the time. It's just...this moment is making it seem like you might be leaving soon. Maybe not permanently, at least I hope..." (y/n) sighed. "I just can't shake the feeling." It was all too familiar to her. Lillie had left without warning after the incident with Nebby. Gladion had done the same the following year after the event with Necrozma. Even before that her own...

Silver didn't speak. His eyes were also focused on the changing sky. It was a common understanding between both of them that they really didn't know what would happen from here on out. "I hope I don't have to leave. I would really hate it," Silver finally said. "But just in case, I want to hear everything you want to tell me, just like you did for me." He looked at her just briefly before following the path of yet another firework.

How was she supposed to tell this story? It wasn't very pleasant like some of the children's books about people getting the powers of pokémon in order to save people. It was nothing out of a fairytale. It was a tragedy, simply put.

"When I was four years old, I went with my parents to a place that I had always wanted to visit...and died." Wait, no. That wasn't how she should have said that. She felt Silver shift uncomfortably at her words though he kept in any questions he had. "Uhh, well that's not exactly how it happened. Well, no it is, but..." she mentally slapped herself. "I was born with a rare heart condition. It caused me to have an irregular heart rhythm, and I was always at risk for heart failure. My parents didn't think I would make it past my first few years, or so I was told." She grew quiet to see if Silver would say anything but he remained silent and noticeably still. "I don't actually remember it myself, but my parents took me to Pikachu Valley when I turned four. I don't know how I felt at the time. I just know that I was in pain and I lost conciousness afterwards. They told me what happened after I woke up, but it was hard for me to understand."

The fireworks began to display cool colors that matched the solemn story. It was ironic enough to make (y/n) pause before finishing.

"My heart had stopped while I was there in the valley and they thought they had lost me, but the Pikachu in the valley all gathered around to strike me with whatever electric type moves they knew. I never actually witnessed it since I was...yeah, but whatever they did brought me back. It fixed my heart condition, but it came with a cost. I didn't remember anything when I woke up in the pokémon center. My parents were strangers to me, and I had forgotten my own name. It wasn't until a few weeks afterwards that I found out about the power I was somehow given. I couldn't control it, and my parents found it harder to deal with me. I couldn't really blame them. They were probably just as scared and confused as I was. Their efforts to restore my lost memory wasn't working very well, and I unintentionally harmed them a lot. I remember locking myself in my room one day after nearly electrocuting my own mother." (Y/n) took a deep sigh.

"After a very uncomfortable seven months, I never saw them again, and I was left on Akala Island to fend for myself. They took me in for a check up at the pokemon center since the nurse that had been there with me when I woke up offered to help us. They just never came back to get me. Maybe they thought the nurse would just keep looking after me. She couldn't afford to even if she wanted to." The memories were painful to bring up, but she wanted Silver to know.

"I'm not leaving," Silver said. He grimly stared at the unending fireworks which would continue for as long as they were in stock. "I don't care if I have to, I won't. I didn't realize you had to deal with something so traumatizing."

(Y/n) wasn't done telling him everything yet, but... "I didn't say all of that to keep you from leaving. Don't let my past stop you from reaching your future. That's not how this is supposed to work. No, you can't refuse. I don't think you'll have to go anywhere anyway. Even if the international police find you here, I'll fight them with everything I have to drive them away."

"But that's-" Silver cut himself off with a huff of frustration. "Nevermind," he mumbled before giving her a weary look. "Can I ask you how you got to Mele Mele then? It sounds like you're actually from Akala instead of here."

"Oh, right. I didn't ever tell you that, did I? The Tapu Festival is what brought me to Mele Mele. It's been my favorite celebration ever since then. The first time I went, Koko was visiting Akala island that year. I accidentally attacked some visitors from another region who had frightened me. Up until then, very few people knew about my condition so everyone had been afraid of me. I was only like...seven, I think. It's not as if I was some dangerous pokémon." People could just be unreasonable sometimes. "Koko found me after I ran away and came back to Akala Island to visit even after the festival, so I eventually left Akala on my own to follow him here. I got lost on the way, but I did end up on Mele Mele Island and trained under Koko's guidance. I met Gladion some time before I left Akala of course. He and I became good friends. All of that crazy stuff that happened afterwards led me to meet Lillie, Hau, and Moon. The rest is history from there." Silver gave a thoughtful hum at her explaination.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise," he repeated. His arm slipped around her side to pull her closer to him. "I want to know everything about you too, so don't leave out any details," he added. The night had fully settled in now. In addition to the fireworks were the stars that now scattered across their line of sight. It was peaceful and (y/n) found herself smiling despite the emotions that she had just dug up from her past.

"Silver, I'm glad I met you." His voice came out in soft agreement as they watched the fireworks start to dwindle down. Even so, they remained on the roof. Silver began to tell her things about himself that popped up in his thoughts and she did the same. Whether they were embarrassing stories of their childhood or moments when they felt like the world was against them, neither of them held any sort of restraint. They laughed together, grew sad together, and even talked about their plans for the future. The moment never seemed to grow dull even as (y/n) began to fall asleep at his side.

"Silver, do you think I'll ever be able to be normal again? Do you think these powers will go away?" She was half asleep now, spilling her innermost intrusive thoughts to him without truly realizing it.

Silver caught her slowly falling figure and began to pick her up. "You are normal," he said. "Anyone who says you aren't will have to answer to me. I'll make them change their minds faster than you can say..." he stopped speaking seeing that she was fast asleep. Silver carried her back inside and lay her down in his bed for the night. "Good night, (y/n)," he said with a brief laugh to himself. He knew that she couldn't hear him, so he had nothing to fear. "I love you," he added.

There was no need to go all the way back to Iki Town. Their insecurities awaited them there, but here, even if it was only temporary, they were free of anything weighing down their hearts. Silver checked on (y/n) one last time before taking a pillow and blanket to sleep on the floor. It heavily reminded him of when they'd first met, but things were drastically different now.
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Oh boy, would you look at the time. I should head out before it's time for the next chapter to be released. Until next time you amazing readers!