Paradise

1

Nerves were all Blaise knew as he dug his fingers into his arms. He appeared as if he were cold, but on the inside he was sweating to death.

He'd forgotten to change out of uniform before leaving Hoenn. This trip was so urgent that he couldn't even take his friends with him. Blaise demanded answers. His memories were becoming confusing & blurry, & presumably false ones were taking over his Magma ones. It had gotten so bad to the point where the fake ones were appearing in his memory flames, raising questions between his colleagues & leader.

Blaise could not take it anymore.

He looked out the window, adjusting his glasses. He'd taken off his contacts earlier, replacing them with his hardly functional glasses. He'd needed a new prescription for a while now but was too busy with the team to get one. Blaise had wanted to look professional but hadn't even taken the liberty to make himself look nice outfit wise. Whatever. He'd change in Alola.

He pushed his glasses back up on his nose, taking a moment to push his bangs back behind his ear. He'd been on this flight for about 8 hours now. Only 7 more & he'd be where he needed to be, he thought bitterly. He had no idea why he was so hell-bent on going to the tropical island region - something about it felt so right. Blaise could remember running through the grass in his vibrant surroundings as a child, though he wasn't sure if he'd made that up. Alola was bright & cheery. Perhaps that's what he'd recalled, he assumed.

"This settles it," Blaise had told his superiors. "I'm going."

"Will you be back?"

"Why so suddenly?"

"We need you!"

Blaise had ignored his colleagues as Maxie stood, silencing the other three Admins. "If this is what you must do, Blaise, go ahead. We'll welcome you back as soon as you return." For once Maxie had been smiling, if only slightly. Blaise shook his hand, left, & now he was on this plane, stuck here until he got to his destination.

Blaise snapped out of his thoughts. No time to lament. He slouched in his seat, folding his hands on top of himself. Whatever. A long flight meant a long rest. Blaise smirked to himself & shut his eyes, allowing sleep to take him.

-

Blaise awoke to the sun in his eyes. Another child was playing ball with him while a taller woman watched over them. Confused, Blaise threw the ball back, watching the other blonde boy's eyes light up.

Dreams like this had been prominent in Blaise's head, & he welcomed them. They only meant more clues about what his memory lighter was trying to tell him. Blaise looked at his hands. His sleeves were clad in white with gold cuffs.

"Catch, Blaise!" a voice called. The boy. Blaise looked up & caught the ball, throwing it back immediately. Blaise spun in a circle, trying to look at the cape hanging from his back. How interesting. It was also gold & white, not red like he was used to.

"OK, boys. It's time to head back to the Paradise now." The woman had approached the two, surprising Blaise out of his interest with himself. She grabbed Blaise's & the other boy's hands. The other boy groaned in disappointment.

"Can't we play longer?" he complained.

"No, Gladion. Mother has work to do."

Blaise watched the woman, his eyes curious. Suddenly she started to fade. "We can always... come back... tomorrow," she said, voice faltering as she smiled down at him.

& with that, Blaise awoke with a start, covering his mouth with his hands.

Had he really slept through the past 7 hours? Blaise could feel the descent of the plane. What the hell was that? he thought, looking around with just his eyes. He exhaled, lowering his hands. That'd been weird. That dream had been more vivid than the past ones. Desperation grew within Blaise & he covered his head with his hood, unhooking his left memory lighter. There was the boy again, & himself - though the boy looked much older. Blaise bit his lip, trying not to cry right there & then. He strangely felt connected to the boy - Gladion, was his name. Perhaps they'd been friends when Blaise was a child. Blaise hardly remembered anyone by that name, but the dream had seemed so familiar & for what?

Blaise wiped his eyes & ignored the melancholy rising in his throat. The plane had landed & everyone was getting off now. Blaise also got off, grabbed his only bag, & left the airport.

Now it began.