Broken Souls

Time To Take Some Chill Pills

When Lance and I get back to the top floor, I hear the whine of police sirens pervading my ears. Several Rocket members are waiting outside in handcuffs and one of them, the one who checked me into the hotel earlier, flashes me a dirty gesture.

I guess I know where I'm not staying tonight.

Lance asks, "You going to be okay?"
    "Fine." I say.

"Thanks for your help." he says. "I know the month is a hard deadline, but I think I can help you out a bit. Let's just say you have it in the bag."

Confused, I reply, "Ooookay." Then I turn to go, moving away from the noise and the light into the twilight. I know exactly where I'm going but I don't want to be out after dark- especially without my Pokemon.

"Hey!" I turn around. I see Lance in the distance, waving to me. He points to my hand and nods. I hold up the satchel and he gives me the thumbs up.

The remaining contents jostle around in the bag beneath my right hand. Overwhelmed with curiosity, I pull just a single object out and murmur, "He can't be serious." Nudging it back in, I continue past the city boundaries into the countryside, where several trees have fallen just off the path. There are no trainers out, which isn't terribly uncommon (especially given the average age of this route's trainers) but I can't help but wish there was one around just so I knew that nothing horrible had happened in the day's frenzy. If Morty was affected, it's safe to say most of the region may have been within the signal's reach.

Still, there's a comfort in finally being alone. The sun draws close to my level and I relish the absence of sound, the feel of tall grass on my knees, all of it. I relish in the real Pokemon and try to banish the day from my mind.

"Hello?" asks a voice. I turn again. There's an Ampharos there. "You."

"What?" I ask breathlessly. I feel my hand shaking slightly.

"Trainer, I need help- it's my sister. I need to know where my sister is!" She falls to her knees. "Please, trainer, you have to help me!"

The Flaafy says sheepishly, "I'm very sorry, miss. We're all disoriented after the day's events." She drags her sister away into the brush and I struggle to recall where I've seen her before.

I press a hand to my head, feeling another onslaught of pain coming on, and decide to brave it out. I have to be close by now. Sure enough, in the distance lies a small but earnest building.

I knock on the door. "Hello?"

"Lake of Rage cabin rental at your service."

"So, I was wondering... do you have that cabin open?" I point outside the window to a small establishment by the water, so close it seems it might be swept away by the lake. I push some money over the counter tentatively.

A woman at the register throws me some keys.

It's only a two minute walk to the cabin, and upon opening the door, I don't regret a single cent of the purchase.

I kick off my shoes and look around the room, comforted by the familiarity of the place the best team of six I ever had spent our last night together.

It may just be memory playing tricks on me, but the place almost smells like it did the night we rented it. There's a distinct taste of lavender in the air and that smoky after-fire smell emanates from the fireplace, which still has piles of charred wood resting in it. If I closed my eyes, I could pretend that none of today happened and I'm just getting back from another day of grinding with the team.

My team.

Infinite timelines...

I think it's safe to say that out there somewhere, there is a universe where I didn't ruin everything, maybe even a world where Lilly didn't die tonight. I can barely imagine it. The faces of my teammates are so worn thin in my memory that it makes it hard to fantasize about.