The Theory of Grey | Pokémon X

Sixteen | Power From Within

That dream stuck to me as I got ready for my gym battle with Korrina today. I swore to myself I wouldn't let her ask things of me because I owed her nothing, yet I couldn't get her request out of my head. Of all the people she could've haunted, why did it have to be me? Was my constant torment of the past not enough for me to deal with?

I couldn't help but scowl as I leaned against the wall while I waited for Nurse Joy to check up on my Pokémon. None of this was fair for me; she wasn't there for me when I needed her the most. Because of that, I grew to resent life when everything fell apart. I pushed everyone away and closed myself up as an attempt to move on.

Whatever, I wasn't in any obligation to help her. She's on her own.

Nurse Joy called me over and informed me of my Pokémon's health conditions; according to her, they were all in excellent shape and were more than ready to battle. I took all five PokéBalls from her and gave her my gratitude for her hard work before going out. My Pokémon were all fed, but I wasn't and I could really go for some food right now. The cafeteria in the Pokémon Center didn't have food I liked. Plus, there was a nice café near the gym, which I would say was pretty damn convenient.

When I arrived at the small café, I pulled opened the glass door. The tiny bell above the door rang, signaling the employees that they had a new customer. I really liked the old-fashioned interior, especially the decor. It suited the sublime theme in here, which I very much found calming in a strange way. There weren't many establishments that pulled off this kind of look.

Only a handful of people were seated around here, but other than that, there were a few tables left empty, including the one outside. There was a case of beautifully decorated pastries lined up neatly next to the counter where the register was. A café that was also a bakery was a dream come true for me.

As I made my way over to the cashier to order, my eyes fell upon two awfully familiar people seated toward the back of the café. My eyes slightly widened at the pair; one was a boy with navy blue hair under a red cap and the other was a girl with her wild curly hair up in a messy bun. Both were conversing with one another, unaware of the people around them.

Reese... and Lucas?

My breath hitched in my throat when the realization suddenly dawned on me. They were here, in Kalos, but why? What were they doing here? I couldn't let them see me, not right now. I wasn't ready to talk to them. I needed to get out of here as quickly as possible.

I walked up to the cashier and ordered a beef and Swiss cheese sandwich with pretzel buns and a cup of coffee. After paying for the two items, I stood at the pickup section and pulled my fedora hat down more to cover my face as much as possible. The last time they saw me, I had long brown hair and typically wore t-shirts and flannels. My change in appearance gave me an advantage that would keep me unrecognizable to them unless they saw my face.

The employee gave me my order in a few minutes after that, which I was grateful for. Before I had the chance to leave through the door, it suddenly opened, and I cursed in my mind when a certain black-haired boy stood in front of me. Our eyes met briefly, his lips turning up into a friendly smile. Damn, why did he have to be here now?

"Oh, hey! I didn't know you'd be here." His eyes trailed down to the cup of coffee and white paper bag in my hand. "I see you've ordered something already. I was just about to get something too. Would it be okay if we ate together?"