On The Road

Chapter Nineteen

"They are in Room 2245."

"Thank you," Arriete tiredly replied.

Following the arrows that were set up around the center, she easily made her way towards the room her friends where in. She gave a heavy sigh before knocking.

A knock on the door of the room made Bina hastily open it.

"Hey Arriete," she greeted with a small smile. "How did it-"

The expression on her friend's face made her shut her mouth and it turned into a small frown. Arriete had tears forming in her eyes and she hugged herself as she looked towards the floor. 

"He-he told me that he still cares about me," Arriete muttered, letting some of the tears fall. "He still called me his daughter. But-"

"But what?"

"I yelled at him," she replied with a sigh. "I told him that I don't care what he thinks and I'll just continue living without acknowledging his existence." She then put her head in her hands and let out a little sob. "I don't know why, but I just exploded at him. I should have kept my calm, but I didn't. It's just so frustrating that my own dad doesn't accept my dream."

"Oh, Arriete," Bina sighed, opening her arms. "Come here."

Arriete graciously accepted her friend's hug and she quietly sobbed.

"Bina?"

Bina saw Larance approach them out of the corner of her eye. 

"Is she okay?" he asked, worry in his voice.

"She will be," she replied in a whisper.

"You look exhausted," Larance commented. "You should get some rest."

"But Arr-"

"I'll look after her, don't worry," Larance cut her off with a smile.

Bina carefully unwrapped Arriete's arms from around her, and gave Arriete's hands to Larance. With a silent nod, Bina made her way to her bed, and soon fell asleep.

"B-Bina?" Arriete whispered as she no longer felt Bina hugging her.

"She's sleeping," Larance replied quietly. "But I'm here if you want to talk about what happened."

Arriete sniffed before nodding and explaining everything to him.

"Hey, it's ok," Larance replied with a small smile. "I know that you will patch things up with your dad." 

Arriete hugged him tightly, crying into his shirt.

"I know you will."

***

As soon as Wally woke up, he rubbed his eyes and stood up to get ready for the day. A small smile tugged at his lips as he saw Arriete and Larance leaning against each other, asleep. 

"You're up early."

Wally turned to see Bina standing there, arms folded and smiling. 

"Well, the sun woke me up," Wally chuckled, walking towards her. "I see that everything has calmed down."

A devilish grin spread across Bina's face as she whispered something into Wally's ear. A matching grin formed on his face and the two snuck off to the desk on the ground floor. Nurse Joy was puzzled to why the two friends wanted a bucket of water, but she gave it to them anyways. 

"On three," Bina whispered as she and Wally held the bucket. "One...two...three."

They chucked the water at Arriete and Larance, resulting in the two of them jumping up with a shriek. 

"Rise and shine lovebirds!" Bina laughed at her drenched friends.

"What on Earth was that for?!?" Arriete asked angrily as water dripped off of her and onto the floor.

Wally and Bina just laughed as Arriete and Larance glared at them. A sudden knock on the door made them freeze as Larance went over to answer it.

"Ah, good you're aw-" Steven stopped when he saw that Larance and Arriete were drenched. "What happened to you two?"

"Bina and Wally happened," Larance replied with a sigh. "I thought that you were going to Mt. Pyre."

"I was, but I decided to stop by in order to give you these," he replied taking out a small bag. "My dad told me to give these to you. Four keystones, one for each of you. Along with these, a Blazikenite, a Galladite, a Swampertite, and a Sceptilite."

"T-thank you," Larance stuttered, taking the bag with surprise. 

Steven just smiled before leaving.

"Key Stones and Mega Stones?" Bina asked with a smile. "I think that these will be perfect."

Larance opened the bag and everyone took out a Key Stone. Larance placed his Key Stone on his homemade bracelet that he made specifically for this. Bina placed her Key Stone in the little hole on her headband. Arriete placed her Key Stone in the little hole on her hair tie. Wally placed his Key Stone in the hole of his necklace.

"Well, I guess we should get ready to head out to Mt. Pyre," Arriete began, placing the Sceptilite in her bag. "Steven will be waiting for us."

The others nodded as they set off to get ready to leave.

***

Steven walked down route 118, lost deep in thought. A cry soon sounded and he looked up in confusion. A little girl ran towards him, tears in her eyes.

"Mister!" she cried. "Mister!"

"What's wrong?" Steven asked, kneeling down and placing his hands on the girl's shoulders.

"There's a scary man at my house and he keeps questioning my dad!"

Steven frowned at this and began to run to where the girl lived, the girl behind him. He ran into the house, and froze when he saw Archie standing there, talking to a man.

"I'm going to ask you one more time," Archie glared. "Where have you seen them?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" the man answered back angrily.

"Archie!"

Both of them turned to see Steven standing there, arms folded and a glare on his face. Archie just smiled and him and made his way over.

"Ah, Champion," he laughed. "Maybe you could get this man to talk."

"Leave him alone, Archie," Steven ordered. "Why are you even here in the first place?"

"Now, why would I tell you that?" Archie grinned.

Steven growled as he took out a pokeball. Archie noticed this and frowned. He walked out the door, Steven following him.

"Who are you looking for, Archie?" Steven began to press further.

"Now, that would ruin the surprise, won't it?" Archie chuckled.

This left Steven speechless as Archie walked off, grinning to himself.