Cinccino bumped face first into her trainer's leg. She looked up at her trainer curiously, wondering why she stopped so abruptly. She found her trainer staring at her reflection. Cinccino found this odd. They had been in this cave for what seemed like hours. Her trainer knew there were mirror like rocks all over the place. Why was she stopping to look now?"
"Hilda? What's the matter?" Cinccino asked.
Hilda looked down at Cinccino and smiled. The smiled seemed strained, and was definitely forced.
"Worried about me?" Hilda asked.
"Yes. I have been for awhile." Cinccino said, nodding.
Hilda sighed and looked back at her reflection, "I'm fine, Cinccino."
Cinccino frowned, "You haven't been 'fine' for a very long time."
"Ya know...I thought after all this time...maybe I'd learn to love the person in the mirror. And for awhile I did...ya know?"
Cinccino's frown became larger and she opened her mouth to speak, but Hilda beat her to it.
"And I know that everybody thinks that I think my purpose is...him..." Hilda explained, the word 'him' seemingly tearing a hole in her chest, "But that's not what I mean when I say he gave me purpose."
Cinccino tilted her head.
"When I first started my journey, I hoped that it would show me what I was meant to do. I was overshadowed by Cheren and Bianca my whole life, and if I could just find something, anything, that gave me a reason to exist, then everything would be worth it. The whole thing with him gave me that reason," Hilda looked down, "I had to stop him. It had to be me. You know what Ghetsis would've done if I hadn't been around. If I hadn't met..." she trailed off.
"That day in Accumula Town. It was me. It had to be," She looked back up at her reflection, "That's what I mean when I say he gave me purpose. My purpose was stopping Team Plasma."
Cinccino hugged Hilda's leg, "I didn't know you felt that way..."
Hilda looked down at her clothes. She still wore the same outfit she wore two years ago. She never changed a thing about herself. She was just so desperate to find him- to see him.
In a way she did- she saw him in everything. She saw him in every Pokémon, every star, every sunset, and every blade of grass. She heard him in every Pokémon cry and every whisper of the forest. She felt his touch in every warm fire.
Everyday, every inch of her soul ached without him. When she left those years ago, she was certain she had to look for him. And for awhile, it kept her distracted and kept her from losing her mind. But right here, right now, she was unsure this would help anymore. Maybe she should go home and surround herself with her family and friends- If they'd forgive her of course.
Hilda frowned lightly and held her head up high. She adjusted her hat and nodded.
"Let's go home."
