DPA: Rivals

Chapter 39: Into The Darkness, Part 3

"How's he doing?" Skye asked Daryon.

"He's doing better," Daryon replied, smiling, clearly tired.

Skye and Daryon were in the very front of the group, Daryon's Charmander sleeping in his arms, its light still guiding the way. Dratini had wrapped itself around Skye's arm as usual, sleeping. It had been a while, possibly days, since they had entered the Underground Path. Vince's inherent navigational system told them that the Saffron Exit wasn't far off.

A little ways behind Skye and Daryon, Ero continued his stories about all that the Galar region had to offer. Max was soaking up every moment. Vince took studious notes for record-keeping. And Cameron, who was definitely happier without having to carry the burden of his negative experience alone, enjoyed all the new information that he was learning first hand from an experienced Pokémon researcher, riding on Beedrill's back, his hands wrapped loosely around Beedrill's neck to hold on.

"I can't imagine what that must've felt like," Skye said to Daryon. "A Pokémon with the power to send thoughts into your head? That just seems...wrong."

"It doesn't seem like that would always be a bad power," Daryon replied. "It'd be cool if Pikachu could communicate with me through our thoughts."

"Doesn't that feel violating, though? If anything at all is yours, it's your thoughts. Your thoughts are basically who you are. To have someone or something messing around in there, that would be absolutely awful." Skye winced at the thought.

"You're thinking about it too seriously," Daryon shrugged. "There's no way that me sending one of my thoughts into your head could be that bad."

"You're kidding, right?" Skye's arm shot out right in front of Daryon, forcing him to stop. He turned to her, surprised.

"What?" Daryon asked.

"Did you see Cameron back there?" Skye growled, glaring.

"I meant-" Daryon began, seeing where this was going.

"It doesn't matter what you meant or didn't mean," Skye interrupted, careful not to be so loud and draw Cameron's attention. "You're so caught up in your own head and your own goals all the time that you never stop and look at what's happening around you. Your own best friend had to practically explode into pieces before you even began to get a glimpse of what he was going through. And even then, while you knew he was hurting, you still didn't take the time to understand why.

"He follows you everywhere, because you're his best friend, and never complains. But anytime he wants to do something, he has to drag you to it, and even then you aren't invested. You didn't put any effort into being interested at the Pewter Museum, and you didn't even go with him to Cerulean Cave; if you had tried to think about anything other than yourself, you could've been there when Cameron had an entire cave dropped onto him!"

Skye stopped, seeing Daryon's face, seeing the guilt, the self-anger. She had blamed him for Cameron's trauma.

"Daryon, I'm sorry. That was unfair. Nothing that happened at Cerulean Cave was your fault."

"No, it's fine," Daryon whispered, just barely maintaining composure. "You're right. If I had just been a good friend and joined Cameron on his swim, things could've been different, and he wouldn't be hurting. That's on me."

"We have arrived at our destination!" Vince interrupted.

"Light!" Max yelled, running ahead of Skye and Daryon, pushing open the Saffron Exit of the Underground Path. Sunlight poured in, stinging Skye's eyes. Cameron rode Beedrill into the sunlight, while Max spun around in circles, and Ero politely held the door open for everyone.

Daryon returned Charmander to its Pokéball before pushing past Skye, out of the Underground Path, and into Saffron City.

Skye looked at Ero, who was looking back at her. Ero could see very clearly the concern on her face, probably assuming it to be from the news about Team Rocket. He smiled kindly, also concerned, before gesturing that she should continue moving. Skye stepped out of the Underground Path, out of the darkness.