FSE

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Cassidy and Garna had stayed up all night awaiting Cassidy's parents' return.

They talked, they read, they watched TV, and they waited. When midnight approached, they had even waited outside.

All they could have done was wait. Pomace was far, it was dark, and even if they'd gone, the odds of running into her parents were slim to none.

So, the worry and the confusion sat and mounted, but it didn't settle. Cassidy or Garna had eventually been able to sleep throughout the night because of that, cutting their losses. They would miss the familiar knock at the door leading to cold hugs and kisses, but they would wake to her parents making breakfast.

However, when morning arrived—daylight's break, Cassidy sat on the edge of her bed to neither outcome while Garna lay awake behind her. The bedroom curtain was open so both could see out of the window at the front yard.

Cassidy's feet were on the jutted edge of the bed frame, her knees raised and her arm atop with her chin resting on her forearm. “They said they would be home by last night…" she murmured. “I thought they would just return late."

“Gar." Garna placed a reassuring hand on Cassidy's back.

Cassidy could barely feel it.

The gardevoir sat up and scooted to sit beside her.

Cassidy yawned and covered her mouth, lying back. “They should hurry. I want to go out."

Garna watched Cassidy from where she sat, growing a slight grin.

“And battle, maybe, but none of the idiots around here… When was the last time we went to the gym to wait out winners?"

“Vrr…" Garna tilted her head from side to side to ponder.

“If we have to think, it has been too long." She looked at Garna. “You enjoy it too, no?"

She nodded with assurance.

“I do not want to be a trainer that forces you to fight."

Garna shook her head.

"Good. We are in sync often."

---

That entire day comprised more hopeless waiting and nothing but; with every hour, the worry did settle in. There existed little motivation to read, to nap, to eat, to watch TV, to step outside, and barely any to speak. They hadn't left the bedroom but a few times.

The sun set; nightfall came and went. Sleepless. Eerily silent. It was daybreak.

Nothing of promise occurred.

They were not here.

Cassidy followed her clock's ticking hands with her eyes. 6 a.m.

“Garna, fuck…" She held the sides of her head and clutched her hair. “Something is wrong." She stood from the bed.

The gardevoir wore a sorrowfully concerned expression, still sitting on the bed. It was all she could do.

Cassidy paced out of the room and slipped into her shoes at the front door. She went out and stood in the yard. She glanced back at Garna, who leaned on and held the door frame while watching.

Cassidy stared ahead and dragged her feet to the sidewalk that no one currently occupied, looking out at Laverre's entrance. She couldn't do anything. She had no way to contact them. Her Pokétch couldn't make calls. She had no hiking equipment, and she hadn't the slightest clue how to navigate a hauntingly massive snowy mountain.

Cassidy tipped off her heels as if to leave, but she ultimately turned and dragged back to the house. She slipped past Garna without a word, left the door open, and slumped onto the couch, hunching over.

“Garde." Garna closed the door and approached Cassidy, standing a few feet before her.

Cassidy didn't look up. But eventually, she drew her eyes up to her pokémon. “You cannot help."

Garna's eyes downcast; she relented and sat at the kitchen table, and the air grew just slightly colder.

Cassidy did her best not to assume the worst, to not apply pressure without proof. She tried her hardest not to imagine all that could have gone wrong. They had a team with them—an equally experienced team who she'd met at times when they came over. If her parents were trapped, they could get out, and if they had lost their way, they all had each other, but if another day passed, the least she could do was report it to the local rangers department.

Her stomach rumbled, interrupting her thoughts. She hadn't eaten today; she was hungry, but she wasn't. “Garna," she called over to the table.

Garna looked up.

“We should not be alone. Come," Cassidy beckoned with a sigh, and Garna came. She pulled her gardevoir into a hug and lay back so they were pressed to each other side by side.

Cassidy rested her cheek on Garna's arm, and she held her close.

"You should eat, Garna... at least a puff bar." They were filling, essentially marshmallowy, powdered poképuffs atop graham crackers.

But Garna didn't move, instead holding Cassidy closer. No further words were spoken after that.

A relative amount of time passed that neither tracked, give or take. It simply passed.

There was a knock at the door. Both Cassidy and Garna shot up to answer.

Cassidy opened the door, but it wasn't to her parents.

Two rangers in uniform, one man and one woman, stood before her with despondent faces.

Garna stood idly by with held hands.

Cassidy shot her lingering full, expectant eyes between both rangers, whose faces dimmed even more upon the sight of the young teen.

“Est-ce la Vidal résidence? (Is this the Vidal residence)?" the man asked.

Cassidy nodded. “Oui…"