Ch. 40
Imported from SF2 with no description.
--Wendy--
As tired as we were, it didn’t surprise me when he refused to let me go that afternoon. Annabelle didn’t seem to have much of an opinion, simply heard him say so, and walked away, back to the cabin. She obviously didn’t want to be anywhere near him. I understood, I thought. Lucario were supposed to really have a read on people, so if he were half as agitated as he looked, it would have been more than obvious to her.
It hurt to reconcile that this whole place, acres upon acres of land was a sanctuary for abused pokemon. A sanctuary for pokemon who were treated cruelly. It was hard to read about it, the articles I could find on my tablet. About the dedication ceremony, the survivors of a cult that had been taken down years ago all trying to start over. Away from the abuse, the hunger, the torture and brainwashing. Away from the kind of people who could tell someone so gentle, so kind that they deserved it. Deserved to be hurt.
It was hard to see that, against the image of him. Of them. Of how vocally and actively they loved one another. Against every rule, every law to the contrary. He’d have died for them. Have fought and bled for them. And likewise, they for him. Because they loved each other, and that was the only thing that mattered to them. Even then, in the midst of all of it, in this place, they had found time, energy, desire, and shared with each other a kind of love that went beyond every expectation.
It was harder still to pin down my own feelings. What Staccato and I had done, what we had begun. Was it wrong? Was it bad? I knew my family would never understand. Maybe nobody would, unless they found love the same way. I felt guilty for hurting Penance, but Stacky and I… we were always close. I didn’t realize it before, but I’d never wanted anyone else. All my life, nobody was that close.
Aside from Stacky, the only one who ever came close was in the middle of making love to his lycanroc. I wasn’t about to steal him from Penance. If she wanted him, the least I could do was give her the chance to. I didn’t want to let her go, but at the same time… hadn’t I ridden her coattails long enough? No. She needed a chance to find her own way, and maybe I did too.
So that night, while he stayed up, tending the fire, keeping an eye on things, and sharing tenderness and love with Tempest, who guarded him fiercely and wanted nothing more than to bring their family back together… I had a chance to talk to Penance. To really talk to her. I realized that she had been right. I hadn’t done that in a long time. Maybe for the first time since I was a child.
“I know you’ll do your best to keep him safe.” I said, as I held her in my arms inside the confines of the tent. “And I figure he’ll do the same for you. It’s just his way, I suppose. Takes on too much because he worries what might happen if he doesn’t.” She sighed at that, and glanced towards the tent flap, half open, firelight flickering in, filling the room, his shadow, and that of Tempest cast against the canvas, holding each other close.
Penance whined, her ears falling flat with worry as she looked up at me. “I do the same, huh?” It was a guess, but her quiet bark and the perk of her ears told me I’d hit the bull’s eye. “I know you’re right. But this isn’t... “ I shook my head. “It isn’t just me being stubborn. Not this time. This really is my business, too. He’s my friend. Our friend. He needs us, now more than ever.”
Penance barked at that, an approving sound, and nuzzled against my hands. “I’m leaving you with him, because I know you’ll be able to find me, no matter what… but also… because I think he needs you. He needs you to keep him from spending all his time worrying. I can’t do that right now. Maybe none of his girls can. That damned absol, and those pricks we ran into on the road… you know as well as I do. He’s not going to be able to rest at all, if he has to spend the whole time watching his back. He needs you.”
I growled, shaking my head, a sentiment Penance seemed to echo, her fur bristling for a moment. “Heaven help me, I wish I could be two places at once, but I can’t, and he needs me to go…” I sighed at that, and stared out to the fire. “I know she needs him to stay.” I said, gesturing to Tempest. “I … I think we both needed to meet. I think we all did.”
She stared, quietly towards him, and I sighed. “You don’t need my permission, Penance. If you love him, that’s all I need to know. I think… you have good taste in men. I understand. And besides, you should make your own choices, not just go by whatever I tell you.” She wagged her tail at that, and put a paw up on my leg, tilting her head as she regarded me.
“What, me? I …” I thought about it for a moment, and shook my head. “Maybe. I don’t know. Depends on Stacky. Depends on you. I think… I’d like to think he’d have me, if I asked. But that’s a big if, and it really depends on you two more than he or I. I’m… I don’t want to do anything that’s going to hurt you. Either of you.”
Penance nuzzled into my hands at that, and then curled up, as I pet her. For a while, I didn’t say anything, neither did she. It was nice, just… being close to her. Just being able to be close to her. “He saved us… both of us. Maybe all of us. I’m sorry, Penance. I’m sorry that it took someone else to show me how wrong I’d been.”
It was with those thoughts that I ended up drifting off. I knew it was for the best. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. I was worried how Tempest was going to handle it. I wasn’t like him. Couldn’t just … tough it out the way he seemed to. I knew that. Maybe I just knew better.
Still. I had faith in her, even if I was worried she’d be frustrated with the pace I set. I had to believe she’d give me a chance.
----Penance----
I’d waited a while, while she was first falling asleep, then snuck out of the tent. With everything she’d said, everything she’d confided in me, I had more questions than answers. It wasn’t like her. Or at least, wasn’t like the her I’d gotten used to. To be honest, it was a refreshing change of pace. A little on the late side, but still, better than how it was before. I'd have to thank him for it, later.
Staccato was still awake, albeit barely, and greeted me with a flick of an ear as I sat down beside him. He grumbled something incoherent but at least partially welcoming, then sighed when he realized I wanted to talk.
“I’ll get to the point. Wendy’s taking you, leaving me. You gonna be okay with her and Tempest?” I asked, as I settled in next to him. It was strange to realize it, but the warmth he gave off, warmth I used to find comforting and peaceful, it just seemed wrong to be that close. I didn’t want to be that close to him anymore, so I moved a couple feet away and stretched out in the grass.
“You’re worried about me? It’s fine. I’m not worried about it. Anything happens, I’m pulling Wendy out, and coming right back here.” He replied, grumbling to himself afterward. “I won’t let anything happen to her.”
“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. Wendy is counting on you to keep both of them safe. All three, counting the delphox. You can’t just cut and run, this time.” I sighed, irritably. “What happened to all that bravado you used to have? What happened to the guy who bit off half a thief’s face to protect us? We’re in this together, Staccato...at least. The rest of us are.”
“Yeah? Nobody asked my opinion. We shouldn’t be here, Penance. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a nice guy, but honestly, why are we all putting ourselves in the fire for him? I did my part. I got him here. Despite everything else along the way, despite how sore and exhausted and unhappy I was, I did everything they asked.”
I hated to admit it, but I understood where he was coming from. It was a lot to ask, for any of us, and he had the least at stake. He really had given the most of any of us. “If it were you, if it were me, do you think either of them would have stopped?”
He sighed at that, and lowered his head back to the grass, closing his eyes. “I’m sorry. I know you have a lot more invested in it. So does she. He’s been good to us, but he’s not you, and he’s not her. I’ll help, but not if it means putting you two in danger. Tempest just isn’t my problem.”
I knew I wasn’t going to get anything else out of him, so I left it alone. He was honest. He was a grumpy old bastard, but he was honest. As much as I hated to admit it, he wasn’t wrong. He didn’t owe them anything. Not really.
Tempest welcomed me as I approached, moved her arm and pulled me close to him as he slept. She spoke softly, as she wrapped her arms around us both. “You don’t need to warn me. I heard. Thanks though.” She said with a sigh. “I’ll be sure to not rely on him, and since I can’t rely on that bitch tour guide, I guess that just leaves me.”
“Honestly,” I paused. Part of me was just seething. I hated how selfish he could be. I hated that I couldn’t find a good reason to disagree. Mostly, I hated knowing I wasn’t going to be able to help. “If things go wrong…” I paused, looking at the sleeping trainer, nestled in her arms, sheltered by her strength and her love. Sheltered from the world in a way only she could give him “Don’t leave him alone, understand?”
“More than you’ll ever know.” She replied, solemnly. “You don’t need to tell me that. He needs us even more than we need him. Don’t worry. I won’t do anything stupid. Besides, he might have taught me everything he knows, but I have a few tricks of my own. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“I think we all need to worry about you.” The voice startled me so much I jumped, making him stir, a groggy interrogative muffled against my fur as he nuzzled into my back. Mira had come from behind, and settled in beside us. “I know you’re strong, Tempest. Strong and fearless. You’ve had to be, this whole time. He needed it, right?”
“I’m his mate. He needs me to be strong, especially now, when he doesn’t know how to be.” She said, with a sigh. “He’s carried us through enough. He knows my pain better than anyone. The loss, the need to keep moving forward. My heart is his heart.” She shrugged at that, the motion causing him to stir a little more, his hand reaching up to hold hers, as he started to drift back off. “I’d do anything for him. Simple as that.”
“Anything? Then he needs you to be careful.” Mira said. I felt her ribbon brush against me as it looped over Tempest’s arm. “Getting her back isn’t worth losing you. Understand? Not to him, not to any of us.”
She huffed at that, and stared down at the pokeball she held. “And what if it’s worth it to me?” She asked, sullenly. I could feel her sudden tension, hear the tightness in her voice. The pain, the worry.
“It wouldn’t be worth it to Claire.” It was Cocoa who spoke up next, the miltank sighed as she sat heavily in the dirt by the fire. “I reckon you know that better’n any of us, so quit bein’ stubborn, missy!”
“Yes, mom.” Tempest replied, still tight with emotion, but I could hear the smile in her voice. Bitter, small, but there. “I … it’s hard, you know? I love her so much.” I could feel her shoulders shake, the sigh, the sob, the moment she finally broke down.
And I could feel him, awake in an instant, and pulling her into his arms, even as he scooped me up to rest in his lap as he moved. One fluid, powerful motion guiding us where we needed to be. As he drew her close, she collapsed into him, and wept.
He didn’t say a word, none of us did. None of us needed to. Cocoa had moved to embrace her from behind. Mira’s ribbons slid around her arms, all the way up to her shoulders as she burrowed into her side. He caught her tears on his shoulder, and what ones he didn’t, fell to me, as I moved in to hold her close.
I knew in my heart, all the things I felt… all of the pain I’d ever felt with Wendy, with Staccato… I believed in that moment that I had never felt anything. Never so passionately and raw as she did.
And all any of us could do was hope.