It was a rowdy trip, despite the calm waters the ferry was sailing through.
The turbulent part of it was inside Himiko’s head, still dizzy from the newspaper’s headline. She ended up buying it, despite not having the guts to read the damn thing from the get-go.
But, as always, curiosity ended up winning in the long run, allowing her to check the highly sensationalist version of the facts:
Kayden R. Blast, the acting representative of the Pokémon League in Rustboro, was found dead last night at a school downtown. Two of his Pokémon were also attacked at the site: Dustox and Butterfree, the latter still alive, and sent to the city's Pokémon Center.
The case is being investigated by the Hoenn Homicide Department (HHD). According to them, there are still no suspects. The trainer's body showed no signs of physical injury, but both Pokémon had multiple punctures.
According to chief Anneto Carsam, the investigation team is treating the case with prime concern. “We have to carefully inspect this crime, as it possibly aims to destabilize the [Pokémon] League. It's still early to say, but there is a chance it’s directly related to the disappearance of Roxanne [Felsen].”
In a statement, the chief representative for the Pokémon League in Hoenn, Drake Bertelli, laments what happened by calling it "a cowardly attack on the integrity of the League" and demands justice to be done even though Kayden, as an acting representative, was not directly affiliated with the Pokémon League.
Roxanne: The search for Roxanne Felsen, the official representative of the Pokémon League in Rustboro, reached the third day without success. There are still no clues to her whereabouts. According to witnesses, Roxanne was last seen leaving the school where she works as a teacher last Monday (15th) afternoon.
With the murder of Mr. Blast yesterday, the HHD is now working with the hypothesis of homicide, extending the search to the outskirts of the city. There are suspicions of a connection between both cases.
Himiko stared at the picture right next to the report, chilling as she remembered what had just happened at the gym. Reading the whole thing again in disbelief, word for word.
Was found dead.
Dead.
With eyesight lost on the horizon, as far as she could stare at the ocean, she couldn’t react properly to that fact. It was murder. And I did it.
It didn’t take long for her to remind herself it was a self-defense act, how she had to do it to save her own life and protect her team from that monster of a guy.
Despair came back quickly as she considered the police were after it, and in no time they would realize she was the last person leaving the gym that afternoon. Sooner or later they would be after her.
Himiko looked down, only now perceiving she had dropped the newspaper into the sea. She almost considered jumping behind in the hopes a dangerous creature would get her, but soon grasped it wouldn’t change anything. Besides, if such a dumb attitude would make any difference, she’d done it ages ago.
I’m probably overreacting. The worst that can happen is going to jail…
Those thoughts were interrupted as a stop was announced. Most of the passengers would likely unship at the Petalburg harbor, since it was the safest option between the two cities, just around the dangerous forest.
It was also the perfect opportunity to add an extra layer of worry over the emotional weight she was already carrying. All the info shown in the newspaper was intentionally vague, which included the investigations. And she had to give her full name at the Rustboro port to buy her ticket.
Could the police already know it was me? What if they’re using this stop to arrest me?
There was only one logical option, and it was to lock herself inside the bathroom. It shouldn’t be a long stop, after all.
At least the paranoia kind of subdued as the ferry left, half an hour later. Being alone in a silent closet had its good perks, and was enough to calm her down just a bit, enough to reconsider everything that happened and how she probably was safe — and, even if she wasn’t, she could do nothing against it.
Not to mention Kayden wasn’t exactly a nice guy. She had enough reasons to believe he was the guy who killed Roxanne, even though no one could tell if she was dead. Except for Mr. Stone, possibly.
Despite all of that, her tension had never died.
And it showed as someone snuck behind her while she was carelessly walking through a corridor.
“Found you!”
Himiko blacked out immediately from the shock.
曖
“Her blood pressure has lowered, she’ll be up soon.”
It was a bit claustrophobic and, with the swaying movement, Himiko was still disoriented when getting back into her senses. The unknown male voice was peaceful and probably harmless, but her head was still too heavy to properly look at him.
“Hey… you fine?”
Knowing the second voice she heard was a relief; realizing it was Brendan’s voice wasn’t.
“Where am I? What happened?”
“We’re still on the ferry,” he replied. “You passed out earlier, way to get me worried!”
“Don’t know…” Himiko tried to shove it off. “Might’ve been the sun…”
“Or probably stress.” The first voice chimed back in, and Himiko finally could take a quick look at him, finding a dark-skinned athletic guy, probably in his early twenties. Her attention shifted to the cheerful Clefairy sitting in his lap. “But nothing beats Flo’s Aromatherapy on that matter. What are you feeling right now?”
“My head still hurts a bit, but I’ll be fine.”
“Sorry if I scared you earlier.” Brendan went in again. “I never expected you to react like this.”
“Don’t worry, I know you didn’t mean it.”
“Thanks again for the help, Darlan.” Brendan shifted his attention back to the other guy. “I wouldn’t know what to do without your aid.”
“I’m always glad to help.” The man stopped for a bit, making sure that the subject would die. “So, you guys are going to Dewford. Are you both doing the circuit?”
“Nah, I’m going to Slateport,” Brendan replied. “But it’s a long trip and I feel better splitting it.”
Himiko just nodded. She had a task to do there but knew enough she shouldn’t talk about it freely.
And for once luck was on her side since her PokéNav started ringing from inside her bag before she needed to open her mouth.
“Hey, you never gave me your number!” Brendan laughed as the girl picked her phone up, leaving the cabin in hopes of having some privacy. After all, there was only one person who could have called her.
“Hope your trip is going well.” Rochard skipped the greetings entirely. “How are things going so far?”
“Could’ve been worse, Mr. Stone. I still got the package safe.”
“Forget the Mister, ma’am. Did you catch the news?”
Himiko had a slim hope that Rochard didn’t know details about what happened at the gym and his morning advice was just a bad coincidence, not a way for him to mess with her.
His last question made that glimpse of hope vanish.
“What in the flying fuck do you want with me?”
“Go easy, Himiko!”
“Go easy down your ass! Don’t try to fuck with me like that ‘cause I’m already done with that shit!”
Dead silence, both in the call and from the woman walking near Himiko at that moment.
“Are you done cussing? May I talk now?”
His peaceful tone made Himiko perceive how she overreacted — again.
“Now, I won’t pretend I don’t know about yesterday, but I guess no one else should either. If what I’ve heard about that guy is true, he had what he deserved. But I didn’t call you to talk about that.”
“Sorry about the swearing. I’m not having a good day and you know why.”
“I’ll just forget that scurrility. Anyway, about the little box, I talked to Steven moments ago, he’s working at the Granite Cave today and is aware of your arrival. If you please, go there as soon as you land.”
“Sure, it’s not like I have anything else important to do today…”
“Call me if something happens.” He ignored the sarcasm in her voice. “Better yet, call me when you get to the cave.”
“OK. Again, sorry for the bad things I said.”
“Sorry about what? Did you say anything? I’ll wait for the ring, see you!”
She looked at the horizon as the call just died, contemplating the sea and all the questionable choices she had made so far.
曖
Darlan had just waved goodbye as he headed towards Dewford’s central area, wishing for Himiko to stay safe as the girl went north, far from the urban portion of the small island. She had hoped Brendan would do the same and get some rest for the next day, leaving the girl alone for her small mission at the Granite Cave.
Her share of luck for that day had ended, however, and her friend was just a few yards behind walking in the same direction.
Himiko was aware of that but just chose to ignore him. It could be just a coincidence, and she didn’t want to start an argument over it. Instead, she quickened the pace a bit, trying to gain some distance from him. He reacted by doing the same, keeping himself close enough, but still leaving some range.
It was almost like an endurance test.
And, if it was, Himiko would end up failing.
“Would you goddamn stop following me?” She kept walking, not even looking back as he kept going behind for a few minutes.
“I’m not following you. But it seems you’re trying to avoid me.”
“All I want is to reach the Granite Cave.”
“Then it’s just a coincidence,” he smirked. “Because I’m heading there too.”
“I thought you told me you were going to Slateport.”
“I am tomorrow. But since I’m around I want to check on the wild Mawile, it’s not any day you get a chance to see one.”
“Can’t you just go there and stop bothering me then?”
“I’m just minding my business here. You can only blame yourself.”
“Look, Brendan.” She finally stopped and looked back into his face. “I’m having a terrible day already, could you please get me some time and space?”
“Like if I could summon Dialga and Palkia for you…”
“I’m not joking!”
“I don’t really care, right? You need to stop taking life too seriously, that’s why you’re so messed up!”
“What the hell do you want?”
“I’ve told you, I’ll try to find some Mawile into the Granite Cave. What about you?”
“None of your business.”
“Ooh, I’m sooo scared, little Himiko is being mean to me… hey, don’t leave me hanging there!”
“Eh… whatever.”
“I think you could be nice for a change.” Brendan pressed forward, finally getting closer to the girl. “Where’s the charming girl I met at Littleroot?”
“Fuck off!”
“Look, I’m just trying to help. You need some help, even if you can’t see it.”
“So it’s all my fault now? Didn’t I tell you to fuck off already?!”
“No, seriously. Look at my face.” He finally touched the girl’s shoulders, almost losing his temper. He had already lost, in fact, but was making an astounding effort not to show it. “You don’t need to act strong to me. I can see you’re not well. Put these hurts out!”
“The only thing wrong here is you toasting my patience. Just get out of my way, ’kay?”
It took Brendan this long for him to understand he wouldn’t get her to talk. Not acting like that, at least.
“Fine. I get it. But I’ll be here if you change your mind.”
She kept walking, as Brendan decided to keep a greater distance from the girl.
Fucking finally.
It didn’t take long for her to reach the caves, known by the red-tinted rocky formation. What was lesser known about those was how deep the structure went underground, which quickly blinded the girl with darkness.
And, as she started wondering how could she find that Steven guy in that dullness — or anyone, for the fact, a dim light shined from behind the girl.
All she could do was pray it wasn’t Brendan with a flashlight of sorts.
You could bet it was.
“Didn’t I tell you to stop following me?”
“Quiet, Himiko!” His voice was closer to a whisper but still audible as it reverberated through the walls. “You’ll scare the wilds.”
“Whatever. Not my problem.”
“Look. Dad made me promise I’d be nice with you after last Saturday, but you surely know how to be unbearable, you know?”
“Thank you for being the unpaid therapist I never asked for.”
“Can’t you, like, at least pretend to be nice for a while?”
“Can’t you kids just shut the fuck up?!” A deep unknown voice, coming out of nowhere, seemed a bit too close not to get both of them scared.
TERRIBLE TEACHING, 0/10
) to the run
