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Ecruteak City was a small, peculiar village in the northern side of Johto. In the middle of the 1980's, when our story is set in motion could, the region could call itself modern. Only a few remnants of the antique roots on which every city was founded stood proud, and most of them, from temples, rituals and stories of all sorts found themselves in Ecruteak City.
Entering its confines was stepping in another reality, back in time at least a century. Especially for a small child that lived in the city.
Eusine, a small boy from Celadon City in Kanto, at four years old was first allowed to spend a whole weekend at his grandfather's house, in that very village. The boy, who had never before set foot outside his own hometown, was mesmerized by the difference in the architecture, the demeanor of people, the over all aura surrounding that place so unfamiliar to him.
As he walked, his little nose was up to appreciate the buildings, the trees. He had never seen so many trees among buildings. His hometown was a depressing sight of glass, metal and concrete. The chaos came from vehicles and machines, not from people chatting, birds chirping, like in Ecruteak.
As he walked, his grandfather lead him to his house, while telling his grandson miscellaneous trivia about the city. They walked by the gym, and the man tried introducing him to pokémon battles, but the boy barely paid attention, too busy staring at the most mundane details.
They reached the man's house, and as he walked by, his attention was caught by the neighboring house, by its garden. There was a little child, alone, dressed in white from head to toe, making him stand out like a ghost, playing in the grass.
Eusine looked at his grandfather to ask for permission, and after the man nodded, he let go of the man's hand and went to the kid, who seemingly ignored him. «Can I play with you?» he asked, the other kid stared but didn't reply, just slid the toy closer to Eusine.
«Thank you. What's your name?» Eusine kept asking, but the kid kept being silent. «Can you talk?» he asked, the kid shook his head. Eusine smiled brightly. «I'll talk for you too then» he announced, proudly, as the other child smiled faintly.
Eusine looked around for a little bit, then his eyes lit up and clapped his hands. «Oh, I know! I know! Let’s play pokémon professors and pretend we found some traces» he suggested. His new friend smiled and nodded.
«I’m gonna study Suicune when I’m older, and I’m not gonna stop until I can catch it» Eusine said, smiling wide. «What’s your favorite legend?» he went on. The kid thought about it for a bit, then opened his arms and flapped them, mimicking wings. «Oh, so one of the birds!» he exclaimed, but the other kid stared at him confused, then pointed at his own index finger. «One? Do you only know one?».
The kid nodded, and Eusine smiled. «You like Ho-Oh then! Makes sense, I’m from Kanto, we learn about Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres, but I guess here you learn more about Ho-Oh and Lugia».
Both the kids played for hours, switching scenarios every once in a while. When they needed a break Eusine would share trivia, show off peculiar pebbles he had found earlier that day, everything that crossed his mind, and his friend listened, showed interest.
«We’ll be professors together when we’re older, what do you think?» Eusine said at some point. The kid shook his head and then looked down. «It’s okay, I still like you» Eusine reassured. When he looked at his new friend he was still listening, staring up at Eusine with his purple eyes. He was the first one of his peers to pay attention to what he had to say, even if they were rambles or daydreams.
But those eyes didn’t stay fixed on Eusine. At times, as the child talked, they wandered to the road, at the intersection where it met the main street, and stared longingly.
Eusine had seen the shadow of a woman, passing by the window and staring for a few seconds at a time to the two children outside. He had waved at her, imagining that she was his friend’s mother, and the woman had waved back.
«Are you waiting for your dad to come home?» he asked, his friend nodded. «My dad always comes home late. Mom says we have to wait for him for dinner, but I get hungry. Does your dad come home late too?».
His friend looked down, then shook his head. It was already late, the sun was starting to set.
Eusine became agitated. In his household, his dad being late meant a scolding, or worse, but his friend only looked worried.
«Aren't you scared he comes home mad and hurts you?» he asked, his voice trembling and low. The other child recoiled, looking horrified.
«Haha, yeah, right? I've… heard some dads do. Anyway, I'm sure your dad is on the way. Maybe he had to work overtime, it happens» Eusine tried to reassure his friend, who in the meantime went back to staring at the road.
After a few minutes of silence the woman approached the two children. She had the same purple eyes as her child, wore a similar attire and looked even more of a ghost than he did.
«Oh, you made a friend» she said, then picked up her child and brushed his hair away from his forehead. «You are the neighbor’s grandson, aren't you honey?» she then asked Eusine, who confirmed with a smile.
«Name’s Eusine! Nice to meet you, madam. Is it okay if we play together when I visit grandpa?» he asked. The woman gave him a tired smile. «You can call me Mia. And sure, honey. Anytime you want. You should go home now, though. It's getting late» she replied.
«See you tomorrow then, bye!» Eusine said, and his friend waved at him. The child watch him leave, as his mother stayed in the garden until she made sure Eusine was inside his grandfather's house.
«It will get better, honey. I promise» she whispered, then kissed the child's cheek and brought him inside the house.
Those encounters became their little weekend routine. Eusine would come running every Saturday, with the charms on his backpack jingling with every step he took. His grandfather followed slowly behind, and every time he smiled and waved at the boys. Eusine would then sit on the grass during summer and on the steps during winter and tell his friend about his week. He always had something to recall, something cool he had found on the way there or while coming home from school to show. Sometimes he brought books to read with his friend, he loved to show off how good he was at reading despite being only four, and his friend gladly listened, in awe.
A couple of years later both the children had started elementary school. It was June, and just like every Saturday, Eusine came running to his friend, bouncing and clapping his hands in excitement. «Grandpa said that if your mom agrees we can have a sleepover tonight!» he explained. His friend’s eyes lit up, but looked confused, his head tilted sideways, his way of asking why.
«It was my birthday yesterday, and grandpa said that he’d throw a little party. You have to come, grandpa bought a cake. Oh and, wait, wait, before I forget again» Eusine went on, talking extremely fast, overexcited.
He rummaged in his pockets, then handed his friend a small keychain, with a Ho-Oh charm dangling from it.
«I begged grandpa to get me the Suicune one for my birthday, but I saw this at the shop and bought it for you. We can match» the little boy explained with a huge smile. His friend stared at the keychain, then rummaged in his own pockets, looking for something to give in exchange.
He found a piece of candy, half melted into its wrapper, but still handed it to Eusine, who let out a short giggle. «No, silly, it’s a gift! You don’t have to give me anything» Eusine explained.
Shortly after, his grandfather finally made it to the garden. «You little rascal are getting too fast for my poor old legs» the man laughed, ruffling his grandson’s hair, then turned to the other child.
«I’m sure Eusine already told you, but we would love to have you over today for a small party. What do you think?» he asked. The kid nodded and smiled. The man ruffled his hair as well. «Very well, I’ll ask your mother then. Is she home?» he went on, the child again nodded, and both the kids sat there, waiting for the old man to come back with hopefully good news.
«My bed was my father’s. It’s pretty big, if you don’t mind we can fit in there. What I wanna say is that… if you don’t mind sharing… if not I can sleep on some pillows» Eusine told his friend, who shrugged.
«You’re such a good friend, I wish you lived close to my house so we could meet every day» he went on, resting his head on his friend’s shoulder.
«Weird question, is your dad gonna be mad if your mom lets you sleep in our home?».
The kid shook his head in response, and Eusine let out a sigh of relief.
«I’ve never seen him anyway, what’s up? Is he always working?» he asked then, his friend shook his head and then, anticipating Eusine’s next question, looked up to the sky.
«Oh» the boy let out. No further explanation was needed.
«Sorry».
To break the awkward silence came the man who, unsurprisingly, announced that the party was going to happen.
«We’ll wait for you by dinnertime. Until then, Eusine can stay and play with you. How does that sound?» the man said. Both the kids smiled and nodded, then Eusine hugged his friend. «We’re gonna have so much fun! Grandpa said we can stay up as late as we want and watch TV, we can play games, eat as much as we want. It’s gonna be the best birthday party ever!» he said, excited, barely being able to sit still.
«If there are games or toys you like you can bring them over. I know it’s not easy to stay away from home for you, so if something helps you, yeah».
The upcoming party was the main topic of Eusine’s rambling. He was so excited he let his friend into a lot of details about his home life.
«I didn’t have a party this year because I was grounded. I don’t mind, I don’t have friends in Celadon anyway» he said, barely looking up. It was obvious that it bothered him. His friend tilted his head and got Eusine’s attention.
«I misremembered a character and made a mistake on a spelling test, so my father grounded me» he explained, then shrugged. «I didn’t tell grandpa because he gets mad with my father every time he finds out he grounds or slaps me. And I don’t want grandpa to be mad. You know, my parents say he’s cardio-something. Basically, if he gets too mad he may die, or that’s what my father says» he went on.
«Now that I think about it, this is my first party ever. I don't know what kind of games you're supposed to play, though».
Eusine stopped to think for a moment, then his eyes lit up and smiled.
«This means we can make a party to our exact liking! For us weird people».
In his voice there was a hint of bitterness that didn't go unnoticed to the other kid, who stroked his friend’s arm and then hugged him.
«I’m good, you don't have to feel bad for me. I'll have fun with you and grandpa, it's enough» Eusine reassured.
«Now… can we keep playing? I really don't wanna think about it» he then asked, his friend hummed in agreement.
The children kept playing, in silence, the mood was off. Despite insisting on changing the subject, Eusine was weirdly silent.
His friend understood perfectly. It stung being alone, invisible to everyone. It cut way deeper than it should have to witness classmates hand invites to their birthday parties to everyone but him.
It stung to see all his classmates remember each other’s birthdays and shower each other with wishes upon arrival, as he watched, heartbroken, defeated.
It stung, it all stung to a child that little, but he still had Mia celebrating him, making his favorite dishes and dessert, gifting him whatever little money she could manage to scrap together. So why would Eusine’s parents ground him over something so little, on a day so special?
The kid rested his head against his friend’s shoulder, a quiet show of support.
«I love you» Eusine said, his eyes full of quiet tears. His friend gently tapped his shoulder. forcing the kid to look at him.
“Me too” he mouthed, trying his best to articulate the words with his lips.
Sunset was slow to arrive. It was early June, a long, warm late spring day, the kind during which children would run out right after lunch and not come back until the sunlight allowed them to see. Eusine looked at his little watch.
«It’s six already, you should go and get ready. I’ll see you later» he said, before getting up and basically running to his grandfather’s house. He was still visibly upset, and his friend couldn’t exclude the possibility that Eusine had run off to cry in peace.
The child showed up at Eusine’s door around half past seven. He had the time to shower and prepare his little purple backpack.
He went to knock at the door. Mia had sent him off on his own alongside a small batch of cookies she had baked as a gift for Eusine.
«Oh, hi. Come in, Eusine is still getting ready» the old man said upon opening the door.
«Give me those, I’ll put it with the other food» he went on. The kid obediently handed him the plate and stood there, still.
«Come on, don’t be shy! Eusine’s room is the one down the hall to the right. Maybe he’ll hurry up if he sees you».
The child walked towards the door, and was about to knock, before the old man stopped him. «On the right, kiddo» he gently corrected. The kid lowered his head, then went to knock on Eusine’s door.
His friend’s eyes lit up as soon as he saw him. He was wearing his pajamas and a pair of slippers. «You came! You actually came! Come in, come in, we still have time to play before dinner» Eusine exclaimed, excited, as he grabbed his friend’s arms and pulled him inside.
Both the kids sat on the bed, Eusine was bouncing and flapping his hands. The other child opened his backpack and took out a set of beads. «Ooooh, I love these! My father never let me have them, he says they’re for girls. Can we make bracelets?» he asked, his friend nodded with a smile.
Eusine had the time of his life picking out every bead, arranging them in a color pattern he liked and threading them. He kept giggling all the time, but immediately stopped and blushed a little when he gently grabbed his friend’s wrist to tie the bracelet around it.
«Purple looks good on you» he muttered. His friend smiled from ear to ear, then hugged him tight. Eusine scratched the back of his head, slightly embarrassed. «I did nothing, the beads are yours» he muttered. The other child took his own little project and measured it around Eusine’s wrist. It was complete with his name, which the child had slowly learned how to write, even before his own.
«You’re… very sweet, but unfortunately I can’t wear this. My father will take it and throw it away, sorry» the kid apologized. His friend shrugged, then tied the bracelet and put it in Eusine’s pocket anyway.
«I’ll always keep it with me, promise» the kid said, with a smile and a small nod.
They heard a quiet, soft knock on the door. «Kiddos, dinner is ready» Eusine’s grandfather said, the kids nodded and followed the man. Eusine took his friend's hand and gently tugged his arm, dragging him to the bathroom to wash both their hands.
«I think we're having stir fried rice and some veggies» Eusine said. He had smelled the food from down the hall. «I hope you like it, if not grandpa could make you noodles, or whatever you like the most really. Though, Ms. Mia told us you eat pretty much everything» he went on, the other kid nodded.
When they reached the kitchen, the table was already set. Eusine climbed on a chair, which had a blue disposable napkin in front of it.
«Come on, sit next to me» he then encouraged his friend, who too climbed the chair, but instead of sitting, he kneeled on it. Eusine stared at him, perplexed.
«Your mom lets you sit that way?» he asked, but before his friend could explain, the man replied. «His mother and he have another kind of table at home. It's traditional Johtonian fashion, it's a table with very short legs, and instead of sitting at a chair, you kneel on a pillow on the floor» he explained, and the kid hummed to confirm.
«You can sit however you are most comfortable» the man then reassured, after realizing that his little guest would struggle to reach the table, was he sitting normally. He simply made sure to give the child another pillow to rest his knees on.
«Your mom sounds so nice» Eusine said, out of nowhere, as his grandfather was away. «I wish my mom was as nice as yours» he went on, then showed his hands. «You see those streaks? It’s where she hits me when I put my elbows on the table» he explained, to his horrified friend, then lightly lifted his pajama shirt. «This is from my father’s belt. Don’t tell grandpa though, the pain doesn’t last that long anyway» he whispered in the end, quickly fixing himself as his grandfather was approaching.
«What are you two plotting? I can’t even leave you alone for two minutes!» the old man laughed, Eusine smiled awkwardly. «Nothing, we were just… playing pretend for a bit» the kid replied, and his friend quickly nodded. «Whatever you say, kids. I was doing some thinking, and since this is a special occasion maybe I could let you stay up a bit later than usual. What do you think?».
Eusine almost leapt up in excitement. «Oh, that would be wonderful! Can we really, grandpa?» he asked, the old man confirmed. «My favorite cartoon airs in about an hour, do you want to watch it with me?» the kid then asked his friend, who hummed, excited. Eusine started eating faster, to be done with dinner as soon as possible. He wanted to play with his friend as long as he could, and at times he encouraged him to chew faster. The kid tried his best to comply, but as Eusine was going for seconds, he was still behind.
After dessert they still had forty minutes until the cartoon. Eusine brought out crayons and paper and dragged his friend to the living room, to draw laying on the floor together. The kid was observing his friend, as he absentmindedly doodled.
«I’ve never seen someone use their left hand to draw. Does your mom let you do that at home too?» Eusine asked. His friend stared at his own hand, confused, then nodded, perplexed.
«Your mom sounds even nicer now. You know, I’ve told my parents you don’t talk but I still understand you, and they said that if that happened to me they would have beaten me until I talked» he confessed. «But, I’m glad your mom lets you be yourself. You don’t need to talk if you can’t, I still love you as you are» he went on, in an attempt to comfort his friend, who was visibly upset now.
«Sorry».
They went back to drawing in silence until Eusine heard the theme song on the TV. He sprung up, and called his friend. He was unable to contain his excitement, clapping his hands and rocking back and forth. He started singing along, though a light blush was visible on his cheeks.
«I’m not allowed to watch this at home, my father says it’s a show for girls, but… I like the story. And the princesses sing nice songs» he confessed, then noticed his friend was following the show, in a way that seemed as if he was familiar with it.
«Does your mom let you watch it? Even if it’s for girls?» Eusine dared to ask. Every time he learned something new about Mia, she seemed a much better mother than his own or at least, a much more loving one.
His friend hummed, then shrugged, as to say that Mia didn’t care. Eusine lowered his head.
«I wish Ms. Mia was my mom too» he muttered, but his wish went unheard under the loud background music.
After the show ended both the children started yawning. With three episodes aired, it was now past ten, way later than their usual bedtime.
«I’m sleepy, wanna go to bed?» he asked, his friend nodded, he was already struggling to keep his eyes open.
They climbed Eusine’s bed, using a stool to better reach it. They laid on the same pillow, and Eusine tended his little arms towards his friend, who hugged him. In a matter of a few minutes, they were already fast asleep.
Eusine’s grandfather went to check on them around eleven, saw the two children sound asleep under the sheets, tucked them in and then left them to rest.
From that day even more weekends passed, each in each other’s company. Thanks to school, Eusine now had even more topics of discussion, he read to his friend stories Eusine learned during classes, instead of only books about Suicune, he used his friend to revise every time he had a test, and the other kid never complained. He enjoyed helping Eusine, even if it was something as simple as to just listen.
For two years this little affair they had going on proceeded smoothly. The only difference happened on a bright September day when Eusine, instead of running to his friend’s garden, walked slowly, playing with his hands.
«I have to tell you something» Eusine said when he reached his friend, his voice low. «I had an assignment to write, it was about someone special, and I chose you» he went on, slightly red in the face, then handed his friend a notebook from his backpack.
«I had to name you something, sorry if I got it wrong» he explained, as he shifted uncomfortably, while his friend read carefully, tracing his finger after every word. Eusine kept blushing harder.
«My dad was very upset when he read about you, said it’s impossible that I have friends because I’m too annoying. I don’t know if I am, but we’re friends, right?» he asked, his blue eyes pleading for an answer. The other child looked up, then put the notebook down and hugged his friend tight.
Eusine lingered into the hug, then backed off for a moment and stroked his friend’s cheek. «You’re so cute» he said, then covered his mouth and apologized. «My father says it’s bad to call other boys cute. Sorry». The other child shook his head, then gave his friend a small kiss on the cheek. Eusine blushed and covered his face.
«I’ve never had a boy kiss me before» he admitted. His friend laughed and then kissed him again, causing Eusine to hide even more, and yet the other child could see one of his eyes peek out, staring at him.
«Your laugh is so cute, why’d you never let me hear it?» he asked. This time, it was his friend who blushed and hid his face. «I gotta be funnier then!» he went on, the other child giggled shyly.
Eusine went to hold his friend, who fell back laughing as Eusine rested his fingers on his ribcage. The kid had an idea.
He started tickling his friend under his arms, on his belly, as the child laughed and kicked around, until he could grab Eusine’s shirt and get revenge. They ended up rolling in the grass, play fighting and laughing nonstop, until they both had to rest, covered in sweat and dirt, out of breath. They both laid on the grass, side by side, watching the clouds go by.
«That one looks like a Mareep» Eusine said, pointing upwards. His friend hummed in agreement. Eusine sat up, then pinned a strand of his friend’s hair behind his ear. «I’m gonna miss you so much». His friend stared at him, confused. «My grandpa is ill. Cancer, they say. He has months to live» he went on, his bottom lip was quivering, his eyes had started to fill with tears.
«I can’t lose you both». Eusine hugged his friend tight and burst out crying on his shoulder. «I love you so much, I can’t stay all my life without you».
His friend cupped his face and wiped his eyes.
«Promise me» Eusine stuttered after he had managed to calm down a bit. He was still broken, but he sniffled and offered his friend his pinky.
«Promise we’ll meet again when we’re older. Please» he begged. The other child smiled faintly and held Eusine’s pinky with his own.
That was the last time they ever met.
The little kid could see the lights in his neighbor’s house turn on every night. Every time he was out in the garden the old man would smile at him and even give him some candies from time to time.
The child would look up to him, begging silently to know about Eusine, who now had stopped visiting as his grandfather was way too frail and weak to have him over.
«He’s good, but he misses you. I always tell him you say hi» the man would respond, ruffling the kid’s hair, with his hand becoming weaker and thinner, shaking more with every passing day.
His outings on the garden would become less and less frequent, the man had told the child that he had put his chair in front of the window so he could keep waving at him every day.
And then, one day, sunset came and the lights were still off. The child gently tugged at his mother’s sleeve and pointed at the dark window.
«Wait here, honey» the woman whispered, then left the house, leaving her son waiting in the middle of the kitchen.
The following day the child saw a couple.
The man looked terrifying. Blond, just like Eusine, with a few streaks of white here and there. The woman had the same eyes as Eusine, the same eyebrows, the same thin, pink lips.
She saw the kid, who had climbed the short wall separating the two properties in the hope of seeing his dear friend alongside them.
Instead the man turned to the child, staring at him, with eyes so cold the kid felt a shiver run down his spine. The man yelled at him to leave immediately, and so he did, injuring his ankle on the way down.
After their visit and the following funeral the already empty house felt even more ghastly. Without the old man caring for the garden every last flower started withering, even the lilac the old man had planted for his grandson, and which the boy looked forward to caring for every weekend.
The little child could only watch, helpless, as everything died away, as potential buyers of the house came and went, as for the second time in his life tried to face the emptiness he felt.
At last, a new family moved in. It was a couple, with a daughter his age and a much younger son. As expected from two young kids, both the children tried to befriend their neighbor, but gave up, frustrated, as the other kid tried to explain through tears that he could hear them just fine and there was therefore no need to yell.
He even tried to write down his replies, but the girl complained about his shaky and seemingly unintelligible handwriting and her brother was too young to know how to read.
The kid lowered his head and curled up onto himself, defeated, as the two children left for their house, never to step foot in their neighbors’ garden again.
Time went on. Both the children grew into adults. For years their lives were nothing more than two parallel lines.
Fifteen years passed, to be exact. Fifteen years of radio silence. Fifteen years of either knowing even if the other was alive.
Everything changed on a quiet day, in September 2004.
It was the first time after all those years Eusine stepped foot in that city. He knew he had to meet with the gym leader, as the young man was thoroughly educated on the history and customs of the city, and would be an appropriate guide for the young researcher.
Eusine walked towards the gym, looking around at the city that looked unchanged no matter how much time it passed. The closer he was to his destination, the easier it was to make out the shapes of the two people standing in front of the door. A boy talking to a young man. Of course, neither rang a bell. The boy was no older than ten, and the man was around Eusine's age. When he was around five meters away he froze in place.
The man was not particularly tall, had blond, messy hair that reached around the base of his neck, his eyelids looked half shut, he nodded along to what the kid was saying.
Eusine’s heart skipped a beat, he almost dropped his bag. It was like he was seeing a ghost.
The man turned to him, and for one split second, he saw the little boy he spent whole days with.
«Eusine» the other man called, his eyes lit up in excitement, then looked down at the boy and told him to please come back later.
«It’s me, Morty. I was neighbors with your grandfather» he then went on after the boy left, turning his attention back to Eusine. That was the first time the man ever heard Morty’s voice, it felt like a dream. «I-I remember, of course I do! It’s just… oh, goodness, it’s been so long» he replied, then stepped towards his old friend.
«You…» he went on, putting his hands on Morty’s shoulders. «… look so different. I don’t mean it as an insult, just…». His smile started to weaver, he couldn’t find the right words, but Morty giggled. «I don’t look like a starving child anymore. You can say it, it’s okay» the man replied.
«You look great too» he then added.
Morty talked slowly, Eusine noticed that he had slight troubles pronouncing a lot of words, and stuttered on particularly long terms.
«I know it’s frustrating to hear me talk. Thank you for your patience» he said. Eusine shook his head, with a big smile. «I thought… that I’d never hear your voice, I’d listen even if it took you a century to say a word» he said as a light pink flushed over his cheek.
«Come on, tell me something, we have a lot to catch up onto» he added, twirling his front bang around his finger, embarrassed.
«My life’s pretty boring, always here in this small town but you know, I’m pretty much rooted here» Morty said. «You’ve always been the interesting type. What are you doing around here?» he then asked.
Eusine smiled wide. «I remember I told you I would become a Suicune researcher. Here I am» he replied, proud of himself, then lowered his head.
«I know you don’t remember, it’s been so long, but I’m here to fulfill my promise to an old friend, too».
«Of course I remember! I thought you had forgotten about… us» Morty replied, averting his eyes, but Eusine smiled tenderly. «How could I? You were my-».
Everything.
That was what Eusine wanted to say. That Morty was and had always been his everything. Both the reason he had lived off instant noodles while going to university, holding onto that childhood promise that had made him look like a fool in front of every sane person, and the reason he was determined to face his fear and come back to the road that had watched him grow.
He knew seeing that house changed, deprived of his grandfather’s smiling face, would be a pain akin to a knife, and yet he was ready to let his heart bleed once again if it meant meeting Morty again.
Eusine smiled gently.
«You’re my best friend» he replied instead.
«It may sound stupid, but do you remember this?» Eusine then asked, showing his friend his phone. Dangling from it, there was a charm made out from the beads of the bracelet Morty had made for him all those years prior, and at the end there still was that Suicune charm.
Morty smiled, then stepped closer to observe the bead chain in its entirety. «You could have fixed the backwards E» he said, letting out a half chuckle, but Eusine firmly shook his head. «It adds to the charm. I wouldn’t change it for anything» he explained.
Morty couldn’t stop smiling, and neither could Eusine. They had missed each other and finally being there, face to face, seemed almost unbelievable.
«It’s incredible how you still remember me, though» Morty said, letting out a half chuckle.
«How could I? It would be like forgetting my grandfather’s name» Eusine replied, biting his tongue in an attempt not to ruin the moment.
Morty’s likeness was engraved in his heart, and so had been for the previous twenty years of knowing him. A delicate, but sickly face, silky, though unkempt golden hair, shining, though sunken purple eyes. Like a man who went to war armed with only the courage infused by the face of his beloved wife, Eusine kept pushing through abuse in the name of his dream.
And his love.
«All this talking, and you still don’t give your good old Morty a hug?» the man giggled, with a big smile. Eusine smiled back, and they hugged, at last.
«Do you have any plans? I could show you around the city if you want. Though it hasn’t changed much since the last time you saw it» Morty then suggested. «I would love to, but I was hoping you could take me to the Burned Tower for my research» «But of course, you only have to ask! It’s a bit of a walk, so we can chat on the way there».
The two men started walking. Morty walked slowly, he had noticed, of course, the heavy excursion backpack his friend was wearing, and he noticed how much Eusine was struggling to keep a steady pace with all that weight.
«Do you have a better place to sleep tonight than a tent?» Morty asked him. Eusine smiled awkwardly. «Not really, why?» he asked. «Weather forecast for tonight, after midnight, is rain. Hundred percent accurate, too» Morty explained, his friend seemed perplexed. «One hundred percent? What kind of forecast do you have here?» he asked, his tone had shifted to amusement.
«I am the forecast. With my visions. I suppose I never told you, I can see the future».
Eusine couldn’t contain himself. He let out a snort, then burst out laughing. «This one was pretty funny, I have to admit» he said. Morty didn’t lose his composure, then closed his eyes and stopped in place for a moment.
«When we reach the tower, you will see a broken plank hanging by the east wall. Under it there will be a Rattata and her offsprings eating some Oran berries. Be quick to spot them however, as they will flee as soon as they hear us. They will leave exactly one berry eaten in half, one untouched and three with four bites mark each» Morty said, Eusine rolled his eyes but didn’t reply.
«If it rains I’ll find shelter somewhere in the woods, it wouldn’t be the first time I do this» he instead said, Morty hummed, and they ended up not saying a single word until they reached their destination.
Eusine was skeptical, but he still turned towards the east wall, maybe out of subconscious trust for his friend, and indeed saw a larger Rattata and some smaller ones. All of them quickly turned their heads towards the two men, then fled under the broken floor. Eusine’s first instinct was to brush it off as a coincidence, but then he went to inspect the berries they had left behind, and every bite mark, down to the last one, matched Morty’s description.
Eusine looked back at his friend, his eyes wide with surprise and his mouth agape. Morty simply shrugged and chuckled.
«Do you believe it’s going to rain tonight?».
«I admit defeat. I’ll look for a cave later» Eusine said as he went back to Morty. With a floor in such terrible conditions, he much preferred having a local guide him.
«I have a much better idea, if you don’t mind sharing a bed with your friend again» Morty suggested. Eusine pondered the idea for a moment. Sure, sleeping at his friend’s place would mean resting in a real bed for the first time in years, but he really didn’t want to invade his personal space in such a way all of a sudden, even if it was Morty’s idea.
«Uh… I’m here to collect data about Suicune, so I can continue with my search wherever the trace leads me, so I would love to spend some time with you, if you can, as we probably will not be able to see each other again for a long time after today» he replied.
«I already closed the gym for today, I’ll gladly be by your side. This way we can catch up» Morty answered back, Eusine smiled. «Good, give me an hour or so to do my analysis and then I’m all yours» «You know, we could stay here, if you want to. The beasts haven’t shown themselves in a long time, and today is not going to be different. There is an alcove, at the lower floor, where the beasts reside. You’ll see it when you go to do your analysis down there».
Morty didn’t complete the sentence, but Eusine nodded enthusiastically. As a child he had always wished to spend some time at the Burned Tower, which was unfortunately closed to the public. He knew that if he could be there now, it was simply because Morty was by his side, and he wasn’t going to waste such an opportunity.
When he was done with all his analysis it was past sunset. Morty and he sat on the wooden floor of the alcove, right below an opening in the ceiling that let the sky show itself. They shared the dinner Eusine brought along and then went back to catching up, laughing about their childhood weekends spent side by side.
«You probably don’t even remember, but there was a time when we were children. You had this assignment about someone special. And I remember as clear as day, you decided to write it about me» Morty said at some point, smiling. «You always talked about your grandfather, how deeply you admired him, and you still chose me. Why?».
«You’re my best friend. And as you said, I always talked about my grandfather, even in my assignments, and for once I had someone else in my life» Eusine replied, then chuckled. «And of course I remember that assignment. What were the chances of me actually guessing your name right?».
«That’s where I was heading, actually. I… never forgot about that time. I know I never even thanked you, so when I changed my name, “Morty” was the only right choice» Morty went on, carefully observing Eusine’s expression to see if he had connected the dots.
«So… correct me if I’m wrong. You went through the whole process just to… pay a tribute to me?» he asked, confused. Morty burst out laughing. «No, of course it wasn’t only that. When we met you just assumed I was a boy and I had no way of correcting you. In the end, it didn’t matter and let me tell you, even if I could have, I would have never done that. You were the only person beside my mother to talk to me, to play with me even if I couldn’t speak.
And…».
Morty stopped for a moment, then gulped and sighed.
«After a few years it started feeling right. So… now you know».
Eusine stayed silent for a second, then smiled. «Well, I'm glad I could give you a hand» he said, then looked at his friend, from his face down to wherever his gaze could reach.
«You look stunning» he then blurted out, absentmindedly.
«But… I hoped you would write back someday. That I got to learn your name or know something more about you. I sent you a letter each week» Eusine said in the end, in an attempt to change the subject and save the situation. Morty shook his head.
«I never received any letter. I would’ve replied» he said, Eusine got pale in the face.
As a kid, those letters were an outlet, the only place to express his grief and vent. He spent years dwelling into the thought of his dear friend reading and listening, like he had always done. He was fine with Morty not replying, he was so desperate for a shoulder to cry on that those letters were enough.
As he got older, he kept writing, every week without fail, and kept slipping the envelopes to be shipped amongst his father's.
And then came that infamous letter.
A letter that completely destroyed his life.
That was the only one he never found the courage to send. It was long, about double the length of every other one, Eusine carefully kept it on his desk, hidden between various papers.
One day, as he was coming home after a long day, he found a bag with all his clothes inside sitting outside the front door, with every single page of the letter laid out on top.
«My parents must have thrown them away as I wrote» Eusine said, his voice bitter.
«But we can make up for lost time! And you can finally tell me more about you» he then exclaimed. He was desperate to shift the focus away from his family. That was not the moment to talk about that.
«I need to thank you for being my friend. You know, you… entered my life during a very delicate period. My dad had died… by his own hand not too long before we met, and I was lost. Usually my mom would play with me, but after she lost him she barely managed to take care of us both.
In kindergarten I was always alone, and I can't blame anyone. Teachers pitied me, mom was struggling to keep herself together, it was as if my world was… black and white. And then, then you came up to me and…-».
Morty smiled, then stared at his friend, lovingly.
«And you added colors to my gray world».
Eusine felt his heart skip a beat, just to start beating faster a second later.
«You… changed me too. I… you were the only child to spend time with me because you wanted to. It took me years to realize that, but… my classmates were nice to me only because I helped them all with homeworks, but that’s where it ended. You were the only one to never want anything from me and… I’ve never been the same. You opened my eyes and…».
He sighed and lowered his head.
«There was another letter I never sent. I kept it, hoping I would find the courage to mail it someday. I never did».
At that point, it wasn’t too hard to connect the dots, but Eusine still decided to lay all the cards on the table.
«It was a love letter. For you. I was a stupid boy, I shudder rereading that now, but my feelings are still unchanged. Truth is, not a day passed without me thinking about you. I'm deeply in love with you».
«The feeling is mutual, however…» Morty started, then put his hands on Eusine’s chest when he leaned in for a kiss.
«Before anything serious happens, there’s something I didn’t tell you» he said. «I have a child. Two months old. This is your occasion to pretend none of this happened».
Silence fell.
«Is… the other father in the picture?» Eusine asked after a while. «I’m in the middle of adopting him, there’s no other father. I understand how thrown off you must feel, I should have told you sooner. You- you don't have to stay at all».
Eusine took Morty’s hand in his own.
«I wouldn't let you go again for anything in this world» Eusine assured. «Be serious, you’re too young to be a father. Just like I am. Oscar is my responsibility and mine alone» Morty replied.
«Allow me to make the choice. You deserve some weight lifted off your shoulder. Alright, I will not be his father, but I will be your partner and aid» Eusine said. Morty sighed. He didn’t want to lose Eusine either, but he couldn’t just ask him to step in for a baby that wasn’t his.
«If you don’t want me, I understand and will step out of your life without further question» Eusine went on, but Morty gently called for him, interrupting him.
«I want you, but-» he started, but Eusine interrupted him. «I want you too, and I want to be a father if and when you want» he added, then held Morty’s hand. «You said you weren't ready, I won't pry on the reason, but because this is how you feel let me help you».
Morty sighed. «Look, I… it's not that I didn't want Oscar, I wish he was born later. I love him, I'll do my best to raise him, but if I was just a few years older everything would be easier» he explained.
«He was given to me by the elders. It was supposed to be temporary, but in the end…
They couldn't find a single person willing to adopt a healthy newborn, he bonded with me, and now I'll be his father.
This is all». Morty lowered his head.
Eusine brought Morty’s hand to his lips. «Let’s try. Please. If you want me too, no one is stopping us» he said, then leaned closer to his lips, their foreheads were almost touching.
Morty was still hesitant. Not because he didn’t yearn for Eusine, on the contrary. He didn’t have the heart to drag him in his family life, with that heavy atmosphere of grief even after all those years, with every struggle he had battled ever since he had memory of it.
«Look at me» Eusine called softly. «Chasing an impossible dream without having the resources, with no one on this Earth to call my family beside the man sitting by my side. Would you grant this desperate fool just one wish?» he asked.
«I didn’t watch over you for years just to see you wither away for a man» Morty said, then slid closer by his friend’s side and quickly leaned forward and pressed their faces together, kissing Eusine right on the mouth. The man wrapped his arms around Morty’s waist, keeping him close.
«I thought you wouldn’t want to meet me again» Eusine said. «After I disappeared so abruptly, you had every right to hate me, and instead you’re here, claiming you love me, that all these years made no difference».
Morty took his hands and kissed them. «I had time to grow as I wished. What you see is the best of me and let me be honest, I would not have let you inside my heart earlier» he replied, then tucked a strand of hair behind Eusine’s ear and stroked his cheek. «I’m glad fate crossed our paths again at a time like this».
«Promise me one thing» Eusine started. «If I ever mess up, tell me right away». Morty nodded, though confused.
Eusine smiled bitterly. «Every day I grow more similar to my father. And I’m terrified of repeating the cycle, especially now that you told me that there is a little child around» he explained. Morty held his hand.
«The weight of our fathers’ name may linger, but sometimes what's left behind can grow better than the generation before. If given the chance. And if any remains of the little boy I fell in love with are still here» Morty said, then placed his hand on Eusine’s chest. «I know you won’t become like him. The fact that you dread it is a good start».
«I watched over you during these years. I used the charm you gifted me, the only connection I still had with you, to visualize where you were.
At times I peeked in your life, just a few days ahead, just to see you again. I saw you terrified of that man, I saw how gentle you were with every partner of yours. You are the furthest possible thing from your father» he said.
«Why only a few days in the future? You could have easily foreseen so far along you could even tell me exactly when and how I’m going to die» Eusine replied. His partner’s power intrigued him.
Morty shook his head. «This is exactly what drove my father to insanity. I am not him, I’m not going to make his same mistake» he replied back, his tone more bitter than before, and it didn’t go unnoticed to Eusine, who inquired his partner about him.
«I have the weight of my father’s name chained to me. Even as a child my mother often slipped and called me by his name, when I became a man our resemblance grew stronger. I am a clairvoyant just like him, everyone tells me it’s as if he came back from the dead. To everyone, I’m not me, I’m the living ghost of my father.
Everyone doesn’t want Morty, they want Sage.
Doesn’t matter than Sage has long turned to dust».
«For all that matters, to me you are Morty, and you’ll always be just that» Eusine replied, his voice soft, but Morty shook his head. «I know, but it's not enough. I can't keep filling the void my father left. It’s a costume that doesn’t suit me» he explained.
«Sometimes, just sometimes I wish I never transitioned. At this point in my life I would be someone’s wife, no legacy to uphold. I would still be a clairvoyant, but it would be different.
So much different».
Eusine didn’t know what to say, he stroked Morty’s shoulders until he calmed down.
«Sorry, I was supposed to comfort you and ended up venting» he apologized, but Eusine smiled reassuringly, then tried to go for a kiss, but Morty stopped him.
«I think it's time we go home, my mom deserves to rest».
Eusine complied, but made sure to hold his partner's hand and smile tenderly at him.
«Is it okay if I introduce you as my friend? Not to mom, she… though I don't want to give her false hopes, she can understand, but I don’t want to rush Oscar in any way. We’ll see how it works out» Morty said when they were near his home, as he grabbed his keys, from which the Ho-Oh charm, though chipped here and there, still dangled. Eusine nodded.
«I’m home» Morty said, his mother was sitting on the couch with her crying grandson in her arms.
«Here's my little prince! Daddy's here, honey, shhhh» Morty said, picking the newborn up and gently bouncing him in his arms until he stopped screaming to the top of his little lungs.
«Mom, he is Eusine. Don't know if you remember him» the man then said.
«It’s a pleasure meeting you again, madam» Eusine replied, holding his hand out for her to shake.
«How could I forget such a lovely boy? What brings you here? I haven’t seen you since you were this tall!» she asked, then grabbed the man’s arms and took a good look at him. «Look at what a handsome young man you are! Your parents must be really proud of you» she went on. Eusine smiled awkwardly in response, then looked at Morty, who was still soothing his son, in the desperate attempt to redirect his attention to anything other than the woman in front of him.
«Do you want me to help out?» the man asked, Morty nodded reluctantly, then placed the baby in his partner’s arms. «He’s a bit fussy tonight, sorry about that» Morty muttered.
«Don’t apologize, let’s see if we can get this boy to sleep a little» Eusine replied, then looked down at Oscar and smiled.
Almost immediately the child started calming down, slowly. His cries turned to quiet groans, and in the end he tried to play with Eusine’s hair.
«You’re great with kids, your wife will be very lucky» Mia said. The two men exchanged a quick glance. «Speaking of which, do you have a girlfriend?» she went on. Eusine smiled sheepishly. «I’m seeing someone» he replied. «Oooh, what does she look like? A pretty boy such as you must have a girl just as pretty».
Before Eusine could open his mouth to reply, Morty talked. «“she” kinda looks like your son, mom» he said, with a huge, happy grin. Mia took a moment to connect the dots, then watched a dark pink flush over her son’s face. «We reconnected immediately, and now we're dating» he added, then took his son back from Eusine’s arms.
«I can’t say it was unexpected. It was so obvious you were in love with Eusine when you were a boy. I wonder why you never kept in touch, though» Mia replied. Morty was quick to answer. «That’s a story for another time» he said, with a tone dry enough to make his mother understand that it was a sensitive question.
«It’s getting late. Do you want me to take Oscar for the night so you can have some time alone?» the woman asked, her voice much less excited. She knew she had messed up.
«No, thank you. I want to spend some time with my baby» Morty replied, in a tone much sweeter, then held one arm out and kissed his mother’s cheek.
«See you tomorrow» he then told her.
Now alone, the two men looked at each other. Eusine embraced Morty, resting his foreheads together.
«If only I had known» Eusine started. «If only I had known you had feelings for me too I would have come so much earlier, by foot if necessary» he went on, then quickly glanced down at Oscar.
He didn’t say a word more, but to Morty it was obvious what he meant.
That baby could have been theirs.
«No point in torturing ourselves with regrets of the past» Morty said softly, as he slightly leaned forward to kiss Eusine’s lips. No point in tainting that beautiful moment, when they were finally under the same roof, when their hearts beat in unison.
«Let’s put Oscar to sleep» Eusine suggested, his hands resting on his partner’s hips, his nose against his hair, inhaling the light fragrance of lavender Morty emanated. It still didn’t feel real, every minute of that day seemed like a dream Eusine was terrified to wake up from.
That night was the first after many long years in which they shared a bed. Nothing had changed, they were still holding each other under a light blanket, and yet it could not be different.
That was the first of many nights they spent together.
«Why don't you move in? This is your home too» Morty kept asking, every time Eusine left or came back from his travels.
The man always shook his head.
«My home is everywhere» he always replied, and yet that house kept showing more and more signs that someone else lived there. The two nightstands had a different kind of mess each, the two razors in the bathroom, the two different kinds of shampoo and body wash, double the clothes lying around even when Eusine was away.
It was obvious that Morty no longer lived alone with his son.
«If you're holding back because of what I said when we started dating» Morty started one day, the day of their first anniversary «I know you're serious» he said, then pointed with his head to his sleeping son.
«He calls you dad, too. And I'm not going to correct him».
«That being said, will you move in with us?».
Morty could perceive Eusine’s hesitation before his partner even replied.
«I’m not asking you to give up your freedom. I’m only asking to make it official, for us, and for him» he explained. Eusine rested his forehead on Morty’s and kissed him.
«If I say yes, will you stop nagging me?» he asked, chuckling.
«Maybe once our union is blessed by the gods. Maybe».
Eusine took his partner’s hands, intertwining their fingers. «Of course it’s a yes, how could I refuse?» he said, softly, as he kissed Morty's cheek. «My whole family lives under this roof. I would never pass on the opportunity to live with them forever» he went on. Morty stared at him. «This door has been open forever, you only had to ask. You’ve had the keys for as long as you’ve slept here» he said. «I was a guest. I was homeless and you opened your door for me» Eusine replied.
«Don’t be so dramatic. You were a friend in need. I would have never let you down» Morty replied. «You simply graduated from “just friend”» he went on, Eusine smirked. «To “love of your life”, I hope» he teased, as he went to hold his partner.
Morty took Eusine’s hand, and visibly and very obviously stared at his ring finger. «Not yet, I fear» he said. Eusine chuckled, then kissed his partner’s fingers. «One day. Let the baby be old enough to remember it» he replied.
With that, Eusine officially became Morty’s partner. Their relationship, which in their hearts had been serious ever since the night they confessed to each other at the Burned Tower, had always been hesitant with important labels. They both recognized that, by rushing, they would only cause harm not only to themselves, but to their son as well. So they took their time and at last, they were ready to move forward.
On paper, nothing changed. Eusine’s mail now arrived in Ecruteak City, but that was the only difference. He still returned to their shared chaos after every expedition, he still came and went for months, as Oscar grew into a toddler, and then a child, he still slept in the bed that now Oscar was old enough to climb as well, to push both his parents out of the way.
He still returned to his Morty, who patiently waited in the garden every time Eusine called, announcing that his train had just arrived in Goldenrod City.
He still acted as nothing had changed, because it hadn't. Where Morty was, so was his home. That had remained constant ever since he was a child, the two days of freedom with his closest and only friend were the only saving grace from his household, and now that he had no one else in the world, nowhere else to go but that tiny, old house, with that small garden was the only place he wished to return to, and those of Morty and of his dear Oscar were the only visages he longed to kiss.
Their relationship was official for four years after that. Every time Eusine talked to his colleagues, he made sure to remark the seriousness of it, and he was sure at times the word “fiancé” slipped out of his mouth.
Because that was what he wished. Every step now seemed too little. He lived with Morty, they were raising a son together and yet, the lack of a symbol to make it official even from the most superficial gaze was eating him alive.
He hadn't forgotten about the promise he had made Morty a few years prior.
And one day, he was able to take his partner on the side and have him sit to talk.
«Are you leaving again?» Morty asked, sulking. It had barely been a month since his partner had come back. Eusine shook his head, then got up from the couch and slowly got down on one knee.
He opened a box, revealing the most beautiful golden ring Morty had ever seen. It resembled a Haunter’s hand, as one end forked itself, hugging the other end. At each tip, a delicate arrangement of amethysts, the very color of Morty’s eyes.
The man felt tears well up in his eyes, as he watched his partner smile widely.
«This time I’m staying» Eusine said. «Forever».