Chapter Text
Miles' quill scratched away on the page.
He was sitting on a tree stump, recording a few details about their uneventful day on the road. Even though nothing interesting had happened, he felt it was a good idea to stay consistent.
It was night, now. Trees rustled in the wilderness under a light breeze, and wild Pokémon were settling in for the night, relaxing in their dens.
Their group had set up camp a little ways off the path. They'd put together a makeshift shelter from their travel supplies, as well as some vines and branches from the nearby forest. Amelia had started a small campfire, which gave off just enough light for writing.
Miles looked over at the Roselia. She was sitting a little ways away from the camp, watching the stars. Her presence still made him a little nervous, since she was a Poison-type, but she hadn't done anything to hinder them. On the contrary, she'd been nothing but helpful.
The Marill sighed. It would be easier if she acted mean, he thought. Then he could feel justified in his mistrust.
He turned his attention back to his writing, almost finished recounting the day's travels. A short entry.
Without much to ponder, his thoughts began to drift. They drifted forward, all the way to their ultimate goal. Finding the Phione Dew. Curing his mother. Finally being able to rest, everyone healthy and safe.
What would that actually look like? He'd been so focused on pushing toward success that he hadn't really considered what would come after.
He started to imagine…
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It was breakfast time.
Miles mixed the oats, berries, and nuts one more time as they bubbled in the pot. Finally finished, he portioned the porridge out into bowls and added the finishing touch to each one: a dribble of honey and a little sprig of mint.
He set one bowl in front of Arthur at the dining table.
“This looks great,” his brother squeaked happily. “You're still a pro in the kitchen.”
Miles smiled. He set one bowl at his own place.
That left just one bowl. Miles took it to the back of their house, to the bedroom.
His mother beamed at him as he entered. “Miles, honey! You didn’t have to make that for me.”
“Yeah, I did,” he insisted. “I need to make up for the time I spent away.”
“I would never hold that against you,” she told him. “It was a real shock, hearing you’d gone. I do wish you’d have told me…”
“You’d have told me not to go,” Miles replied sadly.
“Yes,” she had to agree. “But that’s all in the past now. Chansey says I'm recovering quickly. Soon I'll be able to cook something nice for you two, instead! My brave heroes.”
Miles felt a happy warmth wash over him. Somehow, despite incredible odds, all of his efforts had paid off.
“Is that Persim I smell?” His mother asked.
“It is.” Miles nodded. “I hope you enjoy it.”
---------
Breakfast finished, the brothers stepped outside into the chill. The year was drawing to a close, and the weather reflected its imminent end with an icy surge.
But that was just fine. Everyone in Treasure Town had come together for a little festival, welcoming the new year, and the lights and festivities kept everything bright and cheerful despite the cold.
Miles listened to the happy Pokemon as they passed. The crowds were dense enough that he could make out snippets of multiple conversations.
“Never seen it this busy before.”
"...an' I wanna block set, an' a toy boat, an'..."
"Juice is real good this season! Here, try this."
"...too damn cold! How's anyone supposed to enjoy…"
"Got some time off. No missing persons lately."
“Hello there, Miles!”
That one was directed at him! It was one of the Kecleon brothers, the green one. Miles waved at him. “I’m guessing sales are pretty good today.”
“They are!” Kecleon smiled broadly. “Happy Pokémon means cash is flowing. But don’t think I’m too business-minded to embrace the festival spirit!”
“That is what I think,” Miles noted.
Kecleon gave a look of mock despair. “You wound me! Maybe this will convince you otherwise.”
With an underhand throw, he lobbed a shiny apple toward Miles, who deftly caught it.
“Free of charge,” said Kecleon. “For the hero of Treasure Town.”
Miles looked away, bashful. "I'm not that much of a hero, really."
Kecleon waved him off. "Just take the apple, already, before I change my mind and charge you for it!"
"Can't argue with that." He smiled. "Thank you!"
His brother piped up. "I want an apple, too!"
Kecleon sighed. "You'll bankrupt me! But, it is a special occasion." He tossed an apple to Arthur as well.
"Thank you!" Arthur grinned at the lizard.
Miles, with his brother on his heels, followed the road to Kangaskhan Storage. There, Aunt Kangaskhan greeted them warmly.
"I have all your packages right here," she said, hefting them out from behind the counter.
"Great," Miles replied. "Pass them over."
Arthur stood on his tiptoes, trying to see. "What's all that?"
"Don't worry about it." Miles shifted, blocking his brother's view as he filled his bag.
A familiar voice came from nearby. "Well, look who it is. Here to enjoy the atmosphere?"
It was the Roselia, Amelia, who'd helped them so much on their adventure. Alongside her was her Shelmet partner, Sebastian.
Miles smiled at the pair. "I was hoping to see you. Isn't the festival nice?"
"I guess." She put her flowered hands on her hips. "But some Pokémon are being too festive. I've been propositioned three times today! And Sebastian, once!"
"That was unexpected," the Shelmet mused. "Poor girl looked so nervous. I felt sorry, having to turn her down." He grinned at Amelia. "I should have volunteered you in my place."
"Ugh! No way. Shellfish are gross." Amelia stamped her foot, but she was smiling.
It was great to see everyone so cheerful, Miles thought. "How about we get some juice at Spinda's? My treat."
"Yeah," Arthur agreed. "I'd love a hot drink."
Amelia nodded, shivering a little. "No kidding. But we can cover our own, you know!"
"Don't worry about it," said Miles. "Everyone's been giving me free stuff lately. I want to give back a little."
"Well then, I won't say no!" Amelia gestured him onward. "After you."
They all strolled down the road towards the Café. Miles was planning on getting a tougher drink than usual, something made from fortifying Berries.
He'd need it for what was to come.
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Miles leapt back, barely avoiding the spray of poison arcing through the air toward him.
Amelia grinned, winding up for another attack. "You won't win if you're too scared to fight back, bubble boy."
"I'm just waiting for my chance," he shot back. "Don't worry, I'm coming for you."
Even after everything that had happened, Miles was still nervous about poison, and Poison-type Pokémon. The pain they'd caused his family wasn't something he could easily forget.
But he was determined to grow, for his friends' sake and his own. And to that end, he'd decided to try exposure therapy.
As he sized her up, she slid one leg behind herself, and held one sharp, poison tipped flower in front of her in a fencer's stance. "You'll regret it if you rush in like an idiot," she warned him.
He grinned, then launched himself towards her with an Aqua Jet. Water blasted out from his feet with every running step he took, propelling himself forward.
Amelia braced herself for the collision, flower held forward, but before Miles reached her, he jumped. As the Roselia hesitated, trying to read his trajectory, Miles did a forward somersault, and slammed the ball on the end of his tail into her head.
She staggered, giving Miles time to bounce off of the ground behind her and pivot. Recovering, she swung a flower towards him, scattering bluish spores, but Miles had already bounded out of range. He took in a deep breath, and blew a storm of bubbles in her direction.
As the bubbles neared her, Amelia protected herself by whirling gracefully, deflecting the bubbles with a shower of Magical Leaves. And as she twirled, she moved closer.
Miles knew if she reached him, he'd get Poison Jabbed, but she was rapidly closing the distance and he was running out of bubbles. Thinking quickly, he stopped blowing and took a step back.
Assuming the Marill was trying to retreat, Amelia lunged at him with a triumphant cry, but missed the look in his eye.
With a quick sidestep, he evaded the Jab and swung back with his small, yet powerful paws. One, two, three! He hit her in the side with Play Rough. It wasn't very effective against Amelia's Poison-typing, but its raw force would weaken her, and then he could end the fight with a burst of strength!
She ducked under another swipe and crossed her arms in front of herself, trying to block his assault. But she was on the defensive now, Miles noticed, as he continued to strike at her. His strategy was working!
Feeling victory approaching, Miles prepared to sweep the legs out from under her with Aqua Tail… but stumbled, suddenly tired. What was happening?
Amelia was smiling at him behind her crossed arms, and he noticed them - green orbs of light, floating away from him and towards his foe. While he'd been attacking at close-range, she'd been stealing his energy with Mega Drain.
He threw one more punch at Amelia, but missed, wobbled in place, then fell backward onto the sand, drained and dizzy. He had lost.
For a while, he lay there in the sand, waiting for his head to stop spinning. Then he saw Amelia standing over him, holding out one of her slightly-ruffled flowers.
"That was a good fight," she told him. "Let me help you up."
A drop of poison fell from the offered flower, and Miles shrank away.
"Whoops." She shook the poison out of her flowerbud into the wet sand. "Sorry about that."
She held it out to Miles once more. This time, he carefully grabbed on and let her raise him to his feet.
"I thought I had you," he complained. "Didn't think you could stop my Play Rough."
"Yeah, I was getting a little nervous," she admitted. "That Aqua Jet trick really messed me up! I don't think I could've held out much longer."
Cheers came from the shoreline. "You did great, Miles," Arthur called out.
Sebastian was there too. "Stylish as always," he said to his partner.
"Of course," Amelia boasted. "I took some serious hits, though. Miles is definitely improving."
Miles unfastened the scarf he'd been wearing from around his body. He may have been trying to get over his fear of poison, but he was still being smart about it - he had been wearing his brother's Pecha Scarf.
He handed the scarf back to Arthur. "Thanks for that," he told him.
"You bet!" He smiled back. "You should try to get one for yourself sometime. That way we can practice double battles with Amelia and Sebastian!"
Amelia scoffed. "No way you can beat us when me and Seb work together."
Sebastian considered this. "Pretty sure Miles nearly beat us both on his own."
"That was different," she insisted, pouting.
Miles smiled. Compared to their last fight on the beach, a consequence of rage and heartbreak, this one was full of good feeling and camaraderie. Even though they had still been hitting each other in the face.
---------
Tired from the battle, but strangely satisfied, Miles and the others hiked back into town. The sun was setting, and it was almost time for the main event.
The Guild had helped set up a little party. They'd lit bonfires in the town square, and each one was surrounded by happy Pokémon drinking berry juice and, of course, exchanging gifts.
Miles sighed, feeling tension slip off of his round shoulders. Their adventure had been harrowing, and he was having a little trouble easing back into a normal life, but feeling the warmth all around him was like a soothing balm. It felt as if he'd been suffering from his own illness, a disease of the spirit, and finding the Phione Dew had cured him as well as his mother.
Flush with happiness, he took a few wrapped packages from his bag. "Since this is a gift-giving event," he began, "I got something for everybody."
Arthur's eyes went wide. "That's what you were getting from the bank!"
"Yep." He handed one to his brother. "Here's yours!"
Amelia tilted her head. "Don't tell me."
"That's right!" He held a pair of gifts forward. "This one is yours! And I got one for Sebastian, too."
The Roselia took it. "You're being real nice to me today. I like it!"
Sebastian pulled his towards himself with his proboscis. "You didn't need to get me anything. Heck, we barely know each other. But I really do appreciate it. Sorry I don't have anything for you in return."
"That's no problem," said Miles. "Just help me train sometime, and we'll be even."
He nodded. "It's a deal."
Amelia grinned at the Shelmet. "You're a real cheapskate."
"Well…" He fished something out of his own bag. "I was able to get one thing. This is for you, partner."
She covered her mouth with both flowers. "Oh! I take back the cheapskate thing. I guess that means," she took out a small package, "it's a good time to give you yours."
"I can always count on you," Sebastian said, smiling.
"Of course you can," she told him. Looking bashful all of a sudden, she clutched a couple more presents. "Actually, I have something for you guys also."
She handed one to Arthur, who cried out happily.
She handed one to Miles, who took it silently, stunned. "Are… are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure!" She frowned at him. "We're friends, aren't we? We went through all that stuff together. So, yeah!" She reached out to pat him, then thought better of it and stopped. "I'm always gonna be on your side. Alright?"
Miles looked at the gift, then nodded. "Thank you very much. I won't forget that."
An odd sound drew his attention. He looked around and saw a black box sitting next to him. Had it been there the whole time?
Amelia noticed it. "Is this a gift, too? It's wrapped. And…" she looked closer. "It's got your name on this tag."
Miles carefully picked it up and inspected it. Yes, there was a tag, with a message written in scratchy, red ink. "To Miles".
The odd sound grew louder. It sounded like ticking. Tick, tick, tick…
Fearing the worst, Miles dropped the box just in time - the lid exploded off, and a horrible face leapt out at him!
"This was all a trick," came an ominous voice. "I deceived you."
Miles blinked. The face was a crude model of a Gastly on a spring. It was a jack-in-the-box.
He spun around. "C'mon, Drowzee! That wasn't nice."
Drowzee gave a guilty smile. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. It was funny, though, right?" He looked around for support.
"It was," Arthur said, happily. "The look on your face was priceless."
"Betrayer," Miles accused. "My own brother, turning against me."
Soon enough, everyone was laughing. Even so, Miles made a note to come up with a prank for Drowzee later. Maybe one for Arthur too.
Drowzee was carrying another, more colorful package. "The jack-in-the-box is for Arthur," he said. "But this one is for you, Miles. I hope it makes up for the prank a bit."
Arthur gleefully scooped up the jack-in-the-box, and Miles had a sinking feeling he'd be seeing it again. "I thought you'd be showing up tonight," he told Drowzee, "so I got you something, too." He held out a little box tied with a ribbon.
"Oh!" He accepted it gratefully. "Really, this is supposed to be your celebration! But thank you."
A cheerful screech heralded the unexpected arrival of Chatot. "I hope everyone's having a good time tonight," he said to the little crowd. "I'm checking up on the festivities. Team Trailblazers?" He waved a wing toward Amelia and Sebastian. "You'll be happy to know your time at our festival won't cut into your vacation hours."
Sebastian clicked his shell. "You were going to take our vacation hours?"
"I just said I'm not going to!" Chatot protested. "Ah, the Merill brothers are here too," he observed, changing the subject. "I hope you two are having a well-earned rest after your adventure."
"It's been really nice," Miles said, as he and Arthur nodded in agreement. "Did you bring a gift for us, too?"
"Ah." He rustled his feathers. "Why, yes, of course. My gift is…" he thought for a moment. "...is special treatment for your application when you decide to join the Guild!"
Miles smiled at the flustered bird. "I'll keep that in mind."
As Chatot fluttered away, Miles turned back to his friends. "Is everyone ready to open their gifts?"
They were all in agreement. "I'm going first," Amelia announced. "The rule is that the prettiest gets to go first."
No one felt like challenging her, so she eagerly tore into her first present. "From Sebastian… it's a scarf!" She held it up, and it glittered like freshly fallen snow.
The Shelmet nodded. "Woven from Ice-type hair, so it'll keep you warm in the field when the temperatures start dropping. Real fashionable, too. Not that 'the prettiest' needs it, of course."
"Oh, stop." She waved a flower at him before grabbing Miles' gift. "So let's see what this is."
Inside the package was a rolled-up sheet of parchment, like a map. She unrolled it, and beheld a tapestry of beautiful stars.
"It's a star chart," Miles told her. "Now, you probably know most of these constellations," he said, nervous, "but with this, you can even see them during the day. If you need to."
She gave him an odd look, and then smiled. "Thank you, Miles. This is very nice."
Sebastian waddled forward. "As the other half of the Trailblazers," he said, "I'll go next."
He took hold of Miles' gift and pulled it open. "Oh, this is high-quality shell polish."
"That's right," said Miles. "I got one with a little defensive benefit. It'll help attacks slide off of you, and also look nice!"
"That's really thoughtful." He nodded at Miles. "I bet Amelia gave you some good ideas. Speaking of which," he gave her a meaningful look as she pretended not to notice. "Let's see what's in hers."
He opened up the wrapping and found something small. "Not sure what this is."
"Oh, I'll set it up." Amelia untied Sebastian's yellow sash from his shell, took the little thing, and attached them together. "Go on," she said, handing it back. "You can put your sash back on."
He frowned. "You know I have trouble with the knot."
But, relenting, he wrapped the sash around his body, and click! It fastened itself.
As Sebastian started in surprise, Amelia grinned. "Magnets! Now you can manage your sash way easier, even when I'm not around. So even if I run off like an idiot, you'll be okay."
For a moment, he was unable to speak. "Hope you're not planning on doing that anytime soon," he told her. "But thanks. This is really something else."
Next was Arthur. He tore into Amelia's gift greedily and found a box of exotic chocolates. As he sampled a few on the spot, Miles had to suppress his nerves at a Poison-type giving an edible gift. But the packaging had been carefully sealed, he noted, so it was safe.
"So what did you get me, bro?" Arthur unwrapped the paper and found a little blue armband. He held it up to the light of the campfire. "It looks kinda like your Float Ring."
"That's right!" Miles held out his ring-adorned arm. "I got you one to match. That one isn't a real Float, just a lookalike, but now we can look like a team!"
His eyes glittered. "That's super cool! We really are like a team now!"
Amelia raised a flower. "You already were! You've gotten a lot better at working together since our travels."
"Well yeah," Arthur said. "But now it's official!"
It lifted Miles' heart to see Arthur's enthusiasm. Maybe they really should join the Guild as Explorers, he thought. Maybe.
Maybe he'd wait for Chatot to retire first.
"C'mon, bro," said Arthur. "It's your turn! I want to see what Drowzee got you."
He lifted the gift from Drowzee. This was a bulky box with something inside. Removing the paper revealed… another box, sealed with a clasp.
Drowzee was watching over his shoulder. "Open it!"
Fearing another prank, Miles undid the clasp and slowly opened the lid. Inside was something odd: stacks of little cards, all in a line, each one depicting a dark vortex. Something this creepy did put Miles in mind of a Psychic-type charm.
"The other side," Drowzee said. "Turn it over!"
He did, and found that the other side depicted a colorful creature. It looked like a mechanized Gallade, and bore a label: Iron Valiant. Below that, some strange text: "This card gains 100 ATK for each Future Paradox Pokémon on the field."
"What is all this?" Miles sifted through the cards. Each one bore a different creature, with different descriptions. "An encyclopedia?"
"It's a game," said Drowzee, proudly. "From a Cofagrius merchant who stopped at the monastery. 'The Pharaoh's Game,' he called it. It was so interesting, I had to get one, but it's a little complex for me. I bet you can work it out."
There were so many cards! Miles took another one. "Tyrant Rayquaza," he read. "This card gains the total original ATK and DEF of the Pokémon Tributed for its Tribute Summon. When this card is Tribute Summoned: Target 1 Effect Pokémon in the Graveyard that was Tributed…" he blinked. "Alright, I see what you mean."
"Let me know if you figure out how it works," Drowzee told him. "Maybe you and Arthur can play sometime."
It was a strange gift, but it had surprising depth. Kind of like Drowzee, thought Miles. "Go ahead and open yours," Miles told him.
Drowzee nodded, and unwrapped the little box Miles had given him. He opened it and held out the item inside - a gleaming, circular pendulum on a chain. "This is well attuned," he observed.
"Just right for enhancing Psychic power," Miles agreed. "It took a while to pick out a good one! Maybe it'll even help you evolve someday."
He held it out, letting it swing side-to-side for a while, then bundled it up and put it back in its box. "That was very kind of you, Miles." He smiled gently at the Merill. "I'm glad to have met you… or, um." He fidgeted. "I'm glad to have earned your trust."
At last, it was time for Miles to open Amelia's gift. He ripped it open and found a neat, ordered set of freshly sharpened quills and ink in a wide range of colors, all sealed in a portable case.
"You were always writing in that book of yours," Amelia said. "So now you can do it like a real pro. It's a custom set for the writer on the go." She fiddled with her flower hands. "Extra colors, too. You can put some pizazz into it. I know it's kinda simple-"
"No, this is great!" Miles beamed at her. "My journal entries have been… a lot happier lately," he admitted. "Some fresh ink for a brand new chapter. That sounds really nice."
She was delighted. "Glad to hear it!"
They smiled at each other. They'd come a long way, thought Miles. "Let's look around," he said to his group. "I bet Aaron and Shizuku are here with Manaphy, and I've got something for them, too."
A soft voice came from nearby. "Is everyone having a good time?"
Surprised, Miles and Arthur turned - it was their mother! She was walking slowly, and supporting herself with a cane, but her eyes were sparkling.
"Mom!" Miles ran up to her, Arthur following close behind. "You sure you're well enough to be moving around?"
She smiled and nodded, beckoning someone forward - Chansey, who'd been supervising. "She's been doing very well," Chansey said. "For an illness as serious as hers, she's showing incredible improvement. That Phione Dew really did work wonders."
"That's so great!" Miles couldn't stop tears from welling in his eyes. "We really did it, huh?"
"You did," she said, beginning to tear up herself. "I'm sorry I made you worry. I'm sorry you felt you had to risk yourselves for my sake. But even so… I'm very, very proud of you both."
She held her arms out, and pulled the two of them into a big - but careful - hug.
Miles remembered something. "Since you're here," he said, reaching into his bag, "I can give you your present now."
She gasped. "You didn't need to get me anything! You've done more for me than any son could do."
"Still." He grinned, sheepish. "Take it."
She took it, and carefully removed the wrapping paper. "A book! 'Vistas of the Grass Continent'."
"Lots of pictures of far off places. Some of them remind me of expeditions you told us about!" He shifted, looking uncomfortable. "I thought, maybe, they might remind you of those times. You know, with Dad."
She stared at the book for a long moment. Then she clutched it to her chest, tightly. "It's wonderful. Thank you so much, Miles. I'm blessed to have you as my son."
He could feel the tears coming again. All of it had been worth it. Their whole journey, and all its trials and hardships. All worth it for the sake of this moment, here and now.
The family hugged once again. Theirs was a bond that could never be broken. Not by distance, not by illness, not by anything.
---------
Miles held onto that happy image for just a little longer…
Then he closed his journal with a snap. He was back in the little clearing, under the night sky.
That moment was the real goal, he thought. In order to make that scene he'd pictured into the truth, he had to succeed, no matter what. He would find the Phione Dew, and everything would turn out just as he imagined.
He glanced over at Amelia, still stargazing. Would he actually be able to trust her someday? It was possible, he supposed. At the very least, it would help the three of them work better as a team.
And lastly, he looked over at his brother, nestled under a travel blanket. All this effort was for him, as well. He'd make his dream come true for everyone's sake: his brother, his mother, and himself.
Without thinking, he ran a hand over the float on his arm. "I'll make you proud, Dad," he said.
"Miles? You say something?" His brother was sitting up, blinking at him.
"Just finishing my writing for tonight," he said. "Sorry I woke you."
Arthur mumbled something, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Miles smiled. He could do it, he thought. For everyone.
He'd make his dream a reality.