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It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and a bunch of Pokemon were soaring. Usually on a day like this, one would go out and explore, have fun and enjoy it with others. However for the Rising Volt Tacklers, it was anything but. In fact the mood was quite somber.
The Brave Olivine had just landed in the Paldea region, specifically in a grass field that surrounds a humble home. Said home belongs to none other than Liko. After what had happened at Laqua, the adults of the crew thought it would be for the better if the Rising Volt Tacklers were disbanded. They thought it would be better if the kids were to live a relatively normal life. Obviously some of the kids, mainly Roy and Dot, argued against it but unfortunately they couldn't change the minds of any of the adults.
So here they were, in front of Liko's home ready to drop her off. It was a little ironic, considering Liko was the one to technically start the whole adventure and now she was the first to go home. They all walked down the gangplank as it extended towards the ground. Everyone else stopped where the gangplank ended, while Liko, walked a little further stopping right before the steps of her home. She turned around to face everyone, and by everyone it was really EVERYONE. Orla, Mollie, Murdock, Old man Ludlow, Dot, Roy, Cap, and even the rest of the Pokemon who were aboard on the ship. The only person missing was…
Friede.
Liko pushed that thought away. That was the last thing she wanted to think about right now.
"Uh…I guess this is goodbye everyone." Liko quietly uttered.
Liko knew that her adventures were going to end eventually no matter if she wanted to or not. Truthfully she was ok with that, it took a long time to come to terms with the idea. She just wished it wasn't like this. That it wasn't so depressing.
Orla stepped forward and placed a hand on Liko's shoulder.
"Remember to be strong ok, Liko?" Orla said.
The other adults began to walk up to Liko as well. Mollie pulled her into a hug, telling her to stay safe and be healthy. Murdock went to her eye level and told her not to give up in her studies. Even Ludlow said something about how, when one door closes another begins or something along those lines. Liko's Pokemon, her recently evolved Meowscarda and Hattrem went to go say goodbye to the other Pokemon. Pagogo wasn't there to say goodbye since, well, it hasn't come out of its pokeball ever since the events of Laqua. The whole thing was a lot of Liko, she felt overwhelmed from her emotions and she wanted to let them all out.
No. She promised herself she wasn't going to cry. She promises to remain strong and not make a fool of herself. It was the least she could do right now. As the adults began to pull away and walked back towards the Brave Olivine, Roy and Dot then came in front of Liko.
Dot was the first to speak. "I guess this is it huh?"
"Yeah it is.." Liko muttered quietly. She titled her down towards the ground.
The trio of kids grew to be very close friends so saying goodbye added more sadness to everything.
"Hey don't be so down you two. I mean we still had fun in our adventures right? We should be remembering that!" Roy's voice shined through the sadness with his usual optimistic tone.
Cap, who was on Roy's shoulder, squeaked out a 'Pika Pika' which Liko deciphered as the yellow mouse agreeing with Roy.
Liko left her head back up to gaze at the boy. She didn't know how Roy remained upbeat, even in times like this but honestly she didn't mind. She always liked that part of him. Liko gained a little smile on her face.
"Yeah you're right. No need to make this sadder than it already is." Dot voiced.
"So!" Roy began. "What are you planning on doing next Liko?"
"Well uh I plan on just going back to Indigo Academy and continuing my studying there." Liko stated. It was honestly the only thing she could do. She thought it would be a good way to…ignore and move on from everything. Besides, getting to hang out with Ann again wouldn't be so bad. "What about you two?" She then asked.
"Same old, same old for me probably." Dot responded. "Just gonna go back to making Nidothing videos and streaming. Make sure to drop by and comment once and a while."
Liko nodded her head. "Yeah I will, don't worry." It's not like she was ever going to miss a Nidothing video…right?
Liko then turned her gaze from Dot to Roy. "What about you Roy?" She asked the boy with magenta eyes.
Roy brought a hand to his chin thinking for a solid minute. "Well…I'm not entirely sure." He said. "I don't just want to stay on my island forever but I also don't want to just walk around aimlessly." Roy then brought his hands back to his sides. "Eh. I'm sure I'll figure something out!" He then brightly asserted.
Liko smiled again. It was so like Roy to not stand still and continue moving. She really did admire his never ending optimism. She wished she was like that.
"Ok say your goodbyes you three! We need to head out soon!" Murdock yelled from the airship.
"Ok. Goodbye Liko…" Dot said quietly, her voice toned with emotion.
"See you later." Roy uttered.
"Bye." Liko muttered, her head hanging low again. She wanted to say more about how much she cherished all of them, and how they were the most amazing friends she could have asked for, and specifically she wanted to say more towards Roy about how she…truly felt about him. But she couldn't, the words were stuck in her throat.
The trio all looked sad and somber as they said their goodbyes, even their Pokemon looked upset as they all cried out their goodbyes, even Cap hid his face with his hat. All three of them grew and evolved with each other and it was all gone within an instant.
"We should probably go now." Dot mumbled, walking back towards the ship with Quaxwell and tinkatuff in tow.
Roy also turned around and headed back towards the Brave Olivine. Liko watched him walk away. There were still so many things she wanted to say towards him, but she was still afraid of saying them. Even now at the adventure's end, she was still a coward. As Roy was halfway up the gangplank Liko gathered up the courage she could muster and finally yelled out.
"Roy, wait!" She yelled.
Roy, hearing her yelling, stopped and turned around. "Yeah Liko?" He asked.
"I…I want to talk to you…please." Liko said, her voice wavering due to her emotions.
Sensing her emotions, Roy ushered his Pokemon and Cap towards the ship before walking back in front of Liko. Up in the deck Dot saw this and was about to ask what Roy was doing before a hand touched her shoulder. Dot looked up at who arm it was. It was Orla's.
"Let those two have their moment." She spoke.
Dot took one last glance at Liko and Roy before heading inside the Brave Olivine. Orla however stayed outside.
Back at the ground Roy had just walked back towards Liko. "What did you want to tell me?" He asked.
Liko looked at Roy. His eyes shined and his smile was comforting, like they always were. Liko had always played this moment in her head for a while but she still couldn't say those words. Her emotions were overwhelmed by everything. So in a sudden decision.
She hugged Roy.
Roy was caught off guard at first, the hug was so sudden and fast. The force of the hug knocked his hat off and towards the ground. Liko had her arms wrapped tightly around Roy and she also buried her face into his right shoulder. Roy was still taken back by the sudden hug, but he was snapped back to reality as he felt something wet on his shoulder. Was…Liko crying?
"Liko?" Roy voiced with apparent concern.
Liko didn't respond. She continued to slightly sob on her friend's shoulder. It was selfish of her to do so but she couldn't hold it in anymore. All of her emotions were too much to hold in.
"R-roy…" She stammered out.
Roy finally returned her hug, putting his right arm on her back and his left on the back of head. "It's ok Liko." He quietly uttered as he rubbed her back in a soothing pattern.
"I-it wasn't supposed to end like this!! I w-wanted to keep adventuring! I d-dont want to leave! I don't want to leave youuu!!" She cried out, sobbing even harder.
"I-I know Liko, I know." Roy reassured, his own voice began to waver from his own emotions, and he also started to get teary eyed. Roy held strong however, he couldn't cry now. Not while Liko needed comforting.
"I-I love you so much Roy, I always have!" Liko finally confessed, before crying harder. "P-please don't g-go Roy I n-need you!!"
"I-it's ok Liko. It's ok. Everything will be fine. Let it all out." Roy said as he continued to hold her, as she cried and sobbed into his now very damp shoulder. The two stayed like that for a while. It felt like an eternity. In that moment the two finally felt like kids. Kids who experienced the worst of it all.
After a while Liko's crying finally started to die down. She pulled away from Roy and ended the hug. Her face was red and stained with tears. She wiped her face with her sleeves and her Pokemon came up to her in worry.
"I-i'm ok." She said to her Pokemon before turning her attention back towards Roy. "I'm sorry for doing that. It was selfish of me."
Roy whapped his own teary eyes before replying back. "Don't be sorry. Everyone needs to cry out their feelings sometimes." He said it so reassuringly. Even now he tried to make her feel better.
The two stood in silence before Roy suddenly spoke up. "So uh…you love me?" He said, rubbing the back of his neck, and gaining a faint blush.
"Huh?" Liko blinked before realizing that she did indeed say that. Her face began to blush. "O-oh uh right I did…I felt that way for a while now but I never had the courage to say it up until now." She shyly explained. "Not that it matters, because…because I won't ever see you again." Liko said, with her somber tone returning and her head hanging low.
Seeing her sadness return, Roy jumped in to comfort her. "Hey don't say that. This isn't goodbye forever. We'll meet each other again!" He stated it as if it was a fact.
Liko lifted her head back up to stare at Roy. He had that same infectious smile of his. "Really? How do you know that?" She asked.
"I just know, y'know? It's one of those feelings!" He said, his optimism shining through.
Liko smiled. His up beat personality was always so infectious to anyone. "Ok. I believe you." She quietly said.
"See! That's the spirit!" Roy exclaimed. "And it'll be a lot sooner than you realize! So just keep your head up high until then, ok?"
Liko nodded her head. "I will." Her smile brightened.
"There's the Liko smile I love!" Roy exclaimed again. Liko giggled shyly at Roy's compliment.
Suddenly though, the Brave Olivine's engine started to hum, meaning it was time to go.
"You should really get going now. I held you for long enough." Liko said.
"Yeah I do. So uh…goodbye Liko. See you later." Roy started to walk back up the gangplank before stopping. He looked pensive about something. He turned back towards Liko and quickly ran up towards her.
"Roy what-" Liko was cut off as quickly as she spoke. Roy had leaned and planted a kiss on her left cheek. Roy then quickly bolted up the gangplank as the Brave Olivine began to ascend, leaving a now very red Liko stunned on the ground. Liko was squealing internally. She couldn't believe Roy, her longtime crush, had just done that!
Her internal bliss was cut short though as the Brave Olivine began to ascend higher and higher causing a bunch of dust to fly up. Liko had shielded her face to stop dirt or dust from getting into her eye. As she did she noticed something on the ground. It was a hat, but not just any hat. It was Roy's hat! He must've forgotten it here. Liko went to grab it. She was considering calling Roy so he could get his hat back. However, just as she was about to…
"LIIKOOOO!!!"
Liko whipped her head straight into the sky as she heard her name being yelled. As she began to wonder who it was she spotted Roy. He was waving at her up from the deck.
"KEEP YOUR HEAD UP HIGH OK!!!" He yelled out again.
A bright smile formed on Liko's face, as she began to wave back at him. "I WILL!! DON'T WORRY!!" She yelled back in response.
The two continued to wave at one another until the distance made it until they couldn't see each other anymore. Roy was leaning his torso on the railing of the airship, gazing down to where Liko was.
"Said everything you needed to say?"
Roy turned around in the direction of the voice. It was Orla.
"Yeah. I did." He calmly replied.
Orla walked up to the teen and ruffled his head. "You forgot your hat." She said.
"Huh?" Roy blinked, realizing that he did indeed forget his hat. "Oh! I must've left it with Liko!"
Orla shook her head. "Do you want to get it back? I can tell Murdock to land." She stated.
Roy thought for a second before shaking his head. "Nah. It's ok. She can keep it." He simply stated.
The two stood in silence standing near the railing, as the Brave Olivine continued to ascend up and up into the sky.
"…How much did you see?" Roy suddenly said, turning his attention to Orla.
"All of it, you little Casanova." Orla replied, teasingly ruffling Roy's head again. Who, in response, let out a groan of embarrassment.
Back at the ground Liko was still clutching Roy's hat up to her chest, smiling brightly. It was her little souvenir of him. They'll meet again. He promised they will. She will just have to wait until then.
One Year Later
It was another beautiful day at Indigo Academy. The sun was shining, Pidgey were singing, and students were playing. On days like this anyone would be able to relax.
"Liko hurry! Class is about to start soon!" Ann knocked on the door of her shared dorm room.
"Sorry Ann! Give me a second, I'm just organizing my bag!" Liko called out. She hastily began putting things in and out her bag. Books, papers, pencils, basically just whatever. She also started to take some things she deemed unnecessary out to make room. Like some lipstick, she never really needed that, or a scarf Ann had got her. She was thankful but it was Spring so she didn't need it.
She kept taking out random accessories and clothing items she didn't really have any use for. Finally she grabbed the last thing that was stuffed all the way in the bottom of her bag. It was a-
Hat.
Liko stared at the hat. She knew who it belonged. It belonged to him. Roy. She remembered the day when she got it. The memory began to play in her mind. It was a day filled with both sadness and…happiness. She remembered the goodbyes and everything. How she sobbed on Roy's shoulder as he confronted her…and how he planted a kiss on her check.
Ann opened the door, snapping Liko out of her memory. "Liko what's taking so long-" she stopped as she saw what Liko was holding. "Oh…" Ann lamely said. "Is…is that his hat?" She asked as she scooted closer to Liko. Ann had already known what had happened on that day and everything. She knew how important the hat was to her.
Liko nodded her head. "Yeah it is." She quietly uttered. She continued to gaze at it. She could almost feel his warmth through it.
Ann sat closer to Liko, only being shoulder width apart. She turned her gaze towards Liko. "You'll think you'll never see him again?" Ann questioned.
Liko thought about Ann's question. She always told herself that they would meet again but…would they? Did she really believe that or was it just her hanging on to false hope. Then she remembered what Roy said on that day.
"REMEMBER TO KEEP YOU HEAD UP HIGH!!!'
Those words ignited a fire of hope in her. Real honest hope.
"Yeah we'll see each other again. I'm sure of it!" Liko exclaimed.
"How do you know that?" Ann questioned.
"I just do Ann. I just do." Liko asserted confidently.
Ann smiled at Liko's confidence. It was nice to see her act like this, when she usually would be so gloomy. "Well as long as you believe in it, it will happen eventually!" She exclaimed. Liko smiled back at her best friend.
The school bell rang throughout the school. Which means the class has officially begun.
"Oh shoot! We need to leave now!" Ann panicked. "C'mon Liko we can't be late!" Ann bolted out the door leaving it wide open.
Liko quickly stuffed the hat back in her bag before quickly getting up and heading out the door. "Let's go Meowscarada and Hattrem." She called out towards her Pokemon who began to follow her.
As Liko quickly began to walk to her class she began to think about Roy again. She wondered how he had been this past year. They haven't talked since that day but…that's ok. She will see him again!
She just needs to keep her head high until then.