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No matter how vast the highlands were, Melli always seemed to be nearby. Sneasler's daily rounds often took Ingo closer to Moonview Arena than he would have reasonably expected, and when they were up on the cliffs together, Melli always seemed to have an innocent reason for proximity. Life drawn to life, perhaps. They didn't always speak, or even acknowledge each other, but there was something comforting in the knowledge that someone else was near.
Today, however, Melli's proximity looked more deliberate than incidental. Ingo sat on a small ledge, having just scaled a short but admittedly sheer expanse of rock to get there, and found himself in the startling circumstance of looking down at Melli. The discrepancy was less than a foot, and it gave Ingo a better vantage than he had expected. Melli was pale, with his hair falling about his shoulders in unruly ringlets, and he glared at Ingo like this dishevelment was somehow his fault.
Ingo adjusted himself on the ledge. A few pebbles scattered down the cliffside. "Melli. Good morning."
"Hmph." Melli looked pale indeed, and his breath came in little puffs that made ephemeral clouds in the morning air. "Ingo. I have the opportunity of a lifetime for you."
Well, that was all in order, at least. Ingo softened. "What can I help you with, sir?"
"Don't 'sir' me," Melli growled.
Particularly ill-tempered this morning... Ingo cocked his head. He'd have to tread carefully to avoid getting snapped at. "Is something the matter?"
"Will you shut up and listen? I said I have an opportunity for you."
Ingo remained quiet, which seemed to be the wrong choice anyway. Melli huffed like a teenager and gestured impatiently with his left hand, incidentally revealing his right tucked tight under his left elbow.
"...Tell me about this opportunity," Ingo ventured. Melli did so like to play games.
Melli sat down rather abruptly, breathing hard. "You're lucky. It's not every day that the great Melli needs assistance with something."
Ingo considered the distance between them. He'd chosen this cliff in particular because it didn't seem like too far to fall if he slipped while climbing down, but doing so without showering Melli with pebbles was a different enterprise entirely. "Melli, if you'll excuse my saying so, you seem to be in a good deal of discomfort."
"'Get to the point,' is that what's you're saying?" Melli glared up at him. "Will you get down from there? You're perverting the natural order."
Ingo stepped off to the side of the outcrop and clambered down more awkwardly than he would have liked, but it kept Melli clear of any falling debris. Safety first, as they said.
No, he. As he said.
"Do you carry bandages?" Melli asked plaintively.
Ah. Circling the point at last. "Yes," Ingo said gently. "Melli, if you're bleeding, please lie back."
Perhaps most worrisome of all, Melli did exactly what was asked of him. Unfolding his long legs, he stretched himself across the scrub and dirt, at last revealing to Ingo his right hand, which was covered in blood all the way to the wrist.
"Ah," Ingo said, and swallowed.
Melli had squeezed his eyes shut, pale and pinched. "So you see," he said shakily, "what a wonderful opportunity this is for you."
Ingo was already reaching for his waterskin. He uncorked it, wishing for... For.... Something from his homeland that would have helped. The thought slipped away like fish in the river. He poured water over Melli's hand, gently agitating the half-dried blood until the wound became visible. Or rather, wounds. Melli had several deep, straight gouges cutting across his palm and fingers. They started to bleed again as Ingo poured water over them, and Melli hissed and turned paler.
"What happened?" Ingo asked. The edges of each wound were very, very clean.
"I broke a mirror."
"Ah," Ingo said, searching his pockets for a handkerchief or kaishi paper. "That's seven years of bad luck."
Melli opened his eyes, looking all at once very young and very frightened. "What?"
"My apologies." Ingo found his handkerchief and carefully patted Melli's fingers dry. "A superstition from my world, I think."
"Well, it's not one from mine!" Melli snapped. "Keep your comments to yourself."
"Yes." Ingo spread Melli's fingers, examining the wounds. "Keep your hand elevated, please." He turned away, searching in his pockets for the roll of bandage he always kept on him. "I'd like to clean those cuts properly..."
"I'll do it later," Melli said, heaving a great sigh. "I've got to go to my lord soon. I sent Skuntank ahead of me, but I'm the warden."
"Make sure you do," Ingo said, unwinding the bandage.
—
Hisui was vast. Just as it was normal to pass Melli on his rounds, so too was it normal to not see him, often for several days at a time. Sneasler took her daily walks (climbs, really) in the vicinity of Moonview Arena, and Ingo did not inconvenience her by requesting to slip down and look for Melli. Still, he attended very closely for a few days, listening for the sound of singing or conversation, or even the scuffle of Melli's boots on the rocky earth.
Electrode was agitated on the third day. Even before Ingo got into earshot of the arena, all the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stood up with the prickle of electricity in the air. Sneasler trilled a little and stuck closer to him and raised her claws, angling her body toward the arena as though expecting a threat to burst forth at any moment.
Nothing did.
Electricity hummed, and the air began to smell of ozone. Sneasler crept closer with Ingo coupled up, timing his footfalls with her own. They eased around the side of the cliff marking the back of the arena, accompanied by the sound of Electrode's body crunching over the rocks, presumably as it rolled circles around over the rocky earth. Ingo looked at Sneasler, who nodded in uncanny understanding. Something about the glint of intelligence in her eyes, their synchronicity, sparked in the back of his head just like Lord Electrode's electricity. But this was no time to reminisce!
Ingo strode up to the arena's entrance. "Melli? Electrode? Is something amiss?"
Electrode growled, grinding rocks into the dirt with renewed vigor as it rolled faster and faster over the earth.
Under it, there might have been a murmur of a human voice, but Ingo couldn't quite tell. At the very least, the odor of Skuntank musk indicated the Pokémon was nearby.
"Melli? Are you there?"
Another murmur, more distinct this time. Then: "Ugh. Be patient, would you? I'm coming." Melli's voice sounded, not faint, but rather unusually strained. He unfolded himself from behind a pillar and came over, his footfalls scuffling as he dragged his feet.
Ingo clasped his hands behind his back, rocking his weight between his heels and toes.
At last, Melli approached with Electrode just behind him. Both glaring. Melli with his left arm crossed over his chest, the other stiff by his side, his right hand still conspicuously bandaged. "What is it?"
"Electrode sounds rather agitated," Ingo said in his politest tone.
Melli gave him an unimpressed look. "Last time I checked, I was Lord Electrode's warden, not you."
Ingo swallowed. Melli looked well enough, or at least, better than he had. His hair was orderly, and he had some color in his cheeks (although, perhaps a little too much now?) "In truth, Warden Melli, it wasn't your lord I was coming to check on."
Melli turned an impressive shade of red and averted his eyes. "You're not my warden, either!" he said, but without much bite. In fact, the more Ingo looked, the weaker he seemed. Electrode was still hovering, occasionally nudging Melli's back. Melli himself had taken to leaning against one of the arena's stone columns and might, upon closer inspection, have been rocking a little.
Ingo bit his lip. How to approach this? Any outright concern would probably just get him yelled at, but he wasn't a man to come at things sideways. "May I have your hand, Melli?"
"I beg your pardon?!" Melli turned livid and actually backed up, bumping into Lord Electrode with a painful-sounding zap. Electrode rumbled apologetically, but Melli hardly seemed to notice. "I h-hope that's not your idea of courting me!"
Ingo put up his own hands and backed up half a step. "Your *injured* hand, sir— Melli."
"Absolutely not!" Melli, finding himself cornered against Electrode, drew in on himself. His posture was already, admittedly, excellent, so he didn't get much taller, but he pulled both arms in as though to protect his chest from an incoming attack. His bandaged hand, he held stiff on top of the other one.
Ingo looked around. Sneasler was nearby, watching from one of the arches. She gave a humanlike shrug, looking just as baffled as Ingo felt. "Um, Melli, I didn't mean to imply— I only meant—"
"I know what you meant," Melli snapped. "Don't touch me."
Electrode rumbled and rolled forward, pushing Melli closer to Ingo. So close, in fact, that Ingo could not back up in time to prevent their bodies from brushing. Melli yelped and slipped to his knees, now the only route of escape available to him. "Electrode!"
Electrode ignored him, looking inquiringly at Ingo. Ingo nodded and knelt, trying to meet Melli's gaze. He was close enough to smell the sweat under the perfume of camellia flowers and the light hint of Skuntank's musk, close enough to see it gleaming on Melli's forehead. "You're feverish."
"You're all traitors!" Melli announced, his gaze skyward.
Ingo got to his feet with a quiet grunt and extended his hand to Melli. "I believe your lord wants me to help you."
"Fine," Melli said, standing on his own. "Only because it's my Electrode's wish."
Electrode led them to a patch of meadow grass within the arena, which Ingo looked over for sticker plants before letting Melli sit. Nearby, Skuntank paced figures between the columns.
Melli sniffed, looking sideways at him. "As if I would allow common weeds to grow on sacred ground. How little you think of me."
"Only a precaution," Ingo said, choosing not to point out the tantrum that would have followed had Melli gotten stung by a nettle. Or perhaps worse yet, gotten stickers in his hair.
Melli flushed again. "I can take care of myself."
"Not all the time," Ingo said, clearing a patch of dusty earth so he could sit. "No one can. Surely you thought of that when you asked me for help bandaging your hand."
Melli didn't say a word.
"Your hand again, if you please," Ingo said.
Silently, without looking at him, Melli folded up his knees and placed his injured hand palm-up on one kneecap.
Ingo stayed still for a moment, considering the knots he had tied. It would be a shame to cut the bandages, but taking his time working out the knots might cause Melli undue pain.
"Be gentle," Melli said quietly, almost petulant. He was still sweating. Now that Ingo was looking for it, the gleam was most apparent, even in the shade of the cliffs overhead. So too was the flush on Melli's cheeks, which lingered even when he had finished blushing.
"You have a fever," Ingo said, not daring to reach out and confirm his suspicions. "Are you feeling sensitive?"
This did not seem to be the correct tack, although with Melli, perhaps there was no correct tack. "Ask normal questions!"
Ingo sighed and got out his knife. Without giving Melli time to notice (and inevitably squeal about it), he slipped it under the bandages and gave a sharp jerk. The cotton fell away, and Ingo put his knife back and unwound them easily until they started to stick to the skin.
"Stop," Melli said abruptly, looking ill.
Ingo had already stopped, so he held up his hands to show Melli. "I believe your wounds are infected."
"Oh, very keen observation. I see why the Pearl Clan keeps you around."
Ingo sighed again. For better or for worse, he was not the kind of person who would leave another to suffer on their own. Not even someone like Melli. Although perhaps, being neighbors, Ingo had a special attachment to him. All his blustering really had the air of a small dog barking. A fierce little Lillipup. "Did you wash your wounds?"
"Of course I did!" Melli snapped. "As soon as I had finished up with Lord Electrode, I went home and boiled chestnuts. One-handed, mind you, which is no easy thing."
"Chestnuts?" Ingo repeated, blinking. He had seen Calaba collecting them in their season, even seen her drying them, but he hadn't dreamed it was for any medicinal purpose.
"Yes, chestnuts." Melli rolled his eyes. "You are so lucky the generous Melli has taken you under his wing."
Ingo thought for a moment, considering. He also had plenty of chestnuts, which he had collected purely to give to Calaba. Melli had a fever, and needed to go to bed. The distance between their two dwellings was significant enough that, unless he called upon Wyrdeer, Ingo would never make the journey before the day was through. Not to mention, he wasn't sure Melli should be left alone.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Melli asked, squirming.
"I would like," Ingo said thoughtfully, "to have you in my bed."
The resulting shriek caused three entire flocks of Starly to take flight.
—
Melli was not lethargic with fever, but rather listless. He wouldn't stay in Ingo's bed, kept complaining of boredom while Ingo waited for the water to boil. Outside, Skuntank paced circles and dug at the foundation of the cabin, something Ingo would have to address before the rains came.
"I didn't know you were such a brute," Melli said, coming to sit across the fire from Ingo. "Carrying me off to your— your cave to have your way with me."
The bandages were still trailing from his hand, stuck on by dried blood and whatever other fluids had come from the wounds. "I would like to remove those bandages," Ingo said. "I believe I asked earlier and you didn't answer me. Are you feeling sensitive?"
"It hurts, if that's what you're asking," Melli said. "I don't feel feverish."
"You look it," Ingo said, circling the fire to sit closer to Melli. "Give me your hand."
With a put-upon sigh, Melli extended his arm. "Be careful."
Ingo peeled up the bandages slowly, stopping at every little hiss from Melli. The skin was hot even through the layers of cotton, and looked incredibly irritated, all red and swollen— sensitive. "That's better than I was expecting," Ingo said, when the last of the soiled bandages had fallen away. The infection looked mild enough. "I'd like to keep it open, so we can see if it gets worse."
"Oh, it won't get worse," Melli said. "I'm never ill."
"Your confidence is admirable," Ingo murmured, turning to see if the water was boiling.
Melli squeaked and jerked his hand back.
—
The fever, which Melli kept adamantly denying, finally gave way to exhaustion. He fell asleep in Ingo's bed and did not wake, even when Ingo rose with the sun for his morning rounds. Ingo left him a note and went on his way.
In truth, he had been expecting to run into a flame-cheeked and stubborn Melli at some point. Even though he'd included in the note that he would check in with Electrode. Even though they had discussed this yesterday before leaving Moonview Arena. Melli was stubborn, hardheaded, defiant. There was every chance he would drag himself out of bed, fever or no, and find a reason to antagonize Ingo. At the very least, to chide him for missing some key detail in Lord Electrode's care.
But Melli never appeared.
Sneasler did not see fit to indulge Ingo's worries and kept him out all day, although she did patiently endure his requests to revisit Moonview Arena and the area surrounding his home.
At last, she grew content with his service and let him go. Ingo set a steady course for his cabin, following his own footsteps and scanning the ground for more. It was difficult in the dry earth, but one's steps had a habit of leaving scuffles in the steeper grades, displacing pebbles in the dust.
He reached his front door without running across another set of footprints. His heart pounded quite unnaccountably; it wasn't as though Melli were missing.
Ingo pushed the door open and all his fears abated. Melli was asleep. His injured hand lay palm up on the floor, wet with the salve Ingo had applied last night. "Ah, wonderful."
Melli stirred and sat up with a sigh, absentmindedly stroking his long locks with his good hand. Pale fingers worked through the tangles with acuity, though his eyes were sleepy and unfocused.
For a moment, Ingo felt as if he really had carried Melli off to have his way with him. The peek of his bare shoulders out from under all those gleaming curls, the fall of the covers around his hips, the elegant run of his fingers through his hair...
Upon spying Ingo in the doorway, Melli yanked the covers up, casting about for his tunic, which Ingo had had to help him out of. "Oh! The philanderer returns."
Ingo stooped to pick up Melli's tunic, holding open the sleeve and averting his eyes. "I saw to Electrode for you."
"I know. I finally puzzled out your handwriting." Melli slipped his hand through the sleeve and sat back to pull the rest of the top on without Ingo's interference. "You better have done a good job. If any harm comes to him, I'll tell Adaman you tried to ravage me."
Ingo sat heavily on the side of the bed, msucles aching from the extra work. Polishing Electrode was no small feat. "I take it you're feeling better?"
"Yes," Melli said. "I suppose I should thank you."
A moment passed. "Are you going to?" Ingo asked finally.
Melli looked at him, gleaming with innocence. "Am I going to what?"
"Thank me."
"Didn't I just?" Melli's innocent look turned coquettish for just a moment, then he sprang to his feet and slipped into his boots, leaving them untied and slouching about his ankles. "No, Ingo, you haven't seen the last of me." With a wink and a wave, he pushed through the door and disappeared.
—
Ingo's mind refused to drop the image of Melli in his bed. His pillows smelled of camellia perfume, and his restless dreams were full of pale skin and fine, curling hair.
The first reaches of morning came with hoofbeats, and a knock at the door, and a flushed and wild-eyed Melli hiding behind a spectacular, fragrant bouquet of camellias.
"Feverish again?" Ingo asked with no small alarm, reaching over the bouquet for Melli's forehead.
Melli stepped back, laughing. "Alive! Mai lent me Wyrdeer. I made her promise he was all mine for the morning."
"Ah," said Ingo, withdrawing his hand.
Melli thrust the flowers at him. Each one was spectacular, a perfect fractal of shapely leaves and fine scent. These were no mere wildflowers. They had been not just cultivated, but selected also. Ingo took them, helpless and captivated.
"Mai thought I was dead, you know," Melli said conspiratorially. He seemed to be in an uncommonly good mood. He really must have been feeling better, and enjoying his good health, at that. "They all did. Adaman was beside himself."
"Why?" Ingo asked, backing up a little and motioning for Melli to come inside.
Melli declined with a wave of his hand. "Because I disappeared. I spent last night at the Diamond Settlement, you know, and everyone was there, even Sabi. Apparently..." He broke into a grin. "Well, they heard my Electrode fussing about me, and by the time Adaman got to the arena, you and I had left. So he sent Mai to my house, and she found my broken mirror and blood all over the floor." He broke off with a giddy laugh.
"You never picked that up?" Ingo asked, cocking his head. The bouquet wafted up the irresistible scent of camellia blossoms.
"Of course not!" Melli said. "You told me it was bad luck, and I only had one good hand. I wasn't going to risk cutting myself again. Which reminds me, Warden, I have the most wonderful opportunity for you!"
Ingo ducked his face in the bouquet to hide his smile.