Last goodbye

The next day came. There were no words shared when they woke up, they knew what was happening today. Before leaving, however, Mark did notice Simon staring at… something. He didn’t know what it was, but Simon quickly put it in his bag, so Mark didn’t mention it. He’d have his reasons.

The way to the guild was quiet, not even Rachel was doing her usual sarcastic remarks. It wasn’t a bad silence, though. It was calming, a moment of respect to the one they were going to honor.

When they got to the guild, most of the teams and staff were outside, at the entrance. Including none other than the Guildmaster.

“Hello, you three. I hope you slept well.”

“A bit hard to when I’ve already spent two weeks out. But let’s not bring that up, we’re here for Rose, after all.”

“Agreed.” Simon commented. “Who are we waiting for?”

“Oh, just one team that slept in. They’re about to finish getting their food, and then we can go. I assume you know the path well, Simon?”

He nodded. Mark knew exactly where they were heading, and it was honestly the perfect place to bury his past friend.

While they were there, Simon and Mark noticed the coffin they’d use. It was obviously a lot smaller than what Mark was used to, as it was for a creature much smaller than a human. But the size didn’t mean much with how genuinely gorgeous it was. It had gold traces all around it, forming complex patterns that gave it a regal look. The decorations made it look strong, yet delicate. Elegant, yet confident. It matched Rose perfectly.

Eventually, the last team appeared. Randall and Lance (who Mark just assumed were the designated muscle at this point), carried the coffin between the two, carefully moving to not shake it around too much.

“Alright. I think we’re ready to go. Simon? Take the lead, we’re following behind.”

And so he did just that. Mark and Rachel were next to him, mostly offering quiet support for what was obviously a big moment for him. The small trip was as quiet as the way to the guild, but it didn’t seem like it bothered anyone. The plants and the trees they were going around made Mark remember the first time he got here. It was special to him, as it was the place where he realized what he really felt about Simon.

The familiar foliage wall was in front of them. Mark and Simon went through it, and opened the way for everyone else.

Ione Lake was as beautiful as last time, and everyone else seemed to think the same. There was a lot of awe in the group, but who could blame them? The lake looked like it was taken from a fantasy. And considering the ties and importance it had for both Rose and Simon, it was an obvious choice to have her funeral here. It was also hidden enough to protect the coffin from possible ferals or explorers.

“Woah… Simon, you chose a beautiful place.” Gren said. “How did you find this lake?”

“This is Ione Lake, a family secret that Rose passed down to me. That is also why I’d prefer it if you didn’t share this location to anyone outside of the guild. It’s a very important place and… I don’t want to see it get demolished.”

Their expression changed to one of understanding. “You have my word, Simon. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

He sighed and gave a weak nod.

“You should tell us where you want the gravestone to be, that way we can start digging.”

“Leave that to me.” Rachel interrupted.

“I… Thank you, Rachel.” They pointed to a Sandslash in the group. “I was going to ask Henry, he can help you if you want.”

“No, I… I want to do this alone, it’s the least I can do.”

“Okay. I can tell this is important for you, but if you need help, we’re here.”

Rachel nodded, but still looked away. Simon led her to a place nearby the lake, but not close enough for the dirt to become muddied. And in just an instant, she started digging.

Simon looked thoughtful, wandering around as if he didn’t really believe this was happening. Mark followed him until he stopped near the coffin.

“Hey, Lance. Do you think I could… you know. See her?”

“I don’t mind opening it, but are you sure?”

He nodded again. Today had brought his mood down to the point where he didn’t want to talk more than necessary, it seemed. Lance opened the lid, and revealed the familiar corpse.

Her wound had been cleaned, brushing her fur in a way that made it hard to see at all. Speaking of her fur, it was duller than before. Her bright orange died down into a pale tone that was hard to ignore. But even with all of that, she looked calm. Her paws were on her chest, one over the other. Somehow, even when deceased, she looked like she was smiling.

Simon grabbed her paw, holding it tight but without moving it. He didn’t say anything, not that he needed to. His expression and attitude were already talking for him. He got her paw to his face, closing his eyes as he held her tighter. Eventually, he sighed and carefully placed her paw back to where it was.

“Are you alright?” Mark asked.

“Yeah, I think so. It’s just, well, she’s been my sister for a very long time. It’s hard to see her like this.”

“Do you need a hug?” The Squirtle looked around for a second before eventually giving in. They held each other for a moment in silence. Again, no words were needed, simply each other’s presence was enough.

Before they knew it, Rachel had finished. Randall and Lance carefully brought the coffin into the hole. Everyone was looking directly at them, probably reminiscing of their memories with Rose. After a minute, the Guildmaster took center stage.

“It is always hard to say goodbye to someone familiar. Rose is no exception. She was a member of our guild, a marvelous teammate, and most importantly, a friend. I don’t think I have seen such a beacon of hope and inspiration as big as Rose in all my years as Guildmaster. It was truly fascinating to see her cheer everyone she met with as much optimism as one individual could muster. Rose was a big part of our big family, and believe me when I say, I will never forget her.”

The words might have been somewhat cliche for a Guildmaster, but one look at Gren was enough to see that they cared a lot about her and that that speech truly came from somewhere deep. “If anyone has any words, now it’s the time.”

Without wasting a moment, Simon got center stage, dragging Mark with him. But instead of speaking himself, he motioned to the Cubone to go first.

“Rose was someone special. In the little time I’ve known her, it was more than clear that she would give everything of herself to the ones she cared about. I’m glad to have been lucky enough to meet her and to consider her a friend.” He didn’t think like he had said enough, but his head simply wouldn’t give him more words to use. He closed his eyes and stepped back, letting his partner speak.

“Rose… Rose was my sister, she was my friend, she was my heroine, she was everything to me. Since the moment we met and she proposed to me to live with her, it has always been gift after gift. She gave me a home, she gave me a family, she gave me a goal in life… I genuinely don’t think I’d even be alive if it wasn’t for her. Even after losing our parents, she still kept strong, protecting me from every possible threat without hesitation. She was a soul like any other, and it pains me deeply to see her like this. Sticking with me has only given her problems, and yet she didn’t care, she saw me as someone in danger and gave it her all to keep me safe, eventually leading in giving her own life.” He choked a bit on his own words, some tears were starting to form. “Rose, if you’re listening, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything that I’ve made you go through, and I’m sorry that it ended like this. I just hope you’re happy wherever you are, because if there’s a single Pokémon that deserves it, it’s you. Thank you for everything you’ve done to me. I will never forget you.”

He looked at Mark for a second before slightly smiling and grabbing his paw. He was struggling to keep it together, but he didn’t mind.

As they went back into the crowd, some other members decided to give their own speech. Every single one of them was heartfelt and sincere. It was amazing how many connections and lives this Growlithe had touched.

Eventually, Rachel threw the dirt back into the hole. Rose was safe now. Guild members slowly left the lake after a while, until it was only the three of them.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye.” Rachel said. “I’m very glad to have met you two, even if it was in this dire situation. I know you two will be successful together, and I wish you the best.”

They gave each other a hug. “Thanks for everything, Rachel. I hope your travels go well.”

The hug eventually broke, and now there were only two people. They sat next to the grave, when Simon got something out of his bag. It was the thing he was staring at earlier this morning.

“I don’t think I have shown this. When I was bedridden, a friend of mine in the guild drew this for me. I don’t think you’ve met him, an Arctibax.”

“You know I don’t know species, Simon. I’ll see who you’re talking about when we get back.” He looked at the item. It was a framed drawing of… well, the three of them. Rose, Simon and Mark. “It’s… really cute, not going to lie. Am I really that shy, though?”

Simon laughed. “At the start, I’d say so.”

Mark grumbled, playfully of course. “I don’t know how to feel about me being in the center. I don’t feel that important.”

“It’s not about being important. It’s about commemorating the link all three of us had.” He placed the frame over the dirt, leaning on Rose’s gravestone. “I think she’d like it a lot, so I’m leaving it here, for her.”

“She would have loved it, for sure.”

Mark leaned on Simon’s shoulder. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The calmness was appreciated, it made his thoughts clearer. Right now, if there was one thing that he had as a goal, was to protect Simon and be with him. Didn’t matter what could happen, he’d be there, doing his best at keeping the one he loved safe.

“Hey, Mark?”

“Yeah?”

“I think you should open your eyes.”

He did as told only to find a reflective green-ish screen in front of him. The shock of it made it vanish. “What was that?”

“You don’t remember? You used that before. It’s Protect.”

“Wait… I did a move? On my own?” He focused, trying to recreate the feeling he was having. Sure enough, the green screen appeared again. “O-oh my god! I can do moves! I-I can fight now!”

Simon laughed, putting an arm behind the other as he shook out of excitement. “Well, I guess Lance has something new to do, huh? Maybe you can learn Retaliate too.”

As the excitement wore off, something else happened at that moment. A small portal appeared on the other side of the lake, dropping what looked like an unconscious Pokémon. Both of them ran to it, wondering what was happening.

“Uh… what species is this?”

“Chewtle. But what was that?”

As to answer their questions, the Chewtle woke up. They immediately jumped back at seeing the other two, they seemed scared.

“W-who are you? Where am I?” They looked at themselves for a single moment just to drop back to the ground. “What the hell happened to me?”

Mark knew what was happening. “Are you a human?”

“Y-yes! What’s going on?”

“Oh, so their plans have already begun. Alright, time for a new quest, Mark.”

Mark chuckled as they accompanied the new human to the guild. He was feeling happy. It was a new chapter in his life, one where he didn’t need to torment himself about what was going to happen. He was confident, ready for whatever the future gave him. After all, he could finally say it for real…

…this was the end of the story.