The Last Memory: Touko and N-4

Fear struck me hard, fiercely pounding itself against my chest. It caused every part of my body to tremble. I tried to take a step forward back into the tent, a step so heavy that I felt the urge to collapse. Another foot tried to urge itself further in, tried to get to closer to Ivy to ask her what was wrong. Those tears that coursed down her face and into Blake’s chest were not normal. She looked like she was trapped in pain, like every breath made a nail stick farther into her heart. Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Bianca’s hand wrapped against my arm, jerking me away from the dark tent and the ominous glow that came from twinkling lights inside. Her face was oblivious to the on goings of the tent, she smiled not knowing what I had seen, tugging me farther and farther away from Ivy and Blake. She pulled me behind her, taking me back toward the stand of Castelia Cones and the surrounding pink and white tables with their large umbrellas.

Cheren was still waiting in line, throwing me a smile as he spotted Bianca and me seating ourselves at a table.

“Bianca,” I began softly. “D-did you see Ivy?”

Bianca shook her head and she watched Cheren. “No. Why?” she asked.

I leaned further in Bianca’s direction so only she could hear. “She was crying right before we left.”

“Really?” Bianca turned to look at me with curiosity but shrugged it off, waving her hand to show me how much spotting Ivy crying was normal. A routine in our lives. “I wouldn’t worry, Blaise. You know how she is. A ticking bomb waiting to be set off and begin the waterworks. You know how she’s extremely sensitive and emotional,” she lectured, yawning into her hand. I frowned deeply.

Ivy was crying. And I knew it wasn’t anything about being extremely sensitive—a price for being extremely receptive to outside forces and cosmic forces unbeknownst to those surrounding her. Bianca was right, Ivy was emotional and sensitive, but her bouts of tears and hiccups never lasted long. The tears she was shedding minutes ago were different than the other tears she’d shed. It looked like she was crying for hours.

I closed my eyes and ground my teeth, clenching the edge of my chair. Counting to ten was the best option to perform as I tried to get a grip on myself. Ivy was scaring me and Bianca’s lack of interest was frustrating. When I opened my eyes I found that my knuckles were white as snow and that Bianca was casually but quickly fixing her make-up. I swallowed thickly and dug though my bag, spotting my journal. Pulling it out, I tried to think of adding another stanza, but found that nothing came to mind as all I could think of was poor Ivy. I snapped the journal close and shoved it back into the bag.

Later.

I’ll add to it later.

Cheren arrived quickly, Castelia Cones in hand. He passed them out to us and Bianca and I took no moment to begin attacking them, biting into the cream as we yelped at how cold it was but refreshing nonetheless. Cheren licked his ice cream thoughtfully and peered straight at me.

“Blaise? What’s wrong?” Cheren asked. Bianca paused, stopping mid-lick.

I licked my ice cream a few times before returning an answer to Cheren. “I saw Ivy crying.”

“Doesn’t she always cry?”

“That’s what I said,” Bianca added.

“It wasn’t the same, Cheren,” I begin. “She looked completely lost, like she was blaming herself for something. It wasn’t right.”

Cheren frowned “You think something is wrong.” It wasn’t a question, and it was almost like he was concerned, too, for Ivy’s well being. He was worried, that much was known.

“Yes,” I answered any way. “Extremely wrong.”

“We are dealing with an oracle here,” he reminded me, looking at Bianca.

Bianca eyes glazed over with memories. “Ghetsis,” she whispered quietly, remembering how Ivy had guessed—correctly—how Ghetsis and the others were hiding near the Pokémon League, how the simple fact was giving to her by visions, a blessing from Arceus. The terrible day bloomed before me and I was reminded again of N’s departure, leaving me all alone in the castle of fear and gold.

I turned away sharply and closed my eyes tight, counting to ten. The numbers were interrupted when Bianca spoke. “You should ask her what’s wrong,” she recommended. I opened my eyes.

“If you do, take these,” Cheren said, passing me two uneaten Castelia Cones, one for Ivy and Blake. I nodded briefly and finished my Castelia Cone. My hands gripped the cones tightly as I stood up to leave, pushing though the throng of people. Childhood memories surfaced painfully and I thought of the first line for the second stanza.

Years ran away, running and running.

Briefly, I thought how it would be if I saw N. Right now. What would it be like? I kept thinking, lines of words threading between my thoughts. Of course he’d be charming and handsome like he always was.

My heart broken, you were still stunning.

I thought of the birthday bash from last year. N crashed it to see me in the darkest hour of night, approaching me when I fled to the yard for a breath of air. He had asked me to dance to the fleeting music that was carried lightly to us by the breeze and I had accepted. The third line crept in.

I really missed our moonlight dance.

Ever since my first glance of N, our first conversation, I knew. It was him. It was always him and how could I explain? How could I explain it to others and N himself? I was hooked to the love he served me. He had always caught me in a daydream and what could I have done but fall?

What can I say, love? I was caught in your trance.

I could spot the tents now that lined the streets, searching for Ivy’s twinkling one. When I had found it, little chokes were heard. I hid between the folds of fabric.

“Ivy? Ivy, what’s wrong? Talk to me, please,” Blake strained. I peeked behind the folds.

Blake was rocking her as she cried into the crook of his shoulder. He held her tighter against him as he stroked her curls, shushing her softly.

“Shh, Ivy. What happened? What did you see?”

“Blaise,” she croaked, voice raspy and hoarse.

“What about her?”

“Something bad—” she hiccupped.

“What?” Blake asked.

“Something bad—” she hiccupped again. She sucked in a breath and pulled from him, staring straight into his eyes. Her eyes were watery and red, tired from crying. “Something bad is going to happen to her,” she finished, her bottom lip quivering. I noticed how her arms and legs were covered in goose bumps. She was shivering, strong waves of cold causing her body to convulse.

“Explain,” Blake begged.

Yes, please explain, Ivy, I thought, my own body shaking.

“She had little circles on her life line.” She held her hand to Blake and drew a line down her palm with a finger nail. “Those circles mean something bad is going to happen, like being hospitalized or injured.”

“Injured how? Emotionally or physically?”

“I don’t know!” she cried out hopelessly to Blake, mashing the heel of her palms to her eyes. Blake pulled her back into his arms and closed his eyes tight as he dropped his chin on the crown of head. He threaded his fingers in her hair and murmured to her softly, straining to comfort her in any way he could.

I was stunned. I couldn’t move. Something bad was headed my way and I’d be unprepared. My breath quickened and I closed my eyes tightly and this time, focused on counting to thirty, each second marred by one of Ivy’s gasps for breath.

Ivy had pulled herself together by the time thirty seconds was up, her tears vanishing but worry still there, etched into lines on her face and bright, receptive , green eyes. I needed to talk to her. Her and Blake.

“Ice cream?” I asked nervously, taking a tentative step into the tent. Ivy’s eyes widen in horror and Blake turned away from both our gazes, biting his lips nervously, wondering if I’ve been present since the beginning. I stepped closer to them and thrust out my hands, showing them the cones. I frowned when I realized that my hands were made sticky by melting cream, the slow moving liquid dripping down, down, down. They took the ice cream anyway, Blake already nervously licking it as Ivy just held it, the ice cream dripping down her hands too. I tried to wipe my hands on my shorts but Ivy held out a bundle of napkins towards me.

They knew.

They, in that moment that I stepped from the folds, knew that I had heard them. My shoulders slumped in fear and hopelessness. I had lost N.

They next thing I had to lose was my own life…or become seriously injured. But let’s face it; I’ve never been that lucky.

“Blaise,” Ivy began.

I shook my head quickly and shoved a lock of hair behind my ear. She didn’t have to explain or apologize. I brought my thumb to my mouth, biting my thumbnail and deciding what to say.

“What else did you see, Ivy?” I asked her. You were smart to figure out that Ivy could see past lines on your palms. This girl had visions, could see thing you didn’t want to be seen.

“Ivy?” I pressed.

She turned to look away from me but after a shy nod from Blake, turned to look back. Her eyes were soft and concerned. She played with her words before she spoke, deciding on the best way to approach me on the subject.

“It’s going to be N’s fault,” she whispered.

Ivy’s visions and techniques have never been proven wrong. She was always right.

I felt like I was moving though freezing water, each moment slow as I tried to push through it to get to the other side of sanity. I could not breathe—my chest hurt too much. I closed my eyes tightly as a jagged frown split my face. Clenching my fists, I felt nails spilt skin. I scrunched my face, listening to a sob break free from tight lips as my body shook harder and harder. Hot tears ran angrily down my cheeks and down my chin to the ground, mixing with melted ice cream.

I was going to end up hurt because of N.

Childhood memories, left forgotten,
I remember you, skin like soft cotton.
We wrote songs, straight from our fragile hearts,
Tears go down my face as I watched you depart.

Years ran away, running and running,
My heart broken, you were still stunning.
I really missed our moonlight dance,
What can I say, love? I was caught in your trance.