Just a special something I've set up so I have stuff for the next year's Valentine's. Hope you guys enjoy part one for now.
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Saffron City... a place usually assigned to technology and progress, where people from every part of the country went to, in order to try and have their projects financed by Silph Co., NihironÆs largest industrial potency. Of course, there were those who admitted the mystical potential of KantoÆs capital, as indicated by the very popular psychic and Gym Leader of their city, Sabrina, and the other popular attractions of the cityà but it seemed that, as time had been passing, these odd activities were simply not as interesting as they once were, and the technological museum was becoming fast one of the cityÆs landmarks.
It wasnÆt as if any of this mattered to the boy who was walking through the city gates, however, or to his female companion.
ôAhà finally, Saffron City! I was getting so tired of walkingàö the girl groaned, as she stretched her arms and legs, feeling her feet ache, inside their blue sneakers. Running a hand over her blue hair, she glanced at her friend, a familiar smile in her face. ôSay, why donÆt we go to the nearest snack bar and you buy me a soda and a few sandwiches, huh?ö
The boy flinched, upon hearing this, and readjusted his yellow cap, which was looking kinda off in his head, clashing against his black hair. ôOh, come on, Amandaà IÆm the Champion! DonÆt you think you should be thinking twice before asking me something like that?ö he asked, and the girl simply pressed her white coat against her body, before crossing her arms just below her chest, hidden behind a pink shirt.
ôNope! WeÆre friends first and youÆre Champion second! DonÆt think about forgetting that!ö she told him, and he sighed. True, she had told him she was going to keep going with him, not being guided, but as a friend now, but he didnÆt want her to keep annoying him like that!
But then again, girls were weird. At one moment, they were all playful and annoying youà the very next, they were honestly angry if you did something like ignore them. Even with the PokÚmon, this seemed to happen, and he was not sure why. The only guess he could hazard was that girls, before they were women, had as their intention in life to torture boys the best ways they could.
Stillà he did wish she was nicer, like that other girl they had met, a while agoà
ôHello? Earth to Hiro!!! Pay some attention!ö Amanda cried out, and the boy blinked, before shaking his head. His thoughts were quickly dispelled, and he turned to his friend.
ôWhat is it, Amanda?ö he asked, and the girl pointed towards a distant, yet rather familiar building. A sign to the side was the indication û the large æGYMÆ word imprinted on it was the indication that this, indeed, was the cityÆs Gym, where people battled the strongest trainer of the city, in order to earn one of the eight Badges they needed to join the various tournaments the region had, and have a chance at becoming the Champion.
The reason Hiro knew that was because he was the current Champion, a fact that had proved to be as much of a curse as a benefit, to him; every day, he was challenged by a horde of trainers, who knew he was the Champion and thus wanted to defeat him, in order to bypass the previous process entirely.
ôI seeà you want me to go there and fight the Gym Leader, IÆll bet?ö With her nod, he frowned. ôAmanda, we donÆt have time to do this, you know? I want to take a rest from battlingà donÆt you remember how many challengers there were, the past few days? I could barely rest while we were walking!ö
The blue-haired girlÆs eyes began to wet themselves, and she looked at him with very pleading eyes, putting her hands on his red and white jacket. ôAww, pleeeeeeease, Hiro! WeÆve met all the Gym Leaders of Johto and battled them, and weÆve even met the Elite Four! I just want to see whoever this Gym Leader is in action, before we do anything else! CanÆt you do that for me, please?ö she begged, but HiroÆs eyes were clearly not budging.
ôMy PokÚmon are still exhausted, or did you forget that? We arenÆt here to keep fighting Gym Leaders, either! WeÆre here because I wanted a vacation from Johto and Elm told me that this region was great for it!ö he told her, before sighing. ôThough now I think he was planning this all alongà I donÆt like it, not at all.ö
ôBut Hiroàö
ôBut nothing, Amanda! Nothing! YouÆre not making me go in that place as we are right now, unless you want to see me lose horribly badly and have everyone get mad at me for losing, then theyÆll get mad at you for making me go through this! WeÆre going to stay far from that Gym, unless you want my mom on your case,ö he finished the argument, before beginning to walk away.
Amanda, however, still had one last trump. ôWhat about the Copycats? They wanted you to meet up with the ones from here as soon as possible, before a problem happened!ö she told him, and he sighed, before turning around.
ôYouÆre rightà gah. LetÆs go there already before you keep annoying me with this, then,ö he decided, before walking in the direction of the Gym. Amanda gave a cry of happiness, hopping onto the air shortly after, her yellow and black shorts flapping a bit with the wind.
ôYay! Now to go and see what those weird cosplayers want!ö she called out, before running after him.
à
Minutes later, they were slumping along the ground, trying to get past the killing sun above. ôIà hateà middaysàö Hiro groaned, as he was on the verge of fainting. To his side, Amanda tripped on her own feet, falling face first and pulling the 12-year old boy with her.
ôGahà sorry, Hiroà IÆm just so out of it, nowàö she apologized, and he just grumbled, before trying to get up. Unfortunately, he was too exhausted, and he fell down again, but without as much pain this time.
ôGreatà IÆm tired, hungry, you made me go all this way to the Gym when we canÆt even get there, and weÆre too exhausted to do anything anymore. This really, really sucks,ö he commented, glaring at her. The girl gave a weak smile, but when her eyes closed and the smile faltered, he blinked, surprised. ôAmanda?ö No response. ôAmanda, are you okay?!ö
While the girl seemed to still be breathing, it was obvious she was unwell; Hiro was getting worried about her. ôGreatà Can anyone help us?! Hello! Someone at all!ö he cried out loud, but to no avail; nobody was around to help themà and the sidewalk was feeling so awfully hot nowà ôHelp! Please, someone, anyone at all! Help us!ö
Time still passed on, and he was beginning to despairà this just wasnÆt fair! He had to help Amanda, or else everything would get worse! ôSomebody, please! Help us!ö he repeated, but the last words seemed to hurt his throatà and he had to gasp. It wasnÆt just hurtà it was dry.
ôPleaseàö he begged, one last timeà and to his surprise, he felt a pair of hands pulling him up, raising him onto the air, and then giving him support. He managed to see a red shirt, realizing what that meant.
ôHere, drink this,ö a voice, probably the person, spoke to him, and he saw a bottle of water coming in his direction. As he opened his mouth, the bottle was pressed against his lips, and then curved upwards. The cold liquid went inside his throat, nearly gagging him, but he managed to swallow enough to go down his stomach, although he reeled back afterwards. His stomach had done a jump from the sudden intrusion, and he had been taken along with the ride.
As the bottle was pulled away from his mouth, he took a few deep breaths, trying to sustain himself better than the slump he was in, as well as look around himself. Indeed, the person who was raising him was a familiar-looking black-haired stranger with glasses that hid his eyes from sight and a red shirt and black pants. To their side, a similar-looking person, but shorter, was helping Amanda up and onto her feet, as well as giving her water. He couldnÆt help but give a nice smile, as he watched her slowly wake up.
ôThanksàö he told them, before trying to force his feet into standing by themselves. It took a short while, considering that he was still lacking energy, but he eventually managed to walk over three steps and just need the personÆs support to not lose his balance.
ôYouÆre welcome, Hiro. We were getting worried you two wouldnÆt come any soon,ö the person who held him said, and he shrugged.
ôLet me guessà youÆre Fen, I suppose?ö he asked, and the man nodded.
ôYes, thatÆs meà Fendell Mane, the official Copycat of Saffron City and Gym Helper to the rookies all around. ThatÆs my brother, Ganesh Mane, but we call him Gan for the obvious reason,ö he explained, making the boy laugh. ôAs for you twoà what happened to you, exactly? We hadnÆt thought you would be that exhausted, considering how early you left Vermillionà Han told us you left really early.ö
ôBlame the trainers on the wayàö Hiro replied, resting his head backwards. ôAll of them thought it would be easier for them to get you guys out of a job by beating me without the Elite Four Challenge. Then we got here five minutes ago, and began heading here straight ahead.ö
As if to reply to that, AmandaÆs belly gave a lousy grumble, which was followed by his own. ôàand I suppose we didnÆt really get a chance to have lunch yet,ö the girl admitted, making both Copycats grin at that, before leading them away.
ôI see, I seeà no worries, then. WeÆll take you guys to our houseà we were going to lead you there anyway, but I suppose having some good lunch will be a nice icebreaker,ö Gan told them, his voice sounding a bit deeper and harsher than FenÆs. ôWhat do you guys want, anyway?ö
ôGrumpig!ö Amanda cried out, in her typical cheerfulness, while Hiro sighed.
ôSame, I supposeàö he grudgingly said, as the older brother nodded calmly.
ôVery well. Thank goodness that our mother is doing the cooking today and that we happen to have these two in stock,ö he told them, in that usually calm tone of his. The blue-haired girl gave a cry of joy, while her companion watched the city as they walked, distractedly.
à
After a good while of walking, the four finally reached their destination, Amanda nearly falling to the ground from exhaustion again. While Gan kept her up, Hiro took his time to take a good look onto the building. Like most of SaffronÆs buildings, it was made in a more modern style, although it looked rundown; it probably was old enough to have been built in his grandparentsÆ day. It was also two stories tall.
ôThis is your house?ö he asked, and Fen nodded, before releasing him. As the boy began to walk normally again, Fen took out a key holster from his pocket, which had about a dozen keys or so, and proceeded to choose one of them. After he was done, he inserted the key into the doorÆs keyhole, twisting it twice, and unlocking the door for them.
ôWell, come on in,ö he told them, before opening the door. Hiro and Gan helped Amanda inside, one arm slung over her and vice-versa, the boy going inside first, followed by the older man. The other Copycat waited until they were all inside, before going in as well, closing the door afterwards.
Inside the building, they were in what looked like a small flat; the hall was right to their side, the dining room easily visible from the front, and a stairway at the end of the corridor, which led to the second floor. It looked fairly clean, although the state of the building wasnÆt much better than ædeplorableÆ, what with the squeaky wooden floors and the light dust covering that was on the floor. The hall had a couple of couches and a small TV in front of them.
Sitting down on the leftmost couch, the two kids looked at Fen, with a pleading gaze, as Gan walked towards the dining room. ôSo, thenà what did you guys want from us?ö Amanda began, taking a deep breath.
Fen did the same. ôWellà we heard from our relatives from Johto how good of a helper you are, Hiro. You helped people in Azalea, Goldenrod, Olivine, and Mahogany, all because they needed to be helpedà and, well, it turns out we have a problem in one hands weÆd like you to help us with, too.ö
ôWhat kind of problem?ö the capped boy asked, and the Copycat pointed at the ceiling. Both kids looked towards it, not knowing what exactly he wanted them to seeà other than some bland plaster that seemed in the verge of breaking apart.
ôItÆs over thereà but we can talk about it after lunch; right now, you two are starving, and our mother is already close to finishing the preparations, as well. It might take a while for the meat to come, but you can have some appetizers before that, canÆt you?ö he told them, watching with amusement as Amanda drooled, hungrily, and HiroÆs eyes took a longing shine to them.
ôFoodàö the blue-haired girl moaned, slumping back against her seat in a daze. As Fen watched the other direction, waiting for Gan to return, Hiro happened to glance upon a picture on top of the table, which had various little children, all boys with black hair.
ôI was wonderingà whatÆs with your family?ö he asked, and Fen turned towards him. ôYou guys all look alike enough that you can try to pass off as each others, and you all specialize in doing precisely thatà why does this happen to you guys?ö
ôWellàö the Copycat began, looking at the picture, ôI think itÆs genetic, like the Joy family and the Jenny family. Our family has a high propensity for male children, and weÆre born almost like twins, but with some differences. Our hair color doesnÆt ever change, though. Then, since our Copycat Arts are done the best by family members, we teach each others how to do it, so that we can keep aiding people who need the counseling.ö He took a breath. ôThat picture is kinda old, thoughà it was taken thirteen years ago.ö
Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, then at him. ôEH?!ö they cried out loud, Amanda continuing. ôBut thenà how old are you?ö
Fen grinned, before taking a round cap from his clothing and putting it over his head, as well as pulling out two black æhornsÆ from the back of it. ôDonÆt go around asking a lady this kind of question! IÆm not that old, you know?!ö he told them, his voice very high-pitched and sounding like AmandaÆs.
As Hiro broke into laughter, the girl became flustered. ôI donÆt sound like that!ö she snapped, weakly, while the Copycat took his stuff away. He was also beginning to snicker. ôI do not!ö
ôSorry, Amandaà but you do sound like that,ö her companion told her, making the girl pale. Before things could get more complicated, however, Gan reappeared, a grin in his face.
ôLunch time, guys.ö
à
The dining room was quaint, in its own way. It had a large table, with a white and green tablecloth, and two vases in-between the seating areas. There were also ten chairs, four set on each side, and two on the front, plates and tableware in front of five of these. On top of the table, the food was already being set up, with a bowl full of rice and some roasted potatoes, as well as another bowl with bean soup in it.
ôTake your places,ö Gan told them, and both kids sat on the right side of the table, closer to the kitchen. The two Copycats went to the other side, Fen sitting in front of Hiro and Gan sitting in front of Amanda. The other seat was empty, but soon the cook appeared; she was a rather young-looking woman, considering she was probably in her early forties, with long, light blue hair and wearing a black dress and white apron. In her hands, she held a plate with a roasted GrumpigÆs body, lacking a head.
ôWhich one of you two asked for the Grumpig?ö she asked, in a sweet tone, and Amanda raised her hand, smiling with hunger clearly visible in her eyes.
ôMe, me, me!ö she cried out, and the woman put the plate on the table, before taking a large fork and knife, beginning to cut a good piece of the chest for her. Hiro looked at them, and noticing there seemed to be a permission of sorts, he took several spoonfuls of rice, as well as some of the bean soup. Fen and Gan took their own servings, afterwards, and the woman served some more of the PokÚmonÆs meat to the boy, while Amanda dug into it with fervor.
ôMmm!!! Dhish ish sho dhelhichioush!ö she proclaimed, a couple of moments later, having half-chewed the meat in her mouth. The womanÆs smile strained a bit.
ôDear, please donÆt talk with a full mouthàö she pleaded, and Amanda just went back to chewing and eating, while Hiro put as much rice as possible in his mouth, trying to eat it all at once.
ôMy, they sure were starvingàö Fen couldnÆt help but comment, and Gan nodded.
ôIt sure seems like that, brother. At least we know they are enjoying lunchà I wonder if theyÆll enjoy dinner, as well.ö With that, the blue-haired girl gulped down what she currently had in her mouth, looking straight at them.
ôDinner, too?! Yay, Hiro! We found the best place ever!ö she cried out, before beginning to scarf the food down again. Her black-haired companion, who was eating some potatoes now, gave a shrug and looked down to his plate.
However, before anyone could react, two PokÚmon suddenly came out of the two kidsÆ PokÚballs, releasing themselves and forcing their bodies out. The one to HiroÆs side, a short, snouted yellow and black mole, stood up on his hind legs, his eyes hidden behind his eyelids. To AmandaÆs side, a very feminine green quadruped with a leaf in the top of her head and what looked like a necklace made of several seeds blinked twice, looking at the food in front of them.
ô<Food!!!>ö she cried out, in joy, and tried to jump onto the girlÆs lap û something that was difficult, considering she was too small for that. The other PokÚmon turned to Hiro, his closed eyes looking like he was frowning.
ô<Hey! WhatÆs the big idea, Hiro?! We were supposed to go to the PokÚmon Center to heal, you know that! IÆm exhausted of fighting all those guys so much!>ö he complained, and Hiro sighed, before putting down his fork and knife. Before he could speak, however, the PokÚmon continued. ô<Oh, and give me some food! IÆm smelling Grumpig meat, which is only slightly as great as milk when it comes to food, and I want some legs! Give me some delicious legs!>ö
ôWill you calm down?!ö the capped boy told his PokÚmon, before turning towards him. ôLook, weÆre kinda busy right now, Flammie, couldnÆt you wait until we were done here to ask for food?ö
ô<Nuh-uh! Give us food! WeÆre hungry! I want legs!>ö was the response, and Hiro slapped his own face, before picking up the Cyndaquil and getting him on the other chair. He then turned towards the other PokÚmon, to AmandaÆs side.
ôHey, Leda, can you please come over here?ö he asked, and the PokÚmon frowned, before walking towards him.
ô<What is it, Hiro? I want some food, too! IÆm starving no thanks to the two of you, making us fight so much and so hard!>ö she complained, but Hiro took his plate and put it on the ground, right by her side.
ôJust eat ità at least thereÆs more than enough plates for the rest of us,ö he told her, before moving his hands to the fork and knife on the Grumpig. ôOne leg coming upàö
As they watched this, the blue-haired woman looked back and forth between them. ôUmà is he okay?ö she asked Amanda, who smiled and nodded.
ôYeah, donÆt worry. HeÆs just feeding them. ThatÆs usually how these things go, anyway,ö the blue-haired girl explained, before taking another bite off the meat in her plate. While Hiro took another plate to start picking food again, Fen and Gan just sighed.
ôI think we may have made a mistakeàö the taller brother commented, before the other glared at him.
ôYou think?!ö
à
Eventually, the meal was finished without very much trouble, other than Flammie asking for attention and Leda trying to get on HiroÆs lap. While the CopycatsÆ mother began to clean up the table, Fen got up from his seat.
ôWell, then, if you would please follow meà I suppose it is time for an explanation,ö he said, walking towards the corridor. Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, then at Gan, who nodded and motioned for them to go ahead. The two then got up, starting to follow him, Leda and Flammie trailing after.
ôSo, Fenà what is it that you wanted to talk to us about?ö Amanda asked, but he didnÆt respond immediately; instead, he led them towards the staircase, which was of the winding kind.
ôHiroà I suppose you remember what Lan told you, back in Olivine, right?ö he started, as he began walking. ôæCopycat Arts are a gift, and a way of life; only with the true heart and soul for it, can our arts be maintained perfectly.Æ That was it, right?ö
The capped boy nodded. ôYeahà he told me that when I lost to Jasmine, the first time. He then went on to explain how this applied to everything, including actual battling,ö he replied, before looking at him. ôWhy, what happened?ö
ôThat sayingà it isnÆt just an expression we use to try and invoke competence on others; in our case, it is just like breathing and thinking is to usà it is a part of us, and how we must maintain these to keep ourselves in our perfect spiritsà the spirits needed for being able to copy others,ö Fen explained, glancing downwards. ôHoweverà one of us has lost the heart and soulà and with that, lost herself.ö
ôWhat?!ö Amanda cried out, in surprise. ôAà person who lost herself?ö
ôIndeed. It sounds oddà but it is true. We actually lost this personà and all that is left is the shell of herself,ö he went on, leaving the stairs and walking through another corridor, heading towards a door. On the top, the letters æAÆ, æHÆ, æOÆ, and æVÆ were marked, in order, and it currently had a small Clefairy doodle over the æAÆ. ôIÆm asking you two to stay quiet, for nowà we canÆt disturb her. The way she reacts, when she gets disturbedà itÆs too scary for us. Do you understand that?ö
Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, before nodding. However, instead of replying, they looked at both PokÚmon on the floor, who were staring at them, confused. ô<What? WhatÆs the problem, Hiro?>ö the Chikorita asked, before being glared at by Flammie. ô<Hey, whatÆs your problem, huh?>ö
ô<IsnÆt it obvious?!>ö he asked, irritated. ô<TheyÆre worried youÆre going to make noises and disturb whoever lives here! That means you should shut up and clam down before you get sent back in your PokÚball!>ö
Leda looked at him, offended. ô<Why, youà IÆm going to be much more quiet than you can be, if thatÆs the best you can do!>ö she snarled, her voice much less louder now. Flammie grinned, even as he turned his head away, raising his snout.
ô<Hah! IÆm much more quiet than you are! IÆm a mole after all!>ö he replied, confident, his voice as quiet as hers. Hiro sweatdropped.
ôI think we can do this now, Fen,ö he commented, his voice quiet as well. After Amanda nodded, Fen opened the door, slowly. The room inside looked like a typical girlÆs bedroom, despite the bland yellow color, what with it having several posters and dolls, though they were rather strewn around, messily. Strangely enough, there was a small Doduo walking around, short enough that he could grab onto the doorknob without having to bend either neck in any direction. The four bland-looking eyes were staring directly at Hiro and Amanda, with some curiosity.
ôI think we can do this now, Fen,ö he said, with one head, sounding like Hiro. While the group stared at him, confused, Fen just smiled and approached him, patting the head that spoke.
ôNice to see you, Tetra. Is Ann still like that?ö he asked, and the two-headed PokÚmon nodded with his free head, before turning towards the bed. Now that they were paying more attention, the group could see that a green-haired girl was sitting in it, looking rather sad. Her eyes were rather devoid of life, and she was staring at the closed windows, breathing quietly, wrapping her arms around her legs. It was obvious she was in her pajamas, and the expression she had seemed to indicate she hadnÆt moved from that spot for a while now.
ôIs sheàö Amanda whispered, nervously, and Fen nodded. The older man walked around Tetra, the two-headed PokÚmon staring at both him and the group, and approached the girl sitting down in the bed.
ôHey, there. How are things today?ö he asked, smiling, but the girl just stared at the windows, mutely.
ôSadàö she whispered, barely a breath, before trembling lightly; he had put one hand on her shoulder. ôWant itàö
ôDonÆt worryà donÆt worryàö the Copycat elder spoke, still keeping his calm demeanor; however, it seemed obvious that it was strained and sad, and even somewhat forced; like he was just pretending to be happy, and this situation only broke his heart further. ôItÆs all going to be okay. ItÆs all going to be okayà I even invited some friends to meet you. Could you greet them, at the very least?ö
ôàmaybeàö she managed to say, before falling silent. FenÆs smile fell, and he got up, turning towards Hiro. With a swift nod of his head, he indicated that he should come closer, which the boy reluctantly did.
ôUmà hello there. Your name is Ann, right?ö he asked, followed by Amanda shortly after. Ann slowly turned her head towards him, in disbelief.
ôIà donÆt know. Everyone says thatÆs my name, butà I donÆt think IÆm who they think I am,ö she replied, licking her lips. Apparently, they had become dry. ôDoà do you know who I am?ö
ôYou donÆt know who you are?ö Amanda asked, distressed. ôBut how can this be? YouÆre someone, at least you should know that!ö Ann looked at her, her eyes tearing upà and she had to stare at the blue-haired girl with that still-distressing look.
ôAmà am I really someone?ö she rebutted, her voice waning. ôIà I donÆt have a nameà I donÆt have an identityà why do people think I have one? Ià IÆm not the person they believe I amàö
ôButàö Hiro started speaking, only to receive a similar look from her, which really confused him. ôYou do have a name and identity, right? All you have to do is remember it, and then you can-ö
ôI canÆtà I canÆt rememberàö the green-haired girl panted, her eyes still open and looking at him. ôI donÆt know who I amà I donÆt know what I amà I donÆt knowà I donÆt knowà I donÆtàö That was too much for her; she broke into tears, turning away from them. ôI donÆt knowà I donÆt knowà I donÆt knowàö
Fen approached her again, wrapping a blanket around her; this wasnÆt enough to stop her crying, but she seemed to stop trembling in fear from the warm contact. ôShhà itÆll be okayàö he whispered, in a calming tone. ôEverythingÆs fineà donÆt worry about anythingà just let yourself relaxàö Slowly, Ann seemed to stop crying, but she still stood like that, hugging the blanket tightly. Fen got up again, and approached Tetra.
ôKeep her company. DonÆt disturb her, and just stay by her side. DonÆt hurt her, either,ö he instructed the Doduo, before walking out. The way he left seemed to be a cue; Hiro and Amanda walked after him, taking their PokÚmon with them as well.
Once they were out, Fen closed the door. ôThat went well,ö he muttered, sarcastically. ôAt least she reacted better than the last time someone tried to convince her of thatà she only cried in tears, and not in screams.ö
ôàIÆm sorry,ö Hiro apologized, looking down. While the man sighed, Amanda looked back at the room.
ôButà what exactly happened to her?ö she asked, and Fen looked back at her.
ôWe donÆt know exactly what happened to her, as in what disease she has or what it isà but we know what was the reason for her sudden isolation and fear of contact,ö he began again, standing to the side of the door. ôThree years agoà she received a PokÚmon Doll from a kid, about your age or so. It was a small Clefairy Doll, very cute in shape. The kid had probably heard that she had been selected by the PokÚmon League to be one of the TM givers, at the time, and since she loved dollsà that was what anyone needed to do to get one; give her a doll.
ôSurprisingly enough, to us, she actually kept the doll longer; I donÆt think she kept it due to any affection to the kid, but mainly because of the PokÚmon itselfà I think she loved Clefairies, and she always wanted to have one. The doll was a way to pretend she, indeed, had oneà she carried it up and down, everywhere, and treated it a lot like a real PokÚmon.ö He sighed, at that point. ôMaybe that was the problemàö
ôWhat happened?ö Amanda asked, and Fen continued.
ôOne month ago, Vermillion was having a fair. It was somewhat unique, considering how bustling and mechanical that city tends to beà so when we went there, well, it was quite the look; it was more of a carnival than anything. During the whole day, we stuck together as well as we couldà but at one point, we got separated. ThatÆs when it happenedà
ôWhile the three of us were busy doing something, we had left Ann on one of the rides, a merry-go-round. When we left her, she was still cheerful, clutching the doll on her armsà but by the time we came back, she was gripping the Ponyta she was riding, tightly, her expression one of fright. Her doll was nowhere in sight, eitherà and when we realized this, we began running around the park, asking everyone if they had seen it. Unfortunately, nobody hadà and by the time the fair was over, we still hadnÆt found it. We had to return, even though Ann was screaming, pleading, doing anything to go backàö
Fen took another breath, sighing. ôThat was apparently it; by the time we got home, Ann was barely responsive. She didnÆt seem to recognize us, and while she did obey us, it was obvious that she was doing it out of some sort of sympathyà because she didnÆt remember who she was. As I saidà she lost herself, when she lost that doll. We tried to search for it for weeks, but eventually, we gave upà nobody had seen it. By that time, she was like what you guys saw,ö he motioned towards the door, sadly, ômute and disbelieving. She doesnÆt believe she is Annà she thinks she is some other girl, apparently someone who doesnÆt deserve being part of our familyà or even being Ann. She doesnÆt believe in copycatting others, either, howeverà she doesnÆt have any real beliefs anymore. She justà exists, I guess.ö
As he finished, he noticed Amanda was nearly crying, while Hiro looked at the door, disturbed. In the ground, Leda was looking at them in disbelief, apparently finding the whole thing stupid, while Flammie was frowning and looking at Hiro.
ôThatÆs soà itÆs so sadàö the blue-haired girl sniffled, while her Chikorita glared at her.
ô<Oh, come on! That girl isnÆt ælostÆ! SheÆs right there! SheÆs only crazy!>ö she grumbled, in a quiet voice. Flammie approached the capped boy, tugging on his sock.
ô<Hey, Hiro!>ö he called out, as the boy looked towards him. ô<Are you going to just stand there, waiting?! We donÆt have time for this, you know?>ö
Hiro glared at him, hearing that. ôWhy, youà canÆt you see sheÆs in trouble?! We need to help her, alright?ö he snapped back, kneeling down and picking the Cyndaquil under his arms.
ô<Well, we arenÆt going to get anything right if we stay here, idiot!>ö was the annoyed reply, as Flammie seemed to snarl. ô<Besides, we still need to see more of the cityà and Molly and the others are bound to want to get some better rest than stay in their PokÚballs for the rest of the day!>ö
Hiro blinked, before the Fire-type PokÚmon continued. ô<After all, you help everyone else too much! Yet, when any of your PokÚmon need some recovery, you simply ignore them for the sake of others! What kind of trainer do you think you are, anyway, huh?!>ö
ôAlright, already! You winàö the boy called out, exhausted. He then turned towards Fen. ôSorryà but our PokÚmon are in need to rest and recovery. Could you indicate us where the PokÚmon Center is, for now?ö
ôY-youÆre leaving already?!ö Fen stammered, in surprise. Hiro blinked, before shaking his head fast.
ôNot at all! We justàö he began, but his legs trembled for a bit, and he had to support himself in the wall around. ôWe just havenÆt had any rest since this morningà and our PokÚmon, who were the ones doing all the battling for us, must be just as exhausted! All we need is just a bit of time for ourselves, okay?ö
Fen glared at him, for a moment, but the Copycat eventually relented. ôFineà itÆs still early, anyway. You guys can come sleep here by eight oÆclock, if you want. Just do tell us if youÆre going to leave the city, okay?ö
ôWill do!ö Amanda cried out, cheerfully, before helping Hiro up and leading him downstairs, followed by their PokÚmon. ôWeÆll see you guys later!ö
à
Several minutes and a few instructions later, the duo and their PokÚmon was finally stopping at the PokÚmon Center of Saffron City, only several blocks away. By this time, Amanda was the one who needed help getting up, so Hiro was under her arm, giving her support.
ôOh, dear!ö the nurse in the building stammered, as she noticed their still-ragged state. ôWhat happened to you? You look like you had a meeting with an Onix!ö
ôThe Onix mustÆve won,ö Hiro joked, as they limped towards the counter. ôWe need to have our PokÚmon recovered, pleaseà and if it would be possible, could she take a shower here?ö
ôWhy, of course! Right away!ö the pink-haired woman replied, before walking around it and taking Amanda in her arms. While Hiro took her PokÚballs, she was led away from the hallway, towards a different room.
ôYou take care of them, Hiroàö she replied, breathing heavily. The boy nodded, before slowly walking towards a nearby couch, slumping down on it.
ôThis is such a choreàö he sighed, looking around. To his luck, the room was empty, meaning that he could relax somewhat and think up on what had just happened, back then.
ôThat girl, Annà she acted so weirdly. æLose herselfÆà is that even possible? She acted like some sort of amnesiacàö he thought out loud, lying back against the soft cushions. ôWhy, though, is the question. Fen said she acted like that because of a PokÚmon doll, one that she had lost in a fairà and apparently, that she thought was real.ö
He turned a bit, noticing Flammie was trying to climb on the couch, and just allowed himself to relax some more. ôThe first place that can be checked is Vermillionà though we just came from there. Then again, I think we should go there tomorrow or so, first we need to know more about Ann. Maybe if we checked the other roomsàö
The previous position didnÆt seem to help much, as the capped boy turned to the other side, now facing the couchÆs back. He also was slumping lower, lying down on the couch, a yawn starting to try and come into his lips. The Cyndaquil, having managed to climb up, was curling up and to the side of his head, yawning louder.
ôHnà I think I should probably take a nap, for nowà itÆs not like Amanda will come any soon out of that bathroomàö he grumbled, one last time, before closing his eyes. A few moments later, the two of them were fast asleep.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Saffron City... a place usually assigned to technology and progress, where people from every part of the country went to, in order to try and have their projects financed by Silph Co., NihironÆs largest industrial potency. Of course, there were those who admitted the mystical potential of KantoÆs capital, as indicated by the very popular psychic and Gym Leader of their city, Sabrina, and the other popular attractions of the cityà but it seemed that, as time had been passing, these odd activities were simply not as interesting as they once were, and the technological museum was becoming fast one of the cityÆs landmarks.
It wasnÆt as if any of this mattered to the boy who was walking through the city gates, however, or to his female companion.
ôAhà finally, Saffron City! I was getting so tired of walkingàö the girl groaned, as she stretched her arms and legs, feeling her feet ache, inside their blue sneakers. Running a hand over her blue hair, she glanced at her friend, a familiar smile in her face. ôSay, why donÆt we go to the nearest snack bar and you buy me a soda and a few sandwiches, huh?ö
The boy flinched, upon hearing this, and readjusted his yellow cap, which was looking kinda off in his head, clashing against his black hair. ôOh, come on, Amandaà IÆm the Champion! DonÆt you think you should be thinking twice before asking me something like that?ö he asked, and the girl simply pressed her white coat against her body, before crossing her arms just below her chest, hidden behind a pink shirt.
ôNope! WeÆre friends first and youÆre Champion second! DonÆt think about forgetting that!ö she told him, and he sighed. True, she had told him she was going to keep going with him, not being guided, but as a friend now, but he didnÆt want her to keep annoying him like that!
But then again, girls were weird. At one moment, they were all playful and annoying youà the very next, they were honestly angry if you did something like ignore them. Even with the PokÚmon, this seemed to happen, and he was not sure why. The only guess he could hazard was that girls, before they were women, had as their intention in life to torture boys the best ways they could.
Stillà he did wish she was nicer, like that other girl they had met, a while agoà
ôHello? Earth to Hiro!!! Pay some attention!ö Amanda cried out, and the boy blinked, before shaking his head. His thoughts were quickly dispelled, and he turned to his friend.
ôWhat is it, Amanda?ö he asked, and the girl pointed towards a distant, yet rather familiar building. A sign to the side was the indication û the large æGYMÆ word imprinted on it was the indication that this, indeed, was the cityÆs Gym, where people battled the strongest trainer of the city, in order to earn one of the eight Badges they needed to join the various tournaments the region had, and have a chance at becoming the Champion.
The reason Hiro knew that was because he was the current Champion, a fact that had proved to be as much of a curse as a benefit, to him; every day, he was challenged by a horde of trainers, who knew he was the Champion and thus wanted to defeat him, in order to bypass the previous process entirely.
ôI seeà you want me to go there and fight the Gym Leader, IÆll bet?ö With her nod, he frowned. ôAmanda, we donÆt have time to do this, you know? I want to take a rest from battlingà donÆt you remember how many challengers there were, the past few days? I could barely rest while we were walking!ö
The blue-haired girlÆs eyes began to wet themselves, and she looked at him with very pleading eyes, putting her hands on his red and white jacket. ôAww, pleeeeeeease, Hiro! WeÆve met all the Gym Leaders of Johto and battled them, and weÆve even met the Elite Four! I just want to see whoever this Gym Leader is in action, before we do anything else! CanÆt you do that for me, please?ö she begged, but HiroÆs eyes were clearly not budging.
ôMy PokÚmon are still exhausted, or did you forget that? We arenÆt here to keep fighting Gym Leaders, either! WeÆre here because I wanted a vacation from Johto and Elm told me that this region was great for it!ö he told her, before sighing. ôThough now I think he was planning this all alongà I donÆt like it, not at all.ö
ôBut Hiroàö
ôBut nothing, Amanda! Nothing! YouÆre not making me go in that place as we are right now, unless you want to see me lose horribly badly and have everyone get mad at me for losing, then theyÆll get mad at you for making me go through this! WeÆre going to stay far from that Gym, unless you want my mom on your case,ö he finished the argument, before beginning to walk away.
Amanda, however, still had one last trump. ôWhat about the Copycats? They wanted you to meet up with the ones from here as soon as possible, before a problem happened!ö she told him, and he sighed, before turning around.
ôYouÆre rightà gah. LetÆs go there already before you keep annoying me with this, then,ö he decided, before walking in the direction of the Gym. Amanda gave a cry of happiness, hopping onto the air shortly after, her yellow and black shorts flapping a bit with the wind.
ôYay! Now to go and see what those weird cosplayers want!ö she called out, before running after him.
à
Minutes later, they were slumping along the ground, trying to get past the killing sun above. ôIà hateà middaysàö Hiro groaned, as he was on the verge of fainting. To his side, Amanda tripped on her own feet, falling face first and pulling the 12-year old boy with her.
ôGahà sorry, Hiroà IÆm just so out of it, nowàö she apologized, and he just grumbled, before trying to get up. Unfortunately, he was too exhausted, and he fell down again, but without as much pain this time.
ôGreatà IÆm tired, hungry, you made me go all this way to the Gym when we canÆt even get there, and weÆre too exhausted to do anything anymore. This really, really sucks,ö he commented, glaring at her. The girl gave a weak smile, but when her eyes closed and the smile faltered, he blinked, surprised. ôAmanda?ö No response. ôAmanda, are you okay?!ö
While the girl seemed to still be breathing, it was obvious she was unwell; Hiro was getting worried about her. ôGreatà Can anyone help us?! Hello! Someone at all!ö he cried out loud, but to no avail; nobody was around to help themà and the sidewalk was feeling so awfully hot nowà ôHelp! Please, someone, anyone at all! Help us!ö
Time still passed on, and he was beginning to despairà this just wasnÆt fair! He had to help Amanda, or else everything would get worse! ôSomebody, please! Help us!ö he repeated, but the last words seemed to hurt his throatà and he had to gasp. It wasnÆt just hurtà it was dry.
ôPleaseàö he begged, one last timeà and to his surprise, he felt a pair of hands pulling him up, raising him onto the air, and then giving him support. He managed to see a red shirt, realizing what that meant.
ôHere, drink this,ö a voice, probably the person, spoke to him, and he saw a bottle of water coming in his direction. As he opened his mouth, the bottle was pressed against his lips, and then curved upwards. The cold liquid went inside his throat, nearly gagging him, but he managed to swallow enough to go down his stomach, although he reeled back afterwards. His stomach had done a jump from the sudden intrusion, and he had been taken along with the ride.
As the bottle was pulled away from his mouth, he took a few deep breaths, trying to sustain himself better than the slump he was in, as well as look around himself. Indeed, the person who was raising him was a familiar-looking black-haired stranger with glasses that hid his eyes from sight and a red shirt and black pants. To their side, a similar-looking person, but shorter, was helping Amanda up and onto her feet, as well as giving her water. He couldnÆt help but give a nice smile, as he watched her slowly wake up.
ôThanksàö he told them, before trying to force his feet into standing by themselves. It took a short while, considering that he was still lacking energy, but he eventually managed to walk over three steps and just need the personÆs support to not lose his balance.
ôYouÆre welcome, Hiro. We were getting worried you two wouldnÆt come any soon,ö the person who held him said, and he shrugged.
ôLet me guessà youÆre Fen, I suppose?ö he asked, and the man nodded.
ôYes, thatÆs meà Fendell Mane, the official Copycat of Saffron City and Gym Helper to the rookies all around. ThatÆs my brother, Ganesh Mane, but we call him Gan for the obvious reason,ö he explained, making the boy laugh. ôAs for you twoà what happened to you, exactly? We hadnÆt thought you would be that exhausted, considering how early you left Vermillionà Han told us you left really early.ö
ôBlame the trainers on the wayàö Hiro replied, resting his head backwards. ôAll of them thought it would be easier for them to get you guys out of a job by beating me without the Elite Four Challenge. Then we got here five minutes ago, and began heading here straight ahead.ö
As if to reply to that, AmandaÆs belly gave a lousy grumble, which was followed by his own. ôàand I suppose we didnÆt really get a chance to have lunch yet,ö the girl admitted, making both Copycats grin at that, before leading them away.
ôI see, I seeà no worries, then. WeÆll take you guys to our houseà we were going to lead you there anyway, but I suppose having some good lunch will be a nice icebreaker,ö Gan told them, his voice sounding a bit deeper and harsher than FenÆs. ôWhat do you guys want, anyway?ö
ôGrumpig!ö Amanda cried out, in her typical cheerfulness, while Hiro sighed.
ôSame, I supposeàö he grudgingly said, as the older brother nodded calmly.
ôVery well. Thank goodness that our mother is doing the cooking today and that we happen to have these two in stock,ö he told them, in that usually calm tone of his. The blue-haired girl gave a cry of joy, while her companion watched the city as they walked, distractedly.
à
After a good while of walking, the four finally reached their destination, Amanda nearly falling to the ground from exhaustion again. While Gan kept her up, Hiro took his time to take a good look onto the building. Like most of SaffronÆs buildings, it was made in a more modern style, although it looked rundown; it probably was old enough to have been built in his grandparentsÆ day. It was also two stories tall.
ôThis is your house?ö he asked, and Fen nodded, before releasing him. As the boy began to walk normally again, Fen took out a key holster from his pocket, which had about a dozen keys or so, and proceeded to choose one of them. After he was done, he inserted the key into the doorÆs keyhole, twisting it twice, and unlocking the door for them.
ôWell, come on in,ö he told them, before opening the door. Hiro and Gan helped Amanda inside, one arm slung over her and vice-versa, the boy going inside first, followed by the older man. The other Copycat waited until they were all inside, before going in as well, closing the door afterwards.
Inside the building, they were in what looked like a small flat; the hall was right to their side, the dining room easily visible from the front, and a stairway at the end of the corridor, which led to the second floor. It looked fairly clean, although the state of the building wasnÆt much better than ædeplorableÆ, what with the squeaky wooden floors and the light dust covering that was on the floor. The hall had a couple of couches and a small TV in front of them.
Sitting down on the leftmost couch, the two kids looked at Fen, with a pleading gaze, as Gan walked towards the dining room. ôSo, thenà what did you guys want from us?ö Amanda began, taking a deep breath.
Fen did the same. ôWellà we heard from our relatives from Johto how good of a helper you are, Hiro. You helped people in Azalea, Goldenrod, Olivine, and Mahogany, all because they needed to be helpedà and, well, it turns out we have a problem in one hands weÆd like you to help us with, too.ö
ôWhat kind of problem?ö the capped boy asked, and the Copycat pointed at the ceiling. Both kids looked towards it, not knowing what exactly he wanted them to seeà other than some bland plaster that seemed in the verge of breaking apart.
ôItÆs over thereà but we can talk about it after lunch; right now, you two are starving, and our mother is already close to finishing the preparations, as well. It might take a while for the meat to come, but you can have some appetizers before that, canÆt you?ö he told them, watching with amusement as Amanda drooled, hungrily, and HiroÆs eyes took a longing shine to them.
ôFoodàö the blue-haired girl moaned, slumping back against her seat in a daze. As Fen watched the other direction, waiting for Gan to return, Hiro happened to glance upon a picture on top of the table, which had various little children, all boys with black hair.
ôI was wonderingà whatÆs with your family?ö he asked, and Fen turned towards him. ôYou guys all look alike enough that you can try to pass off as each others, and you all specialize in doing precisely thatà why does this happen to you guys?ö
ôWellàö the Copycat began, looking at the picture, ôI think itÆs genetic, like the Joy family and the Jenny family. Our family has a high propensity for male children, and weÆre born almost like twins, but with some differences. Our hair color doesnÆt ever change, though. Then, since our Copycat Arts are done the best by family members, we teach each others how to do it, so that we can keep aiding people who need the counseling.ö He took a breath. ôThat picture is kinda old, thoughà it was taken thirteen years ago.ö
Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, then at him. ôEH?!ö they cried out loud, Amanda continuing. ôBut thenà how old are you?ö
Fen grinned, before taking a round cap from his clothing and putting it over his head, as well as pulling out two black æhornsÆ from the back of it. ôDonÆt go around asking a lady this kind of question! IÆm not that old, you know?!ö he told them, his voice very high-pitched and sounding like AmandaÆs.
As Hiro broke into laughter, the girl became flustered. ôI donÆt sound like that!ö she snapped, weakly, while the Copycat took his stuff away. He was also beginning to snicker. ôI do not!ö
ôSorry, Amandaà but you do sound like that,ö her companion told her, making the girl pale. Before things could get more complicated, however, Gan reappeared, a grin in his face.
ôLunch time, guys.ö
à
The dining room was quaint, in its own way. It had a large table, with a white and green tablecloth, and two vases in-between the seating areas. There were also ten chairs, four set on each side, and two on the front, plates and tableware in front of five of these. On top of the table, the food was already being set up, with a bowl full of rice and some roasted potatoes, as well as another bowl with bean soup in it.
ôTake your places,ö Gan told them, and both kids sat on the right side of the table, closer to the kitchen. The two Copycats went to the other side, Fen sitting in front of Hiro and Gan sitting in front of Amanda. The other seat was empty, but soon the cook appeared; she was a rather young-looking woman, considering she was probably in her early forties, with long, light blue hair and wearing a black dress and white apron. In her hands, she held a plate with a roasted GrumpigÆs body, lacking a head.
ôWhich one of you two asked for the Grumpig?ö she asked, in a sweet tone, and Amanda raised her hand, smiling with hunger clearly visible in her eyes.
ôMe, me, me!ö she cried out, and the woman put the plate on the table, before taking a large fork and knife, beginning to cut a good piece of the chest for her. Hiro looked at them, and noticing there seemed to be a permission of sorts, he took several spoonfuls of rice, as well as some of the bean soup. Fen and Gan took their own servings, afterwards, and the woman served some more of the PokÚmonÆs meat to the boy, while Amanda dug into it with fervor.
ôMmm!!! Dhish ish sho dhelhichioush!ö she proclaimed, a couple of moments later, having half-chewed the meat in her mouth. The womanÆs smile strained a bit.
ôDear, please donÆt talk with a full mouthàö she pleaded, and Amanda just went back to chewing and eating, while Hiro put as much rice as possible in his mouth, trying to eat it all at once.
ôMy, they sure were starvingàö Fen couldnÆt help but comment, and Gan nodded.
ôIt sure seems like that, brother. At least we know they are enjoying lunchà I wonder if theyÆll enjoy dinner, as well.ö With that, the blue-haired girl gulped down what she currently had in her mouth, looking straight at them.
ôDinner, too?! Yay, Hiro! We found the best place ever!ö she cried out, before beginning to scarf the food down again. Her black-haired companion, who was eating some potatoes now, gave a shrug and looked down to his plate.
However, before anyone could react, two PokÚmon suddenly came out of the two kidsÆ PokÚballs, releasing themselves and forcing their bodies out. The one to HiroÆs side, a short, snouted yellow and black mole, stood up on his hind legs, his eyes hidden behind his eyelids. To AmandaÆs side, a very feminine green quadruped with a leaf in the top of her head and what looked like a necklace made of several seeds blinked twice, looking at the food in front of them.
ô<Food!!!>ö she cried out, in joy, and tried to jump onto the girlÆs lap û something that was difficult, considering she was too small for that. The other PokÚmon turned to Hiro, his closed eyes looking like he was frowning.
ô<Hey! WhatÆs the big idea, Hiro?! We were supposed to go to the PokÚmon Center to heal, you know that! IÆm exhausted of fighting all those guys so much!>ö he complained, and Hiro sighed, before putting down his fork and knife. Before he could speak, however, the PokÚmon continued. ô<Oh, and give me some food! IÆm smelling Grumpig meat, which is only slightly as great as milk when it comes to food, and I want some legs! Give me some delicious legs!>ö
ôWill you calm down?!ö the capped boy told his PokÚmon, before turning towards him. ôLook, weÆre kinda busy right now, Flammie, couldnÆt you wait until we were done here to ask for food?ö
ô<Nuh-uh! Give us food! WeÆre hungry! I want legs!>ö was the response, and Hiro slapped his own face, before picking up the Cyndaquil and getting him on the other chair. He then turned towards the other PokÚmon, to AmandaÆs side.
ôHey, Leda, can you please come over here?ö he asked, and the PokÚmon frowned, before walking towards him.
ô<What is it, Hiro? I want some food, too! IÆm starving no thanks to the two of you, making us fight so much and so hard!>ö she complained, but Hiro took his plate and put it on the ground, right by her side.
ôJust eat ità at least thereÆs more than enough plates for the rest of us,ö he told her, before moving his hands to the fork and knife on the Grumpig. ôOne leg coming upàö
As they watched this, the blue-haired woman looked back and forth between them. ôUmà is he okay?ö she asked Amanda, who smiled and nodded.
ôYeah, donÆt worry. HeÆs just feeding them. ThatÆs usually how these things go, anyway,ö the blue-haired girl explained, before taking another bite off the meat in her plate. While Hiro took another plate to start picking food again, Fen and Gan just sighed.
ôI think we may have made a mistakeàö the taller brother commented, before the other glared at him.
ôYou think?!ö
à
Eventually, the meal was finished without very much trouble, other than Flammie asking for attention and Leda trying to get on HiroÆs lap. While the CopycatsÆ mother began to clean up the table, Fen got up from his seat.
ôWell, then, if you would please follow meà I suppose it is time for an explanation,ö he said, walking towards the corridor. Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, then at Gan, who nodded and motioned for them to go ahead. The two then got up, starting to follow him, Leda and Flammie trailing after.
ôSo, Fenà what is it that you wanted to talk to us about?ö Amanda asked, but he didnÆt respond immediately; instead, he led them towards the staircase, which was of the winding kind.
ôHiroà I suppose you remember what Lan told you, back in Olivine, right?ö he started, as he began walking. ôæCopycat Arts are a gift, and a way of life; only with the true heart and soul for it, can our arts be maintained perfectly.Æ That was it, right?ö
The capped boy nodded. ôYeahà he told me that when I lost to Jasmine, the first time. He then went on to explain how this applied to everything, including actual battling,ö he replied, before looking at him. ôWhy, what happened?ö
ôThat sayingà it isnÆt just an expression we use to try and invoke competence on others; in our case, it is just like breathing and thinking is to usà it is a part of us, and how we must maintain these to keep ourselves in our perfect spiritsà the spirits needed for being able to copy others,ö Fen explained, glancing downwards. ôHoweverà one of us has lost the heart and soulà and with that, lost herself.ö
ôWhat?!ö Amanda cried out, in surprise. ôAà person who lost herself?ö
ôIndeed. It sounds oddà but it is true. We actually lost this personà and all that is left is the shell of herself,ö he went on, leaving the stairs and walking through another corridor, heading towards a door. On the top, the letters æAÆ, æHÆ, æOÆ, and æVÆ were marked, in order, and it currently had a small Clefairy doodle over the æAÆ. ôIÆm asking you two to stay quiet, for nowà we canÆt disturb her. The way she reacts, when she gets disturbedà itÆs too scary for us. Do you understand that?ö
Hiro and Amanda looked at each other, before nodding. However, instead of replying, they looked at both PokÚmon on the floor, who were staring at them, confused. ô<What? WhatÆs the problem, Hiro?>ö the Chikorita asked, before being glared at by Flammie. ô<Hey, whatÆs your problem, huh?>ö
ô<IsnÆt it obvious?!>ö he asked, irritated. ô<TheyÆre worried youÆre going to make noises and disturb whoever lives here! That means you should shut up and clam down before you get sent back in your PokÚball!>ö
Leda looked at him, offended. ô<Why, youà IÆm going to be much more quiet than you can be, if thatÆs the best you can do!>ö she snarled, her voice much less louder now. Flammie grinned, even as he turned his head away, raising his snout.
ô<Hah! IÆm much more quiet than you are! IÆm a mole after all!>ö he replied, confident, his voice as quiet as hers. Hiro sweatdropped.
ôI think we can do this now, Fen,ö he commented, his voice quiet as well. After Amanda nodded, Fen opened the door, slowly. The room inside looked like a typical girlÆs bedroom, despite the bland yellow color, what with it having several posters and dolls, though they were rather strewn around, messily. Strangely enough, there was a small Doduo walking around, short enough that he could grab onto the doorknob without having to bend either neck in any direction. The four bland-looking eyes were staring directly at Hiro and Amanda, with some curiosity.
ôI think we can do this now, Fen,ö he said, with one head, sounding like Hiro. While the group stared at him, confused, Fen just smiled and approached him, patting the head that spoke.
ôNice to see you, Tetra. Is Ann still like that?ö he asked, and the two-headed PokÚmon nodded with his free head, before turning towards the bed. Now that they were paying more attention, the group could see that a green-haired girl was sitting in it, looking rather sad. Her eyes were rather devoid of life, and she was staring at the closed windows, breathing quietly, wrapping her arms around her legs. It was obvious she was in her pajamas, and the expression she had seemed to indicate she hadnÆt moved from that spot for a while now.
ôIs sheàö Amanda whispered, nervously, and Fen nodded. The older man walked around Tetra, the two-headed PokÚmon staring at both him and the group, and approached the girl sitting down in the bed.
ôHey, there. How are things today?ö he asked, smiling, but the girl just stared at the windows, mutely.
ôSadàö she whispered, barely a breath, before trembling lightly; he had put one hand on her shoulder. ôWant itàö
ôDonÆt worryà donÆt worryàö the Copycat elder spoke, still keeping his calm demeanor; however, it seemed obvious that it was strained and sad, and even somewhat forced; like he was just pretending to be happy, and this situation only broke his heart further. ôItÆs all going to be okay. ItÆs all going to be okayà I even invited some friends to meet you. Could you greet them, at the very least?ö
ôàmaybeàö she managed to say, before falling silent. FenÆs smile fell, and he got up, turning towards Hiro. With a swift nod of his head, he indicated that he should come closer, which the boy reluctantly did.
ôUmà hello there. Your name is Ann, right?ö he asked, followed by Amanda shortly after. Ann slowly turned her head towards him, in disbelief.
ôIà donÆt know. Everyone says thatÆs my name, butà I donÆt think IÆm who they think I am,ö she replied, licking her lips. Apparently, they had become dry. ôDoà do you know who I am?ö
ôYou donÆt know who you are?ö Amanda asked, distressed. ôBut how can this be? YouÆre someone, at least you should know that!ö Ann looked at her, her eyes tearing upà and she had to stare at the blue-haired girl with that still-distressing look.
ôAmà am I really someone?ö she rebutted, her voice waning. ôIà I donÆt have a nameà I donÆt have an identityà why do people think I have one? Ià IÆm not the person they believe I amàö
ôButàö Hiro started speaking, only to receive a similar look from her, which really confused him. ôYou do have a name and identity, right? All you have to do is remember it, and then you can-ö
ôI canÆtà I canÆt rememberàö the green-haired girl panted, her eyes still open and looking at him. ôI donÆt know who I amà I donÆt know what I amà I donÆt knowà I donÆt knowà I donÆtàö That was too much for her; she broke into tears, turning away from them. ôI donÆt knowà I donÆt knowà I donÆt knowàö
Fen approached her again, wrapping a blanket around her; this wasnÆt enough to stop her crying, but she seemed to stop trembling in fear from the warm contact. ôShhà itÆll be okayàö he whispered, in a calming tone. ôEverythingÆs fineà donÆt worry about anythingà just let yourself relaxàö Slowly, Ann seemed to stop crying, but she still stood like that, hugging the blanket tightly. Fen got up again, and approached Tetra.
ôKeep her company. DonÆt disturb her, and just stay by her side. DonÆt hurt her, either,ö he instructed the Doduo, before walking out. The way he left seemed to be a cue; Hiro and Amanda walked after him, taking their PokÚmon with them as well.
Once they were out, Fen closed the door. ôThat went well,ö he muttered, sarcastically. ôAt least she reacted better than the last time someone tried to convince her of thatà she only cried in tears, and not in screams.ö
ôàIÆm sorry,ö Hiro apologized, looking down. While the man sighed, Amanda looked back at the room.
ôButà what exactly happened to her?ö she asked, and Fen looked back at her.
ôWe donÆt know exactly what happened to her, as in what disease she has or what it isà but we know what was the reason for her sudden isolation and fear of contact,ö he began again, standing to the side of the door. ôThree years agoà she received a PokÚmon Doll from a kid, about your age or so. It was a small Clefairy Doll, very cute in shape. The kid had probably heard that she had been selected by the PokÚmon League to be one of the TM givers, at the time, and since she loved dollsà that was what anyone needed to do to get one; give her a doll.
ôSurprisingly enough, to us, she actually kept the doll longer; I donÆt think she kept it due to any affection to the kid, but mainly because of the PokÚmon itselfà I think she loved Clefairies, and she always wanted to have one. The doll was a way to pretend she, indeed, had oneà she carried it up and down, everywhere, and treated it a lot like a real PokÚmon.ö He sighed, at that point. ôMaybe that was the problemàö
ôWhat happened?ö Amanda asked, and Fen continued.
ôOne month ago, Vermillion was having a fair. It was somewhat unique, considering how bustling and mechanical that city tends to beà so when we went there, well, it was quite the look; it was more of a carnival than anything. During the whole day, we stuck together as well as we couldà but at one point, we got separated. ThatÆs when it happenedà
ôWhile the three of us were busy doing something, we had left Ann on one of the rides, a merry-go-round. When we left her, she was still cheerful, clutching the doll on her armsà but by the time we came back, she was gripping the Ponyta she was riding, tightly, her expression one of fright. Her doll was nowhere in sight, eitherà and when we realized this, we began running around the park, asking everyone if they had seen it. Unfortunately, nobody hadà and by the time the fair was over, we still hadnÆt found it. We had to return, even though Ann was screaming, pleading, doing anything to go backàö
Fen took another breath, sighing. ôThat was apparently it; by the time we got home, Ann was barely responsive. She didnÆt seem to recognize us, and while she did obey us, it was obvious that she was doing it out of some sort of sympathyà because she didnÆt remember who she was. As I saidà she lost herself, when she lost that doll. We tried to search for it for weeks, but eventually, we gave upà nobody had seen it. By that time, she was like what you guys saw,ö he motioned towards the door, sadly, ômute and disbelieving. She doesnÆt believe she is Annà she thinks she is some other girl, apparently someone who doesnÆt deserve being part of our familyà or even being Ann. She doesnÆt believe in copycatting others, either, howeverà she doesnÆt have any real beliefs anymore. She justà exists, I guess.ö
As he finished, he noticed Amanda was nearly crying, while Hiro looked at the door, disturbed. In the ground, Leda was looking at them in disbelief, apparently finding the whole thing stupid, while Flammie was frowning and looking at Hiro.
ôThatÆs soà itÆs so sadàö the blue-haired girl sniffled, while her Chikorita glared at her.
ô<Oh, come on! That girl isnÆt ælostÆ! SheÆs right there! SheÆs only crazy!>ö she grumbled, in a quiet voice. Flammie approached the capped boy, tugging on his sock.
ô<Hey, Hiro!>ö he called out, as the boy looked towards him. ô<Are you going to just stand there, waiting?! We donÆt have time for this, you know?>ö
Hiro glared at him, hearing that. ôWhy, youà canÆt you see sheÆs in trouble?! We need to help her, alright?ö he snapped back, kneeling down and picking the Cyndaquil under his arms.
ô<Well, we arenÆt going to get anything right if we stay here, idiot!>ö was the annoyed reply, as Flammie seemed to snarl. ô<Besides, we still need to see more of the cityà and Molly and the others are bound to want to get some better rest than stay in their PokÚballs for the rest of the day!>ö
Hiro blinked, before the Fire-type PokÚmon continued. ô<After all, you help everyone else too much! Yet, when any of your PokÚmon need some recovery, you simply ignore them for the sake of others! What kind of trainer do you think you are, anyway, huh?!>ö
ôAlright, already! You winàö the boy called out, exhausted. He then turned towards Fen. ôSorryà but our PokÚmon are in need to rest and recovery. Could you indicate us where the PokÚmon Center is, for now?ö
ôY-youÆre leaving already?!ö Fen stammered, in surprise. Hiro blinked, before shaking his head fast.
ôNot at all! We justàö he began, but his legs trembled for a bit, and he had to support himself in the wall around. ôWe just havenÆt had any rest since this morningà and our PokÚmon, who were the ones doing all the battling for us, must be just as exhausted! All we need is just a bit of time for ourselves, okay?ö
Fen glared at him, for a moment, but the Copycat eventually relented. ôFineà itÆs still early, anyway. You guys can come sleep here by eight oÆclock, if you want. Just do tell us if youÆre going to leave the city, okay?ö
ôWill do!ö Amanda cried out, cheerfully, before helping Hiro up and leading him downstairs, followed by their PokÚmon. ôWeÆll see you guys later!ö
à
Several minutes and a few instructions later, the duo and their PokÚmon was finally stopping at the PokÚmon Center of Saffron City, only several blocks away. By this time, Amanda was the one who needed help getting up, so Hiro was under her arm, giving her support.
ôOh, dear!ö the nurse in the building stammered, as she noticed their still-ragged state. ôWhat happened to you? You look like you had a meeting with an Onix!ö
ôThe Onix mustÆve won,ö Hiro joked, as they limped towards the counter. ôWe need to have our PokÚmon recovered, pleaseà and if it would be possible, could she take a shower here?ö
ôWhy, of course! Right away!ö the pink-haired woman replied, before walking around it and taking Amanda in her arms. While Hiro took her PokÚballs, she was led away from the hallway, towards a different room.
ôYou take care of them, Hiroàö she replied, breathing heavily. The boy nodded, before slowly walking towards a nearby couch, slumping down on it.
ôThis is such a choreàö he sighed, looking around. To his luck, the room was empty, meaning that he could relax somewhat and think up on what had just happened, back then.
ôThat girl, Annà she acted so weirdly. æLose herselfÆà is that even possible? She acted like some sort of amnesiacàö he thought out loud, lying back against the soft cushions. ôWhy, though, is the question. Fen said she acted like that because of a PokÚmon doll, one that she had lost in a fairà and apparently, that she thought was real.ö
He turned a bit, noticing Flammie was trying to climb on the couch, and just allowed himself to relax some more. ôThe first place that can be checked is Vermillionà though we just came from there. Then again, I think we should go there tomorrow or so, first we need to know more about Ann. Maybe if we checked the other roomsàö
The previous position didnÆt seem to help much, as the capped boy turned to the other side, now facing the couchÆs back. He also was slumping lower, lying down on the couch, a yawn starting to try and come into his lips. The Cyndaquil, having managed to climb up, was curling up and to the side of his head, yawning louder.
ôHnà I think I should probably take a nap, for nowà itÆs not like Amanda will come any soon out of that bathroomàö he grumbled, one last time, before closing his eyes. A few moments later, the two of them were fast asleep.