When was the last time you opened up to someone? The last time you said "I love you" and meant it? Doesn't have to be someone else. You can be your own audience, your own listener. You can be a solipsist or a narcissist—better to be the latter if you really wanna die. Nah, that sounds terrible. Please don't. Ya don't wanna die. Yet.

Addy Prentiss had been asking these questions and providing these responses since her boyfriend said she was too self-centred and ought to love herself. She never expected his words to be so suffocating. She wanted to breathe. He gave her breath, another reason to live. And he would take those back, remarking that he was a fool. Then what was she?

If he was a fool, was she a high priestess? Or was she the whole Major Arcana he would cross paths with and step on if and when necessary?

As the residue of silence settled on her shoulders, her mind paced around this room of thoughts once more. Constance, strolling beside her, was in her own world, sticking her hand into the tub to tickle Magi, pampering him like a baby. Icarus returned to flying and picking berries to stuff into zir mouth before another Flying-type could swoop in for the loot. Addy's smile fumbled and fell.

Wayfaring to the next city, Cerulean, had been a buzzkill so far. They were lost in Mt. Moon and when they found the exit, they could hardly think and simply trudged out to see the picnicker from before leaving the Pokémon Centre. She thought Addy had come back for her. Then began the race of acceptance and denial. Eventually, the picnicker had to face rejection, but Addy did not feel any better than her. Addy's mood was hence up to date.

She looked up every once in a while. Pidgeotto swept winds across the uneven path, beckoning trees to dance and shake their leaves off. Sometimes, a Kakuna would fall just inches away from her. It was as though tonight swore to be her enemy, because none of her travelling companions seemed affected in any way.

With thoughts still hinging on love and loss, Addy let out a sigh. Then a shriek as she almost stepped on an Ekans busy hypnotising itself to be a purple and yellow river, winding but unmoving. Ahead of her, Cerulean City finally came into view, wearing a dark grey wreath, fairy lights intertwining about its body, as it prepped itself for photographers. As they got closer, Addy noticed the constantly splitting strings of the fairy lights hitting roofs and pavements with a rhythmic pitter-patter. What little streetlights in the city fought to be part of the aesthetics, giving Cerulean a mysterious, blue aura with a tint of glamour.

As the group passed the bright brown arch, Addy hugged herself and rubbed her hands on her arms, but Constance remained tall and unconcerned. Maybe it was the fedora shielding her hair, or the cloak which offered some warmth. Constance just looked like she was in her element. Meanwhile, Magi grew curious of the ripples in the tub and called Icarus over to come see the magical circles expand and disappear, and expand and disappear. Again, Addy was alone against the world.

At least, she thought, rain is here.

Arceus's tears of joy trickled onto the group. Apparently, Arceus was celebrating Kyogre's recent hibernation by deciding to flood Cerulean City. Any unsuspecting person would later think the water levels were rising out of Misty's gym because she forgot swimming pool maintenance as usual (her mind must be really misty) and the gym leader would soon freeze the city, after learning what happened in Viridian, using Starmie's Ice Beam to make the city an ice rink. This would make everyone's day.

This was one of the few reasons why Addy loved the rain. Something serendipitous would progress during or succeed a stormy weather. That always happened in tales beginning with "It was a dark and stormy night..." where couples get under an umbrella and kiss and make up on their way to a haunted manor to seek shelter. Night was the time for romance and thrill, and every love story had that. So did every murder mystery.

Not that anyone was about to die tonight.

Addy shrugged as she sauntered into the Pokémon Centre, falling behind the happy group. Absolute blazes! Hot air smacked them hard against the backdrop of silver rain and wind. Shouldn't a city like Cerulean be accustomed to cold? Addy felt betrayed. She had done her research and expected better from Cerulean City. Half the population dappled with Water- and Ice-types, but anything for the people! Look at those poor Pokémon in the rivers outside, left to their own devices as their trainers sought warmth. Welcome to the age of hedonism, fuelled by extreme selfishness!

Not that anyone else cared about that.

So Addy learnt from them. She did not care that she was going to have a chapter focused on her (she was the secondary protagonist anyway, and some unnecessary people had a whole chapter revolving around them, so she figured justice had to be served) and Constance did not file a lawsuit against her. What she did care was the chunk of intrusive thoughts the author carefully planted into her mind at the beginning of the chapter. This must be the true nature of intrusive thoughts, she mused.

"Yes, intrusive thoughts exist because there is an overwhelming supernatural force controlling our daily lives."

Constance rose from her seat with a mug of hot chocolate and shuffled to the girl's side. "Here you go."

"See?" Addy turned to the window, watching wet trails extend along the glass. "Constance has no clue."

Addy said it with so much confidence that she knew she had an inkling of what was to come. Still, she scratched her head and sipped her hot chocolate, mashing a sticky marshmallow to bits with her teeth.

Nothing was absolute in this world, so you can never predict everything. Even with obvious foreshadowing, Addy could hardly foretell her fate. Give her some credit, though, she figured out from the alliteration that she deserved an F in the chat.

At this moment, the doors to the Pokémon Centre were whammed open. Who was I kidding, sliding doors could be that dramatic. Fog from the rain obscured her view of this new visitor, but Icarus had yet to master Defog, so Addy had to make do with a terse smile as the figure crept towards her.

To make matters worse, the fog flung Constance and Magi into another corner. Seeing as she was alone with a Pokémon who could do no more to salvage the situation than her, Addy scurried to the room they'd book for tonight's accommodation.

The card key kept slipping into her palms and the detector kept beeping to announce her presence. The fog was dying down. She had to hurry. The card key was obstinate. The detector must be malfunctioning like a lie detector. The detector was a lie.

"Hurry up, you Hippowdon!"

Her words worked like "Open Sesame" did and she ran inside, plummeting into the glossy bed covers, forgetting about the ajar door. That didn't matter. Staying hidden was her priority.

"Icarus," she called out. "Cl-Close the door."

With a loud cry (wow, thanks so much, darling) Icarus swept up a gust of wind to shut the door. After the thud, silence took them hostage.

But the issue with silence was its addiction to pizza. Of course a family of knocks had to come over uninvited. Best of all was the monotonous, decidedly chivalrous "Room service, open up." So manly!

Addy hissed at Icarus. Sparks flew across zir cheek pouches, suggesting an impulse to answer.

"Icarus, not now."

The Emolga glanced at the bedsheets, zir ears still perked up.

"You hear nothing."

Knock-knock.

Icarus turned zir head towards the door.

Addy pulled the covers over her head. If this were chess, this king-sized bed would spell checkmate for her.

"Room service, open up."

Knock-knock. Knock-knock.

Who or what was there to open up? Addy paused and recalled her thoughts that begun thus chapter. She wished to be a Shedinja. No, she wished to be a fortune teller.

Suddenly, Addy Prentiss had the desire to live in a sea of Tarot cards. Suddenly, Addy Prentiss thought she was the youngest genius she had ever met in her life, and doused herself in wonder. Suddenly, Addy Prentiss did not want to be a Shedinja. Suddenly, seeing this as a clarion call to act, Icarus opened the door.

Violin music meandered into the room as a red carpet rolled towards the bed as if it were a tongue. Addy picked up the sounds of cello and piano in the background and... a shamisen? Whatever. It was melodic.

Addy peeked from beneath the covers. The fog had dispersed. She spied curious glances from the other Pokémon Centre visitors. However, someone was entering the room, blocking her view of them, though she knew they'd soon crowd around the corridor, craning their necks, gouging their eyes out to feast on her interaction with this strange visitor.

A sweet baritone burst into song. “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.”

Oh, great. Addy grimaced and gave Icarus a look. How classic.

Then, the figure knelt and she buried herself once more, colour rushing to her cheeks. What was this? Oh, absolute blazes!

"Absol-ute blazes!" Addy muttered to herself. She should have seen this coming. Absol was the Disaster Pokémon who was often misunderstood for being the omens rather than the harbingers. And indeed she was foreshadowing to herself just how horrid tonight would be.

As she was reflecting, the aria ended. Then came a buildup for passionate emotions.

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be re—"

The covers levitated and fell, like a skirt, onto the figure, shrouding him completely.

The female lead took the stage. "Your feelings will not be reciprocated. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I retire and loathe you."

Addy smirked as Constance gave her a thumbs-up from the side of the door frame. This old woman really had no clue.

The figure yanked the covers off himself. "Aww shucks! I was supposed to take this off you slowly after saying 'my feelings will not be repressed.' but you beat me to it."

Addy got off the bed. Infused with a surge of courage, she bent over to pluck a ginger strand and blow it into the boy's eye. If it was drama he wanted, she would dish it.

"Copyright issues," Addy said. Icarus crawled up to her shoulder and glared at him. "Ya still the same as before."

"So are ya," the boy responded with a grumble as he sat on the floor with his legs open. "I... I'm sorry for throwing you aside. Please come back to me."

"I'm not Bonnie." Addy squatted down and flipped her raven hair. "Stop being a spoiled brat."

"Gramps spoiled me," he said. "He made me into a Gary Stu."

Addy raised a brow. "That his fault? Gary Oak, you're the worst. Everything wrong with you is someone else's fault! As always!"

"B-But..."

"You're right. I should love myself, because you never truly loved me!" Addy trod toward the door, but a hand grabbed her knee. Her nose kissed the floor.

With shimmering eyes, Gary lowered his gaze and sniffed her heel. "I can't control myself anymore, Addy. I was afraid of hurting you. And I did. I hurt you."

Addy wanted to die just by listening to his words. But she practised mindfulness and quickly convinced herself this wasn't the worst thing he had ever told her. She instantly felt better.

But the deal with better was the pain that came with comparison.

Gary Oak caressed her face as she froze in thought. See, mindfulness numbs you. Don't practise mindfulness, my people!

"Addy," Gary mumbled. "I can't smell ya later anymore. It must be now or never."

OK. The worst was yet to be. The worst was yet to be. The worst was yet to—

Addy slapped his hands away and rose. "Get a hold of yourself, damnit! Aren't you a fucking gym leader? Don't you have leadership over yourself?"

Gary hung his head. He brought his palms to his eyes. He broke down.

Maybe his feelings really can't be repressed. Addy considered the option. Was she too harsh on him? No, he was harsher on her.

"But I have no leadership over love," Gary said and met her gaze. Then he scrambled over to her, rubbing her ankles. "Did you change your perfume?"

"I've never used perfume."

"Did you add more pizzazz to your fashion?"

"I'm still wearing the same sort of clothes, Gary."

"Did you—"

"Did you become a bitch after barking me off?" Addy shook her head and tore her gaze away from this pathetic mess. "What am I now? Your utility pole?"

Gary's jaws dropped. He realised what changed. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Addy Prentiss was beautiful.

"What?" Addy snarled and shook his grip off. "Am I in a fanfic now or something?"

Something like that, sorry to disappoint.

Addy wanted to die. She didn't want the spotlight anymore. She wished to return the focus to Constance. She wanted an escape. Yes, this journey was always meant to be a sorry excuse of an escape from her issues. To hunt for something more elusive than her problems. To be a treasure hunter, not hounded by pain and misery. She had enough.

Addy stepped on Gary's fingers. Beautiful, huh? At this instant, Gary looked exactly that, the way his jaw went slack, the way his howl was coarse and knew no end, the way he was enjoying himself. Eww.

"Addy," Gary cried. "I need you! You're the only other girl who sees me for who I am!"

Addy let go.

No more. Just no more.

Everyone had a cringe limit and this was hers. This was the end of the road. But he wanted a detour. He was forcing a detour on her. The logical thing to happen was an accident.

One Absol-ute accident. Addy thought of "Absolute blazes!" and found it pretty much summed up their relationship. Not even Gary's Blastoise's double cannons can salvage this now.

Addy turned her back against the flopping mess—how did she not realise, he resembled a Feebas!—and raised a hand to wave a him. Tilting her head a little, she teased him with her side profile and a perfunctory smile.

"D-Don't do... Do that!" Gary pleaded.

Of course she did, with even more gusto and expression than he could ever manage.

"Smell ya later!" Addy left the room with a door slam.

She had never felt so relieved in her life.