XIV
ALEXANDER
Gods, Alex, what are you getting yourself into? He wondered to himself as he helped Elizabeth up the steep grassy paths. He felt nervous now, even guilty that it was he who was spending all this time with his brother's betrothed. Whether or not it was Leo's idea, Alex still felt guilty. Surely, she would realize after meeting with him that Leo was a completely different person? The charade couldn't last forever.
It was a good thing that Eli must have been a little tipsy, otherwise, she surely would have known the difference. They walked along the short trees and grey flowers as they climbed the misty side of Mt. Pyre, to find the secret garden called the Pool of Memories.
He didn't know about Leo, but this was the only place that Alex could think of taking Eli. With any luck, she would get bored of it and request to head back just in time for the masquerade to be finished.
Alex had reluctantly searched for Eli all night on the dance floor, posing as Leo, who this entire event was centered around. He spied his younger half-brother in his own Banette-shaped mask. The serving girls were chasing after him. At first, Alex was envious of him, but a few minutes holding Eli's hand almost washed away his thoughts of the other girls.
"We're here," he said quietly. Eli staggered up the final ledge and peered into the secret garden. There were a few of the same small, grey flowers here, but in the center of the area was a pool that seemed to steam with a chilling mist. When he looked at the pool, Alex felt the familiar silence as all other sound seemed to drown away.
"It's..." Eli observed the pool in awe.
"Not what you expected?" Alex asked. He shrugged and sat on the grass. "I wouldn't think so. It's beautiful because of the quiet."
"What do you do here?" Eli asked shyly, as she sat down close to him. A little too close for Alex's comfort, but he accepted her hand anyway, it was soft and delicate.
"I sit just like this and think."
"What are you thinking about right now?" she asked. Her voice was music to his ears, strangely. He was used to flirts from other girls. It was nothing to him... except this time he felt something in his stomach, a fluttering.
Alex turned to Eli and saw the stars behind her shimmering through the mists, and her eyes shining brightest of all. "I'm thinking about us." What did I just say? He thought to himself. Leo, you're supposed to be Leo, a voice in his head said, but the fluttering strengthened in his stomach, and he couldn't help himself. "I'm thinking about our marriage. From the day I first laid eyes on you, I thought you the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen." Was that him being Leo, or him being himself? Either way, it must be true.
He felt her cheeks redden as she lay her head on his shoulder. "Why do you call this place the Pool of Memories?" She asked as she dipped her feet in the water. She turned and looked him in the eyes through her mask and deep into his. "Is it where memories are made?"
Alex laughed genuinely. "No," he said, putting his own feet in the pool. "It's actually where the Specter family takes their Spirit Pokémon and remembers events of the past. Our Ghost Pokémon are able to help us commune with our ancestors."
He felt Eli shiver at the mention of ghosts. Alex didn't know what made him put his arm around her shoulder. He wasn't even trying to make a move. He wanted to protect her from her fears. "The ghosts can't hurt you," he whispered to her quietly.
Alex noticed her brushing a circlet on her wrist. "This?" Eli asked when she saw his gaze. "This was given to me by my friend, Jessi, when we were both little girls."
"You must be true friends if you've still held on to it for so long. Did she come with you to Mt. Pyre?" Alex asked.
Eli just sighed. She looked back up at him, eyes shining, almost wet through her pink heart shaped mask. "She didn't come with me, no... But if the stories are true, she arrived here a long time ago."
Alex understood. As legend had it, Mt. Pyre was the final resting place for the spirits of human and Pokémon alike all across Hoenn. Sometimes, when Alex was here with Banette, he had seen some of them too: faceless shapes in the mist.
"I'm... sorry to hear that," Alex said. Eli put her arms around him. She seemed a little bit more than tipsy now. How much had she had to drink?
"It's not your fault, Leo," she said. Eli took deep breaths in between the beginnings of a sob. "I'm just so scared to be here, alone. I'm glad you're with me... I don't ever want you to leave me alone like I left Jessi."
Alex was beginning to feel sad now, but he couldn't. He had to be strong for Leo... for Eli. "I'll never leave you alone," he said.
"Thank you," Eli stumbled over herself, and lifted her head up to his. She shut her eyes and leaned in close.
The world slowed down for a second. Alex felt himself moving in to kiss her, too. He wanted to so badly. For Leo. I'm doing him a favor, he rationalized in his head. But his heart knew that this kiss was for himself. He wanted to stay forever in this moment; in her embrace...
"Ban! Banette!"
Alex jumped and looked over the pool. His Spirit Pokémon was hovering there, sure enough. "What are you doing here?" he asked, startled. The Pokémon had a concerned look about its face.
"Net! Ban!" it said over and over again as it flew around in circles.
"I'm sorry, my love it seems that my brother's Spirit Pokémon has decided to play a prank on us."
Eli removed her mask, and Alex saw all of her features. She was even more beautiful than he recalled. "It's quite alright. I understand... Alex."
She... How did she know? Even Banette stopped with its frantic speak to wonder at how she had worked it out.
"I may have had a drink or two," she said. "But I've seen Leo long enough to know his mannerisms. If you had remained silent at the dance, it would have been one thing. As soon as you opened your mouth and led me here, I began to suspect."
"And..." Alex wanted to ask why she had kissed him anyway, but Banette began to interrupt them again, frantically waving its arms and making a concerned look on his face.
"I won't tell if you don't," she said with a smile. "It's just one night."
Banette had begun to tug on Alex's shoulder now. He wanted his Pokémon to leave them, to let him have this night... but the greyish purple ghost wouldn't leave him be.
"You said... With your Spirit Pokémon here, you can contact those who have passed?" Banette seemed to calm down at that, yet still it tugged slightly at Alex's sleeve. The Pokémon nodded.
"Eli, I think the party is over," he said. "Banette thinks we should head back. They'll be looking for you... They'll know something is up when they can't find me. Everyone saw Leo leave with you into the gardens..."
"Oh, just give a girl this one thing," her voice sounded desperate. Eli stepped into the pool, pulling on Alex's other arm. The water was crisp and cool... It was only the second time that he had ever actually entered the water. He couldn't tell what was mist and which was water, it was all so cool and soft. Eli reached down and held his hand. "I want to see Jessi again... I want to ask for her forgiveness for leaving her alone that night..."
Banette floated towards them into the misty pool. Alex looked at his Spirit Pokémon. "We'll leave after this, boy," he said. "Let's help her find Jessi." He was unsure if it would work, and so was Banette. The Pokémon's eyes glowed violet, and Alex put his hand on the Pokémon's head.
They were both young when Jessi died, Alex remembered. I'm looking for a little girl... The air got colder and colder around them as the mists stirred and swirled around them, seemingly devouring the entire pool.
"I see her," Eli said. Alex took off his mask so he could see into the mists all the better. Twenty yards away, a shape of a little girl was walking towards them. "Jessi! Jessi it's me!" Eli's speech was becoming more and more slurred. Alex prepared to catch her should she fall into the water.
Alex always loved the water... but the ghosts scared him. The little girl seemed to be walking on top of the water as she approached. It made Alex's skin crawl. He made ready to pull Elli out of the pool, but she was resisting. "Jessi, I'm sorry. J-Jessi?"
The girl stopped mere feet away from them, she had dark circles around her eyes, and pale skin that seemed to shrink around her head. The little girl's hair disappeared at the ends into the mists. Alex felt Eli begin to shake, unsure of the spirit.
"I'm scared," the ghost's voice echoed.
Me too, Alex thought. He looked at Banette, wanting to end the vision, but the Pokémon was in a trance. The apparition would have to take its course.
For what seemed like hours they stared into the little girl's dark eyes, waiting for something anything.
The mists began to die down to disappear with the little girl.
"Jessi, don't go," Elli sobbed. "I miss you."
"Mommy," the girl began to come back into focus. "I'm scared." There was a silence, and then she screamed.
The girl's throat opened into a red smile, and she disappeared into the pool with a harsh shriek. Elli screamed alongside her, and fainted.
Alex had been prepared and caught her. He dragged her out of the pool and set her on the cold grass. He gently slapped her face, trying to wake her up. "Elli... Elli, wake up! We have to go. Banette?" his Spirit Pokémon had disappeared. Had his consciousness merged with the vision? Was he stuck? His father had warned him of such things when visiting the Pool of Memories.
The mists seemed hot now, like steam. Alex looked up. In front of him, emerging from the mists, was a figure in a black cloak. He couldn't make out a face. Was the vision not over yet?
The tall figure offered out a hand, but when Alex reached out to take it, all he could see was a gold coin, imprinted with the image of a tree on fire.
Alex lost his breath as he watched the man drop the coin onto the grass.
"No, don't," was all he said before he felt the blow on the back of his head and the vision went dark.
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