"Are you sure you don't want me to call my aunt?" West asked, sitting on the edge of the bed Crystal was laying on while breathing heavy with her eyes closed and cheeks as red as berries. He wiped her forehead with a cold rag and left it there

"Yes..." she sighed, looking at him with eyes half open "I'll be fine... if she comes, it will be possible she won't know what to do and will force me to go into that hell of a building to try to treat me" she closed her eyes "This is exactly why Wyatt doesn't want me to leave his sight... How did I drag you into this mess?" He smiled, moving her hair from her forehead

"Don't worry about it. I'm always willing to help others. Stay here as long as you like" she could feel him staring at her

"I was taught about stranger danger. You're lucky I can see and feel your innocence. We wouldn't be here right now if it were the other way around" his face heated up when hearing 'innocence.'

"W-what do you mean by that?" She opened her eyes to see the nervousness in his face "innocence... I can be tough" she smiled at his pout "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that. I learned from my years of..." she glanced away "Well, my parents taught me and my sisters on how to read people just by looking into their eyes. Mostly everyone knows how to do this in my family."

"So you see my innocence?" she smiled again

"Yeah, but don't consider it a bad thing. What I mean by that is that I see the good in you. You don't want to do a single bad thing, and your heart is big enough to help a stranger out when you don't know her at all, of her condition, or even her name."

"I can always know if you tell me. I'm open to being friends with anyone."

"Careful what you say out loud. Words said without proper thoughts can lead to misfortune. I can be someone who can backstab you because of how easily you can let people into your life. I'll repay you for helping me... I've had fevers like this often, so it's nothing to worry about."

"It's kinda hard to believe that when your face is abnormally red" he gave her a thermometer "I'll get dinner ready" he stood up and looked at all the pill bottles placed on the nightstand "what's this?"

"What does it look like?" She sassed, turning to lay on her shoulder

"Well it looks like medicine, but they're all different. Do you really need all this? What do you have?" she ignored him, feeling it to be unnecessary to tell him any more things. He got the hint and removed the thermometer from her mouth

"A-Are you sure I shouldn't get my aunt..? This is actually a scary number."

"I've had worse... leave" he walked out, listening to her heavy breathing even when closing the door. She sounded like she was suffocating. Was it really a good idea to avoid getting actual help from a nurse instead of a simple trainer like him?

He honestly didn't want her to go back through the fear of going back to the hospital... she was terrified and looked desperate to stay away. She risked her own health by going in the cold rain barefoot to leave the Pokémon center. That says a lot. What in the Distortion world led her to be this way?

His doorbell rang while he was putting his cooking in the oven "come in!" Aaron and his Eevee walked into the kitchen "hey, where's Rhea?"

"How should I know?" He leaned on the wall "she wonders off all the time. She never stays in the same place."

"Like you?" Aaron rolled his eyes

"Anyways, the reason why I came here is to tell you that that girl you brought yesterday to the Pokémon center is missing. Her window was open when getting checked on this morning. Mom is freaking out because of how bad her blood pressure was, and her heart rate wasn't all that great when she checked in. Her temperature was crazy high, and if we don't find her soon, it can be bad" Eevee sniffed the floor before walking away to follow the familiar scent

"That bad... huh?" West looked at the oven "why did you have the need to let me know?"

"You're the one who likes helping people. I would've thought that you'd probably know something or at least get on the case immediately like you always do" West leaned on the counter

"I think she'll be fine. She said she had worse. I'm sure she knows what she's talking about since I found her with a blood pressure machine on her wrist in the route."

"When did she tell you this?" He bit his lips "why aren't you answering me immediately? Is there something you want to share with the rest of the class?" Aaron raised his brow

"Nothing that I can't handle right now. Give her time. I don't want to take her back there. Did you see how hard she tried avoiding that place? I can't take her back. Help me out here."

"What? So she's here?" He looked around for his Eevee "Where is Eevee?" The two of them walked upstairs to find Eevee sitting on Crystal's lap as she pet on a specific spot she knows every Eevee enjoys feeling

"There it is" West smiled. Crystal looked up to see Aaron walking into the room wide-eyed, staring directly at her shining blue eyes that can light up a room. Soaking in her features, he hid his blush as much as he could and walked over to the girl in bed

"So you were here the whole time?"

"What is it to you?" He stared at her red cheeks, snorting at the fact that her hair and eyes were a light shade of blue, making her cheeks stand out on her pale skin

"Why am I not surprise that I find you here? Westly likes helping people so much that he can't help giving aid to someone as self-centered as you are."

"I'm the self-centered one? Your Eevee doesn't seem to think that" his Eevee looked at him and frowned, lowering its ears and cuddled in her arms, making Aaron freeze on the spot "it seems to me that you are blind to notice what's really going on here. Just because I beat you in a Pokémon battle, you think I'm the bad guy. When in reality, you're the one who's trying to make your Pokémon something that it doesn't want to be."

"Hey, shut your mouth! Don't talk like you know anything!"

"I have the right to say whatever I want. Just because you don't want to hear it doesn't mean I have to shut up for you" he glared "I have you know, I grew up surrounded by Eevees, and they evolved into powerful Pokémon who weren't forced to be a certain way by their trainer. My family grew up to understand hearts by looking into the eyes of others... this Eevee doesn't want to be an Espeon. You're the self-centered one who wants to think about battling more than eating" she snorted at what Rhea told her before "if that's the case, that also means you care about battling more than caring about your Pokémon's feelings" West had to hold him back from snapping at her

"You think you're so smart, don't you!? I'm not having any of your shit! Who are you to tell me how my own Pokemon feels! Eevee, get over here!" Eevee stood in its place, avoiding eye contact "E-Eevee..?" Crystal closed her eyes

"Bummer... can't say I'm surprised."

"You bitch! What did you do!? You poisoned his mind!"

"I seem to recall that you were the one that demanded a battle. If it weren't for your selfish demand, then this probably wouldn't have happened, and your Pokémon wouldn't be using me for comfort" Aaron kept trying to wiggle his way out of West's grip

"I'll show you! Battle me! I'll show you who the selfish one is!" She stared at him throwing a fit for no reason

"Aaron, stop that! Just accept what you're told! You know she's right!" West shouted

"No, she's not! I demand a battle! Battle me against my strongest Pokémon! That way Eevee will know what it really wants and will come back to me!"

"What do you think he wants, power? You are mistaken... it wants you to listen. The only person you listen to is yourself"

"Why do you keep talking like you know everything..?" He nearly growled

"Because I'm staring into your eyes, aren't I?" He froze and pushed West away "a battle won't change anything. You're still going to be the same guy I met in the marketplace. Who knows, I may be wrong and you might change. If this is about Eevee, I'll gladly battle you" she huffed, turning away "although, it might not even be worth it. Eevee can choose his own future, and he can choose to leave if he fails to see you change."

"Aaron, just calm down, will you?" West said

"No... I came here to tell West about your disappearance, but now I wish I never came if I knew you were such a bitch. No matter what you say, I'm not going to take any of your bull. Our battle is going to be for Eevee. I'll show you how much I care about my Pokemon."

"Judging by the look in your eyes, you don't" Crystal had enough of him. Froslass floated over and prepared an ice beam to back him away "leave my sight. I'll battle you on my own time" he took a step back, watching Eevee not moving from its spot and turned away

"So this is how things are going to be... I'll show you both what I'm capable of. Eevee?" Eevee glanced at him "if I win, will you come back to my side?" It lowered its ears more and looked away. Crystal pet his head gently while Froslass moved towards Aaron more to make him leave "West, aren't you going to say something? This is your house."

"This is out of my control. Actions do have consequences" West sighed "mind me doing a favor? If you can keep this a secret of her being here. I'll help her move around so she can battle with you" that's not his decision to make she thought, but said nothing. She's going to battle him for Eevees feelings, not because he wants to

"Fine, whatever" Aaron stared at Eevees back one last time before storming out. West looked back at Crystal sighing and rested her head on the headboard

"How are you feeling?" He sat down

"Can he be any louder?" She looked down at Eevee curling in a ball on her lap "poor little guy. To have a trainer as selfish as him."

"Did you really mean all that stuff about what you saw in his eyes?"

"Well yes. I don't often lie, only when it gets me out of situations. That cousin of yours has some real issues on him. If he thinks a battle between us is going to change Eevees mind about going back to him, tough luck" he petted Eevee's head

"Eevee really left him for you, huh? I knew Aaron was selfish and cocky, but I didn't think he was that hard headed. He says things that don't make sense when he's angry, so don't mind him too much. Are you sure you want to battle him while you're like this?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I'll do it at my own time, but this isn't about me" she put Eevee to the side and reached out her hand for West to take and help her up. She nearly lost balance and rested on his torso when pulled up

"You're still not well enough to even move. Are you dizzy?" She nodded "I can always bring the food up here."

"The last thing I need is another man doing things for me... I had enough of that for years. I didn't need it when I had already decided to leave that lifestyle for a little longer. This isn't giving me the freedom that I desired"

"Sorry, but what else can I do? If you want to stay away from the Pokémon center, I suggest letting me do things for you" she sighed, resting on his shoulder "ma'am?"

"Don't call me ma'am, I'm 18" he nodded "This isn't fair... Don't let me drag you into my problems. You can let me leave if I'm becoming a bother."

"What are you talking about? You're not a bother! In fact, it's pretty fun playing doctor. Even if you're in need of a real one, I don't mind taking care of you. You seem like a nice girl. Even if you're tough, wise, and you speak your mind, you're honestly pretty admirable" she blinked her eyes wide and confused "you're not going to be a bother because of how you feel. It's pretty lonely around here anyways, and I don't always get to see my family either, so it's nice to have a friend I can relate to."

"Friend?" She leaned away to look in his green eyes. They were honest and a bit hopeful. He doesn't get to see his family often, like her, even if he just saw Aaron and Rhea, and has an aunt working in the local Pokémon center.

He had this whole house to himself. She can sort of relate, but she doesn't technically consider him as a friend. If she wasn't as distant, she would use the care he's been giving as a consideration of taking his friendship, but because she was, she'll leave it alone and let him think what he wants

"We just met... Don't get ahead of yourself, stranger" he chuckled

"Yeah, I know! Anyways, I got some food in the oven. I'll carry you down" she nodded, allowing him to scoop her up and carry her downstairs with Eevee and Froslass following. Downstairs smelled heavenly... it almost smelled like the food her mom use to make and bring to her when she was in the hospital

Not noticing she was smiling to herself at the memories, West stared at her in her own little world and placed her down on the couch, bringing her back to reality.

She didn't really get the chance to see his entire home that first night since it was still so dark.

For a boy being home alone, it was surprisingly clean. She heard stories from her maids whispering that their husbands, sons, or brothers were always so trashy while she read her book in the throne room

"Here" Crystal looked at a plate of lasagna on a plate and sat down across from her to eat immediately. She almost didn't notice that two bowls were placed on the corner of the table for Froslass and probably her Castform. She sent it out and looked back at West eating while watching TV

Never had she thought she'd do this again... eating in the living room while watching TV. The memories of her family popped into mind when everyone would come together to watch a movie together in the living room back in the Pokémon league.

She put her hands together to thank for the food and ate, ignoring the green-eyed boy watching her. She peaked at him smiling with sauce on his face. Huh...

"How is it?" he asked. She stared at the plate and took a bite, taking her time to respond

"It's really bland" he nervously smiled "but..." she ate it anyways "it's not horrible. Thanks" he smiled and decided to start a conversation

"So! What brings you here to our little village? Since you're traveling" she took a few slow bites, taking a moment before speaking again

"This place is the first place I wanted to visit before heading off to the next town or city. I heard of its mountain views and sunsets" West's smile widened

"Oh yeah! There's a lot more than that, actually! The Red feather lake is not too far from here, and it's one of the twin lakes of the region."

"Twin lakes?"

"Don't know about it? There's another lake called the Blue feather lake, which is located on the other side of the region and is usually covered in blue feathers like the one near here is covered in red feathers. How they appear is a mystery, but the way it looks in front of the mountain and sunset is out of this world!" He widened his arms "the shrine to get to the lake is forbidden to enter. No one can go there without special permission, but I know a secret spot where we can go to see this beauty that can only be found in that spot! I can say I'm pretty lucky to be the only one to know of this spot. Want to join me?" She stared at his hand he was holding out.

It's was still strange how she's allowing herself to stay so close to a stranger, but at the end, it won't matter. She needs all the help she can get before it's a matter of time until he finds out she's an Otashi. Taking his hand, she agreed to stay with him a bit longer until she's well enough to leave him

~

I can't tell you how hard it was to create a region and to think I finished building this story in only 2-3 maybe four months. the editing took much longer though

(update: Whenever I'm reading this, I forget how much in love I am with this story because of how I made Crystal. I made it so long ago, yet I'm barely starting to rewrite everything in my schools' computer)

edited on Grammarly 11/30/18