Music: 「それを言葉という」by Amazarashi

The next Trade came the next day. It would take the group to another city, a city on the other side of Mt. Coronet — Eterna City. Eterna and Snowpoint were connected in numerous ways, from their proximity to natural rocks that could trigger an Eevee's evolution into Leafeon and Glaceon respectively to the Gym Leaders being second and second last in the roster and sharing a healthy sisterhood at that. While Snowpoint had eternal winter, Eterna never left the point of spring. Best of all, everyone in both cities hated Mindy to the core.

By now, pictures and videos of her lying on the Snowpoint Pokémon Centre's floor had circulated online, beyond the realm of reason. Memes were created, then rumours, then greater extrapolations, then "truths" and "facts" that made their way to tabloids and gossip columns. The journey to Eterna took her longer than she'd liked, for she was stopped by skateboarders, hikers, ruin maniacs and the bazillion of trainers hoping to catch a glimpse of her. The worst ones were those who sprung up from a pile of snow or leapt down a pine tree or sneaked up to her from behind a boulder or smashed a rock (a Geodude, actually, which was horrid, for she had to quell its anger and wrestled it for her right of way) to grab a picture of her. Then there were those who insisted on selfies or group photos as if she were the spawn of Giratina promoting the dangers of the Distortion World to the human body and mind.

The Lake Trio looked on with secondhand embarrassment and cloaked themselves in a sterilising light that rendered them invisible to all but Mindy. Had they stepped in, they would never be able to reach Eterna till half a month later.

When they did reach Eterna after crossing the sprawling caverns of Mt. Coronet, things weren't any better. The city's music station had been hijacked by youths who were anticipating her arrival and jamming to songs designed to curse at her with lyrics that made her cringe and their parents cry in their coffins. If these same people booked a flight to Unova, they could learn to wear a mask and cry in their own coffins at the Desert Resort, Mindy thought.

"So... Where's the girl?" Mindy spoke over the blaring, discordant music.

Uxie pointed in the northeastern direction. On a raised platform overgrown with grass, a strange statue stood basking in its vainglory, draconic and domineering in its posture. It was a hybrid of the Legends of Space and Time, Palkia and Dialgia respectively, shaded in a honey gold, an artist's impression of the Legendaries at the moment of their birth before they became separate beings. The plate had been torn off, marked by an inky indentation. A lanky girl observed the statue with her arms crossed, her platinum-dyed hair a neat bun, a multicoloured bird Pokémon perched on her right shoulder.

Mindy ambled to her side and the Lake Guardians made themselves prominent.

"Mindy? So it's true... You're a Trader," the girl muttered and turned to face her. "You see my Chatot? We don't condone what you did to Kōki, but please make her speak again."

The Chatot made an indiscernible sound as Mindy eyed her. "So it's mute."

"She. Chatty's unable to Chatter and everyone laughs at her for the gibberish she makes. I adopted her so it's my responsibility to fulfil her wish."

Mindy noticed now how shabby the Pokémon appeared, her feathers torn and discoloured, her neck but a beige patch of skin riddled with scars.

Mindy stared at the girl. It was business time. It didn't matter what would happen to her. She would endure whatever came her way if only it led to her grand redemption.

"Would you like to Trade?"

Azelf applauded her gusto.

"Chatty's voice is dear. Trash like you don't deserve anything much. Your voice for Chatty's voice."

Mindy's eyes burned. "Come again?"

"You will be mute. Things were better and quieter before you apologised," the girl said, wagging her finger at Mindy, "and I want it that way."

"You can always start by using noise-cancelling headphones," Mindy quipped. What was wrong with this girl? Sure, her Chatot was mute, but this didn't give her the right to boss over Mindy just because of a mistake she made. What an entitled bitch.

"Do you want me to tell the whole world how fake you are? Why did you help the man back in Snowpoint? What, did your dead gramps say you'll go to heaven if you start doing good deeds?"

"Fucking—"

"Enough," Uxie interjected. "In a minute, Chatot will have her voice. Mindy will stay mute for the rest of the day. Is that good for you?"

"Fine," the girl said with a smirk. "This will be good."

Mindy nodded. It didn't sound so bad, to be frank. Surely she can survive without speaking at all.

The Lake Trio encircled Chatty and blinked. At once, the Chatot chirruped and launched into a string of expletives detailing her hatred for Mindy. The girl thanked them flippantly and skipped out of sight.

"Ugh! She's dis—"

Mindy felt her jaws clamp down, her lips thinning as fast as wildfire. Her muscles tensed and soon, her mouth was simply a fine line. She had never been so two-dimensional, like she had been mixed into a stickman comic and now made to suffer in silence the shame and disappointment and disgruntlement of a thousand eons.

"Apologies. I'm certain this wasn't what you were expecting," Uxie mumbled.

Mindy made inconceivable sounds to express her protest. She didn't need to speak to get her point across. Tears were at the ready to break her dams.

Two thumps on the steps to the grassy platform caught their attention. A man with a cloud-like beard raised his walking stick at her as he approached them, his clutch unwavering. His hoarse voice came through.

"The creation of Dialga, the giver of time... In laughter, there is tears... And, likewise it is with time. The same time flows on. For it is the blessing of Dialga."

Mindy raised a brow at him. Still, he continued talking and walking towards them, till the tail end of his walking stick rested in the centre of her forehead.

"The birth of Palkia, the creator of parallel dimensions... Alive, yet not alive... Everything drifts in space... To arrive in the same universe. It is the blessing of Palkia."

Mindy squinted at the old man. He was close to becoming a bag of bones, yet the firmness of his grip on his walking stick told a different story.

"Alas," he sighed, "the final piece of inscription was gone... Rumour has it that it's about Giratina."

Mindy blinked and pushed his stick aside, causing him to wobble before grasping the air for balance.

"I live nearby," he said. "I was once like you. Every Trade has its risk, but the reward is optional. Trading is a difficult business."

He clung to her frame for support and shot her a grim smile.

"It was a more ancient batch of Lake Guardians, so I'm afraid you three do not know me. But I am tasked to care for this statue." Meeting Mindy's wide-eyed gaze, he chortled. "I wasn't punished that way, if that's what you're thinking. This is my reward: a simple life. You will get yours too. Eventually."

He turned around and bade farewell with a perfunctory wave of a hand, hips swaying as he waded away. At the bottom of the platform, he paused, grunted, rubbed his nose and faced them again.

"Have no fear, young lady. You have Verity, Valor and Acuity by your side. You lose your voice, you gain my word. Think about the powers hidden in the lakes. You will come to understand what I mean."

With that, he left a befuddled Mindy to watch his shadow slip by. Mindy didn't know what was an appropriate reaction. He came and went like a phantom, dispensing nonsense she had to comprehend. She whipped out her phone and typed: what are the powers hidden in the lakes?

The Lake Trio glanced at each other, then at the statue. Time and space seemed to pause.

"Blizzard in Acuity, Thunder in Valor, Fire Blast in Verity," Uxie muttered. "Right now, they are the least of your concerns. We should do something to compensate for your mutism."

why are you being so nice?

"Why not?" Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit said in unison.

I'm hungry. we should eat.

Mindy brushed her fingers across her face. Her brows furrowed.

can I even eat

They nodded. Steam poured out of her being. Her ears reddened.

Guided by hunger's brisk feet, the group of four strolled to the city centre. Little did Mindy know the new shopping mall was once a Team Galactic hideout, or she would not have been led on by desire.

We all lie in the comfort of not knowing anyway. Nothing to make a big fuss about, right?