Their long trip towards Celestic ended up being a tad more exciting than Barry expected, though not as much as he'd hoped.
It turned out living with one of the members of the Lake Trio inside his head wasn't as fancy and heroic as stories made it seem. Mesprit might've been almost as old as the world itself and the guardian of all human emotion, but that didn't mean much when it came to its personality. And Barry had spent the past two days slowly learning everything the almost-deity liked, disliked, hated, and the things it would possess him for and walk him off a cliff. He took careful notes of those last ones.
Mesprit liked eating almost as much as him, but only during the night, since it thought the concept of lunch was idiotic. Its curiosity was as wide as it was dim; it would vehemently ask them things about the world that had changed ever since its last nap, but would also lose interest rapidly if the tale wasn't entertaining enough. It would then blame them for its boredom, claiming that they were lousy storytellers. It would often ask him to stop his walking and stare at a random piece of nature for up to half an hour, saying that it liked the way the light reflected off the trees or similarly cryptic nonsense.
But worst of all was that Mesprit did not care one bit about Pokemon battling. Every time they ran across another trainer and challenged them it would loudly complain about how barbaric it found the whole thing, so loudly and eloquently that Barry figured it just wanted another excuse to bicker.
It was maddening, like meeting someone who hated eating or napping or pancakes. He couldn't quite call Mesprit out on it, but it still made him unreasonably grumpy.
Still, there were a few perks that made their bond worth it, the fact that he was technically a legendary hero notwithstanding. For starters; Barry had been quick at getting the hang out of using Mesprit's base, psychic-oriented powers. He could point at a small rock and levitate it up to five feet, though he'd get a nasty headache for a few minutes afterwards. He could create a thin sheet of a protective barrier that was strong enough to block a mild punch from Niss before breaking, though maintaining it for more than a few seconds made him feel dizzy.
However the biggest advantage was that he could teleport himself –along with Niss- up to almost a mile ahead. It took him a few tries to get the location right (he ended up on top of a tree and at the bottom of a nearby lake a couple of times), but at the end of the first day he could successfully travel that distance in a straight line with only a bit of vomiting and severe disorientation as the biggest drawback. They still used Kitsune for the actual transporting, as the grumpy Pokemon had a much better grasp on such psychic abilities than his trainer.
However, Mesprit warned him that he should only practice until he could familiarize himself enough with those abilities, and use them extremely sparingly. For one, its psychic power was limited without its body. It would keep waning as time went on, until their bond became impossible to maintain and Mesprit would be forced to leave Barry's mind.
Secondly, it wanted him to focus on getting a better grasp of the whole Emotion deal, which Barry could not even begin to comprehend. Mesprit did its best to assist him, though it was clear there was not even an ounce of a teacher inside the legendary Pokemon. Its explanations were cryptic at best and overly melodramatic poetic nonsense at worst.
Barry was twice as impatient as a normal person, and Mesprit was a quarter as understanding, which made for an interesting and irritating tutelage. Often he would catch Niss staring at him with one hand over her mouth, trying to hide laughter, staring at his frown as he basically argued with himself.
No wonder most humans who bond with Mesprit in stories end up a bit mad, he thought to himself bitterly.
His patience began to strain during their last resting stop before reaching Celestic. They stopped to have some breakfast in one of the corners of Route 210, enjoying the fleeting shade of the tall trees before they disappeared as Mt Coronet became more prominent in the distance. Barely a speck of the gigantic string of mountains stood at their right, and almost a mile ahead they could see the sparkling blue and white of rushing waterfalls.
After eating, Barry had for once decided that his Pokemon had gotten enough training already and let himself fall against a soft, thick bush while Niss shook her head disapprovingly. She could see her past the shade of the trees above him, shouting orders and encouragement at Shadi, whose springy legs made her jump like a bullet from tree to tree.
"Aren't you going to join your brightly-eyed friend today?"
Barry stopped before he could rest his head, a thin line forming on his forehead. Mesprit's voice had a curious, mocking tone that he'd gotten accustomed to.
"I decided to take a break," he replied harshly, as if daring it to complain. "We've trained enough lately."
"And I'm guessing that includes what we've been practicing?" It asked. "Then again I'd hesitate to call that training. More like metaphorically falling down the stairs of learning."
He took a deep, patient breath.
"I'll keep doing my best, and some day I guess I'll get better at this," he said to no one, eyes lost in the plumage of leaves above. "You want someone who works harder than me? Then hop on to Niss and bond with her."
"Yes, and perhaps we should also give a pyromaniac a box of matches and point them towards a house made of wood," Mesprit said, sarcasm clear in its voice. "Additionally, that is not how it works. I can only bond with those who truly embody the concept of Emotion."
Barry sighed as he sank deeper into the soft pillow that was the bush under him. He curled his fingers into fists and rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"I know, I'm just… grumpy, I guess." He threw his head back, eyes halfway open. "Can you explain this Emotion stuff again? Is it like… energy, or magic? Or something more abstract?"
"All of those. And none, technically. It is not something that can be properly explained."
Barry's expression hardened. "Everything can be explained, even abstract concepts."
"Ha! Listen boy, if that were true you humans would've stopped writing poems and composing songs long ago." For the first time Barry could hear invisible waves of laughter from inside his head. "Trust me, I've been coaching clueless oafs like you for thousands of years, and not once have they learned through words and explanations alone."
Might have something to do with the teacher, Barry thought.
"The problem here is that the new Sinnohan language is too specific, too straightforward. Back in my day it used to be a lot subtler; you could say many things and imply many more with a short sentence. As such, the word that you humans know today as emotion had more than one meaning attached to it. It was also the word for benevolence, empathy and wind. And even those things fall short of fully grasping the concept."
Barry let out a long sigh. "Great, a talk about linguistics. My freaking favorite."
"On top of it all, you are tackling the problem in the wrong manner." Mesprit ignored his comment. "What you need to focus on is not learning, but understanding. Let's see… remember your fight with that masked fellow? That is the perfect example."
Truthfully, Barry was embarrassed to admit that he'd forgotten completely about that incident, what with Mesprit actually appearing into his life and all. His thoughts had been rather occupied, to say the least.
But now he remembered, and when he closed his eyes it was like he was seeing it again through another pair of eyes. The muffled chants, those rainbow colored threads that looked like glass flying towards him and all around his body. He remembered how he beckoned them forward, and how Pedri had evolved the moment they reached him.
"Was that…?" he asked with a sliver of voice. "How did I do that?"
"Typically, the moment I truly sync with the human I've chosen is when the biggest transference of power occurs. It is a one-time deal, unfortunately, and you will need to work for a very long time to achieve something like that again, though small bursts will occur sometimes when your emotional state is heightened," Mesprit explained. "In any case, it illustrates what I previously said. The understanding of what the essence of Emotion is and how you can use it is already in you, it's just not inside your mind. As such, it cannot be taught or learned."
Barry nodded. A few years back, when he started waking up early to jog or run, he remembered coming back sweating bullets and barely able to breathe. After taking a shower he'd throw himself into the sofa and simply lay there, feeling the dull ache of his muscles. Once he got up, every movement he made triggered a rather odd feeling of… painful bliss, so to speak. It was like yawning or stretching after a night of good sleep, it simply felt good in a very strange way.
That is exactly how his brain felt every time he had a talk with Mesprit. Tired, aching, but also slightly relaxed. It put him in a rather unique state of mind, one where the nonsensical speeches of its legendary mentor started to make slightly more sense.
Maybe the thought came to him because he was feeling that way. It landed on his mind without much fuss, like a feather falling on a pond, but suddenly he felt the urge to open his eyes wide, and something like understanding came to him.
"Maybe… it's something like infinites," he whispered to no one, furrowing his brow. "Those can't be technically explained either."
"I… beg your pardon?"
"Infinite, like in math!" he explained. "It's literally impossible for people to think about it, even if deep down we understand the concept. There was this theorem… agh, what was it?" He scrunched up his face, trying to remember. "It talked about a big number… so big that if a person actually understood it the amount of information stored in their brain would be dense enough to collapse in on itself form a black hole. And that number isn't even a tiny fraction of what infinite is!"
It was as if someone had lifted a curtain in front of his mind eye. He couldn't put it into words, but the relief in his voice was almost palpable.
"That's kind of what you were saying, right?" he asked, hopeful. "It's something so complex that my brain can't understand it, but there's another part that can. So I just have to like… go with my instinct and stuff! Like in Pokemon battling!"
He waited and waited, but the silence that ensued lasted for far longer than it should have. Had he said something wrong? Maybe he'd gotten it completely wrong…
"Mesprit?" he asked, hesitantly.
"I… apologize," it finally spoke, a fair share of awe in its tone. "I… simply did not saw you as the type who would enjoy a subject such as math."
Barry tilted his head towards her friend in the distance, and smiled, "It's the only class I was better than Niss at. She hates numbers, always did." He let out a small laugh. "Is it… bad that I like it?"
"No, of course not! It just caught me off guard is all." Mesprit hurried to say. "Your explanation was quite precise, and you've managed to grasp the concept faster than most. I might just make an acceptable hero out of you yet, boy."
Barry struggled not to smile, and raised his scarf almost up to his nose. At first sight it would've looked like he did it because of the cold, but a keener watcher would've realized the pale blush he was trying to hide.
"Now, I believe this rest has been long enough." Mesprit said with a long sigh. "Shall we get your friend and get going? I would like to reach Celestic before nightfall. I am simply dying to eat actual food instead of the canned atrocities you kids carry in your bags."
----------------------------------------
In the end they made it to Celestic with time to spare, on the afternoon before the day of the festival.
The town rested at what one could call the bottom of a valley, surrounded on all sides but east by the innumerable tendrils of Mt Coronet. However it didn't simply sat down there, it would've been more accurate to say that it climbed up from it. Houses, buildings and roads twisted downwards and upwards like a gigantic spiral, with many smaller spirals stuck in between. At the very bottom sat a wooden structure no bigger than a person, one Inyssa couldn't quite identify. Behind it was the entrance to what she knew was a labyrinthine tunnel full of ancient caves; the Celestic Ruins.
They could see it all from where they stood, in the road atop the valley. Breathless might've been a good way to describe the state they were in, considering they'd been standing there for a couple minutes. The town was fundamentally different from all the rest they'd visited before, Inyssa realized. Just like Fortree, Sootopolis and Blackthorne, the town looked straight out of a fairy tale.
They stared slack-jawed for a good while, trying to scan the entire town, until realization came to Inyssa. Something was missing.
"Do you see a Pokemon Center down there?" she asked, tone faint.
"Maybe… there isn't one here?" He wrinkled his nose. "Or it might be hidden behind some building."
Inyssa hoped it was the second thing, otherwise they would have no place to crash for the night. She wasn't sure she had enough money to pay for two hotel rooms, and the idea of sharing one made the hair on the back of her neck stand up in embarrassment.
Unconsciously she pressed the button on one of her Pokeballs, its light forming the familiar shape of Steven. He took to the skies with a twirl of his wings, flying down to her shoulder a moment after. His body felt a lot heavier now that he'd evolved.
"I hope you had a good nap." She scratched playfully under his chin, earning herself a few chirps. "Would you mind going down there and see if you can find the Pokemon Center? Come and alert us if you do."
With an energetic nod Steven jumped from her shoulder, extending the impressive span of his wings as he flew towards the center of town. The speed of his descent left a vacuum of air behind him, which almost toppled her hat off her head.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Regardless of whether he found it or not, they decided to walk down the road as well. As they went Inyssa could better appreciate the strange architecture of the houses around them. Most were compact and not that impressive, with only one or two having more than one floor. Not that they looked poor or badly built, far from it.
The walls were made of some kind of glass-like stone that seemed to reflect the light of the sun. The windows were all crystal and so clean she could barely tell they were there. The roofs were sturdy and thick, and from what little she could see inside all the houses were packed to the brim, not leaving much wasted space. They've probably been built a very long time ago, but taken care of to the point of having almost no sign of wear.
The people of the town were clearly well off economically, she realized. They were just modest about it.
Every single person they ran into waved or smiled or gave them a 'Nice to meet you!', so sincere it made Inyssa slightly uncomfortable. The citizens looked well worn with weary, experienced eyes and soft voices barely above a whisper. Their accent was strange as well, though she could've sworn she'd heard it somewhere before. And strangest of all, every single one of them they ran into had the same eye color. Grey, stormy.
The road downtown was just as labyrinthic as the ruins were rumored to be, and more than once they had to go back a few streets because they'd run into some kind of dead end. Still, she was having such a great time exploring the place that she couldn't have cared less. The streets were packed with more people that she would've expected, all adults or older and carrying all manner of things around. Wood, cloth, bags full of trinkets, paint buckets, etc. She figured they were working to prepare for the festival tomorrow. The idea seemed rather odd.
"A town as small as this, everyone must know each other," shrugged Barry. "They're probably excited for the festival and want to work hard to make it good."
"Yeah, but we come from a small town too," she argued. "And back in Twinleaf no one wanted to help with anything."
"That's because we're from a town full of rich people. Don't look at me like that, you know it's true." He pointed at her frown. "The families back in Twinleaf hate each other, and I'm sure most haven't worked with their hands once in their entire lives."
Barry's words were not false, per se, but for some reason they made her deeply uncomfortable. Trying to swat that thought off her mind she looked around more, down into the spiral of the town.
Something caught her eye.
Two streets down she saw a park no bigger than a stadium, overlooking a small lake. Various rows of birch trees gave shade to almost every part of it, and in the very center sat a beautifully crafted gazebo, made of the same glass-stone material as many of the houses around town. An old woman sat on a chair in front of its entrance, wearing a soft blue shawl that covered almost her entire body. Before her at least forty people sat on the grass, listening to what she had to say. Inyssa couldn't quite hear her words, though the strength and firmness of her voice made it to them as if carried by the wind.
They exchanged a wordless look, unanimously deciding to head down to the park. If anything, they might be able to ask someone if they knew where the Pokemon Center was.
Leaves crunched under them as they made their way to the gazebo, though no one turned to look at them despite the noise. Inyssa had expected otherwise, and with the awkward, self-conscious feeling of having intruded into a place where she didn't belong, she simply stood near one of the trees with Barry. Far enough away so that people wouldn't notice them, but they could still hear the woman talk.
Her voice was, like that of most of the people she'd met in town, as smooth as silk, though not necessarily soft. It carried itself around the park easily, so even those who were in the back could hear her clearly. It took Inyssa only five seconds to pinpoint her cadence, tone, and the way she spoke; she was telling a story. It took her five more to recognize which one it was, and at that point she was not able to stifle the gasp that came out of her mouth.
"…but she could not be defeated, no matter how many leather-hearted warriors and Pokemon they threw at her," she said with grim certainty. "Her strength was not simply physical, even if the sword she held on her left hand could cut through armies and mountains as easily as a knife against velvet. She wore her burning hatred like a charm, like a piece of armor that protected her against all blows."
Nyss. That woman was telling a story about Nyss. And not just any, but the one that spoke of her tragic end. She felt a knot start to form on her stomach; she'd never liked that one. It was certainly good, but more often than not it made her feel terrible about every single person involved in it.
"…after many weeks of horror, the people of Kalos were left with no choice but to turn to their most hated enemies for help," the woman continued. "Swallowing their precious pride, they asked Sinnoh to call back their frenzied warrior, in exchange for surrendering the war.
"However, Nyss was no longer affiliated with her country's military. She acted all alone, wanting nothing more than to find the one responsible for her brother's death. And, falling short of that, she'd be content with simply burning the entirety of Kalos to the ground, quenching the ashes under her feet.
"The citizens of Kalos realized this, and had no choice but to shame themselves further. They begged Sinnoh for their help, offering them the oversea lands they've been denied for so long, including Stark Mountain and more than half of what today is Sunnyshore and the Lily of the Valley Island. The rulers of our land accepted, though they knew there was little they could do against a power as great as Nyss'. As it stood, they knew of only one person who might be capable to put a stop to her rampage.
"Nyss was on her way to the capital city, what today is known as Lumiose, when she noticed a dark figure approaching from the horizon. She did not need to unsheathe her sword, for it'd been resting in her hand all this time. She stopped for a moment as she saw that person come towards her; was it a messenger? Had the nobles of Kalos sent someone to negotiate peace and surrender? The idea almost made her laugh. She headed towards them, ready to slit their throat as soon as they approached.
"However, she recognized who it was before she could even think of raising her sword. The sight of his pale, faded blue eyes put a stop to her rage if only momentarily, and for the first time in weeks she considered dropping her blade. The man stopped a few feet from her, one hand grasping his longbow and the other resting on the hilt of his war-hammer. His expression was blank and resolute, like hers had been a long time ago.
"His name was Noh, and today we refer to him as the third and last of the fabled legendary heroes. He was the brother of King Az, and had previously fought alongside him, until the king's madness following the death of his companion left Noh no choice but to ally himself with his enemies in an attempt to stop him. And, due to the whims of fate, he ended up becoming good friends with Nyss and Synn. Wven though his tales aren't quite as known as those of the aforementioned, he was every bit as powerful and renowned. He'd been the first to volunteer for the task of taking down Nyss, and he'd done it without a moment's hesitation. He held the woman very close to his heart, and did not wish for her legacy to rot and fall to ruin. As such, he decided he would be the one to kill her.
"He explained all this to Nyss, and each word he said served as fuel for the bottomless fury residing inside her chest. Before he could finish speaking, she lunged towards him, the madness in her eyes reflected on the blade headed directly for Noh's stomach. He did not move and the sword did not harm him, for he'd not come alone. As the weapon bounced off, three bright lights shone behind him, momentarily blinding Nyss and materializing into the siblings of the Lake Trio. To this day, this is the only recorded mention of all three working together towards a single goal.
"Azelf had grown to love Nyss from their time together and could not bear to see her fall to her own wrath and grief. Mesprit and Uxie admired and respected the person she used to be as well, and as such joined their sibling in an attempt to put the woman down. Their combined power, along with Noh's skills as a warrior, might have been able to tip the scales on their favor.
"The least we speak of their battle the better, for it was long and horrific. Enough to say that it lasted until the sun went down and for many hours after. Nyss, still holding the fleeting embers of her previous power as Azelf's chosen one, called forth fire and pelted Noh with endless ropes of flame born out of the thorny vine-shaped scars in her arms. Noh summoned forth Uxie's thunder, and together they created a storm of destruction that tore through the land they fought in, which rumors say is still destroyed to this day, and nothing can hope to mend it.
"Noh managed to best Nyss in the end, for he was blessed with powers that did not belong to him. Azelf gave him the determination necessary to face such a grueling task, Mesprit crowned him with protection against the woman's smoldering rage, which would've torn anyone else to shreds. Finally, Uxie sharpened his mind and sight so that all his strikes would land true, and digging deep into his most precious memories it managed to bring back to life the shades of those whom he'd known and fought with. As Noh raised his hammer, he did so with the strength and expertise of hundreds of warriors.
"His last blow was the one to end the fight, and as it moved through the air the wind curved around his, allowing the sharp edge to find Nyss' heart. For a single moment she gasped, eyes wide in pain and shock, and fell to one knee. Her fingers softened around the handle of her sword, but she did not drop it. She took in a deep breath, got to her feet and looked down at the wound she'd just suffered. A wound that, by all means, should've ended her life.
"With her rage momentarily replaced by surprise, understanding came to her. Noh could not kill her, just as one could not strike the moon out of the sky. Her spirit had grown into an everlasting fire that could never be quenched, no matter what happened to her body.
"In that fleeting moment before her fury came back to her, she understood what needed to be done. With hot tears running down her cheeks she looked up at Noh, and then at the three legendary Pokemon behind him. Her gaze stopped on one of them, and for the first time in weeks she parted her lips to speak:
"Mesprit, please…"
"Hers was a tone of plea, and it didn't take long for Mesprit to understand. At first it was horrified by the mere idea of what she wanted it to do, but soon it saw the fire inside her grow and grow, and knew that they would not get another opportunity like that one. Quickly, it floated down to her until they were face to face, and then placed its forehead against hers. Drawing deep from the depths of its soul it looked her straight in the eye, bright gold meeting burning green, and with a simple thought it erased the emotion out of her spirit.
"Nyss' eyes went empty, the rage inside quenched completely. Forming a sad, exhausted smile she closed them and let herself fall. However Noh was quick, and he got hold of her before her body could meet the ground. She slept deeply in his arms, her expression more peaceful than it'd ever been.
"However, all was not resolved. Nyss was still, for all intents and purposes, physically immortal, and as such would not be able to rest in peace until someone stronger brought her down. But Noh was exhausted, his body torn apart, and he knew that her end could only come from a fair fight. So, after much consideration, he came up with a plan.
"It was not an easy pill to swallow, so much that Azelf and Mesprit completely refused and abandoned the man shortly after. The first was wrecked with grief over what had happened to the woman it loved so much, and the second could not escape the guilt of having to erase her emotions. Uxie, the oldest and wisest of the siblings, understood that sometimes sacrifices needed to be made, and as such agreed to help Noh with his plan.
"They set out with Nyss' body, traveling back to the land she'd loved so much in her youth. Once they reached Sinnoh they looked far and wide for a proper place to hide her. To this day we do not know where their search stopped, only that it is someplace in our region and behind great iron doors. They cast the woman's body inside, leaving her waiting.
"Waiting for what? Well, for a warrior worthy enough to kill her, of course. Noh started spreading rumors, while Uxie bonded itself with many humans and groomed them into legendary heroes of their own, so that someday they might be able to take Nyss out of her misery. As such many great warriors went in pilgrimages to find her, and every single one of them fell to her blade. It became a tradition of sorts, one taken by only the most devoted and brave. Some say this was the birth of the idea of a Champion, long before any kind of Pokemon League was created.
"No one was ever able to best her, though. Legends say that she still waits behind the great doors of iron, her body immortal and her eyes as cold as winter itself. Hoping that, one day, a worthy warrior will force her to drop her sword and fall into the comfortable and eternal blanket of her sleep."
It took Inyssa a few moments to realize the story was over. She'd been hearing it so intently that coming back to reality wasn't an easy thing for her mind to do. She blinked a few times, and realizing that her eyes were slightly wet she rubbed then against the sleeve of her coat. Next to her Barry stood similarly stunned, mouth slightly agape and tears shimmering in his eyes.
There was no applause amongst those listening, though they rose to their feet and smiled at the old woman. It was probably a tradition of some kind.
"Now, there's no more time for stories," the woman scoffed, raising her cane to point at the children in the front. "Go off! You're young and bright, aren't you? Use that to help prepare for the festival. Maybe then I'll consider telling you another one tomorrow."
The park cleared out in less than a minute, leaving only them and the old lady. Not wanting to look like a creep or a stalker, she walked from behind the tree and headed towards her, Barry following a moment after. As she got closer she realized the woman was a lot older than she'd thought; at the very least in her eighties. Still, she carried herself with such ease and grace that one could hardly call her frail.
She looked up at them once they were a stone throw's away, and the grey of her eyes felt terribly familiar to Inyssa. She spoke before thinking:
"Your story was beautiful," she said with a faint tone. "I mean, I've heard it before, but never told so…"
She struggled to find the words, moreso because the woman did not take her eyes off her for a moment. They made her nervous.
"I don't think I've ever heard that last part, though," Barry added with a smile. "About Noh's plan and all that."
The woman nodded slightly, and the corners of her mouth quirked up into a smile.
"Not many have." She spoke with a low, almost humming tone. That too sounded familiar. "I appreciate your attentive ears. Not many kids your age are interested in old stories nowadays."
The word kids might've offended Inyssa in any other scenario, but the way the woman said it made it sound like the sweetest thing they could be called. She smiled back and bowed slightly, just like her mother had taught her to do. Just because many accused her of being rude did not mean she was unaware of how to act politely towards those who deserved it.
"It was my pleasure," she assured her. "Additionally, might I bother you with another question? We're not from here, you see…"
"The only thing that would bother me would be if you did not speak your mind," the woman said. "And yes, I recognized you as foreigners. Twinleaf, if I'm not mistaken?"
Inyssa and Barry exchanged a look of disbelief.
"How did you know?" the latter asked.
"Your accents are as clear as a shallow pool," she whispered. "Now, what can this old woman do for you?"
Inyssa thought for a moment before speaking. "We're both trainers, and we came here for the Festival of Spirit before heading towards our next Gym challenge. But… we haven't been able to find a Pokemon Center yet." She formed her best apologetic smile. "Would you mind telling us where it is?"
For a moment it seemed as if she were about to laugh, but she simply placed a hand against her lips and coughed. She then looked up at her with something akin to pity.
"I'm afraid we do not have one of those in Celestic," she said, and noticing the shock in their expressions decided to elaborate, "This town is traditional to the point of ridiculousness. I daresay no new constructions have been made for the past fifty years or so."
She raised a hand to give them a pat on the shoulder at their dismayed expressions, which did make Inyssa feel slightly better.
"I know of a few good inns around town that would be delighted to take you in," she offered. "They're not as expensive as hotels, but they are twice as comfortable."
She started debating the possibility in her mind when a voice spoke from behind them.
"There will be no need of that."
The hair on the back of her neck tingled at the sound, and just before she turned she noticed the old woman looking behind them, irritation clear in her eyes.
Barry and Inyssa had to contain a gasp at the sight of the woman who'd just spoken. She wore the same, bright smile as the last time they'd run into her, which extended to the corners of her stormy grey eyes. Well, one of them, the one that wasn't covered by a tuft of golden hair. She also recognized the Pokemon whose talons gripped her right arm; Steven chirped happily, letting himself be pet by her.
"Cynthia…" Inyssa whispered, tone blank.
"You insolent girl!"
They shivered at the sound of the old woman's scream. She walked towards Cynthia with her brow furrowed, one hand gripping tightly to her cane and, without hesitation, slapped her on the side of the head. It was a gentle slap, the kind a parent gives to a child if they're misbehaving.
Still, Cynthia reeled in surprise, a deep blush covering her pale cheeks. Steven flew off her arm as well, landing a moment after on Inyssa's shoulders.
"Granny!" she yelped.
G-granny? Inyssa thought, eyes going wide. So that's why she sounded so familiar.
"Don't you granny me, you oaf!" she spat back, stomping the ground with her cane. "Where have you been? I've been looking for you all morning! Have you been wasting time with your Pokemon battles? Do you think coming back while I'm with guests will save you from my scolding? You've less sense than a Slowpoke!"
Cynthia took a step back after every question, her expression anxious and frightened. Inyssa had only met her once, but she saw that those emotions did not fit her face at all.
"Granny, please! Listen to me for a moment!" Cynthia pleaded, forming a nervous smile. "I would never do such a thing. I interrupted you because I recognized these two." She made a wave of the hand towards Barry and Inyssa. "They are extremely talented trainers whom I've met in my travels."
She flashed them a beaming smile, one that caught them so off guard they could hardly say anything.
"And I just happened to overhear your conversation," she added. "You will not pay for a bed and a roof, not while I still have my pride. You two will stay in our home, and you will allow me the honor of being your gracious host." She bobbed her head to the side with perfect grace, still smiling. "It is the least I can do for fellow trainers such as yourselves."