It wouldn’t be until the day after that the message crossed their minds again. Blitzer had felt so humiliated that the idea of following up on anything related to Hein made him sick to his stomach, and George wasn’t thrilled at the prospect of doing anything the Charmander was uncomfortable with, even something as simple as reading a letter.
One day of whimsical activities later, the two snuck out to the other side of the village, Nero and Nera unaware of the message’s existence. Both agreed it was better that way. But even after agreeing the time was right, they procrastinated for a while, staring at the yellowed paper in George’s hands instead of reading it.
“Honestly Blitzer, I don’t know about this. What if it’s all a trap? Some elaborate joke a Soldier came up with, just so they can toy with me before yanking me off to god knows where?”
Blitzer hummed a dull note. “I don’t believe that, no. But I don’t know what to expect, either. I don’t like ghosts. Especially that Dusknoir. Not after what he said to me. I’m not some unruly monster that’s going to burn everything in sight. I’m not some slob that only cares about myself, am I, George?” Shimmers appeared in both of Blitzer’s eyes.
George felt the anxiety come off the Charmander, and put a hand on his back. “Of course not. You’re just energetic, that’s all,” he said. His heightened senses had sounded the alarms. The smell and feel of the air had shifted, so discomforting that George felt the need to act. He didn’t need to guess what, either. As a Pokemon, smells and air felt like an extension of himself and other Pokemon, a mirror into their souls.
“Then why did he say that?! And why did Lance say it too?!”
George patted Blitzer on the back with enough force to make an audible thud. “Don’t take them seriously, Blitzer. They’re both old farts that hate anyone younger than them. You’re just making them jealous with all that energy. It’s no different than the headmistress I dealt with, or certain teachers. Sure, it’s annoying, but they’re only angry that they’ve lost their youth. That’s all.”
Blitzer shook his head, scattering a few droplets to the wind. “No, George. Us Pokemon, we… we have our assumptions about one another, just because of our species. And they’re telling me I’m the worst example of mine. That I don’t listen to others. That I’m aggressive and easy to upset. That I often hurt others. That I am prideful and arrogant.”
“But that’s not true, Blitzer,” George said.
“How would you know?”
George clenched his fists. “Because I’ve been with you for as long as I’ve been a Pokemon! And I’ve seen plenty of arrogant idiots around, believe me. If any of that were true, I would have seen it! You’re a good person at heart, and I know it. Always excited, always optimistic, always meaning well even if he doesn’t come over in the best way. That’s the Blitzer I know.”
Blitzer turned to face George, his eyes partially closed. “Do you mean that?”
“Of course I do.” George held a fist up. “Let those rusty old grandpas yammer. It’s not worth it to try and please them.” ‘You’ll spend all your life trying to, nothing will change.’
Blitzer swallowed, his tail carefully curling up around his side. “Okay.”
George cleared his throat, then held the letter back up. “Alright then. Should we open up the letter? Do you think it might be a trap?”
Blitzer nodded. “It might be a prank by that Dusknoir to laugh at us.”
George stared at him. “Blitzer, I meant the Soldiers. Do you think they sent this?”
“No one in town would join in on it,” said Blitzer while shaking his head. “And I do mean no one, George. Soldiers are nothing to joke around with. The less we have to deal with them, the better.”
George folded his arms. “But does that Dusknoir live here?”
“Yes,” Blitzer said with a tired nod. “Of course he does. I’ve seen him a bunch whenever I tried sneaking in there. That café is his house, believe it or not.”
“Doesn’t he look kind of creepy to you? Why would anyone just accept the Reaper living among them?” George asked.
Blitzer waved his hands around in front of George’s face. “That’s what I was thinking for the longest time too, but my parents told me he’s lived here for as long as I have without any issues. Well yeah, he likes to hide in walls, but that’s ghosts for you, they do that. Nothing else is strange, they say,” he said, nudging George. “Also, what’s the Reaper?”
“...You mean you don’t know?” George said, surprised, before remembering that this was a different world, and that Pokemon wouldn’t know about human fairy tales. It also dawned on him that making comparisons with death itself weren’t going to win favours with anyone, and that he had gotten himself into quite the pickle.
“Yeah, I don’t. Is it a human thing?”
“Um, yeah, it is,” George said, scratching his head then biting his tongue with a closed mouth. ‘Ugh, how stupid can you be, George?’
“Well, what’s it about?” the Charmander asked with a curious flick of his tail.
“Oh, not much, it’s uh, it’s a story my parents told me, yes. The Reaper is a character in that story, and uh, if I remember correctly, it’s uh…” George drew a blank. It was quiet in the streets. The whole town must’ve been listening in. ”...he would reward kids who did well and punish kids that were bad, and take their candy away. That’s why they call him the Reaper. And he was a ghost, too, and he looked like Hein.” George exhaled. ‘...Very stupid, apparently! Who is going to buy that?’
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Blitzer leaned over. “Interesting! You should tell me more of these stories some time!”
George let his hands sink like dead weights. ‘...Oh.’ “Yes, some other time. But do you think it’s a good idea to read the message now? If Hein’s not suspicious or anything, then I don’t mind.” ‘Something tells me I’ll get into trouble anyway.’
Blitzer sighed. Right after, he began dragging his feet along the ground. From his body language, it was trivial to discern that he was far more interested in hearing George ramble about fairy tales than the message. All the excitement from earlier had sunk into the ground. Hein had gotten him good, something George had no solution for. Not an easy one, anyway, beyond a tap of the shoulder.
“It’s okay. We both know you’re better than that.”
“Yeah. I sure don’t want to lower myself to running errands for that ghost.”
“But who says that ghost is the one who wrote this?” Blitzer was silent. George lowered himself down upon the grass next to the street; it was more comfortable that way. “For all we know, this is someone else’s. That Tangrowth, maybe?”
“That would be silly.”
“It is possible, though.”
“I guess…” Blitzer shook his head. “Alright, let’s get this over with, then. No one says I have to do what is written in there, anyway.”
As Blitzer dropped himself onto the grass next to him, George unfolded the message. It had been written in that same strange language that had been written on the signs leading to the Mystery Dungeons, which George somehow was capable of reading.
“To the receiver of this message,”
“It is crucial that you do not share the contents of this message. This is information which could put you at risk, should the wrong people learn of its existence. Soldiers, or otherwise, the consequences can be severe. Do not share a word contained within this page with any stranger, unless a future instruction written on one of these pages says otherwise.”
“Dear reader. I want to start off by writing that you are not required to follow up on any of this. If you wish, you may shred this message and forget it ever existed. I do not know what your heart truly longs for, but I believe I might have something that interests you and your companion. You long to explore and see the world, to grow stronger and protect all that you love. You may seek answers to a great amount of questions you may have on your true lot in life. This message may provide you with fulfilment for all of those desires.”
“Nearby your village, directly north of its link with the greater world lies an entrance to a realm hidden from the eye of the Leo. It is deep within that place where you will find a treasure. Finders are keepers: If you lay your hands on that treasure, it will be yours. Of course, the road to get there will not be easy. This hidden world is affected by the same energy that has taken the forests nearby in its grasp. Ferocious Pokemon will be awaiting you.”
“Should you wish to venture out there, I wish you the best of luck. Your exploration will be worth it. Should you choose to not follow up on this instruction, may your lives be long and filled with light. No matter which path you choose, remember to never share a word of what you have learned with another. Their forces are watching.”
“Until our paths cross,”
“A friend.”
With all the enthusiasm of an owl come daylight, George folded the message back together. Once again, he was left in the deep end. Mystery Dungeons, waterbreathing, Soldiers, and now strangers sending instructions on how to find treasure. Blitzer didn’t seem too impressed either. He was scratching the gravel with the claws on his feet, his eyes drawn away from the yellowed paper and its instructions.
“I take it you aren’t very excited about it,” the Charmander said.
George shrugged. “Well, it sounds alright? Incredibly strange we’d just be told there’s treasure out there… at the same time though, it says to not tell anyone, literally so there’s no chance Soldiers find out. That doesn’t scream ‘trap’ to me.” ‘Even though I don’t know who this is from. Egh… it’s hard.’
“It’s still from a stranger, though,” Blitzer said. “Okay, all the adults around here know Hein, and they say he’s not a bad guy, but…” He shook his head. “How come you’re so sure we can trust this from him?”
“That’s because I’ve been the victim of traps plenty of times. I know how to recognise one,” George said. ”The headmistress back at the foster’s home would always play tricks on us. Throwing everyone’s stuff around so that we would all blame one another for the mess, which would give her an excuse to force all of us to clean,” he explained, recounting events from less than a month ago. Time sure had slowed to a crawl.
“Wow. For someone your age, you sure have gone through a lot,” Blitzer said, the warmth of his tail creeping up on George, who sighed in response.
“I know. None of it was anything worth remembering. That foster’s home is a horrible, horrible place. And I don’t know why, but even though I’m not there anymore, it still feels like there is a piece of me that is.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I wish I had the answer to that question myself.”
The two fell silent. A pedestrian walked past, not paying the two children any attention before vanishing behind a house down the road. They moved on, like the water in the stream.
“So, about the message… what should we do?” George asked.
“I want to talk with my parents about it,” Blitzer responded, his head resting against his claws.
George’s ears went flat against his head. “Hello? Whoever sent us this doesn’t want us telling anyone. I don’t think your parents are an exception to that.”
“Yeah, that is true, but you can never be too sure.” Blitzer pondered out loud. “My parents might know more about these things.”
George stared at the Charmander in disbelief. ‘Is this even the same Blitzer I’m talking to?’ “I thought you were looking forward to exploring new places if it meant getting stronger. You don’t even care about treasure all that much. You’re always like, ‘Oh, treasure’s secondary, it’s not that important’, and now we find out about a new dungeon we can go and explore, and you turn it down.”
Blitzer didn’t respond for a while. Aside from a few clicks of his tongue, nothing came out of him. A surge in the stream and a sweetening breeze passed, and he began playfully kicking his feet around.
“You know what? Maybe I am talking nonsense. I’m starting to sound like my dad!” He smiled. “You’re right, George. It’s not the treasure we’re after, it’s the journey that counts! I don’t care if it’s a rotten apple we find, that’s not what the fun in exploring is, I’m not like that. Not one bit! I’m not going to be a greedy Charizard when I grow up. No! Hein be damned!”
George stared at Blitzer with a dumbfounded face. ‘Sure didn’t take long to change his mind!’ “Well, I’m glad to hear it. I’ve been looking forward to exploring again, actually.”
Blitzer smirked at George with folded arms. “Let me guess, you’ve been dreaming about being a Samurott again, haven’t you?”
The teeth stuck out of George’s mouth as his lips curled up into a smile. “Of course I have,” he said, fantasising about the armoured blue sea lion warrior he was destined to become. The thoughts were so soothing to get lost in, almost like a taste of the finest wines. So noble and heroic, so strong and fearsome, and so pleasing to imagine himself being.
Alas, the day that dream would become reality was nowhere in sight, and most likely romanticised. “I hope you’re not going to become an arrogant one,” Blitzer said with a wink.
George spat out his breath. “Of course not. That’s not me, is it? I can barely breathe water, let alone use this silly scalchop as a weapon. I’m supposed to wield a seamitar one day?”
“Apparently!” Blitzer bumped George on his upper arm with his elbow.
“Yeah, that’s a new one for me too,” George said, scalchop in hand. “What’s with calling me arrogant, by the way?”
Blitzer stuck out his tongue. “Hey, you heard all about Charizard stereotypes, I thought I’d share a Samurott stereotype with you!”
George awkwardly chuckled back. “Well, that’s cool to know, I guess.” ‘Why would anyone think I’d get arrogant when I get older?’
“Don’t worry, it’s all nonsense some people invented as a joke one day, and then those jokes got completely out of hand. Would you know how many people in the villagers make jokes about my parents being awake all night? You wouldn’t know!” Blitzer kept on laughing. In spite of all the negativity coming his way, he kept up his cheery laugh and smile, no matter how bad he got. Defiant to it all, he’d keep laughing until his lungs would fly out of his mouth, so George believed. And even then, if there was a way to laugh without lungs, Blitzer would probably find it.
George peeked in the direction of the sun; there were at least a few hours of daylight left. “So, what do we do now?” he asked with a thump of his tail, much to his own amusement. ‘What, am I starting to do this too?’ A shrug came back from Blitzer, cheeks all puffy.
“I don’t know. Should we go to the others?”
“Sure thing. Let’s first put the note back, though. Holding onto it the whole time gets real irritating, let me tell you. Plus, we don’t want anyone to try and have a peek at it. Plus, I’m thirsty! What do you say to going home first?”
“Definitely. I could use a drink, too.”