This is a little piece just to add an accent to the Enigma Shadow series as we gear up the war machine for its third major installment, "Pokémon XD^3: The Waves of Truth."
Originally concieved by an SPP user named Arrow as an AbilityShipping fic, now it has become a story of life and love under my care. The original concept is used wholly with permission from its creator, and I hope you will enjoy it.
Now, the (second ever by me) oneshot shall commence....
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Butler Empire Films presents
Anabel's Dream: The Road to XD^3
Larousse City was always a lively place, but in the holiday season, more energy than ever poured into the high-tech metropolis. The city's various systems of security and convienience were kept quite busy; stacks of Block Robots flew everywhere keeping the town secure and orderly while hundreds upon hundreds of people rode around on the moving sidewalks while even more got snacks like burgers and hot dogs from other robots. Just like usual the Larousse Battle Tower was the prime attraction, drawing crowds of unbelieveable size for shopping as well as, of course, battles.
The metropolis of Larousse isn't where our story is set, however. Instead, this tale takes place in a humble, elegant cottage in the woods just outside Larousse City.......
A family had gathered for a holiday dinner around an elegant wood table inside the cottage. They were quite a colorful lot: at the head of the table sat a young man in a blue-and-black jazz suit. He was Rich, the leader of the Battle Tower and by this point a renowned adventurer. His purple-haired, purple clad wife Anabel sat next to him holding their baby daughter, Olivia. Next to Anabel were her parents, Venus---a beautiful dark-haired woman with a penchant for pink---and Ein, whose sharp gray lab coat was matched only by his slicked blue hair with one jagged shock sticking out. Joining the family were their employees from the Battle Tower, the afro-wearing disco star trainer Miror B. and brainy blonde bespectacled bombshell financier Jamie.
This colorful group had finished their turkey and now were passing the time with yarns from their past...
"Yo, I got one!" Miror B. laughed as he sipped at a glass of red wine. "This one goes waaaaaaaaay back, dudes, like, back when I was 27...."
"You're 29 now, Miror," Ein cut in. "That's not 'way back.' I think you'd better put that wine down, it's gone to your extremely large-haired head."
"That ain't right! No, no, no, not at all!" Miror B. responded---before gulping the wine some more and continuing. "I was in my old stomping grounds, Pyrite Town, and I saw this Pokémon that noone else thinks exists! I battled it to a pulp with my Ludicolo troupe then captured it....but it was dead!"
"What did it look like?" Anabel at least seemed interested.
"It was brown, kinda flat, had lots of legs and ran really fast. I think it was a bug type..."
"Miror, you've had enough alcohol," Rich said firmly. "That's a co*ckroach."
"A.......co*ckROACH!?!?!?" Miror B. lept up from the table and began flailing about wildly, ripping his arms in and out of his huge red-and-white afro. "Awww, crud! Crud! No, no, this won't do, no, not at all! I kept it in my hair because I liked it so much!!!"
After finishing his rant, Miror B. fainted and collapsed to the floor. There was an awkward moment of silence before Venus spoke.
"He's pretty wasted," she observed. "Ein, we'd better drag him back to the Tower and sober him up. At this rate, if there are any challengers, he's gonna be so bombed that we'll have to send you out there."
"You're right." Ein and Venus stood, walked over to their daughter, and each gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You be good, Anabel, and take good care of Olivia like you've been doing. We've got to take Miror B. back to the Tower before he drinks you out of house and home....."
"Okay.....merry christmas! Thanks for coming!"
Ein and Venus left carrying Miror B. like a limp rag doll.
"Well, that was quite amusing," Jamie said. "Mind if I chime in with my own story?"
"Sure, why not?" Rich replied.
"Well, this one happened several years ago, before you returned and took back control of the Battle Tower, back when I had to work for that awful man Tucker. I had just gotten the job here so I was pretty nervous......."
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The Battle Tower manager's office fit the glitzy atmosphere of its home. Elegant paintings of Pokémon lined the ornate cream-colored walls, reflecting in the brilliantly lustrous checkered floor. Behind a heavy wooden desk in this office sat a strange man wearing an athlete's uniform with wings. He was grumbling to himself when the PA bell rang.
"Tucker?" the receptionist's voice called out.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. What do you want?"
"Your new secretary is here to meet you, Tucker."
"Excellent, send her in."
The doors opened and Jamie entered Tucker's office, then they closed behind her.
"Welcome, kid! Welcome to the Larousse City Battle Tower! My name's Tucker, I'm the manager of this joint. Who are you, cute little thing?"
"M....my name is Jamie, sir. Pleased....to meet you."
"Aww, no need to be nervous! Come in, sit down. Yanno, yer a pretty cute lil' chickie, that you are. How old are you?"
"Erm....excuse me sir, but that really is not any of your business."
"Oh, uh....ahahahaha! Cute, yer too cute, kid! Now don't you worry yer pretty lil' head none 'bout me. Ya know anythin' 'bout this job yer gonna be doin'?"
"Please tell me, sir."
"Sure, I'd be plenty pleased to tell ya! Yer gonna be in charge of keepin' this joint runnin' smoothly, ya hear? That means it's yer job to keep all the fighters' contracts in line and updated, and to keep my appointments and such. Can't get by without knowin' what yer doin', I reckon. Am I right?"
"Uh...yes, sir, you're right."
"'Course, yer also gonna hafta deal with the greasier end of this here operation. Sometimes the fighters, they get a lil' rowdy and need a good proverbial whuppin' upside the head, ya know? Yer gonna be like my eyes, ears and mouth among the fighters. If I gotta hand down some law, it's gonna be yer job to do it, Jamie. 'Course, if it's real bad I'm gonna be doin' it myself. But ya know what I mean, I'm sure. Now, ready to get down to some business?"
"Yes, I am, sir."
"Fetch me a cup of coffee and a p*rn tape! Ahahahahahaah! Just a lil' kiddin' around.....huh? Wait, where are ya going?!"
Jamie just walked out of the office, ignoring Tucker's question.
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"......and I always did hate working for him. Making disgusting advances on me on my first day on the job...."
"I never liked him either," Rich commented. "Filthy Enigma Shadow scumbag...."
A beeping noise sounded in the room, prompting Jamie to take out and open her P*DA.
"Oh, dear! I forgot all about the important meeting I had with a sponsor tomorrow morning! I'm sorry, but I must be going."
Anabel looked at her watch.
"I didn't realize how late it was. Thanks for coming!"
Jamie nodded, then rushed out the door with her coat.
"You're right, Anabel, it is late. I'm going to go get ready for bed while you put Olivia to sleep."
Rich and Anabel walked out of the room towards the bedrooms...
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The master's bedroom in the cottage was the most elegant room of all. Exquisitely carved dressers and cabinets stood on lush red carpet against yellow patterned walls. Grand blue shades were drawn over the large windows adjacent to the bed, in which Rich was already laying in his dark blue robe when Anabel came in dressed in her purple nightgown.
"That was some dinner, eh, Anabel?"
"Sure was." Anabel yawned as she sat down on the bed. "Olivia's asleep. Hopefully we can get some rest....good night, Rich."
"Good night."
Rich and Anabel kissed, then she turned off the Roselia lamp and cast the room into darkness....
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Some time later, strange whirring and beeping sounds filled Anabel's mind. As she slowly opened her eyes, she saw that she wasn't in her bed anymore---she was in a hospital bed, and even more shockingly, her appearance was completely different. She seemed to have aged decades, her purple hair faded to gray, face limp and eyesight and hearing dulled.
"Huh..........where....." Anabel struggled even to speak, as her vocal cords sounded shot. "Where am I?"
The knob on the room's door turned, and a man entered. It was Rich---also aged by decades. His once vibrant, spiked blue hair was reduced to a flat gray and white state, and almost all of the lively sparkle in his eyes was gone.
"Oh, Anabel, dear, you're awake......I was so lonely without you."
"Rich? Where am.....where am I?" Anabel coughed. "What is happening to me? To us?"
"Oh......the doctors said you'd probably have amnesia when you awoke..."
"Amn...amnesia? What's happening? What day is today?"
"Our 57th wedding anniversary." Rich answered sadly. "You've been in that coma since exactly one year ago, on our 56th."
"Fifty.....fifty-seventh?!" Anabel began to wheeze again.
"Now, now, take it easy, my dear."
"Is she awake, daddy?" a woman's voice called from the slightly-open door.
"Yes, Olivia. Come in."
A beautiful woman with hair the same purple color Anabel's once was entered the room, with a boy who looked like a younger version of Rich.
"Olivia.....is...is that you?" Anabel choked.
"Oh, mommy, I'm so glad to see you awake at last! Daddy and I have been so worried ever since you collapsed at the Aeria Tower last year!"
"Aeria......?"
"The amnesia again," Rich guessed. "We renamed the Larousse Battle Tower the "Aeria Tower" when we reformed the Battle Frontier with it as the pinnacle, remember?"
"No......Olivia, who is the boy?"
"This is my son, Gene......your grandson, mommy."
"H...hello....."
Gene ran up to Anabel's side and hugged her.
"Grandma, things have been so sad without you! Grandpa's stopped battling and my mom reluctantly had to take his place at the Aeria Tower...."
"Olivia....leader of the Battle Tower....?"
"It's true, mommy. The new Tower Maiden, following in your footsteps and daddy's."
"I'm so....proud of....you.......may I see them? Your Pokémon?"
"I only have my longtime companion and very first Pokémon with me right now."
Olivia burst open a Poké Ball, releasing a black-and-yellow creature resembling an Electabuzz but with a much fiercer look.
"Please say hello to my mother, Elekible."
"Eleelele! Kibbbibble!" Elekible said.
"Hello......Elekible."
"Elekible and I are just like you and your Pokémon, mommy. We can share thoughts and words mentally just like you."
"I'm so very proud....of you, Olivia......" Anabel once again began to cough, making her entire body shudder. Rich used his hand to stabilize her head.
"Calm now, Anabel....the doctor will be here soon."
"Why am I here, Rich.......? What's wrong with me?"
"Your heart.....after your father died suddenly of a heart attack, you wanted to be checked out. You probably don't remember......the doctors diagnosed a genetic defect that causes heart problems running in your family through your father's side."
"Daddy's......dead?" Anabel was in shock, then began crying. Rich hugged her to try and make her feel better.
"It's okay, Anabel...he's in a better place now, freed at last of Shadow Pokémon forever. It's your heart I'm worried about."
"My heart can....only....be whole...if I'm...with you, Rich! Please, don't....don't...."
"Don't what?"
"Don't....leave me.....you probably want to go back to Maria or something now that I'm dying...."
"Never! I married you because I loved you! I loved you then, I love you now, and I will love you for all of time! And besides, Maria's not an option now, not like she ever was. And another thing---you may be sick but you're by no means dying. I have good faith in the doctors here. Look, too, your grandson brought you a gift."
Rich backed up, allowing Gene to set up a model of the Aeria Tower on the stand next to Anabel's bed.
"I made this myself, Grandma. It's a model of the Aeria Tower....I made it for your anniversary with Grandpa last year, but then you got sick so I kept it..."
"Thank you, Gene........"
A doctor whose red hair clashed with his white coat walked into the room.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Mistbloom, but it's time.
"Yes, of course. Olivia, Gene, run along now."
"Bye bye, Grandma...." Gene said as he and his mother left. Rich followed soon after.
"Take good care of her," he said to the doctor before leaving.
"Doctor.......will....I make it? I can't remember anything---I want to see my family again.....my home......everything I loved...."
"If you want honesty, I cannot say for certain if you will survive. But we can always try." The doctor filled a hypodermic needle with a dark red fluid and prepared it. "This will hurt, but only a little. The medicine in this will put you in a deeply tranquilised state so we can try and give you an artificial heart and keep you alive."
"Ooooooh!!" Anabel moaned as the doctor administered the shot. Almost instantly her consiousness faded and she blacked out.........
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The world was blurry the next time Anabel opened her eyes, but as she refocused, she realized she had once again changed locations. This time she was back in the bedroom of her cottage, Rich nowhere to be seen.
"Ooooh......." she moaned, her mind an incoherent jumble of thoughts. "What....? How did I get back here? Must've been a dream.....Rich!!!"
Anabel's joyful expression faded instantly as Rich stepped into the room---still aged by many years. However, this time his hair and face had more life in them, as if time had gone backward.
"Good morning, sleepyhead!" Rich said with a wry grin. "Do you know what today is?"
"I don't even know where I am," Anabel commented as she lifted herself from the bed and stared at her own aged appearance in the mirror. "What day is it?"
"If you can believe it, fifty-six years ago today was the day we became Mr. and Mrs. Rich Mistbloom in Sootopolis City."
Anabel's eyes went wide in shock.
"Fifty.....six?" Even with all the bizarre happenings, Anabel remembered that she had just seemingly moments ago been awakening from a coma on her fifty-seventh anniversary. "Rich........take me to the hospital."
"Why? You couldn't be in better health. The doctor just told you last week you're the healthiest patient with a family history of heart problems he's ever seen."
"Uh.........yeah, okay."
Suddenly, Olivia and Gene---both younger---burst in through the door behind Rich carrying a cake, red-frosted and shaped like a heart with the faces of he and Anabel drawn out in candles.
"Happy anniversary!" Olivia announced to the glowing responses of Rich and Anabel's faces. "The big five-six!"
"Happy anniversary, Grandma! Grandpa!" Gene added.
"Anniversary, squawwwk! Happy, happy anniversary! Squawk!" A Perap flew into the room and perched itself on Anabel's head.
"Thank you. Whose Perap is this?"
"It's our pet, Grandma. Have you forgotten? It loves to perch on you all the time."
"Perch, grandma! Perrrappppp!!!!" the colorful bird Pokémon said happily.
"I guess I did forget. Let's go into the dining room, the bedroom's no place for cake."
Anabel led the way for the others to the dining room---unchanged since the holiday dinner with Miror B., Jamie, Venus and Ein---then sat down, followed promptly by the others. Olivia sat last, as she had to set down the cake first.
"Who's gonna blow out the candles?" Olivia asked.
"Anabel, it's your honor," Rich replied. "Go ahead."
Anabel took a deep breath and blew out the candles---then began wheezing. Rich supported her by the back and stomach.
"Easy now, Anabel. We're older and can't do as much as we used to, remember?"
"Older! Older! Perrrrrapppp!!!!" Gene's pet cried out as it fluttered into the room and landed again on Anabel's head, much to her amusem*nt.
"Sorry. Sorry to worry you all with the health problems of an old woman like me."
Olivia reached to her waist and produced a Poké Ball.
"Now, come out and help us celebrate!" Olivia popped the ball open---but nothing came out. "It must've gotten loose again...."
Gene went to the window, looking for Olivia's missing Pokémon. His reaction signalled that he saw it.
"Mom, it's out in the garden eating apples off the trees."
"Thank you, Gene." Olivia rushed to the door with frustration and stuck her head out. "Get in here!! You know better than to run off like that!"
"Ahaha!" Anabel chuckled. "She's got a bit of both of us in her, doesn't she?"
"When we're done, I'm grooming her to be the next Frontier Brain of the Aeria Tower. Think of it: the successor to the legendary Tower Tycoon Rich, his daughter, Tower Maiden Olivia."
"Tower Maiden Olivia.....I like the sound of that."
"Sound of Olivia! Maiden of Tower! Perrrrr-" Perap was interrupted when the front door slammed shut and Olivia returned.
"Come, Elekible. Stop being cheeky and help us celebrate."
Olivia's Elekible entered the room with a sheepish look on its face. Obviously, it had been scolded for running off without Olivia's knowledge.
"It's okay, Elekible," Anabel said, picking up on its nervousness. "We're not angry at you."
"Elele....kibibibible!" Elekible replied with a sly grin.
"I think it's time for the cake cutting," Rich announced.
"Cake of the time! Cutting the cake time of....PERRRRAP!!!!!"
"Who should do the honors?"
"I'll do it, Olivia," Anabel answered, standing. But just then, she began to wobble on her feet. "Ooooh.....I feel dizzy....."
"Sit down, then." Rich went to help Anabel back to her chair, but she collapsed to the ground before he could get there. "What? ANABEL!!"
"Grandma!"
"Mommy!"
"Dizzy, faint! Perrrrrrrappp!!!"
"Elelekibibibible!!!!"
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Yet again, Anabel opened her eyes after seemingly having been asleep forever. This time, as the world came into focus, she was in an unfamiliar place that she couldn't identify. At least Rich was lying next to her in the bed. She hesitated waking him up, and as she stared she noticed that while he was definitely still much older, his face and hair seemed to have more of their old life back. His hair even had a bit of its old sky-blue color again.
"Mukukuuurruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!" The clock on the nightstand, shaped like the Gray Starling Pokémon Mukkuru, began chirping. Anabel then noticed it was morning as Rich stirred.
"Ahhhhhh........yawn......" Rich sat up and licked his lips. "The mile long Milotic met his mother at the mattress store. Ah! Good morning, Anabel. Been up long?"
"No............"
"Something the matter?"
"Yeah. I keep waking up from having weird dreams and when I do, I can't remember where I am....like now."
"You forgot where we are? We're staying at a hotel in New Bark Town. Today Olivia meets Professor Elm to recieve her starter Pokémon and trainer's license! Today our daughter goes out into the world to make her mark on the Mistbloom legacy and take some names while she's doing it!"
"Really? I'm awake now! But doesn't she have a Pokémon already?"
"Her Electabuzz, yeah. But new trainers always get a starter along with their license, remember?"
"Electabuzz? Something is going on.....last I remember, she had an Elekible, Electabuzz's evolved form...."
"Come, Anabel," Rich said as he got out of bed. "We'd better wake up Olivia and get prepared. Today is a very big day!"
"Indeed."
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About ninety minutes later the Mistbloom family stood at the entrance of Prof. Elm's lab. Rich had his usual blue and black jazz suit and pointed hat on, Anabel her purple and blue outfit, and Olivia a pretty purple and white dress with white shoes and her purple hair done up similarly to Anabel's.
After a few minutes of Rich ringing the doorbell, a bespectacled man with messy brown hair came to the door. He was dressed in a white lab coat with a brown shirt and orange pants underneath.
"Hello. Can I help you?"
"Rich and Anabel Mistbloom," Rich explained. "We made an appointment to see Prof. Elm for our daughter, Olivia."
"Ah, so you're the family who was coming! I'm Prof. Elm, and welcome to my lab. Please, come in, come in!"
Elm ushered the Mistblooms into his lab and shut the door. Inside was a shiny place, all the surfaces white and polished. Despite this, however, the rooms were cluttered with various things.
"Please excuse the clutter," Elm said meekly. "We've always had a bit of a sloppy streak."
"No big deal. Right, Anabel?"
"Right."
"So let's get down to business then. Who's the lucky lady who gets her trainer's license today?"
"I am," Olivia volunteered.
"Hmmmm.....good! I like what I see in you. Come, this way."
Elm guided Rich, Anabel and Olivia into a side room. The walls of this room were lined with large computers, and in the center was a cylinder with a clear domed top. Elm walked to the cylinder and motioned for the Mistblooms to follow him, which they did. Under the dome were three Poké Balls, colored red, green and blue.
"Those are the Johto starter Pokémon, Olivia," Elm explained. "The Grass type, Chikorita. The Water type, Totodile. The Fire type, Cyndaquil. Each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. How much do you know about battling?"
"My daddy taught me quite a lot. I have a Pokémon already, too."
"Oh, you do? May I see it?"
Olivia nodded and released her Electabuzz.
"Electabuzzzz!!!!"
"Ah, this Electabuzz appears to be in very good health!" Elm took a PokéGear-like device---the Pokétch---out of his coat pocket and scanned Electabuzz with it. "According to my Pokétch, Electabuzz also feels a deep bond of loyalty with you. Most excellent, especially for a beginning trainer. Let me test your knowledge. Which one of the three starter Pokémon is Electabuzz's natural type strong against?"
"Totodile, it's Water."
"Very good. Now if your Electabuzz used Ice Punch, which would that be strongest against?"
"Chikorita."
"You're pretty sharp. One more. Which of these moves can Electabuzz NOT learn: Mega Punch, Rolling Kick, or Dragon Claw?"
"Easy. Dragon Claw."
"Very good! You've raised a very sharp child, Mr. Mistbloom!"
"Thank you," Rich replied with a nod.
"Very well, let's move on, shall we?" Elm pushed a button on the side of the cylinder, causing the dome to retract. "This is the most important moment of all, when you choose your starter Pokémon, Olivia. Here they are before you: Chikorita, Totodile, Cyndaquil. Please, choose one."
"Daddy, should I choose Totodile, the Water type, to follow in your footsteps?"
"You choose whichever one you want."
"Your father and I will support you no matter what you decide," Anabel added.
"Still......I will take Totodile." Olivia reached out and took the blue Poké Ball from its stand.
"An excellent choice, Olivia! Now...." Elm presented Olivia with a tray from his desk. On it were several Poké Balls, a Pokédex, and a Pokétch. "Your Poké Balls, Pokédex, and Pokétch."
"Thank you, Professor!"
"One more thing---what you'll need to go anywhere, and the one thing all trainers own. Your very own Trainer Card."
Elm handed Olivia an identification card with her name, photo and ID number on it. She looked at the Trainer Card with wide eyes.
"Thank........you..."
"You're a full-fledged Pokémon trainer now, Olivia!" Rich congratulated as he gave her a hug. "Anabel.....it's time. Time for us to see our daughter off on her.....Anabel?"
"I'm not feeling well...." Anabel said shakily. In her mind, she knew what was coming: another blackout which would lead to her once again awakening with no memory of where she was. "I'm going to lay down. Good luck and goodbye, Olivia........"
"Are you okay, mommy? I'll not leave right now if that'll make you feel better."
"No, please, go. You must go. It's your destiny to go out on your own as a trainer just as it was mine. I won't allow my sickness to stop you."
"Thank you, mommy. I'll remember you.....and I'll always battle to make you proud!"
"There's a good girl," Anabel said with a weak but warm smile. "Rich, see her off. I'm going to find a place to lie down."
"Yes, of course."
Rich, Elm and Olivia left the room. Now alone, Anabel tottered weakly into a side room where there thankfully was a couch. She laid down on it, and almost instantly was out.
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Anabel's prediction had been right on the money: the next time she awoke, it was to another blurry scene. However, this one was different---it was familiar. She was once again in the hospital bed on her 57th anniversary, surrounded by Rich, Olivia, Gene and the doctor---all of whom were dour in their faces.
"You're awake....." Rich said gloomily. "I'm happy....."
"Rich....?" Anabel wheezed, suddenly remembering how old she was. "What is.....wrong?"
"Grandma...." Gene stepped forward bravely. "I'll miss you. I'm sorry all I could give you was that model of the Aeria Tower...."
"Huh?" Anabel was confused. "Olivia, what is......*COUGH*....going on?"
"Well, uh.....I don't know how to say this, but.....you're not going to be able to see your grandson off on his Pokémon training journey.
"............." A jumble of thoughts flew through Anabel's mind, but she couldn't make any coherent links out of them. "I don't understand...."
"Should I?" the doctor asked.
"No, doctor. Please allow me to do it." Rich put the back of his hand on Anabel's face and stroked it gently. She stared up into his now dull and lifeless eyes as he looked lovingly at her. "Anabel........they couldn't save you. You're going........to die." Rich choked up.
"What?!!!" Anabel shouted, then collapsed in another fit of wheezing. "They put me out to save me, I thought....."
"The surgery was too dangerous," Rich answered as he slowly stroked his love's face. "Your heart is too fragile. Had they operated, you would've died while still out from the tranquilizer. You may not live long, but you're going to have us with you."
"Rich......" Anabel's eyes filled with tears. "My heart is strong as long as I'm with you! Make them do it!"
Rich pulled away and shook his head sadly.
"I tried. They will not operate on you. None of my pleading did any good."
"Rich.........." Anabel suddenly realized what was happening. "My life.....it was fleeting through my mind while I was out because of my imminent death....Rich, I want you to do one more...thing for me."
"What is it, my love?"
"Wash my face in Melodic's pure water. I love it....."
"Of course, my love...."
Rich released Melodic from its ball. Even his old Pokémon had aged, its beautiful green eyebrows faded to gray and its gold body dulled.
"Mellloooooooooo....."
"Melodic, may we have a light stream of water, please?"
Melodic complied, squirting water gently from its mouth. Gene was the first to go and collect the water in his cupped hands, then wet Anabel's face with it.
"Grandma, I love you. Thank you for everything......"
"Such a sweet boy. You'll go.....*COUGH*....far...as a....trainer.."
Next up was Olivia. She gently wet her mother's face with Melodic's water.
"Mommy......."
"No need, Olivia. *COUGH*....I'm proud of you. Keep doing what you've been....*COUGH*....doing..."
And finally, Rich. After he washed Anabel's face, he stared lovingly into her eyes. All his feelings for her were right on the surface.
"Anabel....my life will be incomplete without you....I don't know how I'll...."
Anabel suddenly started wheezing heavily, and at the same time, the monitors she was connected to began to react. The doctor hurried to the computer in the room and checked it.
"Bad news---we're losing her," he announced.
"No, Anabel........." Rich put his right hand in Anabel's hand, then his left in Olivia's. "Come around, all of you. Let's take this on as one......"
A circle of joined hands was formed as Anabel's life slipped away. All in the room had emotions ready to boil over at any time, as they all loved Anabel dearly.
"Thank....*COUGH*...you....Rich...Oli..via.....Gen.e.........I lov..e...y..ou....al.l....."
Anabel coughed one last time, closed her eyes gently, and slipped into eternal sleep.
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"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" Anabel suddenly screamed as she woke up, awakening Rich as well.
"ANABEL!?! What?! What's wrong?"
Anabel looked around, disoriented. Unable to think, she could only realize one thing: she was back in bed with Rich, in their bedroom, and nothing seemed to have changed at all.
"I.....I......Rich, has Olivia left on her Pokémon training journey yet?"
"What kind of a question is that? She's not even a year old!"
"Oh, so I haven't had a heart attack and fallen into a coma on our 56th anniversary?"
"We've only been married a year, Anabel. What's wrong with you?"
"..........and I've not been in the hospital?"
"Not since you gave birth to Olivia, no."
Anabel relaxed as she realized what had happened, then she kissed Rich and lay back down.
"Don't worry, Rich. It was all.......just a dream."
THE END
