I needed you

Part 6 of "Haunted Memories"


Rin began to feel warm. Not a burning sensation, but more of a soft heat. It danced up and down her body, and she felt as if she was beginning to float. Gently rising upwards, she let the warmness carry her. She could not see or feel where she was being taken to, but something inside of her knew that it was safe. Away from that horrible dark cave filled with monsters and frozen rocks. She no longer felt cold and afraid, the heat spreading throughout her, replacing her fear with soothing warmth. Higher and higher she rose, letting whatever was carrying her to continue. Eventually the heat slowly began to fade, and Rin felt her body drift downwards.

She awoke to see snowflakes fall down from a pale sky. Rin sat up slowly to find herself in a field of snow next to the cave. The cave she had entered with her friends what seemed like a long time ago. She was finally outside, away from any danger. The Cubchoo stood up and turned around to face someone. The Pokemon that stood in front of her resembled a short candle, and on his rounded head grew a ghostly purple flame.

“Hello friend”, said the Litwick, smiling. “I’m glad you finally woke up”.

“Who-Who are you?”

“Who am I? I go by Castor. And may I ask for your name?”

“Rin”

“Rin! What a beautiful name!” remarked Castor, grinning wider. Rin couldn’t believe what was happening.

“Did…did you save me? Were you the one who carried me out of the cave?”

“Indeed I was. But that requires further explanation,” said Castor, turning around. He began to slide around Rin, creating tracks in the freshly fallen snow.

“Your friends attempted to take something out of the cave which did not belong to them. Their actions angered the ghost Pokemon that inhabited the cavern. It seems that no matter how dangerous it is, you living creatures will stop at nothing to take what is not rightfully yours.”

Rin flinched, remembering the remains that lay on the cave’s floor.

“That would explain why there were so many bones…” she thought to herself.

“Thus, they attacked your companions. Unfortunately, you became the victim as well, even though your intentions were different. While those ghosts did not see this, I knew that punishing the innocent would be wrong, and took you away before the spirits could sink their teeth into you. So to speak”, Castor flashed another smile.

“And now you’re gonna let me go?” asked Rin, “Just because I didn’t try to take your treasure?”

“Well, I did go out of my way to have mercy on you, so I would expect something in return.”

Rin gave the Litwick a confused look. Had she been tricked?

“Why did you help me? Give me the real reason, ghost!”

Castor stopped in his tracks and faced Rin as his smile quickly faded.

“I’m not a ‘ghost’, Rin. I’m Castor,” he sighed. “To tell you the truth, I needed you to escape the cave. There is some sort of barrier, if you will, that prevents us ‘ghosts’ from leaving. Only with the living may we leave. So yes, I did use you, but would you rather be at the bottom of that frozen hellhole?”

Rin fell to her knees, trying to hold back tears. She had enough of theses ghost-types. They did nothing but make her miserable.

“Don’t cry.”

“Shut up! Just leave me alone…” she murmured.

“I wouldn’t have saved you if you didn’t seem like a good person.”

This struck Rin as a surprise. She glanced up at Castor, who gazed at her with his yellow eyes.

“I needed you, just like you needed me.”

She wiped her eyes and stared at him, fixated on the words he had just said. This ghost was different from the others.

Castor held out his hand. “Come now. Let’s walk back to your home.”

The Cubchoo grabbed Castor’s hand and pulled herself up. She hung her head down.

“I can’t stay in Snowy Village. Not without Flurry and Jingle. They…they should’ve made it out; they were stronger and tougher than me. I can’t be the only one to come back…”

Castor gripped her paw tightly, pulling her to look at him.

“Don’t feel so guilty. They made a bad decision, but it was their own choice,” he began. “You can’t let the past hold you back from what you have now. You and I, we have a second chance, a new opportunity in life. If you can’t stay in your village, then join me.”

“Join you in doing what?”

Castor smiled once more, the flame wavering on top of his head.

“Seeing the world. I’m going to travel the world, and I could use a friend.”

Rin thought for a moment, her head spinning with all the events that had just occurred. Castor’s words echoed in her mind, and she knew that what he had said was true. After all, there was no risk, and she had nothing to lose. Rin looked back at him and nodded slowly.

“That sounds like a good idea”.


The End
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