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mysticdelphox97 · 6 years

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Never Say Goodbye: Chapter Three

My apologies for the late update! College has officially started for me, and I have five classes that need my full attention. The best times for me write are on the weekends, so I’m going to have to change my update schedule to every other week. But I do not plan on giving up on this fic! I am determined to give “When We Say Goodbye” the happy alternate ending it deserves, no matter how long this takes me to finish.

Also, the Pokémon established for Mairin’s full team were created by JJ in her fic “Falling For You,” and I decided to add them in this fic to stay true to her headcanons. That does not mean this depressing sequence of events happens in the “Falling For You” universe, however! It’s more like… a really bad alternative, or something. Which I plan on making right!

A reminder as well that you can find this fic on DeviantArt, Tumblr, Fanfiction.Net, and A03 :)

Without further ado, here is Chapter 3! Enjoy!

CHAPTER THREE

“Whoa, Mommy! Kalos looks so small from up here!”

Mairin couldn’t help but giggle at Faith, whose face was plastered against the window of the plane. Her amber eyes stared in awe as she took in the breathtaking sight of the Kalos region, which was shrouded by white, puffy clouds, and growing smaller in the distance.

“Everything looks a lot different from up in the air,” Mairin remarked.

Faith pulled away from the glass, leaving a rather large smear on it. She sat back on the seat properly, holding her Fennekin doll, Kindle, in her arms.

“I can’t wait ‘til we get to Ho-in,” Faith beamed excitedly. “I bet it’s gonna be super-duper awesome!”

Mairin hummed in response. “Hoenn is quite different from Kalos, but I think you’ll have a good time there,” she told her.

Faith eyed her mother curiously. “Have you ever gone to Ho-in before, Mommy?” she asked.

“Yes, honey. It was a very long time ago, though,” Mairin replied. Faith seemed satisfied with her answer, and turned her attention back to the window.

It had been many years since Mairin had set foot upon the Hoenn region. She and Alain had gone back a few times after the Kalos Crisis as part of their research with Mega Evolution. And every time they went, a certain man always made room for them in his schedule—a man named Steven Stone. Although no longer the Champion of the region, he was still highly respected by members of the League, and never hesitated to help those in need.

When Mairin initially contacted Steven, she was surprised that he picked up as quickly as he did. He still maintained a rather busy lifestyle, even after stepping down from his title. She didn’t explain the entire situation to him, only saying that she and Faith needed to leave Kalos for a while, and asked if Steven could help them. He happily agreed, and offered Mairin a place for her and Faith to stay in Mossdeep City, where Steven lived. He also secured a private plane that would take them directly to the location.

When she and Faith arrived at the airport, the receptionist called over a flight attendant that led them to the private plane and were personally greeted by the pilot that Steven hired to fly them. How exactly he managed to do all of this, Mairin had no idea. But she was incredibly grateful for it.

That being said, she also felt a twinge of guilt. Not because of the lengths Steven went through just to get her and Faith to Hoenn, however. Mairin had to leave her work at the Pokémon Daycare on such short notice, and without any preparations made to cover her shift there. Fortunately, her boss was extremely understanding of the sudden change in plans and told her not to worry about it.

But considering that Mairin’s boss was none other than her dear friend Bonnie, it didn’t settle quite right with her.

Before heading to the Lumiose City airport, Mairin had stopped by the daycare, which wasn’t a hassle since it was on the way. Bonnie had allowed Mairin to let some of her Pokémon stay at the daycare, since her house in Coumarine City was only big enough for a couple of her Pokémon to live in. That privilege was granted for Chespie and Bébé, since they were the first Pokémon that Mairin had started her journey with many years ago. But now, with everything that was happening—and the very real possibility of Faith being in danger—Mairin needed the full strength of her team once more.

Picking up the rest of her party wasn’t the only reason why Mairin went to the daycare before leaving. She felt she owed it to Bonnie to give a proper explanation for her sudden departure. They had faced the horrors of the Kalos Crisis together, after all; if anyone could understand Mairin’s situation, it was Bonnie.

“Good grief, Mairin,” the younger woman had said after Mairin finished talking. “You can’t seem to catch a break from any of this, huh?”

Mairin sighed at Bonnie’s remark. “You’re telling me,” she replied. “It seems like anything good that ever happens to me… to us… it never lasts for long.”

Bonnie frowned, pursing her lips as she crossed her arms. “Bad things don’t last long either, you know,” she reminded her.

All Mairin could do was look down at the floor, an uncomfortable sensation rising into her throat. Bonnie had sensed the change her friend��s demeanor, and pulled her into an embrace. Mairin froze briefly, slightly shocked from the sudden contact, but she just as quickly returned the hug.

“You know, Mairin…” Bonnie began to say, “you’re a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. I can’t imagine how you’ve been able to keep your head up with everything you’ve been through.”

A light chuckle escaped from Mairin’s lips. “I have to be… for my daughter,” she told her.

The two women separated, and Bonnie handed Mairin a tray of Pokéballs that belonged to her. “I’m really gonna miss you, Mairin,” she said with a smile.

“You’re making it sound like I’m never coming back,” Mairin joked as she took the tray. “It’s just for a few days, until this blows over.”

“Well, you never know with these things!” Bonnie exclaimed with a huff. She paused, her gaze softening before she continued. “But seriously. It’s wonderful having you here, Mairin. You’re a huge help, and I can’t thank you enough for it.”

Mairin couldn’t help but blush at her comment. “I should be thanking you, Bonnie. You gave me a chance to support Faith after… after the divorce.” She had hesitated at the end, not wanting to say that last word.

The younger woman grinned cheerfully. “Don’t sweat it! That’s what friends do, after all—they help each other out!”

After pocketing her Pokéballs, Mairin called Faith back from playing with the other Pokémon at Bonnie’s daycare, and they proceeded back to the car. Bonnie accompanied them outside, helping buckle Faith into her booster seat. As Mairin hopped into the driver’s seat, Bonnie leaned against the open door.

“Hey, call me when you get a chance to once you’re there, okay?” Bonnie requested.

Mairin answered with a smile. “Sure thing, Bonnie.”

On that note, Mairin started the car, waving at her friend as she exited the parking lot of the daycare and back on the road to Lumiose City.

Now here she was, aboard a plane that was taking her and her daughter out of the Kalos region… the place that Mairin called home. Strangely enough, she didn’t feel very upset about leaving Kalos behind them. There were good memories there—lots of them, in fact. But… they also held painful memories; ones that Mairin wished she never had to experience.

This trip to Hoenn would be a welcome change. Both for Mairin and Faith.

A gentle sigh caught Mairin’s attention. She looked at her daughter, and the sight before her caused Mairin to crack a smile. Faith had fallen asleep curled up on the seat, with Kindle held close to her. Mairin watched the little girl’s chest rise and fall steadily with each breath. She looked so peaceful, as if nothing bad could ever happen to her. If only that moment of bliss could last forever.

Mairin carefully brushed a stray hair from Faith’s face and gave her a delicate peck on her forehead. “Sweet dreams, my love,” she whispered to her daughter. She leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes as Kalos faded farther into the distance.

~*~*~*~

A couple of hours later, the plane finally touched upon the land of the Hoenn region. As its wheels struck the pavement of the runway, the cabin rattled slightly. The sudden movement woke Mairin up. She groaned, rubbing the back of her hand against her eyes before blinking a few times to chase away the rest of her sleepiness.

“Hi, Mommy!”

The sound of Faith’s loud voice was enough to fully awaken Mairin. She turned to her daughter, who was bright-eyed and full of energy. Mairin stifled a rather long yawn with her hand. She flinched slightly as orange light glared through the window. She waited for her eyes to adjust a bit more and saw that the sun was partially hidden behind the horizon, signaling that evening was fast approaching. It was quite a difference from the early morning when they’d left the Kalos region.

“Hey there, honey,” Mairin greeted her daughter. “Did you sleep well?”

Faith nodded enthusiastically. “Uhuh! I sure did! And guess what? Mr. Pilot said that we’re in a different time zone now, so it’s almost night-time in Ho-in!” she eagerly told her mother.

“He’s right. That’s because the time in Hoenn is a few hours ahead of Kalos,” Mairin clarified.

The door to the passenger’s cabin opened with a hiss. The pilot responsible for their safe passage to the Hoenn region popped his head through the opening, giving a slight wave to Mairin and Faith.

“We’ve officially arrived at Mossdeep City, Ms. Floraison!” the pilot announced with a pleasant smile. “A staff member will bring your luggage over to the limo, so you only need to worry about remembering your carry-on bags.”

Faith grinned excitedly and clambered over Mairin towards the aisle. Mairin huffed and shook her head as Faith bolted towards the door, seeming to have forgotten that her backpack was still on the plane.

“I’ll get it,” she muttered as she stood up from seat, minding her head as she opened the compartment above and grabbed her and Faith’s bags. She pulled the straps of her own bag over her shoulders while holding Faith’s backpack in her hand, and promptly made her way to exit the plane.

The glare of the evening sunlight struck her almost immediately. Mairin winced and shielded her eyes, waiting for them to adjust. After a few moments, she lowered her hand to grip the handrail and carefully descended down the stairs. Upon the last step, her foot unfortunately gave out from under her, and Mairin yelped as she started to fall forward.

Just before her face met the asphalt, a pair of arms managed to catch her.

“Are you alright, Mairin?”

There was a hint of playfulness in that voice, which Mairin recognized immediately. She looked up and saw none other than Steven Stone. Although his face bore signs of aging, and it was rather evident that he hadn’t shaved in a while, Steven hadn’t changed much since Mairin last saw him.

Mairin smiled. “It’s nice to see you too, Steven,” she replied.

Steven returned it with a cheery hum and gently pulled Mairin back onto her feet, keeping a steady grip on her arms. Once she was up, he brought his hands to Mairin’s and held them in his own.

“I see your habit of tripping hasn’t entirely subsided yet,” the former Champion remarked with a cheeky wink. His comment resulted in an annoyed grimace from her.

“I’m convinced that I’m stuck with this for the rest of my life, to be perfectly honest,” Mairin admitted with a groan.

The sound of scampering feet caught the attention of the two adults. Mairin turned her head in the direction it was coming from and watched as Faith bounded towards them. When she got close enough, she crashed into her mother’s leg, nearly causing Mairin to topple over once more. Fortunately, Mairin was able to brace herself for the impact.

“Careful, Faith.” Mairin reprimanded her daughter, pushing her back slightly. Faith looked at her with a pout on her face, one fist planted on her hip while the other held onto Kindle.

“You’re too slow, Mommy! What took you so long?” Faith retorted back.

“Someone forgot to take their backpack out of the plane,” Mairin explained as she held the bag in question towards her.

Faith’s eyes widened. “My backpack!” she exclaimed, taking it from Mairin’s hand. “Sorry, Mommy. I was so excited to see the limo that I completely forgot,” she apologized sheepishly, looking down at her feet.

Mairin sighed but couldn’t stop herself from smiling. “It’s alright, honey,” she said, rubbing her daughter’s head lovingly. “You can go on ahead to the limo if you want. Steven and I will be right behind you,” she told her.

Faith grinned jubilantly and darted back to the sleek black vehicle, where a bellhop was loading the last of Mairin and Faith’s luggage into the trunk. Steven and Mairin strolled behind her, taking their time approaching the limousine.

“She’s gotten a lot bigger last I saw her,” Steven noted, his silvery-blue eyes fixated on the younger girl.

“Last time you saw her in person was when she was two,” Mairin reminded him. She watched as the bellhop opened the door for Faith to climb inside, and her gaze softened. “…She has grown up quite a bit though, hasn’t she,” she muttered to herself.

Steven placed a ring-adorned hand on her shoulder. He walked alongside her the rest of the way to the limousine, the bellhop continuing to hold the door open. Steven offered his hand to Mairin and guided her into the seat before entering, sitting across from her and Faith. The bellhop closed the door firmly, and soon after, the driver started the car’s engine and began to drive out of the airport.

About halfway to their destination, Steven opened a hidden compartment in one of the seats and pulled out a neatly wrapped gift. “For you, my dear,” he said as he extended it towards Faith.

Faith gingerly accepted the gift, taking a moment to study the elegant wrapping used to conceal whatever was underneath. “It’s not my birthday, Mr. Steven,” she stated.

“I’m aware, my dear,” Steven replied with a pleasant air, “but it doesn’t have to be your birthday to receive presents, does it…?”

Faith smiled excitedly, wasting no time to rip the decorative paper apart. She gasped as she uncovered Steven’s gift; a soft blanket with little images of Fennekins patterned across it. Her eyes were practically sparkling with joy as she pulled the blanket closer to her face.

“I love it, Mr. Steven! Thank you so, so much!” Faith exclaimed with a huge grin.

Mairin rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She wasn’t surprised that Steven was doting on her little girl. He had a soft spot for her, and it didn’t help that Faith captured the hearts of almost everyone that she met. She could only hope that he would try not to shower her with presents all the time.

Not long afterwards, the limousine finally arrived at the place where Mairin and Faith would be staying. As Mairin exited the vehicle, she marveled at the sight of the building before them.

She had never been to Steven’s residence before, but Mairin had to admit, the place was stunning. The house was three stories tall and had been built with exquisite stone masonry (which was rather fitting for a rich man who was fascinated with rocks). It was built near one of the cliffsides of Mossdeep City and seemed to bend naturally with the curve of the cliff’s edge. The placement certainly gave whoever lived there a breathtaking view of the ocean and craggy peaks that jutted out from the water. It was magnificent, to say the least.

And for a few days, Mairin and Faith would have the privilege to live here.

“I’ve already had staff prepare two guestrooms for you,” Steven informed them as he guided them into the mansion. “They’ll also bring your suitcases up and begin unpacking while we have dinner.”

Mairin nodded. “That sounds wonderful, Steven,” she commented.

Steven lead them up to the second floor, then politely excused himself to attend to some urgent business. Mairin took the opportunity to familiarize herself with the rooms. Hers was quite spacious, with more than enough room to maneuver about easily. There was an elegant oak dresser, a vanity that also acted as a desk, and a walk-in closet. The bed had recently been made up, with the cushions fluffed, and clean, soft sheets adorning the mattress. Mairin was especially pleased to find out that her room came with its own en-suite that consisted of a huge bathtub. She made a mental note to try it out sometime.

Faith’s room was right down the hall from Mairin’s and while not quite as large, it was perfect for Faith. The little girl wasted no time flopping onto the bed and rolling about, playing with her Fennekin plush as she did so. Mairin watched her daughter, taking in as much of this moment as she could. Seeing Faith radiating happiness filled Mairin with a sense of peace and relief.

She knew now that bringing Faith here was the right call.

Several minutes later, a butler called for Mairin and Faith, announcing that dinner ready. A grumble in the pit of her stomach confirmed that it was time to eat—although, in Kalos, it would probably be closer to lunchtime than supper. They were escorted into Steven’s personal dining room, which was used for when he only had a couple of guests to entertain. A couple of waiting staff brought out delicious-looking dishes and set them on the table. As soon as Steven gave the OK, the three of them filled their plates with the food and dug in.

Between bites of their meal, they chatted about various topics. Steven talked about what it was like to be running the Devon Corporation after succeeding his father, while Mairin talked about her time working with Bonnie and the shenanigans of managing a Pokémon Daycare. Faith was the real star of the conversation, however; whatever possible stories came to her mind, she did not hesitate to share with Steven and her mother, and the two were very much entertained by this.

It wasn’t until dinner had drawn to a close, with staff taking away the dirty dishes and utensils, that Mairin realized how… different the atmosphere was here. It was cheerful and warm, something that Mairin hadn’t felt in a long time.

The last time she did was… it was when Alain was still with them. Back when the three of them ate dinner together at the small table in the kitchen. Faith would ramble on incessantly about what she’d done that day, and Alain would smile warmly at her and join in the conversation. He’d also take Mairin’s hand into his own, the silver band of his wedding ring glinting under the kitchen light as he rubbed his thumb affectionately over knuckles, his blue eyes gazing into hers with endearment…

But that had been nearly two years ago, when Alain first began to act cold and distant towards her. And then, unexpectedly, he said he no longer loved her…

“Mairin?”

Mairin was snapped out of her thoughts by Steven’s concerned voice. He’d pulled up a chair closer to her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Steel-colored irises stared into her amber eyes, trying to understand what had come over her.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Steven inquired softly.

Mairin sniffled, looking down from his gaze to her lap as her eyes began to sting a bit. “I… I think I’ve just had a long day,” she answered quietly. It wasn’t the whole truth… but it wasn’t a lie, either.

Steven didn’t press the matter any further. Instead, he smiled gently and gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before retracting his hand.

“I’ve already sent Faith up to her room to get ready for bed,” he told her. “There’s a garden past the right wing of the house designed for Pokémon to live in. Your Pokémon are more than welcome to use it.”

Mairin returned his smile, albeit with a more solemn one, and thanked him for the offer. Steven led her towards the gardens, walking through a few hallways before they finally came to a sliding glass door. Steven opened it for her, allowing Mairin to enter. Although the sun was long gone by now, replaced by a dark navy sky and twinkling stars, the gardens were brightly lit by outdoor lights. She couldn’t see any Pokémon roaming about, but that may have been due to how late it was.

With a deep breath, Mairin took out six Pokéballs and released the Pokémon they contained. Along with Chespie and Bébé, there were four other Pokémon that Mairin had picked up from Bonnie’s daycare. Zach the Ampharos, Piper the Pidgeot, Zola the Sandslash, and Kade the Flareon appeared from the flashes of light, cheering when they saw their trainer. Kade was especially happy to see her as he dashed forth and jumped into Mairin’s arms. She giggled and stroked the tuft of fur atop his head before placing him back onto the cool grass.

“Hey guys,” Mairin addressed her team. “It’s been a while since we’ve all been together like this, huh?”

The Pokémon nodded in agreement, with some grunting and cooing in response.

“Well, there’s a reason for that,” she began to explain.

They all listened to her attentively as Mairin informed them about their situation. When she finished, Chespie and Bébé looked at their comrades to see their reactions. Zach, Piper, Zola, and Kade glanced at each other, still a bit unsure about what was happening, and evidently worried for their trainer.

“I know this is a lot to take in, and… I’m really sorry for telling you four about this now,” Mairin apologized somberly. “But… with everything that’s happening… I could really use your help again.” She swallowed thickly, trying to loosen the tightness in her throat. “I probably have no right to ask this of you, especially since… since I had to leave you at Bonnie’s daycare.”

A small draft of cool wind brushed by, causing Mairin to shiver and wrap her arms around herself. “But… m-my daughter might be in danger, and… Alain might be, too.” Her voice cracked on her, and her eyes burned even more as tears slipped down her cheeks. “I… I need your help… to protect our loved ones… please.”

That last word barely came out as a whisper. Mairin struggled to keep back her sobs, but little whimpers still managed to escape from her lips. Her body trembled, her eyes squeezed shut so the tears wouldn’t flow so freely.

“Flare?”

Mairin opened her eyes and saw Kade rubbing his face against her leg. She kneeled and pulled the Flareon into a hug. Zach ambled towards her next, nuzzling into her hair and releasing delicate shocks of electricity. Piper and Zola joined in last, leaning against either side of Mairin. She looked at each of them in disbelief at first, but that was quickly washed away by pure happiness. A wide grin made its way across her cheeks, and she leaned more into her Pokémon’s embrace.

“Y-you guys are the best,” Mairin said, and the Pokémon responded with blissful cries.

Soon, Mairin had to separate herself from them so she could head back inside and turn in for the night. She said goodnight to everyone, taking a bit longer with Chespie and Bébé as they’d held back to let Mairin and the others have their moment. As she made her way back to the sliding door, Kade trotted after her, brushing his tail across her legs.

“You wanna come in, dontcha?” Mairin asked the little Flareon.

Kade perked his ears up eagerly, wagging his tail. “Flare!” he chirped happily.

She couldn’t help but giggle at him. “Alright, you can come in for the night,” she agreed.

Steven was still waiting for her when they entered back into the house. Without thinking about it, Mairin pressed herself against him and wrapped her arms around his torso.

“Thank you so much, Steven,” she told him, her voice slightly muffled by his jacket.

Steven chuckled airily and laid a hand on her messy auburn hair. “It’s my pleasure to help a dear friend,” he replied.

They dispersed eventually, and Steven walked Mairin back to her room before wishing her goodnight and heading to bed himself. When she entered the room, Mairin saw Faith asleep on the bed, partially buried under the covers with her new Fennekin blanket and her plush. Mairin didn’t have the heart to wake her up, so she allowed her little girl to spend the night. Kade immediately jumped up and cuddled up to her as Mairin put on a nightgown. She then slipped into the other side of the bed after turning off the lights, and laid an arm across Faith’s sleeping form.

The last thing Mairin thought about before she closed her eyes to fall asleep… was how she wished Alain was by her side right now.

END OF CHAPTER THREE.

#mystic's fanfics #marissonshipping #mairin #steven stone #pkmn fankids #tagging bc faith is JJ's marisson fankid

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