[attr="class","aurelie"]

[attr="class","aurelie_body"]The first thing that jack wainwright would probably notice after plummeting back through Father Winter's portal back into the current timeline was the little notification light flashing on his cell phone, which had fallen to the floor when he was tossed through the first portal. After waking up and noticing he was gone, Aurelie had sent him a few puzzled, concerned texts asking where he'd gone and if he was okay.

The second thing he might notice was a sudden glow of unearthly blue light from the bedroom, followed by a muffled thump and then a string of what sounded like Kalosian expletives in a low growl.

In the bedroom, Aurelie tumbled out of her own return portal back to the real world and landed on top of the piled blankets. After uttering some choice words for Father Winter, his idea of a Wintertide gift, and the whole strange, unsettling experience, the first thing she did was frantically pat her right foot, reassuring herself it was still there.

Then, more reluctantly, she touched her right eye. A grim smile curved her lips when her fingers brushed the eyepatch. Yes, of course, that too would go back to normal, she thought wryly.

Still visibly unnerved, Aurelie shakily turned on the lamp on the bedside table and stared at her familiar bedroom in wide-eyed disbelief, shocked that so little had changed, when she herself felt so different. Then she reached out a shaky hand to pet the Flareon and Jolteon watching her alertly, even worriedly, from the foot of the bed. They'd both been peacefully sleeping by her and Jack's feet, before he—and then, not long after, she—had been whisked away.

As she buried her face in the Flareon's warm, fluffy fur, the Jolteon abruptly lifted its head, as if scenting something, and bounded off the bed, darting into the living room. Startled—and worried suddenly that Father Winter was back—Aurelie cuddled her Flareon in her arms and followed the Lightning Pokemon. Relief and gladness swept through her as she saw Jack, with the Jolteon giving him a gentle, affectionate headbutt.

"Jack! It's been so long..." she breathed out. As she rushed toward him and pulled him close in a thankful embrace, the Flareon leaped out of her arms and trotted toward the Jolteon, briefly touching noses with the other Pokemon. "You would not believe the dream...or nightmare...or whatever I just went thr—"

Her voice trailed off as she noticed, even in the semi-darkness, how pale and haggard his face seemed. Tilting her head, Aurelie asked hesitantly, "Jack? Is everything all right?"

[attr="class","cred"]VEL OF PIXEL PERFECT