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mika opens the gift. she had done everything she could up until this point. she had the support of others, she even had a version of Julie Solette to hold onto. [break][break]

now, as she opens this gift, she finds that even their ghosts are gone, the friends from before fading as light, mika returning to a place unknown. [break][break]

when their eyes open again, they are no longer in the castle, in some nebulous space with people and pokemon. instead, they're standing in front of a quiet shrine, autumn leaves crunching underfoot, the smell of agarwood incense drifting through the air. she knows this place, she thinks. she remembers. [break][break]

ecruteak city, johto. the birth place of her mother, and her mother's mother before that. a distant legacy, shrine maidens forever standing as divine silhouettes against the horizon. sunlight scattering through rust-red leaves, through the gaps of trees. [break][break]

afternoon sun threatening to bleed into evening. [break][break]

at their side, their mother's voice rings out true. do you see that, mika? look. [break][break]

the mika now nods her head, memories flooding back to her, the words slipping out of her mouth unbidden. "i see it." [break][break]

an autumn sawsbuck, standing near the stairs to the shrine. crimson-colored leavws form a canopy over its head, regal and bright. striking. mika slowly approaches the creature, gentle and knowing. [break][break]

(in truth, she'd been a young girl when this happened, visiting her mother's family in ecruteak city and paying respects at a temple. and this sawsbuck had been there, standing still. staring. as if it knew mika, as if it knew her heart.) [break][break]

in reality, the sawsbuck is dead, and mika learns its fate after its body is discovered on the stairs a night later, her mother its unfortunate witness. but here, in this dream, he is alive, and mika reaches out a hand to it, voice crackling in her throat. [break][break]

"did you know, even back then? did you know that things would turn out like this?"[break][break]

the sawsbuck doesn't answer. he merely lowers his head, and mika reaches our to touch its branches, its delicate ears and strong nose. in dreams even the dead are living; even the lost. she nods at once, understanding the silent answer. [break][break]

in any case, she thinks, it's good to see you again. [break][break]

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she won't shy away. [break][break]

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more and more noises and sensations assaulted mika's senses. though she had done everything in her power to remain silent, to prevent the chaos in her head from escaping out through her mouth, there was no denying the yelp that left her, voice pitched to a fearsome high as sora the talonflame continued to navigate the course in her stead. [break][break]

maybe it would've been better to take the reins, both literal and metaphorical, after all. instead, the blue-haired ranger left everything to fate, hoping that no matter what transpired, she wouldn't crash into the competitors or vice versa. [break][break]

the screech of a very loud talonflame — and not her own, this time — drew her attention, and despite all the head-ringing, gut-clenching, voice-rattling nausea she felt, mika glanced backward, seeing the other racers crowded near each other, a glimpse of fiery orange enough to tell her that suzaku and josh were closing in on them. [break][break]

then the next obstacle of the course came, and mika's gaze trailed over to the tree, fear of the out of bounds section dictating her next words: "be careful!" as though her talonflame hadn't already exercised enough caution as it is. the firebird cried loudly, and mika flinched, her hand reaching out to grasp at a fistful of feathers. "i'm sorry, i'm sorry. you're doing great. let's keep it up." [break][break]

the talonflame murmured in response, finally satisfied with his trainer's attitude for the first time this entire race. his avian eyes spotted the rings up ahead, and was determined to get through the next obstacle without failing. it ascended upwards, fire in its eyes as well as its plume. [break][break]

mika held her breath, all the while. [break][break]

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halfway through mika's return to the safari zone entrance, she spots something beautiful and elegant wading through ice-cold water, the parts of the pond that haven't yet frozen over. [break][break]

a lapras, wild and free, gently paddles through the water. mika has always wanted a lapras for herself, and she figures that while she's here she might as well make that dream come true... [break][break]

she makes the capture as painless as possible, as in she strikes the turtle pokemon from behind, wincing at the pained noise it makes upon being hit. [break][break]

but the poke ball snaps shut, and mika holds the thing to her chest, precious and loving. "you won't regret this," she promises her new catch. "let's go home." [break][break]

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