Dear Friend

[Dark_Hunter-Angelic_Tears]

Dear Friend,

I don’t know when you’ll get this letter, or where I’ll be when you do, but I’m writing it because I think what I’ve seen should be shared. I am a traveler: this letter is the first of my travelogues.

Here’s what you need to know about me. My name is Eon, my family is made of the members of a small organization known as MistMelody. I am a Pikachu, smaller than average height, and the leader of MistMelody is my twin sister, Era. You may have heard of Era, Friend—the Pikachu with wings of light—she’s the one to turn to if you ever need anything, the most reliable ’mon I know. If you find this letter and wish to contact her, or me, send your response to Mist Haven and it will find the proper recipient.

As I write this, I’m resting atop Mount Mesmer. It’s taken weeks to reach this height, and every breath comes in an icy gasp. I’m not sure there are any Pokemon who live here, if there are, they’re particularly secretive, passing me by in the clouds that cover everything up here. Occasionally, I felt others brushing by me or heard the sound of footsteps in the snow, but whenever I would call out a greeting I was met with silence. I suspected ghosts at first, but it grew so infrequent I imagine my mind is the better explanation for it. When you spend this much time alone, sometimes your thoughts try to fill the absence for you. I don’t mean to worry you Friend, I only want you to know my experience as well as I can describe it.

I spent the night atop this mountain, with a view of the stars unlike any you’ve ever seen. In a place where the earth meets the clouds, you can see more of the sky than you could ever know from the ground. I sat in the darkness, my cloak wrapped tight around me to keep the cold at bay, and traced the constellations with my eyes—at least the ones I know. Do you know any constellations, Friend? My favorite is Triangulus. The legends say Triangulus is a Jirachi (the stars form the top of his head), and he stares down from the sky, sending shooting stars for those whose wishes are most deserving. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but I do know I saw more shooting stars than I can count tonight. I don’t have enough wishes to give to the stars, so I’ll share some of them with you, Friend.

Now the sun is rising and I’m getting tired. I waited to write by the light of the sun, so I wouldn’t miss the sunrise, and I’m glad I did. If you’ve ever watched a sunrise, Friend, you’ve seen the scarlets and violets and ambers coming together around the ruby of the sun. But here, I can tell you, there are so many more colors I don’t have names for all of them. Here you can see the blues fading in from the night’s indigo, the purple lighten into pink and red and even green if you look close enough. I never saw the silver in the sun until I saw it here. Perhaps that’s how Mount Mesmer got its name—everything I see up here is utterly mesmerizing.

My eyes are starting to droop, Friend, I think it’s time to finish here. Before I burrow down into the snow to sleep, I’m going to seal this letter and send it to the sky. I’m so high up here, the winds could take it almost anywhere, but I know this letter will find someone—I know it will find you. Thank you for listening: for sharing this moment with me. May the Legends guide your steps.

~Eon

 

[Lunatalia]

Dear Eon,

I don’t know if one Pichu is important or grand enough for the legends to guide. Maybe that’s the point of it all; that I’m not something special and this is my chance to share in something bigger than I am. Maybe that’s just wishful thinking- Mammaw always tells me I’m a dreamer.

My name is Istas, but my family calls me “Snowdrop”. Mammaw tells me that I’ve always been Snow, ever since they took me in. We used to be two teams, I think, that became one when the captains got married: Team Stormcloud and Team Schadenfreude. I suppose I’ve known your family for a long time without knowing it. My parents used to tell me stories about the people they’d known before we came here; they mentioned Era a lot. I don’t remember her well, but today I remembered a dream I had when I was little. It was about a Pikachu with starlight at her shoulders. I can still picture her smile if I try; I like to think that it was her.

I thought a lot about what to tell you. Your letter was beautiful and I imagine that Mount Mesmer is even more so. I wish I could have been there with you, watching the shooting stars and the sunrise. Maybe someday I’ll go, too, and I can meet you there. We could talk about the stars together. I had to find Triangulus myself, once you told me about it. I guess I wanted to feel like I really was there, so maybe you wouldn’t be as alone up there on that mountain. My adventure isn’t as long and difficult as yours, but I hope it brings warmth back to your feet.

Mammaw, my parents and I are visiting Team Stormcloud properly because it’s getting too cold for Mammaw back home in winter. It’s tropical here, with giant leaves and flowers as big as my face. The paper flowers I sent you are nothing like these. Everything here is so different from what I’m used to. It’s more lush and colourful than it is in the marshes. Even the Pokemon look brighter. Some of them wear paints and jewelry, and the houses are decorated with beach glass and woven grasses.

I like it here, but I never know if it feels like home. My cousin Skye says the same thing. She’s an Eevee a couple months older than me. She’s really shy sometimes, but her face lit up when I asked about you and Era. I think she remembers you better than I did. I’m not sure if it’s okay to be jealous that she does, especially when she seems to miss you as much as she does. I didn’t show her the letter, Eon. I was going to, but I don’t know if I’m ready to. She said she understood, though. She and Mammaw are going to take me to the Verge of Ceres tonight, so we can look for your stars together.

- - - - -

Mammaw and Skye came with me to the Verge of Ceres yesterday night. That’s what Skye’s family calls it. It’s this cliff that overlooks the edge of the ocean, right at the top of the ridge. Nothing as high as a mountain, of course, but it feels like you can see forever. When the sun dropped to the horizon it looked like the sky was on fire. I never realized that the clouds turn gold or that the sky darkens to purple before nightfall. It’s not something you can see from the marshes. And you’re right: the night sky was never just one colour. There were so many stars that we had to look for half an hour just to find Triangulus like you did! Mammaw wouldn’t give us any hints. I admit I was a little too excited when we finally found it.

I think my favourite is Triangulus, too. There were so many stars there, but I liked how bright those three looked. Like all the stars wanted to be in that part of the sky. Skye says that she prefers Andromeda- that’s the constellation below Triangulus from where we are. I think she’s homesick. I am, too. There weren’t any shooting stars for us, though. Maybe someone else used all your wishes before they reached us. I hope they came true, if that’s what happened. Anyone who wishes that much should get a chance to be happy, I think.

I hope, wherever you are now, that you’ll read my letter back to you. It feels easier to talk to you like this. I don’t know if it’s because you’re so far away or because you shared something first, but I think it helped. I’m not an adventurer like you, but maybe I can dream about it.

Sincerely,

Istas