[Pokémon] Vaults of Reflection - A Childhood Friend

Forget what Jake liked, fall was the best time of the year for Sophia. Leaves were falling here and there and everywhere, leaves of almost every pretty color the Espurr could think of. So many leaves that they could be raked up into big piles that kids would then jump into, trying to make bigger splashes than the others.

Problem was, it wasn't fun to do it by herself.

Sophia gave a great big sigh, sitting on the bench outside the Marinos house. Jacob had gone and gotten in trouble, again. As if that was going to stop him from keeping up his contest of pranks with the Bergmite and Chikorita. Sophia couldn't think of their names right now, partly because they were two kids she didn't like and partly because they didn't ever want to play with her. It seemed like all the other kids were busy with one thing or another today, so unfair!

Sophia sighed again, legs just barely peeking over the edge of the bench. And Mom and Dad were busy with the harvest. That's where Jake was, and where Sophia should be, but she'd hidden so she could avoid the work. Real smart, right?

"Bored," Sophia muttered. "Bored, bored, bored." She began chanting "bored" to herself for the next six seconds, then got bored of saying "bored" and stopped. Sophia looked back up at the trees above her; leaves sure were pretty in fall, though.

"Bored?"

Sophia shrieked, hurriedly falling off the bench and scrambling away from the very loud, very sudden voice. Something was floating just above the bench, where there had been no one a minute before. Sophia could see that it was a big, black ball surrounded by purple air, with ridiculously big eyes and a fanged mouth. "Bored?" the Pokemon repeated with a grin, not as loud as before.

Since it wasn't getting any closer, Sophia calmed down a little. "Yep, bored," she said. Since it seemed proper, she introduced herself. "I'm Sophia. Who are you?"

The Pokemon's grin turned into a frown as it shook its head, or its body. "No. You Bored, not Sophia."

"Yes, Sophia. You?"

"Not Sophia."

Sophia was only six years old, but this stranger sounded like a girl. The Espurr was a bit miffed about the name mix-up, and it showed in her demeanor as she stood up. "My name is Sophia, and I am bored. What is your name?"

The stranger grinned again. "Not-Sophia." She giggled at her own humor, which got Sophia to start snickering. "You, Bored. Me, Not-Sophia." Before long, both kids were laughing for no reason.

"What's going on here?" An elderly Serperior slithered around the corner of the house, peering down at the Espurr. "What's so funny?" he repeated.

Sophia immediately stood up, her mirth disappearing. "Hey, Mister. Want to meet Not-Sophia?" She turned and pointed at the bench, then stopped short. The bench was empty now.

The Serperior glanced between Sophia and the bench, then shook his head. "Have fun with your imaginary friend," he muttered before continuing on his way past the Espurr. "And please don't be so loud. If you must, go play in the woods or something."

Sophia was thoroughly confused now. She kept watching the bench once the elder was gone. A few seconds later, her new friend gradually reappeared out of nowhere. "Gone?" she asked, looking around.

Sophia blew a sigh, relieved that her friend hadn't left her alone. "Yeah, the elder's gone."

The Pokemon grinned. "Elder's name, Gone." That started another bout of laughter from both of them.

~~~~~

"It's a Gastly," Georgina answered, looking up from the book that sat between her and Sophia. The middle-aged Kecleon cocked her head and asked, "Where did you say you met it, Sophie?"

"I met her outside my house," the Espurr answered, "two days ago. She disappeared when Mister Serperior showed up." Sophia sighed, resting her chin and folded arms on the table. "I haven't seen her since yesterday…"

Georgina closed the book and took it back to her bookcase. "Well, dear, some Ghosts are like that. One might show up for a few days, weeks even, and then disappear for a long time. Maybe forever." The librarian turned back to Sophia, who was put out at the thought that Not-Sophia was gone for good. Smiling, Georgina sat back down at the table. "The other thing with some Ghosts, Sophie, is that they're shy. Were you ever alone yesterday, or today?"

"Not really," Sophia mumbled.

"There you go, then. It sounds like she's just waiting for when no one else is around. I'm sure she'll be back."

"Mm." Sophia suddenly looked up as a thought struck her. "You're not gonna tell Mom 'n' Dad, are you? I don't want 'em to take my new friend away."

Georgina leaned forward with a conspiratorial grin. "It's our little secret," she whispered.

"Thank you!" Sophia hopped up onto the table and gave the Kecleon a hug, then turned and left just as quickly. It was time to find Not-Sophia!

~~~~~

A few weeks passed by, and the pretty leaves gradually stopped falling. Amoon Village's Castform had predicted the winter's first snowfall to be three days from now. It was the night before yesterday that Jacob had come home, frantic about seeing ghosts in the cemetery and babbling about something that didn't make sense to anyone. The only part that Sophia really cared about, beyond getting to see her older brother in tears, was that he might have seen Not-Sophia.

Sophia finished her breakfast and hurried out the door before Jake could ask what the rush was. It was only a matter of minutes before Sophia made it to the entrance of the cemetery.

"Hello!" she called out, walking through the gate. "Nottie!" After a few seconds of nothing happening, Sophia tried again. "Not-Sophia! You here?" Strange. The Gastly always showed up once Sophia got there. The cemetery always made her uneasy, but it was the only place that Not-Sophia would meet her before they went somewhere else.

Sophia stepped around a corner in the path and spotted the Gastly a few graves away. "Found you!"

Not-Sophia turned in surprise, eyes wider than usual. "No! Go away!" she yelped, backing away from Sophia.

"But why?" the Espurr asked, getting closer.

"I said go away!" Nottie repeated, looking uncomfortable.

Sophia waited several seconds, brow furrowed, before she asked, "Why?"

"Oh, no need for that." Another Pokemon appeared, phasing through a tombstone behind the Gastly and stopping beside Nottie. The Gengar had a grin plastered on his face as he looked Sophia up and down. "Hm, certainly not the same Espurr that came the other night. You do have the same kind of feel as him, though. Sister, perhaps?"

Sophia backed up, chills running down her spine. Despite the sunny morning, the cemetery seemed to grow a little darker. "This is Bored," Not-Sophia said quietly, no humor at all in her voice.

"Bored?" The Gengar rubbed his chin with his hand. "Oh, right, this is the new friend you've told me about. Tell me, though, why you brought her here." There was a hint of disapproval in his voice as he looked down at Not-Sophia.

"She wouldn't go away!" Nottie protested, shrinking slightly and looking down.

"Hello! I'm right here!" Sophia spoke up. She backed up another step when the Gengar's gaze returned to her, but asked, "The other Espurr? Did he came the night before yesterday?"

The Gengar chuckled. "So you do know him. Yes, I'm very sure you're his sister, now. Hm, but now too many 'mon know about us. A child can't keep a secret, after all." He turned around and began floating toward the tombstone.

"Yes, I can!" Sophia snapped. "I never told anyone about Not-Sophia!" The Espurr stopped as the Gengar turned back and raised an eyebrow. "...I told Ms. Georgina...b-but, she can keep a secret, too!"

"That, she can," the Gengar muttered, giving Sophia another look. "Mm...tell you what, little girl--"

"Sophia."

The Gengar gave an apologetic nod. "Sophia. Give it a while, maybe a few days, maybe a few years, and perhaps I'll let you in on a secret or two, when you're older and won't freak out like your brother did." He raised his hand and gave a cheeky grin. "Cheerio." The Gengar phased out of sight through the tombstone, leaving Not-Sophia and Sophia to stare at each other. The cemetery was already back to being sunny.

"What?" Sophia cocked her head, confused.

The Gastly looked down again. "Time to go...I don't know when I'll see you again." She turned and began floating toward the same tombstone.

Sophia took two steps forward. "W-wait! Nottie!"

The Gastly stopped and turned back. "...I didn't ever say my name." She hesitated. "...Sonia. Bye-bye!" She hurried through the tombstone and out of sight.

The Espurr was alone now, standing in front of a grave with a tombstone that she couldn't read. "...Bye, Sonia."