Chapter 147: We Have Two Promises
(BGM Recommendation: Thoughts Across Time - Kaoru Wada)
"By the way," Ryu asked the ancient Dragonite, "do you know where the first Queen of the Dragon Tamer Clan went?" This was his initial purpose for coming here, a fact he had only just remembered.
"I heard it from an old Gliscor," she replied. "That Queen left the Royal Dragon Kingdom at the age of 38 and went north to travel the world. She walked for sixty years, covering at least 40,000 kilometers, and returned when she was 98, needing a cane to walk."
Ryu lowered his head. 40,000 kilometers. That was the distance around the entire Earth.
"I heard she set out to fulfill a very important promise," the Dragonite said gently. "Go in and see for yourself. I'll get a drink of water."
Ryu nodded and stepped into the small flower garden alone. Flowers of various colors grew in abundance, but the picturesque scene felt indescribably desolate. In the center of the garden stood two gravestones. The inscriptions were worn, but he could still make out two names: Liz and Alan.
Ten years of life and death, both vast and unknown. Without thinking, it is hard to forget.
At that moment, the scene before his eyes began to change.
"...Liz?"
He watched her walk past him, completely unseen. He reached out to touch her, but his hand passed straight through. An illusion, he realized. The Time Ripple. I'm seeing a scene from a thousand years ago.
In his vision, the 98-year-old Liz walked to Alan's gravestone. Many white strands were in her hair, and her face was much thinner. She gently traced the inscription with her fingertips, then sat on the grass beside it.
She slowly opened her mouth, but he couldn't hear her words. He leaned closer, unwilling to miss this. He mobilized the Grass-type energy within his body, pouring it toward the source of the ripple in his heart. His senses magnified, and a voice echoed across a thousand years.
"I wanted him to be free, happy, and to live for himself."
The words were like a heavy hammer hitting his chest. He got up without hesitation, walked behind her, and knelt, extending his arms to hold her in a virtual embrace.
"Alan, I miss you again," she whispered, burying her face in her legs.
"I know. Me too," he responded softly, knowing she couldn't hear.
He saw a single tear fall from her face. He subconsciously reached out to catch it, but it passed through his palm and landed on a small, inconspicuous flower below. A surprising scene appeared. Liz seemed to see the flower and reached out for it. At that moment, their hands unintentionally overlapped.
She raised her head, stunned, and looked behind her. Her eyes were empty; she couldn't see him. But she could feel him.
"I'm here," he whispered, giving her a silly smile.
Liz blinked, and a gentle smile appeared on her face in response. Just like a thousand years ago. Exactly the same.
"Do you still remember?" she asked the empty air, her gaze drifting to the sky. "We had two promises."
"Yes," Ryu nodded, looking up with her. "To stay with you forever."
"And, to travel the world together."
As his voice fell, the Time Ripple subsided. The illusion disappeared. He reached into his backpack, pulled out the rough, hand-crafted Poké Ball, and quietly placed it in front of Liz's gravestone.
"I owed you a Poké Ball in my previous life. I'm returning it to you in this one."
He turned and walked out of the flower garden. A gentle breeze blew from behind, like a soft hand pushing his back. He stopped at the edge.
"I met a friend on the way here," he said to the empty garden. "Something he said left a deep impression on me. A promise made by a man must be kept with conviction."
Outside the garden, the Dragonite was waiting, a bright smile on her face.
"This place is nice, isn't it?"
"Very good," Ryu nodded.
"Have you decided what you're going to do next?"
He turned his head to the north, his mind made up. "I'm going to fulfill two important promises."
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