Epilogue: New Home, New Beginning
When I awoke, I found myself lying in bed. Well, it wasn’t my bed, that was for certain. Where am I? I wondered groggily as I sat up. I felt so disoriented. The cheery yellow walls and little beds lined up seemed so familiar. . . I know this place, I thought. I’ve been here before. Maybe if I get up, it’ll come back to me.
I heard voices outside my door. “Is she awake yet?” “Shh! Don’t wake her up!” “We’re supposed to be quiet!” “Let’s go play. She’ll come out later.” Then I heard footsteps walking away.
I cautiously opened the door and peered down the hall. The pictures hanging on the walls struck my memory. The Harrisons. I must be at their place. Perhaps I just layed down in the kids’ room to take a nap? I was so frustrated I couldn’t remember.
I walked down the hall into the dining room. Everyone was sitting down to lunch. Brock looked up from serving noodles to the children. “Awake at last,” he smiled.
It was then that I noticed there was a visitor to the meal. His back was to me, so I couldn’t see who he was at first. Then he turned. “Annie!” His face broke into a warm smile.
“Papa!” I cried joyfully. Papa leapt from his seat, and I flew into his arms. I buried my face in his shoulder and sobbed with relief. Then I looked up, confused. “But...how did you get here? What happened.”
Papa looked concerned. “Don’t you remember, Annie? This morning you led those Pokemon to victory against Team Rocket. Then you took a Toxic attack for me, but fell unconscious. Your Pokemon led Dr. Harrison right to you, and he gave you the antidote. You awoke just for a moment, remember? Then he brought us both back here. We rode your Onix.”
Images flooded my mind. “It’s coming back to me, slowly. I just thought it was all a dream.”
“It was no dream.” Papa smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You helped defeat Team Rocket. You foiled their plans. You saved the day, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
“This is a nice family reunion and all,” Timmy piped up, “but can we eat? I’m starved!”
“Oh, of course!” I exclaimed. “Yes, let’s eat.”
Papa and I took our seats at the crowded table, and conversation among the little Harrisons resumed. I turned to Papa. “There is just one thing, Papa,” I frowned.
“What’s that, Annie?” he asked.
“What are your plans, now that we’re safe from Team Rocket? Are we...going back home?” As many memories as I had back at my childhood home and Papa’s research facility, I had a new home in mind.
“We could, Annie, but we’d have to rebuild,” Papa answered. “Team Rocket wrecked the research center. One wall was completely blasted through.”
“Well, what if we rebuilt...someplace else?”
“Where do you have in mind?”
I smiled. “I’ll show you after lunch.”
After lunch, the kids wanted me to play with them while Brock cleared the table. “I should help your brother--” I started as the little ones steered me into the living room.
“But we want you to play with us!” Tilly insisted.
“And we wanna ask you something,” Cindy added.
“Oh?” I wondered.
“Do you like our brother?” asked Suzie.
“What?” I blushed immediately.
“Yeah!” said Tommy. “Do you like Brock?”
“Hm, well, I, uh…” I sputtered. My cheeks felt like they were on fire, and my heart was pounding like a bass drum.
“You do!” Yolanda gasped.
“Great!” Timmy cheered. “We'll tell ‘'im the good news!”
“Guys,” Salvadore began.
“HEY BROCK! GUESS WHAT?” Billy called into the kitchen.
“No!” I squealed. “Shhhhhh! Please, don't tell Brock!”
The kids stared at me in silence.
“Please,” I swallowed. “I-i wanna tell him… myself… when the time is right. Okay?”
The kids shrugged. “Okay.”
An hour later, Papa and I stood at the entrance of the Diamond Caverns. “This is where my Onix lived before I caught it. It got its powers from a special mineral in the soil here, and these caverns are a refuge for hundreds of unusual Pokemon as well. You could build your research center near here, and then Onix could live close to home! It’s the perfect spot!”
“Are you sure Onix isn't the only one who wants to live close to Pewter City?” Papa winked.
I scuffed at the ground with the toe of my boot. “Well, I may have made some friends here, too.” I looked up at Papa. “Is that so bad?”
Papa smiled. “Not at all, not at all. You're finding where you fit in.”
“I suppose I am,” I smiled back. “I guess I've found where I belong.”
With some help from our new friends in Pewter City, Papa and I finally completed our new research facility, built into the side of Mount Moon. My eyes glimmered as I watched Papa cut the ribbon at our grand opening party, attended by all our friends. Without our new friends, none of my dreams would have been made possible.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Brock standing behind me, a shy grin on his face.
“Yes?” I blushed, my eyes darting away as my fluttering heart seemed to pummel like mallets on a bass drum.
“I, ahem, was just wondering if you’d like to join me inside, Annie. I made some food for the party, and I thought maybe you’d like to…”
“It sounds wonderful,” I smiled a bit too broadly. Then a question, which I had been mulling over in my subconscious, hit me. Brock never said a word about his carrying me through the rubble after I practically destroyed Team Rocket headquarters. Had I only dreamed it in my Toxic-induced delirium? I wasn’t sure, but perhaps I could work up the courage to ask Brock about that morning. I also found myself wishing I could once again be in his arms. I bit my lip, attempting to snap myself out of lovesick, dreamy mode.
“Annie? Are you coming?” Brock asked, already halfway to the door.
“Oh, yes, of course!” I grinned. Maybe someday… I mused as I followed him inside.
The End (until Annie’s next adventure!)
Message from the author:
Thank you for reading my fanfic! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Making people smile is one of my top reasons for writing.
I would like to thank my family for enduring endless discussions about the plot, characterization, etc. at the dinner table. More thanks go to the following:
A.M. and AJ for being my top supporters.
K.M. for proofreading.
The E. and M. families for being my “real-life Harrisons” and letting me take inspiration from their kids.
Last but certainly not least to God, for giving me the gift of writing.
Again, thanks to all for reading! See you next time!
When I awoke, I found myself lying in bed. Well, it wasn’t my bed, that was for certain. Where am I? I wondered groggily as I sat up. I felt so disoriented. The cheery yellow walls and little beds lined up seemed so familiar. . . I know this place, I thought. I’ve been here before. Maybe if I get up, it’ll come back to me.
I heard voices outside my door. “Is she awake yet?” “Shh! Don’t wake her up!” “We’re supposed to be quiet!” “Let’s go play. She’ll come out later.” Then I heard footsteps walking away.
I cautiously opened the door and peered down the hall. The pictures hanging on the walls struck my memory. The Harrisons. I must be at their place. Perhaps I just layed down in the kids’ room to take a nap? I was so frustrated I couldn’t remember.
I walked down the hall into the dining room. Everyone was sitting down to lunch. Brock looked up from serving noodles to the children. “Awake at last,” he smiled.
It was then that I noticed there was a visitor to the meal. His back was to me, so I couldn’t see who he was at first. Then he turned. “Annie!” His face broke into a warm smile.
“Papa!” I cried joyfully. Papa leapt from his seat, and I flew into his arms. I buried my face in his shoulder and sobbed with relief. Then I looked up, confused. “But...how did you get here? What happened.”
Papa looked concerned. “Don’t you remember, Annie? This morning you led those Pokemon to victory against Team Rocket. Then you took a Toxic attack for me, but fell unconscious. Your Pokemon led Dr. Harrison right to you, and he gave you the antidote. You awoke just for a moment, remember? Then he brought us both back here. We rode your Onix.”
Images flooded my mind. “It’s coming back to me, slowly. I just thought it was all a dream.”
“It was no dream.” Papa smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “You helped defeat Team Rocket. You foiled their plans. You saved the day, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
“This is a nice family reunion and all,” Timmy piped up, “but can we eat? I’m starved!”
“Oh, of course!” I exclaimed. “Yes, let’s eat.”
Papa and I took our seats at the crowded table, and conversation among the little Harrisons resumed. I turned to Papa. “There is just one thing, Papa,” I frowned.
“What’s that, Annie?” he asked.
“What are your plans, now that we’re safe from Team Rocket? Are we...going back home?” As many memories as I had back at my childhood home and Papa’s research facility, I had a new home in mind.
“We could, Annie, but we’d have to rebuild,” Papa answered. “Team Rocket wrecked the research center. One wall was completely blasted through.”
“Well, what if we rebuilt...someplace else?”
“Where do you have in mind?”
I smiled. “I’ll show you after lunch.”
After lunch, the kids wanted me to play with them while Brock cleared the table. “I should help your brother--” I started as the little ones steered me into the living room.
“But we want you to play with us!” Tilly insisted.
“And we wanna ask you something,” Cindy added.
“Oh?” I wondered.
“Do you like our brother?” asked Suzie.
“What?” I blushed immediately.
“Yeah!” said Tommy. “Do you like Brock?”
“Hm, well, I, uh…” I sputtered. My cheeks felt like they were on fire, and my heart was pounding like a bass drum.
“You do!” Yolanda gasped.
“Great!” Timmy cheered. “We'll tell ‘'im the good news!”
“Guys,” Salvadore began.
“HEY BROCK! GUESS WHAT?” Billy called into the kitchen.
“No!” I squealed. “Shhhhhh! Please, don't tell Brock!”
The kids stared at me in silence.
“Please,” I swallowed. “I-i wanna tell him… myself… when the time is right. Okay?”
The kids shrugged. “Okay.”
An hour later, Papa and I stood at the entrance of the Diamond Caverns. “This is where my Onix lived before I caught it. It got its powers from a special mineral in the soil here, and these caverns are a refuge for hundreds of unusual Pokemon as well. You could build your research center near here, and then Onix could live close to home! It’s the perfect spot!”
“Are you sure Onix isn't the only one who wants to live close to Pewter City?” Papa winked.
I scuffed at the ground with the toe of my boot. “Well, I may have made some friends here, too.” I looked up at Papa. “Is that so bad?”
Papa smiled. “Not at all, not at all. You're finding where you fit in.”
“I suppose I am,” I smiled back. “I guess I've found where I belong.”
With some help from our new friends in Pewter City, Papa and I finally completed our new research facility, built into the side of Mount Moon. My eyes glimmered as I watched Papa cut the ribbon at our grand opening party, attended by all our friends. Without our new friends, none of my dreams would have been made possible.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see Brock standing behind me, a shy grin on his face.
“Yes?” I blushed, my eyes darting away as my fluttering heart seemed to pummel like mallets on a bass drum.
“I, ahem, was just wondering if you’d like to join me inside, Annie. I made some food for the party, and I thought maybe you’d like to…”
“It sounds wonderful,” I smiled a bit too broadly. Then a question, which I had been mulling over in my subconscious, hit me. Brock never said a word about his carrying me through the rubble after I practically destroyed Team Rocket headquarters. Had I only dreamed it in my Toxic-induced delirium? I wasn’t sure, but perhaps I could work up the courage to ask Brock about that morning. I also found myself wishing I could once again be in his arms. I bit my lip, attempting to snap myself out of lovesick, dreamy mode.
“Annie? Are you coming?” Brock asked, already halfway to the door.
“Oh, yes, of course!” I grinned. Maybe someday… I mused as I followed him inside.
The End (until Annie’s next adventure!)
Message from the author:
Thank you for reading my fanfic! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Making people smile is one of my top reasons for writing.
I would like to thank my family for enduring endless discussions about the plot, characterization, etc. at the dinner table. More thanks go to the following:
A.M. and AJ for being my top supporters.
K.M. for proofreading.
The E. and M. families for being my “real-life Harrisons” and letting me take inspiration from their kids.
Last but certainly not least to God, for giving me the gift of writing.
Again, thanks to all for reading! See you next time!
