A bond at the pond.

It was the morning of a bright, new day in Grassveil Town and the surrounding area.
The dew was still clinging to the blades of grass, shimmering in the rising sun.
It was a beautiful spectacle for those who did not mind getting up early.
Through all the years Chie the Duskull had lived, the pond had not changed a single bit.
The warm tickle of sunshine on her skull, the brilliantly shimmering waves and the calm serenity of the area had made this place to a favourite of Chie. At least in the moring hours. When the afternoon approached, it quickly got relaitively crowded and the Duskull certainly was not one to seek out social interaction herself.
Other Pokémon...why did she have to be immortal again?

Serenity was walking alone in the morning, she had woken in the middle of the night and hadn't slept since then, so she decided to head to the lake by herself. The young teddiursa had nothing to do anyways...since she had no friends to be around.

She approached the lake with a slow grogginess of needing sleep but fighting against it, taking her time before entering the water just far enough it came to the fur of her belly. Serenity splashed lightly, unenthusiastically as she was sinking into her own thoughts.

Now this was surprising. It was fairly rare to see another Pokémon in this area and at this time of day.
Why was this Teddiursa here? Did it sleepwalk? Did it have a nightmare?
That was something Chie would probably never know. Not only was she far too shy to deliberately approach anyone, but forming a bond with someone else - it would just hurt her too much.
Eventually they would be gone and she would remain alone yet again.
Silently the Ghost type floated by the shore of the pond, the glow of her red eye creating a spectacle of lights on the water's surface.
Hopefully the Normal type would leave soon.
And hopefully there would be no other Pokémon.
How would it feel - to share a true, beautiful, emotional connection with someone without the constant painful, pressing feeling that it would be over some day?

She noticed the red shimmer in the water, looking up to the new pokemon that was now at the shore. A strange one...she never seen a pokemon like it before.

A bright smile suddenly came to her face as she waved "Hello there!" She turned fully towards the Duskall, tilting her head to the side as she smiled. She was friendly enough, and would enjoy making a new friend, as she currently had none at all.

Oh no, the Pokémon had spotted her. And not just that, she tried to initiate conversation.
Now the Duskull couldn't just run away and hide anymore.
Sighing she floated over to the Normal type, the slight breeze created by her movement above the water rippled the surface below.
"Uh...h-hello.", she stammered. Despite having read so many books, they still hadn't managed to prepare the Duskull even remotely for the art that was carrying on a conversation.
Why did this have to be so difficult?
The heroes in the books never had problems with this sort of thing.
Couldn't Chie just start living in a story?
One with a happy ending?
Because whatever this was - it was not happy.

Serenity studied the appearance of the Duskull, finding this pokemon even more curious up close as she smiled gently. She spoke in a happy tone, "How are you? My name is Serenity. I'm a...a teddiursa!" She sways from one side to the other as she smiled, her youth apparent from her sweetness.

This was even more surprising. Most Pokémon were much less...cheerful upon meeting a Ghost type.
What was she supposed to do now? Hug her? No...that would be too soon.
A wry, forced smile spread out on Chie's face as she thought.
"Uh, I'm fine I guess, thank you very much. My name is Chie - I am a Duskull. Not many Pokémon are here at this time of day. Why are you?"
In her head a million scenarios of how this moment could go wrong were playing at once.
Things like this were the reasons conversations were such an embarrassing, strange activity.
Oh, how much she would give to be a better conversationalist.

"Weelll...." She sucked on her paw as she thought "well I couldn't sleep I guess. Plus I like being away at night and early in the day. I find it really pretty" she smiles and nods, deciding this might be a good enough explanation for why she was up.

"Even though I'm afraid of water I still like it. .. so I thought to come here and play a little would be nice to. "

An interesting Pokémon this was. Not many Pokémon of her species favoured the night over the day.
Even fewer decided to be this brave regarding their fears.
"That's...surprising. I don't think I've ever seen someone so courageous before."
As soon as she finished speaking, Chie began mentally chiding herself.
What had she been thinking, saying things like that?
Now she sounded like a total creep!
Why could others talk this easily while everything she said was just making the situation worse?
Why?!

Serenity blushed from what she found to be a compliment, nodding her head with a smile "Thank you! I didn't know I was being courageous. I guess I am though!" She didn't hardly seem to think what Chie was odd at all, maybe because she herself never got to talk to pokemon on a normal basis.

Maybe it was because what Chie said really wasn't that weird at all...

or it was just that Serenity liked the compliment a lot and didn't think it was weird.

Would she have had the appendages to do so, Chie would have been fidgeting nervously by now.
The Teddiursa didn't seem creeped out at all!
While that obviously was a good thing, it once again proved to the Ghost type how lacking her own interpersonal and predictionary skills were pertaining to conversations.
"Uh, you're welcome, I guess. But why are you visiting this place in particular even though you are afraid of water? I admit, that I don't travel much but I am pretty certain that there are much drier places in the area."
This most definitely was an extraordinary specimen. Her reactions were almost completely impossible for Chie to comprehend.
Talking was scary.

"Well..just look at it. It's so pretty when it shimmers...in the pale light is when it is prettiest. I think anyways. Plus even though I'm afraid of the deeper water...it feels so cool and gentle against my fur. It makes me feel ok and that no matter what I'm in a safe place."

She makes a shy smile, "Also if I get honey stuck in my fur it helps wash it off."

Seeing how the Teddiursa was able to enjoy the beauty of nature this easily made the Duskull slightly envious. She had lost that ability long ago, knowing that everything would fade eventually.
Enjoying something was difficult if one was constantly faced with the prospect of losing it after all.
"Lucky you.", Chie commented.
"I wish I could find enjoyment in simple things such as this. But still, wouldn't there be other beautiful things for you to look at? Ones that wouldn't evoke any fear?"
Living the Normal type's life must be so simple, so easy.
If only Chie could say the same thing of her own life...

"Well...I suppose so. Like a meadow or ice hanging in sunlight. But..I know I might evolve one day. I'll be really big then and I won't have to be afraid anymore."

She smiles and nods, "Besides...beauty doesn't last forever. So...I want to enjoy it when I have it. New beauty always comes, but I like to enjoy what I have at the moment, no matter how short."

She hums, "Like this flower I had once...It was so pretty. I treasured it. Eventually it withered though and I was really sad because it was all brown and crunchy. It was a while later that I came to a new meadow and there was a whole bunch of those flowers there! I was happy when I found them, I didn't think I'd ever come across such a pretty flower again."

She looks at the ghost type and smiles "I did though."

Would she actually be capable of doing so, the Duskull would probably have started crying.
Hearing the Teddiursa's words reminded her once more of her own plight - everything would eventually fade away.
"But why don't you try overcoming your fear now then? I myself can't swim, but it doesn't look too difficult to learn. Although...I have another question. You said something there, and I have to admit, that I don't really understand your line of thought. Beauty does not last forever - that much is very true, sadly. And losing it hurts. But then - following these facts would it not stand to reason, that seeking out beauty is a futile endeavor? What good is fleeting joy if you will just be hurt more in the end?"