Homecoming

   To most, Rivertide was like a dream come true. It was like some holiday resort on the coast where you can enjoy the sun, sea and sand - or rather it already was one. Unfortunately, Viggo didn’t fall into the category that would’ve enjoyed anything about those things.

   The man had been born and bred in the bright and bustling seaside city but he felt nothing but a sourness for all its bright colours, its loud festivals and most of all - its sand. Luckily for him his family home was nestled along the cliffside, overlooking the beautiful sparkling bay. Although the paving on the way up the winding cliffs was stony and sandy, it just didn’t compare to living in the colourful houseboats or the townhouses along the seafront. Perhaps if his parents had lived there he really wouldn’t bother returning at all after he had moved to Wintervale so long ago.

   Viggo was surprised his parents hadn’t moved downhill, they were getting on in life after all and he was waiting for the day their choice of home would bite them back. It wasn’t that he’d have enjoyed the “I told you so” brewing after many years, but more than that he’d no doubt be recruited to help. There was enough in his own life to cope with let alone anything else a million miles away from Wintervale.
He was at last shaken from his thoughts as he tripped on a cobble, having to catch himself before falling face-flat onto the pavement with an annoyed grunt. Luckily, nobody was really crowding the street and he brushed down his dark and dull clothes. Against the backdrop of Rivertide he looked like somebody had sucked the colour out of him, like he was just devoid of joy altogether. He made sure to adjust the suppressor hidden beneath his collar, even if the turtleneck he was wearing made him a bit sweaty in the warmer climate. His parents would likely pressure it off him the moment he stepped over the welcome mat.

  The climb was laborious, after his encounter with the nothing a few years ago he’d never really recovered his stamina. Maybe his parents would outlast him at this point. A sigh of relief at last blasted out of him as he reached the steps to the gates of his family home, pushing it open with a loud squeak and climbing onto level ground. Viggo bent over to breathe, hands on his knees, sweat practically dropping onto the path. It was then that a little Yamask sped around him, emerging from his coat and looking to check if the man was okay. It was followed shortly by a speedy Rotom. Yamask seemed to fawn over its trainer, the Rotom giggled like a school bully.
  “How did not renting a car go?” The Rotom chimed at Viggo.

   “Oh, shut up, I’m not driving something with a big bloody bright stripe on the side up here. I might as well get out of a clown car.”
  “I’d LOVE to ride in a clown car!”

   Before Viggo could get much chance to start an argument with his Rotom partner, the inevitable patter of paws began towards him. Well, less of a patter, and more of a huge, bounding sound of a fusion of a Swampert and a Cinccino - It’s soft fluffy curls waving in the wind behind it with its large fins. The Pokemon might’ve once tackled Viggo to the ground but instead skidded to a halt just before him, waiting for him to raise his head after bracing for impact. There was an intense moment of horrible, horrible eye contact before the fusion made sure to lick his head, chin to hair, enough to flick up Viggo’s grey curls. The sound Viggo made probably echoed across the city, ladled with disgust. “God, you’re unbearable aren’t you?” 

   “You made it!” A woman clad in a light pink coat and a lovely floral summer dress followed the swampert fusion outside, her heels tapping on the paving. She clapped her hand lightly on Viggo’s shoulder as he remained doubled over. “Do you really need to dress like that? We’re having a heatwave, you still look like you’re battling a blizzard or something. No wonder you’re having a cardiac arrest.”

   “The last thing I need from you is fashion advice, Vanessa.” Viggo stood with a grumble, taking in a breath and almost recoiling at the sight of his younger sister’s bright clothes.

   “Muds is just so happy to see you! It’s been a few years after all with, you know… Everything.”

   “I know about the everything, you’ve no need to tell me twice.” The man retorted, promptly wiping his face with his coat sleeves and using finger and thumb to neaten his thin facial hair. 

   “The air con might save your life, come on.” Vanessa spoke as she gestured for them along the path towards the colourful townhouse, giving Viggo’s small ghostly Pokemon friends a welcoming smile armed with her purple lipstick. 

   Viggo followed along wearily, stepping in through the large porch and taking a breath of the cold air once he was inside. He was at least courteous in taking off his coat and shoes, allocating them neatly on the racks by the door.

   “Everyone is in the garden.”
  “Then what was the point of coaxing me into the air con?” He rolled his eyes and Vanessa only laughed. “Fine, but I’ll get changed first.”

   “Want a drink?”
  “Anything that’ll knock me flat?”
  “Absolutely not!” Though the woman couldn’t help laughing. She knew her older brother was a buzzkill, but she wasn’t about to enable him.

   Viggo gestured for Watt, the now over excited Rotom, to follow Vanessa but the Yamask seemed reluctant, gripping onto Viggo like a lost child. He sighed, making his way up the spiral stairs with the pokemon in tow and up to his old room. These days it was used for storage, but some of his old posters were somehow still clinging onto the walls. The most eye-catching thing in there was a rather tatty looking Gengar cushion on the bed, nestled between the plain bedding. It at least got the man to crack a smile knowing that his trusty old buddy was just where he left him. Viggo didn’t really need any warm weather attire back in Wintervale, it was always snowing. It was always cold - reliably so. Before the fog and the nera outbreak he often made a holiday out of visiting his family back in Rivertide, but after the incident with his husband it had been a long time since he’d been in the right frame of mind to return to his hometown.

   Thoughts aside, he pried Yamask from himself and let the poor little pokemon hold onto the bed post as he raided something more appropriate for the weather. Some sort of cropped trousers, open sandals and a thin t-shirt. Some sort of expensive looking dark kimono on top made the look a bit less terrible. Viggo looked himself up and down in the mirror, staring at what felt like a silly dog collar now on show for everyone to see. It wasn’t like his fusion was a huge secret to his family - they were all aware of the events in the past considering Viggo had been hospitalised for weeks at the time. It was something he couldn’t quite get over himself, like a reminder that stuck with him. Maybe even a drive in some cases.

   Regardless of that, he chucked his thicker clothes onto the bed, narrowly missing Yamask, and holding an arm out for the small Pokemon to grapple back onto him. After the walk downstairs, through the cooling air conditioning and the neat open kitchen-diner, Viggo stepped out through the patio doors onto the decking to find his two sisters and his parents. Grayson and Julie de Jager had retired shortly after the Nothing began, but that didn’t stop them working when the big festivals came along. For now though it seemed they weren’t neck deep in plans and events. Muds had gone back to laying in his favourite hole in the grass, one that the de Jagers had filled in several times in the past but the Pokemon had continued to keep digging for itself until they gave up filling it in.

   When Viggo stepped outside Julie was the first to stand from her chair beneath their parasol decorated beautifully with Dragonkites. “Oh, Viggo! You’re here!”

   “Yes, Mum, I’m here.”

   “Don’t sound so excited about it.” Grayson threw in a chuckle as he took a drink from the table. Julie made her way over, quick to embrace her much taller son and reach up to press his cheeks together in her hands.
  “It’s been so long! Facetime isn’t enough, you know. I can’t see your sweet little face!”
  “That’s exactly what you can see. That’s why it’s called Face time, mum.”
  “Oh, hush up.” She smiled sweetly, barely wanting to let him go.

   “Careful, he might burst into flames or something with so much affection.” Valerie spoke up from a deck chair on the grass, she was dressed in some swimwear covered in Vaporeon frills and a sarong over the top. 

   “Shut it, Valerie!”

   “Come on now, you don’t talk to your sister that way! Come on and sit down.” Julie stepped back then, catching the suppressor collar on Viggo’s neck with a long, sad sigh. “You know you don’t need that here, Viggo. It’s completely natural. Your sister fused as well and she is doing just fine!”

   “I would much rather keep it on.”

   “I think you look much better in blue, Vee.” Valerie rolled over in her chair to look up across the decking, lowering her sunglasses.
  “That’s because you think everything looks better in blue.” Viggo retorted.

   “And I’m right! Everything is better in blue. Including you. You lose your old man stripes too.”

Viggo sighed loudly, and he wasn’t sure if it was about his grey hair or his blue-skinned fusion. There was very clear hesitation but the man did as requested - or rather as he was pressured into. There was an eye roll and a sigh, but the suppressor was removed and handed to Julie like it was being confiscated. It was warm even from the few moments it had been in his glowing hands - the familiar blue flame bursting into life atop his head as his skin dulled and his hair darkened.

   “See? That wasn’t so hard, was it sweety?” Julie was at least kind about it, rubbing a thumb over Viggo’s cheek and gesturing him forward to take a seat with her and Grayson. “I’m just happy to see you. Alive and well. We’ve been worried about you, after…”

   “It’s fine. I’m fine. I’m just very busy. You know how troublesome things have been, the extra hands would have been nice.”

   “Elijah was a lovely man and I know he made you happy, I know it won’t just magically go away. I don’t expect anything like that. I just want you to know we’re here for you Viggo, no matter how far away you are.” Julie held her son’s hand softly, the light shining through her fingers.

   “And you could just do with visiting more than every few years. You used to come by all the time.” Vanessa complained, sitting herself down with Watt running circles around her until he found the closed over laptop on the table to entertain himself with - zipping inside. 

   “It’s okay if things get rough, you know there’s always a home for you here.” Grayson nodded across the table. “If things ever, you know, crash and burn…”

   “Grayson!” Julie snapped. “He doesn’t mean that, at least not in the way he said it. You’re very gifted but you can always come home… That’s all.”

   “I know. Things are difficult - but they’re difficult everywhere. I’m finding my own way in the world now that it doesn’t seem to stop changing. You can trust that I will be fine. You should worry more about Valerie and her attitude.”

   “ Hey!” Valerie yelled back across the garden and Viggo sniggered like a little kid.

“I’ll visit you more when I can, that I can promise you. I just have a lot of work to do and I have a long journey ahead of me. For now, I’m satisfied breathing for five minutes.” Viggo smiled lightly to his parents who more than appreciated his sincerity.

[ Word Count: 2078]