Chapter Three
There was a thump from outside the little house. The old woman got up and opened the door.
Josh heard a cry that sounded like “Gla!”.
“Well, now, here’s the answer to how you got here,” the old woman said, stepping aside and allowing several Glaceon entry. “They brought you to my doorstep, though I’m not entirely certain how. As for where you are, you’re right here in the lodge. It hasn’t even been a week since you were last here, surely you remember?”
Josh thought about it.
“No,” he said at last. “I don’t. I don’t remember... much at all, really. That’s... strange.”
“You said, when you last stopped here, that you were going to see the lake.”
“What lake?” Josh interrupted.
“Lake Acuity, up by Snowpoint,” the old woman said. “There’s a legend about that lake. Look not into the eyes of that Pokémon, or you will forget who you are.”
She paused, frowning.
“That’s not quite right,” she added, “but it’ll do. Maybe when you went to the lake, you saw that Pokémon’s eyes. Perhaps that’s why you don’t remember.”
“It’s possible,” Josh admitted. “I really don’t know.”
“Well, be sure of this,” she said. “When you last came by, that Umbreon was with you. It’s yours, so you take care of it.”
Josh looked over to the bed, finding the Umbreon no longer there. He looked around the small lodge and saw it sitting on the floor, surrounded by the Glaceon. The Glaceon were examining the Umbreon, nudging it and sniffing at it. The Umbreon, however, was looking at him.
“Did you happen to catch its name?” Josh asked.
“Ah, even if I did, I don’t remember it,” the old woman answered. “I don’t remember names too well. But where’s the girl that was with you?”
“There was someone else?”
“Aye, though it seems you don’t recall her either. You’d best go up to the lake, young man. You’ll likely find an answer there, though it might not be the one you want.”
“That doesn’t matter, does it?” Josh replied, moving over to the crowd of Pokémon. “It makes no difference what I want the answer to be. The answer is the answer, and whatever it is it’ll have to be enough. If I don’t want the answer then I shouldn’t ask the question.”
The old woman chuckled.
“Get on with you,” she said. “You’ve a question to ask, and someone to find.”
Josh picked up the Umbreon from among the Glaceon.
“I’m told you’re mine,” he said. “You certainly act like it. Do you want to come with me then?”
The Umbreon nodded. Josh smiled.
“Well, all right then,” he said, setting the Umbreon down by the door.
“Thank you for taking care of me,” he said to the old woman.
“You’re welcome,” she said. “Don’t go falling asleep in the cold again.”
About to leave, Josh paused.
“Which way is the lake?” he asked.
The woman joined him at the threshold and pointed the way, explaining, “You’ll go that way until you can turn right, then do so. Lake Acuity’s almost straight north of here. It’s surrounded by trees -when you see a line of trees in the north, start looking for the gap.”
“Thank you,” Josh said again, and left, an Umbreon walking at his side.
