Chapter Text
"It is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are." ~ Mewtwo
"It's a funny thing really."
"What's that?"
"You spend all that time, take everything you are and pour it into one thing. Convince yourself, again and again, that nothing really matters: sleepless nights, the thousands of steps away from home, every drop of sweat spilt over grass. In the end it'll all pay off, when you're standing right where you want to be."
Jack let out a sigh, angling his thumb against the silhouette of Prism Tower. The sun was setting, basking the structure in an ethereal glow, calming and serene. He could feel the light brush its gentle hands across his cheek, enveloping him warmly as it cast its final impressions upon the city. Eventually, it dipped beyond the horizon.
"But what if you come up short? What then? All those parts of yourself you've sacrificed along the way, every grey moment between start and finish. They're just... gone. You're left exactly where you began. Maybe, you head home and try and forget. Or, perhaps you get going again. New region, clean slate. It's a crossroads, I think that's where I am right now."
There was a certain stillness that followed. The numbing cold of iron beneath his fingers, a subtle drag of paper back upon itself, the distant buzzing of a student crowd below. These, the only supplements to silence.
His companion let out a slow whistle, never once diverting his attention from the book nestled firmly in his grasp. He adjusted himself, tugging absently on the pristine folds of the lab coat hanging about his shoulders. "Sounds like quite the predicament, Jackie boy."
Jack shrugged. Raising his hands to tousled brown locks, letting them fall over murky green eyes and along the slender, sharpness of his cheeks. At that moment, he became painfully aware of the subtle aching in his arms and the creeping pull of sleep on his eyelids. "I just need a little time to figure it out I suppose."
He trailed off as the wind gradually picked up, dancing across the many rooftops and into their faces. It spurred on the illumination of the buildings themselves, starting far on the horizon and bleeding inwards to where Jack now stood. What had once been the day's amber kiss, had been cast out by a web of intermingled yellow, dotted like a million suspended fireflies humming with mechanical brilliance. The city of lights... Lumiose, as it had been so rightly named, spectacular on a night like this.
Reluctantly, Jack set his back to the railing, turning to face his companion. "So, did you miss me?"
"Desperately," Ben replied, eyebrows raised, causing deep lines to score themselves across his rich olive skin. "In truth, the professor hasn't given me much time to miss anything."
As he spoke, Jack took a moment to quietly examine him. Seated rather precariously against the thick black tiling of a slanted roof, carefully flipping the pages of a thick encyclopedia with one hand, whilst adjusting a pair of wire-frame glasses with the other. Apparently, he'd changed quite drastically since they'd last met: growing taller, thinner and apparently much wiser. His features were defined, his presence noticeably more substantial, as if new life had crept its way into those dark eyes of his. Overall, this was not the same sheepish boy Jack had known growing up, the new Ben seemed a different person entirely.
"Enlighten me," Jack said after a pause. Trying his best to mimic his friend's newfound stoicism. "What kind of stuff has ol' Sycamore had you up to? Or is that strictly confidential?"
"If I told you that, I'd have to kill you," Ben grinned.
At least he still has a sense of humour. Jack thought, letting his shoulders ease. "Good. I thought for a second the professor had turned you into his perfect robot," he smiled back.
"I'm sorry, Jacques, my programming forbids me to discuss this further," Ben said, his movements stiff as he gave his best impression of a machine.
Jack felt himself flinch. An old habit. He'd always hated the use of his real name; although, he wasn't entirely sure why. Maybe it was too formal? Or perhaps because it pluralised him? He liked to think he was the only Jack Robin. Ben must've noticed too, because immediately he became very interested in his book again.
Shaking it off, he continued with his point. "In all seriousness, what is it you've been working on?"
"Okay, okay," Ben surrendered. "It's probably better if I show you. If you swing by the lab sometime, I ought to be able to arrange a demonstration."
"Oh come on!"
"That's all I'm saying for now," Ben smirked. "Nice way to sidetrack me by the way, Hoenn league quarter finalist," The teasing note stayed fresh in his voice, but this time there was also a hint of restraint. The wound was still fresh, he knew better than to go further.
"Thanks for reminding me," Jack flushed, dropping his eyes back over the ledge. Below, the steady hum of night-traffic was beginning to develop, rows of fumes drifted up from the streets below, stark against the bitter mid-winter air and the blackened backdrop of the evening. The silence unravelled itself again, but it was no longer heavy. After a while, he could hear Ben push himself to his feet.
"Did I mention it's good to have you back?" he offered.
"Yeah you might've," Jack grinned, wheeling around to find an outstretched hand. He took it, shaking firmly. "I was hoping that you'd be so glad, you'd let me crash here tonight."
"I don't know," Ben mused. "Those league winnings should be able to buy you a nice fancy hotel room."
"Where do you think I've been this past week?" Jack replied. "I'm all out of cash."
Ben's face dropped. "Please tell me you're joking. You've been back a week already?"
Jack clapped him on the shoulder, offering a grin but neither confirming nor denying his question. "Shotgun the couch."
"You can't just- like I'd give up my room- you're on the couch either way!"
A short laugh escaped Jack's lips. He let Ben lead the way, the dull thudding of his polished shoes against the ladder drawing further away. Carefully he steadied his own boots against the rungs, keeping his eyes level with the tower on the horizon until it eventually sank out of sight.