Chapter 149 – Meloetta 1
-Around one year ago-
Music was something that had the power to transcend language. A jaunty tune could evoke cheerfulness and confidence. A lament could bring forth past grief or melancholy. A ballad could express love from one being to another—Between human and pokemon… if they could hear.
Deep within Lostlorn Forest, Meloetta, nestled in her hollowed out stump, released a yawn as she woke up to start the day. The sounds of Pidove singing their morning tunes gave her the energy and excitement needed to go about her mission. Rising into the air, she floated through the sky towards one of the newest editions to the forest. It was a unique addition, even more unique than the small bridge one of the humans built to cross the river by the waterfall.
It was a home!
A human had moved into Lostlorn, the first she could remember doing so. At first, she had been wary of what the woman had been doing in the forest. She made an awful lot of noise—and not the good kind of noise either! Using one of the loud vehicles they often favored, the human pulled a large metal box attached to her vehicle into the clearing near her stump and stopped. She often left and returned, bringing back more and more items to put into her boxy home.
She’d heard and even seen humans moving their homes. A few times, she herself had moved. It was a common occurrence. But, someone moving their home? That was novel. Moving her stump wasn’t something she would be interested in.
Quickly, she spotted the red metal box and floated to one of the glassy windows while hiding herself from view. Inside, the new resident of the forest was up and about, mixing a dark looking drink in a nifty little cup with a spoon. Not long after, with a steamy cup in hand, she sat down onto a cushy chair and pulled out a book.
This was her fourth day of watching the human and everyday had been mostly the same… Not once has she made any noise. This was another irregularity. She’d spied on many humans in the nearby city and they often spoke with others or murmured to themselves. Sometimes they even sang! Yet… this one never did. Nobody came to visit this human or called on their little handheld phones she’d seen them all use. This human had one, but was alone.
It seemed that today would also follow the pattern of the rest… With some hesitation, Meloetta, from the window and hidden, began to sing a dirge for the sadness this human must feel. Seconds passed by as she began her song, yet the human didn’t seem phased at all. The woman simply sipped from her dark drink and flipped a page in her book…
For less than a second, Meloetta had thought that maybe her song didn’t work—which was impossible. Looking around, the nearby Pidove’s morning cries drained their rising cheer and energy… So, it must have worked.
“That won’t work.”
Looking down, Meloetta found the source of the sudden voice. Beneath her by the little stairs leading to the human's home, a Dwebble emerged from its own little mobile home. Maybe moving homes weren’t as novel as she originally thought. The Dwebble was looking around in the air for her, having heard her song but unable to place her. She drooped down and shedded her stealth. “Why not?”
If Dwebble was surprised by her emergence, he didn’t let it show. “Isabelle can’t hear.”
Meloetta crept around the corner of Isabelle’s home and looked at the door. “I sang loud enough for her to hear. Even through the window.”
Dwebble shook his claw and his head. “No. Isabelle can’t hear at all.”
“She should be able to? Is the home sound proof?” She asked, growing more curious of home’s unique shape.
“No, no.” Dwebble spoke slowly as he watched her float. “She can’t hear you at all. She can’t hear anything at all. Isabelle’s deaf.”
“Deaf? What is deaf?” Meloetta stopped her inspection to listen carefully, floating back down to the ground.
The little pokemon sighed and snipped a claw as he thought. “Deaf is what I explained. She can’t hear at all. Nothing. You could snip and shout right by her ear and she wouldn’t know. She’s always been this way.”
What…? That’s not a thing! “You lie! Everyone can hear!”
Dwebble raised his claw and banged it repeatedly on the metal wall that made up Isabelle’s home. The loud bangs caused the Pidove to scatter and the Sewaddle that was just entering the clearing to spin around and flee back into the underbrush. Meloetta instantly stealthed and waited for the human Isabelle to come out and investigate the loud noise…
Ten seconds passed before Dwebble stopped his clamours clanging. Meloetta floated back up to the window and peered inside, finding Isabelle to still be calmly reading her book. Bewildered, Meloetta floated back to the ground and reappeared. Her hands and shoulders shook from the shock of this revelation… there were people who couldn’t hear? People who could never and would never hear song and music? Obviously, this Isabelle would have rectified this horrendous detriment to herself if she was able.
A claw landed on her shoulder in comfort, and she twisted her head to find the little Dwebble nodding sagely. Suddenly, she had a lot of questions. “Is this why she’s unable to speak?”
Dwebble gave her a suspicious look, retracting his claw. “You’ve been watching her for a while?” He shook his head as if it wasn’t important. “Wait, no! She can speak! She’s not mute! She’s just deaf!”
For some reason, relief flooded her. “So, she can sing at least? That’s good.”
Dwebble hesitated, but answered nonetheless. “I haven’t heard her sing but she could. She doesn’t speak very well.”
“Why not?” Meloetta asked.
“She has never heard someone speak before. She doesn’t know how she’s supposed to say certain things.” Dwebble seemed a bit lost on how to explain what he wanted to say. Eventually, he skittered to the steps. “Watch and listen.”
Meloettes floated behind Dwebble invisible as they entered the home. Dwebble had some trouble with the stairs, but liberal applications of Psychic helped the little crab along. She was too invested into this mystery and didn’t want to wait for him to climb. Dwebble shot her a brief flash of annoyance for her help, which was rude, but he quickly ignored her and walked into Isabelle's view. “Good Morning, Isabelle.”
Isabelle’s eyes had instantly locked onto Dwebble as he entered her line of sight. She smiled and put her book to the side. “Hi Debble. Hungry?”
Dwebble nodded as Isabelle got up and rummaged in her kitchen, getting a bowl and some bits of brown balls from a bag to fill it up. Once finished, she placed the bowl in front of Dwebble, who began to eat.
The first thought that came to her mind was that Isabelle was loud! She was much louder than she could have been. The second thought was the sound didn’t match what she looked like she should sound. Her voice was nasally, monotone in pitch, and ridden on a heavy breath.
Before she could think about it much more, Isabelle spoke again. “Debble, have you found friends?” Isabelle’s F and S sounds were… unique.
After chewing one of the brown bits in the bowl, Dwebble looked around for Meloetta, not finding her but knowing she was around. “Maybe.” He threw in his best shrug, obviously exaggerated.
“Lots of pokemon in forest.” Isabelle, somehow knowing what Dwebble said, unlike many humans, returned to her book with a smile and ended the conversation.
Dwebble returned to his food and spoke again. “You see? She can talk.”
Meloetta flashed Isabelle another look, seeing if she heard him speak, but she didn’t show any indication of it at all.
She tried to imagine silence—not a simple pause between sounds, but utter and complete nothingness. Music had always been there, within her, and in the world around. Even unconsciously music existed in the sounds of the songs of the world. The hum of power within the rain, the rhythm hidden within breathing and battle… She treasured every carried sound sown in everyday life. Even loneliness had its own melody. To be deaf… what would that mean? Not darkness, because darkness could still be seen. Not emptiness, because emptiness implied that there was room to fill. The idea of deafness slipped her grasp. How could someone lose an entire dimension of the world and still stand beneath the same sky?
She stood there stealthed and silent longer than she meant to, disturbed by how impossible it would feel to be separated from music and sound. Flying pokemon did not simply fly; they sang with their wings as they soared through the sky. Wind did not simply move; it whispered against leaves, whistled through gaps… Even the human heart announced itself in a steady and rhythmic anthem of percussion. Was to be deaf to live in a world where motion still existed but no longer reached you? What was a storm without thunder? A voice without warmth? Why laugh when you couldn’t hear what it conveyed?
Why laugh at all?
Perhaps that is the most unsettling of all—Not the absence of sound, but the realization that even deaf people smiled, felt joy, and laughed. They still loved…
It made her wonder… Did music belong solely to the ears at all?