Freedom

The Tower of Heaven is one of the many pilgrimage spots for soul searching trainers in Unova went to. It was seen as a holy place, one where a person could go and cleanse their spirit of any doubts or impurities. May trainers would try and climb the great tower in the hope that both they and their pokémon would find inner strength. Only the very strongest could even think about reaching the top. At the top there was a bell, which if it was wrung was said to ring out the sound of a person’s soul.
“Come on Kamitsure!” Fuuro shouted, “Just climb this staircase and we’ll be at the top!”
Kamitsure groaned, she had never climbed so much in her life and the long trek up the many, MANY stairs had made her usually calm and cool demeanour turn irritable. But to the untrained eye she was still her seemingly emotionless self, but Fuuro could tell. As she climbed, Kamitsure wondered just why Fuuro had invited her up here. All she had done was mention her work schedule to Fuuro and then out of the blue Fuuro had invited her to this place. And they had spent the past few hours climbing this tower.
“I would have installed a couple of elevators in this place,” Kamitsure muttered, “Maybe then more people would make it to the top.” With her last ounce of strength she climbed up the last few steps and made it to the top. She breathed in and out in the cold air and looked over at Fuuro who smiled.
“You made it.” She said happily
“Y-yes...just barely...” Kamitsure said, trying to regulate her breathing. “I must ask why you have brought me up here to this place.”
Fuuro didn’t answer her, but instead she walked over to Kamitsure and took off her earphones. She then took Kamitsure by the hand and guided her over to the great big bell on the edge of the roof of the tower. Kamitsure looked at the bell and then back at Fuuro, she wondered what on earth Fuuro was getting at.
“Fuuro, why on earth have you dragged me all the way up here?” Kamitsure said calmy, “And on such short notice too.”
Fuuro sighed and shook her head sadly. “You just don’t get it do you?” Fuuro said, “You work WAY too hard! When I saw your schedule for the month I couldn’t believe someone would work so much. You don’t ever take time to relax and...I’m worried about you. I’m worried that you’ll tire yourself out. It’s not healthy Kamitsure.”
“I do not wish to disappoint my fans Fuuro,” Kamitsure said, “They rely on me for support and for me to be there when I need them. I have to meet up with them at conventions, and go to my photo shoots or help out with charity work. They need to know that I care about them, I can’t let them down.”
“And do you think your fans would be “happy” with you keeling over onstage from overwork,” Fuuro said. “The only break you ever get is when you’re in the villa with me, and that’s only for one month! You need to slow down, your fans would understand.”
Kamitsure couldn’t think of anything to say. She had tried for a long time to stop doing so many things at once and soend more time with Fuuro. But the fear of disappointing her fans and shirking her duties had stopped her from doing that. She loved her fans and they loved her back, but the overwork was taking its toll on her. She thought she could just hide it but now that Fuuro knew she could no longer pretend the problem wasn’t there.
“I-I....I don’t know...” Kamitsure stammered, “I’m not sure what I should do. Part of me wants to spend more time with you but...the other says if I stop working I’ll...disappoint everyone...”
Fuuro put her hand on Kamitsure’s shoulder. “Just ring the bell.” She whispered, “Everything will be clear then.”
Kamitsure took a deep breath and heaved the bell with all her might. The bell swung forward very slowly and then back again. It let out a long, low ring. It sounded sorrowful, almost like it was slowly dying.  Images began to flash in Kamitsure’s mind; it was almost as if the sound of the ringing was causing them to come to her mind. The sounds of the bell made Kamitsure think of all the things she had missed out on because she was too busy. Not just with Fuuro, but with Aloe and Iris and all her other friends.
She had been so busy trying to please people she didn’t even know that she had forgotten about her friends. It had gotten worse over the past few months, now she had been working almost twenty four hours, seven days a week. No wonder walking up the tower, she hadn’t had a good night sleep in ages. And she was beginning to develop bags under her eyes, and her hair was slowly becoming thin. Fuuro was right; she had been working too hard. The bell stopped ringing and Kamitsure turned to face Fuuro
“Fuuro,” Kamitsure whispered. “You’re right; I have been working too hard. I just thought if I kept going I might get used to it. I...I’m sorry.”
Fuuro smiled, “That’s all I wanted to hear,” She said. “I don’t want you to neglect your fans. Just try and have fun more often, not just with me but with everyone else. Just leave some time aside just for you, a few hours a week. Oh, and remember to get some sleep every night.”
“You know,” Kamitsure said, a smile forming on her face, “You always look out for me, you always want me to be happy and healthy. That’s what I love about you, you’re so caring.”
Fuuro giggled and blushed, “Well thanks very much,” she said, “I’m sure you’ll want to get back to your Gym so let’s...” Before she could finish Kamitsure grabbed her arm.
“F-Fuuro....I-I’d very much like...” Kamitsure’s face was bright red and she was shaking like a leaf. “I’d very much like it if we...spent some...”alone time...” W-we haven’t been together in so long...and...”
“Oh...OH” Fuuro realised what Kamitsure meant, “Well, I suppose I can spare a couple of hours free time.” She kissed Kamitsure on the nose, took her by the hand and led her back down the tower.
The pilot knocked tentatively on the door of Miss Fuuro’s room, she had been in there for hours and there had been strange noises coming from it. Even though she had ordered them not to disturb her while she was in there a lot of the pilots had become worried about her. And he had been chosen as the unlucky bastard to disturb her. He knocked again, harder this time and the strange noises stopped abruptly. The door opened and a very dishevelled looking, red faced and naked Fuuro peaked out. Her face was red and sweaty and her hair was down, which ment it covered at least half of her face.
“Yes?” She said, with a note of irritation in her voice. “What do you want?”
“S-some of the p-pilots are wondering w-when you’ll be finished...” The pilot stammered, “Er...whatever you’re doing...”
“Soon.”  Fuuro said quickly, “Good bye.” She then swiftly closed the door and after a few seconds the noises started again. The pilot was left standing in the hallway, and after about a minute he walked away.
As he walked down the stairs back to the Gym. As he went down he could have sworn he had heard Fuuro shout “OH KAMITSURE!” But he dismissed it as his overactive imagination, and he walked away to tell his workmates that Fuuro won’t be out for at least another hour, which meant delays on the runway for another hour.