Hi! It's a miracle I actually managed to finish this, really, because I still have the exams and other fics to write... But I just couldn't miss Rald's birthday! I love him, even when I know he isn't that popular. Give this boy some love! Also, this involves some other shippings... Well who cares! As long as Rald's the centre of attention, it'll be fine! Happy birthday to the Calmer, Emerald!

Disclamer: Yeah, and I own the world (enter sarcastic tone here)

Emerald stared into space, Sceptile beside him, casting a worried look at his trainer.

Emerald was at Gold and Crystal's wedding, and he, um, hasn't been in a really happy state since the wedding started.

It wasn't that he disapproved his non blood related sister marrying Gold. He was extremely happy for them, really! He knew that even though Gold was an reckless idiot, and a pervert, he loved Crystal with all his heart. He was also sometimes (notice I said sometimes) caring towards her, too, so bonus points for that. He was also one of Emerald's favourite seniors, since he was his partner when it came to pranking, and a somewhat father figure to him.

'Scep?' Sceptile asked his trainer, clearly worried. Translation: you okay?

'I'm fine, Sceptile, I'm fine. Just...a bit worried, y' know. I hope nothing is screwed today, like, a massive energy Kyogre suddenly appears, and destroys the church, or something,' Emerald laughed. The laugh was forced, and the Pokèmon knew it.

'No, you're not fine, Rald. Want to talk?'

Emerald turned and saw Blue, his Kanto senior.

'Oh, hi, Blue senpai. I'm fine, no need to talk, just fine. Is there something I can help Gold-san, or Crystal nee-san?'

Blue frowned. She was not buying it. She sat down beside the blond boy, a clear height gap between the two. Even though Emerald wasn't as short as before (thanks to puberty), he was still the shortest one out of all the Dexholders.

'Ne, Rald, don't tell me that you're j-e-a-l-o-u-s of Gold?'

'J-e-a-l－jealous? O-of course not!'

Blue sighed.

'I understand that you're feeling protective of Crys, like Silver and me. Remember when Silvy almost murdered Green when Green and I announced that we were engaged? But it's time to let Crys go to Gold.'

'Maybe I should...' Emerald muttered. Was this the reason he was feeling moody all day?

'Good boy. Speaking of which, have you got a girlfriend?'

What?! Girlfriend? Emerald mentally shouted.

'No, no way!' Emerald shouted, attracting a lot of unwanted attention. Sceptile snickered.

Blue laughed.

'I was just thinking that if you made a move on your girl, then you could take your mind off Crys for a moment, and not feel so left out. But you should have a girlfriend, Emerald, you can't stay single forever.'

'I'm not single! Sceptile's my soulmate!' Emerald exclaimed.

Blue stared at him, then burst out laughing while Sceptile cast an amused/surprised look at Emerald.

'Stop pretending, Rald. I mean human girlfriend, not a Pokèmon. Also, Sceptile's not even a girl! What are you, gay?'

'Blue senpai!' Crystal stuck her head out of her dressing room. 'Please do not tease Emerald like that!'

'Too protective,' Blue groaned as Crystal disappeared again. 'Anyway, you should try to find a girlfriend. You're the only single Dexholder.'

Emerald knew that. Back in the old days, Silver, Pearl and him had started a 'The Third Wheels and Single Dexholders Group'. It was sorta like a playgroup, actually.

But now Silver had Soul, and Pearl started dating this Labradorite girl, and the two left the group. Emerald was the only remaining member.

'I know, I know.'

'Rald, you're feeling jealous not only because of Gold snagging Crys away, but also because you're feeling left out. You're the only－'

'－only single Dexholder, right? I know.'

Blue smirked.

'Then how about you go out and try to socialise with a girl? There are plenty of girls out there.'

'No, thanks, I'm fine with just the way I am now－no, wait! Blue senpai!' Emerald said as Blue pushed him out his chair and out into the crowds of people.

'O-ow!'

Emerald had bumped into someone. Both of them fell to the floor.

'Ow...' Emerald groaned as Sceptile helped him up to his feet. 'Thanks, Sceptile. I'm so sorry for bumping into you.' He apologised.

'It's fine...'

The person who Emerald had bumped into raised her head. She had jet black hair which glittered in the sun, blue azure eyes that reminded Emerald of the sea, and wore a simple, canary yellow dress.

Emerald felt his heart thumping. She was beautiful. Behind him, Blue took a picture of the girl and him, and sneaked away.

'M-may I help you?' Emerald asked, extending his hand for her to hold.

'Thank you.' The girl accepted the hand gracefully, and got up.

She was about to turn and leave, but she then spotted Sceptile.

'Ooh, a Sceptile! Is it yours?'

'Y-yes...' Oh Arceus, why was he stuttering?

'I have a Sceptile too!' The girl fumbled for something in her handbag, and took out a Pokèball. Emerald could see that it contained a Sceptile.

'Meet Treia! I got her from Professor Birch when she was a Treecko. She's my first Pokèmon!' She exclaimed, releasing it.

'It's quite well trained,' Emerald muttered, taking out his Pokèdex and scanning Treia's level and stats.

The girl's eyes widened.

'A Pokèdex? You're a Pokèdex holder?'

'Yes, I am.'

'That's so cool! Come, I have a lot of questions to ask a Dexholder! Standing in the middle of a crowd isn't too good.'

The girl pulled Emerald's hand and led him out of the crowd, Sceptile and Treia in tow. Emerald blushed at the contact.

'So,' the girl started after they found a place to sit. 'introductions first. My name is Tourmaline, or Maline for short. I'm a Hoenn native. And you?'

'I'm Emerald, the tenth Dexholder, Hoenn native, too.'

'Emerald? The one who saved the Battle Frontier? That's so cool!'

Emerald blushed, but then asked, 'Aren't you related to Gold-san or Crystal nee-san? You shouldn't be really surprised. Haven't they told you?'

Tourmaline sighed.

'I'm not really related to Gold. We're just cousins. Non blood related cousins, I mean. And since I haven't seen Gold since he became a Dexholder, you're the first Dexholder I've ever met. We last met when I was, er, seven, and he, nine.'

'That sounds like ages ago,' Emerald commented. Meanwhile, Sceptile was getting to know Treia, and for some reason, both Sceptiles were blushing.

'Yeah, well, never mind that. Can you tell me the incident at the Battle Frontier in detail?'

Emerald nodded, and started to describe the details of the week of Jirachi's awakening. Tourmaline was a good listener. She gasped at the frightening places and laughed when she heard the meeting of the Hoenn trio.

'You peed on them?!' She exclaimed out loud, laughing. Emerald tried to defend himself. He didn't want Tourmaline to think that he was a impolite person (come on, who would pee like Emerald?! Read the Emerald and ORAS chapter).

When Emerald told her about the attack on Noland, Tourmaline tried to guess the attacker.

'Was it one of the Frontier Brains? Or Owner Scott?'

Emerald shook his head, and began explaining.

'Wow. Just...wow,' Tourmaline said after Emerald finished telling her how they revived the Kanto quarter and Silver, and blasted the sea monster with the ultimate attacks. 'I wish I could be like you guys. You lot are so brave!'

'That's nothing, really,' Emerald said sheepishly. 'We were just doing what we could do.'

'"Nothing"?! Seriously? That's awesome! I never knew that Gold had gotten through all those. I wish I could become a Dexholder, and save the world, too.'

'You wouldn't want to become a Dexholder. It requires a lot of responsibility, it's dangerous, and people expect a lot of things from you. We often feel pressured,' Emerald sighed. 'Still, I'm not regretting becoming one, since I could help Crystal nee-san.'

Tourmaline cocked her head. 'Is Miss Crystal your sister?'

'Er, sort of...'

'What'd mean "sort of"? Is she related to you, or is she a friend of yours, but you kinda have a relationship similar to siblings?'

'The second choice,' Emerald answered.

'Why? Are you guys best friends?' Tourmaline asked curiously.

'Don't be so nosy!' Emerald snapped, then he saw the look on Tourmaline's face and muttered, 'Sorry.'

'Oh, it's fine, it's fine,' Tourmaline quickly said. 'I guess I just...touched a sensitive subject. Everyone has their secrets, after all.'

She stood up. 'I'm sorry for being nosy, and such a bother. Let's go, Treia.'

'Wait! Don't go!' Emerald exclaimed desperately. He didn't know why he was acting like this, or why he was desperate. For the first time in his life, he wanted someone to stay and talk with him.

Sceptile and Treia shot their trainers surprised and confused looks.

Tourmaline looked at him, her blue eyes practically glittering like sapphires.

'Are you sure?'

'Very,' Emerald replied, surprising both Sceptile and himself.

'Okaaay. If you want me to,' she said, sitting down next to him again, tucking her jet black hair behind her ears.

'So,' Tourmaline started after a awkward pause. 'am I allowed to asked why you have a sorta sibling relationship with Miss Crystal? Is it just because you're very good friends?'

Emerald wanted to lie, to say yes, but what he blurted out was, 'No.'

'Is there some kind of backstory to this?'

'Yes.'

'Can you tell me?' Tourmaline's tone was gentle, comforting, not demanding. Emerald could hear the hidden meaning of her tone. You can tell me if you want, but if you don't want to, then that's fine, her voice seemed to say.

Emerald, straightforward, (almost) antisocial Emerald couldn't refuse, and was now pouring all his secrets out to a girl he just met. What the fuc* was happening to him?

'...Your relatives were cruel, you know,' was the first thing Tourmaline said after hearing his story. Emerald was taken aback. He had braced himself for teasing and laughs of, 'You're still short!' and 'How useless are you?'

'Being short doesn't mean that it's bad,' Tourmaline continued. 'I'm sure you've discovered being short has its advantages now, haven't you, Rald?'

Rald. She called him Rald. The nickname which he only allowed his closest friends to call him that.

Emerald surprised himself for like the thousandth time after meeting Tourmaline. He brushed it off, and said, 'Yeah, but sometimes, I still want to become taller.'

'You're perfect just the way you are now,' Tourmaline whispered, making him blush. 'But if you weren't short, your relatives wouldn't have shifted you from one home to the other. You wouldn't have traveled all around Hoenn, and developed the ability to know a Pokèmon's homeland at first glance. You also wouldn't have met Miss Crystal.'

'True,' Emerald sighed. 'You're optimistic, you know that? My story about being short was supposed to be sad, but now you make it sound like a blessing.'

'Which it is,' Tourmaline laughed. 'You should stop being so pessimistic.'

'I'm just seeing my story the way normal people see it!' Emerald protested. 'I'm not pessimistic!'

Tourmaline laughed again. 'I guess I was raised by a too optimistic family.'

'I guess.'

'Thanks for telling me your story, by the way.'

'Er, no. You know what, it's actually me who should be thanking you.'

Wait... Why was he thanking her? He rarely thanked people, and he was thanking someone who just listened to his deepest, darkest secrets!

'Thanks to you, I'm not feeling that lonely anymore. I always feel left out, you see.'

Did he? Emerald thought. Why am I saying all these?

Tourmaline smiled at him. 'You're an interesting person. I don't have many friends, and since you need some more friends to make you more happy (Emerald:Do I?), let's hang out together sometime! Here's my Pokègear number!' She said, handing him a slip of paper she had been writing on previously.

She's a bit like Gold, Emerald thought as he received the slip. We just met a few hours ago, and she's now asking me out? Even though she isn't blood related to Gold, she's his cousin, after all.

'Thank you, Tourmaline.' Emerald said politely.

'Just call me Maline,' Tourmaline smiled again, making Emerald's heart flutter for a unknown reason. 'The few friends I have call me that.'

'Rald! There ya are!' Both Emerald and Tourmaline's heads turned to see Sapphire waving. 'Where 'ave ya gone to? The wedding's 'bout to start!'

'Aaah, yes,' Emerald said, getting up to his feet. 'I should be going. Bye, erm, Maline. C'mon Sceptile.'

'Goodbye to you too!' Tourmaline said, tipping him a big wink, Treia beside her, waving goodbye towards Sceptile. 'Hope to see you again!'

As Emerald and Sceptile returned to the dressing rooms with Sapphire, he started to wonder why a random girl he met a few hours ago would make his heart flutter.

Post ending:

Months later...

'Guys! Guys!'

Gold ran into his and Crystal's house, almost bumping into Sapphire. 'Oops, sorry, Sapph.'

'What's wrong, Gold? And where's the drinks I told you to buy? You know there's not enough Oran Berry juice for all of us,' Crystal frowned at the golden eyed man.

'Never mind the damned drinks, SSG! Guess who I saw when I went to buy the drinks?'

'Who?' Red asked. The Kanto quarter, Johto and Sinnoh trio, and Ruby and Sapphire were gathered together to hang out (Green and Silver were dragged by Blue).

'Bizarre Boy and, get this, my cousin! I think she's his girlfriend!'

'Wait, what?!' The entire room echoed with shouts of surprise.

'Rald's dating someone?' Ruby gasped.

'He never told me!' Crystal exclaimed.

'Why would he tell you? He's an adult already,and you're not his mother,' Gold snorted.

'I'm his closest friend, and practically his sister!' Crystal retorted.

'Maybe they've just started dating and that's their first date,' Yellow guessed.

'Or maybe they're just friends,' Platinum chimed in.

'Do you have a photo of them?' Pearl asked.

'Of course!' Gold smirked, whipping out his Pokègear. 'Here it is!'

Everyone (except Green and Silver, who didn't seem interested at all) crowded around Gold's Pokègear.

'She looks familiar...' Sapphire frowned. 'Why do I 'ave da feeling tha' I've seen 'er somewhere?'

'Where? When?' Crystal demanded.

'Er... Oh, yea! She's 'hat girl 'hat Rald was with at Gold n' ya wedding. I saw 'em together!'

'Together?' Crystal repeated, but before she could continue, Silver cut her off.

'Wait a minute. Gold, did you just say "cousin"?' Silver asked, surprising everyone that he'd actually pay attention to Gold's words.

'Yep. But not exactly blood related. She's my mum's sister's husband's brother's wife's sister's daughter,' Gold replied. 'Her name's Tourmaline!'

'Tourmaline. Beautiful name,' Ruby mumbled while Diamond stopped chewing his pretzels and asked, 'Who's who's what?'

'Conclusion: she's his cousin,' Blue said, rolling her eyes.

'Why didn't you tell me about her?' Crystal asked Gold.

'I've got a lot of cousins, mind you. I don't keep track of them most of the time,' Gold shrugged.

'How 'bout we stalk n' spy on 'em?!' Sapphire said excitedly. 'I wanna know wha she's like!'

Platinum frowned, and started to say, 'Stalking and spying on people is impolite...' But except for Green, no one was listening.

'Why not? I want to know what she's like, too, and why Rald would agree to date her,' Crystal agreed, putting on her 'big sister' attitude, surprising everyone.

'You're too protective of Rald, Crys, but I'm not protesting. Stalking and spying on people is fun~' Blue chirped.

Meanwhile, Green sighed, and took out his Pokègear.

Little did Blue and the others know, Green had secretly given Emerald a mini video camera without him knowing that morning, already suspicious when Emerald asked him if he could borrow Green's best suit (even when he knew it wouldn't fit)...

Thanks for reading, sorry if Emerald is OOC, but come on, that's what love does to you. Anyway, I wanted Tourmaline to be like, shy with people she isn't familiar with, but she's actually really funny when you get to know her, that kind of person. Reviewers get Dia's handmade ice cream, flamers get Platinum's (no offence, but I personally think that Missy sucks at cooking. That's why she needs Dia) handmade ice cream.