For those who have already read Unrequited, ignore the note below and enjoy the start of Crimson Lapis.
Those who have not, please go read it for understanding. (Link in my profile)
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon nor do I own Pokemon Special and its characters. I only own the story plot, and certain characters.
A figure laid peacefully on a small bed, decorated with little flowers all around the edges. Her eyelids were closed, and her face seemed as if it was at peace. Her hands were near her chest as if she was holding her heart, or protecting it. Her lips were curved into a smile, with her tiny fangs bared. Yet her eyes were shedding tears.
Come.
"I love you still, you know."
His eyelids immediately opened wide, another nightmare. The dream showed him images of her falling again. Just how many times have he seen it this whole terrifying year? Every day? The thought of it made him shudder. He glanced towards his alarm clock. It read five in the morning, but he didn't have to wake up until seven. He couldn't risk sleeping again and seeing that again. "Oh whatever, I'll go take a walk."
He changed into his everyday traveling outfit. It fit him perfectly, after all he made it. He walked out of the dorm, stretching immediately after getting out of the door. He almost forgot about his pokemon, after all they usually go with him. He quickly and quietly walked back up to his room and grabbed his pokeballs. He looked over to his dear picture frame which had another party of pokeballs laying beside it. "I guess I could bring them as well," he said to himself.
He went back down, letting them all out. Out they came, his Swampert, Mightyena, and Delcatty. Plus a Blaziken and Gallade. "Good morning, you all."
His Mightyena and Delcatty looked at him lovingly, while the other three's expressions were rather different. The Blaziken and Gallade stayed rather distant and his Swampert constantly looked at them and back at his trainer, worried. The boy sighed, then smiled at his Swampert, "It's alright, Zuzu. Now shall we go?"
They all nodded silently.
The Blaziken and Gallade were more willing to express their feelings towards the other pokemon than to him. Shouldn't be surprised, he thought to himself. First of all, he wasn't their trainer and second their trainer was rather close, yet extremely far to him. Well, they were close friends, knowing each other ever since they were just innocent little children. But her death had changed their relationship ten times over.
Though he did know that the reason of their hostility was because of his actions after their trainer's death. He was the last one to see her alive, but he chose not to go to her funeral. He had closed himself up in his room until his pokemon forced him out with the help of the other DexHolders. And after all of that, he volunteered to take care of them, after their trainer's father had came over to the academy to move her items out of her dorm.
He wasn't very sure why he did it himself, maybe he wanted a piece of her to hold onto, after all he loved her. He shook his head, he shouldn't be spouting words like love out of nowhere. And he had a girlfriend already. But still he and everyone else knew that it was his fault for her death. "I'm sorry," the words immediately came out as he continued to think about everything, especially her.
When he had realized what he did, he had stopped in his tracks and the pokemon were right behind her, looking at him. The Mightyena and Delcatty looked at him with worried looks on their faces. The Blaziken and Gallade just stared at him with no emotions whatsoever. Zuzu was trying to snap them out of it. He smiled, surprising them all. Especially the Blaziken and Gallade, after all they could all tell he was faking it. "Don't worry about it you guys."
Please help me.
Please.
"Ruby! Oi, Ruby!"
He snapped out of it after hearing the voice of someone constantly calling his name. "Ah, sorry."
The voice belonged to a ebony-haired girl with pupils as black as her hair. She was walking beside him to the academy, after all they were dating. "Geez, you weren't listening to me, were you? Is there something wrong?" she said, pouting.
"It's fine, Courtney. I was just overthinking about things again, that's all," he replied, trying not to worry her.
"It's fine, Ruby. You would be down, after all, today is the anniversary of her death."
Perhaps that was another reason her Pokemon were quiet today. They had to be reminded that this day was the day of their trainer's death. And that everything was his fault. "That's true, I guess," he answered, trying his best to fake a smile to his girlfriend.
"How about we go on a date today?"
He blinked, turning his head to face his girlfriend. "What did you say?"
"Date. Let's go on a date," she repeated to him, smiling innocently.
He definitely did not want to go on a date. He would feel even more guilty about her death since it would mean being lovey dovey to the girl he had chose over her. Plus her pokemon were lying at home, next to that picture frame. He faked another smile, "Sorry, Courtney. I promised Toro and the others that I'd come home early to spend time with them."
Sorry.
She walked in front of him, turning to face him and smiling, "It's fine. A promise is a promise, right?"
Liar.
As they entered, they were greeted by a certain blonde shorty, whose eyes shone bright green. "Took you forever to get here, Ruby. I know you're cherishing your time with your girlfriend, but don't keep me waiting please. After all, she's no longer here to keep me company," he complaining, whispering the last part softly.
"Sorry, Rald," Ruby apologized.
Courtney let go of his hand, then walked off, waving, "See you later, Ruby."
He waved back, smiling, "See you."
He then turned his body and face back towards to Emerald, "So what is it, Rald? You're usually calm when we're arriving to school, so explain yourself. It doesn't have to do with her, does it?" whispering.
Emerald matched his gaze, sighing, "No, it doesn't have anything to do with her technically, but the senpais(upperclassmen) want to see you immediately."
"Alright then, lead the way messenger."
"Took you a long time, Ruby-kun~"
He was greeted by a girl's voice, which belonged to the brunette sitting between two boys: a black-haired, red-eyed like him; and a spiky brunette with glaring green eyes. "Ohaiyo(good morning), Blue-senpai. You look lovely as always."
"Flattery won't bring forgiveness, Ruby," she replied quickly.
"What is it?"
The black-haired older boy answered, "Um... would you come with us to where Sapphire was 'buried'?"
"Red-senpai, is there any reason to go if her body isn't actually there?" he answered back, rudely.
"Ruby!" Emerald hissed.
"It's okay, Emerald. I'm sure he didn't mean it," Red answered kindly. "After all, he is telling the truth."
After she had fallen, he had rushed to tell the senpais and they all had ran outside of the academy to see there was nothing there. They hadn't believed him at first until she didn't ever come back to class and her parents didn't hear anything at all. They then believed she had went missing, but the academy was too well protected and Ruby had seen her fall off the roof.
Her body missing was another reason he did not want to go to her funeral. Without her being physically there, he couldn't say sorry or anything related to that. Either way, he knew he wouldn't be forgiven for it. She and the senpais would never forgive him.
He began to leave, "I'll go if I feel like it. Don't expect me there though."
"Ru-Ruby!" Rald yelled out.
"Don't mind him, Emerald. He's blaming himself for her death again," a small girl with her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail spoke softly.
She looked at Blue, softly scolding, "Blue-chan, stop being so hostile. She wouldn't want you to."
Blue frowned slightly, "Sorry..."
"It's just- I thought he had liked her as well," she said quietly to her best friend.
"We all did."
Ruby continued rushing off to his classroom. Emerald was probably behind him, following him like usual. He sighed, tired and stressed. Her death had riled up the group in a terrible way. The girls had lost a close friend, including him and Rald, while the other guys lost a senpai/kouhai(upperclassmen/underclassmen). And they all had known that her death had to be related to him. After all, she loved him.
As he arrived to the classroom, he took his seat and noticed Emerald walking in a couple moments later, taking the seat right next to him. His aura was rather dark, so he was probably mad at him. Emerald turned over to him, glaring, "You better not flirt today."
Flirt? Emerald had the tendency to call his interactions with girls like Courtney as flirting every time. He was not flirting. "I won't."
"Good then..."
The class bell rang to begin school as their homeroom teacher, Miss Roxanne, walked in, placing her book on the pedestal. "Good morning, class. Today, we'll be having a new student. You may come in now."
New student? This was the first time he ever heard about this. He came closer to Emerald, whispering, "Did you know about this, Rald?"
The blonde shorty shook his head in reply.
The first thing he had noticed about the new transfer student was the outfit. It looked very familiar to him. Those white shorts. The blue tank top with black edges. And that blue scarf. It couldn't be- her hair was rather long, down to her hips, but it was brown, just like hers. And those sparkling blue eyes.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Lapis Lazuli. I am from the Kalos region, please take care of me," the young girl bowed, introducing herself.
The name's different though, but that outfit was unique. After all, he was its creator, so he would easily spot it. Emerald, on the other hand, did not look shocked or puzzled as he was. It doesn't look like Rald noticed.
He suddenly felt someone's gaze on him. He shuddered, then turned towards the gaze, seeing the girl smiling at him, beaming. He questioned his mind: was it really her? If so, did she come back for revenge? And does she still love him?
He kept watching her during class. His eyes could not take themselves off her. Was it because of her beauty? Or was it because she resembled her so badly? She was rather enchanting, he admitted. Her elegance was breath-taking to him. She read the words so beautifully during their literature class. And her knowledge was very well shown during mathematics. He questioned himself once again, was this really her? After all, Lapis was the complete opposite of her.
The lunch bell rang and she had disappeared out of sight. He knew that there was one way to find out. He dashed out of the classroom, going up those very same stairs he hadn't touched for a year. He climbed and climbed, losing his breath slowly. He reached the door at the top, opening it to see a bright light.
"I thought you would come up here searching," a voice called him.
She was leaning on that same fence. Her luscious brown hair flowed in the wind, and her blue eyes looked at him. She was smiling. He was panting from the running he had done. After catching his breath, he looked at her directly. "So you are Sapphire, aren't you?" Ruby questioned.
She closed her eyes, continuing to smile. She then reopened her eyes, and turned her front side away from Ruby. Her hand held onto the fence, as she giggled slightly. "Of course not."
"Huh?"
She turned her hand towards him, grinning. He felt like shuddering. "Haven't you forgotten, Ruby-kun? Sapphire Birch died exactly one year ago on this date, right here~"
See you next month!
