"This is our best plan yet, before we know it we'll be so rich we won't have to work another day in our lives!", Musashi boasted as she entered into the newly acclaimed pokebot.
Kojiro was still putting on his boots and Nyasu made his way into the hulking metal figure. "Get out here Kojiro, you aren't messing up another opportunity for success," Musashi demanded rather impatiently. He ran up the stairs and was in so much of a rush that he tripped up the third step. She glared at him and scolded, "You can never do anything right!", as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, throwing him into his seat. He looked back at her and let out a deep sigh.
"Its da twerps, dis contraption needs ta be fired up," Nyasu stated, watching both Kojiro and Musashi staring angrily at each other. "Come on ya two, not now its dat yellow rat!", Nyasu informed them again.
"Hmph," Musashi turned away from Kojiro, then crossed her arms while all he could do was look away disappointingly. "We would be doing a lot better without this blue haired idiot always holding us back," Musashi hinted to Nyasu. Kojiro, hurt by this statement calmly retorted, "If that's how you want it...I will stop interfering with the team's success." He walked up to leave, leaving Nyasu at a loss for words, glaring at Musashi. She swiftly slapped Kojiro across the face, clenching her teeth, "Sit down your not going anywhere!", she said threateningly.
At this Kojiro ran off even faster, not even looking back as tears ran down his face. His fiery headed partner didn't even care about him after ten whole years of working together.
"Ready?," Musashi asked Nyasu as she got ready, gripping the controls with utter focus. "But...dat?...," he stuttered, "Alright, lets get dis on," he finally responded.
Musashi gave an evil grimace as she hit a button quickly and seconds later the whole machine burst into flames. "Ahhh!", they both screamed clinging together surrounded by the terrifying fire. Nyasu found the release panel and was able to escape with Musashi through the trap door on the floor of the metal monster that went wrong.
Kojiro smelt a hint of smoke in the air, prompting him to turn around, "Musashi!", he cried. "Don't worry, I'm coming!" He rushed back to the scene of the flaming machine they had built and managed to climb back into it. Upon seeing Musashi's glove, Kojiro assumed the worse and wanted to cry but he knew he had to stay strong. "Is anyone in here?", he shouted in a desperate attempt to located Musashi and Nyasu.
Musashi heard his faint screams from outside and all of a sudden a concerned look was plastered all over her face. She turned to Nyasu, "Did you hear that?", she asked. "No, I didn't hear a thing, why?", Nyasu responded. "I heard Kojiro's voice, I have to go back in there...," she muttered as she ran toward the heaping fire.
"What are ya nuts?," Nyasu shouted, blocking Musashi's way with his body. "Outta my way," she scolded and pushed him to the side with all of her force. Upon running back to the disaster, she found herself surrounded by flames about five feet high, but just out of the corner of her vision she spotted Kojiro, laying there almost lifeless, with her glove still in his hand. She dragged him out hastily, and gently laid him down on the grass.
Hugging him tightly, Musashi softly whispered his name and rubbed his cheek. "Smoke inhalation coulda caused him to pass out, he did dat for you," Nyasu stated. This caused her more agony as she scream his name once more. Kojiro started to cough hoarsely, "You are alive!," he had the biggest smile on his face when he looked at Musashi and couldn't help wrap his arms around her.
"You went back in there for me? Even after I said everything I did to you?," she spoke softly. "Of course, we are friends and that's what friends do," he let out a weak smile. All of a sudden Musashi just snapped, "You could have been killed! What were you thinking!," her eyes burned with anger and fear all at the same time. He remained quiet, scared to say another word. She immediately changed the subject, "Well looks like Rocket Dan fails again..."
"That's right!," Nyasu said with the uttermost hint of passion in his voice. Kojiro just stared at his two friends, partners in crime. He was sitting down, hugging his knees, entrapped in his own thoughts. Rocket Dan never comes through with any plan, and he expected this one to turn out no differently. But what if Nyasu and Musashi never made it out of that disaster of a mission that occurred today? Kojiro realized he not only would have been heartbroken, he would be left alone in this cold world with no one to turn to. At this he sobbed silently, having never been so happy to see Musashi in his life, safe from danger.
She noticed Kojiro at a glance and approached him. "What are you whining about this time?," she taunted. He quickly got up and brushed off his knees, "Nothing I just needed...to rest," he lied. She rolled her eyes then ordered him to follow her back to the camp site. "You know Musashi, I am getting sick and tired of your attitude," he blurted, covering up his real emotions,"It is very uncalled for especially today!".
Kojiro was again on the verge of tears, pointing his finger directly at Musashi and putting his head down so that she would not see his facial expression. "I try not to insult you, comfort you when no one else will, you are the only one on the team who is so critical of every little mistake," he continued rambling. "Sometimes you remind me what I ran away from, sometimes Rukima reminds me of you, and here before me stands my worst nightmare!," Kojiro said uncertainty, not realizing the toll that those words took on Musashi. Anyways, who cares, he thought, she doesn't have any feelings for me so why would she care what I said to her?
Musashi's jaw dropped and her eyes welled up but she managed to hold the tears back. Evidently, she was at a loss for words as she turned her face away from Kojiro. "If that's how you feel, I don't blame you. No one considers me a pleasure to work with," she replied in an angry tone and stormed off in the opposite direction of the wreckage from the day's venture. Kojiro didn't have to see her tears to know how much he had hurt her. She never runs away from situations, heck, this time she didn't even argue back, for once she had agreed with him.
"Please come back!," he shouted with sympathy in his voice. He could never stay mad at her because he knew Musashi all too well. The front she puts on plays off to everyone she meets, except Kojiro, he was never fooled. He now understood that she was still that fearful little girl he had met many years back.
"You really done it dis time," Nyasu chuckled, "You twos doesn't have a clue, but I got it all figured out." He looked at Nyasu with bulging curiosity and asked, "What do you mean?." The feline became oblivious to his comment, walking away with a devious grin on his face.
Kojiro still did not understand what he meant, but one thing was for certain, he felt awful about yelling at Musashi, especially since what he said was not true. He went off in search of her while worrying because nightfall was not far away.
He ran in every direction in a desperate attempt to find her, screaming Musashi's name at the top of his lungs. This went on for hours until Kojiro figured that maybe she had returned to the campsite. After stumbling back Nyasu was in sight and he asked, "Where's Musashi?"
"You mean she never came back," Kojiro wondered. "No sign of her," the cat responded. Never in his short life had Nyasu seen Kojiro so upset. He was caught up thinking about Musashi and even forgot to eat his dinner. All he could do was hope she was all right and fear that she wasn't. After complete exhaustion Kojiro finally fell asleep leaving Nyasu to blow out the burning candle.
In the morning, Kojiro woke up early and his feline companion caught him putting on his boots. "Whatcha doin?," he interrupted. "Going to look for Musashi," he looked serious and went to go grab some equipment when he noticed a folded piece of paper under his pillow. The words were all in her handwriting.
Dear Kojiro,
I am so sorry that I have been so horrid to you over the past years we have worked together. You deserve a better partner. Actually, Kojiro, you don't even need a partner. What you need is a different job, you know that you are just as miserable as I am in Rocket Dan. But you have a choice to leave this life behind, your compassion for others doesn't fit the description for Rocket Dan. You are far too nice, and too good of a person to work with the likes of us, the likes of me. I am a nasty, mean, critical monstrosity who no one could ever love. Thank you for being so kind to me, I really appreciated it.
P.S.- I know this may sound weird, but I love you Kojiro, even though I never really showed it. Every time I tried it came out the wrong way. I figured I should just tell you to get it off my chest. I will never forget you.
Best of luck,
Musashi
With the note in hand, Kojiro completely collapsed on the ground, never before had he cried so many tears. He loved Musashi, wasn't it obvious? Always doubting himself was the reason he never found it in himself to tell her how he really felt, and this time it came back to bite him. She had come back in the middle of the night to pack her remaining items and walked out of his life for good.
Nyasu tapped on Kojiro's shoulder, "What's all da commotion about?" He couldn't bring himself to speak because he was practically chocking on his own tears. "Well what is it?," Nyasu asked again with the impatience of a child.
"She left!," Kojiro whispered softly, "She left the team and its all my fault, I shouldn't have spoken to her like that." He shoved the note in his face, "Look...," Kojiro said sadly. "She loves you, you love her, its no secret," Nyasu stated pridefully, "I knew it all along yous two are always around each other, I may be ignorant, but I ain't blind."
Kojiro got up immediately and kicked his sleeping back in frustration. "I feel so helpless...I didn't even know where she could have went," he exclaimed. He never realized how lost he felt without her until now, and to think this could have been avoided if he had kept his mouth shut. Turning to the sky, he talked slowly and softly, "Oh can you ever forgive me Musashi?"
"Talking to the clouds now are ya?," Nyasu laughed, "Man, widout her ya really are loosin dat mind of yours!" He walked off offended and suddenly turned around to face Nyasu, "This is not a laughing matter and I would appreciate it if you would assist me," Kojiro continued to walk, not caring if his cat-like friend was coming or not.
He went back to his tent to retrieve a map, along with several other belongings, including a picture of Muashi, back from when they first met. The he picked up the note she had written him, reading "I love you Kojiro," savoring those four words. With the new found knowledge that she did indeed love him, Kojiro had been more determined that ever to locate her and tell her everything.
But where was she headed, he thought, she could be anywhere by now. Studying the map, he pin pointed all the possible locations of where she might be. "I'll be back soon," he informed Nyasu who just let out a "whatever". The feline was too consumed in devouring his meal.
Kojiro set off north towards Noresha Town because it was the closest spot to civilization for miles. The chances of Musashi being there were high, he figured she had to at least stopped to get a bite to eat somewhere around there.
Across from the small market was a diner called "Route 61", prompting Kojiro to walk through the red padded doors. The joint was busy but he managed to speak with the server from behind the counter. "Have you seen her?," he asked showing her a recent picture of Musashi.
"Why yes, I do recall her being in here just a few hours ago," the server responded in a southern accent. "Any mention of where she was going?," Kojiro interrupted. "Saladon City, go east until you hit a small bridge, then follow the creek upstream for three miles," she directed, and without another word Kojiro rushed out the doors.
Musashi had been walking for what seemed like an eternity. Her white Rocket Dan outfit was stained with mud and her feet ached like no tomorrow. However, the exhaustion was nothing compared to the pain of Kojiro's scornful words. The words just kept replaying in her head like a broken record, every time causing her heart to sink a little deeper.
Rukima made him miserable and given that he compared her to that maniacal witch, she was no better making her figure that it was about time she stopped making his life a living hell. He will be much happier without me, Musashi continued to think, ...he probably laughed when he read that letter.
The sun was shining bright and practically blinded her when she stepped out of the forest. There were giant billboards everywhere, one of which advertising a contest, immediately exciting her. This was a chance to earn a fourth ribbon, making her one step closer to competing in the Grand Festival. Her face all of a sudden lit up as she headed towards the contest registration desk.
In her coordinator's costume, she was now Musilina, the great. Doing contests made her forget the harshness of reality and brought her dreams to life, as fans adored her acts. Playing the role of Musilina set her free as a blooming flower in spring. Musashi could truly be herself while on that stage which gave her the most wonderful feeling, especially when the crowd cheered for her. That cheering made her feel wanted.