Okay, back again for more.
Disclaimer: I'm telling you. If I really owned any of this, I wouldn't be writing a fanfic. Heh.
Rui woke slowly to discover she was still out on the couch in the living room, due to her midnight wandering. She climbed to her feet, stretching luxuriously in the sunlight that streamed in through the windows from the morning sun, before heading back into her bedroom to take a shower.
A few minutes later—Rui had never been one for long showers—she emerged into the kitchen, fully dressed with wet hair. She swiped one of those little breakfast bars she had bought at the store yesterday, figuring she might as well have something for breakfast.
As she unwrapped it, she could have sworn she heard something scratch on the window in the living room. Taking a bite, Rui curiously crept back into the living room, peering at all the windows.
Umbreon popped out of nowhere, sitting cat-like on the outside ledge of the window, his deep red eyes regarding her in amusement.
"Umbreon!" Forgetting the breakfast bar, Rui quickly opened the window to allow the little black Pokemon inside.
Umbreon bounded inside, landing gracefully on the carpet. He eagerly sniffed around the living room as Rui shut the window, his tail waving absently in the air.
"Thought you'd beat him over, huh?" Rui grinned down at the Pokemon.
Umbreon glanced at her, gave his tail a half-wave, and continued sniffing.
Rui gave Umbreon an affectionate pat, and then went into the kitchen, throwing the remainder of her breakfast bar into the trash. She wasn't that hungry anymore.
There was a soft knock on the door, and Rui went to answer it with a small smile. She pulled the door open.
Wes stood there leisurely, emotionless as ever, with Espeon sitting next to him regally. But Rui knew him well enough to detect a slight glimmer of pleasure and amusement in his golden eyes.
"Can I help you?" Rui asked, with a tiny grin.
"Rui." If he had been less emotionless, Rui would have guessed that Wes would have rolled his eyes at her. "Is Umbreon in there?"
"Look for yourself." With a tiny laugh, Rui stood back to let him in.
Wes brushed past her, slipping into the house, Espeon stepping in neatly beside him. Almost immediately a black blur raced out of the living room, jumping at Wes energetically. Wes caught him easily, holding the black Pokemon like a baby.
Laughing, Rui pulled the door shut. "He was outside my window," she explained, leading them into the kitchen, "Sitting on the windowsill like a bird. So I let him in."
"Obnoxious." Wes sounded dry, but Rui could tell he was silently amused as he let Umbreon drop to the floor to join Espeon.
"Adorable." Rui had always liked Espeon and Umbreon. Truthfully, Umbreon was friendlier, but she also liked Espeon's regal attitude. The two of them made her laugh often.
"Looks are deceiving." For that particular wry comment, Wes received a gentle swat from both Pokemon.
"So what brings you back to Phenac?" Rui asked him as he sank down into one of the chairs at the counter looking into the kitchen. Rui herself was in the kitchen, leaning against the counter near the sink, watching him. "You haven't been back in a long time."
"You," he answered truthfully, leaning back in the chair lazily. "And I needed a change from the Under and Pyrite."
Rui gave a soft laugh. "I don't see how that couldn't be desirable."
Wes gave a slight nod. "And because they were getting warmer."
Rui looked at him, worried. "They found you?"
"No. But they're getting a little too close for comfort."
"So Team Snagem is back for sure?"
At the sound of the Team's name, Espeon gave a soft hiss and Umbreon bared his tiny white fangs, both of them flicking their tails.
Wes jerked his shoulders in a shrug, merely glancing at the Pokemon to silence them. "I don't know. Not back in action, yet, but definitely looking for me."
"You have to be careful," Rui warned, still worried, "There's no telling what they'll do if they catch you. Especially after what you've done to them."
"They deserved it," Wes answered dismissively. "But if they catch me…Knock me around, beat me up—"
"Kill you," Rui interjected hotly.
"—Force me to rejoin."
Rui stared. "What?"
"Gonzap might hate me at the moment, but he's not entirely stupid. I was the best member he had, and he wouldn't have forgotten that, Rui."
"But surely you don't think he'd ask you to rejoin…"
"Of course he wouldn't. Asking isn't his style. Forcing is more of his kind of area."
"But—"
"Rui, would you rather I be killed?" Wes raised his eyebrows, but he had spoken dryly.
"No, no," Rui said quickly, flushing slightly. "It's just that I have a hard time believing that someone like Gonzap wouldn't just kill you for revenge..."
"Like I said before. I was the best he had, and he wouldn't have forgotten that no matter what I did."
Rui bit her lip, still worried. Wes watched her expressionlessly, unreadable as ever.
Umbreon rubbed against Rui's legs reassuringly, looking up at her with his bright red eyes. Rui allowed herself a smile as she squatted down next to Umbreon, petting the Pokemon's silky fur.
"Your visits are too spread out, Wes," Rui said into the silence, looking back up at Wes from her position on the kitchen floor. "And most of the time, too short. But I'm glad you're back again."
"Me too."
I know, I know. Short, and probably a bit on the boring side. I'll make up for it, I promise.
Hint: Reviews are good. Real good. Heh.
Thanks guys.