A/N: Thanks so much guys, I really appreciate all your support! Oh yeah, there's a bit of confusion about the ages – well, let's say, Iris is 17 years old, Cilan 21 years old, and Ash and Misty somewhere in their mid-twenties. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon.

Tomboy

Chapter 4

When one is in the dark, their eyes try to adapt to the bit of light there is. Their pupils widen and if they're suddenly surprised by a flash of bright light, this may cause blindness. However, when there isn't any light for a long time, the brain area for sight is unused and starts to make up forms. So people who are left in a completely dark room for some time, are starting to see things.

And even though Iris saw the bit of light from her watch, she sometimes thought she saw things move from the corner of her eye. Dark purple, blue and grey forms creeping in the shadows. But she knew it was all in her mind, and tried to pay no attention to it, and focused on the game.

So when she saw a dark figure move in front of her, she was sure it was another figment of her imagination. And when the figure stopped moving – and every instinct in her body told her to stop too, otherwise she would bump into it – she listened to the logic that told her it was just her imagination.

And she bumped into the figure. So far for listening to logic.

"Are you okay?" Cilan immediately asked.

She rubbed her nose, and answered, "Yeah, I'm fine… what was that?"

"… Um, my behind," he answered awkwardly.

Backing away immediately, Iris, blushing furiously, mumbled an apology.

"It's okay, and on the bright sight – we reached the hole!" Cilan said cheerily.

Indeed, above them was the hole Iris fell through. It was almost completely dark outside – clouds overcastted the stars.

"Now, how are we going to do this?" Cilan wondered aloud.

Standing up, Iris answered, "I could climb on your shoulders, and then maybe I could reach the edge of the hole."

"That's a great idea, Ike!" he agreed. For a moment Iris didn't know to who he was talking – Ike? – before remembering that she was Ike.

"I'm right here, just follow my voice," Cilan guided her, "here, just a little further…"

With her hands outstretched she walked towards to where his voice was coming from. She didn't tell him that she didn't need him to guide him – after all, she could see his dark figure. But she found his deep voice pleasant to listen to. Not that she would tell him. Or somebody else.

Then her hands touched something warm and soft – and very alive.

"That's my back, grab my shoulders and try to climb on them," he said. Her hands traveled upwards – he was tall – and then grabbed his shoulders firmly.

Taking a deep breath, she placed one foot on his lower back – she had done this before, she could do this, she was a fantastic climber… in the dark wouldn't be that much of a difference.

"One, two, three," she muttered, and on three, she jumped up, and using the foot on Cilan's back as support, she immediately placed one knee on his shoulder. Within a second, she withdrew her foot from his back, and placed it on his shoulder. He groaned, and fell a bit forward, but quickly regained his balance by gripping the stony wall.

"Everything okay down there?" Iris asked, not able to contain the giggle in her voice. She was in her element and adrenaline was racing through her veins.

"Yeah, yeah, just keep climbing," he answered, his voice slightly strained.

Using the wall too for support, she stood up on his shoulders. Slowly stretching, she reached for the edge. The girl almost fell over when she felt something warm grasp her ankle – the moment after it, she realized it was Cilan's hand, trying to keep her steady.

Her hands reached the edge, and tested it – it seemed solid enough.

"Okay, got it. I'm gonna try to pull myself up, okay?" Iris said, and immediately started to lift herself up. Although she was strong, lifting her own weight was still difficult.

When her feet left Cilan's shoulders, he immediately grabbed her other ankle and tried to push her up. The disguised girl startled, but kept pulling.

Now she could see the ground – it was dark outside, because the trees and the clouds darkened the starlight. Axew jumped of her head and onto the safe ground.

"Oh yeah, of course, let me do all the hard work," she mumbled out of breath.

"What?" Cilan's voice came from below her. He stood completely stretched out, trying to give Iris a bit of support.

"Nothing," she replied. Pulling up had been the hardest part, now she just needed to push herself up. That should've been fairly easy, weren't it for her exhausted arms. But she managed.

Lying sprawled out on the moist ground Iris tried to catch her breath again. Her arms were trembling and she was sure she could fall asleep here and now, but Cilan was still down in the cave. She couldn't just leave him… could she? Nah, probably not.

"You're okay?" he asked, a worried undertone in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Now, how are we going to get you here?" she asked, standing up.

"Well… I could try to climb a little bit, and then grab your hands…" Cilan answered, a bit unsure.

"Hmm…" Iris replied, not really listening as she was too busy walking around the hole, searching for something.

"Aha! Found it," she exclaimed happily. A solid tree root was sticking out of the ground. She dug it out a little more – ignoring Cilan's questions coming from the cave – and then tested it. Yup, that would work, she decided.

"Okay, I got a plan. You try to climb up, and I'll try to give you a hand, okay?" Iris yelled down.

"Okay," he answered in a small voice. He probably wasn't one for climbing, Iris thought. Right, and now it's time to start my plan. She first lay down on her stomach, facing the hole. Hooking her feet behind the root, she crawled forward to the hole. As she bowed down to look into the hole, she immediately realized the hitch in her plan.

Her cap would fall off.

Right, think Iris, think. Her hood. She had a hood.

She pulled it over her head and tightened it, before continuing with her plan. Taking a deep breath, she hung forward into the hole. Her whole upper body was now into the cave.

Vaguely seeing Cilan's figure, she stuck out her arms in his direction, but he was still too far below.

"C'mon Cilan, climb!" Iris yelled encouragingly. Her own feet were already hurting from holding her whole weight.

Slowly, very slowly, he came closer and after a few attempts of climbing on Cilan's part, Iris was finally able to grab his hands. His hands were bigger than hers, and both their hands were already sweaty.

And he was extremely heavy – or so it felt for Iris. She scrunched her eyes shut in the exertion. But after a few agonizing slow minutes, they were both lying on the ground, panting heavily.

After taking off her hood and unhooking her feet from the root – they hurt so much – she grabbed her sleeping bag, and without giving Cilan a second look, she stepped into it and lay down.

"I'm going to sleep," she said, not caring if Cilan agreed or not. She. Was. Exhausted.

"Goodnight, Ike," he replied.

"Goodnight," she mumbled. She was almost asleep, when Cilan interrupted the silence.

"You know, we could've just used my Pansage's Vine Wip to climb up…"

"Ugh, shut up," she groaned, and finally drifted off.

She had dreamt of this before – of meeting him again, both of them being older. But always when she woke up, she couldn't remember how he looked, just that he looked older.

Now however, she got a pretty clear look. His face was slightly longer, but his green eyes and hair were still the same. In fact, it seemed that he hadn't changed that much – though she didn't remember the green stubble on his chin. His lips were moving, as if he was saying something, but Iris couldn't understand the words.

"Ike, Ike, wake up, Ike. Wake up, Ike."

Ike? she wondered for a moment, before everything from yesterday came back again and she shot up, subsequently hitting her head against Cilan's.

Cilan. Oh Arceus, Cilan. He's back.

"You sure make a habit out of that," he grinned. She could only stare at him.

"Ike, you're alright?" he asked when she continued to stare at him.

Ike. She had almost forgotten about the fact that she was Ike now. He cannot see me like this, Iris decided in an instant, he cannot know who I really am. He would think I'm crazy or something.

Nodding dumbly, she stepped out of her sleeping bag and rolled it up.

"I've made breakfast," he offered with a smile.

"Thanks," she replied, but she wasn't really paying attention. She still couldn't get her head wrapped around the fact that this boy – no, young man, was Cilan, her Cilan.

Best is, she decided while eating in silence, to leave him as soon as possible. If he finds out who she really was then he would probably think she was weird and crazy and tomboyish and not-feminine and so not dateable for a gentleman like him. She let out a quiet sigh.

"You know, Ike, I've been thinking," Cilan started, "since we have such a great flavor together, I thought, why not travel together for a while?"

When Iris just looked at him blankly, he quickly added, "If that's okay with you, of course."

What happened a lot to Iris, happened now too – her body acted before she could think. Thus she nodded yes.

"Great," he whooped, and then was off to do the dishes.

As soon as he was away, she let her head fall in her hands. Oh Mew, where did she get herself into?

A/N: Thanks a lot for reading! And please tell me what you thought about it – I truly appreciate every word ;)
Oh, and does anyone have some good Cilan sentences, you know, with food and all…
Anyway, thanks again, and please leave a REVIEW!