Disclaimer: I don't own 'Pokemon' in general, but I do own the Hikaemi Island, and my characters n.n

Chapter Four

"Eloped?" Everybody knew that the next day had come quite to fast, but nobody had expected this. Two families, the newest residence to Akai City, sat around a dining room table. "Are you sure they eloped, Karen?"

"Why else would they have disappeared? We all knew about their relationship." Mizuki's Mother, Karen, stated, picking up a coffee in her clearly trembling hands. In fact, if she wasn't such a strong willed person, she'd be flowing tears at that present moment – exactly like Koda's Mother, July was, with her Husband offering what ever support he could have given.

"I-I-I walked in, and, and, sh-she was gone!" July had repeated the same sentence over and over again, seemingly trying to place it in her mind, exactly why it had all happened.

What had happened, however, was the fact that both Kaz and Mai had not been in their beds when they were called too get up of a morning. In fact, they waited until Midday, and still no sign.

"But why, why on earth would they elope? I mean, we knew all about their relationship." Mizuki's Father, John, said. His arms around his youngest daughter, Mizuki, who happened to be sitting on his knee, with very red eyes.

"Maybe they didn't feel comfortable." Koda said. This was the very first thing he'd said since he'd discovered that his sister was missing. Mizuki's eyes seemed to light up just a bit when she heard Koda speak, she was beginning to get a bit worried, but they soon went dull again after he fell silent.

"Comfortable? No, that's not it." John said, stroking his beard with his large hand. "But, thinking about it, makes me remember listening to Mai on the phone to Kaz."

Everybody's gaze fell upon John, as he racked his memory, attempting to remember what exactly they had been saying, before he stopped stroking his beard and said – "The topic was Koda. All they did was complain to one another."

"No way, really?" Karen said, placing her hands on the table. "That must be why they left! I don't know why, but it has something to do with your son! Maybe he pressured them to leave."

That simple statement caused an uproar, which of course was about Koda. This caused Koda, with a very upset grimace on his face, to lift himself off his seat, and stroll straight up the stairs to his room. Slamming the door behind him (although nobody seemed to notice), he stood, back leaning against his closed door, and basically collapsed the ground, drawing his knees up to his face, and resting his chin upon them, anger surging through his normally calm and collected body. It finally became too much, and he let his anger out by swinging his arm around, and causing it to collide with the wall.

Once feeling a little bit more settled, he then fell silent, listening to the parents screaming at one another, Koda's parents declaring he had nothing to do with it, while Mizuki's parents screamed back that he was the sole cause for them leaving. Mizuki's parents didn't realize just how right they were.

"Kaz! Kaz wait for me!" A rather over-loaded Mai shouted towards the blonde-haired boy walking about four meters in front of her. The bag she'd packed – which she said contained all the necessities – was dangerously heavy, and slowed Mai down quite a lot. Kaz on the other hand had decided to pack light, taking only a bit of food, his Pokemon, and a single blanket. Mai however had brought everything besides the kitchen sink.

"Honestly…" The teenager stopped, turning around to look at the redhead that had finally caught up with him. "Give me that bag."

One of the things that Mai liked about Kaz was his strength. What was really heavy for her would probably be like a feather to him. Taking the bag from her shoulders, she set it down on the ground, panting.

"Honestly. What'd you pack?" He asked, taking off his own small bag and passing it to Mai. She could carry his.

"Everything I need." She answered.

"You don't need the kitchen sink." Kaz stated, hitching it onto his back.

"I didn't pack the stinky sink, Kaz!" Mai answered, putting her hands on her hips. Kaz just turned to look at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Oh. That was a joke."

Kaz suppressed laughter at the blushing Mai. Mai however, simply crossed her hands over her chest and glared.

"Kaz, where are we going first?"

The pair of them were on the road now, and Akai City was disappearing behind them, making way for endless bushes and endless mounds of grass. Apart from small rustles in the grass – which made Mai move closer to Kaz, considering she had a fear of wild Pokemon – made by probably rodent Pokemon, their trip had so far turned out uneventful.

"We're going through the Death Forest to Aoi Town."

"T-The Death Forest? Kaz, that sounds awfully scary. Was it named that because people /died/ in there?"

Kaz turned his head towards her and raised his eyebrow. "Don't know. I didn't get a Guidebook to check either. We'll have to pick one up in Aoi Town."

"A-A-Alright. A-Are we camping in Aoi town?"

"Yep."

The thought of camping in a place called 'Death Forest' really scared Mai, and the paleness on her face showed it. Still, as she surveyed Kaz, he looked unconcerned. Then again, he didn't have to be concerned. He could probably defeat any Pokemon that was thrown at him with his team, and now that Mai thought about it, he'd protect her too… right?

"My Pokemon'll stand guard."

Kaz seemed to read her thoughts, and Mai sighed heavily from relief.

This is one short chapter oO;
But, I couldn't seem to make it any longer. But hey.