Goodbye Pipin!
It didn't take Andy long to get tired and slow down. He collapsed in the middle of some bushes and I made Tubby stop a little way off from where Andy was – I didn't want his size to intimidate Andy. I whispered for Tubby to stay low and released Pipin so Tubby could have some company. I stealthily snuck over to Andy's still body and was able to get next to him without him realising. As quick as I could, I threw an empty Pokéball at him in the hope that it would capture him.
"Ouch!" Andy sat up, rubbing his head. So Pokéballs couldn't work on people..? Andy's face paled when he saw me standing over him. Before he could run away again, I jumped on top of him and pinned him to the ground. I planted myself on his stomach with my hands holding his arms while my feet wrapped around his legs so that he couldn't escape from me. Andy gulped.
"Wh-what are you going to do to me?" he asked. I laughed at him. He was so funny! Pretending to be scared – what a joker!
"I'll do whatever I want to do," I said cockily. "Now while you're lying still, I want to ask you a few questions."
"Q-questions?!" Andy asked despairingly. He looked so cute when he made his eyes go all big like that. I realized suddenly that he looked just like a Pachirisu; just with a longer face. I had a sudden urge to squeeze his cheeks.
"Yep: questions. So...what were you doing in Canalave City?" Andy said that he wanted to read a book in the library about the Pokémon Arceus, and I asked him why.
"I think I s-saw it, just after Team Elemental stole my Pokémon. I hate those guys!" I probably had a guilty expression on my face and made a mental note to not mention that I had friends in Team Elemental. Andy just looked so furious at the very mention of their name that I thought it best to keep him in the dark about my newest friends.
"That was mean of them!" I said, feigning disapproval. They probably needed his Pokémon for some special mission or something, and Andy would probably get them back soon. Probably. He agreed with what I said, completely ignorant to my secret.
"All I have left is my Ivysaur, but she's not exactly my biggest fan. Hey, are you going to get off me?" Andy tried, giving me a small smile. I giggled.
"Nope! I'm not done with my questions, silly!" Andy's face dropped. He was so adorable! "Okay; next question. What did Emma tell you about me?" Andy hesitated before answering me.
"She said...she said that you liked me and you want to be my g-girlfriend...and she also s-said you are really stubborn." I grinned, happy that Emma had actually told the truth to him. As long as she didn't tell him anything bad then everything would be just fine.
"But I don't want to be your–"
"Hush now, Andy," I said soothingly, stroking his cheek. Andy hushed like the little angel that he is. "I have one more question left, okay?" Silently, Andy nodded. I took that as a good sign.
"If I let you go, will you run away from me again?"
"Yes." I had anticipated that and had a plan. Without warning, I presented the rope I had been hiding the whole time and managed to tie it around Andy's waist, regardless of his attempts to make a break for it. I tied the rope so tightly that not even I could undo it. Trust me – I checked. Triumphantly, I stood back to admire my work, my grip on the end of the rope tight enough to kill a small Pokémon: I didn't want Andy to get away easily. Andy also admired my work – except his face looked more horrified than anything else.
"Tizzy...please tell m-me this is a joke," he begged. I laughed heartily in his face, before calling Tubby and Pipin over. Pipin immediately jumped into my arms while Tubby inspected Andy, having never met him properly before. Tubby sniffed him, poked him, licked him and eventually hugged him. I was happy that Tubby liked my new boyfriend, and introduced them to each other. I suggested to Andy that he let out his Ivysaur so that she could meet my Pokémon. Andy mimed zipping his lips and locking them closed.
"Oh, so you're not talking to me now?" I didn't expect to have relationship problems so soon but I guessed that this was normal. I was actually excited – this meant that we had a strong relationship already.
"Okay then," I said when Andy didn't say anything. I walked closer to him and pulled his Pokéball out of his bag before he could stop me.
"Hey!" he said feebly, quickly breaking his resolution to not talk to me. Now I saw why it was so easy for Team Elemental to steal his Pokémon. Boys were so easy.
"Ivysaur, come say hello!" I said, letting the cute Seed Pokémon out.
"Ivy!" she said in surprise when she saw Andy all tied up. She was so cute – just like her owner! The pink flower-thingie on her back was really nice too.
"Ivysaur, use your Razor Leaf to cut through this rope!" Andy ordered. I almost panicked but calmed down when she ignored him, preferring to rest her front legs on me so that she could get a better look at Pipin. Pipin, excited to see another Pokémon, jumped out of my arms and sat itself in front of the flower on Andy's Ivysaur's back. Andy looked crestfallen.
"And I thought we had come so far..." he complained. I patted his shoulder reassuringly.
"Never mind Andy. You've always got me!" I said brightly.
"Snorrr!" Tubby added. Andy hung his head in despair.
"I should have stayed in Kanto," he wailed.
"Ivy-SAUR!" his Pokémon agreed.
*
"Andy, are you asleep yet?" I whispered.
"I almost was...but then you woke me up," he muttered.
"What did you say?"
"I said n-no..." he hurriedly amended. We had been together for a good few days and now we were sleeping in a Pokémon Centre, our beds pushed close together to I could keep hold of Andy's rope. I wasn't sure what city we were in; things like where we were didn't matter to me anymore. As long as Andy's rope was in my hand I knew that everything was going to be fine. His Ivysaur had really taken a shine to Pipin and would hardly let him out of her sight, although I was beginning to worry about Pipin. Lately he didn't seem as perky as he usually was and I was starting to think that maybe he missed being in the wild. The connection he had formed with Andy's Ivysaur ensured that she wouldn't use Razor Leaf on the rope, which was something I depended on. Would she listen to her master once Pipin was out of the picture? Most of the time Pipin chose to ride on Ivysaur's back instead of letting me hold him, which to me proved that they got along too well. Andy's Ivysaur had the power to make or break my relationship, and she didn't even know it.
The next morning Tubby, Andy, Pipin and I left the Pokémon Centre fairly early. Andy liked to keep his Ivysaur in her Pokéball, probably in case Team Elemental made a surprise appearance and tried to take her off him again. Tubby's stomach growling loudly interrupting the silence that hung over our group. Andy sighed and volunteered to give him his last piece of bread, even though we'd all eaten breakfast at the Pokémon Centre not ten minutes ago. I felt overwhelmed with new waves of adoration for Andy. My boyfriend was so giving!
"Aw, Andy! You don't have to do that for Tubby," I said, handing Tubby a birthday cake I had bought for him yesterday. It wasn't his birthday, Tubby just really liked birthday cake.
"I suppose you w-won't be releasing me for being nice?" he asked hopefully. I laughed and hugged him.
"Of course not!" Andy sighed with disappointment. Every day he asked me to release him and every day I didn't. I got the feeling he asked for the sake of it; surely by now he knew that I had no intention of ever letting him get away from me?
"Snorlax!" Tubby said suddenly, pointing ahead. I looked where he indicated and saw a whole family of Azurills, Marills and Azumarills. Pipin started going crazy; jumping up and down in my arms excitedly.
"I think he wants to go," Andy said. I raised Pipin so that he was in front of my face.
"Is that true, Pipin?" I asked, hoping that it wasn't. Pipin squealed, and even I couldn't deny that he wanted to join them. I sadly set him on the ground. "Go on then. Have fun with your new family." Pipin kissed my leg before scampering off where he was accepted immediately into the group. I didn't think losing a Pokémon would feel this sad. I turned my back on Pipin, my eyes watering and felt a hand rest on my shoulder. I looked back to see Andy standing close behind me, a look of concern on his face.
"Don't cry, Tizzy," he said. I just couldn't help it – first Pipin left and now Andy was being so nice! I started to wail loudly, causing Tubby to put his paws over his ears. Andy looked panicked for a moment, and took a deep breath before he kissed my cheek. I stopped crying in an instant, my cheeks blushing.
"Oh, Andy!" I quickly wiped my face with my hands and flung my arms around his neck.
"O-oh...what have I done?" he whispered to himself. With an extra spring in my step, I bounced over to the nearest tree and carved our initials into the bark with a sharp rock. T.H-J 4 A.A. Andy read it out loud, confused.
"Tizzy Harrison-Joy for Andy Aldington!" I explained happily. Andy groaned.
Note: Well aren't you just the luckiest little ladybird! I managed to write this before I zipped off to New York on Tuesday. Yes, I know I said Monday before but my mum had it wrong. Enjoy my lovelies! Leave me Merry Christmas reviews? No? Ah well, I tried :)
