Longest chapter here ever! The POVs are going to switch back and forth a lot in this chapter. Hopefully you can keep up with whose POV I'm on. So read, enjoy, and please, please, PLEASE review! I love hearing what you readers think of my story!


Lights.

That's all there was Kanjou, Reiki, and I entered back into the city. The city was just full of them with more pokemon bustling around than during the daytime. If only I was allowed, I'd go off and do some exploration of my own, but then that would greatly upset Kanjou and I'd lose the only chance I had to see the girl I rescued. So all Reiki and I could do as we walked through the city was remain silent, following Kanjou through until we passed by the last of the buildings. Then everything got completely dark as we walked out from the light. And to be honest, I didn't mind in the bit. I always did like the dark. No one would be able to see you and you could sneak away and get away with a lot of things during that time.

"Hey can I ask a question?" Reiki asked after a while of silence, once we were well outside of the city. Kanjou only gave a small grunt in response. Not one for words really. "Um, exactly how much further do we have left to go before we get to the party?"

"See those lights up ahead?" Kanjou asked without breaking his stride. Reiki and I looked up ahead in the distance to see a group of lights all toghether in one place. "That's the house we're heading to that's holding the party."

"Cool!" Reiki and I said.

"Ahem," Kanjou cleared his throat, causing the two of us to keep our behavior in check. We fell silent once again as we walked closer to the house, walking the curvy path we were on until we finally reached the entrance to the house. From inside I could hear loud music playing as well as pokemon talking from within. My heart was racing, knowing that I'd soon get to see the girl that I had rescued. I could picture her face even now, her sapphire like eyes gazing softly into mine. But what would I say to her? All this time and I hadn't thought about what I would say.

However, we all stopped and I was snapped out of my thoughts as a pokemon halted us before we could enter. "Excuse me a moment," the blue tail-finned pokemon said, blocking our way. I immediately recognized this pokemon, only because he was one of the seven Eon evolutions. From the looks of him, I'd say he was an older male. "But I don't think you three are on the guest list."

"I'm just here with some friends I invited," Kanjou said. "I invite my ownself."

"Careful Kanjou," the Vaporeon said. "The party doesn't need riftraft like you here."

"Forgive me," Kanjou said with a bow. "That was rude of me to say. I wanted to let my friends enjoy a fabulous evening by bringing them here."

It was then that the Vaporeon looked Reiki and I over, probably trying to remember what we looked like in case we did something out of hand. "Good evening sir," Reiki said with a bow.

"Sounds like a party inside," I said with a smile. "I love parties!"

"Hmm," the Vaporeon said, raising an eyescale. "And exactly where do your friends come from exactly?"

"The city over to the east," Kanjou replied.

"Really now?" the Vaporeon asked. "You actually found a city that actually accepts you? That's a surprise in itself. But I suppose I could let you in. However, I will be keeping an eye on you and your friends. One slip up from any of you and you'll be out of here faster than you can say 'Let go of me.'"

"Understood," Kanjou said, turning to us and nodding his head inward. Reiki and I followed Kanjou in, being met by the blast of loud music and the noise of many pokemon talking. But none of that was my main concern. I was finally going to find the girl I've been dreaming so much about.


Sigh.

That's all that came out of her mouth as she walked about the party, greeting guests and stopping to talk to a few people she knew. But then she would excuse herself saying she was looking for Ryoku before sighing once more, depressed and well out of earshot. It had been well over an hour since she arrived downstairs to search for the rescuer that had rescued her. And so far no such luck of finding him has been discovered.

"Does he not care enough to come?" she wondered to herself, looking down at the ground. "What if he doesn't know about the party? What if he thinks I really am going to get married and gives up on trying? All this is for nothing!"

As Taiyou rounded a corner, leaving the party in the other room, she wounded up bumping into somebody. "Hey!" the person yelled. "Watch where you're go- Taiyou? You all right? What's wrong?"

Taiyou looked up after rubbing her head to see Sansu sitting there on the floor, a cup in her paw that was now spilled on the floor. "Oh!" she siad. "Sansu I am so sorry! I didn't see you there."

"It's fine," Sansu said. "Although you won't find me embedded into the floor. That'd kind of be impossible to do." Taiyou chuckled a little at that, receiving a grin out of Sansu. "So tell me. What's got you down girl? Party pooper or something?"

"You know what it is," Taiyou said, looking down.

"Taiyou stop worrying," Sansu said.

"How can I not worry?" Taiyou asked. "Ryoku's going to ask me to marry him soon and my mysterious rescuer hasn't shown up yet. What if he doesn't?"

"Listen to me Taiyou," Sansu said, placing her paws upon Taiyou's shoulders. "We're going to get through this together whether he shows up or not."

Taiyou took a deep breath before smiling and saying, "I know. You're right. I just can't help it though. I don't want to go through with what's going to happen here."

"I know," Sansu said. "But sometimes in order to get what we want, we have to go through with the toughest decisions, even if we don't want it to happen."

"Thanks, Sansu," Taiyou said. "I'm glad to have you as a friend."

"And you better remember that too," Sansu said with a smile as Xao suddenly entered into the kitchen, stopping and looking around.

"Oh! Hello girls," he said upon spotting the two.

"Hello Bokushi Xao," both Taiyou and Sansu said simoultaneously.

"Taiyou, could I ask where I can find the drinks?" Xao asked. "I'm rather parched."

"Drinks are in the foyer area," Taiyou replied. "Or rather by the foyer area. You'll see the table lined with food alongside the wall."

"Oh yes," Xao said. "Thank you very much." With that, Xao turned and walked out.

"Well, we should get back out there too," Sansu said. "People will start worrying if you don't show up in there."

"O.K.," Taiyou said with a smile. "I have to head to the bathroom for a minute though. I'll be right down."

"Don't take too long," Sansu said with a wave of her paw as she walked off back into the party.

"I won't," I said, depression returning as I went and traveled up the back stairs.


Sometime upon entering the party, Kanjou allowed Reiki and I to go our own ways as long as we kept our behavior in check. Of course, Reiki tried blowing it for us by mocking what I said to the Vaporeon outside. Luckily I kept my cool this time around and told him not to start, otherwise I'd go to Kanjou about it and he'd make us leave. That got him to quit. Afterward I went over to some sort of long, white fabric with lots of food upon it, my mouth salivaing over the delicious meals placed out.

I quickly shook my head though, putting the thought of food away. I had to look like I knew what I was doing. I didn't want to let anyone know where I was really from. And besides, there was something more important than food at the moment. Looking around, I carefully studied each pokemon that was in the room, searching for the one that I've been so long searching for. But to no avail did I find her. And standing here wasn't going to really help me find her any faster.

And so after scanning the complete area and finding no trace of the girl, I got up and began walking around. If I couldn't find her from outside the crowd, I'd have to find her from within. Hopefully she wouldn't leave while I was searching. I walked around the area, looking around for either her or Reiki. It was probably a bad idea leaving the spot I was at moments ago, for now I think I was completely lost and had no known idea which way I was going.

So I did the only thing I could think of and walked aimlessly around for the next few minutes, hearing pokemon talk about their daily lives and what amazing things they have witnessed before it became too much for my ears. I had to flatten them against my head to block out as much noise as possible as I searched for an exit out, just to clear my head. I could go back searching for the girl in a little.

I eventually spotted the night sky some feet away from me, or more like the exit. Turning towards it, I manuevered around pokemon so I could get out. My ears were ringing the entire time as I reached the exit. Luckily for me the door was open and, taking a step outside, my eyes became unfocused for just a bit. Guess the lighting inside adjusted to me better than I thought. Once my eyes did adjust, I took a few more steps out onto something hard and wooden. I wasn't sure what to call it, but what I did know about it was that it was far above the ground and it seemed to stretch a good couple yards.

Looking to my right, I took notice that I wasn't the only one out here. Sitting by the edge of the walkway, a railing of some kind keeping him from falling off, was a Glaceon, yet another Eon evolution I was familiar with. As I chose to walk over and sit next to him to strike up a friendly conversation, I took note that he was staring off into the darkness. Upon closer inspection, his face appeared to be blank, like there was no expression in his eyes.

"It really is rude to stare," he said after a few moments of silence.

"Erm, sorry," I said. "You looked like you were a statue." The Glaceon remained silent as I sat alongside next to him, only I looked up into the sky, admiring each of the stars that brightened up the night. "Seems like the party's doing excellent. The noise is a little too much for my ears to handle though." And yet still the Glaceon remained silent, staring off in what little world he was in. It was kind of awkward now being that he hadn't spoken other than when I came out. I went back to looking at the stars, my mind racing frantically on something to say.

As I continued gazing at the stars, they seemed to begin forming a shape. A shape of something I've been thinking about for over a week now. And as the familiar shape came into view of the stars, my mind finally thought of a topic to break the awkwardness with. "You know something," I said. "There is a reason I came here to this party." After waiting for the Glaceon to reply, which he didn't, I continued on. "There's this girl I saw about maybe a week ago. I've been thinking about her ever since. But I can't seem to find her. What's your opinion on girls, if you don't mind me asking?"

The Glaceon continued staying silent, apparently not even listening to me. I breathed in deep and let out a long sigh as I now stared down at the walkway we were on. After a few more moments of silence, I began to get up to walk back inside when the Glaceon spoke.

"My opinion on girls?" he said. "They're nothing more than something to help you get to where you need to be. And once you're where you're supposed to be, then they're nothing."

It was my turn to remain silent, but only for a short moment. "Don't you think that's a little insensitive?" I asked. "Girls have feelings just as much as us guys do."

"You asked what my opinion on girls were," the Glaceon said."And so I simply stated what I thought, no matter how the question came out." The Glaceon then turned his head and looked directly at me. Even in the dim light coming from the house I could see that his facial expression bore no emotion. His eyes were dead, his face stern. And yet as I stared at the Glaceon, something seemed quite familiar about him, like I've met him somewhere before. But where?

Though before I could recognize where I've seen the Glaceon someone suddenly yelled out, "Hey look everyone! Shooting stars!" I snapped out of whatever trance I was in trying to recognize the Glaceon and looked around for whoever shouted before looking up into the sky. Shooting down across the sky were streaks of fire, moving just as fast as lightning. I tore my gaze away from the sky as the party going on inside suddenly all came rushing out to watch the stars shoot across the sky.

My ears flattened against my head as the noise once again got loud. It wasn't really all that great that my ears were super sensitive to noise, especially if I was in a room full of talking pokemon. This night just seemed to be turning into a disaster for me. I had come to a party in hopes of finding the girl I had rescued and all I ended up getting were ringing ears.

Sighing depressingly, I backed off into the shadows as pokemon came out from within the house, blending myself within and silently padding my way back into the house.


Nothing.

That's all I felt inside as I stared back at my reflection in the mirror. I couldn't get over the fact that I had this party all planned out just for it to come crashing down all around me. My mysterious rescuer hadn't shown up at all and Ryoku was soon going to ask for my paw in marriage. What a life I was going to have. If I was going to wind up with a snobbish asshole like Ryoku, I might as well become what I was going to be sooner rather than later.

As I stared in the mirror, staring at those dead looking eyes of mine, the sparkle gone from within them, and the serious, unchanging expression I had upon my face, I realized that I couldn't be like this. It just wasn't me to become like Ryoku, change my entire personality. People liked me for who I was and I just couldn't change that. Maybe I could run away, leave a note saying I couldn't go through with it. No. I couldn't do that. It'd break my mom's heart and cause Ryoku to do horrible things once he found me, if he ever could, which I'm sure he would eventually, unless I was dead. Then no one would be able to do anything to me. Or they could, but I wouldn't feel anything. But still, the thought of committing suicide, though playing in my head, would cause so much grief to my mother. And I couldn't stand to see her in that much pain. I'd feel guilty if I did go through with it.

I quickly shook my head, ridding the thoughts that were in my head. I couldn't help but think of those thoughts though. Would life really be much easier if I were dead instead of being miserable with Ryoku? I wasn't sure what I was thinking any more. Having enough of my own relfection, which I'm sure might be the last time I would ever see, I turned and walked out from the bathroom, lost deep in thought.


Walking back in through the door, my ears still rung quiet a little from all the noise. Maybe I had to rethink my idea of a party. Way too many pokemon in one spot that my ears can only handle so much. But now, it was quiet and empty in the house, what with everyone outside watching the shooting stars. No one was left inside. Just me. Only me. I felt... alone. I could feel my heart aching, the whole night just seemed to not be in my favor.

Sighing depressingly, I let my ears and tail droop as I walked off to the right. Perhaps I'd go off into another room and sit alone in the darkness, letting my starve until I was nothing more than a rotting corpse. Why was I thinking of thoughts like these? I hadn't the slightest. But would it really make me feel better? As I trudged my way slowly towards another room, I stopped suddenly, my thoughts breaking from what I was thinking as I heard a gasp.

My ears perked up upon hearing the noise. Looking upwards to my right, where I heard the gasp come from, I saw someone falling down from a flight of uprising steps. I hadn't had time to get a good look as to who it was. All I remember doing was leaping back as the pokemon fell nearer the floor right before my vision went pink.


One minute earlier...

I padded my way down the hallway, my mind lost in its own thoughts as I kept my eyes down at the ground. I didn't even seem to realize that I was already making my way down the stairs. I was lost deep in thought I was playing out my whole future with Ryoku. The more I thought about it, the more depressed I became with every passing second.

I was brought out of my thoughts, however, as I felt my shackled feet slip in front of one another. I gasped as all four of my feet left the stairs, sending me flying through the air. Panic spread through me as I fell towards the floor. But as I fell, I took quick notice of someone standing at the bottom, staring straight up at me. I didn't have the time to get a good look at who the person was. All I knew was that my vision went entirely black as I hit bottom.