Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. The OC's are mine, but everything else is owned by the Pokemon Company and Nintendo.

Chapter 10

Copper's POV

"Hey! Copper and Red are here!" I heard AJ shout within the confines of the large temple within the Dragon's Den. It was in the dark evening hours, so the younglings had to have gone back home to their families in Blackthorn City. Then it must be only AJ, Lance, Cynthia, Clair and Jamie, their grandfather and the elder of Dragon's Den.

The door flipped open like it had a life of its own, and there standing in front of me was AJ. Awkward, teenage AJ. He had to be at least fourteen by now. "Hey, Copper!" he exclaimed as he grabbed me into the chokiest hug I have probably ever experienced. "Dinner's almost ready. Don't worry, Cynthia's cooking. Man, she makes the best spaghetti…" He looked like he was lost within a wonderful dream that contained lots of noodles and red sauce. "Anyways, come on in, and take a seat at the table."

I walked into the house, Red following me rather closely. He seemed very edgy for some odd reason that I could not place. I felt like he was trying to guard my life when there was no reason to. We shuffled down the hall to find a traditional table, complete with kneeling cushions. I felt more like I was in a temple than a house.

At the table, I had found Jamie and Clair, seemingly mad at each other. Of course. As long as I could remember, those two have had their rounds. Most of the time, it's Clair's fault.

"I fed the Gyarados this afternoon!"

"Then why were they following me with those hungry eyes, as if begging me for food?" Jamie sighed as he glanced in my direction, "Copper! It's so nice to have you back here, and with Red too! Please, make yourself comfy and don't listen to a word Clair says."

"GRANDPA!" Clair looked as if she were about to pop an aneurysm from this anger.

"Oh, shush, insolent child, do not be so quick to anger."

I looked over to find a man with mint green hair down to his waist at the far end of the table. He had a naïvete about him that made him seem quite a few years younger than what he probably is. "Who are you?" I asked, smiling. Smiles make everyone and everything open up.

"Oh, I'm N," the man, no boy, smiled back. He seemed rather frail, and also seemed afraid to shake my hand. "So you're Copper, the birthday girl?"

"I guess I am," I laughed, "By the way, how old are you?"

"Nineteen." Oh, only a year older than myself. No wonder he had seemed young.

BANG!

"DINNER IS PREPARED!" AJ shouted as he grinned while holding up a gong. Apparently the boy has seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show a bit too early on in his life. Cynthia walked in behind him, holding a giant bowl of angel hair pasta, smothered in tomato sauce and melted cheese. Arceus, that smelled great….

"AJ, do you think you can call the rest of them in? I don't want Lance to unleash his paternal side until he actually does have children," Cynthia asked as she placed the spaghetti on top of a couple of potholders.

"Okay, fine," AJ grumbled as he put down the gong and rushed down the stairs. Apparently there is a downstairs basement closer to the bottom of the canyon.

"So how many people live here now?" I asked Cynthia as I got up to help her set the table.

"Oh, don't worry about the silverware. I'll get it," she assured me, "As for boarders, we currently have two that we hadn't planned on having for much longer. So overall, there is seven of us."

I sat back down next to Red. "So, you happy she made us dinner?" he asked.

"More than you know. I'm happy Mom isn't smothering me this year." My sixteenth birthday was insane. My mom got all of the young female gym leaders to come over for a big sleepover at my old house in New Bark Town. I'm very happy it wasn't on Mt. Silver or Red would have been all sorts of all over Misty.

AJ bolted up the stairs, followed by Lance. The older of the two smiled. "So how's my replacement Champion doing?" he asked me as he knelt down at the head of the table, right next to N.

"I've been doing really well over the last few years," I laughed, "Thanks for all of the Christmas and birthday cards. You guys are so thoughtful."

"Oh, it's the least we can do," he grinned as he flashed a glance towards Red, who now seemed rather miffed, "We just need to wait for this Slowpoke to get here or else we'll eat witho-"

"ARCEUS, I'm here already!" Into the kitchen….strode Silver. I froze upon seeing him for the first time in seven years…. since that passionate instance in the underground tunnels. His hair had outgrown, down to the middle of his back. That goofy strand of bangs had been flattened down, making him look a lot more like an adult. He was wearing a black button down shirt with the collar up around his neck and some pale ripped jeans. Those bold red eyes bore into mine with such an intensity, I felt like they had every emotion behind them at the moment.

"C-Copper?" Silver shouted, thinking his eyes must be deceiving him. The environment was so still that you could hear a pin drop from all the way out in Blackthorn City.

"Silver…," I said back. After all of these years….

"Copper...I MISSED YOU ARCEUS DAMN IT!" He came over and picked me up into a crushing embrace, much to my shock. The Silver that was so cruel when I was younger would have never acted like this….loving. Something must have changed within him.

"Silver, I had missed you too. Where have you been all of these years?" I asked, touching his shoulders to make sure he was real and not a figment of my overactive imagination.

"I've been here this entire time, where were you?"

"I beat the Pokemon League this and have lived on Mt. Silver since with Red," I gasped, and Silver then released me from the hug. I sat back down to my seat, and Silver took a spot next to me.

"Hey, I was gonna sit there!" AJ pouted like he did back when he was seven years old and traveled the Johto region with me.

"Well, since you didn't tell either of us what the other was up to, I think I deserve this spot. You can talk to her any damn time you want to, and I can't." He started to butter a roll and scooted a bit closer to me.

We had a LOT to discuss after dinner.

END