Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
My gift to you, my lovely readers – a new chapter. My apologies, it's a bit rushed and therefore may be riddled with errors, but hopefully it shall appease all of you. Happy Holidays to everyone!
Linked, connected,
Joined together in the throng of holy light.
Savor the union,
Be bound in bliss,
For there is nothing more sorrowful,
Than leaving it amiss.
In a past life, Eusine could have been an artful swindler or a cunning, crafty fox. His charms and persuasive, eloquent mannerisms had earned him a great many alliances, friends, companions, and hardly an enemy in sight. When he thought it necessary to employ his mastered talents, the researcher took to them with a strong, effective flair and most often came out with a suitable result. He could calculate tasks and implement forces with a brilliant ease that few could understand or had seen in person, fostering ready stratagems and tactics within the blink of an eye, the twinkle of a sparkling wink.
Before the arrival of the Carillon, the man had not put his talents to much use. Some days he would charm his way through various levels of research, get hold of a sacred document that the public was not meant to see, or dig up old secrets that someone thought long lost in the ruins of another time. But this girl, with all the group had gone through, employed the once sodden portion of his mind that could concoct and maneuver accordingly.
His thinking was not like Lance's brilliant strategies or Morty's careful patterns, but a simple, subtle, woven flare of deceit that ensured his happiness, or at present, the Carillon's.
As soon as Keiko appeared from the sublime tower, face aglow with a beaming smile and bells ringing after her (hoping she would return to their mythical chimes), he knew he had been caught. She had likely realized his plotting soon after the success of her entitlement, but didn't seem to mind the fact that she had been duped, if the massive grin was any indication.
The young girl paraded along the grounds, allowing her arms to trace the outline of the mythical air, holding her head in a more regal posture, prouder now than when she had left their sides earlier. One look towards the ragtag group of gentlemen, however, had her giggling in a sort of effortless ease, as though a huge weight had just been lifted from her chest, allowing a relaxing feeling to enter her fingers and a serene balance of emotions flicker across her face.
As she approached the gathered males, the youth placed a playful, suspicious glance upon her features, brow arched and finger pointing towards the researcher like she had just uncovered the case of the century. She even extended one digit to prod his arm in reprimand while trying to erase the grin from her lips.
"Eusine, you horrible little sneak! You did that all on purpose, didn't you?"
The researcher pretended to look absolutely horrified at her insinuation, leaping back from her accusatory touch and attempting to desperately rid his face of that Cheshire, cat who swallowed the canary, grin.
"My dear Keiko, what on earth could I have done to earn such scorn?"
All three of the other members struggled to not roll their eyes. Keiko, now shifting her smile to one of an all-knowing smirk, continued with her assertions, still tangled in the ecstasy of truly being the Carillon, caught up in the frenzy of tranquility.
"You planned all that out. You knew-"
"You must have mistaken me for some other mastermind. Only you could have passed the test."
The researcher ignored her presumptions, opting to raise his head so that his eyes were no longer level with hers, waving his hand in the air at her preceding insinuations, taking time to fondly ruffle the blonde locks on the top of her head. A glint of satisfaction lit along his blue slits, as he scanned the horizon, not bothering to look at any of his companions, simply drifting in the warm state of repose like it was a well-deserved treat.
The youth didn't buy Eusine's statement, allowing his fingers to dishevel her hair as she tried desperately to meet his eyes again and confirm her suspicions upon his character. The researcher had always held an air of mystery to her, and most of the time she couldn't see past the veils and masks of charming smiles and silver-tongued phrases to fully regard his true nature. He was not an open book like Lance; Eusine usually took the time to carefully and artfully disguise his countenance with wry grins and some other eager façades.
"But you purposefully brought us here…to make me…happy?"
He placed that masterful smile along his lips again and looked down upon the slender child, throwing away his tiny secret, though not to receive the credit, but to make her feel cared for by his observant stature.
"Everyone needs a nice little pick-me-up now and then, my dear. You looked a little down."
She followed the mystic man's eyes as they roamed towards Lance's figure by the gates, listening intently to the conversation but not placing any input within the context, opting to embrace stoic, impassive features as he delved into his own thoughts.
At the researcher's statement of her emotions, the child allowed her gaze to linger upon the Champion's own before both souls turned away from the glances, protecting themselves from looming frustrations and salvaging the remaining visages of peace and lighthearted throngs.
Eusine's observing poise had captured the tiny motions between the two, and resigned to deliver a small, inaudible sigh. All was still not well within the group, and with Lance's departure nearing, he didn't want the Champion to leave on unsuitable terms with their precious Keiko. Perhaps there was a way to make amends between the comrades…
Turning around swiftly in a state of refined elegance that ladies pine for but could never hope to achieve, the researcher clasped his hands together and drew a magnificent smirk upon his features as he addressed his fellow companions.
"How about a celebration of today's efforts, my wonderful comrades? The Kimono Dance Theatre, perhaps? My treat!"
Though Keiko had never been to the dance theatre, a suitable landmark in Ecruteak, upon entering she was certainly amazed by the array of life springing about the small lodging. While Ecruteak often displayed ruins of yesteryear and timeless, classic legends touching the fabric of the inhabitants' lives, this active hall was like a testament to indulging in whimsical delights, from sipping tea and chatting amongst the other people roaming about the lounge to watching elegant women dancing with their Pokemon upon the tiny stage.
While being dragged in by Eusine's long arms as he rushed to a spot not taken by other groups of people, Keiko carefully watched the network of life strewn about the simple wood tables and refreshing atmosphere, bestowing charming smiles as she clambered amongst those gathered in the hall.
She carefully noted ongoing business transactions between some suit-clad men and women, longing to lend an ear to the conversation to see why their faces were so stern or delighted, small children racing alongside the stage as the dancers proceeded to showcase their practiced movements, waving in their earnest entertainment at the dances being performed. Her eyes even ran to the loud, boisterous men in some of the corners as they played some kind of competitive games and sipped their sake, laughing at one another as they took turns telling stories or jesting at their friends' unfortunate follies.
After the researcher had managed to claim a table for them, the youth settled onto one of the wooden planks, attempting to ignore Lance as he sidled across from her and twisted in every direction but her own. Eusine and Morty ran off to get "refreshments", leaving them alone to stew in the awkward tension.
Upon their companions' return, the mystic man and ghost trainer shook their heads at the poignant scene of crossed arms and bodies facing opposite directions. Smirking, Eusine leaned toward the table and placed his chosen drink for Keiko on a nearby coaster, waiting for Lance's reaction as the Champion cast furtive glances towards the container.
"There you are, my dear. Enjoy!"
The child turned and smiled at the charmer, but before she could reach for the glass she found Lance's hand tugging it away from its spot and hoisting the concoction towards his nose, allowing the scent of the liquid to waft towards him while a suspicious gaze took over his face.
"Why might you be trying to serve Keiko alcohol, Eusine?"
Trying to not appear dubious, Eusine's long fingers deftly procured the beverage from the Champion's grasp and gingerly took it for himself while placing a warm mug of freshly brewed tea upon the absent coaster.
"Oh, silly me. That must be my drink. Mint tea, my Lady?"
As Keiko gratefully accepted the soothing drink, Eusine glanced from the unsuspecting child to the dragon master, who had already begun to glower at the researcher, likely doubting his innocence in any sort of matter. Bestowing a charming smile upon his lips, he put his plan in motion and prepared to escape.
"Well, looks like you two are in need of a good chat. Morty and I will be...over there."
He scurried off quickly with drink in hand, and Keiko was left to fend for herself with a grumpy Lance muttering obscenities about stupid plotting researchers under his breath.
Sighing and bringing her precious mint tea, hopefully not tainted with liquor, to her lips, the child managed to bury the hatchet for a moment and consigned to a small portion of speech.
"Thanks. I probably wouldn't have noticed until I was drunk or something."
She only received a slight grunt in reply and didn't bother to say anything more, content to watch the various people milling around them or the dancers that were performing a fair distance away. If he wanted to converse with her then she'd let him begin the exchange. Perhaps she'd even allow the male to stew a bit, permit the atmosphere to reach a strained, uncomfortable edge before he imploded and she could pretend that she had won some mini-competition of wills with the Champion. Amused by this aspect of thought, a slight grin was painted on her face as she continued to place her attention on anything but the man seated behind her.
Lance, on the other hand, was not amused by the droning silence or satisfied by watching random people he didn't know or really care to know wander about the hall. He would peer at their neighbors for a few moments at a time, wonder if they were harmless or threatening, or occasionally glare at some stupid teenage male who would be caught staring at Keiko, scaring them into hysterics and smirk as they turned around in fear.
Even while keeping himself the slightest bit amused by these childish antics, he found he couldn't stand the long, drawn out silence. Usually his day was so full of her stupid, random outbursts of ideas and horrible screeches it was odd to be in the same vicinity as her and not be pummeled by every thought that entered her brain.
He decided to try glaring at the back of her head, namely to see if he could garner any reaction other than her muteness. After a few minutes of his blatant, seething gaze upon her blonde ponytail and no response from the girl, he snarled and turned away, fixating his stare on some dirt that hadn't been swept from the floor.
The Champion figured she was enjoying this intense period of silence, where she was permitting him to simmer in impatience and continuing to sip on her tea as though nothing was amiss. She was probably smirking to herself now, staring off into the distance while having a good, inaudible laugh at his expense. Out of spite and the yearning for her amusement to be banished, he finally spoke up, goading some forms of speech across his tongue towards the back of her flaxen head.
"It seems Eusine wants us to talk."
The girl almost choked into her mug as he lost the unknown competition, stifling her satisfied, smug giggle forming in the back of her throat as she managed to form a coherent sentence without glancing back his way.
"Strange. I don't have anything to discuss with you. You certainly made your opinions clear this morning."
"Well, good. They haven't changed."
Leaning back into his chair and crossing his arms, he knew he had caught her with that comment, ensnared her into joining him in one of their usual banters where he would likely come out the victor. Continuing to settle neatly into the wooden frame of his chosen seat, he smirked as she whipped around, placing her tea mug firmly on the table, quieter than she normally would in fear of causing some heads to turn at their impending argument.
Effectively provoked, the child's face turned from a lively countenance of self-satisfaction to a deepening loathing, lips dropping any form of a smirk and brows furrowed into her typical angered stance.
"What is your problem? Everyone has done so much for me…I just want to contribute. I don't want to cause extra dilemmas. If I fight against the Rockets, if I can knock them out, then that's one less thing everyone would have to deal with in the future."
Remaining in his same pose as before, the Champion snorted indignantly at the child's proclamation, still not fully convinced of her infantile plan.
"You're not strong enough. There is no reason to putting yourself or anyone else out on a limb like that. You'll only get hurt."
Creasing her forehead even further, the girl leaned forward in dubious form, placing her elbows on the table to gain a better stance.
"Why are you being so cautious lately? That's unlike you."
Amused by the accusation, Lance allowed a slight chuckle to rumble from his chest before chastising the girl for her presumptions.
"You seem to be confusing me with yourself. I'm not the one who charges blindly into things. Besides, I'm not being cautious, I'm just stating the facts. You are not strong enough to handle the Rockets on your own. It's stupid and unreasonable, and I won't be around to haul your ass out of a dungeon again."
Irritated and indignant, Keiko puffed out her small frame and folded her arms across her chest, turned her face away from his, raising it so that her nose stuck in the air. One hand went for her mint tea and her voice rang from its contents before she placed it by her lips, not even thinking about her statement, her words roaming too quickly across her tongue, running away from any filter her mind sought to form.
"You won't be able to do anything about it when you leave, you know. I can just commit to my plan and you won't be able to stop me. Morty and Eusine won't restrain me or hold me back from what I want to accomplish."
Narrowing his eyes, the male leaned forward and had the urge to yank the stupid mug from her hand and throw it across the hall. His voice took on a deep, angry edge, informing her that she was treading on dangerous ground.
"Are you kidding me, Keiko? Are you really that selfish?"
Suddenly silenced by his assertion, she swallowed tiny sips of tea and stared into space as he continued to speak; the sharpened words poised like daggers, jabbing into her body as he uttered such grated edges of speech. She couldn't take her words back as she longed to do, and was punished for her insolence.
"Those two would walk to the ends of the Earth for you. If you honestly think that they would allow you to go on alone, you need to have your brain checked."
Still without a remark from Keiko, the dragon tamer proceeded with little insistence, voice growing softer and quieter as he noted the child's reaction, figuring he had gotten his point across successfully.
"They would help you on whatever you wanted to do, including following your dumbass into danger. They would try to be of service to you no matter the cost. At the very least, don't do anything rash until I return. We can start plotting out what do to when I get back."
His final statement prompted her to speak once again, swiveling in his direction and extending a desperate tone.
"When you get back? Lance, you don't even know when that's going to happen. You could be out there for years for all we know. I want to be able to do something now – grow stronger, something, anything. I can't protect them like you can."
"Who said anything about protecting Eusine and Morty? They're there for protecting you."
She flickered her gaze off to some other object again, rummaging for her thoughts and trying to process them clearly so that she may effectively communicate her feelings to the Champion. Her fingers played about the resin of the mug, trying to distract her from making some stupid statement again.
"I don't want them hurt for my sake. I don't want any of you harmed any longer because of me. I'm sick of being this little glass doll. I want to be stronger. I have to be stronger."
It was Lance's turn to be hushed and take in all of the information the girl unloaded, watch as she tried to express her worries and desires. His gaze softened somewhat and mind began to understand how she viewed herself, always protected by either he or the others, shuffled or prodded along according to their wishes.
"No matter what I do, I seem to be a burden. I have to be watched at all times in case some maniac Grunt wants to steal me away. I have to be protected in case some loser wants to kidnap and sell me to some other secret organization. I want to be able to fend for myself. I want to gain enough power to protect my friends and myself. I want them to be able to rely on me as much as I do on them."
He had to smile as she finished, finally seeing a slender girl that didn't just think of only herself, but of her comrades, of her token friends and companions she had gained in the short amount of time she had spent with them.
She had matured, albeit slowly, from a gangly teenager focusing on her trials and tribulations to a young adult who longed to protect those around her, yearning to step into a suitable role when Lance would have to vacate the position of guardian.
Sighing softly, he placed his chin in the palm of his hand and replied with a gentle course of words, showcasing thoughts on the subject of their companions, and perhaps, imparting his own feelings where she wouldn't suspect them.
"I know those two don't mean it as a slight to you. They watch over you because they care about you. You are not a burden by any means."
She appeared rather stunned by his turn of speaking, eyes widening at his almost soothing tone and allowing him to continue as she sipped the last of her tea.
"But I understand where you're coming from, and I'm not trying to hinder you by advising you to not go against the Rockets quite yet. I'll let you know when I think you're ready, but not now. You don't need to endanger yourself or anyone else before you're prepared for some tough battles."
The girl lowered her blue eyes for a moment and stared at a random smudge upon the table, taking in his words and sighing in comprehension and hushed acceptance. Lance chuckled again after some more pending codes of silence.
"If you'd like, I'll train you every day for the remaining time I'm here."
Raising her head quickly, she blinked rapidly and allowed a broad grin to encompass the entirety of her face. There was a shimmering excitement that embodied her countenance in such a fluid motion, and in that moment the dragon master truly believed she was ready to step up to the plate.
"Of course! I'll take you up on your offer."
"Don't get your hopes up on anything being simple. I won't go easy on you."
Her smile never fading, a hand waved in his direction to indicate her amusement and a slight giggle bubbled from her throat. She knew all too well that nothing would ever go simply with herself or Lance, especially combined.
"Oh please Lance, you never do. I wouldn't expect it."
As Lance laughed again and stood up to go obtain his own beverage and, as she handed him the mug, refill her tea, the youth quickly collected her thoughts on their long, but satisfying conversation. It was odd how easily they had settled their quandaries, once they conquered their annoyance at one another, lifting that heavy, cumbersome cloud off of each other almost flawlessly.
Observing the Champion wistfully, Keiko placed her chin within her palm and rested onto her elbow leaning across the table, pondering over the fact that she was going to truly miss his presence when he was gone. She hadn't thought about his disappearance in such a way before that particular moment, she had always filtered her mind into the dreaded feelings of fear that he would no longer be around to protect her or the others. The notion that his absence would be felt as more than a loss of a valued knight - she would be losing a precious, priceless friend, sent her into a saddened mood.
He was the one she quarreled with, he was the one she could share almost every absurd thought that crossed her mind with, he was the one who stole her away from those horrible Rockets and allowed her to trust himself, Morty and Eusine…
Her thoughts broke away as he returned to their table and offered her the refilled mug of that wonderful, soothing tea, tilting his head curiously as she seemed to awaken from her thoughts and take the proffered drink. Noticing his questioning look, she shrugged shyly and said the first thing that came to her mind.
"You know…I think I really am going to miss you."
His sudden rigid composure and silence cautioned her to not move onwards on such a topic, it was still too touchy, too soon, too open and sensitive at that point in time, a venture for the impending future that no one in the group wanted to cross. Breathing deeply and forcing an energetic smile on her face, she grinned and stood up from the table, inviting him into some involuntary fun.
"Now then, enough of this serious conversation. I want to see if we can get Eusine drunk enough to dance with the Kimono Girls."
From one of the more crowded areas within the theatre, as Eusine usually managed to garner a horde of people around him at any point in time, the other two companions watched the dragon master and Carillon finally manage to have a decent conversation. The researcher, incredibly satisfied by his handiwork gulped down some hardy mouthfuls of sake before grinning ear to ear in Morty's direction, pointing out his marvelous brilliance, as Lance and Keiko seemed to whispering like they were involved in some great conspiracy. If he felt the urge to be suspicious, the notion didn't show up along his face.
"You see, Morty? Look, they're talking! Yet another successful plan by the infamous Eusine."
There was a quiet snort from the ghost trainer as he turned away from a local man he was having an earnest conversation with, glancing towards the usual fighting duo and arching a brow at Eusine's insistence.
"You base your success on the fact that you offered Keiko alcohol and Lance was smart enough to see through it?"
The mystic man may have had the decency to be a bit ashamed of himself, but chose not to depict the emotion across his features, and instead, reclined further in his chair and winked in the direction of some ladies nearby before replying in his same confident manner.
"Well, yes…that was the first step. I had to get his protective instincts into gear. Besides, if Lance hadn't said anything, I suspect Keiko is a very chatty drunk and I could have still won in that fashion."
Morty had been friends with Eusine for quite some time, but still found it difficult to get over some of the researcher's elaborate, and often foolish, schemes. This one was working its way to the front of the line as the most absurd and ridiculous, particularly due to the potential dangerous methods of crossing alcohol with Keiko, who was usually loud and boisterous to begin with. As Eusine's typical voice of reason, he was amazed the man didn't seem to bear some sort of moral standard other than protecting his close companions, had he been nearby he certainly would have put a stop to it before the drink was even laid out on the table. The ghost trainer silently thanked Lance's shielding abilities towards the girl, before shaking his head at his friend and escaping for the time being.
"You're ridiculous. I'm walking away now."
As Eusine waved Morty off, he caught the movement of the Champion and Keiko, wandering towards his section of the hall with bright smiles and charming smirks. The researcher's overly imaginative mind began to spin and turn as they continued in their approach, drinks in hand like they were imploring to stay by his side for a few moments, at the very least. Perhaps they were coming to thank him for all of his hard work in getting them to apologize to one another and overcome their rude actions? Were they going to praise the ground he walked on for his awe-inspiring skills of plot and intrigue? They had obviously never seen his ploy coming, too caught up in their own little feud to notice his gallant defiance of such deeds. Maybe he should have tried something like this sooner, when they first began acting like spoiled little children and racing around his precious house like it was their own fighting arena, scaring all his maids half to death with their vile shrieking and unholy, juvenile tendencies. Oh, if only he had thought of it before…but now, now was not too late. He had succeeded, yes, overcome their degree of animosity towards each other…
His inner monologue ceased as the loveliness that was Keiko parted the growing crowd of gentlemen and ladies near the charmer, Lance following suit behind her lithe frame, and leaned toward him with an eager smile and hand extending a portion of her gratitude, a nice, new glass filled with glorious sake. He must have missed the twisting snicker that the Champion tried to hide.
"Eusine! Thank you so much for allowing us to have some time to ourselves to talk and get things off our chests. You have no idea how much it means to us. Here, we bought you another drink to express our generosity."
She laid the act on thick, batting her eyelashes and coyly thanking him for all of his hard work and labor, for putting up with their miserable and selfish ways, for indulging in his wonderful schemes for their favor and no one else's. She flashed him her pearly whites more than once, and with Eusine already on the verge of tipsy, he accepted the drink without a second thought. His attention was so focused on the lovely little beverage in his hand and his overwhelming triumph that he failed to notice the earnest laughter from Lance or Keiko's swift slap to the Champion's arm in attempts to smother the chuckling.
Glancing up from his cup and longing to stroke his ego a bit further, Eusine allowed a shimmering smile to pass across his lips as his charming voice continued to exude throughout the foray, glancing back and forth from Lance to Keiko as they tried to control their sniggering.
"So everything is well now? I trust you have both settled your differences with one another?"
The youth quickly slid her arm through Lance's and shoved her body closer to him, placing a deliriously fake grin on her face while the Champion turned away in fear of his chest bursting from the growing amount of stifled laughter.
"Of course! We're the best of friends now."
"Glad to hear it!"
Eusine slid a little further back into his chair, grinning all the while and sipping on his drink like he had just completed another hard day's work. He nodded to the duo before addressing the gathered throng settled around him, longing to regale them again with some fascinating story.
"Has anyone heard of the time I found out about the legendary beasts? Ohhh it's a great story…"
As he droned on and on, entertaining the guests, his vision didn't catch the seats the Champion and Carillon pulled up nearby, or that they were continuing to get up at random intervals to obtain more drinks that ended up passed into his hands, much to his delight. By the time he had finished the random tale, he was more than just a little tipsy.
Keiko used this to her advantage. Winking at Lance, she turned towards Eusine and his horde of followers, addressing the male with a sense of otherworldly curiosity.
"Eusine, I've been wondering…do you like to dance?"
The researcher's expression, already embellished by the copious amounts of alcohol floating about his system, broadened into childish glee, a giggle erupting from his throat and bubbling to the surface of the gathered sector.
"Dance? Sssuuure, I like to dance. I've been trained in the fine artsss of dance."
"Really? Well, someone told us that they didn't think you were good enough to dance with the likes of the Kimono Girls."
"Whaaaat? Blasphemy! I can easily interpret their movements and showcase the world with my own!"
Already quite inebriated, the researcher flew to his feet, stumbling about here and there, spilling a few drops of his half-gone drink, and began to make his way towards the stage, loudly. He called out to fellow customers and their charming ladies, kissing some on the hand before being ushered away from them by Lance and Keiko as they followed along, giggling all the way. They weren't out to punish the man, but perhaps, teach him a sound lesson in plotting, scheming, and to not use alcohol as a weapon of choice for such forays.
Seeing Eusine in his drunken state was enough for Keiko to remain entirely grateful for Lance's earlier act of kindness. She could only imagine herself bumbling around like an idiot, tipsy on half a glass of sake and annoying nearby patrons. Maybe she would have broken into song…
"You know…one time, I dreamt I was a monkey!"
"That's great, Eusine."
Patting the charmer and glancing around, while continuing to help the Champion shove Eusine towards the highlighted stage, the youth looked for the researcher's caretaker and voice of reason, Morty, and found him against the wall, conversing with some of the Ecruteak locals. If she could somehow manage to get by the ghost trainer without him noticing Eusine's drunken composure-
"Mortttttttyyyy!"
Despite Lance quickly shoving his hand over the researcher's mouth, it was all too late. The researcher had spotted his best friend and was now gleefully waving at him, trying to get his attention through exaggerated movements that almost left him on the ground, had the Champion not righted him several times.
Morty's keen eye washed over the scene and Keiko knew they had been caught. His quick strides led him swiftly to the trio, and Lance immediately dropped his calloused hand from Eusine's gaping mouth to feign some poorly contrived innocence.
The ghost trainer gazed at the three and barely contained his smirk. Eusine was now clutching onto his arm like some lost child, jumping up and down with a juvenile excitement bubbling through his embellished motions. Throughout the pandemonium Morty did nothing but remain perfectly calm and at ease, as though this sort of thing had happened before and would likely occur again in the future. Any sort of disapproving look was given to Lance and Keiko, who sheepishly stared at the floor in hopes of not meeting the blonde's eyes.
"What were you three up to?"
Eusine took the initiative in explaining, though his was slurred and lacking in significant details, as he lunged for Morty's other arm and grabbed hold of it like he was asking permission for a cookie.
"I was going to dance on ssstaaage. Can I go dance, Morty? Can I, can I?"
If possible, Morty's smirk grew while he nodded towards the nearby dais, granting the drunken researcher his, and likely everyone else's, fun.
"Sure. Climb right up there."
The other two companions remained visibly stunned, Keiko especially, since she didn't have the good sense to act her way through this particular situation. Her jaw appeared unhinged, dropping towards the floor as her eyes widened in shock and her mouth tried to stammer out words that didn't hold much meaning other than conveying her surprise. Lance, on the other hand, chose to simply stare at the ghost trainer in disbelief.
The blonde male shrugged, keeping a close eye on Eusine as he began to make a fool of himself beside one of the kimono girls and the gathered crowd chuckled with approval.
"He needs to learn his lesson every once in a while. I don't approve of all of his methods either."
The Champion and Carillon each held a countenance of triumph in that moment, a sense of achievement washing over them for not only a job well done, but for vengeance as well, fighting against the onslaught of Eusine's devious ways.
Morty chose to respond to their mutual gestures of success by narrowing his eyes in their direction while they swiftly turned their attention to Eusine's horrible dancing, giving forth an almost inaudible speech within the loud bellows of the neighboring crowd.
"But it seems this one still worked, hm?"
It was difficult not to laugh at Eusine, attempting to dance like his fellow stage-mates and failing miserably, giggling all the while as he received catcalls from the growing crowd. While maintaining a protective eye, ensuring that Keiko was at the base of the stage and Morty was at the front of the burdening crowd, both chuckling in amusement, the Champion allowed himself the briefest moment to think amongst the cajoled throng.
Lance had never meant to become attached to these people, the little ragtag group of dramatic fools and insightful charmers, but as he surveyed them in the amusing hysteria of the Kimono Dance Theatre, he knew he had been entrapped, ensnared and wholeheartedly devoted to each one.
He had truly not meant to even become involved in the Carillon affair, from the beginning he was just one of Eusine's companions that the researcher felt he had needed to talk to, and became intertwined within the venture by guilt and remorse. The girl had been taken, and out of responsibility and honor, he rescued her from the plague of sinister demons dressed in crimson Rs.
Somewhere along the way, he decided to stay. It wasn't in a moment of clear understanding, he never even asked Eusine if it was suitable to bunk with the rest of them in the researcher's massive home – the notion simply came to be and remained stuck there until the letters began to arrive.
Lance wasn't sure if he liked the idea of being fond of Eusine, Morty and Keiko. He wasn't one to get close to many individuals, except perhaps immediate family, like Clair. He had companions or acquaintances that he conversed with from time to time, at social gatherings or parties he would mingle politely with the rest of the throng, but he would always manage to escape having close ties with any of those people. He didn't force himself to get to know others unless they were of a great importance, perhaps the head of the Pokemon League, and could care less about indulging himself in the intimacies of strangers.
But those three had somehow maneuvered their way into his heart and mind, causing him to focus on them almost constantly. They made him unconsciously worry and fret, chuckle and smirk, yell and scream, protect and shield. They formed a taught string of silken bonds around his form, with childish smiles, winking eyes and gleaming snickers, and now, he had to somehow manage to let them go.
He knew he wouldn't be able to do it – he had already become so firmly connected to the trio that there was no possible way for him to disconnect and detach himself from them. The Champion had begun to hope for some sort of salvation from this mess, perhaps one of them would ask him not to go, beg and plead for him to stay in their little world, and he would be incapable of refusing their gesture. He could easily tell the Pokemon League to shove his title up their asses, return to the mansion and help protect his companions…
But they wouldn't. None of them, Keiko included, were that selfish. They would allow him to leave with painted faces hiding withering smiles and shed tears, would sacrifice their happiness for what they presumed was Lance's and life would try to retain a sort of normalcy without the dragon master's presence. On the flip side, he wouldn't stoop to a level of admitting he needed them either (aloud, anyway), that they had become a necessity in his life.
So for the few weeks that he still had time with them, Lance resolved to make the best of it, ignoring the pangs in his heart at the thought of wandering about without them near.
"Lance, look what that old guy gave me!"
Distracted from his thoughts, the Champion flicked his eyes from the stage to the form of Keiko now at his side, holding some sort of package and gesturing in his direction with the object. Curious, and a bit concerned that the child hadn't learned not to take things offered by strangers and pondering when she had managed to amble away from the entertainment spectacle that was Eusine, his calloused hands took hold of the strange device. He inspected the article closely before coming to a conclusion on its namesake.
"It's a Hidden Machine. Surf, I believe."
"Wow! That was nice of him."
He handed it back to the excited girl after checking it over a few times to ensure its safety, quirking a brow in the direction the supposed old man was handing out these free, and very valuable, objects.
"What'd you do to earn such a keepsake?"
The girl shrugged, placing the item in the bag nestled along her shoulders.
"I don't think I did anything notable, I just said hello when I was passing by."
The dragon master snorted at this, narrowing his eyes in speculation in various directions but not capturing the image of the elder gentleman who had granted the girl a remarkable gift.
"Strange."
Glancing up from her pack, the child allowed herself to give a little laugh, quirking a brow towards the male as his attention flew back to her.
"You don't have to be suspicious about everyone, Lance. Haven't you ever benefited from the generosity of strangers, especially when you were a younger trainer?"
Keiko tried to imagine a younger Lance for a moment, perhaps a gangly, awkward youth traveling across the world with only a Dratini for a companion, bumbling about with some infantile scowl on his face. It painted an amusing picture, and she took a moment to smile at the thought of the Champion before her having to struggle like any other newcomer, though such a fantasy probably never happened. He was likely a very astute child, properly trained by his family, the Dragon Clan, and brought up to be the best of the best.
"No. I only depended on myself and didn't go around begging for charity."
"Oh."
The girl's voice drifted off after that, as she decided to linger upon her thoughts on such a subject, realizing quite quickly that she was an outright bum next to Lance. She had always relied on other people's kindness to make it through to this part of her journey, – from nights in Pokemon Centers, Rosa's warm and loving household, and now to the outstretched arms of Eusine, Morty and Lance.
Deciding to place a small smile on her face, she gestured towards the researcher making a fool of himself and suggested that they end his amusement and return home, hoping to not touch on any more sensitive subjects.
The next morning was filled with obnoxious, irritating whining, courtesy of two individuals within the strange household. The first, Eusine, battled his hangover with shrill moaning about how his companions were evil, corrupt beings who forced him to drink an amazing amount of liquor, which really only caused Morty to raise the television's volume to a louder decibel.
The second, predictably Keiko, was found in the immense backyard of the mansion, trying to wipe the sweat from her brow and shuddering in discontent as she felt the moisture drip down her back.
Despite the cool morning air, the child was drenched and breathing heavily, body shaking as her sneakers pounded against the grass, muscles aching from overuse. As she continued to run laps along the long, sweeping grounds, there were only a few hushed tirades ushered from her mouth, notably concerning the dragon master now in the center of the large field, bullhorn in hand.
Lance hadn't been kidding about the training – for herself or her Pokemon. Eusine's backyard had once again been transformed into Lance's twisted form of an exercising arena, meaning that she and her precious monsters had to run about twenty laps around the sector. Her beasts were well ahead of her in revolutions, especially Rocky, who was having a grand time gliding across the ground and making large holes that she had tripped in several times.
The echo of the dragon tamer's voice, enhanced by the bullhorn, did nothing but further irritate the youth.
"Keiko, too slow! Move it!"
"Damn bastard. I'll shove that horn down his throat…"
Her grumbling only increased, luckily inaudible to the Champion's ears or she'd probably have to do another eight laps, as her quivering frame, not used to such an intense workout, threatened to give out on her. Glancing ahead, after shooting another well-earned glare to Lance, she noted how her Pokemon were doing quite well under the strain.
When the dragon tamer had told her of the "endurance training" she and her beasts would take part in, she had been nervous not for herself, but for them. It had been a long time since they had all gotten out and participated in any sort of rigorous activity, but there they were, happy as could be. She noticed that her Tauros, easily the best runner of the group, had finished quite a lot sooner, and was contently munching on a patch of clover. A streak of envy ran through her, which she stifled rather quickly and raced on ahead. It was a bit pathetic to be jealous of your own Pokemon's athletic abilities.
Now if only she could somehow manage to finish before dropping dead.
Several minutes later, or hours (it certainly felt that way to Keiko), the girl had finished her required laps, choosing to collapse on the spot, face first into the now warm grass and lazily drawing her limbs into various positions. A sigh of relief and an aching feeling of accomplishment washed over her as her sides heaved under the heavy strain and lack of condition, not bothering to cease even as the Champion's footsteps were heard across the waving grass. Deciding not to roll over and address him, the youth kept her expression towards the lawn, absorbing its delicate warmth before speaking to the male, whose foot prodded her lower leg in some attempt to get her up.
"I take it all back. I hate you and I intend to haunt you when I die from all of this."
The Champion chose to snort at her but say nothing, twisting his frame in other directions like he was trying to come up with a new strategy of torture for the girl. She swiveled her frame around so that the grass was now to her back, looking up at Lance and continuing to whine in her most irksome way.
"Why do I have to participate in this anyway?"
Snorting once more, the male turned his attention back to her to gift her frame with some sort of disapproving look before replying nonchalantly, as though she had been incredibly numb to not think of the answer on her own.
"What if your chasing Team Rocket over a long distance? If you can't keep up with your Pokemon, what good are you to them?"
Remaining in her almost lifeless position, the child folded her arms and frowned.
"I've never been a track star, Lance."
He chuckled and maneuvered away from her, along another section of the beautiful grounds, another figure that had grown to love and blend within the surroundings of Eusine's grand fortress. As the girl curled her knees towards her chest and raised herself off the ground, she thought it was a real shame that he hardly had the time to peacefully rejoice in the splendor – there was too much to do, mostly for her, before he was to depart for a place that likely wouldn't hold this sort of wonder and majesty.
"I can tell. Now, get up. We still have to do some battle exercises. I have an idea concerning that Surf HM."
The evening came quickly, seemingly coursing over the day without warning, embracing the warm sun and heralding her back to another time and place, replacing her with the sultry moon, glowing along the walls of the mansion with an eerie glow. Incapable of slumber, despite the grueling activities of the day, the child stared out the dining room window, alone as the nearby grandfather clock struck midnight.
Another day gone, bringing them closer to that fateful hour that their beloved Champion would have to leave.
Sneaking into the fridge stockpiled with various goodies, the girl didn't hear the footsteps of another until he announced himself, a teasing grin lit upon his kind face and startling her into hitting her head on the nearby door.
"Keiko, I wouldn't expect you to be up at this hour, especially with Lance drilling you every waking moment of the day."
Flushed, the youth turned to see Morty, clad in some elegant blue robe, chuckling all the while at her. After grabbing her chosen food, a lovely container of chocolate ice cream, she shuffled around the drawers and snagged two spoons and dishes, inviting him to join her in their evident lack of slumber.
"Ah, well, I couldn't sleep."
"It appears we share the same problem."
Sitting across from each other at the long table and enjoying Keiko's selected treat, Morty raised a brow in that inquisitive, insightful manner of his that the girl tried to ignore, turning away to stare at the midnight sky hovering outside the massive windows.
"Is there a reason for your lack of sleep?"
His careful questioning, a probe to get her thoughts in order and perhaps release them from her over-stimulated mind, was enough of a gesture to warrant her voice flooding along the dining room.
"Oh, just thinking about things."
"That much is evident. You may rant and rave to me if you wish, or I could just continue to eat my ice cream in silence."
She smiled in his direction, turning her full attention on the older blonde, leaning forward to snag a bite of ice cream from her spoon and contemplating how to bring up the topic. Keiko had to be grateful for his appearance, she had long since learned that Morty was a valuable listener, capable of focusing her thoughts into sensible contortions and offering his astute advice without a qualm.
"You know, after my mother died…I didn't think I would ever be happy again. Yet, now, now I'm so content…I don't want anything or anyone to leave and ruin that bliss."
He rested his elbows on the shiny, wooden surface, procuring a few bites of his own frozen dish before inquiring further, hardly batting an eyelash at the subject matter.
"You speak about Lance, I presume?"
When all he received was a firm nod from the child, the ghost trainer continued, contributing his astute version of their favorite dragon tamer and Keiko's troubling thoughts in a simple ease.
"I've known him for quite some time. Behind that rough exterior, he has a heart of gold. He doesn't want to leave either. If any one of us asked him to stay, he would."
Lowering her head to inspect what was left of her ice cream, Keiko sullenly transcribed what they had all been thinking the past few days, whether silently or aloud to one another.
"But we won't."
Morty nodded his head in firm agreement, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back into his chair after finishing the ice cream.
"No, no we won't. There's too much pride in this group, I dare say. Besides, he has a job to do, a certain responsibility. I've never known him to back out of duty, and we shall not give him a chance to commit such an act that he would regret."
"So, instead, we're going to allow him to regret leaving us?"
All Keiko could do was frown, glancing in various other directions before swiveling back to the elder trainer's cerulean gaze as he delivered his reply.
"Oh, he would rue that regardless. But he'll come back to our little group, I assure you. There's not much that could keep him away from his friends, I expect."
Snagging the two dishes in his grasp, while Keiko protested about cleaning her own mess, Morty ended the conversation where he could, hopefully conveying the right sentiments to the child to earn her a peaceful night of sleep, away from stolen knights and wayward thoughts of staying and leaving. After depositing the bowls in the shiny sink and rinsing them off, he inclined one hand towards the child's back, ushering her towards the stairwell that led to her bedroom.
"Off you go. Get some sleep before Drill Sergeant Lance finds you in the morning."
Turning towards the ghost trainer with a sleep smile and drooping eyelids, the girl offered her gesture of appreciation, intending to cling to the notion that Lance would return to all of them one day, to savor it with a blissful ease as she crawled into bed and lay her heavy head upon the pillow.
"Thanks for listening, Morty."
He nodded politely to the girl, and then raised a hand to wave her off to a world of slumber and pleasantries.
"Anytime, Keiko. Now, shoo."
He could only hope that she could rekindle his opinions on the matter in the impending future, when Lance took to the skies and disappeared from view.