*Nighttime in Chrysalia*
By the time the fireworks were done, the sun had already sunk down below the horizon. Lord Yoshimoto had offer Kiyoto, Kiyoko and the gang to spend the night inside Chrysalia Castle. With the gang and their Pokemon worn out from the tournament, Kiyoto and Kiyoko agreed to his offer. Inside the castle, the guys were giving two rooms to divide among themselves while the girls stay in another room in a different hallway. After a game of rock-paper-scissor(which Masanori suggested), it was decided that Mitsunari, Kanbei and Kiyoto would stay in one room while Masanori, Kiyomasa, Hanbei and Muneshige stayed in the other. Before anyone could go to sleep, Kiyoto called everyone into his room for a brief meeting. Kiyoko who was feeling rather sleepy was wondering why her brother had call for a meeting.
"Why the sudden meeting, Big Brother?" questioned Kiyoko.
"Hanbei and Kanbei had informed me of what they have witnessed yesterday. I will like you all to know about it." Kiyoto explained. Everyone shifted their attention to Hanbei and Kanbei.
"Okay, this is what happened..." Hanbei started telling them about the robbery and emphasizing how brave he was(to-cough-Kiyoko-cough)
"And that's basically what happened." Hanbei said, finishing his story.
"From your description of the two men, I said they are ninjas from Viperia." Muneshige concluded.
"Viperia? What's Viperia?"
"It's another kingdom in the far east that is famous for training ninjas." Ginchiyo explained.
"What are ninjas from Viperia doing here?" Masanori asked.
"Other from stealing, I think they were sent here to spy." Hanbei stated.
"What makes you said that, Hanbei?" Kiyoto questioned.
"Ninjas don't appear wherever or when they want to. For ninjas to appear so far away from Viperia, there is no doubt in my mind that they came here to spy."
"Who could they possibly be spying on?" Kiyoko asked.
"I could think of two people right now that have been their target." Mitsunari commented.
"Huh, who?!"
"The warlords who already conquered five kingdoms." Kiyomasa added.
"Us?!" Ginchiyo and Muneshige nodded their heads in agreement.
"It would seem that other kingdoms are curious to know about the twin warlords who already conquer 5 kingdoms." Ginchiyo turned to Kiyoto and Kiyoko.
"It will be best to take caution. This won't be the first time that this will happen; the next time could be an attack." Oichi remain silent throughout the meeting, clenching her knuckles until they turned pale white.
"Oichi, is something wrong?" Oichi was startled as Kiyoko looked at her with a worried look.
"You have been very quiet in this meeting." Kiyoto commented.
"And you look very pale."
"Oh...I was...just...thinking about something." Oichi answered, smiling very weakly.
"Are you sure? Maybe you're sick or something?"
"I am...a bit tired, that's all." Masanori yawned and started stretching.
"Me too, I am beat." Masanori said.
"It is getting rather late...we will end the discussion here." With the meeting over, everybody went back to their rooms and went to bed. A little after midnight, Oichi tossed and turned in her futon, unable to go to sleep. She quietly got up out of bed and went over to the door.
"Jiggly..." Oichi turned around to see Jigglypuff walking towards her.
"I just needed clear my head a little. You should go back to sleep, Jigglypuff." Oichi whispered. Jigglypuff looked at Oichi with big sad eyes and tug her robes. Oichi sighed and picked up Jigglypuff into her arms.
"I guess I could use some company." Oichi open the door and silently closed it behind her. She and Jigglypuff roamed the hallways until they came across an open balcony. Sitting on a bench, they gazed up at the full moon.
"The moon is bright tonight. Right, Jigglypuff?"
"Jiggly..." A flashback soon appeared in her mind.
She and Jigglypuff were surrounded by flames. She heard the terrified screams of people and Pokemon as she watches them flee away from the land they once considered home. She collapsed to her knees as tears streaked down her face.
"Why? Why must there be so much destruction?" she cried. Jigglypuff was also crying alongside Oichi
"Oichi." A male voice spoke out. She and Jigglypuff looked up to see two shadowy figures in front of her. Behind them, a glowing red moon which bathed them in it's sinister light.
"Oichi..."
"Brother, why must you do this?! Do you really hate Ransei!?" Oichi shouted.
"You lack understanding, Oichi. I am protecting this land from destroying itself."
"The people...the Pokemon...Cannot you see the destruction and harm you brought upon them!"
"That's enough, Oich!. Once this war is over, you will acknowledge this path was the only way to achieve peace." Oichi shook her head furiously.
"No, you're wrong, Brother! This path will never achieve the peace that you wish to see!"
"Then complete the legend, Oichi."
"The legend?"
"Find a new warlord that can defeat me and complete the cursed legend that is destroying this land. Prove to me that I was wrong." Drying her tears, she picked up Jigglypuff and stood up.
"I will...I will found the one who will defeat you and complete the legend." She took off running; never to look back at the man she called brother.
After remembering the flashback, she held Jigglypuff even tighter.
"Why? Why must I remember this now?" Oichi whispered.
"Lady Oichi?" Oichi nearly jumped out her skin as she saw Kiyoto with Eevee sitting on his shoulder, standing in the doorway.
"Lord Kiyoto, what are you doing here?"
"Tonight is a full moon. I was told that Eevee's moon shard reacts in moonlight." Eevee jumped from Kiyoto's shoulder and onto the rail, facing the moon. The moon shard dangling from Eevee's neck begin to collect the moonlight and start glowing a soft golden light.
"How beautiful" Oichi said, looking at the beautiful glow. Jigglypuff soon joined Eevee on the rail while Kiyoto sat down next to Oichi.
"Lady Oichi, is something troubling?" Kiyoto asked. Oichi turned to Kiyoto and lowered her eyes to the floor.
"...No, nothing is troubling."
"Lady Oichi, please forgive my rudeness, but I can sense that you are lying." She looked up at Kiyoto, surprised.
"What?"
"I know we have only been comrades for only a short time, but I know you well enough to know that something has been bothering you." He looked at her with a smile.
"If there is something wrong, please don't hesitate to talk about it." Her eyes quickly saddened.
"It's about my...brother."
"Your brother?"
"Yes...He used to be a kind and gentle big brother. But as this war continued, he started to change. He grew more cold and emotionless." Oichi started to tremble.
"He turned into someone else; someone different from the warm big brother I used to remember." Tears started dropping onto the floor.
"I...was...so...frightened...I...couldn't..." She felt a hand wiping away her tears. She looked at Kiyoto as he continued to wipe away her tears
"You don't have force yourself to speak any more than you needed to. You must have carried this heavy burden for a long time." Kiyoto said softly.
"Yes..." Oichi answered, wiping her tears away.
"You have a very strong heart, Lady Oichi. That's one of the thing I admire about you."
"Huh?" Oichi started to blush as well as Kiyoto, who realized what he just said.
"I mean...I...god..what did I just said?" Oichi started laughing. After talking to Kiyoto, her heart felt a little bit lighter as if some of her worries simply melted away.
"Thank you, Lord Kiyoto." Oichi said with a smile.
"Ah...please just call me Kiyoto." Kiyoto said shyly.
"Alright, Kiyoto" Both of them started talking a bit more before going back to their rooms and falling into a peaceful slumber.
*The next day*
Kiyoko and Ginchiyo were saddling the Ponyta that Yoshimoto kindly provided for the whole team. As they were fixing the saddles, Eevee and Luxio were enjoying an early breakfast.
"I am surprised to see you wake up this early in the morning." Ginchiyo said, putting another saddle on a Ponyta.
"My grandfather always said one rise early to get the job done." Kiyoko commented.
"Sound advice."
"But Kiyoto should be here by now, I wonder where he is?" Inside the castle, Kiyoto was in a rush for he had overslept and had promise his sister that he would help with the trip back home. His Eevee was running alongside him.
"Let hurry, Eevee!" Kiyoto said. As he turned the corner, he bumped into someone, sending them both falling down.
"Ow" Kiyoto said.
"Ouch, watch where you going!" Mitsunari said. Pawniard stood next to Mitsunari's side, worried about his master.
"Sorry." Both of them stood up and dusted themselves off. Hanbei and Pikachu soon appeared from the corner and noticed them.
"Hey, Kiyoto and pipsqueak!" Hanbei called out.
"Oh, Hanbei"
"Oi, who are you calling pipsqueak?!"
"That depends who is the shortest one here?" They both glared at each other, just itching to battle each other until Kiyoto pulled them apart.
"That's enough, you two. I will not tolerate fighting within this army." Before Hanbei or Mitsunari could protest, a servant and his Oddish come walking towards them.
"Lord Kiyoto" Everyone turned to the servant.
"Yes?" Kiyoto asked.
"Lord Yoshimoto wishes to speak with you."
"Oh alright, let's go, Mitsunari and Hanbei."
"Huh? Why us?" they said in unison.
"It would seem that you two are the only ones available at this time so let's go." Mitsunari and Hanbei reluctantly follow Kiyoto as they led out to a simple rock garden. Yoshimoto and Forretress were enjoying some green tea and pastries with two of his followers and their Pokemon, a Galvantula and a Beedrill.
"Lord Yoshimoto, I bought Lord Kiyoto and his subordinates."
"Wonderful, you may leave us." Yoshimoto responded. The servant bowed his head and went back to the castle with his Oddish.
"I welcome you Lord Kiyoto and friends to my private rock garden."
"It is quite peaceful here." Kiyoto said, looking around.
"But of course, it's my own slice of tranquility."
"It looks like you just spread rocks over the ground." Hanbei said absentmindedly while Yoshimoto was beholding his garden. Mitsunari jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.
"Ow, what was that for?"
"Keep your mouth shut!" Mitsunari whispered. Luckily, Yoshimoto don't heard what Hanbei said.
"As much as I love Pokemari, I didn't have the time to play the game as before I become warlord." He turned around and looked back at Kiyoto.
"I was hoping we could play a simple game of Pokemari before you go back to Aurora."
"Say no, Kiyoto." Mitsunari whispered, only to have Hanbei jabbed him in the stomach.
"Your turn to be quiet, pipsqueak." Hanbei muttered. The two begin glaring at each other once again.
"I appreciate the challenge, Lord Yoshimoto." Kiyoto answered, ignoring Mitsunari and Hanbei.
"But-"
"Wonderful!" Yoshimoto shouted, cutting Kiyoto off. Yoshimoto and his followers soon pushed Kiyoto and his friends towards the grassy area of the gardenwith their Pokemon. In matters of seconds, they found themselves facing Yoshimoto and his followers who were on the other side.
"What just happened?" asked Mitsunari.
"We got dragged into a Pokemari game before Kiyoto could even say no." explained Hanbei.
"I will serve the ball first." Yoshimoto called out.
"Wait, Lord Yoshimoto!" As Yoshimoto tosses the ball into the air, the castle started glowing, changing the rock garden into an official Pokemari field.
Sorry for cutting it short, but it have taken another 3 pages for me to write and I don't have a lot of free time to write it. Voting for the pairing is drawing near, so please review and vote. (Should I extend the pairing vote or not? Let me know what you think:))