"Hey." Raz was laying on his stomach as a Chansey rubbed some type of ointment on his back. Kira saw him flinch from it every few seconds. She set Kirlia down on a couch in the room and let Toxeon down on the floor next to Grim, whose pokeball was laying across the room. "He broke out when he heard I got hurt from the nurse."
"He cares about you a lot then." The girl began scratching behind the dog's ear, making his tail wag in pleasure. "The others are back. They went to eat with Janine."
"You look worse then I do. Are you alright?" Raz was sitting up now and looking at the tear-streaked cheeks of his friend. She started to wipe away new tears as she saw the effort it took him to not scream from the pain. His eyes were tight and his jaw clenched as the Chansey finished up and left.
"No, I'm fine. I just thought things would be worse. Joy said the poison would be in your system for a few days, causing some pain. I guess I didn't know how strong you really were." She looked at his face as she spoke. His eyes were soft as she finished and he ushered her to come closer. When she got next to him, he pulled her into a hug.
"Don't waste you tears on someone like me. I dove between an attack that I knew would hurt, so it's all really my fault. As far as the poison goes, it burns like hell, but I can manage." He pulled her away and smiled while still holding his mouth tightly from a wave of the pain. She began crying again, and he just laughed a bit as he pulled her back again.
"Look at me. How did I come here to try and comfort you, but you end up comforting me?" She was laughing the whole time she spoke about how it ended up to this point. Raz was shaking a little as he laughed it off also.
When they pulled apart again, they looked at the other's eyes as the laughter eased off. Slowly, their smile were softer, and even the Pokemon were watching them. Kirlia had awoken half-way through their talking and was on the edge of her seat as she watched the 2 not move. She, always willing to take things on herself to start, decided to make them do what they both wanted. She used her powers and tripped Kira into Raz, and made sure their lips went together when he caught her. She instantly pulled away.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean-" He put his finger to her lips and stopped her from talking. After a few deep breathes, she looked up to see him smiling.
"That was more comforting then you know. I don't even feel the pain on my back." He continued to look into her eyes as she let a warm smile go across her now red face. He lifted her head and bent down to her. Grim put his paws over Toxeon's eyes while Kirlia opened the door and the 3 left.
"I've done my best with these 2, now it's all up to how they work these things out." The Psychic looked at Grim, who just nodded in agreement.
"It'll go well. I could hear how both their hearts leaped in rhythm at your little trick." Both looked at the baby with them, who was acting very confused.
"Why was mommy acting like that with the nice man?" She looked at the older Pokemon who were trying not to laugh at the little one's innocence.
"Hungry?" Toxeon jumped at the thought of eating and was running after Grim who ran toward the cafeteria door. Kirlia let out a sigh and opened it for them.
--
"You alright man?" Zion was geared for his match with a plan already forming. He decided to visit Raz before he went to the gym since his bud was ordered to stay in bed.
"Better then you know." Raz had a smirk that had been on his face since the previous night when him and Kira had discussed some important stuff. The fact that he had kissed her, and she returned the feelings helped him greatly.
"I can see that. What happened, you get some good cake or something?" Raz chuckled before he looked at the boy again.
"I guess it would be alright to tell you." He took a deep breath and then looked at his friend.
--
"He kissed you?!" Rayne was at a loss for words as she sat next to Kira in the cafeteria for breakfast. She had saw Zion go to see Raz before they headed to the gym.
"Yeah, and it was odd. Truth be told, it was my first real kiss." She felt as her cheeks blushed to a bright red. The girl next to her just started laughing at it.
"Of course it was odd. You have obviously been in love with him for a while. Every time we camp out, both Zion and I watch as you stare at him. I assume you enjoyed it then." She nudged the girl who turned even redder.
--
"Of course I did. I may not have shown it, but I've always felt this way about her. How could I not? She's so sweet and nice to the Pokemon. Her and Kirlia have both said they were sisters even. She's beautiful and funny. She's the perfect girl." Raz was standing with a scarlet streak across his face as he read off Kira's qualities. Zion just watched him.
"Well, the perfect part of a girl. She isn't exactly a whole girl in the physical since, not that it really matters." He spoke the end quickly when his friend started to glare at the younger boy.
"No, it doesn't. She's has a horrible past, but I'm going to make sure her future is better by leaps and bounds." He was looking past the room surrounding him with pure energy at his deceleration.
"And me and Rayne will be there to help you. Not now though, we have a match. Time to wash away some poison." Zion was opening the door, but stopped when he grabbed the knob to look back.
--
"I'm happy this happened for you 2. You really do look great together." Rayne was next to the entrance of the center when she saw Zion and Raz come out of the room. When the 2 got next to the girls, Zion yelled something the others didn't understand. Omnivee and the other Pokemon that were out came running. Kirlia jumped into the arms of her trainer as Toxeon did the same with her "mother". Even though they were holding their partners, the 2 held a hand out for the other as their friends walked out and headed for the gym.
"So, want to get something to eat before Joy sees you out of bed again?" He nodded at the girl suggestion and lead the way, still holding her hand the whole time.
--
"Hmm, no one has ever used that method to dodge my traps." Koga and Janine watched as their new opponents jumped off the back of Zion's Gyarados. He recalled the serpent before they took their place on one end of the arena.
"I've been told the rules were explained to you, correct?" He looked at his daughter who nodded.
"We understand. The real question you need to ask is, are you ready?" Rayne held a ball out and was spinning it on her pointer finger, while Zion tried and failed to do the same trick.
"Always ready for a win. Go Crobat." He released the bat from the ball he was holding. It had burn marks from a match that hadn't fully healed.
"Time for round 1 Ariados." Her spider also showed signs of recent burns, but these were few in number. Both looked full of energy and power though.
"Alrighty then. Go Lairon!" Her newly evolved partner came out and looked straight at the opponents. She let out a growl and waited for an order.
"Let's do it Staryu." He tossed the Safari-ball up and his newest poke came out spinning around.
"Very well, round 1 can start. Wing Attack the star Crobat!" It was off instantly flying straight for the target who was just standing there.
"Use Rapid Spin to counter Star!" It began spinning quickly before heading for the on-coming bat. They collided in the air, but neither was knocked back very far.
"No reason for the boys to have all the fun. Ariados, use Poison Sting on the over-grown bug." When the spider jumped onto a web it made, it started firing needles of poison at it's target. Lairon just watched as they bounced off her metal body.
"Nice try. Let's give them a prize for their attempt. How about a Rock Tomb!" Her partner rolled into a ball and began bouncing. After a few, she jumped and slammed into the roof, causing a bunch of big pieces fall all around the arena. One of them caught Crobat in the air as Staryu continued to spin, but took off toward the web. After a quick pass through it, Ariados began free-falling to the ground. The web that had been around it had tangled and trapped the poke in the fall.
"Return her before she hits the ground." Koga looked as his daughter complied and caught her partner before she hit the ground. He then turned to recall Crobat. "Round 1 goes to you, but don't get cocky. Round 2 will be a lot tougher." The leaders pulled out a different ball and tossed it at the same time as Janine did. Both produced a Venomoth, and Zion could feel the power from them.
"Time to squish us some bugs Rath." Rayne released her newest partner who let out a roar upon stepping foot on the ground.
"End it quickly and we'll get cake Omnivee. All you can eat!" Zion felt a whoosh past his legs as his partner was already sprinting across at the opponents. Rath took off after her as he built up a fire in his chest.
"Sleep Powder." Both leaders called for their partners to use the same attack so the opponents couldn't get close.
"Fire Blast!" Both called for their partners to use the strongest fire attack they knew. As soon as the flames hit the powder that surrounded the bugs, it ignited and exploded. Both fell to the ground. The leaders were in shock as they watched Janine's pink one try to get up and got to the other's side. After a few seconds, the female leader went out and helped her partner get to her goal before it passed out. They let them stay there for a second before recalling them.
"Congratulations. You have done what your friends could not and have won the Soul Badge. I guess we know who the better team is." Koga tossed the 2 badges at them like they were ninja stars. As they caught them, Zion looked up at the other pair. When he spoke, his voice was not happy and light like normal. Rayne recognized it as the same way he talked when he fought her and when he was against Surge.
"You have no idea what your talking about. We won because they told us how you fought them. They were the reason for this win, and I probably wouldn't have used the 2 I did. You had better odds if they hadn't said anything from watching the way you 2 battled. They'll show you tomorrow." He eased some before looking down at his partner. "Time to go eat cake and brag about how we won and Raz lost buddy." The pair were on the back of Gyarados as soon as he came out. Rayne joined them with Rath as the group flew out through the hole they had made in the roof.
--
"I knew you could do it." Raz was in the cafeteria with them as Zion and Omnivee shoveled down more and more cake. Rayne was next to them, looking disgusted at their eating habits before digging into a giant piece of pie she had. Kira and Kirlia just snickered at them all.
"Of course we did it. I had to step up so I could finally say I beat what the great Raz didn't." He let a cocky smile cross his face as he looked at Raz.
"Care to battle me then? If you can beat what I can't, then you must be able to beat me." He squeezed Kira's hand a bit as they saw Zion go from cocky to sickly in a second.
"I would, but since it's so late and we just ate and all. Plus, Omnivee is pretty tired, right?" He looked down at his partner who was looking at Kirlia. The little dancer gave a "bring it" motion with her hand before the taunted poke let out a yawn and laid down on the seat. Everyone cracked up as they saw Zion and Omnivee dodge out of the match. Even the boy himself laughed a little.
"We need to rest you up for tomorrow anyways. Joy called the gym earlier and Koga and Janine were given strict orders that no traps were to be set. We just have to go in and have the match." Kira looked at her partners eyes as he smiled at her.
"I'm gonna have to start blocking your random thoughts of that kiss, aren't I?" Kirlia looked up at her sister with a sigh as she started giggling. Then she let out a yawn of her own and curled up in the girls lap before she started to go to asleep.
"Night little sister, we got a big day tomorrow."
"She wants to be in the battle you know."
"Can she win?"
"I think so. I've seen that Articuno wants to fight also, and Raz is gonna give her a shot. It's up to you on if you let her though." With one more yawn, the little poke was asleep. Kira was looking at Raz soon after, and sighed as he nodded to her. Kirlia had let him in on their little conversation.
"I guess we'll see how good Toxeon can do tomorrow."
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A/N: Ah, first kiss from first love. How sweet. I honestly felt the time had come to make them an official couple. Hope you all enjoyed, and please review to let me know what you think of them. In case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.