~Ryu

*May 21, 2551

Lunchtime

I was eating lunch with my soccer team when I suddenly sensed an all too familiar aura. I started looking around the school courtyard in surprise, trying to see if she was really here.

When I spotted her sitting under a tree; *Eevee.

I strained to see better hoping my eyes weren't tricking me, but the aura doesn't lie. The only time you know someone isn't physically there is when they have no aura like a ghost.

And the aura was pouring out of her so I knew she wasn't a spirit.

From where I sat I could scarcely see her eating a riceball. But that didn't surprise me the most, it was how normal she was acting instead of shouting at everyone that dared to approach her.

Even more so, that she was eating here after saying she will not socialize with us 'vermin'.

Did this mean she finally wants to talk? I realized this was my chance that Sylveon was talking about. So without really thinking I walk over to the tree, much to my friends surprise.

"Dude, where are you going?"

I didn't answer because I began to feel nervous. So I was mentally trying my best to keep it together. Besides if I had told them they would all be against it and they would make me feel even more nervous. However once they realized what I was doing they immeadiately began shouting, hoping to usher me back.

"Ryu! Wait! You have no idea what your walking into! Come back!"

"Yeah she'll kill you dude!"

"Don't go over there!"

"Ryu this isn't funny! Come back please!"

They all ran to me when they saw I wasn't listening and tried forcibly holding me back. But none of them could get a hold on me and they began to stop when they saw how close I was to her.

Once I was only a few feet away though I couldn't help but stop and take a big gulp.

So I took a deep breath and casually walked on over.

"H-hey *Eevee! What's up? Nice day we're having huh?!"

She stopped what she was doing and blinked up at me in surprise. But once she saw it was just me she immeadiately scowled and spoke in her usual tone.

"*sigh What of it? It's the same temperature it's always been everyday. So what's so special about it now?!"

"Oh uh...The breeze! Don't you like it?"

"It's just hot air if you ask me. And It's too humid here. I don't like it at all."

"Ehe..that's too bad. The winters here are really nice so it's not always humid. And it's only hot right now because summer is coming up. But it's all not so bad once you get used to it. There's lots of things to do you know."

"So what's your point? I still don't see how what's so special about it. Especially since you guys only have winter for three months. What would you know about temperatures?"

"Well no. But you seem to know a lot about it. Do you think you could show me?"

"I do. So let me- Hold on a minute!"

"Uh what?"

"Are you only asking me this to hold a conversation with you?! You sick f*!"

"Oh no no! I'm just really curious about it.."

"Yeah right! Get out of my face, you inconsiderate fu-"

"Ok! Maybe you don't want to talk about it now! Uh bye *Eevee!"

I started walking back to the table with a plasted smile on my face.

"NO! I AM NEVER GOING TO TALK TO YOU RIOLU! DON'T EVER GET IN MY FACE AGAIN!"

Sure...For now at least.

"Oh thank Arceus our teammate is okay!"

"I knew you would live! I never doubted you for a second! Right guys?"

"N-nope we didn't! So uh what did you guys talk about?"

"Nothing important. Can we talk about something else please?"

They easily fell for my excuse. Since they were all afraid of her, it seemed pretty reasonable enough.

But I surprisingly wasn't. In fact, I felt more frustrated than terrified.

How the hell am I suppossed to find some common ground if I can't even speak to her?!

I kept thinking about it all the way through lunch. Not really responding to my friends or even tasting my food really.

As the day wore on I was still trying to figure out what to do.

"Umm, excuse me Riolu?"

I turned around to see Fennekin standing next to the wall outside the school.

"Oh what's up Fennekin?"

She snapped to attention and suddenly turned a bright red. Not really meeting my eye as she spoke.

"I-I-I-I-I uh...wa-wa-want-ed-ed to a-a-a-ask you if you wa-wa-wanted to uh..."

"I can't hear you. What did you say?"

"I uh..."

I tried reading her aura to detect her emotions, but they were all going haywire. It was hard to get a proper reading so I tried to see which one was the strongest.

And I felt...a crush?

Was I imagining it?

"Ahem! I wanted to ask you if...That is if you want to..."

"Uh ask me what?"

Maybe I did imagine it but the big question is what if I didn't?

"I wanted to ask you if you wanted to-"

"Yo Ryu! What's up?"

"Oh hey guys."

As soon as they started to approach Fennekin insantly ran away.

"Hey Ryu! Oh what was that about? You and Fennekin I mean? Are you-"

"What don't be silly it was nothing like that. Or well I don't know. She wanted to ask me something but she was probably too embarrassed to tell me that's all."

"Whatever you say 'brother'. But I can detect a lie when I see one so whatever it was-"

"It was nothing. So just drop it."

"Ooh, someone's got the hots for you Ryu."

"Yeah, are you going to ask her out on a date or what?"

"No! Definitely not."

Sylveon and Eevee both snickered at me. They quickly whisper something to each other before they decide to up to catch up to me.

"Actually there is something I wanted to ask you guys for help with."

"Hmm interesting...What favor are you asking of us?"

"Basically I need help to try to cozy up to my partner *Eevee. But I can't do that without your help, so can you help me?"

"Of course we will. She hasn't been making it easy for you since day one, so we would love to help you, right Sylveon?"

"Yes. Anytime our friend is in pinch we will always come to assist. Just brief us on the plan and were golden."

"Great I'll meet up with you guys on June 1st. But there something I need to do with Eevee until then so we can get this plan into motion. What do guys say?"

"Anyway we can help we will."

"Now, you mentioned something you need my help with? What exactly did you have in mind?"

"We will be stalking her of course. Unless you're not up for it..."

"I'll be fine I guess... But...what exactly are we looking for?"

"Her favorite past times."

"First of all this idea sounds dumb. Second, why would you want to find out about that in the first place? And third, why do we only have 10 days to find out on our own?"

"She does make valid points Ryu. And why can't I help with this part?"

"Because you're not a girl meaning only Eevee understands them. And Eevee is smarter than the two of us combined so that's why I need her help to help me stalk her without getting caught."

"I wasn't sure about this before because I don't even know much about stalking or being very stealthy. But you're right you do need me help, all I'm not understanding is why don't we need Sylveon's help. He's better at stealth than I am. And second, I am not even much smarter than you guys. I just think before I act. And what the heck does being a girl have to do with this? Just because of gender that doesn't excuse you to not let him come. He is fully capable to help us. And besides Sylveon is also my teacher so it's only natural for him to worry about his pupil. So your points are actually invalid and Sylveon is coming with us. Unless you have something else to add then by all means go ahead and-"

"Alright! Alright! You both can come! Just don't any of you let us get caught alright!"

"We know more than you do about stealth Ryu. So you might want to appreciate our help instead of saying otherwise."

"Hmph! Fine! I'm glad you're both helping."

"See that wasn't so hard now was it?"

"Maybe *Eevee's temper is starting to rub off on you. Better watch out for her Ryu."

"She is not-"

"Oh there she is! Both of you shut up and start being stealthy!"

(Note : Will they be able to find out what *Eevee likes to do and use that in their strategy to befriend her? What will be revealed about her? Find out in Ch 80 ~ Ryu!)