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Chapter 53

"What is it, Kylie?" Jackson asked in confusion, trying to spot what I was starring at and was so stunned by. I scrambled to my feet, dusting the damp sand off my butt. I walked towards it at first, still accepting the object my eyes were registering to my brain. I stopped in my tracks almost causing myself trip in the unstable sand. Right before my very eyes what I thought I had seen just a second ago had disappeared into oblivion. The old familiar woman draped in pink shawls and a magenta veil wrapped around her brisk, white hair. The appalling golden high heels and the matching headband with the amethyst gem centered on her forehead, all of it disappeared. My jaw dropped in awe and once again I rubbed my eyes roughly to reconnect with reality. Penny smoothly walked her way over and stood next to me, squinting her eyes to make out what I was looking at.

"What are we looking at?" she asked, still seeking to find the old woman.

"I could've sworn I just saw… never mind," I mumbled with my head bowing deep in thought.

"Saw what!? Tell me!" Penny anxiously jumped up and down while tugging on my arm impatiently.

"Do you promise not tell anyone?" I asked her in a whisper.

"Sure," she agreed quietly.

"Secret ankle shake?"

"Secret ankle shake!" Penny commenced. The both of us put our hands together, beginning the first stage of the very long and complex secret hand shake. We slapped our palms together in a patty-cake manner 4 times before tapping our elbows together one after the other. Next, we nudged our shoulders against one another then slapped our own thighs while criss-crossing our wrists 4 times also. To conclude the ankle shake, we stood beside one another then bent over and shook the opposite person's ankle.

"This must be pretty juicy if it calls for an ankle shake," Penny chuckled faintly.

"Well, when I first started out on my journey I met a Fortune Teller," I informed the eager 14 year old girl.

"Dude, that reminds me of this one time when I was in Dewford Town! So, I was walking along when I noticed I had gum on my shoe and I was all 'Ewwww, gross!'" I shushed her before she continued any longer. She cowered down and remained quiet as I finished my story.

"Continuing!" I cleared my throat. "So, she read my fortune and told me that I would meet my true love in a few days,"

"Did you?" Penny asked keenly.

"That's the thing, I don't know," I starred down at my sand covered converses. "And just now, I thought I saw her standing on the pier,"

"You were probably still just a little loopy from fainting or whatever," Penny shrugged.

"You're probably right," I smiled. To be honest, I don't think that was the reason. I have a strange feeling that the fortune teller will be more of a trouble than I bargained for.

After lunch the four of us headed for the dock, once discovering that Penny and Jackson were also going to Cinnabar Island. We leisurely walked up to a sailor which guarded the rope that blocked off the metal walkway. The fold out ramp extended towards the entrance of a ferry. The sailor stood tall, pointing out his rather large gut. He wore his blue and white sailor uniform proudly, stuffing his broad chin out into the air, with an undying scowl across his somber face.

"Hello sir," Penny greeted kindly. His face remained still like a Buckingham palace guard. "Do you know if any of these ferries are going to Cinnabar Island?" Penny asked politely.

The sailor snorted in disgust, "Kids these days, never prepared for what they're doing or where they're heading,"

"Watch it buddy, or that ship could sink in an instant," Penny snapped.

The sailor pulled back nervously, "Uh, no, the last ship for Cinnabar left yesterday,"

We all groaned together in disappointment.

"No other ships are going anywhere near Cinnabar?" I exhaled let down.

"I'm afraid not," the seaman replied heartlessly.

"Did you say you need a way to get to Cinnabar Island?" a hoarse, raspy voice asked from behind.

We turned to see a short, old woman glaring at us with intense, straining eyes. She seriously came up to my waist and had faded black hair with a few clumps of grey in her tightly pulled back bun. The aging woman wore a plain, maroon T-shirt with green Bermuda shorts. Worn, black sneakers covered her tiny feet and a wrinkly grin was plastered across her crinkly face.

"Who are you?" Penny and Jackson interrogated at the same moment, then looked at one another and flushed.

"The name's Gloria, and I am the chief of The Race to Cinnabar Island," she explained with a chuckle.

"The wosa-whatsa?" I repeated unthinkingly.

"The Race to Cinnabar Island," Gloria repeated kindly. "In teams of two, trainers race from this beach to Cinnabar Island. It's been held every year for the last 75 years,"

"Sounds like fun," I commented.

"So, what do you get if you win?" Penny asked greedily.

"The prize varies each year," Gloria answered.

"You said in teams of two, but still, how do you get there?" Jackson asked while scratching his head.

"We provide you with materials to make a canoe. You are allowed to use your party of Pokemon to help carve your little boat, then off you sail to the island," Gloria glided her hand forward while making a whistling noise.

"You guys, we should compete," I remarked eagerly.

"I am not touching some dirty hunk of wood! I mean that sounds like work and I do not want to sweat," Penny refused.

"Hey Penny, I'll enter it with you," Jackson insisted.

"No way, if I'm partnering up with anybody it's Kylie!" Penny wrapped her shoulder around me obliviously.

"Why don't you partner up with Owen?" I suggested. The two looked at each other with a smile then gave each other an agreeing high five.

"The contest is tomorrow so get your best night's sleep," Gloria told us with a warm smile.

"We will," Jackson assured her with a friendly grin.

"Thanks for everything," Penny waved good-bye as the elderly woman began to walk off the pier.

Later, as the sun began to set, a large of group of trainers invited us to sit with them around a camp fire on the beach. We gathered around the roaring bond fire while sitting on stiff rocks or collapsed trunks of trees. The other trainers were extremely friendly but not the creepy kind. They offered us supper and the four of us gladly accepted the free food. The group exchanged tales of their journeys and funny occurrences they've experienced in the past.

After the gathering of kids finished eating two boys across from us in the circle placed acoustic guitars in their laps. Another boy beside them drew his elaborate, silver harmonica from his sweatshirt pocket. The three of them announced to the cluster they were going to share a song they wrote with us. I folded my hands on top of my knees as I leaned forward in interest to hear their gently played music. One boy with brown hair and a grey sweatshirt and a navy blue baseball cap on top of his long, narrow head commenced the song with a pattern of calming chords on his worn guitar. The other next to him had light brown, shoulder length hair with black jeans clenching to his twig-like legs. He wore a black and white stripped sweatshirt and had distracting blue cloudy eyes. This boy joined in with the other combining their chords to form gorgeous melodies that hummed us all into a peaceful trance.

Since it was dark I wasn't able to notice before but the boy with the baseball cap on was in fact Lucien! I felt stupid for not noticing because a blue and purple stripped Spinarak sat at his feet, it's kind of a given. I refrained myself from saying anything until later that night when the group had separated and settled in for the night.

"I have to go pee," Jackson announced.

"That's wonderful," I commented sarcastically.

"Penny, will you go into town with me real quick to use the bathroom?" Jackson asked as he covered his crotch with his hands.

"I refuse to step foot in a disgusting public restroom," Penny said as she stared at her nails.

"Fine," Jackson hissed as he shot up from his seat then trudged towards the pier.

"Oh wait, I have to take out my contacts! Jackson, wait up!" Penny remembered then chased after the boy.

Owen silently slipped under the covers of his synthetic sleeping bag, so the close was clear. The other trainers were slowly departing the premises near the dying bond fire. The crescent moon was at its peak and the cool air drifted in from the salty ocean water. I spotted Lucien placing his guitar in its taut, black guitar case. I rubbed my knee anxiously while thinking in my head of something to say to him once I approached him. I inhaled deeply and unpredictably began to shake from nervousness. Kylie, it's not like you're saying some speech in front of a bajillion people, it's just Lucien, I calmed myself.

I walked up to the boy who was clipping the guitar case closed with the golden clamps on both ends. He then fidgeted with numerous sheets of papers in his hands, not looking up from his packing of music equipment, so he did not spot me standing before him. I coughed gently to catch his attention. He looked up casually to see me smiling.

"Kylie," he said. I frowned thinking he wasn't excited to see me. "It's so great to see you!" he shot up from his seat immediately but was caught in an awkward contemplation. I could tell he didn't know what to do with himself, hug me, kiss me, shake my hand, they were all options but even Lucien couldn't decide.

"Funny, I didn't even see you over there," he chuckled.

"Yeah, I noticed you during the song but I didn't want to interrupt," I told him.

"Guess the sky is just so dark tonight…" Lucien gazed up at the half-faced moon.

After a long pause I finally fished a random question from my thoughtless head. "Are you going to bed?" I asked him.

"I wasn't planning on it. We can still chill by the fire if you want," he proposed captivatingly. Without a word I simply sat down on the sturdy, hollow log, Lucien followed. He sat there on the opposite end, placing his sheets of music on top of his guitar case. The gentle wind almost blew them away but he was fortunate enough to have caught them before they drifted into the dark ocean. I avoided eye contact with the boy, the strange, discomfited moment caused me to grow nauseous. After all this time I wasn't sure if he still had feelings for me or not. By this time he's probably met some other girls, he's probably over me.

The two of us sat there gazing at the fire as it slowly dimmed from the lack of wood. Lucien slyly placed his hand lightly on top of mine which was resting on the surface of the rough bark of the log. I looked up and he charmingly grinned at me illuminating his adorable smile. He lightly rubbed the top of my palm flirtatiously and we blushed at one another.

"It's great seeing you again, Lucien," I whispered to him.

"You too," he replied timidly, his smile still remaining. The butterflies and uneasiness from my stomach had disappeared and the rosy color on my cheeks faded away. I was no longer feeling shy or uncomfortable. Lucien had this gentle quality that eventually put me at ease. By the twinkle in his eyes, I could tell he wasn't concerned about anything. He knew what was happening now and didn't worry what it meant or how it affected our relationship.

We sat there for the rest of the everlasting night alone and under the sparkling, ashen stars. Just the two of us.