Japanese Title: The Tree Of The Metropolis! Grown By The Forest Spirit!
Translation: Sono Ki no Sono Shufu! Masu Bai Sono Shinrin Tamashii!
By: Pro_V
Lance stretched and yawned, noticing an awkward weight laid on him. He then remembered where he'd fallen asleep; on the porch swing with Eevy snuggling right on top of him. Literally. He sat up carefully, trying not to wake her up, but it didn't work. She yawned and stretched as she sat up. She was still half-asleep when she looked over at him with the drowsiest of expressions. She blinked a few times and regained her composure.
"You could have just told me to move, you know," she yawned again in the middle of her sentence, but managed to finish before it was totally impossible to understand her.
"No, I was rather enjoying myself. I just need to feel my arm again is all," he scratched at his right arm as he tried to get the blood flowing back into it.
"You know, I just remembered something. It's only a little over two weeks to Christmas."
"Oh man! I forgot all about it," he slapped himself in the forehead, angering himself at how forgetful he, and everyone else, had managed to be, "With all that's going on, it totally slipped my mind!"
"Calm down. You don't have to get me anything; and maybe the others will completely forget…Hah! Yeah right…"
"No, I'll get you something…Dunno what," she smirked slyly, "I know what you can give me and it doesn't even have to wait until the twenty-fifth."
"A slap across the face for getting fresh?" she snickered as he shot a scowl, "No. A punch for the sick jokes and looks."
"That's not funny," he narrowed his eyes.
"I'm just messing," she gave a grin, "Sure, I'll give you what you were thinking about. On Christmas Eve. I'll spend the entire night with you."
"Pardon? I need to hear that again because I don't quite believe what I just heard," he cupped his hand behind his ear.
She leaned down and whispered something in his ear before kissing it, "Good enough for you?"
He just relaxed with a huge smile and his eyes closed, "Come on, December twenty-fourth," he murmured in a daze.
*^~^**^~^*
The group was sitting peacefully in the dining room (as this was the only place with enough chairs to seat everyone) and were pretty much silent as they thought about the upcoming holiday. Of course, a familiar deep voice snapped them awake again.
"Hello, hello, hello, everyone!" the doors slammed open, "Or, should I say; Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas, all!"
"Oh shut up," Eevy muttered, "It's not Christmas yet."
"He starts every year in November," Jason whispered.
"And he gets worse as the month progresses," Will added.
"He's like a living advent calendar," Luri moaned.
"He's actually scary sometimes," Lance shivered.
"Oh geez...I hate people like that," Eevy drooped.
"So can we kill him?" the Elite asked together.
"Oh, come now," Kratos snickered, "I'm not that bad."
The Elite 4 looked over at him slowly with dead serious looks of, "Yeah, right."
"OK, fine. So I like Christmas. Who doesn't?"
"Yeah, yeah," Eevy waved her hand at him, "What do you want anyway? And don't you know how to knock? Or call?"
"Yes, I do, but I didn't. Anyway, I came to tell you the tree lighting is in just a couple hours. You will all be there."
"A couple hours?!" the five who had just been forcefully invited blared.
"Get a move on! Come on! Get up! The Forest Spirit picked the tree earlier! Get up and get going! Remember. Christmas-y apparel!"
"Forest Spirit?" Misty paused as she thought about that green-white glow, "What's the Forest Spirit?"
Kratos completely ignored her, "Go! Come on! Get ready! Move it!" he pulled Eevy to a stand and shoved her out the door, "Go, go, go!"
"All right, all right! Hold your Ponyta!" she pushed him back, "I'm going!"
"Excuse me!" Misty jumped, "What's the Forest Spirit?!"
Again, she was ignored, "We're going! No need to push!" Luri snapped.
"You too," Kratos snatched Medira's arm, "As long as you're part of this team, you go too."
"Oh, come on!" Medira wailed as he shoved her out the door.
"What's the Forest Spirit?!" Misty blared, still being ignored, "I give up," she snorted and sat down, "Do any of you know what the Forest Spirit is?" she looked around the group still sitting.
"Not a clue," they answered and shook their heads.
*^~^**^~^*
"I don't even own anything red!" Eevy puffed and dug through her closet, "I hate red!" the knock on the door caused her growling to subside for the moment, "If you can help me locate a Christmas outfit, come in!"
"Can't find anything?" Lance leaned against the wall beside the closet door.
"No," she kept pulling a green something out and shoving it back in, "I never wear red. The only thing even remotely Christmas I own is a green T-shirt with red trim."
"Maybe Luri or Medira has something you can wear. Or maybe I do."
"Hold on," she started frantically digging her way out after digging her way in, "Let me get out of this closet, now that you've come out of yours."
"That's not what I meant…Here," he dropped a box on the bed, "Dragon was planning on giving that to you."
"Oh was he really?" she gave the box an odd look, "And when would that have been?"
"Christmas Eve," he gave a nervous laugh, "When I was going to tell you who I was."
"Well. I burst your bubble, didn't I?" she looked him over, "Really…uh… Christmas there."
He crossed his arms and snorted, "I happen to like it."
A simple red coat over a black shirt and green pants. The usual black boots, of course, and something she hadn't seen before.
"Oh my geez," she laughed once, "Your ear," she slapped her hand over her mouth, "Your right ear."
"What?" he scowled.
"Nothing," she finally started laughing, "Y-Y-You have an earring!" she fell to sit on the bed and started laughing hysterically.
"So what?" he huffed and glared at her evilly, "You find something funny about that?"
"No. It's just-It's just-It's just," she couldn't stop laughing, "You look so…So funny!"
"Thanks a lot," he turned and started stomping out.
"Hey, come on! I was just kidding!" she jumped up and threw her arms around his waist, "I'm only joking!"
"Yeah, well, you're getting more like Will every day. That joker wears red and purple and makes fun of my one earring."
"Oh, stop it!" she turned him around using his belt loop, "I kind of like it. Just not something I'd expect of you."
"I was sixteen. What do you want from me?"
"How about a kiss?"
He gave her a quick kiss and stood straight, "I might as well go finish up. You'd better get a move on too if you expect to be done in time."
*^~^**^~^*
"Where's Eevy?" Medira resituated her blouse for the millionth time, "She's going to be late."
"She was a bit weary of wearing red," Lance leaned on the table with his hand covering his ear.
"I look so bad in red," Eevy grumbled from the hall, "I look SO bad in red! Don't be afraid to laugh. I look so bad in red."
"All right! We get your point. Come show us!" Will snorted, as he was annoyed they would be late.
"Laugh your heads off if you like. I won't hold it against you," she stepped in the door, poking her index fingers together.
She was covered in red from head to toe, no matter how much she hated to be. Her hair was in a bun with the only red scrunchy she owned and poinsettia clips held back her bangs. She'd spent twenty minutes on her lipstick alone and another ten putting in the crystal earrings with the poinsettia bases. A red choker with a poinsettia charm and a silver chain boasting the Crystal Bell ran around her neck. The dress was a usual Christmas dress with red fabric and white buttons. It extended straight to her ankles with fuzzy white trim. It was actually sleeveless with more of the fuzzy white material making the sleeves as it wrapped around her chest with a poinsettia clip in the center. Long red gloves with more fuzzy white trim made her arms almost completely invisible. The short red high-heeled boots were trimmed with even more white fuzz and each lace had a crystal at the end and a poinsettia at the center of the bow. The red of her embarrassed face nearly matched that of her dress.
"Come on and laugh. I know I look stupid in red," she muttered and stared at the floor.
"No you don't!" Medira burst, "You look really good!"
"Not to tick anybody off, but you look beautiful," Will braced himself for a couple smacks, but didn't get them.
Luri was too busy shrieking in delight to strike Will's head with one of her murderous slaps, "You look great in that! Wherever did you get that if you don't own any red? I want one!"
"Lance gave it to me, actually," Eevy pointed around her at the dazed and drooling Lance.
"He picked that out?" Jason looked between Lance and the dress, "All of it?"
"All but the necklace, obviously," Eevy shrugged, "Everything else was there."
"Very nice," Will slapped Lance in the back, causing his arm to slip away, "Take that thing out!" he snapped.
"Oh geez! What is that?!" Medira started laughing, "An earring? On you? Oh man!"
"Stop it!" Eevy barked, "You leave him alone! Not one word about it! He can wear what he pleases!"
Lance spat his tongue out at Will and he returned the gesture nastily, "Yeah, all right."
"Where's everybody else?" Eevy then noticed everyone else was gone.
"They're already out there. Waiting for us," Lance snatched her arm and started walking, "Come on. We'll be late," he stopped on the porch and pulled a flower from the pot beside him, "Might as well finish it off," he pushed the stem of the poinsettia into the bun in her hair, "Cute."
"Gee, thanks!" she shouted as he again started walking.
*^~^**^~^*
Will was in a simple red vest over a green shirt and green pants with his black boots. Luri kept telling him if he had pointed ears, he'd look like an elf. He retaliated by telling her if her all she'd have to do to look like Santa was grow a beard. That shut her up rather quickly. On the left of his vest was star pin and on his right was another pin literally covered in diamonds. A 3 with a year at the base. Obviously marking his Elite Third position and the year he got it.
Luri walked along next to him in a forest green dress with long arms and red trim with green high-heels. The only makeup on her face was red lipstick and a tiny bit of blush. Transparent green fabric came from each wrist and draped over her hands to contrast the red nail polish. The same fabric came as the trim at her ankles. Her blonde hair was in a French twist with a star decoration at the side. Her choker and earrings were stars like the pin and hair piece she wore and below that pin was a diamond 2 with a year. Another marker pin for her position and the year it was achieved.
Medira snorted at the white turtleneck Jason was wearing, but shrugged it off as he added green pants for some color. Brown boots were there, of course, and a holly pin was worn as well. Medira stopped laughing at Lance's earring when she found out Jason had one too. His was just a gold ring, as was Lance's, and a gold and diamond 1 with a year was beside the holly pin.
Medira may have grumbled about his shirt, but she wore a white turtleneck with that fuzzy white around the neck and wrists. She wore a green skirt just reaching below her knees and tall brown (don't ask her why) boots with holly pins at the center of each bow. For the first time in her life, she was wearing white nail polish. On one side of the neck of her shirt was a holly pin and on the other was her Shimmer Badge with that year mounted on it.
Eevy had forced Lance to change to a white shirt and red pants. He hated color and would have greatly preferred the black shirt, but she refused. A poinsettia hung out his coat pocket and each cufflink was a poinsettia as well. He wore three pins instead of two. One was a poinsettia. The next down from that was a 4 with a year and the last with the infamous dragon and angel wing pin. Of course, the tracking mechanism had been removed.
Eevy was still in the same outfit, but now wore more than just the poinsettia pin that was at the center of the shoulder puff. Now there was a calligraphic C with a year and her half of the dragon and angel wing pin. She also stuck a poinsettia pin in each of the white puffs of her gloves.
They spotted Kratos standing on some kind of stage in front of a huge evergreen. He was easy enough to see, as he was in an ice blue suit with a white shirt and shoes. His height was a dead give away too, as he was actually as tall as Lance. He boasted a calligraphy P and a snowflake pin on the chest of his coat and another snowflake for each cufflink. When he reached down to shake the hand of someone in the front row of the audience, a woman could be seen standing beside him; arm locked in his.
She was in a long ice blue dress and high-heeled shoes of the same color. The sleeves of her dress reached to her wrists and were impossibly wide; reaching past her knees if she dropped her arms to her sides. The neck of her dress went around her shoulders with white beaded trim. She had white beaded earrings and brown hair with white bangs. It was pulled back in a bun and held with a beaded hair band. She wore a snowflake pin and a pin with a calligraphy T. She had short ice blue gloves with beaded trim and an anklet of the same beads. The League Treasurer; Yuushou Eirene.
Lance snickered and pointed it out, "Kratos has a girl," he started laughing.
"Shut up," Eevy snapped and poked his side, "What's wrong with it?"
"He's forty," Will said in a disgusted tone.
"So what?" Luri gave him a scowl, "You going to break-up with me when you turn forty?"
"Good job, Will," Jason smiled from behind, "But maybe she'll occupy his time enough that he won't be bothering us."
"That's really nice, Jason," Medira shook her head.
"We were kidding!" the three men jumped together.
"We know!" the three woman answered.
Their shouts attracted Kratos' attention and he blared into the microphone hooked on the neck of his shirt, "The Medio Mistress, Elite 4 and Champion!" he pointed off to them as they got closer and put his hand over the microphone, "You're late."
"My fault," Eevy nodded slowly and pulled the microphone from the stand beside her, "Hi," she said sheepishly.
"Go, Eevy!" came a scream from way in the back as her group stood on the bleachers and jumped wildly.
Eevy snickered and shook her head, "OK. Well. Now then. As most of you know, each year, the Forest Spirit picks a tree from the center of Spectral Spirit Woods. That tree illuminates the Spirit's green-white aura and grows to its selected size. This year, the Spirit chose this tree."
Lance pulled the mic from her hand, "This year, this tree will light up to mark the beginning of the Christmas season of Rainbow Metro. The Forest Spirit chose this tree and we hope to honor it with the lighting ceremony again this year."
Will grabbed at the mic, "In just a few minutes, the tree will light up to call in Christmas time. There are miles of lights on this tree and hundreds of bulbs. It's just as big as the tree in Rockefeller Center and we hope to have it look just as good."
Luri fought the microphone from his hand, "While still Champion, Peter Rubeus tried to get us to drop this tradition. As you can see, none of his attempts worked. He may be able to drop our Pokemon in battle, but he can never drop League spirit."
Jason took the mic from her with incredible ease, "Rubeus will try his best, but he'll never beat us. If he touches this tree, he'll be asking for it. If you're watching, Rubeus! We're waiting for you, as is everyone else!"
The crowd shouted at that while Medira yanked the mic away, "This tree will not only light up this courtyard, but it'll set the League spirit on fire. Now that we're done blabbering, we'll start lighting it up."
"As these few introduce themselves yet again," Kratos pushed in, "the statue of their League mark will light at the base of the tree and a colored light will turn on it at the Elite Icon. Please, begin."
"Medio Mistress Medira Kurayami," the translucent statue of a rearing Rapidash lit up behind her and she handed off the mic while the Rapidash rearing at the Elite Icon acquired a dark purple light.
"Major Master Jason Peruwa III," the Gengar statue giving the V for victory flashed on with the Gengar at the Elite Icon turning green.
"Major Mistress Lurianna Sedna," the flipping Dewgong brightened and the Elite Icon's Dewgong started glowing icy blue.
"Major Master William Logos," the real voice came out as the Alakazam with crossed spoons flickered on and the Alakazam at the Icon turned purple.
"Major Master Lance Ryujin," the Dragonite turned on and the figure at the Icon turned dark blue.
Eevy swallowed and looked straight up, "Champion Major Mistress Evangelina Hikoboshi," the Eevee flashed on with its green and blue painted eyes showing up as the light purple light over the Eevee that was placed where the Magcargo had been on the Elite Icon came on.
The tree lit up slowly behind them, starting at the bottom and working its way to the top. Peter stood on a tree branch all the way in the back, watching the colored lights brighten. Eevy knew he was there, but she wasn't about to say anything. All she did was look directly at him one time, and one time only, and let her eyes twirl and flare. The crowd was clapping while Eevy was scowling. She simply turned back to the tree and started clapping, completely ignoring the glowing red eyes and inhuman growl Rubeus acquired.
The little green-white figure floated around the trees behind Peter. Its big blue eyes watched him closely. The little thing knew there was something wrong with this boy, but it wasn't about to get any closer than it was. It weaved around a dogwood tree, causing it to grow a bit, and flew back into the forest, traveling deeper and deeper with each passing moment. Instead of disappearing, it kept moving. It slowed near the center of the forest where the tree for the lighting ceremony had been cut down. Everything it went through for all those years to get those trees to grow like that was cut and trimmed in minutes to be taken down only a few weeks later. But instead of being upset, the little creature was elated with the way its hard work was being honored by displaying its work with those beautiful lights and bulbs. It would rather have it go up with Christmas lights in all its glory than have it go up in smoke with a forest fire with no grace whatsoever. It reached out and touched the cut trunk, triggering a bright purple glow as evergreen sprouts started growing. Next year, there'd be an even bigger tree and even more to be proud of growing.
*^~^**^~^*
"You know," Misty stood on the balcony of one of the spare bedrooms on the fourth floor, "They kept talking about the Forest Spirit all the time. Do you think they know what it is?"
"I don't know. Maybe they do, maybe they don't," Ash just shrugged, "They sure did seem to know, but they might have just been using a script."
"That's possible," she yawned and stretched before changing the subject, "The later it gets, the brighter the tree looks."
"Look at the Elite Icon. Way out there at the gate," he pointed out towards the exit, "It's all different colors now thanks to the colored light bulbs lighting it up."
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
He gagged a bit, "I gotta make this good," he thought, "Uh…Not as beautiful as you," he snickered nervously, "Oh, man. That was lame."
She laughed twice and leaned over, kissing him carefully on the cheek, "I don't think so."
"You…You don't?" he looked overly dumbfounded as he turned bright red.
"No," she wrapped her arms around him, "I don't," she leaned her head on his shoulder, "I think it was sweet, Ash. Thank you."
"Yeah," he got even redder, "No problem."
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy sat on the edge of the guard wall, staring up at the nearly black sky, "The Forest Spirit. I was talking like I knew everything there was to know about it when I didn't even know it existed."
She felt quite at home just sitting there alone and watching the stars, even if her eyes weren't open half the time. She was actually only half in Rainbow Metro, as her legs were off the other side of the wall, but she didn't care. She watched the Moss Bogs and saw Pokemon like Muk and Magcargo oozing around in the distance. The sound of stopping steps beside her caused her to look over to the right and up.
"A little cold up here, don't you think?" this wasn't the face she expected.
"A little, but cold is fine with me," she shrugged as her cousin sat down next to her, "Not pestering Mizu?"
"Nah. She says she's doing something for Luri," Eusine actually hated heights, but dealt with them just the same, "You're worried, aren't you?"
"Not really," she smiled evilly, "I can take him. He's just a great big target to me."
"Eevy, be serious. Tell your big cousin what you're really thinking," he threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer.
"Actually. I'm petrified," she shook, "What's going to happen if he can defeat me? What will I do if something happens?"
"If something happens, we'll all help to fix it. We're right behind you all the way and nobody's going to stop us."
"I hope you're right."
"Of course I'm right. The big cousin is always right."
"Yeah sure."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," she snickered, "Just kidding with you."
Eusine crossed his right leg over his left, "Yes. I know that. But you should be serious when speaking of such things."
"And you should talk?" she crossed her arms.
"I'm just kidding with you!"
*^~^**^~^*
"Stupid Elite are falling right at her feet," Peter grumbled, "Just dropping right to her. They never did with me, so what's so special about her? What makes the leader of the so-called bimbo brigade so special? And how has she been able to use the Bell so well? She just goes on using it like it's so easy. There must be something special about her then. Bah!" he shook himself straight, "The only person good enough to be called special in that whole damn house is Medira! But still," he calmed himself, "It's approaching Christmas. Those people deserve a nice present. From me."
*^~^**^~^*
"You know," Will rolled onto his right side to look at Luri, "Rubeus was at the tree ceremony the entire time."
"Yeah, but at least he didn't bake the tree," Luri snickered lightly.
"He'll have more than just us on his tail if he tries to pull something with that tree," he fell to his left and laid flat out.
"Yeah. Can't you just imagine the whole City turning on him?" she laughed once and put her arm over him.
He put his arm around her, "There are a lot of things I can imagine."
"I'm sure," she laid a kiss in his ear.
"Hey. Come on. Stop that," he tried to force her away, but it didn't work.
"What?" she pulled back and looked at him with a partial scowl, "Hold on a second. What's that?" she looked closer at his ear, "Oh my gosh! Your ear!"
"Shh, shh, shh!" he tried to shut her up.
"Your right ear! All this time you've been complaining to Lance and Jason and your right ear is pierced!"
"Shh! Shut up!" he pushed her off and rolled on top of her, "Quiet about that!"
"No," she reached up and undid the first three buttons of his shirt, "The more I find out about you, the more I like," she ran her hand around his neck and pulled him down.
"Really?" he cocked an eyebrow.
"Really," she pushed his nose.
"I should start telling you everything then," he leaned down and kissed the base of her neck.
"No. Let me find out for myself," she pushed him back and to her side again, "I like mysteries," she went back to kissing his ear, even though he protested.
*^~^**^~^*
"Isn't the snow beautiful?" Medira looked out the balcony door.
"Sure is," Jason kept trying to secretly get the top button of her shirt undone.
"The tree looks so great, doesn't it?" she completely ignored him
"Sure does," he just about got it.
"Losing your hand sounds good to you?" she cracked and grabbed his wrist.
"Sorry!" he snatched his hand away and rolled to the opposite side.
"Crybaby," she moved up behind him and put her arm around under his and played with the neck of his shirt, "I was only joking."
"Crybaby?" he partially snorted and rolled over to scowl at her.
"I'm joking, I said," she put her hands around his neck and pulled him closer, "It got your attention, didn't it?"
"Anything you do gets my attention," he leaned and kissed her cheek.
"You can do better than that," she pulled him right to her face and kissed him.
"Um hmm," he tried to nod while putting his hands up and holding the sides of her face, "And so can you," he said out of the corner of his mouth before sending his tongue into hers.
She stiffened a bit and gave some kind of laugh before he pulled away, "It's hard to laugh with you mouth full."
*^~^**^~^*
Lance was back out on the porch swing, rocking back and forth before someone abruptly stopped it, "What goes?" he snorted and looked up, "Hell-o!" he emphasized.
"Save it," Eevy sat down and laid down on top of him again, "Feel like a nap?"
"I feel like something," he gave a wicked grin and unpinned his arm from beneath her, throwing it around her, "But you're making me wait till the twenty-fourth."
"That's just too bad," she acquired a evil smile, "But I can tempt you until then."
"Excuse me?" he narrowed his eyes as she pushed his chin up.
"You heard me," she leaned up and kissed his throat.
His smile went wide and he relaxed with drooping eyelids, "Ooh. Stop that," he itched, "No. Ooh. No, stop. Come on," he fake whined and swatted her back, "Don't do that. You get me all turned on."
"Just wait until the twenty-fourth," she ran her index finger along the neck of his shirt.
"Stop it! You'll drive me nuts!" he huffed.
"A little late."
"Oh, you are so very funny."
*^~^**^~^*
The Forest Spirit finished its work as the evergreen started growing slowly back. It started flying and flew up through the top of the trees. It looked out on Rainbow Mansion and zipped up to the porch, looking carefully over the bar and spotting the two it had seen the day before. It gave a small smile, thinking of what their romance had to offer, and flew up to a second story window. These two were asleep, so it took the liberty of opening the window and creeping in. It took a few seconds for it to realize who they were and it gave another smile. A spark dropped onto the sleeping woman's cheek and caused her to move closer to the young man sleeping beside her, burying her face in his short brown hair. The call of Entei startled the little Spirit and caused it to zip out the window. It shuttered and sped to the third story, peeking in the window and yanking the balcony door open. It snuck in and tapped the woman with the long blonde hair on the shoulder. She stirred, but just rolled over to face away from the guy with the crimson hair beside her. Even though she was asleep, she pulled his arm over her and held his hand. The Spirit heard the call of Suicune and fluttered out the door, sparkles flying as it closed behind it. It rushed into the woods, zipping past Peter and scaring him sky high. In a few moments, a splash of white took it over and it was gone yet again. It would return soon, however, to tend to its forest and to the couples of the Beasts.
The Next Chronicle:
Lights Of More Than One Kind
Notes
Whee! Christmas chapters! Aheheh...OK, so the way I worked it in there in the beginning wasn't great, but hey! It's THERE! And this is where TAA begins to really take on its PG13 rating, so be prepared...Muahaha...AWAY! [Eevy: I am frightened...] [Medira: Oh yeah...]
*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*
-=O~Her Pokemon~O=-