Yo yo everyone. Shhhh I won't tell Hanni ~_^
I just still can't believe how HUGE Dragonairs are. I mean. . .Clair's is HUGE. Meh. . .
Anyway, I'm getting ready for a riding lesson and don't really have much to say except I am almost done writing this! -sob- Of course I'm not posting chapters with how fast I'm writing them. I'm making you all wait :P muhahahaa
In other news, my dog doesn't smell anymore. Of course I had to scrub him down twice to get rid of all of stink he smelled off, but now he's CLEAN and he doesn't STINK! YAY!
-Gives everyone except Hanni a cookie, and give Hanni a lemon drop- ^_^
Now, please enjoy your free cookies/lemon drops and this chapter.
~Chapter Seventeen~
Two years later. . .
~*~*~
"It's amazing how many ribbons you've won in two years," Allison sighed, looking through a box of my stuff.
"Yeah," Julie said. "All these ribbons, and WE still haven't ridden this amazing Rapidash yet!"
I laughed kind of sadly. The only reason I had never let my two best friends ride Princess was because she still seemed kind of skittish even though Anthony was sealed and we had nothing to worry about.
But then again, maybe she was just imitating my own feelings. Shane was still appearing every which way, and I couldn't avoid him whether I was riding or whether I was at school. He was haunting me, and Princess probably felt that.
"How about we ride her now?" Julie asked, a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, please, please, please, please, puh-leeeeeeeease?" she cried, jutting out her lower lip and giving me puppy dog eyes.
I sighed happily, but looked out my window, where I could see nearly all of the paddock. I could spot Danielle riding a Rapidash she had rescued last year, a gorgeous gelding named Passion Heat, or Pass for short. I couldn't see Shane at all, but he was probably waiting for me to come out so he could stalk me.
I shivered, but turned to my friends. "Okay, you can ride her, but no going over any jumps."
Allie and Julie laughed. "We promise!" they exclaimed as we raced down the stairs and walked next door.
~*~*~
I told Julie she could ride first since I've known her longer---since first grade. I've know Allison since third grade. Allie pretended to look angry, but I knew she was just kidding.
Princess snorted and half-reared at the sight of strange-to-her people approaching her stall, but she quickly realized they were okay.
I was amazed. Before Anthony was sealed, she would only let me approach her, but now that he was gone, she was only a little wary.
I didn't blame her. I would be wary too, if people I've never seen before starting petting me.
Anyway, I taught my friends which brushes to use and how to brush her. Princess seemed to like three people brushing her more than one.
"You silly girl," I whispered while I brushed around the horn on her head.
"She's so beautiful---and I can't believe she trusts you so much," Julie said while currying Princess's rump. "I mean, you don't even have a rope around her neck or anything. She's just standing here. It's amazing."
"Yeah," I smiled. "She's the best."
I showed Julie and Allie how I tack up, and I found my helmet. We all walked out leading Princess towards a big round ring, when I saw Shane jog to Red Spot's stall.
"Oh no," I muttered. I cleared my throat and decided just to ignore him. I had promised my friends a ride on Princess for a very long time, and I was going to give it to them.
Once we got to the inside of the pen, I tightened Princess's girth and lowered the stirrups. I held the left one out to Julie with one hand and handed her the helmet with my other.
"Put on the helmet then stick your left foot in the stirrup," I instructed.
"Okay mommy," Julie laughed, but she put on the helmet and put her foot in the stirrup.
"Now hold onto the saddle and hoist yourself up."
Julie jumped, but she misplaced her footing somehow and fell.
"Owww," she moaned.
Princess bent her head down and rubbed the helmet with her muzzle. Julie laughed again.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get up, Princess," she smiled, and tried again. This time she managed to get up.
Allison and I cheered, but Julie looked confused.
"Now how do I work these things?" she asked, holding the reins.
I smiled and began teaching her how to go into a walk and move Princess left and right. While I was giving her the lesson, I noticed Shane jumping over a few fences, but his mind didn't seem to be on them. He was coming towards our round pen.
"Um, lets go somewhere else," I said.
"Why?" Julie asked.
"Princess. . .uh. . .looks a little bored. We've been training in the round pen a lot."
The truth was, we hadn't stepped one hoof in the round pen for months. I had been training her around the main arena for all of the competitions I had been in recently.
"Okay, so where do we go?" Allie asked.
"Umm. . .to the arena over there," I pointed.
Princess snorted in disapproval---she was sick of the arena, I knew---but I had to get away from Shane. I helped Julie guide Princess to the arena, and noticed Shane had stopped following us and his shoulders were slumped.
'Get away from me,' I thought. It's exactly what I had been thinking for these past two years. Every time Shane even attempted to approach me, I would shield away and make up some excuse for not talking to him.
The truth was, his kiss still gave me the chills---in a good way or bad, I wasn't sure, and I WAS sure I would never know.
After Julie rode Princess around for awhile, it was Allison's turn. She mounted Princess with grace and quickly learned the signals. Julie and I stood in the middle of the arena.
"Hey look, there's Shane," Julie suddenly said, pointing.
I cleared my throat and looked away. Julie gave me a funny look.
"You've been avoiding him for a loooooong time," she commented. "You never were what I would call friends, but you ignore him completely now. What's up?"
"Oh. . ." I trailed off. Obviously, I hadn't told Julie and Allie about the kiss because if I did, I would have to reveal the secret of the Den.
"Diana. . ." Julie said, raising an eyebrow at me.
I sighed. "Okay, okay, you got me." I stopped for a second, deciding how to word it---I was going to have to tell them about the kiss now, but I couldn't tell them about the Den.
"Hey Allison! Get over here! Diana's going to tell us some juicy gossip!" Julie yelled.
Princess jumped a little, startled from the sudden noise. Allison grinned and guided Princess over to us, where she dismounted.
"So, what is it?" she asked.
I sighed again. "Well. . ."
"What's she telling us anyway?" Allie asked Julie.
"Why she's been so deliberately avoiding Shane," Julie answered.
"Oh, finally," Allison giggled.
I gave them a Look and took a deep breath.
"Well," I started, whispering in case Shane heard us. "A couple of years ago, when I was twelve, I think, Shane and I were, um, riding our Ponytas. . .and, um, well we, uh, found a place to sit and let them rest since we had been cantering them, and, uh let's see, um, well, he kissed me and I freaked out and I haven't talked to him since."
Allison and Julie's eyes were bugging out and their mouths hung open.
"Uh, can you repeat that, but in English?" Allie asked.
Julie and I laughed. "I'll summarize it," Julie said. "Shane kissed Diana and she was spazzing out so she stopped talking to Shane."
"Ooooooh," Allison trailed off. "Why don't you talk to him?"
"Because. . ." I paused. How could I tell them when I didn't even know myself?
Julie and Allison must've noticed my discomfort, because Julie blurted out, "So, what are you wearing to the graduation dance?"
We all laughed, and some tension lifted from my shoulders.
"I can't believe we're graduating PokeMiddle already," Allison sighed, a starry look in her eyes.
"Yeah," I agreed. PokeMiddle was usually the last school anybody went to. Students usually left after graduating to become Pokemon trainers, breeders, or something like that. Or if you actually had money, you could go to a PokeHigh School to get a further education, but it was really expensive.
Mom and I had talked about it, and we decided I would stay here for the time being and train with Princess, entering as many shows as possible. I was really starting to get professional. I had ditched wearing a T-shirt as I did in early competitions and had bought a very nice, professional red riding jacket, which for some reason, is called 'wearing the pinks'.
Even though I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life jumping with Princess, I knew deep in my heart that Mom wanted me to return to the Den and become a Dragon Tamer.
I couldn't even think about that. I didn't want to ever return to the place where Shane had given me that kiss. Not ever.
Then again, Mystical would probably want to return to her Dragon friends. Mystical was still like a pet to me; I let her out of her Pokeball once a day, and didn't quite see her as the partner and friend as I did Princess. Mystical still seemed like a stranger to me, even after two years. I always meant to spend time with her, but I was busy jumping on Princess.
". . .and it's a really pretty silver color," Julie said, interrupting my thoughts. I jumped a little, and Princess whinnied.
"Huh?" I asked.
"My DRESS, silly!" Julie laughed. "For the dance."
"Oh, yeah." The dance. Every year, all of the PokeMiddle graduates got together, and we had a fun, formal dance. Or so I've heard.
"What's your dress going to look like?" Allison asked me.
"Um. . ." I trailed off. I had no idea. I didn't even want to go to the dance, but Allison and Julie had begged me, and I couldn't desert my friends.
"Don't tell me you haven't picked one out?!" Julie cried.
I shook my head. "I haven't even been thinking about the dance. I've been busy training Princess." Princess neighed in agreement.
"Well, pick one out this weekend and call us and tell us what it looks like," Allison said, looking at her watch. "Because for one thing, my mom is going to be here any second to take us home."
"Oh man," I sighed. "Well, anyway. . ." I paused as a car passed the Mavens's property and parked in front of my house. "See you guys later."
"Bye!" they called as they ran off to meet Allison's mom.
I mounted Princess and decided to ride her around again.
"At least you were good for Allie and Julie," I murmured to her. She snorted.
"I know, I know, you're good all the time," I smiled.
After riding around some random parts of the property for awhile, I heard hoof beats next to me. I looked up and saw Shane on Red Spot, just a foot away. I coughed and broke from a walk into a canter. Shane followed me cantering. I slowed to a walk again, and so did he.
I groaned. He wasn't going to give up.
He eventually caught up to me. "So," he said quietly. "You're going to that big dance?"
I nodded, not trusting any words to come out of my mouth.
"Oh. Hmm, well, I might go. I guess. If I can find anything decent to wear."
I couldn't believe him. He was following me just to talk about the stupid dance?! I shook my head in frustration and signaled for Princess to trot, and we trotted right to her stall, where I began silently crying as I dismounted and untacked her.
~*~*~*~
Man I really have to pee. I better see some reviews when I come back ~_^
I just still can't believe how HUGE Dragonairs are. I mean. . .Clair's is HUGE. Meh. . .
Anyway, I'm getting ready for a riding lesson and don't really have much to say except I am almost done writing this! -sob- Of course I'm not posting chapters with how fast I'm writing them. I'm making you all wait :P muhahahaa
In other news, my dog doesn't smell anymore. Of course I had to scrub him down twice to get rid of all of stink he smelled off, but now he's CLEAN and he doesn't STINK! YAY!
-Gives everyone except Hanni a cookie, and give Hanni a lemon drop- ^_^
Now, please enjoy your free cookies/lemon drops and this chapter.
~Chapter Seventeen~
Two years later. . .
~*~*~
"It's amazing how many ribbons you've won in two years," Allison sighed, looking through a box of my stuff.
"Yeah," Julie said. "All these ribbons, and WE still haven't ridden this amazing Rapidash yet!"
I laughed kind of sadly. The only reason I had never let my two best friends ride Princess was because she still seemed kind of skittish even though Anthony was sealed and we had nothing to worry about.
But then again, maybe she was just imitating my own feelings. Shane was still appearing every which way, and I couldn't avoid him whether I was riding or whether I was at school. He was haunting me, and Princess probably felt that.
"How about we ride her now?" Julie asked, a pleading look in her eyes. "Please, please, please, please, please, puh-leeeeeeeease?" she cried, jutting out her lower lip and giving me puppy dog eyes.
I sighed happily, but looked out my window, where I could see nearly all of the paddock. I could spot Danielle riding a Rapidash she had rescued last year, a gorgeous gelding named Passion Heat, or Pass for short. I couldn't see Shane at all, but he was probably waiting for me to come out so he could stalk me.
I shivered, but turned to my friends. "Okay, you can ride her, but no going over any jumps."
Allie and Julie laughed. "We promise!" they exclaimed as we raced down the stairs and walked next door.
~*~*~
I told Julie she could ride first since I've known her longer---since first grade. I've know Allison since third grade. Allie pretended to look angry, but I knew she was just kidding.
Princess snorted and half-reared at the sight of strange-to-her people approaching her stall, but she quickly realized they were okay.
I was amazed. Before Anthony was sealed, she would only let me approach her, but now that he was gone, she was only a little wary.
I didn't blame her. I would be wary too, if people I've never seen before starting petting me.
Anyway, I taught my friends which brushes to use and how to brush her. Princess seemed to like three people brushing her more than one.
"You silly girl," I whispered while I brushed around the horn on her head.
"She's so beautiful---and I can't believe she trusts you so much," Julie said while currying Princess's rump. "I mean, you don't even have a rope around her neck or anything. She's just standing here. It's amazing."
"Yeah," I smiled. "She's the best."
I showed Julie and Allie how I tack up, and I found my helmet. We all walked out leading Princess towards a big round ring, when I saw Shane jog to Red Spot's stall.
"Oh no," I muttered. I cleared my throat and decided just to ignore him. I had promised my friends a ride on Princess for a very long time, and I was going to give it to them.
Once we got to the inside of the pen, I tightened Princess's girth and lowered the stirrups. I held the left one out to Julie with one hand and handed her the helmet with my other.
"Put on the helmet then stick your left foot in the stirrup," I instructed.
"Okay mommy," Julie laughed, but she put on the helmet and put her foot in the stirrup.
"Now hold onto the saddle and hoist yourself up."
Julie jumped, but she misplaced her footing somehow and fell.
"Owww," she moaned.
Princess bent her head down and rubbed the helmet with her muzzle. Julie laughed again.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll get up, Princess," she smiled, and tried again. This time she managed to get up.
Allison and I cheered, but Julie looked confused.
"Now how do I work these things?" she asked, holding the reins.
I smiled and began teaching her how to go into a walk and move Princess left and right. While I was giving her the lesson, I noticed Shane jumping over a few fences, but his mind didn't seem to be on them. He was coming towards our round pen.
"Um, lets go somewhere else," I said.
"Why?" Julie asked.
"Princess. . .uh. . .looks a little bored. We've been training in the round pen a lot."
The truth was, we hadn't stepped one hoof in the round pen for months. I had been training her around the main arena for all of the competitions I had been in recently.
"Okay, so where do we go?" Allie asked.
"Umm. . .to the arena over there," I pointed.
Princess snorted in disapproval---she was sick of the arena, I knew---but I had to get away from Shane. I helped Julie guide Princess to the arena, and noticed Shane had stopped following us and his shoulders were slumped.
'Get away from me,' I thought. It's exactly what I had been thinking for these past two years. Every time Shane even attempted to approach me, I would shield away and make up some excuse for not talking to him.
The truth was, his kiss still gave me the chills---in a good way or bad, I wasn't sure, and I WAS sure I would never know.
After Julie rode Princess around for awhile, it was Allison's turn. She mounted Princess with grace and quickly learned the signals. Julie and I stood in the middle of the arena.
"Hey look, there's Shane," Julie suddenly said, pointing.
I cleared my throat and looked away. Julie gave me a funny look.
"You've been avoiding him for a loooooong time," she commented. "You never were what I would call friends, but you ignore him completely now. What's up?"
"Oh. . ." I trailed off. Obviously, I hadn't told Julie and Allie about the kiss because if I did, I would have to reveal the secret of the Den.
"Diana. . ." Julie said, raising an eyebrow at me.
I sighed. "Okay, okay, you got me." I stopped for a second, deciding how to word it---I was going to have to tell them about the kiss now, but I couldn't tell them about the Den.
"Hey Allison! Get over here! Diana's going to tell us some juicy gossip!" Julie yelled.
Princess jumped a little, startled from the sudden noise. Allison grinned and guided Princess over to us, where she dismounted.
"So, what is it?" she asked.
I sighed again. "Well. . ."
"What's she telling us anyway?" Allie asked Julie.
"Why she's been so deliberately avoiding Shane," Julie answered.
"Oh, finally," Allison giggled.
I gave them a Look and took a deep breath.
"Well," I started, whispering in case Shane heard us. "A couple of years ago, when I was twelve, I think, Shane and I were, um, riding our Ponytas. . .and, um, well we, uh, found a place to sit and let them rest since we had been cantering them, and, uh let's see, um, well, he kissed me and I freaked out and I haven't talked to him since."
Allison and Julie's eyes were bugging out and their mouths hung open.
"Uh, can you repeat that, but in English?" Allie asked.
Julie and I laughed. "I'll summarize it," Julie said. "Shane kissed Diana and she was spazzing out so she stopped talking to Shane."
"Ooooooh," Allison trailed off. "Why don't you talk to him?"
"Because. . ." I paused. How could I tell them when I didn't even know myself?
Julie and Allison must've noticed my discomfort, because Julie blurted out, "So, what are you wearing to the graduation dance?"
We all laughed, and some tension lifted from my shoulders.
"I can't believe we're graduating PokeMiddle already," Allison sighed, a starry look in her eyes.
"Yeah," I agreed. PokeMiddle was usually the last school anybody went to. Students usually left after graduating to become Pokemon trainers, breeders, or something like that. Or if you actually had money, you could go to a PokeHigh School to get a further education, but it was really expensive.
Mom and I had talked about it, and we decided I would stay here for the time being and train with Princess, entering as many shows as possible. I was really starting to get professional. I had ditched wearing a T-shirt as I did in early competitions and had bought a very nice, professional red riding jacket, which for some reason, is called 'wearing the pinks'.
Even though I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life jumping with Princess, I knew deep in my heart that Mom wanted me to return to the Den and become a Dragon Tamer.
I couldn't even think about that. I didn't want to ever return to the place where Shane had given me that kiss. Not ever.
Then again, Mystical would probably want to return to her Dragon friends. Mystical was still like a pet to me; I let her out of her Pokeball once a day, and didn't quite see her as the partner and friend as I did Princess. Mystical still seemed like a stranger to me, even after two years. I always meant to spend time with her, but I was busy jumping on Princess.
". . .and it's a really pretty silver color," Julie said, interrupting my thoughts. I jumped a little, and Princess whinnied.
"Huh?" I asked.
"My DRESS, silly!" Julie laughed. "For the dance."
"Oh, yeah." The dance. Every year, all of the PokeMiddle graduates got together, and we had a fun, formal dance. Or so I've heard.
"What's your dress going to look like?" Allison asked me.
"Um. . ." I trailed off. I had no idea. I didn't even want to go to the dance, but Allison and Julie had begged me, and I couldn't desert my friends.
"Don't tell me you haven't picked one out?!" Julie cried.
I shook my head. "I haven't even been thinking about the dance. I've been busy training Princess." Princess neighed in agreement.
"Well, pick one out this weekend and call us and tell us what it looks like," Allison said, looking at her watch. "Because for one thing, my mom is going to be here any second to take us home."
"Oh man," I sighed. "Well, anyway. . ." I paused as a car passed the Mavens's property and parked in front of my house. "See you guys later."
"Bye!" they called as they ran off to meet Allison's mom.
I mounted Princess and decided to ride her around again.
"At least you were good for Allie and Julie," I murmured to her. She snorted.
"I know, I know, you're good all the time," I smiled.
After riding around some random parts of the property for awhile, I heard hoof beats next to me. I looked up and saw Shane on Red Spot, just a foot away. I coughed and broke from a walk into a canter. Shane followed me cantering. I slowed to a walk again, and so did he.
I groaned. He wasn't going to give up.
He eventually caught up to me. "So," he said quietly. "You're going to that big dance?"
I nodded, not trusting any words to come out of my mouth.
"Oh. Hmm, well, I might go. I guess. If I can find anything decent to wear."
I couldn't believe him. He was following me just to talk about the stupid dance?! I shook my head in frustration and signaled for Princess to trot, and we trotted right to her stall, where I began silently crying as I dismounted and untacked her.
~*~*~*~
Man I really have to pee. I better see some reviews when I come back ~_^