By: Pro_V of Pokemon: The Hokubu & Nanka Trek
What happens when Eevy and crew hit the shores of the United States?
A/N: I had a list…It was numbered from 1 to 19. This was the list of ideas for TAA USA that I knew were being put in. In a span of 5 chapters, the list has gone from 19 to 7. Wow; I'm a-workin' away! Remember: This is not a "What if…?" fic. This is to be held to the story, even if it seems kind of…Different.
Part Nine: Wherever you go, Wherever you are…
Stepping out into the slightly chilled morning air, everyone stopped and looked about. They could smell chocolate in the air, but there was nothing sweet about the morning. They looked between the third RV and the last bus for Eevy's car, but all that remained as any confirmation she had ever been there were the tire marks from where she'd turned the wheel tight enough to get out. Frowning, they looked at their watches.
"Six o'clock," Chenille murmured, "I wonder how long she's been gone."
"Since four," came a muffled voice as Ensign came quietly around from behind the third RV, lighting the cigarette that hung from his mouth, "She was up at three, packed and leaving at quarter to."
"Those are terrible for you," Yuu-Yuu muttered.
"I don't care. But thanks for your concern just the same."
"And just how do you know when she left anyway?" Will asked, narrowing his eyes, "Were you spying on her?"
Ensign puffed smoke out of his mouth, "I'm a security officer, aren't I? It's my business to know."
"Well then, Mr. Smart," Luri crossed her arms, "Where'd she go then?"
Ensign tapped the ash off the end of his cigarette, "Judging by the speed she was going, she's probably in Atlantic City, heading on New York right now."
"Why didn't you stop her, stupid?!" Lisle barked, "She was supposed to wait for us!"
"It's not my business to tell her where she can and can't go, nor when she can and can't leave," he shrugged, smoke rising from the cigarette in his right hand, "It's also not my business to tell you that she was crying, but uh oh I just did."
"…Crying?" Medira whimpered, "Was she hurt?"
"Oh, she was hurt," he dropped his cigarette and stepped on it, "But not the way you're thinking. She was hoping, she said, that one or two or maybe even all of you would get up and come out with her. She said," he pulled out his lighter and flicked it open, "That she was disappointed. Disappointed that her plan had not worked."
"Plan?" Richie tilted his head, "What do you mean?"
"She thought that maybe, just maybe, some of you would get up early with her, so as you could prove you were being truthful yesterday when you apologized to her. Remember? She told you she was going to be out before sunup, and that you probably wouldn't see her?"
"He's right," Kayla shrieked, "I forgot she said that, otherwise I'd have gotten up!"
"But, she said, you couldn't even bother to do that, and was quite upset that your friendships were so easily extinguished," he grinned, shutting the lighter and killing the flame, "And she told me to tell you goodbye."
"Goodbye?" Morty shoved out in front of him, "What did she mean goodbye?"
"She doesn't want you at her speech in New York," he replied pointedly, "I've been ordered to keep you away from her. She says you can watch from your hotel rooms. If, that is, you really even care enough to watch. However," he looked over at Lance, "She's told me you may go if you wish. You and Miss Andiron and Mister Frigate there."
Lance looked back at Kayla and Skiff, "I'll go. If you two are going, you can ride with me."
"Sure," Kayla nodded.
"All right," Skiff agreed.
As Lance, Kayla, and Skiff threw their stuff into Lance's Mako, everyone else started to slowly head for the busses and RVs. As he started onto the bus, Ash stopped and stood there, shutting his eyes and shivering. Pikachu looked down from atop his head, his ears fallen down. Behind him, Misty dropped her head, and Togepi whimpered sadly.
"This is insane!" Ash snapped, turning around and standing on the bottom step of the bus, "There's no reason why we couldn't get up and be with her, except that we're lazy and selfish, just like Kayla said!" Pikachu held his neck as he pounded the railing of the steps, "None of us would even be here if it wasn't for her!"
Morty was standing back behind another RV, listening to Ash rant, while he dialed his cell phone, "Eusine? Yeah, it's Morty. No, she's not here. She took off early this morning, just like I told you she said. How are Mizu and Kenta? Good, I'm glad. Eevy has kinda…Banned us from her speech today. Yeah, I know; she's supremely pissed this time. Listen…Is there any way Mizu could watch? It should be on every news channel at one this afternoon. Great, because I think she should really see it. Let Kenta watch too. Oh, come on, you never know."
*^~^**^~^*
"Big city…" Eevy murmured, looking out her car windows in every direction, "And big traffic problems to match."
Drumming her fingers on her steering wheel, she kept glancing at her watch. It was almost noon. She'd been stuck in this God-forsaken traffic for hours. The worst part of it all was that she was only three blocks from the stupid dock. Of course, she calculated, three blocks in this traffic would take about another half-hour at least. She crossed her arms and grumbled something, then looking out her rearview mirror. Way back, deeply submerged in traffic, was a line of busses and RVs. Judging by the fact that there was a rainbow across the front of the bus she could see, she knew precisely who it was. All she did was sit there and swear to herself that they better be turning off to go to the hotel.
*^~^**^~^*
Finally having made it to the dock and turning quickly into her reserved space, Eevy was out of her car and marching triumphantly to the dock. Finally something had gone right this morning. After she'd left Ensign with her message to those people, and after when she had stopped in Atlantic City to rest for a few minutes, Kratos had called and demanded she wear something more formal for the speech. Grunting, she had agreed.
She had brought her true League uniform for a reason. Her long purple coat, almost classified as a trench coat, waved along behind her as she buried her hands deep in the pockets. Beneath it was a short, tall-shouldered suit coat, a white dress shirt tucked into a decent-length skirt, and a black belt with a silver buckle. High-heels and nylons were definitely not her choice attire, nor was the purple ascot with the calligraphic C and E pinned to it. The black gloves were OK though, so she allowed herself to be condemned to frilly garb. After all…It wasn't for too long. She hoped. Her loose hair flipping about behind her, and her bangs curled up out of her eyes, she stepped silently up onto the boat heading for Liberty Isle.
Looking around in all directions, she spied what she counted out to be five security officers, all armed, hovering about her in undercover outfits. For her, it was easy to pick them out, and for most decent wrongdoers, it would be equally as simple. Especially since one kept scratching his ear nervously, which in turn showed off the earpiece he wore. She rolled her eyes, turning away from them to look out at the water. It wasn't exactly crystalline, but it was still very pretty. It was calming.
Still, she tensed again, wondering if anyone would come. She knew, almost for certain, that Lance, Kayla, and Skiff would show, but would the others try to? They hadn't gotten up with her, but, she supposed, it was kind of an inhuman time to be out and driving. That was another thing she thought about; inhuman. The way Rubeus had stared at her the day before. Like she had six heads or something. And she didn't even remember dropping her guns, nor did she know how she'd gotten so bloodied up, and yet wasn't injured. There was something strange going on…She was blinking in and out of consciousness almost, like she was falling asleep, and when she "came to", people were telling her she'd been very bitter, even vicious. Shrugging it off for the time being, she watched as the boat closed in on Liberty Isle.
*^~^**^~^*
Piling into their respective rooms at the revered Plaza Hotel, everyone who had not been permitted to go to Eevy's speech quickly found the channel with the least chattiest anchorperson and ogled the set as they focused on where Eevy would be standing in but a few short minutes. Even if they weren't to be there with her, they wanted to see her. This was a big step for her; speaking in the United States. To think a few months before she had never trained a Pokemon in her life. And now she was going to stand in front of literally millions of people and try to explain to them how she got where she was and why it was that she turned out the way she had. In many ways, she was there to reach out to the population who had been like her, and who had denied training Pokemon. In other ways, she was there to speak out against a lot of things. When she appeared from the left side of the screen, everyone screamed.
"Oh, look at her!" Chenille bellowed, "She looks so gorgeous and professional!"
Morty grinned, "Now that's the way I like to see her. Tall and proud."
Back in his office in Rainbow Metro, Kratos was smiling crazily, "Ah…The Champion has truly been born. What a wonderful image."
"Oh, Eusine, look at her," Mizu whimpered, sniveling slightly, "I think I'm gonna cry. She looks so wonderful."
"That she does," Eusine nodded, crossing his arms, "That she does."
"Oh my God, she's on!" Eevy's mother shrieked, "OHHH! Look at how wonderful she looks!"
She turned and latched onto Eusine's mother, "Oh, Tammy, she looks like an absolute angel!"
"Shush up! She's getting ready to talk!" Eevy's father snapped as her uncle leaned down over the back of the couch to see.
Eevy fingered the Champion pin at her throat subconsciously, "As an opening, I'd very much like to thank the city of New York for allowing me to come and speak here. My main purpose here, as far as most people are probably concerned, is to promote my League. However, for me, there is much more to be said.
"Throughout my reign of Champion, though so far it has been short, I have come across the realization that fame can bring many things; some of which are not desired. I did not choose for Peter Rubeus to chase me down, and I did not choose to be the target of Team Rocket, but following my dream has brought this upon me. And I accept it unerringly. To follow my heart brought this down around me, but it also brought me the opportunity to have the power I need to speak publicly like this about the things we all know are wrong, and yet do nothing about.
"I was still young when I learned just what it was like to lose something very near and dear to me. For me, it was my partner in the Rose Town police force," she reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet, flipping I open, "Captain Lee Tanabata was and has remained a constant source of support for me. And even though he is no longer of this world, I know he is always with me."
"Oh, look," Annri leaned over and buried her face on Logan's shoulder.
"Mamoru Vicious of Team Rocket is responsible for his passing, and I have made it my personal mission to stop Team Rocket from ever taking another life. I'm only one person, but I know with help that I can do it. Lee is still one of the most important people in my life, and even though Vicious tried to take that away from me, it didn't work. I was taught to fight for what I wanted. At that point, and even now, I wanted nothing more than to please him. His wish was for me to achieve whatever it is I decided I wanted, with or without him, and also for me to find someone to take care of me. I have done as he has asked.
"It took me years, even after I lost him, to realize this is where I belong. So my advice to everyone watching me now is to follow your wishes and see them through, no matter how slim the chances are. I was twenty-two and had never trained a Pokemon in my life, and look where I am now.
"Another thing you absolutely must do is support those you care for. Even if you haven't seen them in years, if you still hold their memories close to you, then you're still friends. And if that's true, is it not your responsibility as a friend to cheer them on and to bring them light in their darkest hours?"
Back in the hotel, those watching were now more along the lines of mesmerized. She had taken what they had done and melted and molded it into a speech to call out to the world. Was this a form of apology? Or was she trying to grind it in? The latter, they concluded, was much more probable.
"My friends helped me write this speech on a degree they will never understand. They didn't sit down and muse with me. They didn't grab pens and paper and write their ideas for me to read. They didn't even read what I had prepared to critique it. All they did…Was critique me.
"My past is something not too many can or will ever understand. About the only one who ever really could is Lee. His life is a story of work, strength, gain, and, ultimately, loss and pain. It is because of him that I will never again accept a loss for what it is usually judged as. Loss is seen, by most everyone today, as failure. What I see each red flag as is experience as to find my weaknesses and strengthen them. If you're a poor loser, then you will always be a poor winner, as you will see every victory as your right. The only kind of person who has the right to win are those who work for what they achieve.
"In many ways, I am a role model and, at times, a point of obsession for many of the young, and even some of the more experienced Pokemon trainers. In light of this, I have only one thing to say to them," she looked straight ahead at the camera focused on her, "I would very much enjoy the opportunity to test both my skills and yours, but if you wish to reach me, you must work for it. You may not notice it, but I have spies everywhere throughout the Rainbow Ring, who will watch you, study you, and pick at your every flaw. And if you are not of top quality, or if you have an attitude about you they do not like, they will crush you."
Sitting in their meeting room in the central hall of Rainbow Mansion, the Gym Leaders started cheering for themselves. They knew she was speaking of them. Many of them had been given official permission to remove any overconfident trainer from their Gyms, and some even the right to strip the trainers' Badges and trainer licenses. What they didn't know…Was that she was watching them as well.
"I'm sure that what I've said doesn't apply to everyone. At least I sincerely hope not. I also sincerely hope that my words have actually managed to reach at least one trainer out there, and maybe helped him or her take their ability and not abuse it. I know a lot of people who have used their powers to hurt some of the people they care most for," she clenched her gloved fists atop the podium, feeling the hearts of her Council Members sink even from that great a distance, "And to them…I can only apologize. Apologize for not being able, in one way or another, to point them in the right direction. From this failure, I have learned, and I will not allow myself to fail like this again.
"As a closing, I must thank you all for listening to this rambling," she grinned as she watched everyone smile slightly, "And may I also go by saying long live Gertan Rin, long live the Rainbow Ring, and long live the United States."
As she dropped her head and turned to leave, everyone sitting in their chairs ahead of her got to their feet and started clapping. Lance, Kayla, and Skiff stood in the front row, screaming and clapping as she headed down the walk and over to a group of security guards, who walked with her to the boat to head back to the mainland. What she had said wasn't exactly sweet or sugarcoated, but she knew full well that it had struck trainers everywhere. She had not only supported all those who were trying to reach her, but she had also issued a challenge and warning to everyone out there not to get too cocky, because she was waiting. Also…She knew it had hit her "friends" back at the hotel. Smiling in satisfaction with herself, she again went back to counting security personnel.
*^~^**^~^*
"She was talking about us," Misty whimpered, covering her eyes as Togepi sat beside her and patted her back, "She didn't say it, but I know it."
"I can't believe she actually said all that stuff," Brock sighed, leaning his chin in his hand, "And I'm sure she really meant it too."
Rachel nodded, letting out a long breath, "She's pissed. And I can't really say I blame her. She has every right to be."
"And she was right before too," Yuu-Yuu put in, "She didn't really have a reason to forgive us."
"But did she have the right to publicly pick us apart?" Gary asked, scratching his back of the head for a moment before slumping down, "Oh, hell, of course she did…"
"I'm just glad she didn't say our names," Chenille muttered, covering her head with a pillow, "It's about the only thing I have to be glad about."
"So what do you propose we do about this?" Lisle asked, sitting forward, "There has to be something we can say to her or do for her that could make her forgive us."
"If we let her have the chance to somehow come in contact with the Beasts, she could pass an official Prophetic seal against us," Morty grunted, also moving forward, "If she does that, our roles on the Council will be broken."
"Wait…" Jason stood up straight, "The Beasts. Maybe we could get them to talk to her."
"Yeah, that's right," Medira looked up from where she was leaning on the wall, "She sees she's done wrong and so have we. That means they can try and talk her through this."
"But what if they agree with her?" Tracey asked, spinning a pencil around in his fingers and looking at the floor, "If they happen to side with her, wouldn't that kind of defeat the purpose?"
"Oh no!" Sooney suddenly cried, "What if Eevy never ever forgives us and we get kicked off the Council and then Rubeus comes and tries to kill her and because she has no one to protect she gets really hurt or even worse she gets killed and we never ever see her again and then we'll all be left wondering what we could have done to save her or maybe we'll all die at the same time and-"
"Sooney! Shut up!"
"I'll be quiet…"
"I really don't think we need to worry about them siding with her," Richie poked in as Sooney began hyperventilating, "Remember what happened when she and Lance were fighting? They sided with everyone else. Because they know what's meant to happen."
"He's right," Mizu noted from the videophone on the wall beside where Medira was standing, "We've all seen at least a year into the Prophecy. And as far as I remember, there was nothing about Amatsubikei breaking up the Council."
"All we have to do is hope she doesn't get to the Beasts first, and also that she hasn't already," Eusine added, seated on the hospital bed beside Mizu, "If she did, it might already be too late to stop her."
"Then it's settled," Luri nodded firmly, "Tonight we call the Beasts to try and straighten this whole crazy thing out once and for all."
"Hm…" Will suddenly acquired a kinked and strange grin, "I've got an even better idea."
*^~^**^~^*
"You were wonderful today, Evangelina," Lance tugged Eevy over, wandering through the main entranceway of the Plaza, and leaned her on his shoulder, "Thank you for letting me come."
"Yeah, thanks a million!" Kayla grinned, clapping her hands together, "It was so much fun!"
"Definitely," Skiff nodded, "It was great to be at your first real public speech."
"Well, I'm glad it was enjoyable for you. I'm just really sorry it wasn't really everything everyone expected," Eevy sighed, slouching dejectedly.
Lance looked at her sadly, then smiled stupidly, "Eh, I think that pretty new outfit of yours made up for it! You look so professional and very, very lovely."
"You sure do!" Kayla clapped again, running around in front of her, "Listen, I'm going to go get some dinner. Take care, OK? And thanks again!" she waved and ran off toward the door to the Oak Room, through which she saw a few of the others attempting to flag her down.
"I think I'm going to go eat too," Skiff shrugged, also veering off in that direction, "Something smells great and I'm kinda hungry from that never-ending boat ride. See you guys later!"
Eevy waved after them, then turned and cuddled Lance's arm, "So…Now that we're alone, what do you want to do?"
He grinned wickedly down at her, "Oh, lots of things. Problem is I can't do them standing here."
She grinned frivolously, tugging his belt with her finger, "You should really learn to behave yourself."
"Yeah, right, sure…" he coughed, then quickly using his ringing cell phone as a wonderful means of escape, "Excuse me for a second, Eev?"
"Sure."
As she wondered absently about the main hallway, looking around at the many shining lights of the Plaza's beautiful décor, he continued talking on the phone with the opposite ear covered. He was bent over and whispering, indicating to her that something funny was going on. He clicked his phone shut and turned around to face her.
"Sorry about that," he took her arm, "Now let's get up to our room."
"…Who was that?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well…I'll tell you in a few minutes."
She looked at him like he was crazy, but walked with him just the same. They stopped suddenly, and she was jolted back, as she had continued walking. She looked quickly around, then scowled at him.
"This is a meeting room, not our suite. What is going on?" she demanded.
Without answering, he opened the door and dragged her inside. As she stumbled to stay standing, she came to a wobbling halt beside him. Looking up and across the room, three different glowing figures, one of red, one of yellow, and one of blue, stood and looked at her. Raikou, Entei, and Suicune nodded their heads to her, then backed off to the sides.
Her heart stopping, Eevy pulled slowly, carefully, and silently away from Lance's grasp. Stepping once, twice forward, her eyes began to shake. Someone stood behind them, arms crossed, and an all-too-serene look about him. A sweet smile cracked across his lips, and Eevy took in a tiny gasp. Taking two steps forward, the visitor seemingly pulled himself from the white shadow that had been hanging over him. He now stood ahead of the Beasts, who watched patiently. It couldn't be. He looked too real, too happy, too perfect, too…Too alive. At her sides, Eevy's gloved hands trembled violently and her blood began to pump.
Suddenly she heard that quiet laugh that she'd never forget, "Mm…Ladybug."
Her spine felt suddenly as if it had been hit with a bolt of lightning, and her back shot up dead straight as a tiny voice escaped from her throat, "…Lee?"
*^~^**^~^*
"What's going on?" Yuu-Yuu asked, leaning down over Chenille's back.
"Did it actually work?" Sooney questioned, practically draped over them both.
"If you don't get off me pretty soon, I won't be able to sit tall enough to find out," Chenille glared over her shoulder, causing everyone to back down.
Ash was laying on the floor, peeking under the door, "Looks like they're just kinda standing there."
"Pi-kachu," Pikachu nodded, also looking about from the doorjamb.
"Oh, I sure hope she doesn't get angry with us…" Misty murmured, cradling Togepi.
"Togi," her Pokemon agreed.
"What's happening now?" Luri asked, crouching down.
"They're still just standing there," Chenille blinked twice, "I hope she's OK."
*^~^**^~^*
"You…You can't be Lee," Eevy quivered, stepping quickly backward, "Lee…Lee is dead. He's been dead. For…For almost five years."
"Evangelina, you must calm down," Entei told her.
"We have been asked to summon him from the afterlife," Suicune pointed out, "He is very much real."
"Calm down? Calm down?! What are you psychos talking about?!" Eevy threw her arms down to her sides, causing everyone to recoil, "You're trying to convince me that he's real, when Lee died five years ago?! How the hell am I supposed to calm down?!"
"Temper, Evangelina."
"Don't talk to me!" she shrieked, pointing to the thing they tried to inform her was Lee, "Don't…Don't even look at me!"
"Evangelina…Ladybug…" he stepped closer, frowning as she put both hands up to block him, "Please don't be this way. It's the truth, Ladybug. Here," he put out his hand, "Take my hand. Go ahead; you know I won't hurt you."
She whimpered and looked back at Lance, who was just watching calmly whilst leaning on the wall, then quickly slapped his hand away, "You cannot be Lee Tanabata! Lee is dead! Do you hear me?! Dead!"
When she quickly swung a right hook at his head, he leaned back. Her fist went soaring right over his head and she lost her balance with that tremendous shift of weight. Collapsing on top of him, she dropped them both to the floor. Falling out on top of him, she quickly attempted to sit up, but as she did so, her eyes fell directly into his. She stopped and stared at him, then began to shake uncontrollably. He placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying her.
"But…But you're just like him…" she whimpered, looking down and rubbing her nose, "As fast as a Persian…And as sweet as a Butterfree…But…But you're dead…I know you're dead. I watched you die."
"For the last time; we summoned him," Raikou noted loudly, "He has been drawn directly from the realm of Ho-oh; the Kingdom of Heaven, Evangelina."
She looked back at them, and Lee sat up, "It wasn't Heaven," he grumbled, "Not so long as I was without my Ladybug."
Eevy sniveled, crying deep tears, and flung herself at him, "Lee! Lee, God, I missed you! It hurt, Lee, it hurt so bad!"
He looked down at her, tugging her over and holding her close, "It's OK now. I promise."
"No it's not! It's not OK! It never was OK!" she pounded his chest with weak fists, "You didn't have to die, Lee! You shouldn't have died!"
"Now you stop that," he scolded her, "Act like an adult, huh?" he took her elbows in both hands, "Oh, God, Eva…Look at you. So grown-up. So beautiful," he slid his finger along her jaw, "You look so different. You've changed so much. You look nothing like I remember, and yet you're just so very much identical. And these scars…" he touched the one on her chin, frowning, "From that bastard Andiron."
"You…How do you know about Taylor?"
"I've never taken my eyes off you," he brushed her hair back with his fingers, "I couldn't. And when he was hurting you…" his fingertips shook as they rested in her hair, "It hurt me so bad…To see you in such pain. I would have done absolutely anything…Anything at all to come back and do something to help you."
"Oh, man, she's crying…" Ash muttered, rolling out flat, "Like…Really crying."
"Is she OK?" Kayla asked, leaning down.
"I think so," Chenille nodded, "I think it's more along the lines of stress. Seeing somebody you haven't seen in five years come back from the dead isn't exactly a picnic. Especially when it's under these kinds of circumstances."
"I'm sure she'll be OK," Gary noted, placing his hands on his hips, "She's a strong girl."
"But all that really matters now is that you're OK," Lee grinned, sitting her up, "You've done so much, Eva. And that stupid brother of mine was right; I'm very proud of you."
"You talk like my brother," she sputtered, causing Morty to sweatdrop on the other side of the door.
"Now there's the Ladybug I remember," he snickered, "God knows…" he held her shoulders and held her off to examine her, "I'd never have known by the clothes. Or the attitude you have on you now. You used to be so timid…But it seems someone helped you overcome that."
When his eyes fixed on Lance, who was still leaning against the wall, the Elite Fourth looked right back at him, then stood up straight. He had been half expecting this spirit to try and kill him or something, but he seemingly didn't really care. His attention had been directly aimed toward Eevy. She was the only reason he was there in the first place. Lee stood and Eevy obediently did the same. She watched both Lee and Lance, wondering just how long they were planning on staring at each other. The last thing she wanted was for them to start arguing.
"…Thank you."
Lance's head tipped slightly to one side, "Huh?"
"Thank you…For taking care of her," Lee explained, gripping Eevy's hand at his side, "It's really the one thing I wanted. And you've obviously done a stupendous job."
Lance looked him over strangely for a second, then grinned and nodded, "It's been my pleasure."
Lee looked down at Eevy, "You've done very well to find someone like him. Not too many people would understand you."
Eevy flipped her hair over to her right shoulder, "Lance is different."
Lance smirked and rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, different, right."
Lee grinned again, and Eevy was quite pleased they were getting along, "Raikou…" she looked back over her shoulder, "How long can he stay?"
"Until midnight," Raikou answered, "It's like a Cinderella thing."
"No it's not," Suicune snorted, "Midnight is the bewitching hour, Evangelina. He'll be taken back at the stroke of twelve."
"It's six o'clock now," Entei noted, "So you have about six hours."
"That's not very long," Eevy murmured, "I didn't realize it was so late."
"Master Ryujin," Lee bowed his head to him as he looked up, "I'm sorry if you find it rude of me to ask, but can we be alone? It's nothing against you, honestly, it's just I'd like to speak with her in private for a while."
Lance looked between them both repeatedly, "Sure," he nodded, waving and turning to the door and watching the shadows of everyone on the other side scattering, "I'll just be up in our room."
Eevy blew him a kiss as he left, then turned back to Lee as the Beasts backed away and through the walls, "For a dead guy, you look very good."
He cracked a slightly agitated grin, "Very funny," he linked their hands together at their sides, "God, I can't get over how much you've changed. I don't have to look down at you any more," feeling something on her hand, he looked down, "That ring…"
She looked down at her hand as well, "I've never really taken it off for any extended period of time…I couldn't…"
"Evangelina…" he leaned his forehead into hers, "God, Ladybug, I still love you."
Her eyes shook, "I love you too," she folded her arms up around his neck, "I've never stopped thinking of you for a second."
"Can I ask you a question? Then why didn't you tell anyone about me?"
She quickly let him go, "Like you said, not many people understand me. I was afraid of what they'd think of me."
"It looked to me," he held her neck, "From where I was watching…That you have plenty of people who understand you, given time. That I know; from experience."
She dropped her head and sighed. Frowning at her, he nudged her chin up with his thumbs. She took his wrists and looked away, but all he did was turn her to look back. Wrapping one arm around her waist and settling one in her hair, he tipped her back and kissed her. Outside the door, Lance leaned back against the wall, sighing long and hard.
*^~^**^~^*
"And then I summoned the Phoenix Ho-oh and got everyone out."
"Impressive."
Eevy grinned, her arms crossed on Lee's leg and her chin rested on top of them. It was quarter to twelve now. Just fifteen minutes left to go before he was taken from her again. Lee ran a hand through her hair and she looked up at him, slightly bright-eyed.
"Sometimes…I wonder what it would have been like if you hadn't died that day," she murmured, "Where we'd be and what we'd have become."
"Hm?" Lee looked down at her, one eyebrow raised.
"I wonder if maybe if you'd have lived if I'd have ultimately wound up here anyway. I've been told it was my destiny. So maybe it would have been better if we'd have stayed together. Then we could have been together all this time."
"Evangelina!" he snapped, causing her to shoot up, "Don't ever think like that again!"
"I…I…What'd I do?" she asked worriedly.
"I gave my life to protect you, Evangelina. It got you places most people can't even dream of being. It got you a life and friends you'd never have had if I'd have lived through it. And now you want to tell me you'd throw it all away? Evangelina, that's the most selfish thing you've ever said."
"But I-"
"If I had lived, you'd have never been chosen as the Angel's vessel, right? Then were would that leave Master Ryujin, or Master Logos, or Mistress Kurayami? What about your brother, your cousin, or the other Elite? What would Team Rocket be doing right now? Would Rubeus still be Champion? Would he still be Rubiyaku's vessel? What would the world be like if you weren't around to protect it from creatures like him? What about your friends, Evangelina?" he got to his feet, staring down at her, "Would you readily give up the chance to protect millions for the chance to live with me, naïve as to the real problems of the world? Would you willingly give up everything you have; your family, your friends, your Pokemon, your League, your life? Don't you understand what that would do? Evangelina, you're needed far more than I ever was."
"Don't say that!" she pounded the floor, "I needed you! I've always needed you! And I killed you! Because I wasn't strong enough to protect myself!"
"You were always strong enough," he grasped her wrists and dragged her to her feet, "You don't need me; you have someone. He needs you just as much as you need him. And you didn't kill me, Eva. Vicious took my life, and I kept him from taking yours by giving myself for you. And if I had the chance to go back and try again," he pulled her elbows and held them tight to her sides, "God damn it, Evangelina, I'd do the same thing."
She stared into him, her whole body shaking. She'd never seen him so angry. Never seen him so serious. She clenched her fists at her sides, her fingernails hurting her palms even through her gloves. Feeling her quiver, he quickly loosened his grip on her.
"Just for the chance to sit up there and watch you grow and watch you triumph, with or without knowing this is where it would lead you," he continued, "I would easily give it all up for you, Evangelina."
As she stared at him, she sensed Electric power from their side, "Pardon the interruption, but you have only a few minutes."
"…Thank you, Raikou," Eevy nodded, stepping away from him.
"There is something else you must know," Entei acknowledged from beside Raikou.
"In summoning him, we have brought his spirit into limbo," Suicune told them.
"To purgatory…?" Eevy asked, "Raikou! What did you do?! He can't rest peacefully now!"
"Yes, that's true," Raikou nodded, "But it also means that he can now walk freely."
"Eh…?"
"It means that I am now freely allowed to wander throughout the brink between the world of the living and the land of the dead," Lee explained.
Eevy twitched, "…You'll be a ghost. An actual ghost."
"In theory, yes," Entei sweatdropped.
"I'll be able to watch you more closely now, and actually be able to interact with you and your surroundings," he rubbed the back of his head, "It'll make for good fun at Halloween anyway."
She snickered slightly, her smile fading as his form was pervaded with a sudden thick white shadow, "Lee…What's going on?" she jolted as the clock on the wall began to strike twelve, "Oh, Lee…"
"It's OK, Ladybug," he carefully released her hand, "I promise I'm always going to be watching out for you, OK? Don't ever forget that. Keep making me proud, Evangelina. That's all I ask."
*^~^**^~^*
The next few days were long, tedious, and all around agonizing. Between traffic, Mizu and Eusine's return with Kenta, and, oh yeah, that little thing with Eevy hating everyone…Life was just a peach. Though she would, at times, acknowledge when someone had spoken to her, it was plain to see that summoning Lee to speak with her had done Eevy's opinion of them no good. They had, however, noticed that whatever it was that was making her eyes change and making her sometimes so violent was emerging less and less over the past few days.
When they reached Niagara Falls, Eevy's mood shifted just slightly to the point at which she was actually talking to them. Though sometimes it wasn't exactly the most civilized or friendly of conversations, she was at least coming in contact with them now. Morty suggested that maybe the waterfall had a calming affect on her, allowing her to grow less tense. Or maybe she was just starting to calm her nerves.
"If you don't stop talking, I'm gonna throw you over that railing."
…Or not.
*^~^**^~^*
From the Canadian side of Niagara Falls, they found themselves in St. Catherines. The reason for their stop there was to again meet Maren and return Lance's Mako and Eevy's Viper to Gertan Rin. The busses and RVs were to be left at Buffalo airport, to be picked up and driven off to their headquarters (location secured).
After seeing the cars off, they returned to New York and to Buffalo. Once there, they got to go on a plane again! Gee, Kayla and Richie were real enthused about that one. Worse was that they had a layover in Newark before they got back to Orlando. Dragging their luggage along the floor, they boarded their next plane to Orlando. After that endless ride, they found themselves seated in the middle of OIA, waiting for their flight.
"I can't believe we're going home already," Yuu-Yuu whined, "We didn't get to go to Disney World…"
"But we went to Hershey," Sooney pointed out, "That was fun!"
"Before or after you both gorged yourselves on chocolate bars and threw up?" Luri asked pointedly.
Everyone giggled excepting Ensign and Eevy. Ensign sat alone, turned to his side on the end chair of the row, with smoke rising from his cigarette. Eevy sat two seats down from him on the opposite row of chairs, arms and legs crossed. Mizu was too busy cuddling Kenta to notice that Eusine was staring at their tickets. He suddenly stood and walked over to the board, looking it over. Calling Morty to his side, they both looked at their tickets and then the board repeatedly.
"Uh…" Eusine scratched his head and turned toward everyone else, "These tickets and this board say we don't leave for another two days."
"What?" Eevy hissed, sitting up straight.
"Look," Morty held out his ticket to her, "It says we leave on Saturday. It's Wednesday now. Thursday and Friday are wide open."
At the stupid snicker from behind, Eevy turned slowly around, "Treaty…"
"Did I forget to tell you?" Ensign grinned, holding his hands up to shrug, "Oh, that's right! I was supposed to give you this," he reached inside his coat and pulled out a sheet of white paper, which she snatched from his hand, "Kratos sent us new tickets. Everyone, check your pockets, please," he grinned sadistically up at Eevy, "He's also sent us passes to Disney and Sea World."
"Hey, he's right!" Rachel shrieked, sitting forward, "They were in my pants' pocket!"
Eevy clenched her fists, constricting the paper, as everyone began to say the same thing, "Ensign Treaty…Why was I not informed of this?"
"…You just were."
*^~^**^~^*
Lance leaned on the doorframe of the hotel room door and sighed, "You're sure you don't want to come, Eev? I bet you'd enjoy it."
"I'm not going," Eevy grunted, typing away on her laptop, "I have work and other things to do besides go romping around with a cartoon mouse or a big bubbly whale. If you want to go, please, do. Enjoy yourself."
"Oh, Evangelina…Why are you being this way?" he sighed, "All right…I'll see you later tonight then. Do you want me to bring you anything?"
"Jellybeans," she noted quickly, "From the candy store."
He grinned slightly, "OK. Bye, love."
"Bye," she waved her fingers, then went back to her computer.
As she continued to type and work away at her forms and papers and the like, she noticed something moving beside her. Looking down, her park tickets lifted off the table and dropped on the keyboard. Grunting, she swiped them off and onto the floor. Again, they lifted up, this time hovering directly in front of her face. She swung her hand about in the air around them.
"Lee, knock it off!" she barked, causing the tickets to abruptly drop in her lap, "I'm not going. I don't want to go."
Her hands were yanked away from the keyboard, and on the screen appeared a =(. Growling, she put in a :P. The only response she received was for her screen to get shut off on its own.
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy yawned, looking upward at the pale lights on the ceiling from the lamp on the desk. Vovo lay beside her, purring in his own Eevee way, and curled up in a tight little ball. On the floor around the bed rested her other Pokemon. Novo lay on his back, his long finned tail folded up to his chin. Lovo was sprawled on his right side, his back leg twitching every now and again. Sovo lay like a sphinx, his chin rested on the back of his paws. Yovo snored wide-mouthed with his back legs leaning up against the side of the bed and his neck bent at such an angle it made Eevy's ache. Zovo was curled up in a tight sphere, tucked together so as all that was seen was his lime green fur and the very tip of one ear. Vovo's ears sprang to life, as did the others, and there was suddenly a knock on the door. Getting quickly to her feet as the Pokemon ran to the door and began barking, Eevy wondered who could be there.
"Shush up, you guys!" she told the Pokemon, waving her hands at them, "Do you want to get us in trouble?"
All six of the furry devils quieted down, and Eevy opened the door. Looking out, she saw no one, and the hall was equally empty when she leaned out and looked side to side. Tilting an eyebrow, she started back in, but Vovo yapped at her from the floor, and she looked down to see what his problem was.
Resting at her feet was a woven basket with a purple bow, which was stuffed with numerous things. Bending down, she carefully moved things around to search for any kind of clues as to what it was. The giggle from down the hall caused her to look up briefly before finding a postcard buried deep in the bottom of the basket. Dragging it inside, she shut the door just after Vovo dashed inside. She lifted it up onto the bed and read the postcard aloud.
"We love you. Please forgive us?" she read, looking all over the back at the many signatures that cluttered it, "Hm…So now they're bribing us, boys."
The Pokemon snickered, and Eevy went on about looking through what had been left for her. The first thing she grabbed was a squeaky Mickey head ball, and she tossed it down for the Pokemon to pounce on. On it had been a tag; "From The Pokemon". On a stuffed whale; "From Misty and Ash". On a talking Mickey; "From Yuu-Yuu and Sooney". Everything she pulled out had a tag on it, from either one or two of everyone who'd left. At the bottom was a mammoth bag of jellybeans, marked only from Lance. As she placed the now empty basket on the floor, Vovo leaped into it and began pawing at the bottom.
"What the heck are you doing?" she asked, "You'll ruin it!"
"Eevee!" he screeched, grabbing something with his mouth and yanking it out, "Eev-eevee!"
She took it from him, jumping over the other Pokemon as they rolled atop each other with that ball, and seated herself back at her desk. Flipping open the folder, she found a picture of everyone jammed together in front of the Tree Of Life at Animal Kingdom. On the bottom of the picture, in white autograph pen, was "Wish you were here!" She sat there, staring at it, with Vovo staring up at her.
*^~^**^~^*
Eevy was seated silently in the window seat of the plane to Gertan Rin. She hadn't said a word all day; not even to Lance. She'd been incredibly quiet even when she had to answer, like when she was asked if she was hungry or wanted a drink. Instead, she sat there, looking out at the fluffy white clouds, flipping something around in her right fingers. She paused and looked down at the postcard from two days before, still not making a sound, but noticing the way everyone looked at her just the same.
After the plane had touched down in Rainbow Metro, and after they had gathered their luggage and avoided the media, she finally began speaking to Lance. Of course, even then, all she said to him was that she was glad to be back and that she hoped their absence hadn't made things too difficult on Bazan. Everyone walked the street behind her, all unwilling to leave until everything was settled. Gary even swore he'd pitch a tent in Rainbow Mansion's front yard and stay there until it was all worked out. Even after he had said this, Eevy still ignored them. Yet…She still had that postcard. She was still fiddling with it.
They crested the hill to Rainbow Mansion, and Eevy ran over to her car. It rested just ahead of the porch, and beside it was Lance's Mako. Stuck under the windshield wiper was a little note. "Hah-hah! I drove your precious cars! –Maren."
"I don't believe she drove my car!" Eevy suddenly thundered, leaning down to see if it had been hot wired or if she'd found the key hidden in the tire.
"Oh, angel-girl, you've got much bigger problems than that damnedable car of yours."
Without a second to think, the tire she stood beside exploded. Eevy stumbled back, and Lance ran around to catch her. Everyone turned toward the porch. Standing atop the railing, Rubeus grinned nastily, watching them as they lined up to stare him down.
"Why are you here? You know I'm not going to give you to Ensign this time," Eevy snapped.
"I came to bring back an old friend of yours," Rubeus grinned, turning to his side and leaning against the banister, his arms crossed, "He's been just so eagerly awaiting your return."
Behind him, the porch-swing rocked. Someone stood, as tall as Rubeus even as he stood on the railing. Removing a metal helmet, the intruder grinned and placed a hand on his hips, his helmet under opposite arm. Placing one large boot up on the railing beside Rubeus, he laughed wickedly. Eevy's eyes went wide and she quickly pulled away from Lance, pushing him behind her.
"Who in the world is that guy?" Tracey asked, backing away slightly.
"Oh, girly, you didn't tell them about me?" the intruder grinned, straightening his overshirt, which they could now see bared a bright red R, "That's not very considerate, considering we had such a wonderful relationship. You know…With the maiming and the shooting and the killing."
"Eevy…Is that…?" Lance touched her arm, but she shoved him back again.
She choked out a tiny answer, "…Vicious."
*^~^*Part Nine: End…*^~^*
A/N: Yes, I know, this was not one of the best chapters. I was going to actually write up all the different places from NYC to Orlando, but I just couldn't. That'd be way too much. I still think this came out OK though. And the ending is kinda spooky. The list I mentioned in the beginning A/N is now down to 4. Well…Next chapter, #10, is the last one, so I'm off to work!
*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*
.:O=Usagi-chan=O:.
*))~Itachi-chan~((*
-=O~The Other Pokemon~O=-
Next: Special Edition: TAA USA: Part 10.
TAA Pokemon Of The Month: October 2003: Misdreavus
Whee! Here we go! I don't own anything to do with Pokemon, anything to do with Disney, Mickey Mouse, anything to do with Viper, anything to do with Mako, anything to do with Sea World, nor anything else owned by any other big companies, or even small ones. In fact, the only thing I do own in this chapter, once again, are my original characters and my original world. OK…Now that that's over.