Hrmm hrmm. . .yeah, I'm updating this late at night. Go me? ;D I ate out at Denny's and. . .had too much Oreo milkshake thingy. –falls over- You know what's weird? I couldn't wait until Friday to update this, and then Friday comes and I forget about it. I was going to plop into bed at nine on a Friday night, but then I remembered what day it was and now I'm wide awake. Meh.

Anyway. . .THREE WHOLE REVIEWS ON THE LAST CHAPTER! I so special ^_^;; I no good in English. I say that though I have a 104% in there. Heh. . .:-X

REVIEWER RELPY TIME! –hands out sugar- I gotta keep better track of what everyone likes. . .
-_-;;

Melani—Oh, now I remember. . .JELLYBEANS! Bwahaha. I don't wanna wait until the end of Melani for a cure ;_; Then again. . .I don't really need it! I'm on a roll! BOOYEAH!

Karania Avalon—This is going to sound really weird, but for some extremely odd reason, you remind me of this one girl in my Ceramics class who I talk to, but she's quiet and doesn't say much. She's a really kick butt artist, though. Don't ask me why. I'm a strange one, but you should know that by now ;D

Luccamajere26—Erm. . .heh I guess you're right XD But since I'm ALREADY writing the story, it does start with the review so. . .HA! –falls over- If you thought the last chapter was full of mysteriousness, wait'll you read this one, which will happen. . .

NOW!

~Chapter Thirteen~

The ferry ride took us the whole night, and I wasn't awake for most of it since I was exhausted from all my emotional turmoil from the other day. So when I woke up the next morning, the ferry was preparing to dock.

"Slateport City ahead," the captain blared over the intercom.

I yawned and grabbed Kitsune, who was waiting patiently for me to get up. He scurried up to my shoulder and stayed there while I jogged to find Mom and Dad. They were leaning over a railing, looking at the approaching city.

Dad saw me and pulled me over. "Look at the beach!" he pointed. "Very nice. They apparently don't get many tourists."

"Yeah," I sighed.

When we docked, the few other passengers were let off first, and then our moving van drove off. Mom gave directions to our new house to the driver, and he sped off.

"I'm going to the Pokemon Center to get the Rapidash," Mom said, running off the dock. "I'll see you guys at the house, okay?"

"Okay," Dad called back.

Our car had also been driven onto the ferry like the moving van, so Dad got it and I regrettably went in. I was already sick of the car! Dad sped off towards our new home.

I stared out the window. Some strange-looking white birds with huge mouths were circling the nearby ocean. Another weird-looking Pokemon jumped out of the water and back into it again.

"I didn't know there were going to be different Pokemon too," I commented.

"Yeah," Dad sighed. "There are a lot of Pokemon here native to Hoenn."

I shrugged in reply, causing Kitsune to tumble from my shoulder and onto my lap.

"Silly boy," I smiled, stroking his head.

~*~

I was very surprised when we pulled up to the house. Our house in Johto was three stories high and absolutely huge. This one was one story high and medium-sized.

"We're living HERE?!" I cried, stepping out of the car in shock.

"Of course. Remember, we're only renting it," Dad reminded me. "What's so surprising about it, anyway?"

"It's smaller than our other house," I said. "Way smaller. Thank goodness we are only renting or we'd never fit all of our stuff in it!"

"Well, it has to be one story in case of hurricanes or other storms," Dad explained. "If it had more floors, they might blow off in extreme winds. There's a lot of that around this part of Hoenn."

I stopped dead in my tracks. "You're joking, right?"

Dad shook his head. "We're only renting this house, though, because of all the land. There's much more space here for the Pokemon."

"Great," I sighed sadly.

~*~

It didn't take me long to unpack the boxes I had brought with me. My new rented room was very frilly and girly---not my style at all. I dressed it up with some pictures of me, Steve, and Ivy; the sculpture Ivy had given me; and some posters.

"Better," I said to the room. I left the few unpacked items strewn around the room and wandered through the house, and eventually outside.

Mom had made it back with the Pokeballs, and was letting everyone out. When Joker's Pokeball opened and he was free, he galloped and bucked like there was no tomorrow, and I laughed while Mom frowned at his behavior.

"Hey," I called. "He's been stuck in that tiny little Pokeball for a whole twenty-four hours. Give him a break!"

"Yeah, yeah," Mom smiled. "I think you guys both need exercise. Your dad's already gotten all the tack out. Why don't you ride around the property for awhile?"

I grinned. "Sure!"

Mom must've known I was going to say that, because she handed me Joker's halter that she had been holding. I caught him and led him near the unfamiliar tack room.

"At least the tack doesn't change," I sighed, lugging all of the stuff out.

Joker, surprisingly, cooperated very well with me. I got on and cantered around the property, nearly scaring Hades out of his wits. He snorted and trotted away.

I grinned for the first time that day. "Joker, it's you and  the tack that will never change!" I cried happily. He jumped over nothing in reply.

I rode Joker around for the rest of the day, seeing as how I had tomorrow to explore and find out where my new school was going to be. Joker was more important, anyway.

~*~

I thought I was just going to collapse into my new frilly bed that night, but for some reason, I didn't. I lay there for about an hour, listening to Mom and Dad fall asleep. Kitsune was as restless as I was---he was walking all over me and the bed.

"Hey Kit. . .why don't we explore," I whispered.

"Eee!" he winked.

I placed Kitsune on my shoulder and quietly tiptoed out of my room. From there I continued to tiptoe through the house and out the door.

I seemed drawn towards the direction of the beach. It only looked like a few blocks away---I could even hear the ocean pounding the sand. I confidently walked all the way over there.

The beach seemed abandoned. A few stray lawn chairs and towels were around, and the waves pushed up a lost beach ball.

Perfect.

I walked on the cool, grainy sand until I found a relatively good spot---near the ocean, but not near any of those lone chairs or towels. I plopped down, and Kitsune immediately jumped off my shoulder and started digging in the sand.

"Silly boy," I smiled, tossing my loose hair over my shoulder. I was glad I was wearing my jeans (with Ivy and Steve's belt, of course) and hooded sweatshirt---even though this was the beach, it was quite cold.

I stared up at the bright full moon. Stars dotted the dark, clear sky---it was much, much clearer than it was in Johto. I breathed in the salty mixture of sand and stars and suddenly felt---well, happy I was in Hoenn.

"Let me guess---you're a tourist."

I jumped about a foot in the air at the sound of that voice. It had been so silent---and the beach was abandoned. Where did the voice come from?

I looked behind me and saw a guy sitting a few feet away from me. He was dressed head to toe in black and had on a long black trench coat. From the light of the moon, I could see that even his hair was black, and it was long---for a guy's.

But where had he come from? Did he just sneak up to smell the ocean too?

"Well?"

I blinked, trying to remember what he had said. Oh yes---he thought I was a tourist.

"I just moved here, so I guess I'm not," I shrugged.

"'Just'?"

"Yeah. This morning." Who was this guy anyway? He was suddenly making me sweat in my sweatshirt.

"So you're still considered a tourist," he smirked. "I kind of figured. Only out-of-towners come here at night like this."

He might have meant for that remark to sound smart-alecky, but it didn't. He had a deep, steady voice that clearly meant No Funny Business.

I snorted. "Why would only out-of-towners do this?" I asked, ruffling my hair from my neck. Oh man. . .why was it really hot out here all of a sudden?

"People who live here year-round are too busy absorbing the sun to appreciate the moon," the guy said, shaking his head.

I raised an eyebrow. "You must be a tourist too, then."

"Hmm?"

"Well, you said so yourself: Only tourists come out here at night." I gave a satisfied smile and lay back on the sand, fanning my hair out behind me.

The guy shrugged. "I guess you're right. I've been staying here quite awhile, but I still consider myself a tourist."

"Are you a trainer?"

"No. I don't really know what I'm supposed to do." He looked over at me and noticed Kitsune. "Is that your Eevee?"

I grinned. "Yeah. That's Kitsune."

He suddenly reached into a pocket of his trench coat and pulled out something---a Pokeball, I thought, though it wasn't like any Pokeball I had ever seen. It was solid black and lined with some sort of crystal element.

He threw the Pokeball in the air, and the beach was lit up for a moment as whatever was in there was shaped in the light, and appeared.

A large, dark Pokemon was looking all around. Its body was solid black with rings of gold all over it.

"An Umbreon!" I gasped.

"Yeah. I figured your. . .Kitsune would like to meet one of its kind."

It sure looked like it. Kitsune cautiously wandered over to Umbreon and observed it. Umbreon was unafraid and immediately started a game of tag with Kit. Kitsune squealed and hurried away happily.

I giggled. "You're right. Kit looks happy. I don't think he's ever seen another Eevee evolution before."

"Is he your. . .pet?"

I looked over at the guy. The guy. . .what was his name?

"Yeah," I smiled. "I found him alone and abandoned about five years ago. I took him in and we've been together ever since."

"You planning on making him evolve?"

I looked up at the moon again, breathing in the sea. "Nah," I replied. "If he's going to, that's fine, but otherwise I think it's great for him just to be my Eevee."

I sat up and turned back to look at him. I had unintentionally scooted closer to him. . .I blushed to myself, hoping he didn't notice. Since I was closer, I was able to search his face more. . .he had really dark, almost black eyes that went well with his hair. I couldn't imagine how anyone who had such dark features could be so pale.

"So," I coughed. "Do you have a name?"

"Darrell." He looked over at me. "What about you?"

I smiled. "Lindsey."

At that very second, I got that same feeling of something tugging on my insides as I had when we passed Ecruteak City. I gasped and stared at Darrell. He was also giving me a funny look.

"Have we. . .met?" I asked. "I. . .I feel like I know you."

"No. . ." he trailed off. "I would have remembered meeting you if I had."

We stared at each other for about a minute, my heart pounding, not really believing what the other had said. Some nagging thought in my mind said that I did know him but. . .how?

We were interrupted, though, we Kitsune and Umbreon suddenly came running through us.

"Eeee!" Kit teased.

"Umbreeee!"

For some reason this prompted me to look at my watch---it was waaay after midnight. I gasped. "Kit, we gotta get home!" I called.

Kitsune stopped running and Umbreon crashed into him. Darrell got up and sighed, returning the dark Pokemon to is Pokeball.

"Will you be back here tomorrow?" I asked, opening my arms for Kitsune, who jumped into them happily.

He shrugged. "I do what I do. Something called me over here tonight." He turned to me. "I think I know what, now."

I waved and ran off without saying anything, hoping he wouldn't realize I was blushing as red as a Magmar.

~*~*~

-holds out bouquet of flowers- Love is in the air. . .da da da da da. . .ha, I mean. . .oops :-X Meh. –throws out bouquet- FIRST ONE TO CATCH HAS TO REVIEW, AND TELL EVERYONE ELSE WHO READS THIS TO REVIEW! XD

And also, I'm allergic to lotsa flowers, so that may be another reason why I'm just throwing them out ;D Ah, the joys of asthma. . .