Well well...-pouts- I certainly feel loved. Only Karania had the decency to review after reading unlike someone (-cough-). :P Meh. Speaking of reviews, I am soooo close to 100...my first fic to get this many! YEEEES! Hugs and extra sugar to who gives me the 100th! –falls over-

...And to everyone else. ~_^

Hmmm...something tells me you guys will like this chapter, especially the ones who have been following these Tamer things since the beginning. Muhahaha...no, I will not fall over, I will not fall over...must...resist...CHEESE!

Mmmm, cheese. –drools- AIM is pissing me off. I upgraded it and every time someone puts up a freaking away message it has to tell me. Bleh. X_X I'm going to shut up now...because…here...comes...the...super...FUN!

~Chapter Twenty-Five~

The next month passed by in a blur. Steve and Ivy called me practically every day, all excited about me coming home, and Mom went to her jumping show one weekend, leaving me home by myself to pack, and came back with a red ribbon, muttering something about how "she wouldn't knock a fence down".

"She who?" I had asked, but Mom pretended not to hear.

The story of my life.

Every night I continued to sneak out of the house to go to the beach to see Darrell, but he was never there. What did that mean? He said not to worry about it, but I couldn't help but worry...where was he?

Kitsune also seemed to miss Darrell---or maybe more so Umbreon---because he came with me to the beach all those times and pranced around the sand, seeing if Umbreon was hiding.

One night, about two days before we were supposed to get on the ferry home, Mom came into my room while I was finishing my packing.

"Uh...you were supposed to be all packed last weekend," Mom sighed, surveying the mess around my room.

"I know, I know," I said. "But every time I would start to pack, Steve or Ivy would call, or Joker would need something, or Kit would need something, or---"

I was about to say, "Or it would be time to go to the beach," but I stopped myself. "Well anyway," I coughed. "As long as I get it done in time, what does it matter?"

"But that's the thing," Mom sighed again. "There's been a little change of plans with the house and everything. We're leaving tomorrow morning."

My mouth dropped open. "Whaaaaaaat?! Are you serious?!?! Tomorrow MORNING?!"

"Yeah, I'm serious..." Mom looked around at the mess in my room. "So you better get your butt packing. I'm waking you up at seven tomorrow. No excuses." She turned and left the room.

I sank down on my bed. Oh man. Why the sudden change of plans? No way would I be able to pack, clean my room, call Steve and Ivy, and maybe head out to the beach to see...

'No,' I thought. If he hadn't been there for a month, what made me think he was suddenly going to show up tonight? I shouldn't waste my time with all the other stuff I had to do.

I snuck out of my room and tiptoed to the kitchen, where I knew Mom was. If I could just grab the phone...after all, Steve and Ivy had to know I was coming back early...

Unfortunately for me, Mom used her Mother Radar and blocked my way to the phone. "Go upstairs and pack young lady!" she growled. "You can call your friends tomorrow when we stop. You still have a lot of packing and cleaning to do. If only you did it when you were supposed to..."

"Fine, fine, fine," I sighed, trudging back to my room. Arguh. It was going to be torture cleaning and packing without telling them I was going to be back sooner.

I sighed again when I saw the mess in my room. Some books in one corner, my riding boots and helmet in another, some CDs over there, and clothes and boxes strewn everywhere.

I smiled when I noticed something shiny hidden beneath a pair of black jeans---the belt Steve and Ivy had given me. I hadn't worn it in awhile. I picked it up, letting the light in my room catch of the stones.

I set the belt on my desk, away from the hubbub of the rest of my room. I'd wear it tomorrow.

As promised, Mom woke me up at seven the next morning, apparently pleased that my room was as neat as I could make it with the boxes with my stuff taped and ready to be moved out.

I was exhausted, though. I had stayed up until two in the morning packing and cleaning!

"Mmehhhhhh..." I mumbled, clenching a pillow over my head.

"You can sleep on the ferry ride," Mom said, taking some of the boxes. "Just get dressed. That ferry's due to arrive in about an hour, and then we have the drive back."

When I didn't answer, I heard Mom get her I'm-Angry-Now-Miss-Lindsey-Tamer voice: "I'm going to the Pokemon Center to transport the Rapidash...and Joker. When I come back, I expect you to be out of this room and dressed."

I sighed, wondering how Mom actually managed to capture Joker. Once I was sure Mom was outside, I rolled out of bed and slowly stood up.

"Mooooooving day," I muttered, yawning some more as I pulled on my clothes. Nothing fancy, of course---except the belt.

I trudged to the kitchen, where Kitsune had already Teleported to his bowl, wanting PokeChow.

"Eat it fast," I mumbled sleepily. "I have to pack up this bowl, too."

"Esss," Kit muttered through a mouth full of Chow.

I saw that Dad or someone had made me a bagel, so I stuffed half of it into my mouth and dashed outside. Dad was packing up the hay nets and buckets, and Mom was sweeping the yard.

"Lookin' good!" I called, swallowing my bagel. "Anything I need to do?"

"Bring your boxes outside," Dad called back, stuffing a bucket in a huge box.

"I meant in the yard," I muttered, trudging back to the house. Ugh. Lugging boxes outside...not my idea of fun. Where was Steve when I needed him to do my dirty work?

An hour later, the moving van was at the house, the boxes were loaded, the Pokemon were transported, Kitsune was waiting by the car, and the house was basically in the same state it was in when we had first came here.

I sighed, remembering that night. My first night in Hoenn...when I first met Darrell. But now, since I hadn't seen him in month, it was like he never was.

Why did I miss him so much anyway? I couldn't stop thinking about him when I wasn't thinking about Johto or when I wasn't with him...and just the way he made me feel, making my heart pound all the time. Did this mean I...loved  him? Oh brother. Like I really need this now. I had way better things to do than fall in love. Meh.

"Okay, we have to get to the ferry now," Dad said, walking away from the moving truck. The mover people started up the car and drove away, and Dad sighed.

"I told them to wait," he muttered, glancing at me. "C'mon. Let's get the car. We have an overnight ferry ride and a day-long drive ahead of us."

The ferry ride was just like how it was last time: uneventful. I slept. And slept some more, with Kitsune by my side.

When I woke up, I trudged out of the room I had been in, and stepped outside. The sun was glinting on the waters of Olivine City, and the docks were approaching.

Despite the fact I was incredibly groggy, I felt excitement crawl up my spine. I didn't care I might not see the person I supposedly love ever again---I was home, in Johto.

"Yeeeeeeees!" I cried, punching the air.

After what seemed like fifty million years, the ferry finally docked, and first the moving truck and our car came off, then the other people who were traveling, and finally me, Kitsune (who was clinging to my head) and my parents.

"It's so great to be back!" I cried happily, throwing my arms in the air and spinning around. Mom smiled a bit at my behavior, but then commanded I get in the car for the ride home.

"But Mooooooooooom," I whined. "We just got off the ferry. Can't we stretch our legs a little? I want to call Steve and Ivy."

Mom looked at her watch and up at the sky, sighing. "The sooner we drive back, the sooner you can see them in person again."

"But they're not expecting me until tomorrow!" I complained. "They might be...not there or something. Geez, imagine when we drive up to the house and Steve isn't there to greet me! Mooooooooom!"

"Car. Now."

I groaned loudly and shuffled to the car and slammed the door once I was inside, and Kitsune made himself comfortable on my lap.. What was Mom's problem, anyway? Hasn't she ever had a best friend before?

Tsssh.

Dad climbed into the driver's seat and started to follow the moving van. The car was silent, and it was weird, but the closer we got to our old house, the sleepier I felt. About a half an hour after we left Olivine City, I fell fast asleep, only hearing Mom suddenly whisper to Dad.

The voice was clearer, clearer than it had ever been, as if I could finally fully understand it. But...how?

Lindsey Tamer...you're near your home...

"What?" I whispered. "I...no I'm not...we still have at least the rest of the day before we get to the house."

Not that encasement, your true home, where you know where you belong, where your destiny will overtake you and where you will finally rid of the misery that has settled around it. You must accept your destiny.

"Misery? What misery? What destiny?" I called into the blue light. I couldn't make out what it was, but it was oddly…familiar.

You know. Lindsey Tamer...wake up. You're home. You've come back to them...with you home, in the crystal clear waters, I can relinquish in those waters and dare to finally emerge as my true self...

"What are you talking about?"

...Tamer...

"WHAT DESTINY?!" I cried, and my eyes suddenly flew open. I was expecting to see that blue light, and some kind of crystal substance...like...

'In my dream,' I thought, taking a few deep breaths. Only then I noticed Dad had stopped the car and Mom was gaping at me. Kitsune was asleep, of course. You'd think he's a Dark Pokemon or something.

"What?" I gasped. "Did I...say something?"

"You cried out, 'What destiny?!'" Mom answered, and hung her head. "Never mind," she sighed, turning back around in the seat.

"Mom, what's going on?!" I suddenly cried. "You never tell me anything! About the fact it looks like you know what I'm talking about, about the Dragonair piercing my heart, about why you and Dad look so freaking terrified of someone I love, about why you gave me this key!" I fished the chain from under my shirt and flung the key around.

Dad started driving again, and I felt nauseous, which was odd---I am not one to get motion sickness. Hmmph. It was probably because of my dream...

"Wait," Mom said quietly. "So terrified of someone you...love?"

Too late I remembered I had said that about Darrell and inwardly groaned. "Yeah Mom," I joked lightly. "I'm almost sixteen, 'bout time I had a love, hmm?"

"You don't mean...that guy..."

"Darrell, if that's who you're talking about. Yeah, I found out he's really nice...though I didn't see him before I left, but..."

"It's for the best," Mom said firmly. "Lindsey...just...don't give your heart to anyone automatically like that."

"Eh?" I raised an eyebrow.

I noticed Dad take one hand off the steering wheel and place it on Mom's hand. "Just trust your mom on this one," Dad added, sighing deeply.

I sat back in my seat, stunned. What were they trying to do---make me fall out of love with Darrell? They didn't even know him! And besides, I didn't even know how I felt about him...not really! So how could they just automatically judge it like that?!

I stayed angry the rest of the day in the car, wishing we were back at the house already.

Unfortunately, my wish didn't come true quite so quickly, but late in the afternoon, we were finally...home.

I stepped out of the car and stre-e-e-e-e-etched. "Home!" I smiled. I was feeling a little better about the car ride, not even thinking about it. The house looked just as we left it. On the outside, anyway.

I suddenly heard Iggy barking loudly and he bounded out of the backyard and off the Mochiles' property. Iggy jumped up and down, trying to lick my face, but stopped when he saw Kitsune, who had sleepily stumbled out of the car. Iggy stopped to say hi to his old buddy, and the two started to chase each other around.

"Iggy! Come back here you---!"

I grinned when I heard that voice. Steve. Oh man, he was going to be sooooooo surprised!

"Iggy!" Steve called again, running out from his backyard. He gave a sudden stop as he saw me, his eyes wide.

"Li...Lindsey?" he stammered.

I grinned. "Yeah. We came back early. Mom wouldn't let me call you---"

I was cut off when Steve ran over to me and wrapped me up in a huge hug. "LINDSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEY!" he cried happily, lifting me off my feet and spinning me around.

I couldn't help but grin. "Hey! Put me down! It's only me!"

Steve put me down, also with a crazy grin on his face. "What do you mean 'only me'?" he sighed happily. "So, what are doing back here early? Just couldn't wait to see me again?"

"Yeah, in your dreams!" I joked. "Mom didn't really explain. She hasn't explained much to me lately...especially since..." I drifted off, thinking of my being in a coma.

Steve put an arm around my shoulders and started dragging me towards my house, where Mom and Dad were instructing the movers where to put stuff. "C'mon! You have to see how the rent-in family changed the house!"

"WHAT?!" I cried, shoving aside a mover man and running into the house. With the exception of a few photos, lamps, and things like that missing, the living room looked exactly the same.

I glared at Steve, who had followed me into the house smirking. "They didn't change a thing, did they?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You're cute when you're angry," he laughed.

I couldn't help but laugh too, as we walked upstairs to my room.

Stairs...how weird after months in a one-story house.

My room didn't change much, but there were tons old, tattered boxes cluttering it up with handwriting in faded marker labeling them.

"Did the rent-in family do this?" I sighed, plopping myself on my bare mattress (I guess whoever had my room used different sheets and took them). "I bet they thought this room was the attic or something. Geez."

Steve shrugged, sitting on one of my chairs. "Sure looks like it. Or maybe they just had some of their stuff in the attic and moved this stuff in your room and forgot about it."

I shrugged back. "Whatever...I'll just tell Dad to move it..." I trailed off, reading one of the labels: 'Family'.

"I wonder what this stuff is?" I asked out loud, opening the 'Family' box. Inside were old books and albums.

"Hey, cool," Steve commented, suddenly interested. He moved to sit next to me and started rummaging through the box.

"These look like photo albums," he said, picking one up. A smaller book on top of it slid off and onto the floor.

"What's this?" I wondered, picking it up. After wiping off some dust on the cover with my shirt sleeve, I saw it was a diary.

"Awesome!" I cried softly, observing the cover. It was deep blue, and 'Diary' was written on it in glittery cursive letters.

"Read it," Steve urged.

I shrugged. "If it was in this old box, the diary itself is probably old...so it's probably not someone's who I know..." Yes, Tamer. Amazing logic.

I slowly opened the cover. The first page was immediately covered with a scrawled child's handwriting, and I read the first sentence out loud:

"Dear Diary,

Hi! I just got this diary for my ninth birthday. My name is April Tamer."

-falls over- Damnit! I thought I had it...

Anyway...remember to be the good readers that you are and REVIEW! Ha, I put it in bold so you don't forget. ~_^ I'll do it again! And again! Bwhahaha!

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-falls over again with evil laughing-