WOO! I am actually updating ON TIME...ha, unless for some odd reason I don't upload this in the next two hours...crap. I gotta take out my contacts. In the meantime, enjoy this new chapter! XD

These intros are getting shorter and shorter...

~Chapter Thirty-Four~

People stared at me in shock as I got off the bus. I made sure my hair was hiding my bruise, but when they still stared, I realized they were just surprised I was back.

"Hey Lindsey!" someone called from a crowd. "I thought you moved to Hoenn!"

"I got her back!" Steve cried back, putting a hand on my shoulder and guiding me inside, somehow knowing I needed to get to the locker Ivy and I shared.

Ivy, for some reason, was nowhere to be seen. While Steve ran off to talk with some of his guy friends, I opened the locker, please I still remembered the combination. I had just taken an old notebook of mine out, when I heard familiar voices.

"Hey Lindsey."

I looked from behind the locker door. Standing right next to my locker were none other than Becky and Brooke.

"Uhh...hi?" I said, the greeting sounding more like a question.

"So it's true that you've moved back," Becky smirked, flipping some of her platinum blonde hair over her shoulder. "How was...Hoenn?"

"Fine," I replied, resisting the urge to slam the locker door in their faces.

"So anyway..." Brooke started, giving an I-know-something-you-don't-know smile. "What's this I hear about you and your beau?"

I gave a small gasp and looked back at them. "Wha-what?" I stuttered. Did they know about Darrell? But how? Steve and Ivy wouldn't tell anyone...

"Oh, ever since you left, me and the girls have been taking bets on when you guys were finally going to get together." Brooke waved a hand in the air, still smiling her little smile.

"Huh?" I asked. They didn't know Darrell...did they?

Becky gave an exasperated sigh. "You and Steve, DUH! I heard you guys got together. It's about time. I mean, he's obviously had the hots for you for ages."

I stared back into the locker, feeling my face turning crimson. "Well, you're wrong," I said. I slammed the door with a loud bang, causing a few people to look my way. "Steve's not my boyfriend. I..."

I saw Steve coming back towards me out of the corner of my eye, and I knew he had heard the last remark. The look on his face was enough to break anyone's heart.

But why mine, specifically?

I cleared my throat. "I don't have a boyfriend," I finished, grabbing my backpack and narrowly missing the two B's faces swinging it. I stomped down the hall, my hair swinging in front of my face. I couldn't believe this. Had Steve been telling people we were going out? Ha! What a laugh. What a liar. I wanted to freaking slap him.

"Lindsey!" someone behind me called. I whirled around---it was Steve. Duh, who did I expect it to be?

I stomped over to a relatively empty corner of the hall and stood there, crossing my arms and staring at the wall. Steve caught up with me, grabbed my shoulder, and spun me around to face him.

"What was that all about?" he asked.

I snorted. "You should talk! God, is it only the two B's that think we're going out, or does the whole damn school believe you?"

I instantly regretted saying that. I saw the hurt in Steve's eyes for a second, until he turned around, huffed at the ceiling, and turned back to me.

"I didn't tell anyone anything," he said. "I swear. I think they just assumed we were together because..."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish his sentence.

He sighed and started babbling. "Because I wouldn't shut up about you. Lindsey this, Lindsey that. Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey. I couldn't stop talking about you because I couldn't stop thinking about you and I needed you back."

Why, oh why did he say this all now? Geez, we were at school, my first day back at that, and he was admitting this all to me.

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Oh man, first I was crying last night and now I was speechless. What was wrong with me?

Without thinking, I pushed my hair behind my ears. One of my cheeks stung as my fingers brushed against the skin, and my eyes widened as I remembered the bruise. Oh, crap. I started to put my hair back in front of it, but too late---I could tell Steve had noticed it since he had started to frown a little.

"What's that?" he asked, squinting at my face.

"N-nothing," I stuttered.

"It's not nothing," he insisted, grabbing my wrist and moving my hand out of the way. He pushed my hair out of the way, and his eyes widened in shock and his mouth dropped opened.

"Lindsey, how the hell did you get this?!" he cried, staring at the purple mark in disbelief. Only he didn't say 'hell', if you catch my drift.

"I...fell," I lied, gritting my teeth. Why was he still holding my wrist, why was my heart pounding, why oh why...

"You don't get something like that from falling," he frowned, examining the mark with his fingers. I winced, finally shaking my hand from his grip.

"Yeah, well, I did," I coughed. "I, um, tripped over Kit. On the stairs. You know how Ivy does that all the time."

Steve just stared for a minute, but then narrowed his eyes. "Lindsey, I don't think you got this by falling."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Oh yeah, well then how do you think I got it?"

"I think someone hit you."

I burst out in fake laughing. "Ha, ha, ha! You always were a funny guy, Steve. Ha! What joke!"

"I'm not joking."

"Well, you should be. Who in their right mind would actually try to hit me? You know I'd give a good punch back," I smirked.

He kept his frown on. "Lindsey, did you see Darrell last night?"

I froze. "Uhh...no...of course not. Why would I see him after what happened..."

"You did!" Steve cried. "I know you did, Lindsey. Don't lie to me. He's the one that gave you this bruise, wasn't he?"

When I didn't reply, Steve punched the wall next to me. "Damnit! How many times is he going to have to hurt you before you realize he's just up to no good?! Don't you see it? He's---"

"Shut up!" I cried, pushing him away from me. Several people looked our way curiously, and I could hear someone snort and whisper, "Oh, poor lover's dispute."

I ignored that. "Steve, you really don't know the first thing about Darrell. I know I tell you a lot of things but..." I trailed off. How was I supposed to explain to Steve, of all people, how I felt? I didn't even know! But really...how would he ever feel the way I felt when Darrell kissed me for the first time, all those times he held me, our talks on the beach...

"I'm sorry," I whispered, looking up at him. Oh great, I felt tears in my eyes. "We're still going to Ecruteak after school today, right?"

He gave a small smile. "Of course you dummy. I've never broken a promise to you, have I?"

I smiled back.

"Hey! Hey you guys!"

I looked over to a crowd of people, and saw Ivy, her hair still in her classic messy bun.

"Ugh, I finally found you guys," she huffed after she got to Steve and I. "Listen, the bell's gonna ring soon, but I'll meet you under the big tree in front of the school after the final bell rings, okay?"

"Okay," Steve and I replied as the first bell chimed.

~*~

The day was unbelievably long, which wasn't really any surprise. Many people were surprised I was back, but I just ignored them and zoned out, holding my bruised cheek in my hand.

I kept noticing that in any class of mine that Steve was in, he would keep glancing over at me, as if to see if I was okay. Geez. Like my face was going to explode or something. But still, it was nice that he cared so much. I couldn't remember him being this overprotective before I left.

Despite noticing this, I kept finding myself doodling little hearts all over my notebook papers and scribbling 'L.T. + D.H.' in them. Uggh. What was wrong with me?! Why was I writing his initials next to mine now, especially after last night?!

After what seemed like fifty million years, the final bell finally rang. I ran out of the school, my nearly-empty backpack only holding that old blue book and with Kitsune's Pokeball in my pocket. I went to the big tree, where Ivy was already waiting.

"Geez, figures Steve's the last one to arrive," she sighed, rolling her eyes. She looked over at me and frowned. "Hey, how'd you get that bruise? It looks pretty bad."

I inwardly sighed and put on a smile. "Oh, I tripped over Kit on the stairs. I've been hanging out with you too long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she laughed.

"Meaning that you've finally gotten to us," Steve mumbled, suddenly appearing and elbowing Ivy in the side.

"Hey!" she cried. "Actually, it's you who's finally gotten to us." She turned to me. "Have everything?"

"Yeah."

"Alrighty then, let's go on to the Pokemon Center. It's only a block or two from here---and I'm pretty sure they have that bus to Ecruteak."

"Okay," Steve and I replied in unison. We started walking together automatically, and Ivy looked back, giving us an odd look.

"Lover's quarrel, hrmph," I heard her mutter.

"What is she talking about?" I thought. I gave a little gasp and realized neither Steve nor I had explained to her what yesterday was about, when she walked in on us.

I gave a sideways glance at Steve, and knew he was thinking the same thing. Hmmph. Well, I didn't care what he told her, but Ivy could just live in curiosity until she spat out the question. No way was I going to relive that moment if I didn't have to.

We all trudged in silence to the Pokemon Center, and sure enough, there were a bunch of buses there, mostly full of trainers. The side of each bus was labeled with a destination city, and there was one to Ecruteak about to leave.

The three of us got on and managed to grab seats. As the bus started rolling out of Cherrygrove, I felt butterflies in my stomach. I was more nervous than I understood about finding this Den---what if it was actually real? What was it going to prove about myself? Could it give me answers?

"Lindsey? Yoo-hoo..."

"AHHH!" I cried, bashing away the hand that was in my face. Too late I realized that it was Steve's hand.

"OW!" he hissed, waving his hand around. "You're right, you do throw a decent punch."

"Eh, heh...sorry," I apologized.

"It's nothing. But why are you suddenly so spacey?"

I shrugged. "I'm nervous about this Den," I admitted. Ivy leaned in to hear me. "Ha, can you believe it? I'm actually scared of what we might find there. Heck, who knows if it's even real?"

"Don't worry," Steve said, putting his unpunched hand on my shoulder. "Ivy and I are gonna stick by ya all the way. We'll be with you no matter what happens."

"Yeah, what he said," Ivy smiled, putting her hand on my other shoulder. "Best friends forever, wasn't it? Of course we're going to be by you. We've been through too much to just leave you now!"

"Stop being so mushy, you guys," I joked, my eyes feeling wet. What else did I expect? It was like I had to hear them say we would always be together, even though I've always known it. Somehow, I was starting to doubt even the people I cared the most about...did Darrell have anything to do with that?

After about an hour and a half, I felt like I was going to go crazy of being cooped up in a bus with a bunch of sweaty Pokemon trainers. Luckily, before I could go off on a rampage, the driver announced we were in the parking lot of Ecruteak City's Pokemon Center.

"Finally!" I gasped, hopping off the bus. "God, did those trainers have B.O., or what?"

"They can hear you," Ivy hissed, walking up to me. When all of the smelly trainers had finally left, I started looking around the city.

"Okay...so we're here, but how do we find this Den?" Steve asked. "I don't think we can just ask people where it is."

"I have no clue," I mumbled. "Hey, wait a sec! Maybe that book has a clue or two. I brought it with me," I added, sitting on a nearby bench and unzipping my backpack."

"Are you sure it's safe to open that here?" Ivy asked, biting her lip. "What if people hear you talking in that singing language?"

"As long as I'm not reading from it, I don't speak it---I just read it," I reminded her, taking out the book. I flipped through a few pages and stopped at one particular page. The symbols became words before my eyes, and I read it to myself before whispering the passage to Steve and Ivy.

"The location of the Tamer's Dragon Den shall be within existence in the City of Legends; farthest east in the forest away from the Shrine. Only a woman with the true Tamer blood and gift may open the Den with the holder passed down for so long."

"City of Legends? Well, we're definitely in the right place then," Ivy said, looking around.

"How do you know?" Steve asked.

"Ecruteak City is obviously home to all kinds of legendary Pokemon---they've got that rumor about the dog beasts in a cave over there, and then those two shrines to Ho-oh and Lugia. What other city in Johto has stories like that?"

"Well, you better be right," I muttered. "No way am I getting on that bus with all those stinky trainers again."

"This is Ivy we're talking about," Steve sighed, rolling his eyes. "She's always right."

"You better believe it," she winked. "'Farthest east in the forest away from the shrine' it said...which Shrine? There's one for each legendary bird."

I looked up---and sure enough, there were two tall towers that stood over any building. But one was tall and unscathed; the other was a few stories shorter and looked a bit charred.

"There was a fire here a few years ago," Ivy explained. "No one knows how that tower caught on fire. It almost burned to the ground."

"Hmm..." I hummed, looking more towards the outskirts of the city. Three directions led towards other routes or towns---there was only forestry in one direction, and it looked to me exactly east of the burned tower."

"It's this way!" I cried, slamming the book shut. "It has to be!"

Steve and Ivy didn't argue---they just followed me past tons of people and trainers, and finally to a little grassy path surrounded by trees that grew more and more dense and we traveled onward.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Steve muttered.

"Well, we should be---ow---almost there," I complained, shaking my finger to avoid the pain of a thorny vine I had accidentally touched. I looked to my right, and to my surprise, something reflected off the sunlight.

"Hey..." I whispered, going towards the light.

"Lindsey! Where are you going?" Steve cried, rushing over towards me, and Ivy following. We pushed through more trees and bushes---and finally, we reached a clearing. In front of us was a huge, clear, glistening lake.

"Wow..." I said, stunned. "It's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Yeah, but it's only water," Steve complained. "We didn't find the Den, we found a lake. Big whoop."

For some reason, I was drawn to that crisp, cool water. Like some kind of zombie, I started walking towards it, but a second later, something zoomed past me and I was knocked off my feet.

"What the heck was that?!" Steve cried, helping me up.

"I have no idea," I replied.

Ivy gasped. "Them," she hissed, looking towards the side.

Steve and I slowly looked in the direction she was staring---only to find ourselves seeing a full-grown wild Rapidash mare and her mate.

~*~*~

Ooo...I wonder, oh wonder, who those Rapidash can be? –cough-

Reviewer replies! Yay! ^_^

Silvie~ There, there. Want a cookie?

Rose~ A hill? Do they even have hills in Johto? O.o Wait, what I am talking about...I'm the writer I should know! :P Hmm, maybe she could've said Joker kicker her...or something. And for some odd reason, the 'and they're off!' comment made me laugh...made me think of racehorses ^.~ KENTUCKY DERBY! WHEEE-HOO!

Karania~ AHH! Prom! Have fun at yours ^.^ I'm going to be in Orlando for mine...aka, not there XD Make sure the punch isn't spiked!

Hakura~ Long time no see! Yes, Darrell should run far, far away...but then again, I bet he could take down Steve in any sort of physical fight, even if it's about their 'beloved Lindsey'. XD Steve's not the type of guy who's good with his fists...he's probably better off dancing like an Aipom and hoping Darrell just gets weirded out XD

Zero_Chan~ It's going to get thicker than Florida fog over the canal in my backyard. And believe me, it's damn thick. Yeah, it was a bit filler-like, but every fic needs one of them, right? :P Just to keep you on your toes ~.^ Ehhh...now I'll let you get Lurk out...-runs from chainsaw-

Saisaishi~ Yeah, Dragonairs kick ass! Kit's honored that you say you can't compare him to an Espeon...but let's see how the killer Dragonair takes that remark! ~.^

RainbowSerenity: -coughcough- Okay, I KNOW I got a silent reader in here somewhere. –goes through file of readers- Because, you know, invisible or non-existant readers can't send you an email –coughcough-

Readers: Oh, we're not silent! We're good little readers, and we will review like all good readers should!

RainbowSerenity: -sniff- I love you guys... (a la South Park...hahaha)

Readers: ...-whisperwhisper- She needs some pie...like, right now...

RainbowSerenity: No pie! REVIEW!

Readers: O_O –run off to leave reviews-

RainbowSerenity: ^_^