-throws confetti- Guess who's back...back again...Serenity's back...tell a friend...YAY!

Yes, I am not dead. Man I love summer! Nothing like staying up 'till one in the morning working on a certain fanfic...bwahaha. I shall reach my goal and definitely finish writing this by the end of summer!

Updating, on the other hand...I think I'll drag that out awhile -wink wink-

I will babble on more at the end of the chapter since I know some of you having been just dying to read this XD So what are you waiting for?! After practically a month, I give you...

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"Another one?" I whispered, tracing my fingers over the letters. "Geez, do all Tamer people keep journals or what?"

"Seems like it," Steve replied, rolling his eyes. "Ooo, I can picture the entries in your journal: 'Dear diary, today was just soooo awesome because I got to hang out with Steve, the coolest person in all Johto--' "

"In your dreams!" I cried, bopping him over the head with Chris Tamer's journal.

"You're so brutal," he laughed.

"I try." I stared down at the cover of the book, frowning a little.

"Well?" Ivy asked. "Aren't you going to open it?"

I shrugged. "I don't know...I read some of April's, and look where it lead us. What if Mom finds out about this one and flips out again?"

"I seriously doubt your mom knows about this," Ivy said. "It's probably been down here for awhile...and I'm really uncertain that either of your parents know about this place."

"But if they didn't know about it, why did Mom give me this key?" I wondered out loud, fingering the golden object.

Ivy rolled her eyes. "If you want to know so bad, ask her. You won't know anything 'till you ask."

"Yeah..." I trailed off. "But she'd probably just freak out and say it's some big secret." I flopped back into a rather large pile of really old clothes---I mean, we're talking bell bottoms and tie-dye shirts here--twirling the journal in my hands.

"Just read it yourself," Steve suddenly spoke up quietly. Ivy and I jumped, like we had forgotten he was there.

"Eh?"

He gave a half shrug and stared at me. "You never got to read April's diary, right? Well, just read this one without telling your parents...you never know what you're going to find in there."

I had no idea, but the way he was staring at me made me feel like he was on top of me smothering my mouth again. I ducked my head and ignored my pounding heart, but Ivy noticed my crimson face and gave me a 'Okay-what's-going-on-here' look.

"Hey, there's something I've been wanting to ask you guys..." she started carefully.

And I'd be damned if I didn't know what that something was. "Hey!" I squeaked, standing up so fast I nearly tripped over that huge pile of junk. "Uh, why don't we get out of here? Heh, Mom will probably be going over to the school to see why that 'party' is going on so long..."

"Sure, I'd love to get out of here," Ivy smirked. "One question: how, exactly?"

Mystical suddenly woke up and squealed, jumping off the bed and slithering out the open door.

"Wait up!" I called, jumping over the junk and following the Dratini. Steve and Ivy kept close by.

Mystical stopped at an indent in the wall near the slide we had fallen out of coming here. The Dratini hopped up and down, and curious, I got a closer look at the wall.

"Hey!" I cried softly. "There's this hidden door thingy in here." I glanced down at Mystical. "So we can get out if we go through here?" Mystical nodded.

I frowned. "But...should we just leave you here?" It didn't seem right for some reason...I couldn't ignore this feeling that I shouldn't be leaving in the first place.

Mystical shook its head, seeming perfectly content on letting me go. I smiled grimly and stuff Chris Tamer's journal in one of my baggy back pockets.

"Well, thanks for everything Mystical!" I grinned. "I wonder..." I trailed off, glancing around. "Will we come back?"

"Dra," Mystical nodded again.

"The Dratini knows all," I muttered, pushing the invisible door in. To my surprise, I was standing face-to-face with a wall of water that miraculously wasn't crashing down.

Ivy's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "And this water wall is possible how...?"

Steve sighed impatiently. "Who cares how it's possible, just be glad we're not drowning while we're still on our feet!"

"You're the only one that would," Ivy shot back. "AHH!" she cried, attempting to imitate Steve's earlier screeches when he had gone in the lake to 'save' me. "OH MOMMY, HELP ME! I'M DROWNING!"

"You're gonna die," he muttered while Ivy snickered.

"I told you Ivy," I sighed. "Before we came down here, I said you could make fun of Steve later."

"No, you said you could make fun of my jokes," he growled.

I gave a half-smile. "Whatever man. Can we go now?" I jumped up as a bright light suddenly shot from my pocket, and Kitsune materialized.

"Geez Kit!" I cried. "Stop doing that!"

"Esssspeeon," he sighed, rolling his eyes. Stupid me finally realized he had come out to put Steve and Ivy in that bubble again so we could all get outside to the real world.

"Esss!" Kit echoed, the jewel on his forehead glowing to fill the room with an intense red light, and dim once his spell had been cast. All three of them were once again in that purple bubble barrier.

I nodded slightly to my friends and Pokemon, and made sure the journal was still in my back pocket before diving in. In the corner of my eye, I saw Mystical slither away back into the giant pool. I hoped it'd be okay, but as I began to swim back up to reality, I realized I didn't want to leave the Den...how funky.

Something was calling me back, and it wasn't Mystical's cries...it was something deeper that I couldn't explain for the life of me. I thought about it as I opened the rusted door and swam through a tunnel so narrow that I knew we couldn't have gotten in here through this door (something I had wondered in the back of my mind) that led back up to the lake, and kept on thinking of it as we finally reached the surface. Kitsune threw Steve and Ivy out of the water with his Psychic, and paddled over to the side and scurried out, but I remained in the water, even after I surfaced.

Steve frowned at me. "Uh, Lindsey? You getting out of there before next year?"

I sighed. "I just...I don't know."

He gave me a funny look. "Translation?"

I sighed again and shook my head, swimming to the edge and gracefully climbing out. About a second later, I realized a downpour had started.

"Well, at least we don't have to explain why we're so wet!" Ivy grinned as the three of us started to make our way through the forest after I returned a drenched Kitsune to his Pokeball and grabbed my backpack. I pulled Chris Tamer's diary out of my back pocket, relieved to find it hadn't suffered any damage, and stuff that into my pack as well.

As I jogged with them, I wondered where the two Rapidash were. Probably hiding, but if they were anything like Joker, they would be outside trying to stupidly outrun the raindrops. I snickered to myself, picturing Joker doing what he normally did while it rained.

It took us a lot longer to get out of the forest than it did to get into it, but after awhile, we found Ecruteak City again. I sighed with relief. "Civilization!"

"Oh look," Ivy said, pointing in the direction of the Pokemon Center. "They've got the buses there. Thank goodness...c'mon, let's get out of this rain!"

We all made a run for the bus, and of course Steve nearly fell flat on his face slipping on a puddle.

"GAAAH!" he cried, his arms and legs sprawling out in attempt to break any fall.

I grabbed his arm and hoisted him up. "Geez, Ivy's not the one with the clumsy feet, you are!" I joked.

Steve didn't answer, but stared down at where my hand was still clutching his arm. Before I could release it, Ivy looked back at us and raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon you lovebirds," she joked, though it sounded pretty truthful to me. "We're gonna miss the bus!"

I hastily let go of Steve's arm and ran after Ivy. "Who are you calling a lovebird?!" I cried, my long hair, now matted by rainwater, flapping against my back. I heard splashes and realized Steve was running after me--I just hoped he wouldn't trip again.

Luckily we made it onto the bus for Cherrygrove City just before the door swished closed. Even luckier, none of the trainers had unbearable B.O. like last time.

I leaned back in my seat, thinking about everything that had happened that day...the Den, Mystical, my strange new ability to breathe underwater, and Chris Tamer's journal to name a few. My stomach tightened as I remembered the 'heart-to-heart', or whatever you wanted to call it, that had happened between Steve and I that morning. Not to mention the Looks Ivy kept giving us. I sighed to myself, wondering how I was going to explain this to her if I couldn't even to myself...or Steve.

"It's really coming down," Ivy said, suddenly startling me out of my inner turmoil. She was staring glumly out the window, the rain looking practically like it was attacking the bus with a Water Gun.

"Yeah," I agreed. "It's kinda weird. It's not rainy season for another few months, is it?"

"No," Ivy answered. "You're right---I wonder what's up with the weather change."

Steve unconsciously picked at a loose thread on his jeans. "Dragonairs are able to control weather," he said quietly. "That Dragonair...what if it's trying to tell us something?"

I raised my eyebrows, surprised that Steve actually remembered something from class and that he had such an insightful thought since I knew he was talking about the green-eyed Dragonair we kept seeing. "Well," I started. "What if that's the case? Then why would it be doing this to all of Johto or whatever?"

After a second of silence, the three of us shrugged in unison, then went to staring out the rain-soaked windows.

It seemed like days before the bus finally pulled into the parking lot at the Pokemon Center in Cherrygrove and everyone got off. The rain was still steadily pouring with no sign of letting up.

Ivy used an old, falling-apart magazine as an umbrella as she waved bye to Steve and I. "I'll just walk home," she said. "You're going to call your mom, Lindsey?"

"Yeah," I sighed, glad to be under the awning hanging over the entrance doors to the Pokemon Center. "If I find out anything weird, I'll call you."

"Okay," she replied, and started carefully making her way through the puddles back to her house, which luckily was only a block away.

As soon as she was out of sight, I went through the automatic doors and headed straight for a videophone. Steve followed me into the lobby, his sopping sneakers squeaking on the tile floor with every step. It irked me for some odd reason, and I did all I could to keep from totally freaking out.

I dialed in my number and after two rings, Dad's face appeared. "Lindsey?"

"Hey Dad," I greeted. "Uh, the um, party at school broke up and Steve and I need a ride back home...I mean, I need a ride home and he needs one back...so can you come out here?"

"Yeah, but I think Diana will get you two...she's been out there since this rain started trying to get Joker to go in his stall."

I rolled my eyes. "Is he playing in the rain again?"

"Yeah," he replied, rolling his eyes a little. "He's such a weird Pokemon. I've had Ponyta and Rapidash all my life and I've never had one that liked the water as much as Joker does."

I laughed. "Well, he's good to ride and that's the main thing."

"True. I still remember my favorite Rapidash...a stallion, but he was a great ride. I called him Red Spot."

"Whatever happened to him?" This was News to me. Dad didn't talk about his childhood that much, and it was kind of weird he was suddenly opening up about it over a videophone.

"Oh...I had to let him go. He became a dad."

"Eh?"

"Rapidash mares and stallions tend to go off into the wild once they've decided to have a foal," Dad explained. "Which was the case for Red Spot."

"Oooh. And who was the lucky mare?"

Dad smiled, which shocked me. I couldn't remember the last time he had given me a genuine smile. "Oddly enough, your mother's first Rapidash and probably still her favorite, Princess Flamemight."

I let out a little gasp because the second he said that name, I saw a flash of the Rapidash mare and stallion I had seen just hours ago. How weird...I was thinking too much about flaming Pokemon.

"Oh, speaking of your mother, she's in...I wonder if she's gotten Joker---" Dad was cut off when Mom suddenly appeared in the screen, looking totally drenched.

"Lindsey," she huffed. "Get-here-right-now-and-teach-that-Ponyta-some-manners!" she bellowed so loud, people were looking in my direction.

"Mom, be quiet," I hissed. "And, yeah, as much as I would absolutely looove to help you right now, I'm kind of stuck at Cherrygrove. Everyone had a little welcome-back party for me, and Steve and I need a ride back."

Mom sighed. "Yeah, I'll come and get you. At school?"

"The Pokemon Center."

"Right, right." She turned to Dad. "Attempt to get that excuse for a Ponyta in his stall when I'm gone."

Dad raised an eyebrow and walked off screen without another word. I hoped Joker would listen to me once I got home, because if he wouldn't obey Mom, the Master of All Fire-y Horse Pokemon, no way in hell would he pay attention to Dad.

"Okay, so see ya in a few," I said before hanging up. I spun on my heel, completely ruining my boots to no end, but they were already so wrecked, I didn't care. I spotted Steve sitting on one of the couches in the lobby, staring into space.

I plopped down next to him. "Hey."

He jumped about a mile, but gave me a crooked smile. "Yo."

I twirled some of my soaked hair around my finger, a slightly amazed at the contrast between my dark strands and pale skin. "Um...my mom's coming by to pick us up in a few..."

"Okay."

I made a face at Steve's lack of talking. When it was just the two of us, he usually babbled on and on about who knows what...eh, maybe he was just tired. Or something.

My fingers clenched by themselves as I thought of why Steve was really probably being so quiet—his 'confession'. God, what was his problem? Even for something like that, he would want to talk about it.

Then again, did I want to talk about it? Maybe that's why he was shutting up...somewhere in that mind of his he knew I wasn't really ready to have a huge heart-to-heart about it...especially since I still had this thing going on with Darrell.

I grimaced, remembering how he had slapped me. I had to see Darrell tonight, even though I was afraid he was going to try to pull a stunt like that again. But hey, I'd be prepared this time.

"Uh, Lindsey?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you okay? You're making faces."

"Ehh?" I blinked. "Ha...yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about...stuff."

"Like...?"

"Uhmm...things."

"Fine then," he smirked, sticking his tongue out at me.

I stuck my tongue out right back. Hey, it wasn't my fault he flipped out whenever I even mentioned Darrell's name...though I probably knew why now.

The doors suddenly opened and I looked up to see it was Mom, looking really frazzled and wet. I couldn't believe the rain was still that bad.

"C'mon you guys," she called to us, looking really eager to get home. "Let's get out of here."

Steve and I got up and ran to the car, getting totally soaked in the five feet from the entrance to the car. I squeezed the excess water from my hair once I was sitting, not really caring I was getting my favorite black jeans even more soaked beyond belief---they had practically been to hell and back, anyway.

"Mom, I'm gonna need new black jeans," I complained.

"Get a job," she answered, keeping her eyes on the flooded road.

I rolled my eyes and leaned back into the seat with a disgruntled sigh. The car was then completely silent, except for the harsh pounding of rainwater drumming on the roof. I began to grow a little nervous. I couldn't explain it, but a funny feeling had suddenly made its way into my gut.

"Mom...can you, um, slow down a little—"

I was cut off when we approached a huge puddle too fast---Mom eased up on the gas pedal, but it wasn't enough. The car skidded through the water and was heading straight for a tree. I screamed and saw Steve's arm fly out in front of me before we crashed and I passed out.

-sigh- Stupid QuickEdit doesn't like squiggly lines...
Let me tell you, every Friday I would get all twitchy, thinking, "UPDATE...MUST...UPDATE!" X.X It's been weird. I hope I never fall back on a fic ever again. O.o

Reviewer replies! Yay! .

Hakura—Yes, I would not recommend going swimming in denim. It's...icky. :P And that's a good theory, that the Ponytas and Rapidashes are a different breed...in this little freaky Pokemon comic thingymabob that my dad got me for Christmas, it's (go figure), the one about Ash racing that one girl's Ponyta, and she says, "This is a Thoroughbred Ponyta". So hmmm...how about these are seksi, big, jumping Warmblood Pokemon? XD

Karania—WE'RE FREE! –grins- Ah, the bliss of no school...

ZeroChan—In that case... –does cha cha- . Haha. Ooo...hey Lurk, why didn't you hijack a game for me?! Not that I preordered one, but I'm sure whoever else preordered one wouldn't miss it...-cough-
I'm not horrible, really I'm not! :P

Saisaishi—Hehehe, I didn't go to Disney that weekend, but next time I go there, I'll go in the kick ass Bug's Life show for you. ;D I love that! Except for the stink bug...

Adriel—Urrrraaagh. –falls over- I keep forgetting to ask you something. Remind me to ask you that thing I want to ask you next time you IM me. –facefaults- If things are going as I'm planning, none of those profiles will make sense XD But I can work with it...remember, I am the all-knowing RainbowSerenity! ;D

Harunohi—Yep, Orlando's in Florida. Which is where I live. Florida, I mean. Orlando's three hours away. XX WOO! I HAVE A READER WHO'S NOT FROM THE LAND OF CHICKEN FINGERS AND TOURIST TRAPS! I'M SOOO COOL! –grins- Unless Australia is a tourist trap, but I wouldn't know...

Robin Ryan—Bah, are you out of school yet? :P And –shhhhhhhhhhhhhh- No one's supposed to know what you know! :-X I just told you since you're so kick ass! Yay! ;D

-grins evilly- Can't wait for...more reviews...bwahahaha. Reviewing makes RainbowSerenity happy. And talk in third person.

Reviewers: You're a freak.

RainbowSerenity: Yeah, I know. :P But could a freak do...THIS?! –produces a wallet from back pocket with ten bucks-

Reviewers: O.O You're going to PAY us to review?!

RainbowSerenity: Uhh...-shoves wallet back in pocket- Hell no! You must review yourselves because this fic is just sooooooo interesting and you all just think I'm cool like that!

Reviewers: -sigh- We tried...-run off to 'Submit Review'-