Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me, do not sue, and ... yeah!
Chapter 8: A Piece of Paper
When May finally found Kiana, it was in the last place she had thought to look: the Gym.
She found her bustling down the hallway, looking rather worried.
"Kiana! Hey!" she waved.
She smiled briefly, her brow furrowed.
"May – how was your battle with Robert?"
Her smile disappeared.
"I lost – but that's not the point, here's a note from your older brother," she spoke, thrusting the piece of paper into her hands.
Blinking as if to wake herself, she retrieved and opened it, her eyes pouncing hungrily.
After a few moments, she stared at the paper.
Dropping it, she left, leaving at thoroughly confused May alone in the hall.
Bending down, she took the paper.
A dark haired one departs vowing never to return
A flower of water floats in confusion
Where fame will carry her petals
Until the next blue moon their paths shall not cross
And they will mourn
For it will be only in their dreams they will meet
In her hand, the piece of paper crumpled, May shaking her head.
- Pikaaaa – Chu – Chu! -
"Keishi? Keishu!"
Kiana burst into the house, breathing furiously.
"Oh Kiana! Back so soon?"
Her twin brothers appeared before her, as if on command.
She sighed.
"What was that piece of paper supposed to mean? What is this some kind of joke?" she shouted.
Keishi sighed, settling his hands onto his younger sister's shoulders.
"Oh Kiana, it's just some random piece of paper we found on the doorstep of our humble home addressed to you. We did not tamper with it but we gave it to that nice friend of yours, what's her name?"
"You mean May?" Kiana asked flatly.
"Yes, May, what a nice name -"
"What he is trying to say is that we paid our grandmother a visit this morning, and she was having another one of her 'consultations' with her crystal ball ... yeah, you know how she is. But anyways, she seemed really serious this time, and specifically asked us to give that piece of paper to you, though Keishi decided to give ... it ... to ..."
When Keishu finally stopped talking, he was able to realize his sister was gone.
- Pika - Chu - Chu! -
"Misty!"
Rudy ran into the room and setting himself on the floor, he pulled his fiancée to him.
Her face shone with tears.
"He's – he's gone," she choked.
Rudy held her face.
"Who?" he asked gently.
"Ash."
Rudy stared at her for a moment, his face breaking into a sad smile.
"I should have known ... correction, I knew it."
Misty looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
He smiled now.
"When he arrived here, I kept a close eye on you and as I had feared, you would not keep your eyes off the lucky guy. I was foolish enough to believe that you were ever over him. When I had offered you to stay all those years ago on my island and you had refused, I knew you had feelings for him. I guess in the back of my mind I had known all along that you still loved him."
He paused, sighing for a moment.
"I just want you to know Misty, I love you, okay? But I know no matter how much I love you, you can never return it, but, now, I think that ... well, that that's okay ..."
Misty began to cry once more, but this time, for a different reason.
"Rudy .. your so sweet. I'm so glad that you have been understanding, I don't know what I ever done to deserve this ... I know you'll find the right girl for you, and I hope you know that I love you too .."
Rudy smiled as he bent down and softly kissed her salty lips.
"I know you do, and I love you too ... Kiana."
- Piiiiika – CHUUUUU! -
May walked out of the Gym, the piece of paper still firmly locked in her hand.
"Hello May!"
Turning, she saw the smiling face of the blue headed Waterflower sister.
"Oh hello Violet!"
Violet then began to frown as she looked past May.
"Hey, do you know where Ash dashed off to? He came to grab Pikachu, then he left ..."
May stared at her.
A dark haired one departs, vowing never to return ...
"Kiana ..." she mumbled.
Before Violet could open her mouth in reply, May had run off.
- Pika – Pika – Pika – Pika -
Mari grinned at Max as he pulled out a chair for her.
The restaurant was filling fast but Max could not have cared less.
Just as long as she was here.
She straightened, straining to peer over Max's shoulders.
"What?" Max questioned.
She pointed her finger forward.
"Wasn't that Ash?"
Max looked to the exit where someone had already disappeared out.
"No ... that guy was way too cute," Mari decided.
Max did not know if that was a good thing or not.
- Chu – Chu – Pikachu! -
Clearly puzzled, Violet turned and made her way back into the Gym.
"Violet!"
She turned around once more to see Kiana jogging towards her.
"May just left looking for you -"
"Where's Ash?"
Violet shrugged.
"I don't know but he's gone, if that helps."
Kiana held her gaze for a moment.
Just as she had arrived she had left-again.
Violet sighed.
"Kids these days .. you wonder about the sugar levels in those drinks ..."
- Pika – Pika – Chu – Chu! -
Rudy suddenly turned red.
"Misty .. I -"
Misty smiled, watery eyed, but smiled confidently.
"You like Kiana?"
Rudy shook his head.
"Misty when I was looking for you I found her in your room dressed in your wedding dress, and -"
"She is attractive, isn't she?"
"Well ... NO! Misty .."
Misty giggled furiously.
She felt a bit lighter all of sudden.
Standing, both her and Rudy looked a bit happier.
He touched her cheek.
"Well, my sweet, you'd better get changed for dinner tonight; I think we'll break it to them then."
Turning to leave, Misty grabbed his hand.
"Thank you, Rudy."
Saluting, he left.
She then remembered Ash.
Why did she feel like crying again?
- Chu – Chu – Pika – Pika! -
Pikachu nudged at him trying to get him to speak, to at least react yet still, he refused.
Why does Route 5 seem more miserable and long then it did the first time around' he thought as his feet dragged along the dirt path.
Then her face floated into mind.
He screwed his eyes shut.
He did not want to think of her, not now.
He bit his lip, his eyes stinging.
"Pika – Pika!"
"Nice to see you too Pikachu."
Ash looked up and seeing the familiar figure sauntering towards him, he didn't know whether to feel happy or not.
His old rival grinned up at him.
- Chu – Pika – Chu – Pika! -
May knocked almost silently on the door.
Surprised, she saw the same person who gave her the piece of paper.
"Hello ... Keishi is it?"
He sighed.
"I'm Keishu, my twin is Keishi and he is actually busy at this moment in time -"
"May, hello!"
"Take me now please!" Keishu muttered, his brother bursting into view.
"Hello, umm, is Kiana here?"
"No, but if you would like, you could ..."
Keishu tried to suppress a laugh.
"She's gone, idiot!"
- Pika – Pika – Chu – Pika -
"Gary – what are you doing here?"
Gary sighed.
"Why else would I be here? The Wedding Ash!"
Another shard of his broken heart cut at him mercilessly.
"Anyway, where are you going? Your mother told me to tell you that she would be arriving in Cerulean tomorrow morning ..."
"ASH!"
Turning, he was not expecting Kiana to be running at him at full speed.
Arriving, Ash caught her just as she was about to fall.
Taking in sharp breaths, she lay a steady hand on Ash's shoulder.
"Ash .. please tell me you're not leaving .. please! I might not know why you're leaving, but please ... don't!"
Ash looked at her glumly.
"Wait ... you're leaving?" Gary burst.
Ash sighed, walking ahead.
"Look, Kiana, I'm leaving, okay? That's all you really need to know, I have to get away ..."
"But if you leave, you won't see Misty again for another ... wait .. . this is about Misty ... isn't it Ash?"
Gary looked from Kiana back to Ash in glee.
"Let me guess ... Ash was trying to break Rudy and Misty up? No? Okay, wait ..."
Ash glared at Gary.
"Gary, shut up!"
Kiana sighed.
"Ash, please, you won't see her for another two years, do you realize that?"
Ash shook his head at her.
"What are you talking about? I'm getting out of here Kiana."
"Then I'm coming!"
Ash stared at her.
"What?"
"I'm coming!"
"No you're not, please, Kiana, just go will you?"
Walking past the two of them Ash continued on, not bothering to turn.
"Come, Pikachu."
- Pika - Chu - Pika - Chu - PIKAAAA! -
"Misty? What on earth are you doing?"
Misty jumped, turning her saturated face her friend.
"Kiana?" she mumbled.
She stared at her, her bright green eyes wild, her chest heaving.
"My dear, do you realize that Ash is now gone?' she spoke, approaching her.
"Of course I do," she murmured, fighting to stand.
"Well then you should be going after him! His train leave TONIGHT dearest!" Kiana yelled.
Misty looked at her.
"Why are you yelling?"
Kiana sighed.
"Misty ... I should've told you, I ... I knew that you loved him as soon as he had arrived and I knew he had feelings for you too, when I first told him of your engagement ... he went crazy."
Misty sighed.
"Oh? And what?"
Kiana glared at her.
"Misty .. dammit, why do you have to be so impossible?" Kiana yelled.
Now Misty glared.
"You don't even understand .."
"Misty, that guy that you chased away happens to love you and if you do not go and stop him from getting on that train, I'm afraid you'll never see him again!"
"And?" Misty demanded, now standing, shaking.
"And .."
Kiana struck her face.
"Misty, you are going!"
Misty, holding her face, glared at Kiana.
Her face softened.
"Thank you ... Kiana."
"Damn right! Now get outta here!"
:X:X:
A/N:
My DEEPEST THANK YOUS to all of my reviewers, I want to thank you guys sooo much because of your reviews, actually, I don't really know what's interesting about this story ... I was afraid it was going to turn out wrong because of my decision to do the whole 'romantic' thing, but may be I have read too many novels whose focus remains on romance .. but anyways, yes!
Thank you for your reviews (again), your comments, your suggestions, your kindness. I want to thank all those who have seen something in my story and had decided to put it on their favourites list, I want thank, well, the little people, the ants ... sorry, I'm getting a little carried away, but I think you get my point.
I'm not quite sure if you know, but this is the second – to – last chapter of this story, and of course, there has to be a sequel, so watch out! But until the next chapter, I leave you with my gratitude and deepest respect.
Always,
Lady Sapphira!