-gasp- Is this an UPDATE?! Total maddness! -falls over- Yes, yes, I've been slacking, I know. BAD RAINBOWSERENITY! -smacks self- But seriously, I've been as busy as heck, and probably even more so since I must get...dun dun dun...a JOB to pay for "my"...squeak...HORSE! Long story. Other than that...yes, I've actually had a life lately. Let's just say I can't wait to get to the romance-y parts in this fic. Bwhaha.

This chapter is for the ever-impatient Adriel! SUPER W00T!

Chapter Two

No, Chase wouldn't play his freaky guitar just in the closet. Oh no, no, no, he played it in our room, outside, in the living room, just about anywhere, as long as Ma wasn't in the house. On one half, I found it amazing he knew how to play that thing without a single lesson...or so he's told me. One the other, I wanted to grab that piece of whatever-guitars-are-made-of and bash it over his spiky head.

It was about a month after our birthday, and I was trying to escape his playing, Jeff's hunger for burritos, Eric's Torchic training, David's quotes from a Pokedex, and Mom's constant phone calls to Dad—all at once. Honestly, I live in a zoo.

Finally finding some peace in the den, I flopped and laid down on the couch, propping my feet up and the armrest and flipping through the channels. Nothing...nothing...arguh...ooo, Spanish soap opera...nah...

I saw someone sit in a chair next to my head, and I looked up to see it was my geeky brother David. I rolled my blue eye, but he didn't notice. David's nice enough for someone only like five months older than me and Chase—I mean, he isn't constantly trying to get his Torchic to evolve or begging for a friggin' burrito, but his mind is filled with nothing but Pokemon. I've always wanted to become a trainer to get out of here and see the world; David wants to see all the new Pokemon. If we're channel-flipping, I stop at Spanish soap operas, he stops at—

"Oh, wait," he said in his nasally voice. He pushed his huge ass glasses up his nose. "I've been waiting to see this."

I raised an eyebrow at the screen. "Um, Rapidash show jumping? Why would you want to watch this? Only sissies and rich people play this game, anyway."

"It's a very sought-after sport," David defended. "You need to find a Rapidash of the right height, the right fitness level, and of course, the right balance. Many riders nowadays feed them PokeBlocks to heighten their abilities, but there are still some 'oldie-but-goodie' riders that use traditional methods."

"Like who?" I laughed to myself, wondering why I was even caring.

"Oh, I'm hoping she'll be riding. I quite admire her work with Rapidashes. She's been around them her whole life, apparently."

"Whatever." I sat up, slumping against the back of the couch. Chase came into the room, but David was oblivious, staring at the screen with huge eyes.

"Hey loser," I greeted. "Break any strings yet?"

"Of course not. What are we watching?"

"Rapidash show jumping. Careful, you might step in a puddle of David's drool. Don't wanna get those band boots dirty, now, do we?"

"You are so full of crap," Chase growled, and chucked a pillow at me. Of course, not wanting to be outdone, I smacked him back. In all but two seconds, it quickly escalated into an all-out pillow war, twin against twin, until David cried, "She's on!"

Still not knowing why I was bothering to care, I stopped thwacking Chase and stared at the screen. An oldish-looking woman—you could tell she was more than middle aged, but apparently she was really fit and that made her seem a little younger—was riding a Rapidash in a fancy-schmancy outfit. The Rapidash's flames were burning brightly, and was moving gracefully.

Some bell rung on the screen, and I watched, fascinated, as she and the Rapidash seemingly moved as one over all of the brightly colored jumps. For some odd reason, I felt as if the more I watched, the more...I couldn't stop. For whatever reason, something seemed...familiar.

I glanced over at David, who was watching intently, though not really affected. Chase, though, seemed as mesmerized as I was, frowning a little and trying to wonder why we were so captivated by this person we didn't know.

I blinked as another bell rung on the screen. I guess she was done riding. An announcer suddenly blared, "And that's a clear round for Diana Tamer!"

It was like someone stabbed me in the chest. I placed my hand there, my eyes widening—my right one more so, for some reason—and stared at the TV, gasping with each breath.

Chase grabbed my arm, and I could tell he was feeling the same way, only it looked like he couldn't breath at all. We both sat there still, just staring as Diana Tamer rode offscreen and the camera angle changed.

"What's wrong with you two?" I blinked and let out a hushed gasp, finding myself facing David, who was looking concerned.

"What?"

He frowned. "You two seemed quite shocked when you saw the round. I will admit, that was a tough course, but you can't be too surprised at a rider like her clearing the round."

I glanced back at Chase, whose eyes were still wide—his blue one a little more, like me. "It...it wasn't that," I said carefully.

David shrugged slightly, looking back at the television. "Well, if it's another one of your 'twin' things, then I would care not to hear about it. I'd like to finish watching this course in peace, if you don't mind."

"Yeah..." Chase and I said in unison, both of us getting up, our boots clunking as we left the room and David to his drooling about the Rapidashes. What a geek.

Once we were out of earshot of everyone, I looked over at Chase, feeling, for once in my life, worried. "What do you think that was about?"

"No idea," he replied slowly, still sounding like he had trouble breathing. "I've never heard of that woman before in my life. So why..."

"...Did we go crazy like that?" I finished, biting my lip. I glanced down, sighing, and a glint of something caught my eye. I lifted my tattooed arm up, and both of my eyes widened: one of the symbols was...well, glowing.

"...And I bet that's it. Kally? You listening?"

"Huh?" I swung my arm down at looked back up at my twin. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"Nothing. What were you gawking at?"

"I was not gawking," I spat back. "I thought...well, I thought one of these symbols was..." I paused.

"Was what?"

"Well...glowing."

Chase made a grab for my arm and lifted it at an odd angle, ignoring my sudden bitching at him for just doing that. He looked 'round and 'round my arm, frowning deeper with every passing second.

"You're crazy," he finally concluded, practically shoving my arm back into its socket. "You were just seeing things."

"Yeah, whatever. Tell Ma I'm going over to Donna's, okay?"

"Sure. I'll be in the linen closet if you need me. Soundproofed."

"Right," I nodded, my Meowth eared-hairdo feeling heavy for some reason. Without another word, Chase slowly started up the stairs and I made my way out the front door and down the block to Donna's, ignoring how hot it was in my black tights, black miniskirt, and black T-shirt with the fishnet sleeves. My boots clunked and the spiky leather bracelets around my wrists only added to the heat.

All I could do was grumble how Donna had better be home, or I'd kick her ass.

---

So there I found myself, sitting on a dirty sidewalk, glaring at the passerbyers who were staring at me like I was homeless. All I could think was, Hey, I need to get Chase with his guitar out here sometime. We might actually be able to make some cash. Then I can get a car, find Donna, and yell at her for not being home.

My thoughts drifted back to that morning. Why did that woman on TV make Chase and I act so funny? It was beyond weird. I'm not one to follow Rapidash show jumping, and I had never heard David talk about that rider. Well, I don't know that for sure. Usually whenever he starts going on and on about Pokemon statistics, I tune him out and leave the room—usually leaving him still talking.

Chase and I knew we couldn't talk to Ma about it. Heck, I couldn't really talk to her about anything. This wasn't because I didn't want to; it was because she didn't know anything. Whenever I asked about my birth parents, all she would do was shrug and say, "I never knew them."

It's kind of sad, in a weird, twisted way. According to Ma, she adopted Chase and I when we were only a few months old. She never met our birth parents, and all she got was a paper stating our names and weight and blah, blah, blah. So that meant I truly wasn't really a Merta by blood. Not that I've ever felt like one.

I don't moon around and wish I could meet them, though. It's even more of a waste of time than sitting here on a sidewalk against a grafftied wall, watching all of the trainers/business people/Officer Jenny run by.

I sniggered, wondering what my idiot brothers, minus Chase, would do if they saw me out here. Or my parents. Geez, no wonder I feel like such an outsider in the family. Jeff, being a surfer, has all the girls drooling after him. He's got the same baby blue eyes, blonde hair, and skin that tans easily that Ma has. Eric, the oldest of the idiot trio, has Dad's poofy brown hair and Mom's eyes. David, the nerdiest, also has those baby blue eyes, but you can hardly see them behind his glasses. He got Dad's hair poofiness and Mom's color.

And Chase and I? Hmm, let's see—pale; right eye turquoise, left eye deep brown; and brown/black hair. Not to mention Chase and I are already on the tall side and everyone else in the family is short.

And don't even get me started on our tastes. Gawd, if Eric could live in jeans and a trainer shirt, I'm sure he'd do it. Jeff? Surfing gear. And all David cares about is having a Pokedex in his pocket.

Chase and I have always been way different from them, and not just in looks. I'm probably the kind of girl you'd see walking down the street and you'd think I was some sort of street punk, with my funky black clothes, dark eye makeup, weird hair, zillions of bracelets, tall boots, and now...tattoo. Same with Chase, only people wouldn't dare call him anything to his face. I haven't quite figured it out, but he's always had this brooding air of mystery around him. If it wasn't for me, I don't think he'd talk at all.

An annoyingly-high pitched squeal suddenly interrupted my train of thought. I blinked and stared out into to the street, trying to figure out who or what made that noise. Knowing my luck, probably some sort of killer squealing Pokemon that was out to get us all.

But wait! It wasn't some mutated Pokemon on the rampage. It wasn't the sound of a siren as Officer Jenny chased some Team Magma members down the street. No...

It was the cheerleaders and their annual Pride-For-Pokemon bake sale.

I rolled my eyes—both of them—and stared across the street as my school's cheerleading team smiled their perfectly shiny white teeth at anyone passing by, encouraging them to buy brownies or a piece of that cake or pie. I have no idea why they even bother. So they're raising money for the Pokemon Center. Big fat whoop. It's not the Center actually needs it.

I would sooner be forced to wear a completely pink outfit than hang out with the school's cheerleaders, so I didn't really recognize any of them. They were all rah-rahing for the sweets and the Pokemon Center, swishing their sparkly pompoms around like their were queens of the world.

As I squinted, I realized that I could make out a few of the faces. People who were in my class, girls who gave speeches during assemblies (while Donna and I hid under the bleachers and poked people in the legs with thumbtacks), and faces that were vaguely familiar from when I actually lifted my gaze off the floor in the hallways.

I sniggered as two people walked right by the table without so much as a glance at it. The squad look a bit less peppy after that, but still chanted. I slowly got up, rolling my eyes. I decided to humor them and buy a brownie or something.

As soon as I was at the table, they stopped chanting and they all gave me this Look—even worse than Ma's. I rolled my blue eye, causing one of the girls to look in disgust and sit down, crossing her arms.

I raised an eyebrow and pulled a dollar bill and some loose change from my skirt pocket. "What'll this get me?" I asked, a little too sweetly...ha, ha. Sweetly—get it?

"Away from here," one of the girls said in a snooty voice, narrowing her eyes at me. "What are you doing here, you freak?"

"Buying some food, I was hoping, but I guess you're too much of a self-absorbed little bitch to sell me anything," I replied, still using my sugar-coated voice.

That same girl's eyes got wide and her mouth fell open. Hmm...I guess she's never been called a 'self-absorbed little bitch' before.

"You...you...you...!" she sputtered, trying to think of something evil enough to call me. Apparently she couldn't think of anything, because she turned to face someone who was hidden by a book and yelled, "STACIE! DID YOU HEAR WHAT THIS FREAK CALLED ME?!"

The one she was yelling to, Stacie, I would assume, lowered the book she had been reading. I could tell right away she was at this bake sale because she had to be, not because she wanted to be. I wondered if she was even a cheerleader at all—she certainly looked the part, with her bright blue eyes, fluffy blonde hair, and expertly applied makeup, but she was a big large...not really fat or anything, but big-boned. The other 'leaders were thin as pins.

Plus, there was the fact that she did look totally bored, and the book she had been reading before she was so rudely interrupted was a thick paperback about ancient Pokemon. No cheerleader would be caught dead reading stuff like that, but here Stacie was in broad daylight with the book.

She eyed me and raised an eyebrow, and I raised one back, just to show off. She sat and I stood, with the loose change still clutched in my hand, just staring at each other, waiting for the other to back down. Finally, Stacie broke into a small smile.

"Kerri, I would advise you watch what you say to any potential customers," she said to the cheerleader who had just back-sassed me. "They might get the wrong idea." With one last glance at me, eyebrow again raised, she resumed her previous position of her nose in a book.

Kerri's gargantuan mouth, if possible, dropped down even further, and she started sputtering out at Stacie, too dumb to think of anything to say. I just dropped my change on the table, grabbed the least sugary-looking item there, and walked off without another word.

I don't know if it was my imagination or not, but I could've sworn I heard Stacie whisper behind me, "Rock on."

---

Fweeee.

Adriel-- Hey, DID you get your permit? Bwhaha. Just a hint: Don't accelerate around turns. Bad thing.

Robin Ryan-- Heh heh, I'm totally positive this whole FIC isn't what ANYONE is going to expect it to be...it's gonna be weird, that is, if I ever finish it!

Rose-- Yeah, Kalista and Chase are weird. XD And a good time to make an exception...-evil grin-

Hazy Aurora-- YAY PIE! :D Glad you like it so far! Kalista's my bad-girl Tamer XD

Kat-- Mmm, fondue. Haha. And see, the funny thing is, I don't know a THING about guitars or anything about songwriting or whatnot, so this should be interesting how I work around it. Heh heh. -cough-

ZeroChan-- Hmmm...wonder why Chase reminds you of Darrell...-evil grin- -cough cough cough- Lurk! Quit eating my cake, you...evil Espeon, you! Bwhaha, I'm glad you're liking the characters so far! Kalista seems popular, and it's only one chapter into the fic. Freaky. XD

Harunohi-- Yay marshmallow! :D

Karania-- YAY CAKE! -gobbles cake- Ugh...ate too fast...X.x;; Cake the size of Texas...that's my DREAM! XD

LoneHowl-- PIE! -drools- Hmm...that deals makes no sense...but...we shall find who gets the last pie! BWHAHAH!

Hakura0-- Mean computers suck. Haha, yes, you're supposed to cover them or something...when my sister got hers, she had to rub this cream stuff on it for a few weeks. But this here we're talking about is what's called a 'jailhouse tattoo'...and nobody covers them. They get all scabby and nasty. But not on Kalista, 'cause she's cool like that. :P
And hey, if you ever do draw Donna, you must show me! -wink wink-

Almighty DB-- Man, I'm drowning in pies tonight! Glad you liked the chapter!

Kirin RaKash-- Aw, thanks! -blush-

So wow...I'm surprised that there was such a positive reaction to Kalista's character! Nothing like a not-known Tamer being bad to the bone. Bwhahaha.

I must post this before Adriel has a heart attack! Remember, review and I will love you!