insert massive scream here-

I'M ALIIIIVE!Just barely, but heeere I am!...and also really itchy at the moment. But that's a whole 'nother story.

Man, I feel so guilty…it's been two months since I've updated this. I'm not lying, though, when I say I've been busy: I got a job ('Would you like fries with that?'), a horse (-SQUEAL-), and am being pulled in a million different directions. Hooray! Also, I think editing may be in my future. Muhahaha.

But enough about it! Honestly, it isn't the writer's block that's keeping me from working on this—I have sooo many ideas! I can't remember the last time I was home for a 'family' dinner. Life is really taking a toll on me. Meeeneh. But even if it takes years and years...this fic WILL be completed!

Mwhahaha. Now, onto the hopefully much-anticipated...

Chapter Five

Over the next few months, things started to dramatically change—at least for Chase and I. For one thing, he actually got a band together. No joke—apparently Andrew knew a bunch of bums from around Hoenn, and they found themselves someone to do drums and another dude to play keyboard. They got together five times a week to practice—for what, I don't know, but they did. At first they set up and played in the den, but Ma got tired of the neighbors calling Officer Jenny on us, so she made them all clean out the garage, and now that's where they play.

As for me—I made two friends completely out of the blue. One was a cheerleader—that's right, Stacie—and the other...I guess not really a friend.

More like a boyfriend.

I still don't know why I said 'yes' to going out with him. It was the last thing in the world I wanted to do, and I hate his guts. But hey, cut me some slack. I'm thirteen. There will be other boyfriends.

I couldn't believe he actually had the nerve to ask me out. It was a Wednesday, and Donna was in the art room, putting the finishing touches on some painting during our lunch period, so Stacie was actually sitting at my table, clad in a pink shirt, tight blue jeans, and white sandals—major prep, but somehow, it worked for her. Anyway, we were talking about how much the cafeteria food sucked and how much money they'd save if they stopped making so much of the crap we don't want to eat, like those chili corn dogs, when he just sat down next to me like I had invited him or something.

"Hey Kalista," he greeted, raising an eyebrow at Stacie. I didn't blame him. People were still getting used to the fact that I, of all people, was hanging out with a cheerleader.

"Well, who's this?" Stacie asked warmly, like she was my mother or something.

"Josh Pien," he replied, nodding at her.

"Hello, Josh. I don't think I've seen you around here before."

"I transferred here a few months ago," he hissed. He had been impatient, and naïve little me hadn't picked up on it then. All I could think was that Josh probably thought Stacie was your typical blonde bimbo—and if he voiced that thought aloud, he was going to eat my fist for lunch.

"Oh, is that so?" Stacie smiled with her perfect, white teeth. "I'm amazed I didn't notice. You seem like one people could recognize."

"Yeah, maybe. Listen, could I talk to Kalista alone for a minute?"

"Oh, sure," she smiled again, and I wondered how she was able to keep up that cheery façade all the time. I'd kill myself if I were her. But with a wink at me, she got up and sat at the table the cheerleading squad takes over every day, and joined in their conversation, even though they were all staring at her for hanging out with a freak such as me.

I rolled my blue eye at them, knowing Kerry saw it when she winced and stabbed at her salad. Ha, ha.

I turned to Josh. "So why did you so rudely interrupt my conversation with her and just suddenly butt in at my table?"

"What are you doing this Friday night?"

I blinked, not really sure if I had heard him correctly. "Uhh..." All I could think was, 'Donna, why are you always in that blasted art room when I need you!' "Why?"

"Well, I've got two tickets to a Deadly Whispers concert and was wondering if you wanted to go."

I stood up so fast, the chains hanging loose around my pleather skirt flew up and smacked someone in the elbow. TWO TICKETS TO A DEADLY WHISPERS CONCERT!

"Are you shitting me!" I cried.

"Nope. Want to go with me?"

Well, that had almost made me consider not going. Deadly Whispers...best band ever. But with him? Someone I loathe and detest with every power in me?

So I had no clue how those feelings formed a 'Sure, I'll go with you.'

I disgust myself.

Of course, I didn't realize what would happen after the concert. Which, by the way, was friggin' kick ass. How he got fifth row, center seats to a sold-out show, I'll never know. But after it, he started hanging around me like we were best buddies or something. I'd punched him in the nose on more than one occasion, but he still continued to stick to me like String Shot.

"I think it's cute," Donna had said one day after I was complaining about him. "New guy hangs with first cool girl he sees, and gets a little crush on her! Aww."

"SHUT UP!" I yelled. "He doesn't have a crush on me, he's just being annoying. His life's mission is to piss me off. He gave me that ticket to have an excuse for me to owe him a favor sometime."

"Yeah, and that favor is for you to go out with him." Donna made kissy noises. This, of course, resulted in a bloody, bruising chick fight that made me regret convincing her to file her nails into really sharp points.

But she was right. He kept harping and harping and asking me to go to places with him, and eventually I succumbed because I was just so damn tired of fighting.

And now, we're the school's Freak Couple.

Lovely.

Not.

K:FT

"So what are you doing this afternoon?" Stacie asked as everybody filed out of the school. Chase was walking somewhat near us, not wanting to live with the same that I, of all people, was talking to a cheerleader. Well excuuuuuuuse me if she's interesting to talk to...and smart...and pretty...

"Uh...probably just listening to my loser brother and his band," I replied. "I have nothing better to do."

"Like homework?"

"Are you crazy?" I sniggered. "You're out of your mind."

"Was I ever it?"

I had to laugh. This is what I liked about Stacie; she wasn't your typical stereotypical cheerleading bimbo once you got to know her. She actually had a sense of humor and cared about more than Maybe-Line's newest eyeshadow shade. But she does love cheering. She keeps trying to convince me to come to one of the games sometime, but she hasn't convinced me yet, and never will.

"So do you think you can meet me...say, in front of the Pokemon Center tonight?" she suddenly asked.

I blinked. "Uhh...why?"

She winked. "Surprise."

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, whatever, Miss Cheer. Yeah, sure. I'll split after Josh makes his nightly baby Growlithe phone call to me."

She shrugged good-naturedly, but seemed a little defeated. I think she was secretly mad at me for putting up with Josh, even though I was constantly pissed off at him. Truth was, there was a reason I didn't dump his sorry ass a week after we started going out.

Or rather...he had a reason.

"So yeah, I'll meet you tonight," I said.

"I'll be looking forward to it," she smiled, and went to her bright red convertible to drive to New Bark Town. There was some after-school away game or something. Like I pay attention.

I watched Stacie drive away, and then searched for Chase. He was walking home with Andrew, talking about songs or something of the sort. I chased after them...haha...bad pun, sorry...and poked Chase in the arm.

"So what are you going to torture the town with today?" I wanted to know. "I need to know how heavy-duty my earmuffs have to be."

"Kalista, your brother and I and the rest of the band are making great progress!" Andrew defended. "Just the other day, Kyle learned how to actually catch his drumsticks. He always dropped at least once before."

I rolled both eyes. "Well hot diggity damn for him. Don't you think it's pathetic that you guys don't have a singer yet—or even a name for the band?"

Chase poked one of my Meowth ears. "Patience, dear sister."

"'Dear sister'? Since when?"

"Since I just said it. Listen, you don't need to get all worried about the band. I have plans..." He looked at me with a creepy look in his eyes. "Big plans."

"Should I be afraid?"

"Oh yes," Chase and Andrew replied in unison. I quirked and eyebrow at that. Chase was still his dark, slightly moody self, but he's really opened up in the past few months. Must be actually interacting with other humans besides me and the other boys.

"Huh, that's nice," I said, shaking my head as we approached the house. "Chase, tell Ma I went over to Donna's, okay? I don't think I could stand hearing you guys play again."

"Are you really meeting Growlithe Puppy?"

I glared at my twin. "No way, dude. If you haven't noticed, I try to avoid him as much as humanly possible."

"Oh yeah, meeting him every night is definitely avoiding him," he countered.

I felt my face heat up. How the hell had Chase known about that! Well, I guess I should've suspected it; we are twins, and we do share a room, so when I sneak out, I suppose he'd notice...but still...

It's not like I wanted to meet Josh every night, but it was creepy...the way he kept talking about a legend within my eyes. I wanted to punch his lights out for it, but found out an easier way to make him talk...

Yes, okay, I'll admit it: making out may not be the only way to get him to talk, but hey, it's been working wonders...well, it's about to, anyway. And it's not like I mind either, if I pretend he's someone else.

No, I don't know who else. It could be a Nurse Joy, for all I care. Just not him.

"Shut it," I told Chase giving him a brotherly punch in the arm and running off towards Donna's place.

Once I was there, Todd, her little brother, answered the door. He squinted and looked me up and down. "DONNY! KALISTA'S HERE!" he screeched at the top of his lungs. I twitched and pushed Todd's forehead so he stepped backwards.

"They didn't hear you in Kanto," I complained to him as Donna came up from her den, a.k.a., her drawing room. She ruffled Todd's hair as she passed him.

"What'd I tell you about calling me Donny?" she asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Umm...I forget!"

She rolled her eyes and gestured for me to follow her back down to the den. I stared at her three-inch high spikes and now bright pink ponytail and couldn't help but be a tad jealous. And even more so when we sat on some couches in the den and I caught sight of the newest painting she was working on. It was of a Houndoom (one of her favorite subjects) howling under a full moon. It almost looked like a photograph, but I knew it wasn't since some trees or something at the bottom were still sketched in, waiting to be filled in.

I pouted as I stared at the painting. "I wish I had a talent."

Donna turned to look up at me, an eyebrow raised. "Dude, you have a talent."

I snorted. "Riiight...okay then, what is it?"

She threw a dead pen at me. "If you don't know, I'm not going to tell you, biatch."

I knew I was going to regret that chick fight with her. "Aw, c'mon buddy, tell me."

"No." She took out a bunch of brushes and resumed at her seat in front of the easel, instantly getting lost in her own little world.

"Screw you."

"I thought that was Puppy Growlithe's job."

My jaw fell open. "Aw, dude! NO WAY! Ugh, shit, dude, how could you even think that!" I pretended to barf.

She rolled her eyes. "I was kidding. Gawd."

I resumed my previous position of pouting. "I knew that."

"Sure you did."

I paused. "Is my talent making friends with incredibly obnoxious people?"

Donna shrugged, mixing two greens together to get the right shade for the trees, I guess. "It might be. You have been hanging out with that cheerleader a lot lately."

"Hey, watch it," I snapped. "Don't you be saying anything bad about her. She's a—"

" 'Nice girl'?" Donna filled in, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

My shoulders slumped. "Well...yeah. But she's...I don't know. She's not like the other cheerleaders in the school. Stacie actually seems to care about what I think."

"I care about what you think."

"Yeah, I know, but..." I trailed off. I couldn't explain to Donna how I felt while I was around Stacie. I mean, with Donna, I felt kind of like I couldn't truly be myself. I always felt stupid whenever I said something random around her, and she made a face or whatever. Don't get me wrong, Donna is my soul sister and all, but I can totally be myself with Stacie, as different as we are.

"Whatever." Donna finished, stabbing at the canvas with her paintbrush. "So what's up with the band? Have they actually found a singer yet?"

"How can they find a singer when they don't even have a name?" I snorted, falling back so I could lay down. How many times had Donna and I chatted this way? "It's bad enough just listening to them play, never mind when they actually get a singer."

Donna looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. "Depends on who the singer is, though."

"True. But honestly, they're such a weird group of guys. I don't know how Chase puts up with them."

"Really now?"

"Yeah. Like, Andrew is just a sort of shadowy person. It's probably good he plays the bass, since no one ever pays attention to the bass player...the only person he ever really talks to is Chase."

"Probably because Chase was the first dude to talk to him when he was new."

I blinked. "Never thought of that. But anyway, Andrew's better than Kyle and Kevin. Those two never shut up." Kyle was the drummer and Kevin played the keyboard, the two were brothers with Kevin being older by three years, making him the oldest member of the band at seventeen. And it was true: they never shut up! No wonder the band got together five freaking times a week: half of the time Kyle and Kevin were just talking to the other two, telling one of their outrageous stories. Sometimes I would sit in the garage and listen, wondering how the two came up with that stuff. I mean, really: how many times can a Primeape steal a guy's hat?

Donna gave a small smile. "Kyle's hot."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Umm...not really."

"He's a drummer, and that automatically makes him hot. And look who's talking, Miss I'm-One-Half-Of-The-School's-Freak-Couple."

I choked on my own spit. How attractive. Before I could totally defend myself on the whole Josh thing, I sat up and said, "Wait a second, don't people usually go for the guitar players? Dude."

"I've known Chase too long to fall for him," Donna replied, all of a sudden looking extremely interested in her painting and adverting her eyes from me. My own suddenly grew wide.

"DUDE!" I cried, standing up in shock. "No. Way."

"Shit, you have been hanging out with that cheerleader too much. You're starting to sound like her." She still wouldn't look up at me.

I glanced up at a wall clock. "I gotta go. Don't worry, I won't tell."

"I know."

"Peace out."

Donna finally looked up, the spikes on her head suddenly looking very heavy. "Dude...that's so last semester."

"Since when am I hip?"

"True. Now run! Go to your Puppy Growlithe!"

I didn't dignify her with an answer as I hightailed it outta there.

K:FT

I didn't run to Josh, as Donna had been so quick to assume, but instead went towards the Pokemon Center as Stacie had instructed me to. I could very faintly hear the band playing some sort of original tune and wondered if they would actually get any lyrics to their stuff.

I leaned against the walls of the Center, suddenly feeling cold in my turtleneck tank top with the fishnet sleeves, pleather skirt, black ribbed tights, and boots. I wished I had brought my jacket with me, but I didn't want to risk running home to get it and missing Stacie—though I had a feeling she'd probably wait for me.

But still. Ya know?

I stood there for a few more minutes, illuminated under all of the Center's bright lights, until she suddenly appeared, not in her cheering uniform, but a fluffy pink sweater, perfectly fitting blue jeans that flared, and simple white tennis shoes. Gawd. She really knows how to put on the pink.

"Hey," she grinned as she saw me, and I couldn't help giving a small smile back. "C'mon. Let's go."

"Where are we going?" I started following her fast walk.

She gave me a secretive smile. "You'll see."

I rolled my eyes, but I was behind her, so she didn't notice. She probably knew that I was rolling them, though, because her shoulders suddenly shook like she was trying not to laugh. Har-har.

"Did you tell Josh you were meeting me instead of him tonight?" she asked.

I blinked, totally not expecting the question. "Errr...well, I said that I was going to wait for his call and then leave, but I ended up going over to Donna's instead and leaving to the Center from there...so he's probably all pissed off that he didn't talk to me or whatever."

"Or heartbroken."

I laughed. "I doubt that. Like I keep telling everyone, his one mission in life is to piss me off."

Stacie turned around and smirked at me. "You just keep telling yourself that, little missy. You just keep telling yourself that."

I didn't have a reply to that, so I just kept following her in silence. We were going off the main road now, and to the outskirts of the city where mostly traveling trainers go through. This was odd. Did Stacie want to show me a Pokemon or something?

"Where are we going?" I asked nervously as something brushed against my arm. I jumped, thinking it was a creepy, crawling Bug Pokemon, but it turned out to just be a leaf.

"Almost there," she replied. "What, afraid of the dark?"

"Not the dark...it's the Bug Pokemon that come out in the dark..."

She laughed. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"Yeah, until they all use Stun Spore on me because they think I'm some sort of giant killer Meowth."

"I doubt that'll happen. And anyway, it's your own fault for having those ears, isn't it?"

"...Shut up."

I could practically hear her smile. "Why do you wear those things, by the way?"

I sighed. "It's a long story."

"We have all night. Look."

I looked towards where she was pointing. Behind some tallish weeds and droopy trees, there was what looked like a perfectly kept little field, though no person had probably stepped foot in it in ages since it was surrounded by those weeds, and who wants to walk through weeds? Even in the dark, I could tell the grass was soft and bouncy, and the moonlight seemed to hit on it perfectly, making it look like something from a dream. Or a low-budget movie.

"Come on." She grabbed my hand and started trudging through the weeds.

Okay, so apparently Stacie likes to walk through weeds.

"Eeech...how do you know we're not going to get attacked by something?" I muttered.

"You don't know."

I blinked. "Huh?"

She looked back at me, those big blue eyes all wide. "How do you know when anything's going to happen? I mean, you didn't even know I was taking you here tonight, did you?"

I had too much dignity to give her an answer to that.

She smiled and walked out of the weeds and into the field, plopping herself down and then laying back. I just stood there, kind of dumbfounded. What the hell was she doing?

She patted the spot next to her. "Come here."

I blinked and shrugged, making my way over to her and doing the same plop-and-lay-back method. I put my hands behind my head, stared up, and gasped.

Staring down at us were dozens upon dozens of stars, some brighter than others, all twinkling down as if they were putting on a show just for us. I could actually make out a few constellations I always hear so much about, but never bother to look for. In the middle of it all was a half moon, the afterglow around it giving the sky an even more magical feel.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Stacie sighed. "I come here practically every night."

I blinked, dumbfounded. "You do?"

"Yeah. It's nice to get away from life, isn't it?"

For once in my life, I was speechless. I mean, she may be smarter and less airheaded than the average cheerleader at my school, but for her to be here and to be doing something like this was just...unreal.

After a few minutes of blissful silence, I cleared my throat, feeling a little awkward, as if I was disturbing something. "How'd you find this place?"

She laughed. "It's kind of funny, actually...my brother—you don't know him, he's in Kanto collecting gym badges—had just gotten his Mudkip, and it was going absolutely insane. It used Mud Slap on my brother and he was complaining, so being the good big sister I am, I ran out after it and...well, it led me here."

I shrugged. "Go Mudkip?"

She smiled a bit. "But see, the crazy thing was, once it reached this place, it completely calmed down. It was as if this tiny little field had some sort of power to help it relax. I picked up the Mudkip and got home without any other problems."

"Wow," I whispered. "That's really wacked out. Even more so than me laying here."

"Why's that?"

"Well..." I trailed off. "I guess it's because it's like when I started hanging out with you. People like me don't think. We just do."

"Do you really believe that?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but for once, nothing came out. I just let out a small sigh as Stacie grabbed my hand in a friendly gesture just as a shooting star came by, drowning us in light.

Kick ass.

K:FT

Indeed.

Emerald Milotic—Haha, now I am :D Hopefully you're still liking it!

Karania Avalon—Happy early Birthday!

Harunohi—Whatever a graphics tablet is –sweatdrops- Tehehe. –chews on bone-

The Almighty DB—Muhaha, we shall see, we shall see. –wink- PIE! –glomps-

Robin Ryan—Ack, missed an update for your birthday...-tear- Ah, well. Hahaha, everyone seems to get the same impression about Josh. This should be fun...

ZeroChan—Coincidence? Naaah, it's all carefully planned ;D And I darn well KNOW it's positive! YAY! –dances-

Hakura0—Okeydokey. It feels like it's moving slowly to me since it's taking me forever to write it...-.-

Rose—MUHAHAHA! Predicaments are fun. ;D

Adriel...MONKEY! Tehehe.

I really hate this new keyboard.

But I LOOOVE you guys! –glomps- And reviews, of course. We all know reviews are awesome, so you, of course, much leave one...or feel the wrath of...er...something bad!