Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or its characters.
Author's Notes: Whelp, I have been going a little to long without giving a song name for the chapter, so today is a little homage to Legend of Mana.
"Are you for real?" Spiegel eyed the pair of annoying guys that are stuck at him like glue.
"You bet we are." Ethan replied with a huge grin. With a swoop of his arms, he flashed a set of new clothes he 'obtained' from the locals. "After a few rounds of an odd-looking drink with those friends of hers, they spilled out the whole deal with those celebrations of them." Ethan dangled the white kimono and black pants in front of Spiegel again, his grin even wider. "How amazing am I?"
"Eh…" Spiegel glanced to the now-empty street, seeing that most people are preparing to go all out this night, he noticed one of Flannery's friends. The poor girl is tiptoeing, zigzagging from one way to the other, miraculously not tripping on her own feet as her legs keep crossing in front of each other. "What drink have you forced on them?"
Ethan saw one of his cup companions leaning against the side of a house. "I didn't force anything. They were the ones pushing me to drink that stuff." He held both hands up, pledging his innocence. "Quite good that stuff burns a bit on the end of the throat and… HEY, no changing the topic! Go over there, inside that bathing house and get yourself presentable for this night."
"Last time I checked… eight guys entered that place by the last five minutes." Spiegel threw a dreading stare at the huge building at the north side. "Do I really?" He begged those two with his arms tensed up.
"I hate to break this up to you, lover boy." Max sang in, grinning at Spiegel's antics. "But if you don't want to show to your date reeking of sweat, dirt, and blood. Then, go take a good bath."
"Word of advice, stinking up the place is not a good way to go about it when trying to woo a girl." Ethan grimace, hitting his forehead with one open hand. "Experience talking… please don't ask for details."
"This is dumb." Spiegel cried loudly. "I shouldn't let you two push me into this. Is way too complicated, way too wrong. Forget about all this, I will go somewhere else." He began to storm out, his arms shaking with the nerves. Unfortunately, for him, two pairs of arms grabbed onto his body and held him in place.
"No, you don't!" Ethan spat back, glaring at the scared boy. "No chickening out with me here."
"Spiegel, remember what I told you before." Max said his peace with a bit more tact, putting a bit more care in his words. "Just give it a try. Have some fun, get to know this girl." The blondie saw the peculiar look Spiegel gave him as if saying; I know her. "Jeez give it a rest. Get to know her by your own self. No more sharing stuff with the other you and all that. Ease the burden in that troubled heart of yours."
His breathing slowing down, his startled eyes calming down. "I guess so… I should at least talk with her."
"Finally, you stopped with the whining." Ethan sighed loudly. "Now get your butt inside that boiling pool with thirty other men and get a proper bath." He saw how Spiegel winced at the mention of the location and the company, making Ethan's lips part in a little evil grin. He turned the brown-haired champion towards the bathing house and pushed him forward.
Spiegel sighed heavily, dreading each step he took towards that crowded furnace. He really dislikes to be around crowds, being naked in front of strangers will only make his dislike for the situation ten times worse.
'Why the heck I have to use a public bath.' He frowned at the realization that somehow he was being fooled into doing this.
"I will leave your new clothes at the reception!" Ethan shouted, waving happily at his grumbling new friend.
"Aahhhh…. This. Is. The. Stuff." A bald old man wheezed in joy as steam grazed against his tired back.
"Hahaha. Shun old-man, you really like to say that, huh?" A young man laughed from his spot next to the heated round-stones. He pulled one wooden bucket from within the running pool of water and poured the steaming water over his spiky dark-blue hair.
"Let an old-man be an old-man." Said old man groaned happily again, letting out a cheery whistle as he sunk his upper body down at the pool.
A ringing sound of laughter echoed inside the hot spring, the younger ones shaking their heads to the old man easygoing manner; while the elders repeated the same joyful sounds as Shun did as he sunk even lower in the waters.
The sound of running shower got everyone's attention. Sure most of the town's men are here already and those that are not present in the public bath are getting prepared in some other form for the night to come.
A mood of anticipation hovered over the entire place. While, yes, it is a bit strange for a group of twenty men to be waiting in anticipation for another guy to show up. However, seeing how much of the male portion of Lavaridge is here, they are eagerly waiting to see who will cross the turn of that doorway.
Feeling way better and lighter after a round on the heated large shower at the stone-made hall. Spiegel took a long breath, brushing his wet hair away from his face. He continued from the mid-way point where he had stopped and walked ever so slowly to the hot spring's entrance.
From the numerous scenarios he has run inside his head even the very silly ones, and those ones are thanks to his stressed nerves, Spiegel could never expect absolute horror show he was about to walk in.
With his first step inside the large pools of heated water, he felt his body froze at the focused gaze of what seems to be a collection of a hundred pair of eyes. He tried to walk to the side, taking sideways steps away from the door, in an attempt to escape their attention. A shiver runs up his spine as their eyes traveled to the side together with his figure.
'I'm going to kill those two.' He promised to himself as he quietly walked over to a lone spot at a corner. Taking a seat in one of the round foggy stones at the edge of the larger pool, Spiegel placed a small bathing brush, a small warm towel, and a bucket it at his side. Imagine his surprise when the house receptionist gave him this little set of tools at the lobby.
He filled the bucket with the heated water, soaking his body wet and starting the whole-brushing process. It would be all good and normal if it were not a million gazes still fixated on him and the now running gossips going about the place in the form of little whispers.
"You have a great physique, young man." One of the elders called out to him, chuckling as Spiegel tried to not turn his head to him. "I have to say, in all my years in the path of a warrior, I never saw a body so defined by hard work as yours are."
"What path of a warrior, Shun?" Another elder cried out loudly. "The only path you have followed these years was the path to the restaurant."
With that, the tension in the room faded away, in an explosion of laughter. For Spiegel's relief, everyone went back to their own business, completely ignoring his presence. Well, almost completely, if it was not for two other guys who stood up and walked next to him.
"Hey, you're Brendan, right?" A young man with green hair gave him a friendly smile. Spiegel recognized him fairly easy, this is the same trainer that was talking with Flannery before, one of the trainers that work in the city gym. "Mind if we take a seat here?" He asked with a pleading little grin.
Spiegel wanted to growl so loud that he would scare those two away. Yet, for some reason that escapes his grasp, he just nodded and made room for them to lay down at his side.
"Man, I have to say. Flannery went on an endless rant when we asked about you." The second young man said in a rather way to fired up excitement. He brushed the large bangs of his black hair away from his eye with a fast sweep of his hand, just for the hair to slide back into place. "I bet you know how Flannery is. I mean, she talks a lot and can be very loud when she is nervous. But today, when we asked about you... My ears still hurt!"
"Hehe, I know, right?" The green-haired one said with a loud chuckle. "Even though she said a lot of words, most as just broken stuff. Kinda funny seeing her like that." He drifted his bright eyes onto Spiegel's form, giving him a funny/curious look. "From where you two know each other?"
"I… beat her in battle, to get the Heat Badge." He said with a little shyness in his voice. "Oh, but we hanged out a couple of times right before I became the champion." He quickly slapped his mouth shut, cursing himself to spitting that out without thinking.
"YOU ARE THE CHAMPION?!" They both shot themselves up into a standing pose, eyes bugging out and mouths agape.
Everyone's attention changed right back at Spiegel. A few 'Oohhs' and silent nods followed those two exalted voices.
"That makes sense!" The green-haired ace clapped his hands together. "I did recognize your face the moment you appeared at the Gym. I just didn't connect the dots before."
"The champion. You're the champion!" Shouted the dark-haired boy, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "Daaamn, Flannery hit the jackpo-" Before he could finish his unfortunate sentence his close friend slapped his mouth shut.
Still holding his friend's mouth, the green-haired trainer let out an embarrassed little laugh. "Well, that explains why Flannery was so giddy while talking about you." He finally let go of the other boy, who glared at him annoyed. "She said, some time ago, that you served as a huge inspiration for her. Saying that you helped her see her right path to be a trainer."
"She said that?" Spiegel gave a curious glance at the pair, receiving a feverous nod from the two. "I am glad… that I was able to be even a little special in her life." He smiled as he took his full bucket again and poured over his head.
"You can bet on that. But come on, with a body like that is hard to not stand out. The poor souls who dated her before looked like a dried stick compared to you." babbled the dark-haired young man again.
Spiegel cringed so hard at the comment, that he began to brush his face to hide from everyone else.
"Roy… please shut up." With the feeling of utter shame, the green-haired boy wanted nothing more than to sink his head on the heated water.
"What's the matter with you, Glenn?" Roy glared at his friend. "I'm just trying to help Flannery here."
"She doesn't need the help of a brick-head like you. Scratch that. With this help of yours, the guy will probably run away by how weirded out he will get." Gleen growled back, baring his teeth at other person. "The more you open that stupid mouth of yours the more damage it does."
As if their jabs at each other served as a starting sparkle, the two trainers began to bicker to no end. Insults and mean looks flew to all sides in what now turned to be a contest of who can help the Gym Leader the most.
"Okay… I think I will finish my bath on that shower outside." Spiegel said loud enough to reach them but still reserved enough to not steal the attention of everybody else again. Yet his words failed to get to Glenn and Roy as those two are spatting words at each other with such intensity that they will take a long time to notice that their target of interest has vanished.
Spiegel escaped that steamy hell he found himself in as fast as he could. Now dressed in his new clothes. In a pleasant surprise, he felt very comfortable in the soft kimono. Even the wooden sandals, something he imagined would bring some sort of discomfort to his feet; they are actually really cozy and light.
He wandered in the streets now getting livelier by the second as people are already starting to enjoy their celebration in the improvised stalls they lifted in the middle of the town. Looking for a distinct pair, that he is definitely going to have a word with, Spiegel entered the most crowded and livelier stall, his eyes quickly landed on Ethan and Max, both sitting next to a counter with cups in their hands.
"Drinking again?" He tapped the raven-haired man at his back, getting an unfocused hum from him. "What's the matter? Weren't you brimming with excitement a few minutes ago?"
"You happened." Ethan growled back. "You two idiotic kids happened."
"What?" Spiegel looked at him completely lost.
"Blondie here was telling me how you and your stupid other self almost destroyed the world." Ethan gulped his drink in one go, frowning slightly as the hard alcohol hit his throat. "I guess I was too out of myself to not notice… to not feel you two going at it."
Taking the vacant seat at Ethan's left side, Spiegel looked down at the wooden counter and scowled. "That has nothing to do with you." He growled quietly. "We… fought for something important."
"Hell if I care, dumbass!" Ethan turned his head to the side, glaring at the long-haired man at his side. "You have some differences with Brendan? Want to hurt him somehow? Want to make things ugly to prove a point? Then use your hands to do it." Blowing out his anger, Ethan reached for the white bottle in front of Max and filled his cup yet again.
"What are you getting at?" Spiegel was the one now glaring at the golden-eye champion.
At that, Ethan sighed, deeply and long. More than anything else, he feels disappointed. "Don't ever use a legendary Pokémon for something as stupid as that." His voice cooled down a bit, his shoulders slumping down. "They are called LEGENDARY for a reason. They have the power to shape and change the world…" He grabbed Spiegel by his arm and pulled him out of the big tent. "Look at that." He pointed to Mt. Chimney summit, or what used to be the top of the giant mountain; now a mess of malformed rocks. "That is the consequences of a battle of two legendary Pokémon."
Blue glowing eyes stared at the dried lava, Spiegel flinched as he noticed how close it got to the lava to reach Lavaridge, as that frozen sea of dirt and rocks are stuck no more than a few layers above the town. "What… what was a supposed to do?" He asked with a quiet voice. "With him in front of me… with a chance at my grasp, what should I have done?"
Ethan grabbed the younger man's shoulder, his fingers pressing firmly against the tensed muscles. "Kicked his knees, punched his face. Heck, you could've bitten his ear off. But never, I mean never..." At this he pressed, even more, the hold of his hand, making Spiegel hiss and glance at him. "Use a legendary like that again. You're a guardian; you've to be better than that."
Spiegel frowned, looking down to his feet. But then hit him. "What you mean a guardian? I told you, I am not Brendan."
Ethan smiled and smacked his hand onto Spiegel's back. "You have the eyes of a guardian. Trust me, you are one." Despite the harshness of his words from before, the warmth of his friendly ways managed to affect the blue-eyed man deep inside of him.
The way Ethan talks and behave himself with Spiegel, despite the truth of his origin, shows something that moved him in a way he didn't expect. The fact that he nags, reprehend and still gives support; shows that somehow, for a reason Spiegel cannot understand, Ethan cares.
"Just to make this clear. I am still mad with you and Brendan." Ethan frowned again, waving one finger in front of Spiegel. "But I will give you a pass tonight. I can chew your ear off tomorrow or some other day. Tonight, you have a cutie to catch." He tilted his head to the side, pointing with a nod to the incoming red-haired woman walking toward them. "Good luck, friend." With one last friendly jab of his elbow on Spiegel's side, Ethan turned to the other side and walked back inside the stall, joining back with Max on their spot.
If he was not taken aback enough by Ethan gestures from before, he certainly is now as his eyes landed on the shape of his date for the night. His blue eyes found themselves glued to her form, a sparkle of pure interest flashing on them, his mouth trembling with the need to go agape again.
Flannery changed from her usual fiery clothing choices. She is now wearing beautiful white yukata with several pink and red flowers adorning the light silk; her hair is tied in a more tamed ponytail that goes down as far as her waist. Some way, somehow she managed to become even more charming and breathtaking with less of her pale skin showing. Maybe it is how well the yukata draws a perfect figure with the curves of her body.
"Hi, Brendan." She called out to him. Stopping in front of her date, Flannery messed with a strand of hair, taking a quick glance at his form. "You look good with a kimono." He said with a playful tone but still meaning every word.
"Hey…" Spiegel basked his eyes on her for a little bit more, he even noticed the little flowers at the lace of her sandals. Taking his attention back to her blushing face, he smiled. "You look very beautiful."
The thin little line of red that was warming her cheeks, spread all over her face, marking her pale skin with a red tone. Flannery opened her mouth ready to say something else, but stopped and just looked at his face. She smiled and then laughed.
Spiegel took a step back, feeling conscious of something that he doesn't even know. "What did I do?" He asked with frantic tone.
"Sorry, you did nothing wrong. I was just thinking how silly it is for me to be all shy around you now." She wiped some tears of laughter from her eyes, giving him another pure smile. "I am glad that you're here, Brendan. Oh, not only because you saved us… I mean here, now…" She gulped down her hesitation and reached over to his hand. With a tight hold, Flannery pulled him closer and turned around, taking Spiegel with her to a walk.
Their first stop ended up being a little tent next to the Pokémon center. A white-haired woman accompanied by two pre-teens is running a little game store. Her little shop is running two attractions; one is a game of rings as in one of those games where you need to drop the ring inside one of the wooden sticks nailed on a board, and the other one is the traditional plushie fishing with a hand-crafted little rod.
Flannery idea was to just take him there and show him a cool place she knows about, but the glint in her eyes as she looked down at the prizes they are handing here told Spiegel another story.
He chuckled and carefully pulled his hand out of her grip. Seeing that another couple is having their fun at the rings side of the shop, he trailed over to the large bowl filled with sand and the little dolls.
"Heya mister!" The little boy greeted Spiegel with a beaming grin. "Want to take a shot at the fishing game? That will be five bucks." He waved one hand in front of the tall young man, smiling ever so cheerfully.
'Oh, crap…' Spiegel flinched at the innocent little grin of the boy. It dawned on him the tiny little detail that he has zero money. "Five, huh." He said with a restrained little chuckle, the boy giggling back at him waving his hand a little more. Trying to buy time for one excuse to pop-up in his head, Spiegel sunk his right hand at the deep pocket of his black pants. What he didn't expect was to find a rolled stack of money in there. He pressed the papers with his finger some more just to make sure he was not going crazy and then pulled it all out. There are at least a few thousands worth of cash in his hands.
The boy whistled in admiration of the amount, while Flannery just watched from behind with a few giggles escaping her lips.
"Here it is little guy." Spiegel handed the smaller bill he had to the boy, a large sum of one hundred. 'Ethan… I love you so much right now.' He clenched his fist and closed his eyes, an image of a smiling Ethan flashing at the back of his mind.
"Ahn… sir. We just opened the shop. I don't have change for one hundred." The boy said waved the bill in the air.
"Don't worry about the change. You can keep it." Spiegel replied with a goofy grin, leaning in against the counter and preparing himself to the task ahead.
"Really?!" The boy sang in loudly. "You're so cool mister, not caring for money like that." A twinkle sparkled in his tiny greedy eyes as he put the bill inside a small box below the counter. "Here you go." He pulled a thin pole from the ground, handing it over to his now favorite costumer. "I will give you three tries. Good luck, sir."
Taking proper hold of the small twig they used as a rod, Spiegel noticed that the tip is not the normal hook of normal fishing rods, instead the tip is a multi-colored little metal, probably a magnet of sorts. Glancing down to the large bowl, he eyed the different types of little dolls sitting on the sand, most resembling the colors of the plushie prizes standing at the back of the shop.
He looked over to Flannery, making a motion with his head for her to come closer and point to what she wanted. While she did walk next to him, she didn't outright point to anything, just rubbed his arm and smile. Although her eyes would steal glances to a little blue bunny standing alone in of the sides of the prize-shelf.
"The blue one then?" He asked with the chirpiest little grin flowing his lips.
Brimming with confidence, he swung the thin line over the bowl, the magnet the instantly latching onto the blue doll. Feeling as if he was about to burst with joy for his success, Spiegel yanked the pole upwards, already cheering his job well done. The only in his celebration is that the doll escaped the rod just as he pulled the thing up.
"Whaat? I had it!" Spiegel complained, throwing a suspicious glance at the grinning boy.
"You have two more tries, sir." The little imp said back, smiling as if he had done mischief and nobody noticed.
"You have two more tries, mememe." In something that just flew out of him, Spiegel mimicked the boy with a fake child-like voice.
Flannery laughed way too loud at the impersonation, feeling sorry of her date for falling under the boy's tricks.
He took the pole down again, this time carefully placing the magnet on top of the doll. His hand moved slowly, in a wary pace. An inch at a breath, the line going up without taking a single wave of resistance. As the doll was reaching the tip of the bowl, the magnet just plopped and dropped the thing down again.
Spiegel went red, a bit from the flaming rage exploding inside of him, the rest from the embarrassment he is feeling as Flannery laughed again.
'This thing is rigged; I know it is.' He glared at the boy again, the little devil just shrugging and taking his hand up in an innocent act. Letting the fire inside of him cool down a bit or he would swing this stupid rod on the ground, Spiegel took a deep breath and went for his last try.
The initial process was the same, taking the tip of the rod down as carefully as he could. As that infernal thing grabbed on the doll again, he relaxed his arms and pushed the pole down a bit more instead of bringing it up. He pulled the thing to the side, then to the other side, letting the line fall and circle around at the tiny doll's head. Now resuming the second act of his ordeal, Spiegel began to pull the pole up, slowly and patiently. As the doll was getting close to the upper end of the bowl again, the magnet plopped once more, but this time the two rounds of line sitting around the doll's head, tightened up and wrapped itself just enough for him to give one last pull and take that thing out of there.
"HA! Ha ha!" Spiegel cheered triumphally, dangling the blue doll in front of the smirking boy.
"Nice job, sir." The boy took the little doll out of his fishing pole, still grinning away as he walked back to the end of their little shop. "Here it goes, the blue bunny for the winner." He placed the plushie on top of the counter, giving Flannery a thumbs up and a cheeky smile.
Flannery waited for Spiegel to take the bunny and give it to her hands. She gladly accepted the gift and give him back a smile full of tenderness. "Thank you." She said as she hugged her toy tightly against her chest. "You are really good with your hands, that was so cool to watch."
He grinned back, feeling a bit conscious of himself but still very glad that he could win the prize for her. A soft touch grazed against his hand, as the red-haired girl grabbed him again, pulling him away with her to somewhere else.
Going against the flow of people walking to the middle of town, those two escaped behind the trees with Flannery guiding Spiegel on a path he never saw. They walked in silence, but in a good mood just feeling each other presence. Flannery watching carefully her steps as the sun has already set and is really hard to see without a full moon in the sky, Spiegel is watching her back, his mind practically jumping out of his body in a way that he could watch both of them walking together, holding hands.
"We're HERE!" She announced with a little bit of 'exploding Flannery' coming out. Feeling a lot more conscious of her condition with just the two of them here, her red eyes traveled down to the ground. "I found this place when training to be a better me. Just a peaceful and soothing place all to myself… What you think?"
Giving a proper look to his surroundings, Spiegel made sure to examine every point of interest in her special place. While the setting is bit bland, just a clearing in between trees and mountainous ground, the atmosphere here is certainly something different from anything else he has experienced. He can hear just the rustling of the leaves and the low howl of the winds, by this time of the day with the dotting marks already sparkling at the dark sky, this place is starting to feel like something taken out of a piece of art.
"I like it here." He replied with a genuine smile on his lips. "I don't know why, can't really explain properly, but it feels special to be here."
"I KNOW, RIGHT?" She beamed back with a lot of excitement. "Sorry… I really lose control of my voice sometimes. Even though I tried really hard to stop doing that." Playing with her new blue bunny, Flannery took her eyes away from him, turning her head to the opposite of his direction, her ears showing the little of the blush in her face.
"I don't mind. Actually, it would be kind of strange if you didn't yell at me sometimes." He gave her an impish smirk. "Remember that day I was showing you the garden of Ever Grande? People told me they could hear your cheers all the way from the waterfall."
With a playful grin of her own, Flannery jumped at him and smacked his left arm with a soft slap. "That's not true, you dork."
"Maybe." He laughed loudly and she laughed in return. Spiegel looked at her with those glowing blue eyes of his, a certain softness showing in his expression. "But truly, I don't mind your voice. Actually, I find it cute."
"Thanks…" She replied with a meek response. Giving out a content sigh, Flannery sat down, bending her legs together to her right. She looked up to Spiegel and asked him with just her eyes for him to seat at her side, which he did with no delay. "I come to this place all the time, whatever I am feeling sad, nervous or just stressed. It's a little piece of land that feels only mine. It's also where I come to do my best to change."
"Why would you want to change?" He asked.
"Because… Because it is embarrassing the way I talk. Those outbursts… I don't like them." She curled her fingers together. Her eyes going down to the pretty flowers in her yukata. "People make fun of me because of that."
"Then those people are stupid." Spiegel said back with a straight face. "Sure, is a bit surprising for the first time. But that intense way of yours is very charming, I guess it really fits your fiery persona." He took his left hand to hers and pulled one of them out, giving a gentle squeeze. "I am sure that your friends and everybody in Lavaridge know how sweet you truly are. You don't need to change."
Her scarlet eyes staring at him with newfound awe. She smiled, returning the gentle squeeze he gave on her hand. "You're sweet." She said. "Before… I wondered what kind of man you would grow up to be… I never imagined you would turn you so amazing." She chuckled, pressing her free hand against her lips. "I should have known, even at that age you were already something else."
That giggling sound, the soft touch of her hand, and the smell of flowers she has… Everything about this girl is entrancing to him. He wants to badly to lean over and kiss her, the way she is looking at him too is just as if she is expecting him to go and do it. He leaned in, but just for an inch and stopped, biting his lips.
"Flannery… I am not the kind of person you think I am." He said with a dry lump popping in his throat. She looked at him a bit disappointed that he didn't continue to move forward and kiss her. Yet she raised an eyebrow, giving him a curious look. "Maybe, I not the same guy you knew once… Maybe, I am someone else entirely different now."
"You're… different now?" She asked, looking at him with serious eyes. A soft smile parted her lips away; her fingers gave another strong squeeze of his hand, making him look back onto her eyes. "That can be true. However, I still feel the same tug in my chest with you of now, the you that is here. If you changed… I can learn to like this new Brendan too." In the flow of her own words, Flannery leaned in pressing her lips against his in a soft and quick kiss.
The caress of her skin touching his was like a breath of fresh air inside his lungs, a new sparkle of life blooming inside his hurt and a heavy heart. Not noticing that he had closed his eyes as she kissed him, Spiegel opened them up again, taking those two blue gems to her red eyes. The smile on his face is big and warm, but his eyes are still showing a concern, certain distress that he has to make at least a little amends.
"Please… Call me Spiegel." He asked with a pleading glow in his sapphire looking eyes.
"Spiegel?" She repeated with a funny expression on her face. "Okay, Spiegel. Heh, so you changed so much that even your other name is not good anymore?"
"Something like that…" He replied to her giggle with a chuckle of his own. "Thank you, for agreeing to such strange request."
As she was about to respond to his words, Spiegel leaned in, taking one hand to the back of her head and pulling her ever so carefully into another kiss. This time they remained locked together, feeling each other for a longer time. They felt a jolt running through them, a certain sparkle that made the hairs go up. Something so good and enjoyable that would be a shame to break away from each other. Yet, with sad groan coming from both of them, they pulled away again, smiling at they exchanged a long look at each other's eyes.
"We should go back… There still so much I want to show you." She said to him.
He stood up and gave his hand to her, to which Flannery gladly took, for standing up by herself in that yukata would be a little more complicated. "Then let's go. I would love to spend more time with you."
"How long has he been there?" Asked a gracious looking young maiden. Red deep red eyes staring at the mysterious person how came out of nowhere to help them push Rainbow Rocket away from Rustfurf Tunnel.
"Ever since those creeps went running back to Rustboro." A girl with pink straight hair said back, also not taking her eyes away from the figure of that red-haired man. "Roxanne, shouldn't we talk to him? He has barely interacted with anyone since he got here… He looks so sad."
The Rock-type specialist glanced back at the distressed girl at her side and nodded quietly. Pacing her elegant steps on that dirtied grounds, she walked until she stood behind the red-haired man, clearing her throat as to get his attention. "You should seek shelter inside the cave. The night is getting colder by the minute."
Silver raised his head just enough to give her an annoyed glare. Seeing no point in saying anything back, he just shook his head and brought his eyes back to the purple Poké-Ball sitting in his hands.
Roxanne frowned at his lack of manners; he didn't even say a word back to her even though she came out here for his sake. "Look… hm… you… We're just worried about you. It would be a shame to let someone who saved us get sick if we can prevent it."
"While you're cozying yourselves up in that stupid cave. Your city remains occupied by them, the people who didn't escape in time remains trapped in there." Silver growled loudly, taking his red eyes back to the young woman's startled face. "Sure, go ahead. Hole up on that dank place and have a nice night of sleep."
"Fine, you jerk. Stay out here." Roxanne cried out, her cheeks puffing up at his words. "I hope you catch a cold and die." She spat out in an unlikely outburst, fuming with Silver's behavior. With her arms trembling with anger, she turned around and marched all the way back to their safe haven.
Silver sighed, both in annoyance for having his silence disturbed and in relief as the girl left him alone despite her cursing words at him. He took his eyes to the massive bird sleeping at his side, her golden feather trembling as if she is having a terrible nightmare. "Ethan…" He said in a low voice, a bitter pain in his tone. "Where are you?" He asked in a whisper, getting no response back. "Are you okay?" He pressed his forehead against Lugia's Poké-Ball, a warm wet line dropping from his eyes, dripping down to the round object. "What are you thinking right now?"
Sinking deeper in his sadness, Silver slid right next to Comet, embracing the sleeping Pidgeot in a way to keep her safe.
"Gwahahaha, that's too much, my chest is about to burst." Ethan's laugh stormed inside the open-air bar, people laughing away with the contagious tune of his voice.
"It's true. Then I went there and said to her: Doesn't this place smells bad?" Max continued telling his outrageous story, the punch-line making Ethan bend forward, slamming his arms against the counter as he continued laughing.
"Haah, hahaha… You're killing me here blondie." Ethan wheezed, his cheeks hurting by how much he has been laughing. "Looker, your partner is the best. He is way too funny."
"Subordinate." Looker corrected Ethan, coughing out a couple of times to make it less awkward. "Ethan, haven't you chugged enough of this beverage? Your eyes are all fuzzy and your face is completely red."
"Nonsense!" Ethan rebuked, the easygoing smile vanishing from his face as he frowned deeply. "We just had two bottles. This is a celebration… a Partê!"
"Yeah, boss. This stuff is light. Don't worry about it, just enjoy the fun." Max, dropping his arm on his drinking companion's shoulder, tried to defend them but he is three times worse than Ethan. His face is not only red as a tomato, but his eyes are all muddy and half-opened.
"Look… Look, blondie!" Ethan pulled Max by his shirt, forcing the drunk man to turn to the left, almost dropping the officer on the ground. Ethan then pointed to a couple walking by themselves on the main street. "He managed to get closer to her, that dog." He chuckled happily as he pointed to the way they are holding each other's hands, trading warm glances with one another and the occasional whispers they share in the most intimacy. "Our boy… he sure grew up fast." In the fourth or so change of mood in a single minute, Ethan wiped the tears in his eyes, feeling touched by the progress of his 'boy'.
Max, who is probably sleeping with open eyes at this point, melted at the scene. He sighed and rubbed one hand in his eyes.
"That's it. No more spicy drinks for you two." Looker in inhuman brutality and complete lack of empathy for those two, took the still half-filled bottle from the long table, hiding next to his feet.
A collective chorus of 'aahhs' and 'ooows' echoed in response. Max hitting his forehead against the counter in sheer disappointment and Ethan clicking his tongue as he finished what was left in his cup.
"This is not fair." The young champion complained.
"Don't complain, young man. You had more than enough already." Looker responded and took a gentle sip from his own cup.
"Not that… I mean, look at him, he is having the best time in the world." Ethan glance at the young couple, now leaning against each other as they both laughed at something. "But what do I get? I scar in the face… Oh god, the scar." He brought one hand to his face, still unable to feel the difference in his skin but winced anyway. "My dashing handsome face is ruined! What I'm supposed to do now? Silver will probably dump me; he loved my face."
Max just groaned, taking his face out of the wooden surface. Looker, on the other hand, spat his drink far high, coughing and hacking as the shock of hearing that almost killed the poor veteran.
"A he, huh? Never knew you swung the other way." Max said with a chirp smirk, taking back on his hand his almost empty cup.
"If you want to put like that, I can swing in any way." Ethan replied with a way to serious voice in contrast to the playfulness of the blond man.
"E-Ethan…" Looker coughed some more, pounding his chest with one hand to make it go away. "This Silver you're talking about… is that Silver, Giovanni's son?"
A squirting noise ringed true once more, now Max is the one hurling his drink down at the floor, his eyes jumping out of their sockets.
"M'yeah… that's the one." Ethan replied normally.
"ARE YOU INSANE?" Max shouted from the top of his lungs. He grabbed his drinking companion by the collar of his kimono and began to swing him back and forward. "That guy is not only the kid of the bad guy, he is also crazy himself." Dropping the hold of the fabric of his hands, he let Ethan get out, who got so dizzy by all that back and forward, that he dropped on the floor.
"That ain't true." Ethan protested, raising one finger up; the only problem is that he is pointing his finger at nothing as he can pinpoint exactly where Max is. "Silver is harsh and unfriendly to strangers. But he is cute when you get to know him."
"Cute? Bah, nothing of the sorts." Max spat back. "One time, I met him in a hotel lounge. I thought to myself: Hey isn't that him; and all that. Then I went there to mess with him a little bit, so I pulled the back of his hair, not so strong, just enough to tilt his head." Max frowned, crossing his arms in front of him. "Then, the guy gave me a glare so dark and chilling, I thought he would chop my head out."
"You… pulled… his hair?" The pure anger floating around Ethan's words was enough to wake Max from his drunken laziness.
"Aaahhh, that's it, that's the look!" He pointed down at those glowing golden-eyes, those two blazing gems staring at him with a deadly warning on them. "I will take my leave now. Time to find a nice place with a phone and call my beautiful wife. Bye!" Vanishing with the wind, Max didn't wait for Ethan to find his ground, as most likely would things would have ended in an ugly manner.
"The nerves on that blondie…" Still dizzy and weak in his legs, Ethan slowly crawled his way back to his seat. Now glaring dangerously at the wooden counter in front of him.
Still recovering from the sudden blow, Looker adjusted himself on his chair, wiping the waisted sake on the long table in front of him. "How is he doing?" He asked without the pretense of receiving an answer.
"Silver?" Ethan asked, glancing to the older man. Looker coughed again but nodded his head in affirmation. "As good as one can be with a father like that." He frowned as he answered that. "Despite his shortcomings, Silver is a good person."
"That he is…" Said the old police officer, rubbing the back of his neck. "I am happy that the boy found someone that can see that in him. He deserves a chance to be happy. A son should not pay for the wrongs of his father."
"Let's just pray that he will not change his mind when he sees me like this." Feeling more and more conscious of the closed wound in his cheeks, Ethan rubbed his face again, frowning deeply as he imagined what the red-haired will say when he sees this.
Looker chuckled at the little panic attack the young champion is having. Patting the youngster on the back, the old man did his best to ease his racing mind. Not that anything will get Ethan's mind away from that, at least not anytime soon.
The faint click of the doorknob turning got Brendan's attention. He saw his girlfriend entering the room wrapped around a large white towel and nothing more. "So, how bad it was?" He gave her a playful grin, tapping the surface of his mattress at his right side.
"I don't anyone saw me." Zinnia gave a quick glance to the closed door behind her, checking if no one was really coming. "You're a cruel man, you know that?" She whined, stepping over to his single bed. "You could've gone with me."
Brendan chuckled and then laughed. "Sure, because two people sneaking on the hallway is easier to pass than just one, right?" With an affectionate tug of her left arm, he pulled his lover close to him, feeling the wetness of her skin pressing against him.
"Jerk." She said back with a playful grin on her lips. Turning her head to the side, she pulled him closer and stole a soft kiss.
"Mur!" Aster complained with a low cry, the poor pink-ball was just sleeping beside Brendan, until Zinnia almost pushed her out of the bed.
"You know, I've been thinking of cutting my hair tomorrow." He ran one hand on the now uneven length on his long hair. "Think you could help me with that?"
"Why? I like your hair long, is so pretty." She cried latching her arms around his neck, nuzzling her cheeks against the hair she loves so much.
"Zinnia… some strands burned yesterday. The whole thing is strange and uneven." He pushed her away from his neck with little force. She still is giving him big pleading eyes, with a little pout on her lips. "If you really dislike the after, I will let grow up again. Is that okay?" He asked, rubbing the small of her back from under the towel.
"Fine… I will cut your hair tomorrow." She gave in with a low sigh. "But, I will cut exactly like it used to be when we first met."
"I can live with that." He replied and she squealed in delight. "Zinnia…" He called out her name with a calm voice, running his thumb on her cheek. "I want to give something to you."
Her eyes sparkled with life, her lips parting in a huge smile. Zinnia clapped her hands and sat down in front of her boyfriend, an exhilarating expectation taking over her. She watched closely as Brendan moved to the edge of his bed and took something from the nightstand.
"I want you… to have this." He said putting a pure white Poké-Ball on top of her lap.
Tilting her head to the side, Zinnia took her 'present' in her hands and looked back at Brendan. "What is this?" She asked confused.
"Nice to make acquaintances with you, Lorekeeper." The deep ringing voice of Rayquaza echoed inside her head.
Startled to no end, Zinnia yelped loudly and tossed the Poké-Ball in the air. "WHAT'S THAT?!" She stared at Brendan's red eyes, with her own eyes almost jumping out of her sockets. "Someone… was talking, INSIDE MY HEAD!"
Brendan chuckled at the reaction he expected from her. He scooted closer to her and picked the Poké-Ball back from the sheets, once again placing it on her hands. "Please, don't drop it on the ground. I don't want him to explode my house."
Looking down at the freakish thing on her hands, Zinnia smiled a little frightened but didn't fling the thing to the closest wall. "H-Hi… Who is there?" She asked, looking up to the ceiling; her boyfriend pressing one hand at his lips to hold his laugh.
"Your kind knows me very well, Lorekeeper. As so do you." Rayquaza spoke again, this time letting his voice flow a bit more calmly and soothing inside her mind. "My name is Rayquaza, Keeper of Hoenn."
"Ra-Rayquaza?!" Zinnia glanced at Brendan, her eyes sparkling with awe. "I can hear you… Your voice is so… different from what I imagined…" Looking down at the Poké-Ball, she heard the dragon hum and then it clicked on her mind. "You're giving to me? But, this not right. I mean, this is not for someone like me."
"Someone like you?" Brendan looked at her with a raised brow. "Zinnia, I want you to keep a hold of him for me. I need you to do this for me."
"This exchange was already discussed between us." Rayquaza said his piece of mind in the matter, trying to reassure the draconid woman.
"But… why?" She asked, clenching her hold on the white ball.
"Hoenn's guardian has a job to do." The dragon king jumped in. but now his intervention made Brendan frown and click his tongue.
"Peace of mind, that's why." Brendan answered for himself, getting closer to Zinnia and kissing her forehead. "Please…" He pleaded with glowing eyes.
"Okay… I don't like this… your tone and what he said too…" Zinnia looked down and pressed herself against him.
"Thank you…" He kissed her forehead again, this time he smiled in relief. "Oh, I have something else for you too."
Now, instead of jumping with joy like the first time, Zinnia just stared at him with a worried face.
Brendan chuckled and pulled himself away from his lover. "Give me your hand, please." Still not feeling very sure about this, Zinnia did as he asked and took her left hand to his. "I am returning this for you." Brendan said placing a little green stone in her hands. She was about to say something but he shook his head, asking her to wait. "Aster come say hello to mommy."
Aster jumped on her feet, slowly walking over to her two parents. She looked up to Zinnia and dangled her body back and forward happily.
"Hello, mommy." She said just as Brendan asked her to.
The moment her tiny little voice reached Zinnia's ears, the black-haired woman broke in tears. "Aster. Aster!" She called her little girl's name, hugging the little Pokémon with all affection that she as for her. "You're talking; my little girl is talking with me."
"Mommy, you can understand me!" Aster cried out happily, pressing her little body tighter on Zinnia's body.
"Oh Aster, we have so much to talk about." Zinnia looked upwards to the grinning Brendan staring at them, her tears getting out of control as she noticed how happy he looks, how happy she feels. She took Aster in her arms and went over to Brendan, getting a big family hug with all three. "Thank you, Brendan. Thank you so much."
Brendan just hummed back to her teary words, he continued to embrace those two, letting them bond even more, despite the huge burden that ability puts on him. Brendan stepped aside to give enough room for those two to chat away, his hand still hugging Zinnia's left hand. The overjoyed girl not realizing the blinding glow flowing from the little object that she holds.
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Mr MogiGaming chapter 28 . Sep 15 – I know, it's a bit silly to put a warning of smut in a M rated story, but I just wanted to be polite. If someone does not like that type of reading, they should have the option to skip. Aaand… I am always conscious whenever I'm writing smut and stuff like that, I keep asking myself it is good enough or the thing didn't turn out a complete dumpster fire…
Mallory S Nocturne chapter 28 . Sep 15 – People in this story really needs to start being more honest with everyone. But then again, sometimes is hard to not take the easy route instead of getting hurt. I wonder how Spiegel will manage to tell the truth to Flannery.