Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
"I don't wanna forget!" Lyra screamed as Silver walked towards her with his chalk in his hand. Her sister had just finished explaining the true reason Gold was staying with him and what he was when Silver walked in. His eyes were cold when he announced that he would erase her memory. He was so blunt with his words that Lyra had to step back.
"Your sister might be able to keep our secret but I doubt a woman like you will." Silver pointed out and was about to touch his chalk to her forehead when Gold grabbed his wrist. Lyra couldn't read the two thoughts but could tell they were having a silent conversation with each other. They must've known each other for a long time if they could communicate without words.
"What are we supposed to do with her then?" Silver sighed and lowered his chalk. He was already uncomfortable with one human, Crystal, knowing their secret but to have another know would be too dangerous. From his little interaction with Lyra, he knew that she spoke too freely and could alert the gods. Silver didn't understand why Gold was trying to protect her.
"Just let her be," Gold shrugged. He showed his powers to many when granting wishes but always made sure to keep his ability a secret. On the rare occasion he showed his powers to a human, they never questioned his power much and made their own explanation about him. "Now you don't need to worry about revealing your powers."
"Who thought that I'll be the one that messed up and reveal my power?" Silver sighed. Gold had to laugh at the irony too since Silver was by far the more responsible of the two. He tilted a look at Lyra gain and then to Crystal. "But since it is my mistake I'll take care of it. I'm sure my sister would nag me for not taking responsibility for this human woman."
"Lyra," Crystal and her sister corrected him at the same time. Gold knew that Silver wasn't making the best impression and quickly tried to lighten the mood. The man was blunt and cold at times but he was very kind. It just took some time for him to get comfortable enough to show that weakness to others. Gold hoped that Silver would find others to trust outside of him and Blue.
Silver was silent for a moment and studied Lyra. He went over his options before deciding what to do. He only knew Lyra for a short amount of time and it was better to be cautious. He didn't know if he could risk putting his trust in a human when the penalty for failure was so high. "May I speak with Lyra on my own before I make my decision?"
Crystal hesitated but Gold didn't since he stood and started to leave. He saw how Crystal didn't follow and reassured her. He placed a hand on her arm and pulled her to his side. "You don't need to worry about Silver. If he tries anything, I'll stop him before he does but I doubt that I'll need to. Silver wouldn't want me to tell Blue after all."
Silver flinched when Gold mentioned his sister. He hated whenever he used that threat since they both knew that Silver couldn't do anything to upset his sister. Silver nodded and Gold pulled Crystal out of the room. He didn't know what Silver wanted to say to Lyra but he knew that he wouldn't hurt her. He knew Crystal would be worried so gave her a quick smile. "Everything's okay."
"How can you say that everything's okay when my sister is going to be alone with that man?" Crystal said in a harsh whisper. She knew that if Lyra heard her concern then she would start to worry too. It would be best to keep Lyra calm through this strange situation. "What is he going to say to her that he can't say in front of us?"
"You can ask Lyra that after they finish speaking," Gold replied and she realized that he was slowly starting to walk higher in the air. He kept his eyes to the ceiling but he saw through them to the memories of their past that always made him smile. "Silver's a great guy. I wouldn't have granted his wish and made him a painter if he wasn't. He was my best friend before a fellow painter."
The way he spoke with an easy about Silver made her want to trust the two. The comradery he felt towards his friend shined through his voice and she recognized it as the same passion she felt in his star. He was an expressive man and she could read his emotion easily from everything he did whether it was through his work or through his words.
"I guess I'll trust him but if he does one thing to Lyra you're going to regret it." Crystal relented.
"You're beginning to trust me," Gold hugged her suddenly and she didn't understand why. He had a large grin as he told her. "Your trusting Silver because of what I say tells me that you trust me too. We're already great friends. I'm watching over your sister right now through the stars and if Silver does anything I'll run to her rescue."
"Thank you," Crystal placed her hand over her heart in relief. She believed him since she already knew that he could hear wishes through his stars.
Gold could read her thoughts through her eyes easily and was glad that she couldn't tell he was lying. He could see and hear people through his stars but that was only when they were interacting with his stars themselves. But he could tell that she was worried so made a white lie to lighten her worries. Silver knew better than to hurt a human.
"How do you know Silver?" Crystal asked and Gold thought of the best way to tell their bizarre story. Any way he spun the story she first think of him as the antagonist since Silver didn't have the easiest past. They had known each other for centuries now and Gold never once regretted how they met or how he gave Silver a chance.
"He made a wish in my star." Gold started after deciding to leave out most of the details. "Silver and his sister Blue were having a hard life but they still tried to pull themselves into the situation they were forced into. He made a wish that he was stronger so he could protect his family so I granted it. I put in a good word for the two and they were recruited."
Crystal could tell that there was more to their past but didn't ask him to elaborate. They would only be living together for a month so there was no reason to go into their past. But a part of her couldn't help but wonder about him the more he revealed about himself. He was compassionate to help a human like Silver and their friendship showed clearly by the way they supported each other.
She was about to voice her thought but Gold's back suddenly straighten next to her. Crystal could barely get a word out before Gold's eyes brightened and he pulled her away so quickly she almost stumbled to the ground. She quickly asked him where he was going and he gave her a grin over his shoulder. "I think I found my problem! C'mon, I want to try to paint something."
Silver looked down at the little woman that caused him to trouble within the first day of their meeting and was bound to cause more. He discreetly pulled his chalk from his pocket to draw over her memories. He didn't want to hurt her but her knowing put Blue and Gold at risk. He created this problem so he would fix it. What could her human sister do once she found out?
"Before you say anything I want to thank you for trusting me." She spoke which stopped him and he almost dropped his chalk in shock. She wanted to thank him? How naïve was this woman? Her smile was innocent as she looked up at him. "I know it's hard for my sister to keep a secret from me so I'm glad you told me before things got too far."
"You're taking the existence of painters surprisingly well." Silver observed and wondered if she was draft in the mind. Her previous behaviour would support it. He never met a person so carefree and peculiar so didn't know how react to her. He found that the only thing he related to was the love in her eyes when she spoke of her sister.
"I know this sounds weird but I've always liked the idea of magic and such. Ever since I was a child there was a small part of me that wanted things like fairy and elves to be real and I guess I never grew out of that." She looked slightly embarrassed admitting that fact and Silver worried about her. Someone as simple as her would only be disgusted by his world.
"You might not be a fairy but I'm interested in your powers. Gold explained that you create clouds with chalk and I was hoping that you'll show me! Please?" Her eyes sparkled with wonder and he gawked at how she could find his power mystifying. While magic was a romantic thought it was a power that burdened the user with responsibility.
"You see clouds every day so I don't know what point there is for me to make one for you." He started but saw the innocent plea in her eyes so relented. He ran his chalk over the air between them and drew a cloud in the shape of a dragon. He didn't know that her eyes could become any larger but they did as she watched him draw.
"A fluffy bird!" Lyra clapped and hugged the cloud the best she could without having it disperse in her arms. Silver twitched at the fact that she mistook his dragon for a bird but looking at it again it did resemble a crow slightly. While he had some talent with the chalk, he was never good at drawing clouds. "Thank you for showing me your power. I have something to say thank you."
Before Silver could tell her that there was no need, she ran out of the room. As quickly as she left, she came back into the room carrying a large jar. After adjusting her hold on the large object, Lyra took out a handful candy from it and held them out to Silver. "I know this isn't a lot but I hope you'll take them. They're really sweet and you can have as much as you want."
Silver found himself reaching out to her to take a piece of taffy from her hand. When she did, she grabbed his hand and tightened her hold. There wasn't any menacing intent in her action by the way she smiled up at him. "This is a promise to keep your secret."
She let go of his hand and Silver stared down at the small piece of candy in his hand. Lyra stared up at his with such trust in her eyes that he felt something stir within him. While she trusted him easily he couldn't find himself doing the same. He saw the darkness of human nature while he was both human and painter. There were few people he truly trusted and he didn't know if he should open his heart to one more.
He looked back to Lyra who was still smiling at him. Silver knew that he should erase her memories of his power but he found himself thinking of the warmth her hand left around his. He was being foolish but there was something familiar about her smile. Why was he hesitating after her only showing one act of kindness? An act so different from the evil he knew of humanity.
"I hope that Gold finds his inspiration," Lyra told him. Silver was beginning to wonder if she would ever let a silent moment to pass since the moment he thought their conversation ended she would move onto another topic. "I know that you must miss your friend in the sky and Gold explained that the Gods would take away his paintbrush if they found him."
They would do much worse than take away his paint, Silver knew. But he didn't want to worry her by telling her the truth. Gold obviously trusted the sisters enough but Silver didn't know if he could do the same after only one meeting. So he stepped away from her and turned to the window. "I need to go. The Gods would be suspicious if I don't return soon."
Silver lifted his chalk but didn't draw over her memories. Instead he drew on the air around to make himself invisible. He told himself that Gold didn't have anywhere else to go so it was better for him to not anger the sisters. He would have to talk to his own sister about this turn of event though. As he was flying away, he looked back at the house and saw Lyra waving bye to him.
Crystal sat on a swing set as she watched Gold paint. She didn't understand why he dragged her along without telling her. As soon as they arrived, he told her to wait on the swing for him to paint. She didn't know why he wanted her to watch but she couldn't leave him alone.
Gold was on his knees, painting the ground. He took great with every stroke and drew several stars before connecting them. His hands were becoming coated with paint but it didn't bother him since he found it nostalgic. He couldn't remember the last time he was able to paint so freely. Thinking back to when he first met Silver reminded him of a time so long ago. When painting was just painting.
"That should be it!" He stepped back until he was standing beside Crystal. He placed one hand over her eyes and with his free hand he snapped his fingers. Light burst from the paint and he felt her stiffen in his arms. Once the light began to fade and he didn't have to worry about blinding her, he dropped his hand from her eyes. "So what do you think?"
Crystal wanted to answer his question but couldn't find the words to answer him. She stared at the ground before her and the golden stars on the ground. While their shine didn't hurt her eyes, they were still bright enough to turn the night around them into a golden garden. She looked to Gold who was staring back at her expectantly for an answer.
The light faded but the stars stayed where they were. The image of two birds was burned into the ground and she stood from the swing. She knelt where Gold sat to paint and placed her hand on the paint. The white dove was standing over a wounded crow and she could imagine the myths that could from the simple picture. The light didn't burn her but they did lift from the ground.
Crystal looked up at the night sky, expecting to see the new stars, but to her surprise the stars were still their dull state. She turned to Gold to ask him what happened to the stars but something stopped him. He was staring at the two birds on his lap with sad eyes. He lifted his hand and prompted the birds into flight. He merely watched them fade away as they flew towards his stars.
"I thought I actually found it this time." Gold whispered and let himself fall backwards in defeat. He was so confident while drawing it and watching her reaction. But the moment he should've placed the stars in the sky, he held himself back. He lay on his back and stared out to the inky night sky. A sky he couldn't light up with his stars anymore. "Why can't I paint anything?"
"I think you painted something beautiful," Gold turned his head slightly to see Crystal lay down next to him. She was staring after the two birds and wondered what would become of them if they didn't become stars. They laid there in silence for a while and she could hear every sound around them though Gold's soft breathing was the sound that echoed in her ear.
"I used to paint to tell a story with them," Gold admitted. Crystal remembered all of the myths inspired by his stars. "It used to inspire me to just think of how to tell an entire story with one frame. When I first met Silver I made that was what I did so I thought I could go back to that time. I guess I need to keep looking for that muse."
"You'll find it," Crystal reassured which surprised him since she sounded so confident in him. She sat up and leaned over his face so she could look into his eyes. She wanted to read the emotions in them, to see if he had given up, but found herself captivated by the amber glow of his eyes instead. "You've painted for centuries now so you're bound to get into a slump."
"A slump?" Gold repeated. Crystal didn't know if her words held any weight since her specialty wasn't in the arts and never went through what he was currently going through. But it was the certainty in her eyes that touched Gold. More than the emotion in her eyes, it was the words she said that gave him hope for himself. As long as you find what made you love painting again, you'll be okay.
There were so many reason he loved painting but seeing her smile reminded him of one. It made others happy. That might not be the heart of the reason he painted but it could be a start. He would hold onto that reason until he found the reason he painted. He couldn't give up when there was even one person rooting for him.
"Let's find my muse together. When I find my reason for painting again, the first thing I make will be for you." He promised and held out his pinky to her. She couldn't do anything but wrap her pinky finger around his. To her surprise, he brought their joined fingers to his lips. She jumped back and Gold laughed at her reaction. "You're really too much SuperSerious Gal!"
"I don't think I'm the problem here!" Crystal retorted and flushed harder as he continued to laugh. He sat up though he continued to hold onto his stomach. She didn't know why her reaction made him laugh but at least he wasn't so sober anymore. There was something freeing about his smile, like his stars, that drew her to them. "But we should go home and check on Lyra."
Green studied the man that stood in front of his door. When Green agreed to help Blue by letting her friend stay at his place he didn't expect the man to be dressed so. His clothes were ragged and the only thing that appeared to be in good condition was the mantle he was wearing. What made Green worry was the knife peeking out from the man's boot.
"Hi, I'm Red!" The man in question shook Green's hand with a large smile. He didn't bother to wait for an invitation before Red walked into his home. The condo was much larger than Red thought it would be and Red never lived in such a furnished place but told himself that he could adjust quickly enough. He didn't have an option after all.
"Say hello Greenie!" A hand stopped Green from closing the door behind Red and there stood Blue with a basket of fruits. There was a blond woman with her but she seemed to be more hesitant to enter before she notice from the corner of her eye and rushed into the house. Blue stopped him from turning, "I wanted to thank you for letting Red stay here so I brought a housewarming gift."
"As long as I don't regret this decision I don't need anything. But I really want you to tell me more about what's going on. Who carries a knife with them? I'm not going to go back on my word on helping you but I'm also not going to go into a situation blind. What exactly do you want me to hide Red from?"
"I told you not to worry about it Greenie. Red just needs a place to stay while he finds someone and I can't really tell you any details since it's classified. You can say that Red works for a lot of powerful people that don't want him to know about his investigation." Blue made a half lie. She was telling fragmented truth that Green would interpret as Red being a detective.
"If he can't tell me because of his job there's no helping it." Green shrugged and Blue hoped that would be the end of the conversation. She already told Red to hide his power better around Green and not bring an innocent human into their private life. "But I have to admit he wasn't what I expected. When you said he was a rough mountain man you weren't exaggerating."
"I know he looks a little rough but he's a really nice guy at heart!" Blue quickly defended his friend thought Green didn't mean to insult him, only stating an observation. She took out a piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him. "If things do happen I want you to call me. Or you can just call me if you start to miss me. I'll make sure to come by often now that I know where you live."
"Are you like this with everyone or do you get a special thrill from saying those things to me?" He asked but she didn't answer and laughed instead. Blue was a mysterious woman to say the least and wondered about Red. Maybe he could finally get some answers from her friend. Answers were the least he was owed, he thought.
Yellow saw Red start to walk through a wall and quickly ran forward to stop him. When she grabbed his arm, she found herself being dragged through instead. She just hoped that Blue was able to stop Green from seeing them walk through the wall.
Red felt someone hang onto his arm and turned to see Yellow. Red saw someone outside of Green's window and went out to confront him. He debated telling Yellow to go back or not since he didn't want to worry her. And she was a strong willed person so she wouldn't blindly follow his command without asking questions.
Yellow choked on her words when she followed Red's gaze to see Lance, the clay painter. He was known as one of rougher painters who followed the God's order. Lance didn't notice them yet and Red quickly pulled them into the shadows. Lance almost never came down to earth so they worried over the reason he was doing so now.
Lance stopped and turned to where Red and Yellow was hiding in the shadows. Red stiffened, knowing that it was pointless to hide from the older painter but didn't want Yellow to be dragged into a confrontation. He moved to hide Yellow beneath his mantle and stepped forward to face Lance. He hoped Yellow could read his thoughts and stay hidden from Lance.
To say that Red and Lance had a rough history was an understatement. Since the God trusted Lance so much, he was often tasked with capturing rogue painters. He often did so with a cold hand and didn't hesitate before hurting other painters if it meant accomplishing his goal. Red never agreed with Lance and their ideology constantly clashed.
Lance was the main reason Red volunteered to bring Gold back. He didn't want to force Gold to face the Gods but if he didn't then they would send Lance after him. He didn't want Gold to face the wrath of either the Gods or Lance. He hoped that telling the Gods that he would bring Gold back would allow his junior more time. Red didn't know why Gold left but he didn't want to see him punished.
"Why are you here Lance?" Red asked though in the pit of his stomach he knew why Lance came down from the God's side. "I'm going to be the one to find Gold so don't you dare hurt my friend. He may run from his responsibilities but he would never betray us. When I peacefully bring him back, I'll prove it. There is no need for you to look for him."
"But that's the reason the Gods told me to bring back Gold even if it means taking out anyone who tries to get in my way." Lance didn't try to mask who he was referring to by lowering a glare to Red. A glare so cold that Yellow could feel its chill run through her even if it wasn't directed to her. "I will be the first to find Gold and you have no say in this matter. Stand down."
"No!" Red's heart stopped when Yellow moved out from where he was trying to hide her. He swore when Yellow stubbornly stood in front of Lance and yelled. "Red and I shall be the first to find Gold but know this when we find him, neither of us will allow you or the Gods to hurt him. He deserves a chance to defend himself and I will fight you on this."
Yellow rarely showed her anger but she was always one to stand up for her friend. While Red admired her passion in protecting her friend, he didn't want her to be put in danger. He couldn't read Lance's reaction for he just stepped back. "Challenge accepted, little painter."
I should really be studying for my Finals but I don't know why inspiration just called for me to finish this and the plot bunnies won't settle down. Then again I really need to study so still no set schedule for my releases.