True Colours

"So why do you want to join Team Rocket?" Conan asked, seeming mildly interested. Daphne was glad for the question – it gave her a distraction from the difficult task they had to do. They had been walking further into the forest and Daphne was beginning to get nervous about the task at hand.

"I guess it always was an option for me, I mean I never crossed it off my list of things I could become when I was older. Then recently, my dad said something that made me realize it was perfect for me all along. What about you?" Conan's face became a mask that covered his emotions well. He stepped carefully over a tree root before answering Daphne's question.

"I grew up in the town near here. My family were...are extremely poor. Doing this was the only way I could do something to help us, as once I become a real grunt I'll get paid properly which will help my family immensely." Daphne couldn't imagine how being poor could lead you to join Team Rocket. Wouldn't studying hard in school and getting a highly-paid job be more beneficial? Conan's logic didn't really make sense to her but she did her best to act like it did.

"Is the girl in the photograph you had last night part of your family?" asked Daphne, glad it fit well into the conversation. Gastly noticed something move just ahead of them, and it seemed to be getting closer. She couldn't make out what it was, just that it was heading in their direction. She thought it could be dangerous.

"That would be my sister, Tate. How –"

"Be quiet! There's something up ahead, and it's coming towards us!" Gastly warned them urgently. The group stopped and Daphne stood her ground, ready to fight whatever was about to emerge from the bushes. She had had many fights in school and thought she knew how to defend herself if it ended in violence. A lot of rustling in the bushes occurred in front of them and when the creature finally revealed itself, Daphne was pleasantly surprised.

A Jigglypuff stood proudly before them, dusting itself down and looking up at them innocently. Just below its mouth was a dark pink bowtie that made it look rather dressed-up. Daphne laughed with relief, coming out of her fighting stance and turned to Conan – who wasn't there anymore. Daphne scanned the clearing but there was no sign of Conan anywhere.

"Where did Conan go?" she asked, feeling slightly worried. She hadn't been paying attention to where they were going and she wasn't sure that she could find her way back to the school if Conan didn't come back. In other words, she and Gastly would be stranded in the middle of the forest without a clue.

"I didn't even notice him leave!" squawked Gastly anxiously. The Jigglypuff stepped forward and smiled at Daphne and Gastly, before opening its mouth to sing its soothing lullaby. Daphne felt her eyelids become heavy and soon she sank to the ground, battling against her impulse to sleep. Her nails dug into the soil as she fought against her drowsiness in an attempt to remain conscious. She had to stay awake, if only to take care of Gastly and have a hope of being reunited with her partner. Without meaning to, Daphne fell face first on to the ground and everything went black...

It was dark when Daphne finally woke up. It was a chilly night and her bare arms felt the worst of the cold. Mud was smeared on her cheeks and covered her fingers. She found Gastly lying near her, still out cold. Daphne picked up the Pokémon and hugged her tightly, trying to share her body heat and at the same time receive some back. However, as Gastly was mostly made of gas it was quite hard to hold her, let alone get some heat from her. Gastly's body was hard to hold on to; kind of like trying to carry a slippery ball of goo. Daphne looked around and tried to determine which way she needed to go in order to get back. The forest had been dim during the day but not it was absolutely pitch black. Taking a deep breath, Daphne walked in the direction she thought it was and hoped for the best, cursing Conan. She wouldn't be lost if he hadn't ditched her earlier. Some partner!

After walking a short while, Gastly began to stir.

"Wh-what happened?" she asked sleepily. Daphne explained the situation to Gastly who was wide awake in an instant once she realized they were lost. They continued their journey for a while, with Gastly floating next to Daphne rather than in her arms this time. As they travelled, Daphne thought she could see a faint light in the distance. They got closer and Daphne became even more certain that something was up ahead. Gastly saw it too and they both thought it was the school. They ran towards it, laughing with relief. They stopped when it was obvious the light they had seen wasn't from the school at all – but from the mane and tail of a Ponyta. Daphne's eyes grew wide when she clocked the person on the Ponyta's back.

"Conan?!" she spluttered. "Where have you been all this time?? And how did you catch that Ponyta?!" Conan wasn't fazed by Daphne's outburst; he almost seemed serene as he sat on the Ponyta's back. He beckoned for Daphne and Gastly to follow him and he turned the Ponyta around, in the correct direction of the school. Daphne wasn't going to let him off easily though, and demanded to know what had happened when she was sleeping.

"It doesn't matter. We completed the mission didn't we?" Conan replied calmly. Daphne glared at him.

"But you left us. We're supposed to be a team!" whimpered Gastly, trying not to cry. Conan softened.

"I'm sorry about that. But I had to," he said defensively. Daphne muttered 'whatever' and remained silent for the rest of the journey, annoyed with Conan for abandoning his teammates. Gastly felt torn between her two new trainers, unsure of whose side to go on. In the end, she made her own side and stuck to it like glue. They arrived back at the school just in time to catch an argument going on between Vivian and Zoe. Vivian's cheeks were tinged with red from shouting so much. A crowd had gathered around the two girls and Daphne barged her way to the front in order to see more clearly what was going on. Conan had to hand in the Ponyta to Miss Billow to prove they had been successful with their mission and so didn't witness the following events.

Zoe said something to Vivian that she didn't like and she lost it. She lunged for Zoe, trying to punch her in the face while Massimo struggled to hold her back. Vivian was going crazy, pushing Massimo out of her way so she could reach Zoe and land her punch. Zoe was busy cowering behind her brother, who looked just as scared as Zoe did. Daphne, along with the rest of the audience, cheered Vivian on jovially, all off them hoping she would bruise Zoe. One pair next to Daphne mentioned something about Vivian's lack of anger management being 'the best entertainment of all time'. Vivian's face was so filled with rage that she resembled an angry Golem, and Daphne had to admit that she didn't want to be on the receiving end of her wrath for all the money in the world.

Gastly saw a chance to cause some mischief and seized it. She found a glass pitcher filled with water and levitated it over Zoe and Zack's heads. Grinning wickedly, she tipped it and the ice-cold water splashed over the twins, soaking them instantly. The crowd was silent for a moment and then everyone burst into peals of laughter; Zoe and Zack looked hilariously drowned with their red hair sticking to their heads uselessly. They coughed and spluttered, not realizing that their light blue clothes had gone slightly see-through which only added to the comedic effect. They stared at the crowd laughing at them and ran tearfully away, their Zubat following lazily. Vivian seemed to calm down after that and picked her Kakuna off the floor where it had been lying and cuddled it lovingly, as if she hadn't been furious just seconds ago. The crowd dispersed, seeing that the action was over. Daphne was the only one still there, praising Gastly for her prank.

"Hey, Daphne, right?" Vivian asked uncertainly. "Where's Conan at?" Daphne explained about the Ponyta and Vivian said she understood.

"What were you fighting about?" asked Daphne interestedly. Massimo came behind Vivian and patted her shoulder. She looked at him and smiled.

"Zoe called Massimo a dainty little pretty-boy. There was no way I was going to let her talk about my beau like that!" Vivian replied hotly. Massimo wrapped his arm around Vivian's shoulder and she visibly softened.

"She is very fierce girlfriend, but very lovely also," said Massimo. Vivian beamed at him and they walked off in the direction of the recreation room, leaving Daphne alone with Gastly. Daphne hadn't realized Vivian and Massimo were together but then she admitted they made a good couple. She and Gastly decided to look for Conan as he was a part of their team and they couldn't leave him out – but more importantly he had the key to their room. They walked a little way until an appetising aroma filled the air. Daphne's stomach growled and she realized that she was starving. She followed the smell into the dining hall where she found a plate of roast dinner with her name on it. A bowl of Pokémon food had also been prepared and was quickly consumed by a ravenous Gastly. They ate until their stomachs were full to bursting point and then they optimistically made room for desert – triple chocolate brownie cake. They exchanged satisfied looks before digging in. Once everything had been licked clean, Daphne could barely move. She slowly got to her feet and shuffled out of the dining hall with Gastly, in search of Conan. They didn't look particularly hard but luckily for them Conan was heading in their direction.

They went back to their room in an awkward silence, all three not knowing what to say after the events of the day. Daphne showered and changed first and while Conan was in the bathroom, Gastly spoke to her using telepathy.

"Daphne, can I ask something kind of personal?" she asked sweetly.

"Go ahead," encouraged Daphne.

"Can I have a name?" Daphne blinked dumbly at the Pokémon. Surely she wasn't serious? It was hardly 'personal', and didn't merit the serious tone Gastly was using at all.

"I just feel like everyone else has one but me," continued Gastly, quite reasonably. Daphne nodded.

"Of course! Maybe we should ask Conan's opinion when he comes out of the shower..." said Daphne doubtfully. Gastly shook her head furiously.

"No. I want to choose my name," she said firmly. Daphne shrugged; she didn't mind. If Gastly wanted to pick a name for her self then she wouldn't argue. It was a strange thing to do but Daphne was too tired to point that out. She wrapped her duvet around herself and listened out for the sounds that would indicate Conan leaving the bathroom. Taps turning off: check.

"I like Amina," Gastly smiled mischievously. Brushing teeth: check. "It means 'honest'." 'Amina' cackled loudly, and Daphne managed a smile. It was ironic for Gastly to be called something that meant honest, and the fact that she wanted it to mean it suggested to Daphne that 'Amina' at least had a sense of humour. That was fine – Daphne liked a good laugh now and then.

"I think its great," praised Daphne. Door being unlocked: check. 'Amina' beamed. Conan emerged from the bathroom, rubbing his wet hair vigorously with his towel. Daphne's eyes snapped shut and she rolled over so that she was facing away from him, leaving it up to the Pokémon to explain her new nickname. She wanted a proper apology from her teammate before she was ready to put the events of the day behind her. Her pride had been damaged when she realized Conan had ditched her and 'Amina' so he could capture the Ponyta by him self. It was as if he had no faith in their abilities at all, and Daphne was certain she would have been of some use had Conan given her the chance. He was such a jerk.

Conan thought Amina was a great name and congratulated her on thinking it up all by her self. Amina beamed at him; already forgetting about him going off without her and Daphne earlier. She returned herself to her Pokéball for the night and Conan slipped into his bed. He stared at the back of Daphne's head for a while. He could understand why she was upset with him but he wasn't going to say sorry; it was only because he had done what he had that they had completed their mission. Ponyta's were incredibly fast and therefore difficult to capture. It would have been near impossible for the three of them to sneak up on it unheard and catch it. Besides, Conan didn't even feel sorry or guilty. He had done the right thing by his standards. He too turned his back on his partner and tried to get some sleep. Tomorrow was coming with its own challenges and Conan wanted to be well-rested for it.

Approximately one hour and twenty six minutes later, both Conan and Daphne were still wide awake. Neither knew the other wasn't yet sleeping. Another minute went by and Conan rolled over to face Daphne.

"Psst. You awake?" he whispered doubtfully. Without turning around, Daphne answered him.

"Uh-huh." A tense silence filled the room. Then:

"How about we forget the whole incident?" Conan offered. Daphne considered this idea for a moment.

"Fine." Satisfied, Conan shifted his body so his head was under his pillow and got ready for a peaceful sleep. Daphne snuggled down into her duvet and did more or less the same. No-one had apologised but the issue had been resolved. Daphne's head was spiralling out of control; she felt like she had experienced too much just for one day. Yesterday had seemed so bright but today, the cracks had begun to show.

Note: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! There are a lot more exciting events planned for this story, so keep an eye out :) Although, I do think there won't be much updates in June (a major exam month) but once it hits July then BAM! chapters galore XD