Hello People, it's 2011. (^_^)

It has been a while hasn't it?

I wanted to upload this sooner, but I got delayed...

I can tell all of you for sure that I don't own Pokémon, but I wish it was possible for me to own it...

Anyway...

Be prepared for a Time-Skip.

"Talking" Thoughts Poke-Speech (I actually use the Poke-Speech function a lot more in this story than in all my others, go figure.)

On with the Story...

Chapter 4: Unraveling Begins

Previously:

*Mark's POV, Petalburg City Gym*

After three point seven seconds, Norman yelled, "You're the Guardian of Life! Do your parents know? There is no way I am letting my granddaughter travel with a blonde playboy."

Rose and I sweat-dropped from Norman's reaction before I calmly said, "Umm, Mr. Maple, I'm not a playboy, and just because my hair is blonde doesn't mean I am one, My parents are Solidad Saori Sierra Roberts, and Robert Sean Roberts, some of May and Drew's best friends, my mom was the maid of honor and my dad was best man at their wedding, remember? And for the record, my parents don't know that I am the Guardian of Life. So are we going to have that Gym-Battle Max?"

Norman smiled and said, "I like a man that can hold his own and tell the truth, I hereby give you permission to travel with my granddaughter."

I smiled before sweat-dropping and saying, "Thanks I guess, and also my mom forced us to travel probably thinking we would make a great couple, even though we are still too young for that stuff. And, Am I ever going to get to battle the Petalburg City Gym-Leader?"

Everyone stared at me before cracking up from my outburst.

Seems like I'm going to get along with the Maples just fine.

*Rose's POV, Staleport City Contest Hall, Ten Months Later*

Ironic how my first Contest was here in Staleport and also my first Grand Festival will be here.

Mom's first Grand Festival was here as I recall from Uncle Max's stories.

I've been travelling with Mark for a few months now, and I'm nearly eleven, but since he is older than me, Mark is twelve, bummer of the century.

Mark has won all eight badges he needed for the Hoenn League, I collected all five ribbons I needed, and we would have finished collecting everything we needed sooner, but there were plenty of Holidays in between and we had to go back to our homes to spend time with our families, so that delayed us by at least two months total, then there was all the walking and lack of transportation.

It took us at least a week to go from most towns to the next, give or take a few days; and the fact that we spent a few days in each town we went to didn't help, but hey we made it in the end.

Grand Festival Here I Come.

I grabbed Mark's hand and dragged him toward the huge Contest Hall.

I gave Nurse Joy my Contest Pass, and she quickly registered me in.

Once Mark and I walked into the waiting room we saw Mark's mom, Solidad talking a bunch of people, so we decided to wait patiently for her to finish.

Since I never really had parents to listen to and I was given manner lessons from Darkrai and Cresselia, something that I would never recommend to anyone, let's just say I have manners drilled very deeply and painfully into my head.

*Solidad's POV, Staleport City Contest Hall Waiting Room*

I was talking to Dawn, another Top-Coordinator, and an old friend of May's.

Dawn was talking about how hard Super Contests are, compared to the Contests we have here in Hoenn, but I wasn't paying attention.

After glancing around the room, looking for an escape, I spotted Mark and Rose standing to the side waiting patiently, like two perfect little angels, for now.

I left Dawn and walked over to the two tweens, hugged them, and said, "Rose, Mark, I am so happy to see you both again."

Dawn who had stopped grumbling about me not listening to her, squealed, "Mark, You're actually at a contest, and who is this?"

Rose smiled before introducing herself, "I'm Rose Ryuji, Mark's travelling partner, and future winner of the Hoenn Grand Festival."

I chuckled at her enthusiasm, which was well earned.

If she could beat me in her first contest a year ago, I wonder how much stronger she's become.

Dawn smiled, and then said, "I remember I was like that when I was younger, back before I got married to Paul, and had Lucas."

I smirked evilly before saying, "Dawn, Rose has the skills to back up her enthusiasm, she beat me in her first contest, which is a feat in itself."

Dawn blinked before half yelling, "You got beaten by a beginner."

Rose scoffed/snorted, "I've been training with my Pokémon since I was seven, so I had a head start most trainers didn't have."

I wonder why most people when shocked look like Magikarp out of water; it's one of the biggest mysteries of the world.

Dawn stopped gaping at Rose after a few minutes, but still was shocked from hearing about Rose's skills.

I smiled at Dawn's stupefied face, "Dawn, I promised to meet the others as soon as the Preliminary Rounds are over and they are about to start, so you should leave the Waiting Room, Mark, you have to go as well."

Mark and Dawn looked sullen, but none the less complied, although before Mark left, he kissed Rose on the cheek, leaving her behind, blushing a rose red.

I remember a time back when May and Drew where like that...

*Mark's POV, Staleport City Contest Hall Stage*

MC Vivian announced, "The first Coordinator up today is Solidad Saori Sierra Roberts, a Top-Coordinator from Pewter City, so everyone give her a hand."

Mom stepped up onto the stage wearing her old outfit from back in her days traveling with May and Drew.

Mom took out a Poke-ball and threw it into the air while yelling, "Pigeot, Come on Out."

Mom's Pigeot came out in a gust of wind, ruffling everyone's hair.

Mom smiled and yelled, "Pigeot, start out with Double Team, and then use Feather Dance, and finally Aerial Ace."

Pigeot multiplied forming a ring of Pigeots which all sent out different colored feathers, and then the Pigeots used Aerial Ace straight into the feathers to destroy them into sparkling, colorful dust.

I smiled and yelling, "Go Mom, That was awesome, " which resulted in a light beam coming down on me and MC Vivian said, "It seems that even Solidad's son is here to watch her win the Hoenn Ribbon Cup, Family Bonds are so Strong."

I sweat-dropped before sitting back down, having embarrassed myself enough for the day.

Mom got a nearly perfect score; Pigeot had mistimed the Aerial Ace, so all the Pigeots hadn't merged perfectly.

I leaned against the arm rest and fell asleep, only to be awoken when MC Vivian yelled, "And Next Coordinator is Rose Ryuji from Verdanturf Town, this young lady may have just started coordinating, but she beat Solidad in her first contest, so we expect great things from her."

I looked back at the stage to see Rose walking on stage, in her normal black and red outfit, taking out a Poke-ball, throwing it, and yelling, "Poochyena, Take the Stage."

Rose's Poochyena walked onto the stage, unlike me she hadn't evolved her Poochyena saying it would be better in contests just staying the way it was.

Rose smiled from the Audience's anticipating faces and yelled, "Poochyena, Start out with Sand Attack, then Scare Face, and finally Sucker Punch."

Poochyena covered the stage with Sand from Sand Attack, making it hard to see.

Then Poochyena used Scary Face, which from the Sand was mutated to look like an adorable puppy dog face, making most of the audience 'coo'.

Finally Poochyena used Sucker Punch, which dispelled the sand and broke it into tiny sparkling fragments.

The audience was amazed that a Dark Pokémon could make such a wonderful display and soon the entire stadium was filled with applause.

Rose did a bashful bow, before turning to the Judges who gave a score, just slightly higher than Mom's taking in account the stumble Poochyena had at the start.

Seeing that there was no point in sticking around, I left the stadium to go to the waiting room and congratulate Rose.

*Rose's POV, Staleport Contest Hall Waiting Room*

That really wowed everyone, and the Scoreboard says I got the highest score, so that means I am definitely in the next round.

I was broken away from my thoughts when I felt someone hug me from behind; I twisted to see a smiling Mark.

Even if people say we're too young to be in love, I won't listen to them for a second, besides the Guardian of Life and the Guardian of Death are destined for each other.

Still, we keep our relationship at the hugging and a kiss randomly stage, no need to rush anything.

We held each other until we heard a cough and turned around to see a smirking Solidad and everyone else staring with blank (Paul) or shocked (everyone else) faces.

We all blinked just watching each other in shock before Ash grinned and said, "Funny how we all ended up with the first person we traveled alone with, Misty and me, May and Drew, uhh maybe they are an exception, Paul and Dawn, Solidad and Robert, seems like the cycle continues, even in this generation."

Paul, now finally looking shocked, "Ash actually said something that made sense, are you sure that all of us are awake?"

Dawn smacked Paul on the head, to which he smirked, and kissed her on the forehead.

Mark and I fake gagged, but stopped when everyone started laughing to join in.

Solidad, who was still smirking, "I knew that you two would fall in love ever since I first forced you to travel together."

Mark and I blushed, and started formulating a plan to get out of Solidad's triumphant path.

After a few seconds we turned looked each other in the eye, nodded, and ran the hell out of there.

*Third Person POV, Staleport City Park*

As soon as Mark and Rose got to the park, they fell down onto the floor in a fit of laughter.

They stopped after a few seconds when the found it hard to breathe and soon Rose got up and started to walk away.

Mark looked at her weirdly and asked, "Where are you going?"

Rose gave Mark and 'Are you stupid' look before replying, "Tomorrow's my birthday."

Mark face-palmed and thought, Am I stupid, I know her birthday is tomorrow and that she visits her parents graves in the early morning of her birthday, but Mark said, "Oh Yeah..."

Solidad who had followed the tweens, smiled, walked over, and said, "Happy Early Birthday, Rose."

Rose smiled slightly, "Thanks, Solidad. Anyway, Bye both of you."

Rose pulled out a Poke-ball from her pocket, threw it in the air, and out came a green and red Altaria; which Rose got on and flew away.

Solidad stared at Mark expectedly, making Mark flinch, "She's going to visits her parents."

Solidad nodded at her son's answers and watched the Altaria fly into the distance before asking, "Are most of Rose's Pokémon Shiny?"

Mark nodded slightly before saying, "Her Beautifly and Poochyena are normal colored. Her Roselia, Altaria, and Skitty are Shiny. Her Skitty is Black and White."

Solidad smiled before suddenly remembering something and mutter, "I have to go somewhere."

*Rose's POV, Petalburg City Cemetery, Around Six in the morning *

I had just visited Uncle Riley and Aunt Wanda's graves, I felt guilty because since I was the Guardian of Death, I played a hand in their deaths, but I have to move on.

I walked up to Mom and Dad's graves, which were next to each other, and laid red roses onto it, the one thing that brought them together, and my namesake.

Even though it was cliché, I started talking, "I made it to my first Grand Festival, just like both of you did. I even won my first Contest, beating Solidad, something you couldn't do, Dad. I wish you were here. I guess I might sort of like Solidad and Robert's son Mark, but I feel like both of us are still too young for love. I miss both of you. Dad why did you take that bullet for Mom? Mom why did you die after giving birth to me? Why? Why?"

There where so many tears covering my eyes that I barely saw or heard someone say, "I always knew there was something special and familiar about you Rose, but I would have never guessed it to be this."

I wiped away my tears enough to see the person standing in front of me, name escaping my mouth, "Solidad."

To Be Continued...

I had to leave you at a cliffhanger for this part.

I'm leaving everyone in the dark about what will happen, even my annoying sister who is pestering me about how I will make this story go on...

Review. (^_^)