So… many… distractions. I swear I'm going to fail Nanowrimo this summer, just because I keep getting distracted. Turns out I'm busy in the summer. One, I keep getting sick. Two, my friends want to see me O.o Three, camping, so… much… camping (with said friends) Four, procrastination is my middle name. And five… well, no inspiration.

But pep talks give me inspiration, and I got one today from Nano! I'm going to write FIVE THOUSAND WORDS TODAY (As of July 14th)… Hopefully

So… does anyone like Ethan? At all? Because I'm not gonna lie. I'm a true blue Soulsilvershipper, but at the moment, for this version of Lyra in this story, I like Ethan more. (Don't shoot me) He's sweeeeeet :3 (in my mind).

SPOILER? NOT REALLY Dx

Sadly, plot does not bind them together D:

FAKE NOT REALLY A SPOILER OVER

Let's just say that the next three or four chapters were created my lack of inspiration and my need to right something fabulous. Sorry guys Like I've mentioned time and time again, the real plot doesn't come into play until the election. (kekekekekekekeke)

Review time!

Izzzzie: Rhetorical? That's no fun D: That means no spoilers! (Oh god, why must I like spoilers so much?) I won't say anything, though. It is my vow to let the suspense grow and grow… then die flatly, in this book! Bruno's unimportant, you can forget about him now. Thanks for the review :D

Splitheart1120: ETHANS EVIL IN EVERYONES HEAD ITS KINDA FUNNY :P Thanks for the review ;)

FluffyMareep: I'm sorry, I'm sorry *pats back* I swear, lots more people are going to di- Ah… live and have happy lives forever and ever :D Thanks for reviewing.

Sapphiet: Isn't Team Rocket supposed to be evil though? :3 That's what makes them so fun to write about! Hehe! Poor Ethan, more hate :P I'm sure a black cloud of depression is following him around by now :I I doubt he even realizes that he was not being serious, but he wasn't, so it's his own fault. Thanks for the review! You know how much I appreciate them ;)

Nobody answered the question in the notes D: But I'm guessing by every ones reactions here they're all thinking 'Silvers better :D'

Hope you guys like this chapter. I find the editing really crappy lately because I'm trying to write so much in a day now and I just… don't… have… time! So I apologize!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

Chapter 8

Lance glared at me fiercely, "You are not going out into that city looking for Team Rocket members. I don't care if you take your Pokémon and I don't care if you are our best bet of getting a lead. The election in two weeks and I don't want you dead."

I threw my hands up in the air, "Jeeze, Lance. Don't even have the decency to pretend that you don't want me dead because you actually like me! So what, after the election I can just go and get myself killed, no problem?"

Lance sighed, "You know that isn't what I meant."

"It sure as hell sounded like it."

Turning away, my red headed friend walked across my kitchen, clenching and unclenching his hands. I knew he was on the brink of punching something, probably a wall, but I didn't back down. I knew I was right. Someone had to get out there and start looking, and not someone like the police that we all knew were slacking on the job.

Guns didn't scare me.

It'd been five days. Five days since Bruno's funeral, and five days that the police had been 'looking' and nothing had come up. Impatience made my toes curl, and I'm sure that my eyes blazed with irritation. I felt crazy, at least. I was dressed in sweats and a tank top, my hair pulled into a messy ponytail, but the loose pieces were frizzing around my head because of humidity.

I'd never felt so restless in my life. My fingers were actually twitching as they came up to mess with the ponytail at the back of my head. I hadn't left the house on my own for the last five days, all on Lance's orders. This time I couldn't convince him that I needed time alone, though. I was stuck as a captive created by the fear of me dead.

I wasn't scared of death.

"At least let me leave the house, Lance."

"We've discussed this time and time again. Stop arguing, Lyra. You know I'm seeing sense."

I walked forward, slamming my fist onto the table, "How is this seeing sense? How is letting a bunch of competent imbeciles look for the people that killed Bruno make sense? You're treating me like I'm a little kid, someone that can't protect themselves, but I can. Get me a gun; give me one guard instead of five. I don't care! Just let me out of this goddamned house past the lawn!"

Lance just stared at me calmly, "You might not be able to see that I'm right yet, but I swear I'm only doing what's best for you-"

"Goddammit let me out!" I slammed my fist down again, blind with rage.

I wasn't scared of those bastards Team Rocket!

Lance moved forward, reaching out to take a hold of my wrist, but I jerked away, whipping my arm out and knocking over a chair. It clattered to the ground loudly, breaking the silence that had fallen over the kitchen as fast as I'd started raging.

Brown eyes stared at dark blue ones, a staring contest between me and Lance. My chest heaved and my hands trembled at my sides. When had I become so violent?

"You… have no right… to keep me here."

Lance shook his head again, "I can't let you leave, not this ti-"

I gave an angry cry, turning away and stalking down the hall. Lance didn't follow me, which was a relief, because what I'd suddenly begun planning wouldn't work if he followed me around like I was a captive. I turned into my room, pushing my door closed behind me.

I went straight to the dresser, yanking open the bottom drawer where all my casual clothes were. Dropping my sweat pants, I pulled on a pair of jeans, followed by a baggy blue sweater. I pulled a pair of sandals out of the very corner of the drawer, slipping them onto my feet.

I pushed the drawer shut and straightened up, turning towards my desk and grabbing a black and white cap I'd gotten a few years back, just for when I was working around home. My ponytail bounced out through the hole in the back, and when I looked in the mirror I wasn't the formal, refined Lyra Kotone. No, now I was just another person you'd see on the streets.

But just in case… I grabbed Meganium's poke ball, before slowly peeking my head around the door. I could see the flicker of the television coming from the living room; Lance was watching something, which meant I was good for sneaking out. He would have his attention completely turned towards the show.

Moving as silently as a ninja down the hallway, I took the stairs leading onto the roof two and a time, before realizing with a jerk that I hadn't brought a flying type. Back around I went.

Back again, this time with a pidgeot that only left the box for moments like this in hand, I reached the roof, letting the flying type loose into the sky. Pidgeot flew down, nuzzling my cheek. Funny how a Pokémon confined to a poke ball most of the times could still be affectionate towards its owner.

Pushing the guilt down, I ran my hand through her silken feathers, "Think you could take me to Goldenrod City, Pidgeot?"

Pidgeot gave a soft cry, as if she realized that I was trying to sneak away, before crouching down. I scrambled onto her large back, jerking wildly as she spread her wings and took flight into the sky. My fingers tightened painfully into her feathers, I'd never liked flying.

With nausea making my face pale, I watched the scenery fly by, trees at first, then houses. The closer we got to Goldenrod, the more cities there were. Ecruteak had grown in size dramatically, which made me rather sad. The history was slowly fading from the print of the city.

Goldenrod came into view with a flourish, tall sky scrapers raking the sky and bright lights taking away the natural beauty of the area. Streets twisted and turned through the constantly growing city, throngs of people moving as one. Goldenrod had the most traffic in all of Johto and it could almost be difficult to move with all the buses and taxis rushing up and down the streets.

Pidgeot came to a graceful land, the throng of people parting to give a wide berth to the Pokémon. It was easy to tell how Pokémon wasn't a needed factor in our lives any longer. Nobody walked along with Pokémon anymore. It was all business, business, business. I even got a few dirty looks from people passing.

Returning Pidgeot so that she didn't get trampled on by the many people pressing forward in the crowd, I joined the throng of people, walking along and craning my head to try and spot someone suspicious looking. The sun disappeared below a building. It wouldn't be long until it was dark out.

I wasn't scared of Team Rocket.

I took a left, entering a small café that looked trustable. Small round tables dominated the room, only one woman working behind the cash register while another cooked. Walking up slowly to the counter, I glanced at the menu, "Small coffee, please. One sugar, one milk."

The woman nodded, typing in the order and looking bored out of her mind. I turned to look out at the large crowd, eyes distant. It was weird to not have everyone knowing who I was. In smaller towns, like Mahogany, everyone knew my name. Here in a city, though, I may as well have just been another traveler.

I knew that Team Rockets grunts would know me by sight, which was what I was counting on. I needed one of them to see me, to come after me, so I could see them, and get them.

Or so I hoped.

"Miss, your coffee?"

I turned, taking the drink in my hand, "Thank you." Taking a seat at a table in the farthest corner of the room from the door, I opened my coffee, which was made much too strong, or either was the last of a batch. I stared out at the crowd, my eyes unfocused.

Once the sky had dimmed until it was streaked with red, I stood, throwing my now cold coffee into the garbage can. My hands fiddled with the two poke balls at my belt, nervousness making my stomach flip over.

As I stepped out onto the street, I glanced around. What were really the chances of Team Rocket being here? Sure, this was the most populated city in Johto, but it wasn't like the place was just swarming with Rocket Grunts. Not like back when I was ten.

I was jostled and pushed as I walked through the street, watching around me with weary eyes. It didn't seem like anything was going to happen.

Maybe I was wrong coming here… maybe Lance was right. I clenched my hands into fists, wanting to squeeze my eyes closed. It hurt to just think that Lance might be right, because Lance was never supposed to be right.

…Okay, Lance was usually always right.

"Lyra?"

I came to a stop, staring at Silver. He was seated on a bench, just idly watching people walk along the street. I'd actually never seen him look so casual, in plain, navy coloured jeans and a green sweater. Why he was dressed like that, I wouldn't know. He looked like a damn Christmas ornament with that bright red hair.

"Oh… hey , Silver." I couldn't bring myself to say some snide remark to him. I shoved my hands into my pockets and kept walking.

"Whoa! Wait up, Kotone!" There was a swear from behind me, probably as the crowd jostled Silver, before his long fingered hand closed around my upper arm, pulling me to a stop.

"I'm not in the mood, Sil-"

I almost fell flat on my face as Silver jerked me to the left, pulling me through a door and into a small, comfy restaurant. He pulled me all the way to a table for two, barely giving me a chance to say or do anything with the pace he was keeping.

Finally letting go of my arm, Silver sat at the table and looked up at me, waiting for me to sit. I just stood there, frowning down at him, before finally sighing and pulling the chair out, sitting down and crossing my legs.

"What do you want, Silver?" I really wasn't in the mood to listen to Silver snipe at me, especially not so soon after Bruno had died.

Silver reached forward and took the pepper shaker, fiddling with it, "You look like you need someone to talk to."

I raised my eyebrows, "What's this I'm hearing, the oh-so-mighty Silver being a good friend?"

He frowned, slamming the pepper shaker down with a thud, "If you want to argue, Kotone, than go right ahead, but this doesn't seem like the time for something like that."

I picked up my empty glass, staring into its depths, "…You're right."

"I usually am," I wanted to wipe the smug smirk off his face, but I just frowned at him.

"I thought we agreed this wasn't to time to be acting like this?"

Silver leaned back, crossing his arms, "Using my own words against me. Very mature," I gave him a look and he sighed, "Okay, okay. Sorry," It was the truth when I said that me and Silver always clashed.

A waitress approached our table, smiling brightly, "Welcome, please take a look out our menus," she passed us each a menu, which I set down instantly. I didn't have an appetite, "Anything to drink?"

"Just water, please," I murmured, Silver taking the same. The waiter walked off and Silver flipped open the menu.

"Aren't you going to order anything?"

"I'm not hungry."

There was a long, drawn out awkward silence, where I just sat and stared out the window, the frown on my mouth feeling permanent. Once the waitress came with our waters and left again, Silver spoke.

"So, aren't you supposed to be confined to house arrest or something, for your own safety?" The sarcasm in Silver's voice was tangible in his tone.

"How do you know about that?" I hadn't been in contact with Silver since our argument at the dance. Irritation still boiled under my skin from that night, but I couldn't seem to stay angry. My emotions felt like tides, everything washing back out before it lasted. Now that I was actually here, in the city, me sneaking out seemed childish and foolish.

"Everything you do is on the news. You should have heard the controversy over you dancing with Ethan at that thing your agent worked up," Something bitter touched the tone of his voice and I looked up, narrowing my eyes.

"I'm sure you're all over the news to, dating Rosary," I bit down on the words 'the whore'. I'm not here to fight, I'm not here to fight, I'm not here to fight.

Silver smirked, "I've been labeled as unimportant by the media. They all think Rosary's going to dump me the next chance she gets."

"And she isn't?"

"Not if I have anything to say about it."

I snorted, taking a sip of my water, "Sounds like true love."

Silver sighed, "Can you just leave us alone, Kotone? What does it even matter to you?"

I didn't answer, just staring out the window, before saying in a tight voice and hopefully dropping the subject, "I need to… do something. Something normal. Something I used to do back before I was champion."

Silver watched me for a long moment, inspecting my face, and I couldn't help the flush that touched my cheeks, "I think… we should have a Pokémon battle."

I laughed bitterly again, "Battling isn't really something I'm cut off from by being a champion, Silver."

"But you haven't had a battle with your old rival for almost two years. Come on, just our starters. I know that one of the two poke balls on your belt holds Meganium. You wouldn't come to the city without her for protection."

I looked up to inspect Silver. His chiselled face was as stoic as ever, his thin lips turned up into the smallest of smirks, silver eyes flickering with a knowing look. Once again, I noticed how he had grown, became… attractive. From his red hair to the structure of his face, Silver was a beautiful person.

I, on the other hand, was average and awkward.

Sighing, I shrugged my shoulder, "Doesn't sound like a half bad idea, but where in the world would we have the battle? The days where you can fight in the middle of the streets are over. There's actual traffic out there."

Silver's smirk grew, "Do you really think I just chose this restaurant at random? There's a battle room right over there," Silver pointed and I turned to look. True to his word, there was a swinging door, a small poke ball symbol with an arrow pointing down at the door. I hadn't seen one of these for a long time. They'd been built into most bars, restaurant and shops a few years back, when people where prone to challenging other trainers without thinking.

We both rose to our feet, me giving Silver a dirty look, "Are you sure you weren't just trying to lure me in here so we could battle?"

He laughed. I could still remember the days when he never laughed. When it was all frowns and hating the world with a passion. I liked to imagine I helped him with that, that somehow me convincing him that being nice to your Pokémon had changed him, but in the end I knew that it was just him coming to the realization that his life wasn't all that bad, that he had people in the world that actually loved him, like me.

Like a sister, of course.

"I may have had a battle in mind, but trust me, I know for sure that this is the correct kind of therapy for you!" I barked out a laugh, following along behind Silver. Like a gentlemen, though he was far from that, he held the swinging door open for me.

The judge running the battle room jerked as the door swung back into place, looking up at us in surprise. It had probably been a long time since anyone had come to battle in here. Even as the man spoke, he sounded uncertain with himself.

"O-oh, are you here for a Pokémon battle?"

Silver waved a hand at him dismissively, "No need for assistance, good sir, me and my lady are both capable of not demolishing this battle field. We are aged train-"

"Shut up, you idiot," Turning to the man, I smiled apologetically, "Don't mind him, he's a dickhead. He is right about us being ace trainers, though. Our Pokémon won't ruin the area."

The man nodded vigorously, greasy blond hair bobbing around his head, "Okay! I'll just… ah… sit back and enjoy the show," He retreated back to the chair he had been sitting on, ducking his head and avoiding eye contact. There wouldn't be any discussion with him through the battle.

Silver and I both moved to our separate sides of the field. Silver kept his poke balls on the back of his belt, and he reached back and unclipped one, tossing it high into the air. There was a burst of red light, which quickly formed into one of the biggest typholosions I'd ever seen. From the time he'd been nothing but a cyndaquil, Typhlosion had been bigger than average.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall," I whispered the quote under my breath. I used to say it anytime Silver sent out his starter, convinced it brought good luck or something of the sort. I unclipped Meganium's poke ball, releasing the Pokémon.

Meganium swung her great head regally, before eyeing Typhlosion. The two weren't strangers, they'd battled more times than I cared to count and there was a sort of respect between the two. Typlosion towered over Meganium, but I knew that my Pokémon was more powerful. Still, there was always the type advantage…

"You ready, Kotone?" Silver smirked across the field at me.

I tossed my head, unconsciously mimicking the move my Pokémon had made, "Always, Body Slam, Meganium!"

Meganium didn't give Typhlosion anytime to prepare himself, charging forward violently and slamming his whole body weight into the fire type. Typhlosion grunted, taking a few steps back before tripping over his own, stubby legs, sending him crashing to the ground with a thud that shook the whole room.

"Don't give him a chance to react, Meganium! Magical Leaf!"

Meganium took a few steps backwards, glowing leaves rising into the air around her and swirling, swirling, swirling…

"Flamethrower, Typhlosion!" Typhlosion jerked his head up at his masters' command, still not managing to get to his feet. The fire types jaw seemed to unhinge itself, opening wider than I thought possibly, a deadly glow begin at the back of its throat.

"Now, Meganium!"

"Come on, Typhlosion!"

The two Pokémon let their attacks loose at the same time, a large, raging spiral of fire racing towards Meganium and the glowing leaves swerving to avoid it, slamming with brute force into Typhlosion. Meganium managed to jump partially out of the way, but the fire consumed the lower half of her body, sending her tumbling to the ground.

While the smoke cleared through a vent in the roof, the two Pokémon struggled to their feet, both looking bruised and tired. It wouldn't take many more attacks from either of the two for one to faint, but I wasn't going to lose this battle. Adrenaline pumped under my skin, my heart leaping up to pump wildly in my throat.

"Petal Dance, Meganium! Finish him!"

Meganium whipped her vines back and forth, beautiful pink petals spiralling up and around her. This move probably wouldn't knock Typhlosion out, but by the look on the fire Pokémon's face, it needed time to rest and recharge. We had lots of time.

The petals rushed forward as one, deadly in their speed and precision. Typhlosion roared as they slammed into him, sending him crashing to the ground again. The petals raced back to spiral around Meganium, whirling faster and faster and higher and higher. The man running the battle area had finally looked up to watch, his mouth gaping open as he witnessed the heated battle.

"Come on, Typhlosion! One more Flamethrower!"

Typhlosion jerked his head up and a sense of déjà vu washed over me as the jaws unhinged. Meganium couldn't take two hits with an intense fire attack in a row. The petals blasted forward again, fire began to spill from between Typhlosions jaws. The petals struck the fire types chest just as he let loose another explosion of heat, the fire consuming Meganium completely.

The smoke filled the field completely, the vent taking many minutes to finally clear all of it out, and when it did, I saw the battered body of Typhlosion lying fainted on the ground, and Meganium…

Still standing!

"Yeah!" I pumped a fist into the air, before sprinting across the field to my Pokémon. Meganium looked battered and tired, and probably unable to battle any longer as well, but not fainted. Running a hand delicately over the soft flowers on her neck, I leaned forward and whispered into her ear, "You did fabulous, Meganium, the best I've ever seen, use synthesis."

A purring noise came from the grass type's throat, and her eyes squinted at me in pleasure. Meganium was my best Pokémon, and my truest partner. Wrapping my arms tightly around her neck, I gave her a tight hug, the rumbling in her chest growing larger. When I stepped back, she began to glow a light green, healing herself.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised you won, after all, you are the almighty champion," I looked up at Silver, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, you're just weak."

That always set him off, "I'm not weak! You're just stronger than me!"

"Which means you're weaker than me, making you weak," Silver fumed in annoyance, returning the fainted Typhlosion to his poke ball. The guy running the place gaped at me; he probably hadn't realized I was the actual champion. I ignored him.

Rubbing the smoke out of my eyes, I gave a smile, "I think you were right, Silver. A battle was just what I needed," I hadn't battled since before the election was announced and I hadn't realized just how much I missed it. I felt like I'd caught the battling fever again, the need to fight other, stronger opponents running through my blood. I'd have to challenge Lance once I got ba-

"Oh shit!"

Silver looked over at me, "What now?"

"Lance would have surely noticed me missing by now! He probably has the whole police force of Johto out after me!" I returned Meganium, turning and rushing towards the door.

I heard Silver run after me, but didn't think anything of it until he grabbed my wrist as the entrance of the restaurant, jerking me to a stop. I turned to face him, frowning. He raised an eyebrow.

"Do you really want to go back to house arrest?"

The moment he brought it up, it was like my whole mood fell. My body sagged and I frowned. I didn't want to go back to being confined in my room, probably with a guard now that I'd run away. Silver sniffed haughtily, "Didn't think so. I say that we run rampant through Johto. They just built a new amusement park in Ecruteak."

I still didn't believe in the expansion of Ecruteak, but the idea of an amusement park did sound intriguing. I stared at Silver for a few minutes, then sighed and said, "I guess so."

Silver smiled, an actual smile. Not a smirk, not a sneer, a smile. It did wonders for the cranky look he always had on his face… until it fell away, "Ah… I might have said that on impulse, Lyra… I'm meeting Rosary there."

My eye twitched and I frowned. Of course, a date with his 'oh so nice girlfriend'. Jealousy flared up in my stomach, which only made my frown deepen. It's not like Silver's girlfriend should affect me that way. I glared daggers at Silver, then an idea popped into my head and I smiled.

"No problem, I have someone I can invite to."

Relief flushed Silvers face red and I pulled out my cell phone, flipping it open with ease and dialing the number.

"Hey, Ethan? It's Lyra. Do you want to come with me and Silver to the amusement park in Ecruteak?"

A few more notes right here.

Yes, I know! Typhlosion probably should have beat the living crap out of Meganium. But on my game, Meganium's level 78, while Typhlosion would stay the same as at the Dragon Den. Level 60. Plus, I wanted Meganium to win :)

Flamethrower isn't a charging move, but I needed it to be for this battle. Since you probably won't see that move again, it won't matter.

THAT'S RIGHT LYRA INVITED ETHAN.

Anyway! Thanks for reading! R&R!