Chapter Twenty-Four: The Surrender

*Author Note – We are still alive. It took us some time to write this Chapter, because we did not have the inspiration and the time to write it. Some apologies for that. If it's not too much to ask, please review. There is not that much input from Orange, so it's all written by Gray. And well, I got no kissing experience. So It might be failing to you, but the only way it's going to get better, is for you *points at you* to say what you thought about the chapter. And beware, I got ninja-skills, so I know when someone is reading our story. So, take your time to review. And if we're not begging in the right way, write the right way in your review.

Enough about reviewing. You have waited waaay too long for this chapter. So on with the disclaimer!

Disclaimer: We do not own Pokémon.

Here. Is. Chapter Twenty-Four! It is: The Surrender

Pichu's Point of View

I was pacing – I was making rounds around the table – unable to come up with a perfect occasion for the first kiss. There was no special place that I could think of in this rather big village with any meaning. Kissing underneath the mistletoe is not exactly that great, either. It would not be 'willing' to. It would become forced.

We would go to Xatu tomorrow, but that was tomorrow. And I had other things on my mind, specifically those Pokémon that keep watching me crazy-eyed, as if I am an idiot for skipping around in the snow. I could not find a better explanation for those looks, but there had to be.

I did not know what else there was here. What part of the North are we? The North has a lot of area here. There are mountains and forests for as far as I know. Asking him to go for just a 'random' walk outside is not going to work.

"Nothing is going to work," I muttered. Do I keep too high standards?

There was no answer to my question. Thank Arceus.

I looked outside and noticed the beautiful violet curtains, surrounding the window I looked through many times already. Strange, I had not noticed them before. The colour triggered something in my mind.

I had yet another thing to think about. It was that long put away dream in a cave, with that out of the ordinary stone. I had dreamless nights most of the time, but this one I remembered and it had felt urgent. From what I have read and heard, red stands for anger while the violet colour is an indicator for peace.

Well, I could not make any connection with anything at the moment. Too stressed for that.

Something fancy will not do. Outside might be the only solution for the moment with Pikachirate.

I really am stressing about a kiss? Yes.

Seconds were ticking away, but only in the afternoon did Pikachirate come downstairs. He had discussed a few things with Blastoise, his second in command - no idea what kind of things. It definitely had taken up a lot of time.

They did not notice me, or did not want to notice me, as they were not looking at me. I was a bit tired of waiting, so I went outside. I should better look for a nice place outside, with that magical feeling. A place filled with a crowd would not do. Neither would a shop or someplace near.

I walked away from civilization. It started to snow heavily, erasing my prints left in the snow. I walked for a time period, but finally found the place. It was a pale white tree with beautiful needles. The needles were covered with the falling snow, making it look like the tree of winter. I took the time to remember the place, otherwise I would not be able to find it back.

I returned to the inn, but Pikachirate was not here anymore, to my disappointment. I only saw Roselia and Esmeralda, the two Grass-Pokémon.

"Snow isn't that bad for us Grass-Pokémon," I heard Roselia say. Esmeralda had probably told Roselia her alien theory. "The snow is frozen water, did you know that? You won't say the water is alien, will you?"

"Water isn't snow. The snow is water that got taken over, why doesn't anybody understand that?" she pouted.

"I can see where you're getting from," Roselia assured her. "But let's talk about something else, alright? We got a third one to our party." She smiled at me.

I did not really know what to talk about. But with all my thinking about the perfect moment, I came up with something I wanted to hear. "Roselia, where did you and Sneasel meet each other?"

"Don't you know it already, then?" Roselia asked.

"Sneasel did tell me the story, but he did not tell me a lot of details." I was curious, because they probably met each other somewhere here, with another romantic story, and Roselia was a better story teller than Sneasel, the silent wheel-stirrer. At least, I think.

Esmeralda looked interested, too. We both looked at Roselia with hopeful eyes, and finally . . . "Alright, alright, I'll tell you the story," Roselia conceded, holding her roses up in the air.

"I still hadn't gotten the job I have now - I was still building trust so I could live an easy life here. I worked in the Cathedral at the very top, and snow didn't fall every day. I got experience in the job, and knew when snow would fall"-she couldn't help but smile-"and when not. I was looking outside out of boredom and noted to myself it would become a cloudless day. We worked with two on the very top, and I went to town 'cause after all, I had stayed in the top too many times while Lopunny had some emergencies she had to go to. Building trust, it's important." Roselia stared at us until we both nodded.

"Lopunny had no problem with me leaving, since I had saved her many times with staying, so I walked a routine, glad it was a clear day. I bought some paper - we were almost out of it in the top - and a pencil. Pens don't work that good in the cold. I was just walking around for the walking, when the weather changed way too fast. A strong wind arose, and clouds filled the sky above our village. Before I knew it, big flocks came down rapidly. It was tough as a Grass-Pokémon in the beginning, but the cold couldn't hurt me as much as before. I made my way to the Cathedral, but had to stop in my tracks."

Esmeralda was so much into the story that she had to ask why. "Why did you have to stop?" Esmeralda had probably never read a love story. There always was a time where the two had a moment of 'I don't know you, but I'm curious'.

"There was a stranger on a bench, Esmeralda. It was unusual in that time for Pokémon to travel to other countries. It was - and still is - a time of war," she explained. "The trouble about it has reduced, but we're in a different world now."

"Stranger?" Esmeralda's voice broke. "What happened to Sneasel?" I knew at that point I should buy some books for her, maybe read a few to her. Enlargening her world.

"Just wait for it, sweetie, Sneasel still has to come. I wanted to find out if the stranger's intentions were good. I had to walk close by him, as the snow was blinding me. I was casting stealthy glances, but only saw him looking down. He was turning into a snowman, and wasn't even fighting it. I was probably slowing down, and he noticed it. He met my eyes with emotion I had met too many times. Sadness, pain, rejection. I couldn't look away from the Sneasel," Roselia emphazed. "I must have changed direction after some standing still, since I sat down next to him some time later. He was hesitant, not used to others, while I just rattled on and on." Roselia stopped.

Esmeralda sat perfectly still, hooked up on the real-life love-story. I was the one to ask this time. "What happened next?" I did not know I was just as hooked on as Esmeralda.

"I was warm from the inside. When he looked at me, I felt like something had hit me on the head without feeling the pain. I had a crush - or I was in love - with the silent stranger. I just had to meet the Pokémon in the inside, and it was worth sitting next to in the cold. He was looking in front of him when I was blabbering and smiling the whole time. It took a long time, but he eventually dared to look me in the eyes again, and the snow stopped falling down seconds later. Time had flown, and I had to return to the Cathedral. I conjured a rose as only a Roselia can, and scribbled a hasty note. I gave the rose with the note to him, and hurried back to the Cathedral.

I returned day after day and met the real Sneasel. And he met the real me. I asked him if he wanted to become a part of our . . . organization, and he agreed. Even if it brought him further apart from me," she concluded.

"Wow, am I going to have such a special love moment, too? Like magic?" Esmeralda was jumping.

"You probably will, someday," Roselia assured Esmeralda.

Roselia looked at the time. "It's five thirty in the evening. Time flew again," she noted. "I should start with dinner."

Panic-attack. If I could just avoid Pikachirate for a short while longer, I would be able to find the perfect moment, the moment of magic.

"I lost my gloves somewhere, I have to find them! See you two later!" I stumbled out of the door, a bit minding it was not elegant.

I knew my gloves were still in the room. There just was not any other valid excuse to leave the room. So I lost my gloves.

It was already dark outside. The few lampposts made the snow glow. I headed toward nothing, well, at first, then. I eventually got tired of the light from the lampposts, and went to the tree. I became scared when it took longer than expected, but the tree got within my sight some time later.

It was freezing, I was a bit cold, but there was nothing wrong with it. I stood there for a while. I did not even jump when my name was called out of nowhere.

"Pichu," he said casually. "It's a beautiful evening, isn't it?" I was barely breathing, the nerves were almost taking me over.

Almost, but not quite. "You say that a lot, are you aware of that?" I answered with a smile. We were one metre apart. I took a step forward.

"Well"-he smirked-"the evening is always beautiful. As are you." He looked at me. I stared back. There was a slight glow on his face, coming from the stars with an odd colour.

He got closer with a determent look on his face. We were only inches apart now. Now was the moment to take action.

My cold hand moved almost automatically to his chest - I got lucky, he wore a coat. He was a little startled by my nearness, I guess, but managed to compose himself. His hands found my shoulders, he held them gently, it was in a way I had never felt before.

I could not see the snow falling.

I could not see the odd light above us.

I could only see him at this moment.

I leaned in, not knowing what to expect from the kiss. His lips touched mine after hesitation. I closed my eyes, well, they did that in the few books I read with 'Romance'.

Our lips moved against each other, slowly - it must be his first kiss, too, I thought a bit pleased.

He was not forcing himself on me, there was no tongue pushing obediently on my lips to grant it access.

His hands headed to my thighs, barely touching my dress. My hands reached his neck. I clung onto him, still careful, though. I did not want to push my luck with this unknown. My head went to the side, my ears relaxed.

It would end soon enough. I needed air, only I could not get it while multi-tasking. The moment my lips left his, I gasped for breath. As did he.

I could feel his warm breath after our reluctant kiss. We were both metaphorically frozen in place, until he caught my attention. He was looking up, and I finally saw what those odd lights were. Aurora, the "Dance of Spirits". There were red and green auroras, dancing next to each other. The red one was a rare sight, not many Pokémon have had the chance to see it. This was my first time of seeing it, too.

"You don't get to see that very often." Pikachirate frowned.

I put my hands behind my back, giving him space. His hand slid to his sides.

"True that," I breathed. The Moon was full, although it was not erasing the light of the Auroras. It was peaceful. I took a look at the tree. The white needles were still as pure as earlier today.

"We should get back," Pikachirate said. He held out his hand.

And I took it.

The decision to kiss for the first time
is the most crucial in any love story.
It changes the relationship of two people
much more strongly than even the final surrender;
because this kiss already has within it that surrender."
~ Emil Ludwig

*Author Note - If you want a clear image of the Auroras, just search on Google or another search machine "Red and green auroras". It's worth it! (I have never seen one before . . .) And I hope I don't bore you with those Author Notes. Oh, and thought the quote from Emil Ludwig (thanks, Google) might fit with the Chapter. It also was the inspiration for the title. And we'll try to update sooner. So, sorry for the delay. And thanks for reading!*