Quick note: italics means thinking, while "italics in inverted commas" means talking from the PokeGear
Chapter 5: Under the stars
2 days before deadline
Gold sits on his bed, staring intently at the PokeGear in his hand. Crystal had not contacted him ever since their fight 5 days ago. That's almost a week, he thought, Crystal had never stayed angry at me for so long before. He feels a little uneasy at that thought, and wonders if he should make a move first.
The bed shifted a little as Aibo swung into his bedroom from the tree outside and landed on the bed. "Hey Aibo," he greeted, "Crystal seems quite mad at me now huh?" The Long Tail Pokemon looked at Gold and cocked his head to the side. "Should I do something about it or should I wait?" he asked. The ambipom seem to consider about this for a moment before chattering away in Pokemon language, its two tails waving around animatedly while its hands gestured pointedly at the PokeGear.
"Yeah you're right," said Gold seriously. "I need to do something if I want to appease Crystal. Thanks Aibo," he said as he patted the Ambipom on the head. Satisfied by the turn of events, Aibo grinned and proceeded to swing out of the bedroom, leaving Gold to his own devices.
Gold chuckled at his Pokemon's behaviour. Turning to more serious matters, he scrolled through his phone number list on his PokeGear and proceeded to make a call.
"Hey Blue, Gold here. What's the best way to ask a girl for her forgiveness?"
...
Crystal sat alone at home, bored out of her mind. With Green being busy with gym challenges (He had been rather apologetic about it but explained that he couldn't put off gym challenges any longer.) and no work to do, she feels uncomfortable with having so much spare time. She had already went to the orphanage and returned, cleaning up the entire house until just moments before. What can I do now? she asked herself. Puffing, she slumped down on the couch and stared up at the ceiling above, before the doorbell rang.
Gold stood outside Crystal's house, waiting nervously for Crystal to answer the doorbell. A minute later, Crystal stood at the doorway, her initial surprise morphing into a frown and a pair crossed arms.
"Hi," Gold started sheepishly.
Crystal eyed him coldly. "What do you want?"
"I brought flowers," he said hopefully, bringing out the bouquet of purple hyacinths that he had spent the last three hours preparing by combing every single florist in Johto, as per Blue's advice. "Can I come in?"
Crystal looked down at the bouquet of flowers, feeling a little of her anger subside at the effort he had put in to procure the bouquet of flowers for her. She knew that purple hyacinths are rare flowers, and that they are quite expensive. At least he made the effort to look up flower meanings and to find these flowers for a sincere apology, she thought. Grudgingly, she stood backwards to allow Gold to enter the house.
"Look," Gold began once Crystal had closed the door, "I'm sorry for what I said alright. It was just.. I was annoyed, and let my emotions ruled against my better judgement. I shouldn't have said those things to spite you, I'm really sorry about that. Will you forgive me?" pleaded Gold sincerely.
Crystal still refused to let down her glare at Gold, keeping her arms crossed. "It's going to take more than a bouquet of flower to make me forget everything, Gold."
Gold had to withhold a sigh of relief at Crystal's words. "As long as you are willing to forgive in the end. You had no idea how guilty and worried I was for the past few days!"
"I didn't know guilt was in your dictionary, Gold." Crystal responded sarcastically.
"Gee, I'm hurt Crystal. Don't you have more faith in your friend?" joked Gold, faking a mock hurt expression.
Unable to help herself, Crystal cracked a tiny smile at Gold's ridiculous antics.
"Aha!" exclaimed Gold triumphantly. "You smiled! That's means I'm forgiven!" he cheered.
Crystal resumed glaring at Gold. She hadn't completely forgiven Gold yet, but Gold has this knack of turning the situation around by taking things likely. "Don't get ahead of yourself."
That earned a hearty laugh from Gold. "You know Crystal, you really need to lighten up sometime. Seriously, you are going to push a lot of people away if you can't even take a joke! Really, which guy is going to like you like that?"
Silence. Crap I did it again. Gold cursed in his head, regretting his last sentence.
"Get out."
"Forget what I said alright. I didn't mean for that to remind you that you don't have a boyfriend-"
"Get out."
Gold was exasperated by then. "Look Crystal, this is just plain childish. You got to admit that there is some truth in what I said-"
"I said GET OUT YOU JERK!"
Gold didn't need to be told the fourth time and left the house, cursing to himself at the turn of events. Seriously, that girl need to lighten up and stop being so sensitive to the whole getting a boyfriend thing, he grumbled.
Inside the house, Crystal was fuming beyond herself. It seemed even worse now compared to the first time, perhaps because she hasn't completely got over the argument a few days ago. I don't understand, thought Crystal frustratedly, why does Gold have to constantly insinuate that who am I isn't good enough to for guys?
She hadn't realised it at first, but thinking about it now, she finally understood why she had been so sensitive with the topic. It made her feel self conscious and self depreciated, thinking that she's not good enough, but that's how she's like and she can't change that. The constant reminder from Gold had made her frustrated and doubt herself all at the same time.
Her PokeGear rang, and Crystal answered it without looking at the caller id. "Hello?" she asked wearily.
"Hello? Crystal? Why do you sound so funny?"
Green, she thought. ".. Gold came by just now," she explained.
"Did he say something wrong again?" guessed Green.
Crystal didn't reply.
"Do you want to share? It's not good to bottle up your feelings. I have some time before the next challenger comes."
And thus, Crystal launched into an explanation of how what had happened in the past 15 minutes, and also how she felt about Gold constant links between how she is like as a person and not being able to attract a guy. "I know he doesn't really mean that I'm not good enough, but it's just so frustrating to keep hearing that!" she finished.
"Crystal, this is Gold we are talking about. He doesn't think before he speak, you shouldn't let yourself be affected by what he said," reasoned Green.
Crystal let out a long breath. "I know, but still.."
There was a moment's pause. "Tell you what, meet me later at 6pm at edge of Viridian City along the pathway to the Viridian forest. We can have a little picnic there to get your mind off things, and there is something I want to show you." Green suggested.
"Won't you be tired after all your gym challenge?" Crystal questioned.
"It'll be fine. I can take care of the food so you don't have to worry about it. If you like though, you can prepare something small to bring over."
"Alright then, if you say so. I'll think of something to bring over."
"Great, see you later then. I have to go now, my next challenger should be coming in soon."
"See you. Bye."
"Bye."
Crystal placed her phone down, wondering what she could prepare for the picnic later. Talking to Green though didn't make her feel much better about herself, at least caused her to calm down again. She walked to the kitchen and looked around, hoping to find some inspiration on what to make. She spotted a book tucked into the side of the shelf and pulled it out to take a look.
It was a dessert recipe book. Must be one of mum's, she thought. She flipped through the book and found that the desserts are relatively simple to make, and most of them would be suitable for two person to eat at a picnic. Green said he liked to eat dessert, remembered Crystal. Alright, now I just need to decide on one to make, and then bring them over to the picnic later.
...
Close to 6pm, Crystal awaits at the edge of Viridian City close to the Viridian forest, clutching the pack of dessert she had made earlier. She had flown over with the help of Xatee, being careful throughout the flight to not drop or shake the desserts too much.
A couple of minutes later, Green appears, holding on to a basket of what Crystal assumed to be picnic food. "Sorry for being late, the last challenger came late for her appointment." he apologised.
"It's not a big deal," Crystal smiled. "A girl?"
"Yeah, A travelling trainer from Johto. She's quite good though, nearly won my badge," Green commented.
"How many badges have you given out?" Crystal asked, a little curious.
Green furrowed his brows as he considered the question. "Maybe about a handful of times?"
Crystal nodded and gave a knowing smile.
"Shall we go?"
They fell into a silence as Green led Crystal into the forest, and immediately, Crystal could see that it is much darker inside the forest as the canopy blocked out the remaining rays of sunlight. Crystal felt a sense of foreboding, as she had never entered the forest at night and was a little unnerved since she don't fancy getting ambushed by bug pokemons in the dark no matter how harmless they may be. Green must have sense her hesitation, for he reached out to hold her hands in assurance, leading her through the forest so that he doesn't lose her in the dark. Her body heats up just a little bit, and she hopes that Green can't feel the increase in radiation.
They walked for perhaps 20 minutes, the forest getting darker with each step they take. Green's Alakazam was summoned somewhere along the way to provide some lighting for them and to keep wild pokemon away from their path. They were winding through the forest so deftly that Crystal wondered why and how Green knows the forest so well, even in the dark. I would definitely get lost in here if I am left behind, Crystal thinks silently, glad and assured that Green is holding on to her hand. Twice, Crystal stumbled over a tree root that she couldn't see, and Green had to hold on to her to make sure she doesn't fall to the forest floor.
At last, Green brings her out into a clearing, bathed in the soft light of the waxing half moon. "Let's sit over there," Green pointed, leading her to a mossy bed of grass to sit down. "You must be hungry. Let's enjoy our food first."
Green unpacked the food he brought and also started a small fire with firewood he had previously collected. ("It's always useful to have some firewood around the gym," he explained when Crystal asked.) The small fire provided a comfortable warmth for the two Dexholders and also bathed their immediately vicinity in a soft orange glow. For Crystal, it was admittedly quite a romantic idea to be having a picnic at night in the forest in the company of a small fire.
Green had packed rice balls for the picnic, all with different fillings on the inside and seemingly handmade. At the first mouthful, Crystal thought that they were absolutely delicious. "Did you make them?" She asked, after finishing her first riceball.
"Mmnnmh" Green responded with his mouth full from his second riceball, shaking his head.
The sight made Crystal giggled. It's funny to see Green behaving so unorderly.
"Daisy," he said once he finally swallowed all his food. "She makes the best rice balls I've tasted. What's so funny?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"Nothing" Crystal responded, trying to stifle her giggles. "It's just funny to see you stuff your food like that."
Green scowled. "It's only because Daisy's food is delicious," he defended.
Crystal giggled some more much to the dismay of Green and continue to eat her rice balls.
"What have you got there?" Green asked once all the rice balls have been devoured, gesturing to the pack that Crystal had brought along for the picnic.
"Oh some dessert I made." Crystal replied her cheeks pink. "I remembered you said you like desserts."
The pack revealed itself to be... lemon and fruit tarts!
"Wow, you made that yourself?" asked Green, impressed by how professional they look.
"Yeah, my mum had a recipe book full of desserts sitting at home, and I picked something out of there to make. I haven't tried it though, tell me what you think about it."
Green carefully picked up a berry tart and took a first bite. "You can sell these," he praised, stuffing the rest of the tart into his mouth.
Not completely trusting Green's words, Crystal tried out the tarts for herself. Guess Green wasn't lying about it, she thought. "Glad you like it, it's my first time trying to make a dessert."
"You should open a restaurant with Daisy," Green mused. "I'm sure it will be a great hit with all the delicious food."
Crystal bowed her head in embarrassment. "You flatter me," she said.
"I don't flatter people." he replied matter-of-factly, earning a grateful smile from Crystal.
...
They spent their time in the forest chatting just like any other day, occasionally snacking on the tarts Crystal made.
"It's getting quite dark. Are you going to show me the surprise before it gets late?" Crystal asked, hours later.
"Oh it'll shows up better when it's late," replied Green dismissively.
"Huh?" Crystal asked, confused.
"Close your eyes," Green commanded. "Don't open them until I tell you to."
Crystal looked at Green, taking a moment to consider, before doing as she was told. She heard some sounds of movement, then felt a pair of hands grabbing her shoulders and applying pressure. "Lie down," Green's voice came close to her ears.
Crystal jumped slightly at the close proximity. "Green? What-"
"Lie down," he repeated firmly.
Gulping, Crystal did as she was told while she wondered what Green was trying to do. Being blind makes me feel so vulnerable, she thought.
Crystal felt the pressure leave her shoulders and heard the sounds of movement again. Then Green's voice commanded. "Open your eyes."
Taking a deep breath, Crystal opened her eyes, half expecting to see Green's face hovering above her.
She did not. Instead, she opened her eyes to see the backdrop of the night sky, dotted with many stars against the dark night sky. The moon had set completely, and Green had put out the small fire, so there is nothing bright around to spoil the clarity of the stars. It's like a piece of art canvas, thought Crystal, the stars arranged in a seemingly random manner, with bright spots scattered here and there in the night sky, as she devoured the night sky.
"Do you like it?" Green asked, seeing that Crystal had stayed silent since opening her eyes.
"Yeah," she replied. "I'm just amazed at the sight. Thanks for showing this to me, Green," she turned her head to her left where Green laid beside her, eyes shone bright with delight even in the dark.
Green looked back at her with a smile on his face too, "Glad you like it."
They spent minutes in silence, both quietly admiring the beauty of the night sky. Crystal was beyond amazed and awed, and look upon the skies like a child would wide-eyed at her Christmas presents. It is a gift, she reminded herself, a gift from the heavens and shared by Green.
"How did you know about this?" Crystal asked, breaking the silence.
"Grandpa used to bring Daisy and I out to stargaze and point out the constellations to us. I found out about this spot by accident once, when I was training in the forest late into the night. I've been coming here every now and then ever since," he explained.
"I've never seen such dark skies before," Crystal mused wistfully. "Must have been a lot of light pollution in Johto."
"Well, now you know a good spot to stargaze so you can come here anytime you wish," pointed out Green.
"That's true," Crystal agreed. "Can you teach me about the constellations? I've never had much luck matching star charts with the actual sky."
Green proceeded to teach her everything he know about the sky, the constellations, the name of the stars and even the Messier Objects that could be seen. He had scooted closer to her, holding onto her left hand to guide her eyes to the sky objects. Crystal lets him do that, even after Green stopped explaining and pointing out object in the sky.
They packed up a while later, Green finally letting go of Crystal's hands.
"You are a great girl you know, you shouldn't let what Gold said get into you." Green remarked.
Crystal looked at him in surprise, blinking.
Green looked at Crystal in the eye and said seriously, "Guys don't deserve you if they can't accept you for who you are. You just need to wait for the right one to come by."
Crystal smiled a little at his comfort, feeling much better about it than she had all week. Struck by the sudden desire to kiss him, Crystal inched forward and gave a small peck on his cheek. "Thanks," she whispered.
"No problem," Green breathed back, feeling heat rise up to his cheeks.
Crystal took a step back from Green. "Shall we go back?"
They made their way out of the winding forest, with Green holding on to Crystal's hand again.
"I can bring you here again if you want, if you aren't sure how to get here again," offered Green on the way back.
Crystal didn't replied immediately, letting the question sink in while Green waited for her response nervously. "I would like that."
Beside her, Green felt lightheaded at her response, and started to smile to himself.
...
Oh, ain't it nice tonight we've got each other
And I am right beside you
More than just a partner or a lover
I'm your friend
When you love someone
Your heartbeat beats so loud
When you love someone
Your feet can't feel the ground
Shining stars all seem
To congregate around your face
When you love someone
It comes back to you
Notes:
The part about Green liking dessert was mentioned in Chapter 3, part of my made up backstory.
Song lyrics at the end came from Jason Mraz's Love Someone. I thought of the song after I had finished typing the story, and thought that the lyrics fit with this chapter.
A/N:
There you go, Gold was brought back into the story, though he didn't manage to appease Crystal. He will appear again in the next chapter for a second attempt!
In this chapter, we see an escalation in the relationship between Crystal and Green. A lot of that was marked by rather subtle, so I hope you managed to read between the lines and interpret them in that manner. I thought stargazing would be a rather appropriate activity because it's like a romantic setting, and Crystal's association with the stars. As for that kiss, I don't really know how to describe it but having the desire to want to kiss someone because of something they said is normal right?
I apologise if this chapter seems a little abrupt as the scene changes. I couldn't think of a way to bridge them without sounding overly descriptive and longwinded. Didn't think that they warrants a break too, because I felt like it would break the flow of the story.
You might have also realised by now that the bet that was mentioned right at the start of the story isn't really a bet, but more a proclamation? There's isn't anything concrete to it, quite unlike the one that occurred between Ruby and Sapphire in the manga. But I framed the story using the deadline for a little more urgency on Crystal's part and also give a structure to the story. Also big hint: next chapter would most likely be the climax, where things fall into place before the loose ends can be tied up in the last chapter.