Author's Note: Hey, everyone! We're getting closer to the finish, and after all the sad events, this one's a real smile-bringer, at least in my opinion. :) I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: It's "Gotta CATCH 'em All", not "Gotta OWN 'em All".

Seven Nights

Night Six: Rustboro

When the sun was just rising in the sky, Celebi awoke. This would be her last full day with Jirachi, and she vowed to herself to make it a happy one. What could they do that would be guaranteed to be fun? she wondered. She'd already showed him the forest, and the beach, and the house... what more was there to do?

She looked at her friend, who was sleeping rather fitfully. It had taken him a while to fall asleep, she knew, but the events of the day had exhausted them both. He drew in breath with a small sound, and let it out in a sigh.

Whenever she tried to do something nice for Jirachi, it seemed like it backfired. And then the little Pokémon blamed himself for it. Celebi frowned as she watched him sleep. Didn't he get it? She wasn't looking out for him because he was helpless; she was looking out for him because—

Why? she asked herself as she shifted in her seat and watched the sunrise silently. Why am I taking care of him?

She supposed it was because they were friends. Friends looked out for one another. Friends cared about each other and comforted each other when they were sad.

But did friends feel this heartbroken when they knew they would have to part?

Celebi couldn't answer this question.

"Celebi..." a voice sighed next to her. Her head whipped in Jirachi's direction, but when her eyes found him, his eyes were still closed, a serene smile on his face. She smiled in response, unconsciously.

She decided that she was taking care of Jirachi because she wanted to, and that was that.

(-o-)

"Good morning, sleepyhead," she said gently as Jirachi blinked open his eyes an hour or so later.

Jirachi yawned and stretched. "G'morning," he mumbled, still half-asleep.

"Did you have sweet dreams?" Celebi asked him, a slight teasing gleam in her eye.

Jirachi looked at her suddenly, his eyes widening. "Yes, I suppose I did," he said casually, eying her suspiciously.

"You said my name in your sleep," Celebi explained with a grin.

"Oh!" Jirachi exclaimed, a faint blush covering his cheeks. "Did I?..."

"Yup," she sang, bringing her forehead close to his. "What were you dreaming about?" She wasn't sure why she was teasing him like this; it just seemed fun.

Jirachi flushed. "I dreamt that we were looking up at the stars together," he admitted, "and you were singing that song."

"Song?" she echoed, blinking and dropping her teasing attitude.

"Yes," Jirachi sighed fondly. "That song you were singing when I woke up."

Celebi stared at him. "You dreamed of my song?" she asked incredulously.

"Again, yes," Jirachi said, getting flustered now. "Must you ask me twice?"

Celebi smiled a wide closed-mouth smile at him, her eyes sparkling. "Sorry," she said. "I just thought it was nice." After a brief pause, she asked him: "Jirachi, how would you feel about flying above a town? We could see lots of houses and buildings!" Her voice sped up with excitement.

Jirachi clapped his hands together once, his eyes sparkling just like hers. "Oh, I would very much enjoy that!" he answered, floating up in the air slightly. Suddenly, his face fell and his eyes clouded over with worry. "But, Celebi," he said unsurely, "Your wing...is it suited for flying at the moment?"

Celebi's smile slid off her face as well. She hadn't thought of that. She had just been sitting on the tree branch ever since they returned yesterday, and the pain had sort of faded into the background— it was there, but she had stopped paying attention to it. Gingerly, she twisted around to look at her wings. She fluttered them experimentally, and a mild shock of pain went through her. She tried to stifle her wince, but Jirachi saw it.

"Please do not trouble yourself, Celebi," Jirachi said earnestly, floating back down and touching her wing as gently as a feather. "You must not continue to hurt yourself for my benefit."

She frowned at him. "You keep saying that," she complained, "as if I'm doing all these things selflessly. I'm not!" she exclaimed. "I'm doing them because I want to, Jirachi," she told him. "I want you to be happy, but doing these things for you, with you... it makes me happy too." She trailed off near the end, a little embarrassed at how sappy her words sounded.

Jirachi didn't seem to care. He looked positively moved. "You are very unique, Celebi," he told her, his eyes wavering, but happy. "I have never met anyone like you."

Celebi grinned bashfully. "One of a kind; that's me," she agreed, poking herself in the chest with one finger for emphasis. "So let's fly, Jirachi, because we both want to," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He smiled at her brightly, his eyes flicking to her wings briefly, but coming to rest on her determined eyes. "Okay," he said at last, "Let us fly."

(-o-)

High above the forest trees, the ground looked very far away indeed.

Jirachi turned and smiled at Celebi in childish joy, savoring the feeling of defying gravity. She smiled back, a kind look on her face that made Jirachi's heart flutter a little.

"So which direction are we going?" he yelled over the sound of the wind.

"Left," she called simply, and took the lead, her wings fluttering frantically. Jirachi felt bad that she had to fly in her condition— her wing was still singed, and her right side was still badly scratched up. But as she looked over her shoulder at him, a teasing gleam in her eye, Jirachi couldn't help but feel as if she really had forgotten the pain, caught up in the moment as she was.

"What's the matter, Jirachi?" she called back in a singsong voice. "Did you become a Slowpoke when I wasn't looking?"

Jirachi's eyes narrowed playfully. "No; I was just seeing how long of a head start I had to give you before I surpassed your speed easily!" he shouted back, speeding up to catch up with her.

Celebi laughed and zipped through the air faster, forcing Jirachi to fly at top speed to reach her side. He finally did, though, and flew beside her. She glanced over at him, smiling.

They flew for a short while before Celebi slowed in the air. Jirachi flew past her before realizing that she had stopped, and quickly slowed down as well. Celebi hovered in the air, looking down at the faraway ground. "Look, Jirachi," she whispered as he floated back over to her. "Rustboro City."

Jirachi turned his gaze downward slowly, and immediately his eyes snapped open as his jaw dropped. "Woowwww," be breathed, awestruck. Celebi beamed at him as he took in the sights, his eyes the size of saucers.

"Pretty cool, huh?" she asked knowingly.

"Oh, yes! Very 'cool'!" Jirachi exclaimed, looking down at all the buildings and benches and lampposts like a child in a candy store. "How do they build all this?" he asked eagerly, glancing up at her.

"With big machines!" Celebi answered, spreading her arms wide in demonstration.

"That is amazing!" Jirachi said. He flew around, looking at more of the city. "Could we fly closer?" he asked, looking up at her desperately. "For a closer look? Please?"

"Well..." Celebi started unsurely. If they flew closer, they might be in danger of being seen, but...

This was her last full day with Jirachi, after all...

"Okay," she said, and he clapped his hands together joyfully. "But," she added warningly, and Jirachi looked at her questioningly. "We have to be careful," she said. "We don't want the humans to see us."

Jirachi nodded earnestly, waiting for her to take the lead. She flew down slowly, Jirachi following after. Soon, people were much more visible than they were before: Celebi could see the colors of the clothing they wore, or the hairstyles they sported. They were still a safe distance up, but close enough to really appreciate all the sights that Rustboro had to offer.

"What is that structure?" Jirachi asked, pointing to an ornate building on the Northern side of the city.

"I don't know!" Celebi laughed, shrugging. "I've never asked!"

"Oh, that is true," Jirachi said, though he sounded a little disappointed. He searched the city with his eyes again, and Celebi saw them widen, all disappointment forgotten. "Look, Celebi! Water!"

Celebi followed his enthusiastically pointing finger with her eyes, eventually coming to rest on a sparkling fountain down below.

"That's a fountain," Celebi told him. "I think humans put things in them and make a wish."

"A wish?" Jirachi said, taking in everything she said with rapt attention. "Wow! A fountain for wishing! How wonderful!" He flew around happily, and Celebi giggled. Humans sure did fascinate him. She supposed if she hadn't seen any in a thousand years, they would interest her too.

"Look, here come some humans!" Jirachi said excitedly, grabbing onto her shoulder and pointing down at the fountain. Indeed, a young man and woman were walking closer to the fountain, eventually stopping as they reached its edge. The man pulled something out of his pocket. Celebi saw the sunlight glint off the coin even from high above. The man placed the coin in the woman's outstretched hand. She closed her fingers around it, holding it to her heart as she stared at the fountain, bowing her head. Then, with a flick of her fingers and a glint of gold, the coin was cast into the fountain, where it landed, creating a tiny ripple in the water. The woman said something to the man, and the man swept her into his arms in an embrace. Their faces moved closer, and their lips met in a loving, passionate kiss. Celebi averted her eyes in embarrassment, glancing over at Jirachi, who stared unashamed at them, smiling with interest.

"Jirachi, we shouldn't watch," she mumbled to him.

He looked at her, blinking. "Why not?" he asked curiously.

"Because...well...because..." she floundered for words, a flush spreading across her cheeks. "The man and woman were...well..."

"Yes, what were they doing?" Jirachi asked with interest. "I saw them embrace, and then they seemed to be pressing their mouths together. How strange! I wonder if they were sharing food?"

Celebi's cheeks were red by this point. "No, Jirachi," she squeaked. "The humans were... kissing."

Jirachi tilted his head at her, intrigued. "Kissing? What is that?"

"Kissing is...well, it's... uh..." Celebi tried to explain, feeling her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. Hadn't he ever seen anyone kiss before? The things Jirachi didn't know surprised her every day.

"Celebi, your cheeks are red," Jirachi said unnecessarily.

"Kissing is...well...when two people or Pokémon like each other a lot, they show it by doing things like embracing or kissing," Celebi explained, ignoring his statement.

"Pokémon kiss, too?" Jirachi asked, surprised.

Celebi felt another wave of heat cascade over her face. "Um, that is, it's uh, becoming more common among P-Pokémon," she said, "because Pokémon often... imitate humans."

"Oh. That is very interesting," Jirachi said, looking down at the man and woman, who were still holding one another. Relieved that he had stopped asking questions, Celebi let out a sigh, glancing anywhere but down at the couple or at Jirachi.

"Celebi," Jirachi said after a moment, and she hesitantly turned to face him. "You said this 'kissing' indicates affection for another, like embracing?"

"Well, yes," Celebi said awkwardly, "but it's a little different..." she trailed off, not sure how to explain.

"Well," said Jirachi innocently, "Would you mind if we kissed?"

She almost fell out of the air.

Choking on nothing, she attempted to straighten herself, flailing around. Jirachi tilted his head again, looking at her odd behavior curiously. Blushing madly, she finally managed to clear her throat and speak. "Jirachi, you don't kiss your friends," she choked out.

"Why not?" Jirachi asked, blinking.

"Because...kissing is special," Celebi explained desperately. "It's for couples. You know... people and Pokémon that are 'together.'"

He still didn't understand. "But we have been together for six days."

A heated blush still on her face, she shook her head. "But that's not what I mean!" He blinked, and she tried to explain yet again. "Kissing... is for people and Pokémon that want to be together... romantically." She swallowed, trying to get the rest out. "...As mates," she finally managed to say.

He jolted slightly, finally understanding. A red flush glowed on his face. "O-Oh! I-I-I am sorry!" he blurted. "I-I did not realize the implications!"

Though she was dreadfully embarrassed, she couldn't help but giggle at him. "That's okay," she said with a bashful shrug. "How were you supposed to know?"

"I...I merely thought it a ritual of showing affection," Jirachi went on, still blushing. "I hope you aren't offended!"

"Jirachi!" she laughed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. Really." She smiled at him briefly, and he smiled back sheepishly. "I'm not mad at you or anything for suggesting that we kiss."

Jirachi looked relieved. "I am glad," he said.

She grinned. "Come on," she said, taking his hand. "I'll show you the Pokémon Gym."

As she flew off with him, his hand clasped in hers, she ignored the voice in the back of her head that said she wouldn't really have minded kissing him.

(-o-)

After a day of sightseeing, both legendary Pokémon were very tired. They had eaten their meal of Pecha berries, laughing and discussing the things they had seen (except for the couple at the fountain, about whom they avoided talking at all). Now, as the stars sparkled in the sky once more, their conversation was winding down as they began to get sleepy, sitting on a tree branch and leaning against the tree trunk again.

"Thank you for taking me to see the city, Celebi," Jirachi said, stifling a yawn.

"No problem," she said, blinking her eyes sleepily.

"I'm glad I got to see it, especially with you," Jirachi added, ending the sentence on a yawn, which refused to be stifled any longer.

She yawned in turn, as if seeing him yawn had triggered hers. "Me too."

His eyes began to drift closed. "Of all...the Pokémon in the world," he said drowsily, "I am so happy...that I woke up to you." His head dropped down on his chest, and his breathing became soft and even.

Celebi smiled gently at him, touched by his words.

"Good night, Jirachi," she whispered to him.

Her smile faded from her face as she realized that the next time she watched him fall asleep, he wouldn't wake up again.

Author's Note: Please tell me what you think! Thanks so much to my reviewers doggiefan, HappyHereford, T_S_EMOtional, and new reviewer Eidorian999! You guys are amazing and awesome and I want to give you each a million cookies. Even if that would make you obese. But you would be obese because of cookies and love.

Anyway, Chapter Seven is coming up on Wednesday! :)