Midsummer Nights
By Trish
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or Billy Speare. Callie, Flory and Poppy belong to me. Lucius is co-owned by Mia. The chapter title belongs to a song by an Aussie band Aneiki - Pleased To Meet You. One concept comes from Ranma 1/2.
A/N: It's been a long while. Work and some personal crises have preoccupied my time for much of this year and the 'creative fire' died. But now it's back…and I'm back (sort of). I feel like I've lived a lifetime already in 2002.
~*~
If you don't look at me do I disappear?
And all you say these days are things that I don't wanna hear.
I don't think that you remember (I don't think that you recall)
It was always you and me against the world
Aneiki - Pleased To Meet You
Chapter Four: Pleased To Meet You
Erina tried in vain to stifle the laughter following Trish, Dana and Jenn's madcap hula performance. Beside her, Flory was no better. He slid his arms around her and she leant against him until the giggles subsided.
"Oh my, Riny," he gasped, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Your older friends are just…insane."
"Well," she smirked. "Two are American, and one's Australian. And as everyone knows, the inhabitants of both countries are certifiably crazy."
"I believe you."
The petite brunette playfully slapped her fiancé's arm. "So you should! And not just because you love me." She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips to which he responded gladly. There was no doubt in Erina's mind as to the veracity of the last statement. After all, Flory had given up everything he had known in order to be with her.
"Come to think of it, that was something like Puck would have done…" Flory's voice trailed off, obviously thinking about his cousin whom he had not seen for two years.
Erina gave him a tight hug. "I know you miss them, Hon," she murmured. "But you'll be seeing them soon when they come for our wedding."
Our wedding. Erina shivered in delight at these words. Even though she was a hopeless romantic, never in her wildest dreams would she ever have imagined that she would be getting married at 17.
But here she was, a month away from the big event and a brand new chapter of her life.
~*~
Gary Oak leaned against the bar of the Metropolis Nightclub. Two empty tumblers sat on the counter before him as he waited for his girlfriend and the rest of the group to arrive. The effects of the whiskey he had consumed and the pulsating Latino beat of the music lulled Gary into a 'devil may care' attitude.
His roving eye settled on a particular girl sitting in a secluded booth near the back; a very buxom brunette dressed in a tight top and skimpy leather skirt. Nice melons, he thought, the fact that he already had a girlfriend completely slipping his mind. I gotta get me some of that…
The Viridian City Gym Leader straightened up and ran a hand through his chestnut locks. Time to see if you still have that Oak charm…
He walked up to her and flashed his best smile. "Can I buy you a drink?"
The woman looked up at him and smiled. "Sure."
He sat down next to her, waved a roving waiter over and placed their orders. "I'm…"
"You're Gary Oak," she finished for him, eyeing him up and down appreciatively.
"You got that right."
"So what's a hot guy like you doing here? I thought you had a girlfriend, that blonde chick…"
"Oh, Jenn? She's not my girlfriend…" Gary said calmly.
~*~
Jenn smiled happily as she walked with her friends, Trish, Drake, Dana, Richie, Ash and Chris towards the Metropolis, where they were to meet Gary. Hopefully tonight would see all the recent differences between them resolved. Gary had promised her that he would make it up to her for time he spent with a former cheerleader.
The group entered the establishment and began to look around for the Gym Leader.
Chris began to scan the crowds for a spiky-haired Oak, but to no avail. He decided to fan out from the group and went off to the right. He was so intent on his search that he walked straight into a tall red-haired man, knocking the man's drink all down his impeccable white shirt front.
Piercing green eyes glared at him and Chris hurriedly apologised. But the man just mumbled a strange rhyme and walked away. The young man breathed a sigh of relief and resumed his search.
"Just where is he?" Jenn fretted to Trish and Ash.
"He's got to be here somewhere," Ash said soothingly as he continued to gaze around the crowds. "In fact, I think that could be…." The Grand Master began to walk towards a booth that was near the back and rather secluded. The rest of the group followed. "Oh no…"
Jenn's smile faded instantly.
There was her boyfriend in the middle of a very passionate clinch with another woman. The position they were in left no doubt as to what they were up to; his pants being undone and her skirt being bunched up around her hips.
"GARY???!!!" Jenn gasped horrified. How could he do this to her? How could he…
Gary reluctantly broke from the woman and looked at the group. "Oh hi Jenn," he said slurring his words slightly as he stood and did up his pants, before walking over to a trembling Jenn.
WHACK!!!
There was a resounding smack as Jenn walloped him on the face hard then ran off as the tears threatened to fall.
A deafening silence fell as the rest of the group looked at Gary with a mixture of disgust and anger.
"What did I do?" Gary shrugged. "It's not as if Jenn would ever give me some…Maybe she's frigid or…"
He broke off as Trish suddenly yanked him by the collar so that they were face to face. Dark eyes blazed at him and her voice was full of quiet wrath. "How dare you say that about Jenn!" She let him go then jabbed him in the stomach. "I'll deal with YOU later…" And with that, she turned on her heel and ran after her best friend.
Dana glared at Gary and slapped him hard on the other cheek. "As will Dana." Then she too, left.
That left the four men. Ash shook his head in disgust. "How could you, Gary? I thought you were a better man than that…
The two girls caught up with their friend back at their shared villa. They sat with her in her room in a group hug, listening as she cried her heart out. Once they were sure their distraught friend was fast asleep, they crept out of the room. After a quick phone call, they then left the house.
~*~
Jenn sleepily rubbed her eyes as she stumbled out of her bedroom, believing that the new day would be almost as bad as the night before.
She padded into the kitchen to find Trish and Dana already there, Trish equipped with her usual cup of coffee and a big cheesy grin.
Jenn didn't take much notice of it, as she pulled up her chair and her eyes landed on the edition of the Pummelo Morning Herald before her. There on the front page in glorious full colour was a photograph of Gary Oak, dressed in fluorescent pink silk boxers emblazoned with large purple flowers, a see-through pink chemise with feather trim and huge fluffy bunny ears on top of his head, securely tied to a pole in the main shopping boulevard.
Around his neck was a sign which bore the legend. "GARY OAK IS A FIRST CLASS WANKER!!".
And the normally serious paper's headline screamed "VIRIDIAN GYM LEADER DECLARED A WANKER!!"
Jenn burst out laughing at the sight then looked at her two friends who were grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats. "This work of art yours?"
"Yep!" Dana chirped. "I wrote the sign, Trish took care of the rest."
"You two are the best!" Jenn impetuously hugged them both.
"No worries," Trish smiled. "I did say to Gary when he first asked you out that I would happily do him great harm if he hurt you..."
"But...won't he say anything?" Jenn began to have doubts.
"He wouldn't dare," Dana said confidently.
"You sure?"
"Perfectly sure." Trish answered this time. "And do you know whyyyy?"
"No?"
"Because a certain Mr Ketchum came along just as we had subdued him, and he told him he'd stop his pay checks immediately and tell his dear Gramps about his alcohol problem..."
The rest of the day Jenn spent in company with her friends, both male and female who ensured that Gary Oak never crossed her mind for an instant. It was so nice to have such caring friends, and Ash had been a total sweetie, letting her bawl on his shoulder for an hour. She went to sleep that night with the tiniest of smiles on her face.
~*~
A few minutes later, a glimmer of light appeared in her room, and a tall red-haired man appeared and gazed down at the slumbering Jenn.
"My pooooor Jennifer..." he drawled softly. "Suffering from a broken heart....." Lucius scoffed. "Pathetic mortal...but so pretty..."
"They are foolish to feel such emotions...." he smiled. "Just wait until I've finished playing with you, then you shall know a true broken heart...."
But Jenn was not that important to him yet…
The Fae appeared in another room and knelt beside the bed of his slumbering victim. He gently stroked her cheek before intoning the spell. "The first phase of your troubles has now begun, for at the end I intend for you to have no-one. A sickness which cannot be easily cured upon you shall descend, and to all it will seem that the stork with a new life will send."
~*~
The next day, Jenn padded out to the kitchen to find Dana...but...
"Where's Trish?"
"She's in the bathroom being sick," Dana looked worried. "She couldn't seem to even look at breakfast..."
Soon a pale looking Trish came out and waved away Jenn's fussing over her. "It's just a small stomach bug," she insisted. "It's nothing."
~*~
Meanwhile…
Chris decided to freshen up before he ventured out to spend another productive day ogling the beach babes. He went into the bathroom, stripped off and stepped into the shower, closing his eyes and relishing the feel of the cool water running down his back.
Opening them to reach for the soap, he chanced to look down…and screamed. "AAAAAAAARRRRGGGH!!!"
There were two things on his chest that shouldn't be there…He had breasts and very ample ones they were too.
He pinched himself in desperation, hoping that this was all some sort of alcohol-induced nightmare. But when he opened his eyes again...he was still standing in the shower…with breasts. He took an anxious peek down there and was even more horrified to discover that some vital 'equipment' was missing.
Shaking with fear, he raised his hands to see that they were more slender and feminine. Oh no…Quickly turning off the water, he stepped out of the shower, wrapped a towel around himself and looked into the mirror. Chris shrieked again.
For that was not his face staring back at him with the exact same look of absolute horror. The face in the mirror had a softer outline around the jaw, the lashes above the hazel eyes were longer and the lips were more full. Long raven hair softly framed the girl's face.
Or was it his face? He raised his hand to his cheek and the image did the same. Oh God, it was him!
"Oh no," he whispered and cringed. That was not his voice either! It was now softer and feminine, but still with the Scottish lilt.
He stumbled into the bedroom and sat down on the bed in shock. How had this happened? With a start he remembered the strange words uttered by the red-haired man he had run into last night. "When water and you collide. Your feminine side you will find."
Oh God…
What to do? What to do? He needed help and to tell someone…but who? Kaz, Riny and Mia were out of the question. They would never ever believe him, nor would they ever let him live it down.
He snapped his fingers. He knew who to tell…his 'adopted' big sister, Trish. He knew that he could talk to her about almost anything and she'd listen. But would even Trish believe this?
The young 'man' dressed quickly and left the hotel in search of his friend. He knew that if he looked for Jenn and Dana as well, Trish would most likely be somewhere nearby. As the friends liked to say, they came in a 3 for 1 package - take it or leave it. But then again, she could be with Drake, and Chris would rather not have any of his male friends see him like this.
As he walked down the main boulevard he became uncomfortably aware that many males were staring at him. And unfortunately, he also knew what they must be thinking. What a hot babe!!!
He passed a Starmiebucks outlet and on impulse ducked into the establishment. It paid off, for he spied the very lady he was looking for, enjoying a quiet cup of coffee in a corner booth. Chris glanced around quickly and was relieved to see that there were no paparazzi lurking about. As Trish had discovered, one of the unfortunate consequences of being the girlfriend of the Orange Crew Leader was the unwanted media attention from tabloids and women's magazines.
Chris threaded his way through the tables until he came to her booth. "Trish?"
The dark-haired Australian looked up. "Yes?"
"Can we talk?"
"Sure…" There was a note of confusion in her voice, but she still indicated that he take a seat.
Chris wondered why she didn't recognise him, but then gave himself a mental slap. Duh Chris. Of course Trish wouldn't know you since you're now a girl. He sat down and stared at his hands as he struggled over how he was going to tell his friend.
Trish was the first to break the silence. "Do I know you?"
"You do." There was a pause. "Promise me you won't laugh?"
"Sure."
The dark-haired young man/woman took a deep breath. "I'm Chris."
Trish raised an eyebrow. "Chris?" There was an uncomfortable moment as she stared hard at him. Finally she spoke up again. "If you are Chris, then tell me what your fantasy scenario is."
"A harem of half-naked Officer Jennys all handcuffed."
Her dark-brown eyes widened and she quickly stifled a giggle behind one hand.
Chris pouted. "You promised me you wouldn't laugh!"
Trish grinned. "Well, you know me. But what on earth happened to you?"
So Chris filled her in on the events and glared at his older friend when she burst out laughing over the shower scene.
"So what do I do?" Chris whined as they walked out into the balmy sunshine.
Trish was thinking. "You know this reminds me of an anime…." She snapped her fingers. "Ranma 1/2!! Ranma always turns into a girl whenever he comes into contact with cold water!"
"So if I throw hot water over me, I'll turn back into a guy?" Chris asked hopefully.
The Aussie just looked at him. "If I threw hot water out of the kettle over you Chris, you'd be like a cooked lobster and burned…but still a girl. You are not a anime character with a myriad of lives."
"Hey Trish!!!"
The two turned to see Jenn and Dana come walking up to them.
"How was the coffee?" Dana asked as she glomped the older girl. She stepped back and noticed Chris. "Who's the new girl?"
Trish raised a dark eyebrow. "This is Chris," she stated dryly.
Both girls' jaws dropped. "CHRIS?" they spluttered in unison.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Jenn gasped.
Trish held up her hand. "I do solemnly swear that I am not kidding."
"No?"
Chris sighed. "It's all true."
Dana was the first to recover. "So what happens now?"
"Until you change back, we're going to have to call you Christine," Trish stated. "And we need a cover story to keep your real identity a secret."
"Like what?" Chris wondered.
"You can pose as my cousin," Trish grinned. "And it just so happens that I do have a younger cousin by that name."
"Okay." He could see the logic behind it. After all, they both had black hair and brown eyes.
"First things first, we get you to our villa."
Chris breathed a sigh of relief when they finally reached the girls' villa, despite Trish stopping off at the local supermarket for something.
She then ushered him into the bathroom with an order to take a hot shower (just in case that Ranma theory did work) with a clean fluffy towel…and a small can of shaving foam and a disposable razor.
"What's this for?" Chris was puzzled.
Trish grinned. "To shave your arms and legs. We can't take you out clothes shopping with hairy legs, Christine…"
"Whaaa?"
Jenn poked her head over Trish's shoulder. "It's not enough to look like a woman. You're going to have to live like a woman, Chris. And we are going to teach you how!"
After an amusing half hour tussle over shaving and hair removal creams, a now silky smooth Chris sat down in the lounge room with the three older girls. "So what happens now?"
"We take you shopping!" came the unified chorus.
Chris groaned. As if his day hadn't been bad enough…
~*~
A few minutes later, he found himself gazing up at Victoria's Secret, a shop which Chris had always wanted to see the inside of – but not like this!!!
"I don't wanna!" he whined as he tried to dig in his heels as Jenn pulled him inside the door. But Dana just pushed him from behind and the reluctant 'girl' stumbled inside the shop. His eyes widened at the display of all the lacy lingerie on display.
The middle-aged shop assistant walked up to Trish with a smile. "Can I help you dearie?"
"We need to buy a bra and other things for my cousin here," Trish indicated Chris who was standing next to her.
The shop assistant ran an expert eye over Chris's figure. "Hmm…I'd say she needs about a 16D."
~*~
A few minutes later, Trish was tapping her foot impatiently outside the change cubicle. "Chris, open up now and show yourself," she ordered. "Otherwise Jenn and I shall have to come in and drag you out!"
"Must I wear this?" came a horrified whisper from the cubicle.
"Yes you must," Dana said with a smirk. "You can't go around with an ample bust and let it all hang loose."
There was a sigh, then the cubicle door opened and 'Christine' came out.
"Niiiiiice figure, Chris," Jenn drawled. For Christine was blessed (or was that cursed) with the figure of supermodel.
"Er…thanks…I think," Chris stammered. She glanced down. "This feels so weird..and these are just huge!"
Trish chuckled. "Somehow I don't think you'll be needing a Wonderbra." She looked over Chris again. "Guess we're going to have to be like a group of momma bears until Chris is himself again."
Jenn nodded. "Yeah, because you know how guys can get."
Chris gulped. For he knew only too well how guys acted around a pretty girl...
~*~
Later that night at the girls'villa…
"I think you're ready to be looked at," Jenn decided. The blonde took Chris by the shoulders and turned 'her' around to face the full-length mirror.
Chris was pleasantly surprised at his appearance. Admittedly, he made a very nice looking female and he had make-up on and the classic little black dress and low heels. He'd turn male heads for sure. I'd even date myself…Wait a minute…that just sounded sooo wrong.
"Let's have a look at you," Dana called out.
Chris turned around to face the three girls who were sitting on the couch. Three pairs of eyes gazed at him critically and Chris inwardly quailed. He felt like he was being judged.
"Not bad, not bad at all," Trish murmured. "Now let's see you walk."
Chris took a deep breath and managed to wobble his way across the room and back without falling flat on his face. How did women manage to walk in these things?
"You're walking like a man."
"Wha?"
"Take smaller steps," Trish instructed. "And thrust your chest out a bit Chris."
"But..but I'm very busty!" Chris gasped.
"If you've got it, flaunt it."
Chris tried again, taking smaller steps and pushing his chest forward a bit.
"Now that's more like it," Trish was satisfied.
He sat down with a sigh, only to see Jenn frown at him. "What now?"
"You're sitting like a man," she noted.
"But I am a man!" Chris wailed.
"Not at this present moment in time," Jenn smirked. The blonde nodded as Christine then crossed her leg over the other. But then when she tried to uncross them..."Er Chris, we don't want a re-enactment of the scene from Basic Instinct. Sharon Stone you're not."
Chris sighed and then settled for just sitting with his legs together. "So what else is there to know?"
"Rule number one," Trish spoke up. "You must never ever wear the same outfit two days in a row."
"Number two," Jenn added. "Accessorising is sooo important. Shoes, hand bag and jewellery are to complement your outfit."
"Three," Dana said. "You must say that you have absolutely nothing to wear, despite having a wardrobe full of perfectly nice clothes."
It all became just a bit too much for Chris. He had a long traumatic day, he was a woman and he had never been so embarrassed in his life and it wasn't going to end any better. Plus being a woman sounded so complicated! He burst into tears.
"Y'know, I think he's got it," Dana cheered. "Tears are a very useful female weapon!"
~*~
"Must you tell?" Chris shifted from one foot to another. She was now dressed in a red shirt and black dress pants and waiting with the three girls for Drake and Richie to turn up before attending a large informal dinner with all of their friends.
"Yes, we do," Dana said firmly. "We can play momma bear but sometimes a protective older male is better."
"Drake and Richie can scare away any would-be male admirers," Trish soothed.
Dana burst into giggles. "Drake would do a good job, but I'm not so sure about Richie. You know he can be rather effeminate. The guys might end up hitting on him!"
Soon the two men in question walked up and greeted their respective girlfriends with a soft kiss. They then noticed Chris.
"Who's the..." Drake began and then Trish leant up and whispered in his ear.
Dana did the same to Richie and both men's eyes widened and they stared at Chris.
"Hi guys," Chris said sheepishly.
"Er, Hi Chris," Drake was the first to recover.
"Yeah," Richie murmured, then blinked and looked Chris over. "You know that shade of red really suits you? Then again a nice powder blue would suit your skin tone as well."
Chris blinked. Sometimes Richie was just a tad strange...
When they reached the restaurant, not all of the group had arrived yet. Questioning glances were directed at the new arrivals when it was noticed there was a stranger in their midst. Trish smoothly introduced her cousin 'Christine' who's been living in Scotland and had decided to drop in for an unexpected visit.
When it came for Chris to be introduced to Brock, the predictable happened. His eyes glazed over and he went into full blown goof mode. "Hi my name is Brock and I think you're absolutely beautiful and will you go out with me and we can make beautiful music together!" he gushed.
He was brought back down to earth by an anime mallet to the head courtesy of....Trish.
The breeder looked up at her with shock. "Hey, you don't usually do that!" he protested.
"I know," the raven-haired young woman said cheerily. "But that's my cousin you're drooling over!"
'Close call,' Dana whispered to Chris.
~*~
Two days later, Flory was reading in his hotel room when there was an almighty crash outside as if something heavy had fallen. The chestnut-haired young man rushed onto the balcony to see a most unexpected but welcome sight.
There was Puck, upside down in one of the hotel's large flower pots and swearing away in a language that Flory had not heard for two years.
He helped his cousin out of the flower pot with a grin. "Still as klutzy as ever, Cuz."
Puck grinned sheepishly as he brushed some dirt out of his hair. "I should really work on my landings, huh?"
Flory just shook his head and then engulfed the Fae into a hug. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here for another month!"
Puck returned the hug. "I know but I thought I'd surprise all of you by coming early for an extended visit." He grinned. "So how's your bride-to-be?"
Flory smiled. "Riny's just fine. She's out with her parents and Kaz, finalising the arrangements."
"Good to hear," his cousin smiled. "How's Mia?"
"I actually don't know," Flory admitted. "Neither Riny nor myself have seen much of Mia lately. None of the group has, really. She's been going out on her own and not talking much to anyone.."
"Oh? Is she depressed?"
"I wouldn't know," Flory said as he grabbed his hotel key. "Tell you what, why don't we go and look for her? Maybe your appearance will cheer her up."
"Sure."
Flory wrinkled his nose. "After you take a shower."
~*~
Refreshed after a shower, Puck walked with his cousin along the main esplanade of Pummelo Beach. The breeze was balmy and the chestnut-haired Fae felt his heartbeat quicken as he thought about the reunion he would be having with the vivacious brunette he had fallen in love with.
Mia. He had promised that he'd return to her one day, and he had.
A familiar and merry laugh rang from the beach. Puck started. He knew that laugh, he'd know it anywhere…He started to walk towards the sound and then stopped dead in his tracks.
Flory walked into him. "Hey what the…" But then he too stopped.
A few feet away, a bikini clad Mia was in a passionate kiss with another dark-haired guy. The couple was not aware of their audience and after they broke apart, Mia sighed. "Mikey, you are the best kisser!"
"What about that guy you used to date before? That Fairy Boy?" Mikey asked as he ran a hand down her back.
"Him?" Mia snorted. "He was no good. I don't see how any girl would stupid enough to date someone as pathetic as him."
Flory heard his cousin gasp beside him, and he swore he could almost hear his heart breaking.
He turned toward him and he winced at the pain he saw in his eyes. "Puck…I'm so sorry..I.."
The answer when it came was rather choked. "I just need to be alone for a while." He started to walk away.
"You sure?" A worried Flory came after him.
"Sure, I'm sure. I'll come back to the hotel when I'm ready," Puck reassured his cousin.
"If you say so…"
~*~
Two hours later Puck was sitting at the local bar with 3 empty tumblers in front of him. "Nobody knows the troubles I've seen. Nobody knows my soooorrow," he sang into the tumbler of whiskey in his hand before gulping the rest of it down.
He couldn't believe it. Mia had betrayed him. And now due to the promise he had made with Lord Oberon….he would have to return to the Fae World and stay there forever.
"Oh well," he slurred to no-one in particular. "If this is gonna be me last time in this place. I may as well have some magical fun with some poor sod…"
Unbeknownst to Puck, a red-haired man was watching him from a dark corner of the bar. Lu smiled evilly. "And so…" he intoned. "It begins…"
To be continued….
~*~
Author's Note: It may be hard to believe from this chapter - but I'm good friends with Chris. Besides, it's all HIS fault. He was the one who gave me the idea of turning him into a girl. I just ran with it :P
It's been a long while between chapters for Midsummer Nights. Hopefully it won't be so long for the next.
What comes next - it all depends. I'm wanting to finish Broken Wings. It's really important to me - but you shall only see it if I can write the perfect chapter. Blame it on my perfectionism - but I believe the story and the subject deserves no less from me. I owe it to the sufferers to tell their story well and to the best of my ability.
Otherwise Chapter 5 of Midsummer Nights.
I have my 10 year high school reunion next month. Scary stuff.