The storm had ceased its wailing.
Spent, the black clouds that consisted it backed away from their towering position over the city of Slateport. They were no longer filled with the precipitation built up from an endless journey over the sea; their blood had been poured over the town below, drenching it beneath a dark blanket of water that had failed in flooding it altogether. In fact, the rain had only been able to trail down the glossy streets, disappearing beneath the drains and manholes that occupied every curb and center of worn asphalt. It left behind a foggy memory of its presence through lingering moisture and a vague scent of damp pavement that not even stray Pokemon bothered to find disturbing.
Scrunching up their snouts in recognition for the seasonal event, the said feral creatures that thrived within the alleyways and hiding places of Slateport simply shrugged their shoulders at the usual aftermath of a departing storm. They had hidden away in their nooks and crannies during its throe, escaping the wet, cold effects associated with it, but yet when the moment was over and the weakened storm could only retreat in whatever direction the breezes carried it, they found no reason to spend time contemplating the natural occurrence. After all, storms were common to locations that traced coastlines, and therefore with a shake of limbs to remove clinging water, the Pokemon ran out to continue with their usual business (though, this time they made sure to avoid the puddles that now filled small dips in the pavement).
The humans' reaction to the storm was no different. They only glanced at the departing clouds once they stepped out from the threshold of their apartments, watching their juggernautlike figures slide away and behind the blockading view of the skyscrapers, which metallic colors contrasted with the light blue tone the sky had taken amongst its liberation. The rain was gone and the sun had returned, dawn spreading across the atmosphere over Slateport, helping it to regain that sense of liveliness it had lost when the storms had attempted to dominate it throughout the night. Businesspeople on their way to work only wiggled eyebrows at the departing storm, then humming thoughtfully before starting their way towards their workplaces with a flick of the briefcases that occupied their left hands. They held the flaps of their long trench coats closer to their bodies, but showed no acknowledgement apart from that. The storm was unable to rule the nearby skies any longer, a monster retreating beneath the glare of the sun that had begun to peak up from the horizon with a sense of sovereignty, and now that it was done for even schoolchildren spent no time conversing about the matter while on their way towards the city's various academies. Passing trainers found the occurrence nothing worth wondering about as well. Traveling all over the regions, it was everything but uncommon to them - although there was the occasional compliment on how powerful the storm had seemed last night, and the following groan and articulated hope that it hadn't soaked the dirt paths which led out of town.
Slateport City rose with the strength it always had. The storm had had a moment of dominance, but yet as usual it was nothing more than a temporary vibe of power that had diminished when the sun returned the next morning. Seeing it as nothing of great importance, the inhabitants of Slateport shook it off and continued with their daily duties.
Why and how would a simple storm have made a major difference in the lives of any of the townsfolk, anyway?
…This time it did.
The parking lot of the city's contest hall stadium was nothing but a trashed site. Construction equipment covered the asphalt surrounding the lavender-colored arena, a large gaping hole in its vast roof proving that the damage done to it had not been tended to since the previous morning. Pokemon and humans who had been assigned to work on it had been exiled into cover when the storm had begun to march towards town, but now that it was gone it was obvious that it wouldn't be long before they returned to finish the job and repair any further detriment caused by the pounding rain.
Until then, though, the area was quiet and deserted, bathing in the light the sun had cast upon Slateport as it rose into the sky. The yellow caution tape tracing the premises trembled in the calm breezes, yet its advisory worked all the same as vehicles whizzed by it with care and pedestrians on foot walked across the street to ensure that they wouldn't disturb anything in the midst of passing it. Because of this, no one bothered to notice the car that stood parked beside the curb of the entrance into the hall reserved for the actual coordinators. Its cobalt color seemed livelier now that the rain from last night had washed away any dirt and grime that scarred its surface, but yet it simply lay there as if it was a silent beast lullabied into dormancy by the very same storm, paying no heed to how the city roared with the glory of daytime recovery.
Behind its walls of metal and glass, two beings were doing the same thing.
The sun's light bled in through the car's windows that had been masked with stray water droplets and foggy splotches of moisture here and there. The atmosphere inside came to life beneath the goldenrod rays, though it remained quiet and calm all the same, the temperature keeping a cool level. Of course, the two coordinators who were sleeping inside couldn't escape the urge to wake that came with the early morning, anyway. In fact, the sun's light soon made its way over to the exposed face of one of the said beings, its brightness causing her features to scrunch up. She was tempted to turn her head the other way, but she didn't do so as her eyelids opened into slits. Feeling stiff, she slowly untangled her arms from the source of warmth she had also been laying her head against, verdigris gaze too busy renewing itself to identify what it was. She rolled over slightly, eyes still squinted as they attempted to examine her surroundings, and she let out a sigh as she woke up…
…in a car?
Now quirking her eyebrow, Soledad Sierra leaned forward with swiftness, any sense of tiredness she had had seconds ago completely gone from her bewildered visage. She glanced around, trying to remember where she was exactly and how she had ended up in a car. The sounds of Slateport were muffled from the walls of the vehicle, which convinced her to glance out the front window and identify the surroundings outside. Sure enough, the deserted location of the contest hall stadium sprawled itself out in front of her, ditches in its worn pavement filled with water and therefore covering small sections of asphalt with puddles. The sky was bright with the colors of an early morning, and Slateport City thrived beneath the sun's light – she could see it all through the window.
She reverted her eyes upwards, noticing the trailing tail of a large storm that was in the midst of fleeing from the city. Adding this fact with the moisture that covered the car's side windows and ground outside, it wasn't long before Soledad was reminded of the events from last night – presumably her long walk towards the contest hall stadium when the storm was first approaching. She glanced around some more – this time at things that were in the car – and recognized the leather seats, as well as the rolled-back one she had fallen asleep on. Then again, when she clenched her fingers, she felt herself frown at the strange material that skimmed their tips.
It didn't feel like seat leather.
It felt like…clothe…
Blinking, she turned her head to the side, noticing that her hand was lying on a jean-clad thigh. She allowed her eyes to rise until they came upon the sleeping countenance of Harley Davidson – the very being that had served as her source of warmth throughout the night. His expression was calm, his snores silent, and a warm smile found its way onto Soledad's face as she remembered the most meaningful event that had occurred last night. Because of this, she was now aware of why she was in a car, why it was morning outside, and why everything seemed to be covered in rain droplets shed by the retreating storms. She also knew why she had fallen asleep against Harley Davidson, and she was very tempted to lay her head back down on his chest and let them sleep together for another few hours. However, she knew that the site around them was under construction and it wouldn't be long before workers made their way to the scene. Attention was not something Soledad needed right now, and she was sure Harley didn't want to be scold upon either for residing in a spot they weren't wanted.
"Harley…" she cooed, coaxing her lover to wake. He didn't seem to budge, instead only letting out a deep sigh. Soledad's smile still lingered despite his lack of a response; he looked so peaceful. She felt guilty for having to disturb him. She repeated his name again with a firmer tone, nudging him in the side. He grunted, and thereafter she had to lean back to give him enough room to lean forward, his hand coming up to rub his neck. He then glanced around with groggy eyes, soon portraying a bewildered visage similar to Soledad's when she had first awoken, though when his metallic blue-green eyes met her verdigris ones, his shoulders dropped as if everything had suddenly come back to him.
"Morning," he said, his voice quiet, yet sentimental all the same. Soledad's smile stayed, even when she couldn't control herself any longer as she suddenly pounced forward and brought him into a warm embrace. He swayed back a little, but easily regained his balance, his arms wrapping around her and an affectionate look replacing his startled expression. They didn't have much room on the rolled-back seat of the car, though truthfully they didn't need a lot of space. He held her closer against him, providing her warmth and that sense of security, which was why it wasn't long before she pulled away far enough to look at him in the eyes. As if on cue, his hand came up to cup her cheek, his thumb grazing the skin beside her eye.
"Arceus, you're so beautiful," he whispered, and she felt the blood rush to her face. "Did I ever tell you that?"
Soledad smirked. "No, you haven't, but there's always a first time. Besides, you're quite pretty yourself."
Harley let out a small chuckle. "I'm afraid I got nothing compared to you."
Remembering past comments, Soledad couldn't help but find such a response ironic. However, she kept that hidden, instead replying with: "You flatter me, Harley."
"Hey, you deserve it."
He grinned childishly, and she rolled her eyes. Then, their gazes meant, and a blanket of silence covered the both of them. Their amused smiles died down, their eyes searching the depths of the other's, and only one emotion crossed their faces.
Love.
Slowly, she leaned forward - reaching upward slightly since he was somewhat taller than her - and her lips met his. He immediately returned the kiss that filled them both with memories of last night. While one of his hands still cupped her cheek and the other grasped her shoulder, her arm wrapped around his midsection and her other hand trailed up his back, fingers then losing themselves in his amethyst hair. Time was forgotten; they stayed in that position for as long as their lungs would allow, though eventually they parted from their passionate embrace and allowed their foreheads to touch, yet again panting in synch. Soledad sighed contently - the kiss had definitely been rewarding. Harley's taste lingered on her lips, his scent just as haunting.
"Can't get enough of me?" he questioned, eyeing her with a smirk, and she returned the simper.
"Hell no."
At that, Harley burst out laughing, and it wasn't long before Soledad joined in. When it died down, he asked, "So…I guess we're a couple now?"
"Well," Soledad said, cupping her chin in played thoughtfulness, "it sure looks that way. Unless, you know, making out with your purple-haired rival – slash – friend on the broken seat of his car in a deserted parking lot during a stormy night before falling asleep and waking up the next morning to kiss him passionately once again can be accounted for something else these days."
"I dunno…I've heard stories…"
She rolled her eyes, slapping him playfully on the shoulder, in which his grin came back one last time. Of course, he soon pulled her close once more, allowing her head to lean against his chest, convincing her smile to strengthen as his heartbeat sailed through her ears. "Good," he then murmured, his mouth right by her ear. "That means I can now say…I love you."
"I love you, too."
Harley hummed thoughtfully. "I gotta admit," he said, "I wasn't quite expecting any of this to happen."
Soledad shrugged. "Neither was I."
"I mean," Harley added, "independent and powerful Soledad Sierra falling for a guy like me? I've had…feelings for you…for quite some time, and I thought they would never be requited."
Flattered, Soledad felt the blood rush to her face yet again. However, it easily died down beneath a look of bewilderment at the fact that Harley had loved her longer than she had loved him. "For how long have you had a crush on me?" she asked curiously.
He met her eyes, but just as quick his head turned away, gaze darkening. "I, uh…let's just say for longer than you could probably believe…"
Soledad blinked, both wondering what he meant and why he seemed so enigmatic about it. Of course, she soon dropped the subject since he seemed to want to do so. Besides, they were together now and anything relate to unrequited love was but a thing of the past; therefore she tried her best to veer the conversation into a different direction: "So…how's your cut feeling?"
As if on cue, he cringed, now remembering where the stinging sensation currently engulfing his lower back was coming from. "Better than it was, though now I think it's sore because I slept on my back."
Soledad grimaced, her eyes flickering to the floor. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it," he said, shaking his head, an amused smile on his face as his hand came forward to cup her chin and tilt it upward. "It was worth it, or at least to me."
She had to smile at his grin.
"I just need to take my pain medication," he added, sighing in the process. "We should head back to the apartment. Our Pokemon are probably wondering if they should file a missing persons report or something."
"True," Soledad replied. "Not to mention we need to tell them about what's happened between us. I'm sure they have the right to know."
Harley groaned. "Why do I have a bad feeling that this is gonna be like a single parent telling his or her kids they have a new mom or dad?"
"Because it kind of is…" She smiled. "I'm sure they'll be understanding, though."
"I guess I'll have to take your word for that," concluded the amethyst-haired coordinator. He reached into his pocket, pulling out his car keys. "Good thing I got these out of the ignition before our incident last night," he said, chuckling slightly. "Otherwise we'd be stranded here with no fuel."
Soledad nodded. "Speaking of which, we should probably go now. We don't want to attract the attention of the construction workers that are bound to return."
Harley's face fell, and he glanced out the window vigorously, having forgotten that they were parked in a parking lot closed off to the public. "Crap, you're right." He met her eyes. "Let's get out of here before we give the contest hall even more trouble."
The amethyst-haired coordinator tried his best to slide past Soledad and into the driver's seat, their limited space now proving to be a problem as the automatic gearshift impaled his side. Eventually, the transfer was successful and Harley was soon fumbling with his keys for the sedan's ignition, Soledad raising the passenger seat and making sure to avoid leaning back so it wouldn't fall again. Soon enough, Harley's car was alive and making its way towards the small break in the yellow caution tape that revealed a hidden dirt road, which they took to reach the streets that led away from the hall and deeper into town.
Sighing, Harley looked over to Soledad with a smile, both relieved that they had made it out without anyone noticing. He reached his free hand over, taking hers in its soft hold, and their fingers intertwined in a loving embrace. She brought it up to her mouth and kissed it tenderly, then glancing out the window and at the damp scenery outside with excited eyes. She no longer held feelings of contrition or incompletion – of any worry at all. It had been replaced by the contemplation of what was going to happen in the future. She was with the man she loved, after all, and if she had him…she had all she needed.
She found her eyes flickering downward, where her free hand was fingering the handle used to lean the seat back. Of course, with the lock broken, it was useless, but when she thought about how she hadn't gained the courage to confess her feelings to Harley until the seat had put them on top of each other, she wanted to chuckle at a new absurd, yet truthful thought.
I guess I have to technically thank the seat for all of this.
She smiled, now sliding her hand down the door's ledge.
I guess I have to technically thank the car in general.
After nearly an hour of driving on sleek roads and getting caught in early morning traffic, Harley and Soledad arrived at the apartment building, which stood as tall and vast as it had been doing before. Its visage had escaped the gloominess associated with drenching rain, and therefore it towered over the nearby intersections with as much elegance as its expensive architecture strived for. Soledad only acknowledged this with a flick of an eyebrow, then mimicking Harley as the two coordinators unbuckled their seatbelts and left their vehicle, entering the cold atmosphere that consisted the outside. She shivered, now knowing why passing pedestrians had been holding their coat flaps so close to their bodies.
The repugnant scent of damp pavement still lingered in the air, though Soledad easily pushed it aside when Harley appeared beside her on their way towards the apartment building's threshold, his arm encircling her shoulders as he pulled her close and shared his warmth. She wanted to kiss the amethyst-haired man again, though she knew it would be best to wait until they were inside and away from the eyes of everyone else.
Riding the elevator to the 37th floor of the building, Harley and Soledad soon emerged into the apartment, the space as quiet and lifeless as if it had been abandoned for weeks. The temperature was comfortable, therefore Soledad found no problem in detaching herself from her boyfriend so he could hang his keys by the door and make his way into the kitchen to take his medication. She sat herself down on the couch, the soft exterior healing the muscles in her back that had been somewhat knotted from her position in the car, although it was nothing that could keep her attention when Harley came around, letting out a sigh.
"You ready to tell the children?" he asked, and her eyes flickered to the floor. A few seconds after, she gazed up at him and nodded, watching him depart into his room and come out with his Pokeballs in hand. She retrieved hers from her own room (though she kept Lapras tucked away to inform later – her size would prove a problem in the small apartment), and they both glanced at each other one last time before tossing the spherical containers outward and releasing the beings inside. They gulped as their Pokemon materialized in front of them.
Cacturne was the first to identify his surroundings and recognize Harley and Soledad standing before him. He chirped happily, sounding relieved as if he really had been worrying for their location. He glanced at Pidgeot as she formed beside him, letting out a yawn since she had just been awoken from her nap. Garchomp glanced around as she stood tall behind the bird, meeting the eyes of Ariados, in which the said spider Pokemon twitched his pincers in wonder what this was all about. The others shaped a few seconds afterwards, barking their names as if they were soldiers confirming their attendance. Harley exchanged looks with Soledad, as if giving her the hardship of starting the explanation.
She firmed herself and stepped forward, their Pokemons' eyes gluing themselves to her all at once, which caused her to squirm under the sudden gain of attention. She scolded herself, though, pondering on why this seemed to be such a difficult task. It was their Pokemon for crying out loud! Of course their Pokemon would understand if their masters got involved in a relationship! Then again, the more Soledad thought about it, the more she could agree on Harley's past analogy that this really was like telling the kids about the arrival of a new parent. "Alright…" she said, practically forcing herself to do so. Immediately their Pokemon fell silent. "I know you're all wondering why Harley and I were gone most of yesterday and throughout the night, and I know you want an explanation."
Garchomp grunted with suspicion, as if she had been requiring just that, but yet the land-shark's opinions were pushed aside when Pidgeot elbowed her in the ribs.
"It wasn't anything troublesome, if that's what you're thinking," Soledad continued. "In fact, what happened while we were gone was something…er…great? Very great? Yes, very great. Very, very great."
A look of perplexity crossed the Pokemons' faces, though Cacturne was leaning forward as if he somehow already knew what was trying to be said.
"Harley and I…" the pink-red-haired woman began, feeling herself falter. "We're…uh…"
"Together," Harley finished for her, stepping up to her side and wrapping an arm around her waist, and whether it was an act of affection or something to amplify their claim, Soledad couldn't really tell. However, it seemed to help their Pokemon understand, because their faces had fallen in both realization and shock.
"Gar…gar…chomp?" Garchomp squeaked.
To…geth…er?
Harley nodded, his voice firmer than Soledad's, though she could tell through his tight muscles that he was as nervous as she was. "Yes, together. We're a couple now."
The Pokemon exchanged looks with one another, blinking at a situation that they hadn't been expecting. Then again, when Cacturne suddenly exploded with cheer, pumping his arms into the air as if he had just won a tournament, it was obvious that the scarecrow had been comprehending the vibes between his master and Soledad all this time. In fact, he sang with pride, jumping onto the couch and engorging himself into a dance, even pointing his arm towards the others, his tone mocking.
I knew it! I knew it! I'm the only one who knew it!
Garchomp snarled, as if she was ready to pound his face in, but the others succeeded in holding her back, and therefore Cacturne continued to laugh in glee. Eventually, the other Pokemon broke out into cachinnation, happy for their masters as they gazed at them with lit eyes. A snort rose from Garchomp's chest; she was forcing herself from sending a Flamethrower Cacturne's way, in which the said grass and dark type was now rushing towards Harley and jumping around him with more energy than he had shown before, soon changing his course so that he circled Soledad.
"Chill," Harley commanded, though he soon chuckled as Cacturne came around to give him a congratulatory hug. The amethyst-haired coordinator then leaned down to one knee, gesturing for his Pokemon to come forth and embrace him as their excited expressions showed they wanted to. They rushed forward and crowded around their master, Soledad mirroring so her own Pokemon could articulate their felicitations. Garchomp stayed back, rolling her eyes at the familylike scene – though when Harley's other Pokemon stepped away from him, the land-shark approached, flashing him a quick smile that went unnoticed by her allies. She then came forward and embraced her master, chirping her good wishes as Harley returned the hug with a smile of his own. Of course, she was taller than him, so his arms could only reach up to the space right above her dorsal fin, but the sight was heartwarming all the same.
As the Pokemon stepped away from their masters, Soledad gave a sigh of relief. The confession had ended without an epic fight and their Pokemon understood completely, having even approved the fact that she and Harley were now together. The said amethyst-haired coordinator came towards her, cupping her chin and tilting her head up so that their eyes could meet. Then, as if it was the final piece of proof to their Pokemon that their romantic relationship was official, he leaned forward and closed the distance between them, lips caressing hers. She returned the kiss with vigor, wrapping her arms around him.
Needless to say, their Pokemon were fully convinced. Claps, wolf-whistles, and locomotivelike cheers even emitted from a few members.
Harley and Soledad pulled away from one another, glancing at their Pokemon with smirks, then back at each other. His hand came up, brushing a stray bang from her face, and he leaned in for another kiss-
A ringing tone, faint yet peculiar, suddenly erupted out of nowhere.
Harley and Soledad separated, bewildered eyes searching for the source of the chime. Their Pokemon were doing the same, the sound as foreign to them as it was to their masters. With a hum, Soledad walked forward, heading towards the location where it seemed like the noise was originating from, and as she did so the sound seemed to grow more and more familiar to her. She stayed silent, though, walking into her room, where the din was as loud as it could be. Scanning the area, she soon realized it was coming from under the bed…
…from her suitcase.
Pulling the luggage out, she opened it up, digging through clothes and Pokemon equipment until she located the source. She found herself blinking when her PokeNav came into view, vibrating and emitting the ringing sound that she now remembered signified that someone was attempting to call her on it. Though a PokeNav was a useful tool to coordinators - and she knew how to use the handheld device as much as a regular trainer knew how to work a Pokedex - she had never been in many situations where she needed its phonelike feature. Nonetheless, wondering who could possibly be trying to reach her, she flipped it open and brought it to her ear, muttering out a: "Hello…?"
"Hey, Soledad."
At that split second, the world seemed to stop spinning.
Every muscle in Soledad's body stiffened. Her eyes widened. Her heartbeat quickened to a hearable extent. She felt a sensation of weakness flush through her, and she would've been amazed that she hadn't lost her grip on the PokeNav if the person on the other line hadn't been the one being who could resurrect a whole new set of conflicts in this newly-established version of a wonderful life.
Drew.
It was only now when Soledad realized that she had forgotten about Drew since the previous morning. She hadn't acknowledged his existence when Harley was brought home from the hospital and she realized she had fallen in love with him. She hadn't acknowledged his existence when she stepped from Harley's apartment in the middle of an approaching storm, banished herself to hide in the damaged contest hall stadium, and only to be later rescued by Harley. She hadn't acknowledged his existence when she confessed her feelings to Harley and they both kissed until their lips were sore, and fatigue took over to where they fell asleep in each other's arms on the rolled-back passenger seat of the amethyst-haired coordinator's car.
She hadn't acknowledged Drew's existence when she agreed with herself that with Harley by her side, life was to be nothing but happiness from now on.
She felt dumb.
"You there?"
Soledad cringed as Drew egged for a response. His tone was as suave as it usually was, but yet it seemed both dull and lively at the same time, as if he was happy about one thing and sad with another. Of course, she was too paranoid to say a word, remembering all the times Drew had pulled her away from Harley with the suspicion that the amethyst-haired coordinator was up to something, presumably an assassination to get rid of her. She had completely ignored his warnings in order to justify her friendship with Harley, but now that their relationship was something much more than that...Soledad didn't want to think about what Drew's reaction would be if she told him. It would be a response beyond disastrous.
Soledad could feel her skin pale at the thought.
She bit her lip. It was like the confession stage all over again, although now its risks were a lot more dangerous. Drew despised Harley, so if she told him that she was together with the amethyst-haired coordinator, would he despise her, too? She loved Harley - she wasn't ashamed to be with him. But yet she loved Drew as well – he was a sonlike figure to her; they had been looking out for each other longer than anyone could guess. She didn't want to lose him…
To tell the truth, Drew fit the comparison of the fatherless kid in Harley's analogy better than their Pokemon.
"Drew," she greeted into the PokeNav, trying her best to keep her voice from becoming a nervous squeak.
She could hear the teenager grunt. "How've you been doing? Pretty nasty storm last night, eh?"
"Pretty nasty," she agreed, wanting to gulp. The fact that he had no idea of her romantic relationship with Harley was filling her with anxiousness, but yet she couldn't bring herself to inform him of it. Or, at least not right now. "Where were you and May yesterday?"
"If you must know, we were talking to the contest judges."
Soledad's face fell, curiosity dominating all other emotions. "Really? What for?"
Somehow, she could sense that he smirked. "For our rematch."
Her eyebrow practically rose itself. "Rematch?" she repeated.
"Yes. The rematch between May and I, and you and Harley. Can you believe it, Soledad? The fans want us to finish what we started before the accident ruined everything!"
Soledad couldn't pinpoint a past occasion when the chartreuse-haired coordinator had sounded this excited. She was still trying to process the information in general. "The fans? Wait…do you mean they're not mad or upset on what happened?"
"Apparently not. The judges don't even seem to be that upset. In fact, they agree that we deserve to have a rematch to justify the victorious pair of the 'unrequited brawl of epic proportions', or as dubbed by the local paper."
Her eyes flickered to the ground. The fans weren't mad about the conclusion of the Brave Rush formation? The judges weren't mad? They wanted to see a rematch? Seriously?
"Soledad? You there?"
"I'm just trying to find sense in all of this."
"Well," Drew replied, "I guess if you have as much recognition and respectful fans as we do, the occasional accident isn't going to deter them from wanting to see a life-changing battle."
Ignoring the obvious tone of arrogance in the chartreuse-haired teen's voice, Soledad was amazed that neither she nor Harley's reputation had been ruined by the incident. Instead, it was seen as nothing but the usual setback most skilled Pokemon trainers experienced every now and then. Since no one was hurt apart from Harley, who seemed well enough to keep going, the fans and judges were actually insisting that they finish what they started. With such fame in the coordinating world, Soledad couldn't help but agree that further ignoring the incompletion of their match seemed like quite the disturbance…
She didn't know if she was supposed to feel flattered, or skeptic.
"Since the contest hall arena is damaged in Slateport," Drew continued, "they've decided to hold the rematch at the stadium in Lilycove."
"Lilycove?" Soledad repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Why there?"
"It's the only stadium that's free right now. Any others are already booked to host regular contests – they can't do it." He chuckled. "So…I'll expect you'll be there? May and I are heading out tomorrow."
Soledad let out a sigh, contemplating on her options. It was indeed inspiring to hear that people wanted the match continued, but… "I don't know…"
"Come on, Soledad. You're not the type to pass on a challenge – definitely when it's something that's been left unfinished. Besides, the fans and judges have defied logic to give us this chance, so I wouldn't see it to be fair if you turn down their request. I mean, it's not every day that you get people who rather see another risky battle than file lawsuits – not that I'm implying another accident will happen, of course."
A frown covered Soledad's face. She agreed that it would be disrespectful to neglect the needs of the people, but were they really willing to forgive and forget just like that? Then again, when she thought about it, accidents in coordinating were nothing uncommon, and they probably saw this as just another day on the job. Still, though, she had her own risks in going, which included having to confront Drew. She didn't know if she could… "I'll have to talk with Harley about it," she spoke, and Drew grunted at the mention of the amethyst-haired coordinator.
"Fine, fine, fine. But if you do decide to attend, it takes place three weeks from now. Call me when you've chosen, okay?" A snort. "Oh, and tell Harley that May said hi and hope he feels better."
"Alright."
"Later, Soledad."
"Bye."
She closed the PokeNav, feeling her shoulders sag as she sat on the edge of her bed's mattress. Eventually, after putting her PokeNav away, she emerged into the living room, noticing that Harley had stayed behind with their Pokemon until she solved whatever issue she had had on the phone. He turned his metallic blue-green eyes to her, and she suddenly felt as if she was in restricted territory.
"Who was it?" he asked, walking towards her, and Soledad forced herself to keep a thoughtful look.
"Drew."
The amethyst-haired coordinator cocked his head. "Really? What he say?"
With a sigh, Soledad explained everything about the proposed rematch.
"Wow," Harley said once Soledad finished, and their Pokemon remained silent in the back with their own set of gawks. "Talk about some dedicated fans. We're not getting sued, and instead we're getting invited for a rematch?"
Soledad shrugged. "The fans have spoken."
Harley paced to the window, cupping his chin in thought, narrowed eyes examining the world outside. Meanwhile, Soledad had her own issues, including how to tell Drew about her relationship with Harley. She had to tell him – if she didn't, every moment of interaction between them would be filled with awkwardness. And she couldn't run away with Harley as if this was some sort of Romeo-Juliet situation; that meant she would have to leave Drew and the life she worked so hard for prior to her arrival in Slateport. If she didn't tell Drew, she would lose him. But yet, if she did tell him, she would most likely still lose him.
It sure hadn't taken long for her self-interrogation to return...
"I think we should do it."
Soledad blinked, escaping her thoughts as she turned her attention to Harley, who had his arms crossed over his chest and a determined look on his face. She couldn't help but raise her eyebrows, considering the stitched wound on his back that had come from the previous contest. "Really?" she asked. "Even with the fact that you got hurt? That you almost…" She couldn't bear herself to say that last part.
"Soledad," the amethyst-haired coordinator chuckled, though it sounded more like a scold than anything else, "it was an accident. If you're a professional surfer and your leg gets bitten off by a Sharpedo, is that going to make you stop surfing?"
Soledad frowned. "Yes, it probably would, actually."
Harley's face fell once he noticed the preposterousness of his own philosophy, and he grinned sheepishly. "Er, okay, let me rephrase that: If you're trying to learn how to ride a bike and you fall and scrape your knee, is that going to stop you from wanting to learn how to ride it?"
This time, Soledad had to sigh in defeat. "No, it wouldn't…"
"Exactly. Why would this situation be any different? Sure, I got hurt, but it's just a flesh wound, and certainly nothing that's going to hold me back from doing what I love. Are you gonna let it cage you in?"
Feeling slightly foolish, Soledad shook her head. "Of course not."
Harley smirked, taunting her. "What? I didn't hear you."
"I said no!" Soledad replied, fists clenching, blood boiling.
"Is the great Soledad Sierra just gonna give it all up and become a diner waitress?"
"Hell no!"
Harley was right, Soledad mentally growled. She was Soledad Sierra, damn it! And in no way was she going to drop that and all she had accomplished into a meaningless ditch and leave it to die! She couldn't!
At the sight of her riled up, Harley threw his head back and he let out a victorious laugh. "I didn't think you would!" He stepped forward until he was right in front of her, his eyes examining the flames of determination that now filled hers. His tone grew quiet. "There," he murmured, his hot breath fanning her face. "That's the Soledad I fell in love with."
Soledad's expression fell at his words, and she turned her eyes to the floor, face heating up.
"Are we up for it?" Harley asked, his simper returning as she rose her gaze to meet his.
And she had to smirk herself. "There's no way I can say 'no' now."
As if on cue, their Pokemon burst into cheer. Even Garchomp and Pidgeot looked ready to renew themselves, determined to prove that whatever strength they had, they knew how to put to an awe-inspiring use.
"I say we leave tomorrow," said Harley. "The sooner we get to Lilycove, the better. We can start training there for a new formation, too."
Soledad frowned. "So, we're not gonna use the Brave Rush?"
"Well, with the fact that it's a dangerous maneuver that's damaged the nearby stadium, I don't think it's a good idea. Our fans may have given us a second chance, but I don't think they would be happy to see that again."
"True," the pink-red-haired woman muttered, disappointed, though she understood his logic.
"Besides," Harley added, "we should probably come up with something fresh and new. I mean, no doubt are May and Drew doing the same, and now that we have three weeks of time we can come up with something really great and not so…risky."
Soledad nodded.
"Now…" her boyfriend continued, head turning away, and his voice suddenly grew quiet. "How do you suppose we reveal our relationship to the public and to May and Drew?"
Soledad froze, having not expected Harley to be thinking about the very same conflict that was currently plaguing her more than anything. She turned her eyes to the ground, hissing a curse under her breath. She wasn't as concerned for the possible reactions from the public and May as she was with the one from Drew. She swallowed hard, agreeing with herself that it would be best to tell him. She couldn't hide it, which was why she now pondered for how she could possibly bring it out into the open without a crash-and-burn type of conclusion drenched in tears.
She needed time. Yeah, that's it! She just needed to think of a good way of confessing! With three weeks ahead filled with training for a match her fans apparently needed to see in order for them to sleep at night, she could also use the time in trying to think of a solution to this issue. Before she knew it, her mind had spoken before her conscious could catch up:
"Why don't we wait to tell everyone?"
Harley cocked an eyebrow, and Soledad felt herself gulp, hastily adding, "It seems a little awkward to reveal it right before an 'epic' contest. So, why don't we save it for a surprise and tell all of our fans, as well as May and Drew, right after?"
She didn't really know if she was lying. She knew that having three weeks to think of a non-tragic way to reveal their relationship to Drew and the rest of the world would help. She would mention to Harley that it was because she was nervous to inform Drew about it, but she held her tongue at this. She didn't want to risk giving Harley a false vibe that she was ashamed to be with him – and all for Drew's sake. She was proud to be with him; she wanted to be with him more than anything.
At least with time she could think of a proper way to explain this.
Harley's eyes flickered with thought. "You really think so?" he replied, sounding unconvinced, yet seconds later an amused smile crossed his lips. "I guess that makes sense. Besides, seeing the reactions on everybody's faces right in the middle of a packed contest hall arena would definitely make it all the more exciting."
Soledad breathed a sigh of relief.
"Though, I must admit," Harley said, walking closer, and he leaned forward until his mouth was right by her ear. "It's going to be hard keeping my hands off of you while we're in daylight."
A cold shiver crawled up her spine as his hot breath blew across her cheek. She felt her mouth water, and her attempt at teasing him was nearly deluged by it. "D-don't push your luck, Davidson."
Harley pulled away with a smirk on his face, his tone seductive. "As long as you don't push yours, Sierra."
More wolf-whistles emitted from their Pokemon.
And as Soledad kissed him - their own way of agreeing with their plans - she honestly hoped she could keep her end of that deal.
