"Cacturne cac cacturne!"

Rise and shine!

Soledad grunted, opening her eyes into slits, spotting a flash of green before she felt the sensation of something hard jumping onto the bed. Her eyes then widened and she nearly toppled over and onto the floor, but she stayed herself by clutching the side of the mattress, shaking her head to clear her blurry vision in order to identify who had just marched into the room.

She met a pair of yellow eyes, their owner grinning largely, and she let out a groggy sigh. "Hey, Cacturne."

"Cacturne!" the scarecrow replied, the size of his smile increasing.

Soledad turned her head once her vision cleared, noticing how the rays of the early morning were bleeding into the room through the nearby windows, warming up the atmosphere and giving it a sense of peacefulness. It was the perfect mood for a nap, and therefore she struggled to keep her eyes open. Then again, Cacturne called his name every time she slouched back down, so she had no choice but to hoist herself up, choosing then to glance at the opposite side of the large bed and see if Cacturne had coaxed her lover to wake as well.

He wasn't there.

She arched an eyebrow, swinging her gaze around to locate Harley.

Cacturne caught sight of this and pointed an arm to the bathroom right outside of the bedroom, where the sound of running water hinted that her boyfriend was already in the midst of taking care of the usual morning hygiene. In fact, he soon stepped into view, a toothbrush dangling from his mouth. He looked more awake than she did, though she couldn't tell if he had just gotten up himself.

"Morning," he said out of the corner of his mouth, the edge of the other side creasing upward into a small half-smile.

"Arceus," Soledad could only reply, wanting to lay her head back down onto the pillow behind her. "Your bed's comfortable. Why didn't you let me sleep here before?"

Harley grabbed the toothbrush from his mouth and smirked. "Trust me, I wanted to."

Soledad chuckled. "What time is it?"

"Seven…something."

She frowned. "That's kind of early. I thought you weren't a morning person."

Harley shrugged. "I'm not. Cacturne woke me up to make sure we didn't miss our time to leave."

"To leave?"

"Lilycove, remember?"

Soledad grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah…"

She swung her legs over the edge of the mattress, massaging the bridge of her nose to get rid of any lingering tiredness. She got up, and as soon as she did the smell of sizzling eggs reached her nose, causing her to sniff the air like a Poochyena surveying the environment's scent. "What's cooking?"

Harley poked his head out of the bathroom again. "Beats me. Garchomp's cooking something, though, and it actually smells good."

As if finally remembering Garchomp, Cacturne leaped off the bed and rushed towards the kitchen, leaving Soledad to stretch and release another yawn. She and Harley had spent most of yesterday just taking walks throughout Slateport as an average couple would, discussing their possible future - though their conversations had mostly consisted of new formation ideas for the upcoming rematch between them and May and Drew. Unlike the last time, though, they hadn't gone to the nearby park to train, instead deciding to save any necessary training for when they reached Lilycove, in which they still needed to get there.

Soledad emerged into the living room just as Harley turned off the faucet in the bathroom, stepping out to join her. They then embraced and shared a small kiss before making their way to the kitchen, following the conversation that was transpiring between Cacturne and Garchomp. The two coordinators hoped that it wasn't another argument - their words sounded heated.

"Gar?" Garchomp said right as Harley and Soledad entered the kitchen, her eyes focused on Cacturne, who was standing beside her, watching her nuzzle the cooking eggs in the frying pan with her spatula. She didn't seem mad, but instead confused, now switching her gaze between Cacturne and the cupboard right next to the stove, which was filled with a variety of different seasonings. Slowly, she reached up for the canister of a certain spice, then shifting her eyes to Cacturne as she gently brought it up over the eggs, ready to tap it if required.

Cacturne gazed at her chosen ingredient with stern eyes. He then coughed purposely into his arm, as if signaling something, and Garchomp squirmed before pulling the canister away from the eggs and putting it back.

She reached for a different one, watching Cacturne as she did so. When the tips of the scarecrow's mouth twitched upward at her new, better choice, Garchomp smirked with superiority and tapped the canister over the eggs, spraying them with the seasoning inside.

"Oh my Arceus," Harley whispered to Soledad. "They're actually working together. It's a miracle."

Soledad chuckled, though she immediately stopped when Garchomp turned to glare at her.

Cacturne then chuckled, though he stopped when Garchomp turned to glare at him.

Minutes later, Harley and Soledad were seated at the dining room table, one plate of cooked, seasoned eggs placed in front of each of them. Despite that they appeared non-toxic, Soledad had to feel slight skepticism since - as Harley had mentioned before they were escorted to the table – this was the first time Garchomp had made something without much of Cacturne's help. She could tell by the way Harley looked at the plate in front of him that he was just as nervous as she.

"I'll go first," he eventually said, grimacing at the thought. "If my stomach explodes, make sure you take care of my Pokemon, okay?"

Soledad's laughter came back at that, convincing Garchomp, who was standing beside the table, to cross her arms and let out a humph.

Slowly, Harley took a bite of the eggs, immediately cringing afterwards, waiting for something to explode. Of course, when nothing happened, he opened his eyes and smiled. "Hey, that's not bad."

Garchomp grinned and posed proudly, smirking at Cacturne. "Garchomp, garchomp, gar!"

Ha ha! See? I can cook too.

Cacturne had to roll his eyes at her arrogance, sarcasm riding his voice. "Cacturne, cacturne, cac cac cacturne."

Yes, and you're such a culinary professional now you can cook eggs like ninety-nine-point-nine percent of the rest of the world.

Garchomp's expression fell, and she snarled at Cacturne. Seconds later, they were both engorged into an argument, and Harley nearly slapped himself in the face.

"So much for them working together…" he muttered.

Soledad sighed. "Good things never last long."

They both nodded in agreement, then dipping back into their eggs while Garchomp and Cacturne took their 'heated debate' into the living room.

"So," Soledad began, ignoring the squabbling, "how are we going to get to Lilycove? We got a plane to catch or something?"

Harley shook his head. "Nope, we're drivin'."

Soledad nearly dropped her fork. "Driving?"

Her boyfriend smirked. "But of course. Lilycove is a pretty big place, so we're going to need to have a way of transportation that doesn't have to include the crowded train systems."

Soledad frowned. "How long will it take to drive there?"

"Regarding that we have no traffic – and we don't make too many stops – I'd say about three days."

Having to drive there didn't sound encouraging to Soledad, but yet for some reason the idea of being cooped up in Harley's car for the next few days didn't seem all that bad. She popped a piece of egg into her mouth, producing a hum at the thought.

"Don't worry," said Harley. "Time flies when you're on the road."

"Yeah, I have to agree with you there," Soledad replied, remembering how quickly the days went when she was still traveling the regions on foot during her earlier coordinating years.

The squabbling between Garchomp and Cacturne continued on behind her. She turned her head to glance at them like Harley was, the two Pokemon oblivious to their master's lingering stare.

"Think we should stop them?" Harley asked.

Soledad shrugged, turning back around. "Nah, let them get it out of their systems."


Outside, the light of the early morning sun drenched Slateport City with life. There were no longer any traces of the storm that had occurred the day before yesterday; it was as if the sun had managed to dry every inch of wetness from the city's downtown area, causing the associated scent of damp pavement to dissipate as well. The inhabitants of the city showed no signs of being cold, instead basking in the heat of the sun as it poured down on them, restoring the town back to its usual livelihood.

Cars whizzed by as Harley and Soledad emerged from the apartment building, the loud sounds of a bustling city immediately filling their ears. Harley, used to such a way of life, turned to his girlfriend. "I'll get the car. Make sure Cacturne and Garchomp don't kill each other while trying to bring the bags down."

Soledad smiled at the humor of the statement. "Of course."

Harley departed towards the parking lot beside the building, whereas Soledad retreated back into the lobby to await Garchomp and Cacturne's descent from the apartment room. Soon enough, they came rushing down the stairs as if they were engorged into a race, carrying bags over their heads as they passed the elevators and rocketed across the lobby towards the doors. Soledad frowned, knowing that if they kept going the way they did they would eventually tumble or collide, and the last thing she and Harley needed right now was having to make a return trip to the Slateport City Hospital just to get the amethyst-haired coordinator's rivaling Pokemon healed up.

The familiar cobalt-colored four-door sedan that was Harley's car pulled up to the nearby curb, Harley watching his two Pokemon struggle to get out the door and towards his vehicle. His eyebrows furrowed and he shook his head in disappointment.

Garchomp was the first to reach his car, and she shot a smirk at Cacturne before making her way to the car's trunk, flipping it open with her tail. She then placed the suitcase into the corner of the compartment, growling slightly when Cacturne appeared beside her and placed the luggage he was carrying into the space opposite from hers. She nudged him with her elbow, and with a grunt he nudged back, nearly pushing her out of the way entirely. She snarled, getting into a stance where it looked like she was ready to pounce on the scarecrow, but the sudden honk of the car's horn caused her to falter and almost tumble over.

"Behave, you two," Harley said from the driver's seat, his hand resting on the car's horn. "Unless you want to go back into your Pokeballs."

Garchomp crossed her arms, letting out a humph, and Cacturne simply walked passed her, going back into the apartment building – presumably to make sure that their apartment's door was locked and everything else was prepared for their absence over the next few weeks.

As Cacturne did that, Garchomp pushed away her frustration and got to work shutting the trunk. She did so, turning around to move on afterwards – though just as soon as she pivoted, the trunk's lid swayed back up. The land-shark glanced at it with an arched eyebrow, grunting before making her way back and shutting it yet again. However, it swayed open just as it had done before, convincing Garchomp to grit her fangs and slam it down with more force.

It kept on swaying back up.

Harley could feel the car jump every time Garchomp slammed down the trunk's lid, and he viewed her frustrated expression through his side mirror. "Yeah, don't you remember, Garchomp? That's broken, too – like the seat. You have to play with it a little until it clicks in." He let out a sigh, muttering, "Note to self: Get this car fixed before I'm dead."

Garchomp glared at the trunk's lid as it swayed back open for the fifteenth time. She slammed it down once more, now pushing her entire body onto it in an effort to keep it down. However, it only swung back up with more power, causing her to stumble over and onto her rear.

Meanwhile, Soledad emerged from the apartment building, having stayed inside to await Cacturne's arrival. As the said scarecrow passed her, she switched her verdigris gaze to the land-shark struggling to close the lid of the car's trunk, and she felt a pang of sympathy touch her as the lid swung ajar once again, this time bopping poor Garchomp in the snout.

Cacturne came up to the land-shark's side, though she didn't glare at him – too busy rubbing her sore snout to care much about what he was attempting to do. The scarecrow reached up to the trunk's lid, gently pulling it down. It locked into place…

…and didn't sway back up.

Garchomp's jaw dropped, and Cacturne smirked at her before making his way to the window of the driver's seat, saluting at his master.

Harley rolled his eyes and unclipped Cacturne's Pokeball from his belt. "You want in, or out?" the amethyst-haired coordinator asked.

Cacturne shrugged, shooting a glance at Garchomp, who was moping in shame behind the car. For a split second, the scarecrow frowned, his eyes sympathetic, though just as fast as that semblance came upon him did it dissipate. He knew that he and Garchomp had been getting into a lot of fights lately, and if his master and his lover were to survive the three-day trip to Lilycove, they would probably need to avoid quarreling of any kind. Because of this, Cacturne pointed at the Pokeball and nodded.

Harley raised an eyebrow. "Really? You haven't rode in the car for a while…"

Cacturne scratched the back of his head, yellow eyes focused on the ground.

"Well," said Harley, aiming the Pokeball at him, "if you say so."

The famous red light shot from the ball's button, hitting Cacturne and sucking him back into the spherical haven.

Meanwhile, Soledad came around. "Think you should do the same with Garchomp?"

Harley sighed. "Probably. Garchomp, come on."

Garchomp perked her head up at her master's call, coming forth to confront him. She no longer appeared sad, but instead angry, her crossed arms and head so scrunched up that she looked like a grumpy hunchback. She was muttering her name in fast paces, and no doubt in Pokemon speak were they insults to Cacturne.

Harley returned the land-shark to her Pokeball, clipping it onto his belt right as Soledad got into the passenger seat. "They're never going to like each other," he said.

"And I repeat," Soledad replied, "good things never last."

Harley glanced at her and frowned, though it faded away before she could notice it. "Right…well, anyway, I suppose we should be going."

He put his foot to the pedal, and the two coordinators were off.


The first day of the trip to Lilycove was mostly quiet. Harley and Soledad spent a fourth of the day talking about possible formation ideas and who to use in the upcoming rematch while they were driving down the free roads. Surprisingly, there were not many other cars, and therefore Harley assumed that his estimation of being able to arrive there in a total of three days would indeed be true. The only time they stopped was for lunch, dinner, and, finally, a motel to stay for the night before continuing their trip the next day.

The second day of the trip to Lilycove was just as quiet, and this was mainly because Soledad had gone back to thinking about Drew and his possible reaction to the relationship between her and Harley. She was still terrified at the thought of telling him in general, but she knew she had to. Because of this, she was somewhat dreading their arrival in Lilycove, already beginning to worry about what would happen if they were to run into May and Drew. Would they be able to keep their relationship a secret until after the rematch? Would they be able to avoid suspicion? She felt like a spy who was trying to justify her way of life to her client, and the client wasn't willing to accept her side of the story.

She sighed. Sometimes, she wished she didn't have to hide anything – that neither she nor Harley would have to change to suit what the world wanted. She somewhat wished that the car drive to Lilycove would never end; that way, she would never have to confront Drew about it, and she and Harley could just be in the same place together for as long as she needed.

Their own world. She didn't care if it had to be small, but she was starting to wish that she and Harley could just forget the world outside of the car like they did the night they confessed. They'd create their own world where they could be together without any consequences; where pasts, characters, and actions didn't have to matter. In the real world, they would, but in their own world, they would have no meaning.

"Sol?"

Soledad escaped from her trance, meeting Harley's eyes.

"You okay?" he asked. "It looks like you've been dozing off on me since this morning."

"I'm fine," she said. "Just…just thinking about the rematch."

Harley turned his attention back to the road. "Oh…"

Soledad turned her head to glance out the window. It was still the second day of the trip, but now it had gotten late; twilight had begun to commence across the sky, turning it into a myriad of colors blended together by the retreating sun. Her eyes glanced downward, where her hand had found the handle to her broken seat, and she kept on being reminded of that one night – where their own world had been established inside of the car. Right now, as the vehicle soared down the roads that led to Lilycove, she had that same sensation of home.

However, instead of smiling warmly at the thought, she glanced at her lover, asking, "Did you ever…sometimes feel like you wanted to create your own world?"

She had to make sure she wasn't going crazy with these thoughts.

Harley met her gaze for a split second before returning it to the road. "What do you mean?"

"Like…a world where you didn't have to worry about anything in the real one. Your own sanctuary…"

Harley hummed, the brightness of his eyes dimming at the thought. "Oh…yeah…" He chuckled softly. "I remember when I first got this thing. Like I said, it was just before I moved out of my parents' house and I went out on my own. Before I started my coordinating journey, I used to get mad and frustrated about stuff – my parents, who I was, and lots of other things. And every time I was mad, I would get in this car and just drive around Slateport. It would help clear my head, and sometimes I even felt safe enough to sleep in here. It was my own world, I can tell you that; no one else could get in. It was kind of like…another home." He chuckled again. "That probably sounds dorky, but whatev."

Soledad shook her head. "No, it's not dorky. It makes perfect sense." She smiled. "I kind of feel the same way."

Whenever she was with Harley, she felt at home. In fact, the idea of the car being a sort of 'home on the road' fit perfectly, because as long as Harley was with her, anywhere felt like home.

She brought her hand forward and entwined her fingers with his, convincing him to shoot her a soft smile that just made her want to embrace him.

'Home on the road'. She liked the sound of that.

She just wished it never had to end.


The third and final day of the trip to Lilycove was even quieter than the other two, because just as before Soledad was lost in her thoughts, trying to think of a way to confess to Drew about her relationship with Harley when the time came up. She didn't let the decision consume her this time, though, and it wasn't long before she and Harley were back to discussing formation ideas.

The day passed by, and it was the late afternoon when Soledad was stirred awake by her lover.

"We're there," he answered to her wondering eyes, and she looked forward, being greeted by the second biggest city in the Pokemon world - Lilycove. It looked like Slateport, with its various skyscrapers and business buildings, and the large harbor by the coast that was filled with docked ships. Harley's car entered the gateway into the bustling city, passing dozens of pedestrians and their Pokemon as they walked by on the sidewalks, other cars getting caught in traffic jams along all of the main roads that consisted the town. It wasn't long before Harley's vehicle joined them.

Soledad glanced around at what she could see through her window. It had been a while since she had been to Lilycove, and because of this it looked somewhat foreign. She couldn't tell if the city had expanded at all since her last visit.

As their car moved into a long line of vehicles waiting behind a red streetlight, Soledad glanced out her window once more. She caught sight of a large corporate building right across the street from them, its height towering over any other nearby buildings. She arched an eyebrow in interest at the structure, noticing that portraits of the Legendaries Moltres and Ho-Oh had been painted across the front, giving the building an intimidating visage as the two birds stared down on whoever was looking up at them. 'Phoenix Industries' it said at the top, and for some reason Soledad couldn't take her eyes off of it. There was something about it that was just…intriguing.

"Sol?"

"Yeah?" Soledad answered, escaping from her trance and taking her eyes off of the corporate building right as Harley's car passed it.

"There's a hotel just up the street," Harley said. "We should probably stay there, since – if I remember correctly – the city's park is on this side of town. We need that for training for our new formation."

Soledad nodded in agreement.

It wasn't long before Harley led his vehicle towards a parking lot beside a building that looked almost identical to the apartment building back in Slateport. However, this one didn't seem as elegant in architectural design as the one in Slateport, though Soledad could tell that it maintained some sense of artistry due to the large fountain that sat in the middle of the grassy field right outside of the building's revolving doors. People walked in and out from it, showing no acknowledgement to the cobalt-colored car passing them as it headed around the circular roads consisting the entrance, eventually reaching the opening into the leveled parking garage. Harley drove the car up to the third level, parking it in the back and far away from the other vehicles that had been placed into other slots, all lined up like soldiers encased in metal. Through this, Soledad could easily tell that the hotel they were going to be staying at wasn't going to be one of those quiet, isolated ones they had seen while driving to Lilycove. This city could definitely counter Slateport, she thought.

Soon, they emerged from the vehicle and made their way to the lobby of the hotel, checking into a room that sat on the fifth floor of the tall building. Once they reached their temporary home – an average-sized room with one large bed, a TV, drawers, a washroom, and the usual pictures with philosophical sayings that covered the walls – they began to unpack, releasing their Pokemon so they could get used to the new environment; after all, they were all going to be staying there for a little less than a month.

Cacturne rushed to the window, which gave a vast view of Lilycove City, the ocean and its horizon metamorphosing into a reddish-orange as the sun began to sink behind it. The scarecrow grinned widely; he had almost forgotten what the town looked like since he hadn't seen it in a few years. He could hear the sounds of a bustling town erupt from below, a scent of freshness lingering in the air as if the seawater's aroma had found a way to leak into their hotel room. Of course, Cacturne didn't mind it; like Soledad, Lilycove reminded him of the attributes of Slateport.

"Garchomp," muttered a voice, and Cacturne turned around to meet the glare of a familiar land-shark.

"Crap," whispered Harley, "I guess I shouldn't've released them together."

Soledad nodded, though then, to both of the coordinators' amazement, Cacturne didn't smirk in superiority of his rivalry with Garchomp, instead stepping to the side so that the land-shark could look out the window as well. Her eyes slightly brightened with surprise at the scarecrow's generosity, though she quickly shook the thought from her head before she had to mumble a word of gratitude. She stepped forward, glancing through the window, humming thoughtfully as Cacturne attempted to point out the large contest hall stadium that could barely be seen behind the skyscrapers and corporate buildings that obscured its view. Then again, it was on the other side of the city, so such a thing made sense.

Meanwhile, Harley and Soledad's other Pokemon had already begun to help them unpack, each one appearing excited as if anticipating the rematch. Soledad wished she had such enthusiasm, but said nothing when a familiar ringlike tone suddenly began to emit from her suitcase.

Harley turned his head to her. "Is someone trying to call you again?"

Soledad could only shrug, though she had an idea of who was attempting to contact her as she unburied her PokeNav from the bottom of her luggage, bringing it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Soledad."

Soledad frowned, keeping her tone quiet so she wouldn't attract Harley's attention. "Hey, Drew."

"Have you finally made it to Lilycove? We haven't talked in three days – I can only assume that you've accepted the challenge?"

"Yeah," Soledad said, anxiety beginning to tug on her muscles. It felt so awkward talking to Drew while in the midst of keeping a big secret from him. "We just got here; it took us a while to arrive since we drove. Um, I suppose you and May have made it, too?"

Somehow, she could sense that Drew smirked. "Of course. There's no way May and I are going to miss out on this. Anyway, where are you staying?"

"A hotel by the city's park."

"Ah, we're staying in the hotel by the stadium."

Soledad shifted weight between her shoulders, as if trying to think of something to say that would break the imaginary cloud of awkwardness hovering above her. "So…how're your formations coming along?"

"Oh, quite well. In fact, May and I already have an idea of who we're going to use and what were going to use. You?"

"Erm…still deciding."

Drew hummed. "Well, that's okay. You have a lot of time to come up with something, and, knowing you, it'll be something great."

Soledad had to smile at that.

"Well," Drew continued, "it's getting late, but May thinks we should all go out to dinner or something. You interested?"

Soledad's eyes flickered to the carpeted floor. Actually meeting up with Drew – in person? Her stomach lurched at the thought; already would the capability to hide her relationship with Harley be put to the test, because she didn't want to say no to Drew's offer. "Sure…" she mumbled, trying to keep her tone enthusiastic, though it felt like it wasn't working.

However, Drew didn't seem to notice anything, save the contemplating hum she could faintly hear with the fake cough he then produced. "Right," he said. "Well, once you're settled in and everything, come down to the restaurant in the middle of town. I'll send you the address through the PokeNav."

"Alright."

"See you in an hour or two."

"Ditto."

Drew hung up, and Soledad practically tossed the PokeNav back into her bag. She then laid back and onto the soft comforter that covered the room's bed, letting out a sigh of both exhaustion and frustration. When Harley approached, though, sitting next to her, she put on a smile, battling her anxiousness as her amethyst-haired lover asked, "Who was that? Drew?"

Soledad nodded. "Drew and May have invited us to dinner tonight. Well, May has at least…"

For some reason, Harley couldn't help but grin wickedly. "Well, look at that – we just got here and we're already going to attempt to hide our relationship."

Soledad leaned back up. "And whether we can do that is what I'm afraid of."

"Don't worry, Sol," Harley cooed, brushing a bang from her face so he could gaze into her verdigris eyes, "I'm good at hiding things – I've been doing that for quite a while."

Soledad wanted to arch an eyebrow at his statement, but said nothing, instead brushing her hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat tap her fingertips. "Well, I guess as of now that'll make two of us."

Harley glanced at the alarm clock on the small drawer beside the table, deciding to change the topic. "So…we have about an hour before we need to leave to meet up with May and Drew?"

"Mmmhmm."

The amethyst-haired coordinator switched his gaze back to his partner, his metallic blue-green eyes already beginning to glow in the darkness that partially engulfed the room due to the setting sun. "What should we do until then?"

Soledad met his eyes, frowning in thought. However, she soon smirked seductively, her hand that was still hovering over his shirt now clenching, grabbing a fistful of the material. "I have an idea," she purred, and Harley, aware of where she was getting at, returned the devious smile, showing no resistance when the pink-red-haired woman then began to pull him forward-

"Cac?"

The two coordinators broke apart, turning their eyes to meet the widened ones of their Pokemon, who had been standing in a group beside the window.

"Whoops," Harley said, blushing slightly, "I guess we should return them to their Pokeballs before we continue."

Soledad nodded, and the two adults did just that.

"Now," Harley continued, nuzzling his face into Soledad's hair, breathing in its scent. "Where were we?"

Soledad smiled, pulling him back so their lips could finally meet.


The restaurant Drew had directed Harley and Soledad to was located right in the middle of the city, nearly making the two coordinators late due to the traffic jams and slow streetlights that seemed to be trying to prevent them from getting there on time. Of course, they managed to make it with five minutes to spare, and therefore they spent some time examining the fancy-appearing bar-and-grill, admiring the lit torches that looked to be greeting anyone passing by with swishes of their fiery substances. The windows were large, allowing Soledad to catch a glimpse of the inside as she and Harley left their car; bright lights illuminated every table, increasing the attractiveness of the various dishes being placed in front of hungry customers, and adding more life to the faces of those who were laughing at whatever joke their nearby partners or family members were articulating.

Not only that, but nighttime had taken over Lilycove once Harley and Soledad had reached their destination. This gave the restaurant a more tribal look, as if it was something one would see on a tropical island inhabited by natives. It shined brightly in the pitch-blackness of the sleeping day as if it was its own sun.

As Harley led the way to the entrance, Soledad felt her stomach lurch as it had done before, proving that the tightness in her muscles was nothing short of a side effect of her nervousness. She was about to confront Drew for the first time since starting her relationship with Harley, and though it was her idea to begin with, she couldn't help but dread the fact that she would have to pull through on trying to keep their relationship a secret until after the rematch. She knew Harley wasn't nervous, seeing as how there was that lively, yet firm bounce in his step, and she was certain that he was going to remain true to his earlier words – that he was good at hiding things. She felt somewhat relieved at that fact.

Once they entered the restaurant, they were immediately greeted by the sounds of clashing silverware and the meshed conversations of already-seated customers. An aroma of cooked steak filled the air, the sizzling sounds emitting from the kitchen adding to the semblance of divine cuisine. Lamps that hung from the ceiling hovered above each booth, their dimmed bulbs casting a faint glow of gold across the wooden tables, and Soledad had to wonder why the place had looked brighter when she was outside. Portable tables covered the carpeted flooring in each of the dining rooms, surrounded by large families and groups of friends, and the bar itself was also hidden beneath a long line of late-night laborers who were trying to gulp down one last glass of beer before – presumably – returning to their workplaces to finish off the rest of their shift.

"Wow," Harley said, blinking, "fancy place."

"I'll say," replied Soledad.

"Harley! Soledad!"

The two said coordinators turned their heads towards the source of the call, which was revealed to be May as she peeked her head up from above the edge of her booth, waving her hand to catch their attention. They made their way over, passing waiters carrying trays of food, and to the booth May and Drew had chosen.

May grinned. "Nice to see you're here."

Harley smiled. "Likewise."

Soledad shot a glance at Drew, noticing that he was staring at Harley with a narrowed gaze. The pink-red-haired woman could now mentally confirm that this dinner meeting was indeed May's idea; Drew wouldn't be caught dead inviting Harley to do anything with him.

Soon enough, Harley and Soledad were seated at the table, May and Drew sitting across from them just as they had done before with their previous dinner meeting during the contest in Slateport. Drew leaned forward, clasping his hands together in front of him just like a serious business man would. His emerald eyes scanned the two adults, shifting between one and the other, remaining silent as if he was a cop preparing himself to interrogate a pair of troublemakers.

Soledad swallowed hard. Being so close to Drew and hiding a big secret simultaneously was eating her from the inside out. However, she kept on a firm façade, not wanting to add to the suspicion that was clearly evident in Drew's wandering glare. She had already confirmed before that she wasn't ready to tell him yet; it would be after the rematch before she and Harley confessed. Until then, whatever had been bothering Drew over their last few confrontations was still a mystery to her. In fact, she was tempted to point out how his eyes had dimmed slightly when he caught sight of Harley shooting a small smile her way, but held it in and instead focused on maintaining the independence Drew had known her to have ever since they first met all those years ago.

"So…" May spoke out, breaking the veil of awkward silence that had overtaken their table. "…worked on any new formations yet?"

Harley shook his head. "Not yet."

May arched an eyebrow. "Then what were you two doing before you got here?"

At that, Harley and Soledad exchanged surprised glances, turning their heads away to hide the blushes that now covered their faces.

"N-nothing…just talking," answered Soledad, shaking away the redness from her face. She could hear Drew grunt at the comment, but whatever the sound was for she didn't know. She turned her head around slowly, noticing that the chartreuse-haired teenager was now stirring the ice cubes in his glass of water with his straw. She let out a sigh of relief, and she swore that she heard a similar relieved breath of air exhale from her lover right next to her.

That was close.

May hummed. "Ah, well, Drew and I have been working hard on our new formation." She grinned wickedly. "It's going to be something no one will ever forget!"

Harley had to chuckle in response, turning his head around, his blush long gone. "That sounds like a challenge, my dear May."

"Oh, it is," May said, and she turned her attention to Drew. "Ain't that right, Drew?"

Drew's head dipped upward at the call of his name. His expression was weak, and a sense of sadness was beginning to overpower his earlier one of frustration. "Hm? Oh yeah…"

Soledad gazed at him with both sympathy and bewilderment.

"Well, ours is going to be epic – that's for sure," added May, smiling proudly. "As epic as a Legendary, like Mew."

Harley flicked an eyebrow, though he then put on a cheesy grin. "Oh yeah? Ours will be more epic than Lugia."

May frowned. "Ours will be more epic than Rayquaza!"

"Ours will be more epic than Groudon!"

"Ours will be more epic than Palkia!"

"Ours will be more epic than Dialga-"

"Will you two stop it?" hissed Drew. "You're giving me a migraine!"

Silence.

Then Harley and May burst out laughing. Even Soledad had to join in, leaving Drew to groan into the air and cross his arms like an annoyed child.

However, seconds later, Drew was back to staring at his glass of water, swirling the liquid around with his straw. His eyes were dimmed, as if he was in deep thought, and Soledad could only watch him in silence while Harley and May conversed with one another. She wondered what was wrong with him – why he had been looking this way for so long – but yet she couldn't bring herself to mention it. After all, it was most likely private business, and she wouldn't want to bring it out into the open.

Though, when she thought about it – Drew had sounded excited over the PokeNav. But now he seemed as depressed as ever, as if a recent occurrence had triggered something hurtful.

It was awkward to be with him now because of her relationship with Harley, but yet she didn't want to have to wait until after the rematch to see if their connections would even survive. She opened her mouth to say something, though it quickly closed again when Drew tipped his head so that his narrowed eyes were focused on her. She turned her own gaze away.

A few seconds after, their food was delivered.

However, Soledad only picked at her meal, as Drew was doing with his.


An hour later – after the check was paid and their table was cleaned of any traces of their occupancy – Harley, Soledad, May, and Drew emerged into the city-lit night of Lilycove, and immediately Soledad was reminded of their last dinner meeting. She and Harley turned their attention to May and Drew as they approached.

"So," May began, "with the whole training thing and all, I suppose we can squeeze in a few more confrontations?"

Harley smiled. "Of course." He got closer, whispering, "After all, our formation's going to be more epic than Arceus."

The brunette gawked, and then pouted. "Gah," she said, "you win that round."

Harley smirked. He then turned his attention to the rest of the group. "It's probably time we all head back to our hotel rooms."

Soledad nodded in agreement, beginning to follow her lover towards his car (whereas May walked up to the street to try to catch the attention of a nearby taxi). However, before the pink-red-haired woman could take another step, she felt something grasp her arm and stay her.

She turned her head, meeting Drew's emerald eyes. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Drew sighed, letting go of her arm. "I just wanted to check in on you. Is everything alright? Has Harley tried anything?"

Soledad bit her lip. Now it was really hard to make references to Harley, and all due to their relationship. She could no longer say anything about what she would do if Harley did 'perform' something, because she knew Harley was a good person. Or, at least now he was, though Drew had yet to accept that.

"Nope," Soledad answered, trying to sound casual. "I told you, Drew, he's changed."

Drew snorted. "Can you blame me for being skeptic?"

Soledad didn't have an answer to that.

"Just…listen," Drew said. "If he does try anything…just tell me, please? He may be your partner, but that doesn't mean you have to trust him. I don't trust him. So, tell me if something happens. I don't keep secrets from you, and you don't keep secrets from me – it's always been that way between us, right?"

Soledad felt guilt strike her like a bullet. Her eyes lowered to the ground, and she couldn't muster herself to say anything. Drew was right, but yet here she was keeping the biggest secret she had enclosed behind imaginary walls. She was going to tell him; she had to, but not now. After the rematch, she kept telling herself. After the rematch she would confess, and by then she would hopefully have a strategic way of doing so – a way that wouldn't hurt Drew. She never did keep secrets from him; being coordinating allies years ago had convinced them to be more truthful with one another. But…was this a sort of truth he would want to hear – her being in love with his most hated enemy? That's what she was afraid of – having to live up to the oaths sworn between them and getting shunned away because of it.

"I will, Drew," she replied, her tone as quiet as his. "I keep my promises – I will tell you if anything happens."

Drew nodded. "Okay…" His head perked up as he heard May call his name, a taxi car waiting right behind her. He returned his eyes to Soledad. "See you later, Soledad."

And with that, he was off.

"Eventually," she added under her breath. "Eventually, I'll tell you. I'm just not ready yet." She sighed. "And I don't think you're ready either."

Soledad made her way to Harley's car, which had already been turned on, her amethyst-haired lover waiting for her patiently in the driver's seat. She got into the passenger one.

"Wow, we barely avoided getting caught," Harley said, chuckling. He then glanced at Soledad, though his face fell. "You okay, Sol?"

Soledad met his metallic blue-green stare, and, as if it was an automatic reflex, she leaned in and kissed him.

"Whoa…" he said once she pulled away. "What was that for?"

Soledad could only sigh. "Just…enjoying our secret while it lasts."