"Imagine a room where the flowers they bloom through the cracks in the floor and the ceiling. Just you and the missus and rose scented kisses, my what a wonderful feeling" - Plain White T's "Welcome to Mystery"
13 The Glass Castle
We were extremely terrified after that. With more speed than a herd of Rapidash we had cleaned up our damp campsite and were off again. We walked in a huddled group, jumping at every little thing. Soon our shoes were muddy, as were our pants from the ankle down.
The bracelet still felt oddly warm on my wrist, making the rest of my body feel strangely cold in comparison. I had the medallion Madame Eulixia had given me out, spinning it around and trying to decipher what the damn engravings said. They were complete gibberish, carved in a dead language.
Misty walked beside me, which was a comfort. If anything were to attack her, I was glad to be the one protecting her. She peered over my shoulder as I twirled the medallion around again. "Figure anything out yet?"
I shook my head. "It's completely unintelligible," I told her.
May leaned on Drew for support, still shaking from her delusions. Max hovered on her other side, ready to catch her. Dawn had found some Band Aids in her bag and forced the young Trainer to stick one on his forehead. He wasn't happy about it, but at least now he wasn't gushing blood. There wasn't much we could do about May's injury.
It had stopped raining, which was a relief. I don't think walking in that kind of storm would have been a good idea.
Paul remained unnaturally silent, even for him. He walked briskly with his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his blue jacket, his purple hair hiding his face. It occurred to me that he hadn't said a thing when May had been distraught.
Well, he doesn't have a heart, I told myself angrily. You're expecting too much from the world's biggest jerk. I adjusted my bag and continued to stare at the medallion, so hard that my head started to hurt. Those stupid little letters made NO sense at all.
"Hey," Brock said. He had taken the map from Misty and was now evaluating our path. "We just passed the 2,000 feet elevation point."
"Wonderful," Drew grumbled. He hated his backpack more each minute, since it was hell bent on sliding off his shoulders, while the traumatized May had to lean on him for support. I don't care who you are; May is heavy (no offense, May! You do eat a lot of food, but I swear it doesn't show!), and I would be tired too if I were lugging her up a mountain.
"Was there a point to alerting us to that fact?" Paul asked with a roll of his eyes.
Brock shrugged. "I just thought you might want to know."
"Pika pika," Pikachu said. He jumped off my shoulder and scurried up ahead, curiously peaking around the curve we were approaching. Cautiously, his tiny nose wiggled as he sniffed the air.
"What is it, buddy?" I questioned.
Dawn made a face before releasing her Piplup. "Go see what's wrong," she commanded it.
"Pip!" exclaimed the tiny penguin, and it waddled after Pikachu eagerly. As it approached the turn where Pikachu was stationed, it froze, its beak quivering as it caught a scent on the wind.
"Huh," Brock observed. "That's strange."
"What?" I asked.
"I kinda expected them to attack us again," he explained.
"Yeah," Misty agreed. "Instead, they're just… confused, I guess."
The Pokemon exchanged a puzzled glance, then raced off out of sight.
"Whoa!" I exclaimed, instantly panicking. Where were they going? I started to run after them, and everyone else followed me.
"Ash, wait up!" called Dawn.
Soon I reached the turn, curving gently upwards. In an instant what was behind the bend came into view. And I saw why the Pokemon had stopped.
A magnificent sight awaited me, practically glowing in its magnificence. It was a castle made entirely of glass, set right smack in the middle of our intended path. Yeah, a castle on a mountain. Was there ever anything more out of the ordinary?
Right then, my alarm bells should've gone off. With May hallucinating combined with this, we should have turned around and walked back down the mountain. But no, we stared at it, entranced, for Mew knows how long, until one of us finally blinked.
"It's so… beautiful," Dawn whispered.
Pikachu and Piplup had already reached the castle's glorious gates, staring up at it in awe. Quite unlike the two Pokemon, as they were almost always chattering away with each other.
It felt like a dream. I walked slowly towards the amazing thing before me, only slightly aware of my friends walking alongside me. It felt as if no one else in this world existed but me.
And then I felt a strange tug, and I knew that what I had just thought was false.
There was no one in the world except for me… and Misty.
I was overcome by such an intense desire for love that at first I wasn't sure what to do about it. Suddenly, we were at the castle gates, and then inside the glass beauty, and then I knew exactly what to do. I had utmost confidence in myself. Misty would never deny me if my plan worked. And even then, I was so sure it would work that I didn't have a doubt in my mind.
My eyes met Drew's, and he cast May a rather gentlemanly smirk (don't ask how he did it cause I'll never be able to explain it). Her fingers knotted themselves in his jacket as if she felt safe with him, and her shimmering sapphire eyes rolled up to gaze into his emerald ones. I was remotely jealous of the love they shared with that unspoken exchange, but I reminded myself that after tonight, I would have my own.
*****************************************************************Paragraph Break******************************************************
Misty, May, and Dawn flounced into the shimmering glass room, their footsteps echoing beautifully on the translucent floor. It felt as if they knew every inch of this glass paradise, like they had lived in it their whole lives. "Come, girls," May called in a strangely lofty voice, her wound completely forgotten. "There is a ball tonight."
The other two floated after her, not a care in the world. "Yes, of course," Dawn echoed. "We must get ready for the ball."
"I wonder what dress I shall wear," Misty sang.
They drifted around the room, to a wardrobe that contained everything they could ever want. Glorious dresses of all colors awaited them, each one so beautiful they could walk around by themselves and be the most wanted partner at a dance.
Dazzled, the girls tried the dresses on, oohing and aahing with each one. They were unable to decide which dress looked best, so they released their Pokemon to help them decide.
However, instead of giving an opinion of any sort, the Pokemon gazed at the door for a long moment before sprinting out of it. They raced out of the room and down the hall, silent, and the girls didn't see them again.
They couldn't have cared less.
***************************************************************Paragraph Break*********************************************************
Something in my mind told me there was a dance. A ball sort of dance. And if I wanted to impress my fair Misty, I had to attend, dressed as a most striking gentleman, and woo her with elegant dance steps and some playful, flirtatious words.
I could pull it off, I was certain.
"Look," Drew called. He emerged from one of the adjoining rooms, dressed in one of the most ridiculous things I had ever seen.
It was a Spanish bullfighting outfit, colored a dark green to match his hair. There were streaks of gold across it, glittering like they were made of gems. He had a hat perched on his head that matched the rest of his getup. To top it all off, he had a cape of brilliant red draped over his arm.
I grinned. "May does have the fighting spirit of a bull," I remarked.
Drew arched a skeptical eyebrow. "You may as well go out in your swim suit. Misty's guaranteed to get you wet."
I glanced at the array of clothes in the wardrobe, each one tasteful and certainly something my Misty would approve of. Eventually, I selected some marvelous black suit, and wearing it made me feel dangerous.
"Hey," Paul called, and we turned to comment on his outfit. However, Paul was yet to be dressed in his costume. "Do you guys get the feeling this isn't… right?"
Drew and I blinked, confused. "Why would you think that?" I asked, genuinely concerned.
Paul scowled at me, but it wasn't his usual angry glare. It was more puzzled than anything. He opened his mouth slowly, as if he were trying to form the words in his mind before putting them in the air.
Drew saw this and started to laugh. "Save it, my friend!" he chuckled. "Dawn loves to talk much more than we do."
Paul's face turned that weird shade of pink with embarrassment, causing him to turn on his heel and whisk away, grumbling something unintelligible.
Smirking, Drew glanced out the window, where there was nothing to see but villainous swirling clouds. "'Tis almost time," he remarked.
I nodded, agreeing. Something in the back of my mind said something wasn't right, but I wasn't about to listen. By the end of the night, Misty would be head over heels for me, and I wasn't about to let my conscience get in the way of that.
***********************************************************Paragraph Break*************************************************************
Paul was not happy. They had walked into this damn glass castle that looked like something out of his little sister's Barbie doll collection, and all of a sudden Drew and Ash were going off about some ball and dressing up in outrageous costumes; the girls could be heard down the hall, giggling about Mew knows what; his Pokemon were fighting to get out of their balls; and Brock and Max had disappeared.
What in the name of Arceus was going on?
He stormed down the hall into a room that he just seemed to know was his. That made him even angrier. It was like the castle was controlling them, guiding them to its will.
And, by the way, what the hell was a glass castle doing in the middle of a mountain path? It didn't make any sense.
Paul growled a little bit more and tore through the wardrobe that awaited him. The clothes were ludicrous. Stupid, frilly things straight out of the Renaissance era that even Shakespeare would have been ashamed to wear. He took one look at the ridiculously tight pants and felt a twinge of pain where the heart of manhood was. They were the equivalent of a woman's Spandex, save for a slit cut and then patched up so the men could breathe.
And, lo and behold, there were tassels hanging right were his balls were supposed to go. He winced and imagined them swinging as he walked, and threw the pants down in disgust. There was no way in heaven or hell he would ever wear that.
Paul hated being confused, as he was currently. He always knew what to do, except for right now. And it irritated him to no end.
"Paul!" called a sing-songy voice.
He already had a biting comment prepared to tell whoever the happy person was to get lost, but when he turned around, he saw it was Dawn. Paul instantly swallowed his words and proceeded to say nothing.
Dawn smiled her dazzling smile. She was leaning around the doorway mischievously, her beautiful blue hair swinging around her face. "Are you almost ready? The ball starts in an hour!"
Astounded, Paul blinked. Dawn was going on about this ball thing too? He shrugged, unsure of how to reply.
The blunette giggled. "Oh, don't tell me you're not coming! I shan't have a dance partner if you don't come!"
Paul stared. Shan't?
Again, Dawn giggled, and she vanished from his doorway. Paul heard her excited feet pattering down the glass hall.
He shook his head. This was definitely not right.
*********************************************************Paragraph Break****************************************************************
Max and Brock huddled in the dark corner, terrified. It felt like the wonders of the glass castle were from another day and age, while they were merely a couple dozen feet below it. The Pokemon advanced, growling menacingly. "N-nice Piplup," Brock squeaked.
The penguin gave an indignant squeak and Pikachu gave Brock an electric shock.
Max quaked with fear and, though he had no tears, his glasses were strangely blurry. He could barely see his attackers. They were merely blurs of color coming towards him with deadly intentions. I told May there was something wrong with them! he thought indignantly, but there was no time to be angry at his sister. His life was in danger.
Wait. What was that? A clear shape in his fuzzy vision?
Not just clear. Whatever it was, it was shining. Like Max was supposed to focus on it and it alone.
Momentarily, he forgot his fear, until he realized he had seen that thing before.
The majestic cat watched him with her glorious yellow eyes, her tail swishing furiously. She stood far behind the other Pokemon, set higher up as if superior. Impossible wings unfolded from the blades of her shoulders, glistening like the night sky.
Yacaeli gave a low growl before leaping into the air and out of an incredibly tall window, leaving a single, silvery feather behind. The other Pokemon—and Brock, for that matter—didn't even notice her. They proceeded to surround Max and the Breeder, firing painful attacks every time they moved.
****************************************************************Paragraph Break*********************************************************
I felt my face form a smirk worthy of Drew as the six of us filtered into the dance hall. The three girls looked beautiful, without a doubt, but the pinnacle was Misty. She wore a flowing dress of the softest blue, something that girls would call a "twirling dress". Her hair was down, curling elegantly at her shoulders. And her perfect cerulean eyes were locked on mine, ready.
May, of course, seemed to have known what Drew was going to wear and had donned a Spanish dress of deep red and a huge skirt. She had placed a decorative flower in her hair, and it did look nice, but I had eyes only for Misty.
However, I can't skip over Dawn. Her outfit was far too stunning to do that.
Our favorite blunette was wearing a pure white dress that barely reached her ankles. Exquisite designs curled up at the hem, visible only when the light caught it just right. Someone had braided white ribbons into her navy hair, causing Dawn to look more like a bride than anything. But it was pretty, I must admit.
Music started, and now that I think about it I wonder where it came from. I took Misty's delicate hand and pressed my lips to it. She blushed sweetly as I proceeded to snake my arm around her waist in a well-practiced waltz I never knew I knew.
"Nervous?" I murmured. My lips were at her ear, tickling her with each breath.
Misty blinked teasingly and moved so that we were nose to nose. "Not in the least, Ketchum."
We danced for what felt like only a few minutes (it was probably more like hours) before I could no longer resist her. "Are you ready?" I whispered. She knew exactly what I meant.
A sly grin crept onto her perfect pink lips. "I always have been," she replied.
It makes me blush to say that we just up and walked out of the hall, up to what was supposedly my room. I led her to the bed, and she sat down. I pulled off my jacket; she grinned devilishly.
I perched on the bed next to her, my confidence through the roof. I had her now. "So," I began, "did you have a good time?"
She smiled, and it only boosted my coolness even more. "I think you can make it better," she said seductively.
I smirked again, and gently took her hand. It was sweetly cool, assuring me of her certainty. We were inching closer. "And I will," I whispered. My eyes closed instinctively. Our lips met in a sweet kiss, something that was so sure it felt like it had been planned in a movie. We separated, and met each others gaze with mischievous smiles.
"I can't believe I waited all these years for you to do that," Misty said huskily.
"I can't believe I'm waiting again," I replied, and I kissed her again, much more vigorously.
She returned my kisses with her warm, supple lips. I moved from the corner of her mouth down her neck, nuzzling between kissed. She sighed contentedly, and I felt her delicate lips on my earlobe. My hands ran up and down her back, tangling themselves in her gorgeous red hair. I felt her grab a fistful of my hair in order to push me down on the bed.
"Oh, Ash," she moaned. "This is heaven."
… Heaven? Wait, what? Hang on, she was right! This was far—I mean, way—too perfect to be real. I'm not gonna lie, I was enjoying it, but… suddenly everything seemed slow, even dulled. This wasn't right. We had just gone to a ball composed of six people on a journey up a mountain. Where was the logic in that?
Wait… only six people. There were people missing…
"Ash?" Misty said, confused. "How come you stopped?"
I pushed her off, a little more forcefully than I originally intended. "Something's not right."
She glared at me and grabbed me by the collar of my shirt. "No way," she growled. "This is as right as it gets." And she kissed me again.
I forgot everything.
*AN: Look at me, I made it FOUR days! Woo! So, there's the romance that I promised! It was super weird, I know, but Mt. Fellorit is NOT your average mountain. K, I'm exhausted. Had a long day of swim team, university lectures, and bridge breaking. Oh, and crappy college pizza. Also, you may have noticed I changed all my transitions to lame "Paragraph Breaks" because I realized my asterisk transitions didn't show on the real thing. So I had to go and change ALL OF THAT. It was miserable, but it was worth it if it makes it easier for you guys to read. Yeah, I hate it too.*