Author's Note: This is the second part of what was supposed to be one chapter, but they're now two different chapters, not two parts (why am I so persistent on that fact?). If you can't tell what Light's choice is, your blinder than a Zubat. Anyway, this chapter also has a lot of emotions, though not as long as the last chapter. When this chapter uploads, I'll have reach 45K words and 100 pages on my word document version. I'm happy to know that I'm almost to 50K words. I don't think I'll be able to reach 100K by the end, though. ;_; (sad tears this time)

Light's Adventures

Chapter 17: The Choice

They headed on back through the hallway to Nick's room. Once inside, Nick immediately yawned and headed for the bedroom.

"He seems as tired as if he had been training," Blaze muttered.

"Maybe reading is tiring," Light said.

Blaze shrugged, "Yeah, but he doesn't have to do it.

"And we don't have to train, but we still do," Light retorted.

"Okay, okay, wise guy, you win," Blaze said.

"See, brawl isn't everything," Light sent back at him.

Suddenly, Blair came up, "Umm . . . Blaze, have you- Oh sorry Light, but could you give us a moment?"

Light nodded, "I've got something to do anyway."

Light headed further into the room while the two Flareon went into the corner near the door. Light looked around, but only saw Red lounging on the couch and Ace on the windowsill. Then he noticed something about the window.

"Ace, could you let me out?" Light asked.

Ace looked around frantically, "Um . . . oh . . . t-the door is over there."

Light gave the Pidgeotto a stare, "I meant could you move so I could go out the window."

"Oh . . . uh . . . that . . . well you see . . . oh, I can't fly in the room," Ace said, finding an excuse.

"Really, well how did you get over to the back of the couch last night?" Light asked, starting to get irritated.

"Oh . . . Did I?" Ace reflected.

"Oh, you right, you must have sleep flew over there, right?" Light said, getting an idea.

"Oh, y-yes that's probably possible that I did, um I think," Ace said, getting confused.

"In that case, I guess you can't fly off the windowsill if you can't fly in the room, right?" Light continued.

"Umm, yes," Ace said, getting even more confused.

"Okay, then," Light said and started using Psychic. It was harder with his eyes open, but he had concentrated while he had talked to Ace. He lifted the Pidgeotto and put him on the back of the couch. Before he could react, Light jumped up onto the windowsill. "There, now you didn't fly, you levitated. Bye," he said, before jumping outside. He shut the window with Psychic, right before Ace flew out. Ace perched on the window and started to try and tell Light something, but the glass prevented it.

Light opened a channel quickly to hear, Uh oh, she's not going to like this.

He cut the channel there and thought, I wonder what she's not going to like. He sniffed the air. Only one smell was recent: Cream. Now he would find why Cream was outside and be able tell her his choice. He followed the trail. It was mostly the same as before and eventually ended at the same cave. Light took a deep breath and came around the corner.

Cream was sitting at the back wall, facing the wall. However, she had noticed him already and, in an emotionless voice, said, "You're wondering why again, aren't you? I told Ace it would be useless to try and stop you."

"Why was Ace trying to stop me?" Light asked.

"To buy me enough time," she said, her back still to him.

"To do what?" Light asked.

"To run," she said simply.

"You didn't look like you were running just then," Light pointed out, avoiding the other question for now.

Her shoulders rose and then fell slowly, as though she had taken a deep breath, "It's the last place that had your scent. I wanted to remember it before I continued."

Seeing nothing else to ask, he sighed and asked, "Okay, why are you running again?"

She slowly shook her head, "I already know you're answer to the unspoken question Light, and I can't live here knowing I can't be with you." She started to break down and her emotions of grief started to show, "I can't stand being near you, but not having you, Light. So I'm-"

"Cream," Light interrupted.

She hesitated for a second, and then said, "Yes?"

"I don't think you really know what my answer to the 'unspoken' question, Cream," Light started. He could see Cream was holding her breath. "Cream, my answer also comes with a question. Cream, I love you and I want to know if you would be my mate," Light started to hold his breath.

Cream slowly turned around. Her expression was one of joy, wariness, disbelief, and the fading grief. She still held her breath as she searched Light's eyes. Finally, she decided that he was being truthful. She let her breath out and came up to Light. Light was distressed to find new tears forming. She stopped in front of Light and whispered, "R-really?"

Light nodded. Some inner part of him took over and he said, "Cream, I'm sorry for not realizing my love for you earlier. This is the first time that I've ever been in love and it took me a little to find that out, but Cream, I love you. I truly love you, just as you are. You're a gentle, kind, fun loving, and beautiful Eevee. But most of all, you're honest, trustworthy, and someone I would want next to me for the rest of my life. You're perfect in my eyes, and I want you to be my one and only lifelong mate."

Cream's eyes started to tear up even more as he finished his little speech.

Oh great, I've messed it all up, Light thought. "Is it something I sa-"

All of a sudden, Cream wrapped him in a hug and dragged him closer. She started to cry into his chest. Not knowing what to do, Light started to soothe her by petting her back with his paw. He brought his head down and licked her on the head.

He sighed. What had he done? Cream noticed the sigh, pressed against him as she was and she backed up, suppressing her tears for a second, "L-Light, w-what's w-wrong?"

"I thought you would be happy if I told you, not cry all over again," he said, holding back tears of his own.

Cream started to laugh, "I am happy, Light. These are happy tears."

"Oh, good, so what's your answer then?" Light asked.

"Wait, can you slap me or something?" Cream interrupted.

"What!" Light exclaimed.

"I want to make sure I'm not dreaming," she laughed.

"Oh, well I'm sure you're not dreaming, though I may be," Light said. "Sooooo . . . your answer, Cream?"

A look of pure joy went across her face, "Of course I'll be your mate, Light."

Light pulled her in a tight hug of his own, placing his head on top of hers. "Thank you, Cream. I promise that I will love you forever and I'll protect you with every breath in my body. I love you," Light whispered into her ear.

"I love you, too, Light," Cream answered.

They stayed like that for a while, before exiting the cave. As they did, they were facing the sun as it set. They were on a slight slope and the sight from there was awesome. They sat together and watched the sunset, their tails entwining behind them.

Once the sunset was over, they headed back to the Pokemon Center. Ace was sleeping already on the windowsill with the window still shut.

"How about we make a nest here, under the window so we don't wake Ace?" Light suggested.

"That sounds great, Light," Cream said.

They gathered enough leaves for them both and curled up together. Light wrapped a foreleg and his tail around the Eevee and pulled her close. He gave her a kiss on the head and fell asleep, enjoying the smell of her fur.

(0)

Light woke as the sunlight hit him. He was about to get up when he realized that someone was next to him. Then the memories came back from yesterday. He stayed still to allow his precious Eevee to sleep a little longer. He inhaled her wonderful scent.

Soon, the sunlight awoke Cream. Light moved and let Cream stretch. Once she had, he pulled her in a hug and licked her on the head. They then moved away from the wall of the building and faced the window.

Ace was looking out at the sun and the horizon and had not seen them until they moved. When they did, he squawked and fluttered into the air for a second, waking everyone else. He opened the window and said, "Man, you two gave me a fright. Wait, does this mean what I think it does?"

As he said this, Light opened a channel between the three and heard, They're mates! Light and Cream laughed and nodded.

"What's wrong Ace?" Blaze asked sleepily.

"Nothing's wrong. Something's right. Light-" Ace started. Light cut him off by shutting his beak with Psychic.

Let us tell them, Ace, Light silently sent.

Ace nodded and Light let him go. Ace fluttered into the air and waited for Light and Cream to jump through before landing again on the windowsill.

"What's up, Light? You looked like you just won the Pokemon League by yourself," Blaze said, grinning almost as much as Light.

"By your face, I'd say you know," Light replied, referring to Blaze and Blair.

Blaze shuffled his paws and glanced away, blushing some. This time it was Blair's turn to grin. She gave him a lick on the cheek, "I guess you don't get to tell them. I told you it would be obvious."

"You were right, though, Blaze. Your description didn't even come close," Light said.

Blaze chuckled, "I told you so, Light."

Light looked over at where Red was curled up, right where she was last night. However, the rising and falling of her shoulders were too erratic for her to be sleeping normally. Light touched her mind and knew she was awake.

Cream, who still had a channel open with him, motioned to Red and thought, I think you need to say something to her.

Okay, stay back, though. Try to keep the others busy, too, Light sent back. He slowly approached Red's nest as Cream talked to the others. He sat by her like last time and could barely hear her sobbing into her tail. "Red," he whispered.

Red tensed.

"I guess you know, then. Please don't think anything bad, I just don't have the feelings for you that I have for Cream," he continued in a whispered.

"It's because of me. I'm not good enough," she said, starting to quietly sob again.

"Red-" Light started.

"No," she interrupted, though she continued to muffle her voice with her tail, "I know that you just don't like me because I'm not strong enough and I'm ugly, I know it. I couldn't even beat Cream, Cream!"

"Red," Light continued in a whisper. This time, however, he added much more authority and conviction. "If you speak that way about yourself again, I . . . won't speak to you ever again. I have feelings for Cream, but not because you're not good enough. You're a beautiful Vulpix with a sleek, shiny coat. You're strong enough to defeat opponents four, if not five, times you're size. You're a wonderful friend, but I just don't feel the same way about you that you do me.

"I surprised you don't already have two or three suitors lining up to see you. Someday you'll meet that special someone that'll balance out your fiery spirit. Once you do, then you'll see that I'm right. That Pokemon will be one lucky, too. They'll have you, but they can't do that if you keep crying about this, alright?"

Red took a deep breath and moved her tail from her face. "Thank you, Light. That really helped. I'm sorry for that, and I'll promise not to berate myself again. Congratulations, Light. Cream's a lucky Eevee," Red said shakily.

"Thank you, Red," Light said, dipping his head. He went back over to the others.

Blair was looking worriedly over at Red, "Did she take it hard?"

Light nodded, "Yeah, but I calmed her down."

Suddenly the door opened from the bedroom. Nick came out, yawning. He gave them their breakfasts and then sat down to his. After breakfast, Nick did some exercises, the first Light had ever seen him do, and then started stretching.

I thought you stretched before you exercised, Nick, Light sent to him.

"Oh, whoops," he said. "Oh, well, too late now. Are you guys ready to train?" he asked.

Blaze and Light exchanged glances and Light didn't have to read his mind to know what he was thinking. Actually, we kind of wanted this day off, if you wouldn't mind, Light confessed.

Nick's jaw dropped, "Light, are you okay? You just asked to skip training!"

You're funny when you do that, Cream giggled as she thought.

"Wait, who said that?" Nick asked, looking around quickly, his cheeks slightly turning red.

That was Cream, through my telepathy, though I didn't know she could do that. But I'm serious; we really want this day off, Light thought.

Plleeeaaasse? Cream thought to Nick.

"Well, I guess you guys deserve a day-" Nick said, interrupted by the cheers of the two new couples.

Light and Cream started to walk away after Blaze and Blair, both couples' tails entwining.

Light felt the realization strike Nick even without the channel open. "Wow, two of them, too!" Nick muttered to himself, though loud enough for most of them to hear.

Light and Cream chuckled together.