The Thing With Hajimes
Karrie: NO! I don't want to go dress shopping!
Me: I'll let you try on a dress that has pockets if you go
Karrie: dresses can have pockets?!
Me: yes, cool, right?
Karrie: Yeah!
Keith: will I ever find out what I forgot?
Me: Maybe?
Kellyn: will I survive dress shopping?
Me: of course, you're one of the main characters.
Kellyn: T.T what's that supposed to mean?
Me: that this story is not finished yet and it would ruin my plans if I killed you off now
Kellyn: I die?
Me: I never said you died!
Kellyn:….I will haunt you if you ever kill me off
Me: I'll keep that in mind
Kate: pokelover0ash does not own anything. She owns her OCs though.
Rhythmi: Time for shopping!~
Chapter 53: Dresses and Love
"How about that store?" Rhythmi asked as she pointed to the fifth clothing store they had seen that day. It showcased some elegant dresses and popular styled dresses in the window. Karrie, Kate, Keith, and Kellyn groaned as they were tired of shopping for clothes already.
"As long as it's not my money we're spending this time," Isaac commented as he stuck his hands into his pockets.
"Yeah yeah, I know," Rhythmi replied as she waved him off as if spending his money was no big deal.
"It wouldn't hurt to look," Rebecca commented as she held Kiwi in her arms.
"Please be the last one," Karrie mumbled as they entered the store. It was filled with all sorts of clothing. It ranged from casual clothing to formal clothing. Karrie and Kate, as if on instinct, immediately started to look at the jeans and t-shirts.
"You're not wearing jeans to the prom!" Rebecca exclaimed as she dragged her daughter away from the casual clothing section.
"How about dress pants?" Karrie asked.
"You have to wear a dress," Kiwi replied. Karrie sighed as Kate shrugged. Kate followed Rhythmi and Rebecca to look at prom dresses when she was bumped into by a stranger. Kellyn caught Kate to ensure that she did not fall nor get hurt.
"Are you alright?" Kellyn asked and Kate nodded. Kellyn then glared at the stranger who seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he had bumped into someone. The stranger was male and looked not much older than Kellyn. He was tall, a bit taller than Kellyn, which annoyed Kellyn a bit. He had brown hair and brown eyes. The man seemed ordinary with the exception of his height and rude attitude.
"Are you alright?" The man asked, but he wasn't looking at Kate, he was looking down at something in front of him. Curious, Kellyn and Kate, joined by the others, moved quietly to look at what he was talking to. In front of the man, there was a young woman who looked like she was Kate's age. She was dwarfed by the man's height, but stood proudly at around the same height Kate did. She had chocolate brown hair that was straight as a push pin and a pair of blue orbs for eyes. The woman puffed out her cheeks as she blushed and glared at the man.
"I'm fine, you worry too much," the woman replied before noticing they had an audience. "I'm sorry, he gets pretty overprotective sometimes." She smiled at Kate and her friends. Kate was amazed at how the woman's smile seemed to brighten up the room. "He didn't trample anyone, did he?"
"No, it's alright," Kate replied.
"He almost did," Kellyn commented dryly.
"What was he trying to protect you from?" Rhythmi asked as she looked outside through the window.
"Well, you see, I have a lot of fans and the paparazzi can be a little crazy," the woman replied.
"Thankfully, most can't recognize she's famous at first glance," the man replied as he scratched the back of his head. "But some people have been noticing her and not the normal people either."
"Most won't come within two feet whenever you're next to me with that glare of yours," the woman said before standing on her tip toes to pinch his cheeks.
"She wouldn't happen to be that trainer who has made it in the top ten of every Pokemon League Championship tournament and Grand Festival she has entered, would she?" Keith asked and his friends seemed shocked that he could recognize the woman. "What's her name? Ashleigh Kyōshi?" He looked at the woman more closely. "But you don't look like a serious respected powerful trainer."
"Yeah, I get that a lot," the woman commented as she sweat dropped. The man put a hat on her head. "Ashleigh Kyōshi, at your service! My giant companion here is Kaleb, my fiance." Kate looked at the woman's hands and, sure enough, there was a diamond ring on her left ring finger.
"Congratulations!" Rhythmi and Rebecca said with smiles on their faces. Kaleb turned red and put his back towards everyone as he fumbled around looking at the scarves and sunglasses. Ashleigh was blushing, but she was smiling instead of acting embarrassed.
"Is he still not used to being called your fiance?" Kellyn asked.
"It's new for both of us," Ashleigh replied as she grabbed hold of Kaleb's hands to stop him from trying to look busy. "We grew up with each other, but neither of us expected that we would end up dating, let alone get engaged."
"Childhood friends getting married! How romantic!" Rhythmi exclaimed.
"We were a little more than just childhood friends back then," Ashleigh commented as Kaleb put his arms around her.
"Huh?" Kate asked.
"You guys liked each other romantically that long?" Keith asked. "Geez, that's dedication, and luck." Karrie blinked as she never quite got the hang of people talking about love and other social topics. Kaleb rested his chin on the top of Ashleigh's head, causing her to blush.
"Luck? Yes. Liking her romantically for that long? No." Kaleb replied. "I was raised by Ashleigh's grandfather. It wasn't until I was starting to go out on a journey as a trainer that I found out that Ashleigh wasn't really my cousin."
"It took you long enough that you had brown eyes, a different shade of brown hair, and a giant," Ashleigh commented and Kaleb pinched her cheeks. "Ow!"
"Just remember that I know things even your closest friends don't know about you," Kaleb replied and Ashleigh pinched his cheeks.
"Don't forget I've known you since you were in diapers," Ashleigh commented.
"So you were adopted?" Karrie asked.
"Wonder if Kate and Kellyn will be like that in the future," Keith commented and the brown haired blue eyed couple blushed.
"So what will your last name change to?" Rhythmi asked.
"Mine won't change," Ashleigh replied. "Which is kind of weird, but somehow it seems perfect."
"So what about all of you?" Kaleb asked as he glared at the group of friends. "We told you about us."
"Rhythmi Note, Hoenn-native and daughter of Annabelle Note," Rhythmi replied as she smiled at him, hoping that maybe smiling would help change his grumpy demeanor.
"Oh that annoying prick," Kaleb commented.
"Who?" Ashleigh asked.
"That psychiatrist specializing in love advice, the one some of your friends forced us into talking to," Kaleb replied.
"Was that the lady who got so angry with you that she decided to write 'you are in love' on your forehead in black permanent marker?" Ashleigh asked and Kaleb sighed.
"Yeah, that would be the one," Kaleb replied and Rhythmi giggled. "What?"
"It must have been way too obvious that you had fallen in love with Ashleigh if Mom did that," Rhythmi replied and Kaleb blushed.
"I'm Isaac Einstein, future scientist to change the world," Isaac said in order to keep the conversation on track. "I also have an extremely high IQ."
"And you're last name is pure coincidence, okay then," Kaleb and Ashleigh commented sarcastically.
"Keith Dazzle, Sinnoh-native!" Keith exclaimed. "I'm going to be the best Top Ranger there ever was!"
"You'll have to beat me first for that to happen," Kellyn commented.
"And me," Kate and Karrie added.
"Where from Sinnoh?" Ashleigh asked.
"Jubilife City," Keith replied.
"Nice place," Ashleigh replied.
"I'm Kate Hitomi," Kate said with a smile. "I'm aiming to be Top Ranger as well."
"So am I!" Karrie exclaimed. "The name's Karrie!"
"You're short," Kaleb commented.
"I'm not short!" Karrie protested.
"You can't be anymore than five feet tall," Kaleb commented.
"I'm not short!" Karrie protested. "And I'm at least five foot one!"
"You're fun sized!" Ashleigh exclaimed.
"She's my sister," Kellyn replied. "My name is Kellyn Hajime, future Top Ranger and Kate's boyfriend." Kaleb's eyes widened in shock at mere mention of the name Hajime.
"I'm his other sister, Kiwi!" Kiwi cheered as she ignored Kaleb's reaction.
"And I'm Rebecca Hajime, their mother," Rebecca said with a kind smile.
"And I'm Helen Hitomi, Kate's mother," Mrs. Hitomi added.
"Nice to meet you all!" Ashleigh replied with a smile. "What brings you to this store?"
"Prom dress shopping!" Rhythmi exclaimed.
"Sounds horrible," Kaleb commented.
"I know, right?" Karrie exclaimed.
"Shopping is always tough," Ashleigh commented.
"What do you think of these dresses?" Rhythmi asked as she held up a short black dress and a short red dress. "For Kate and Karrie."
"Why are you asking us?" Kaleb asked.
"They look like they would be too short for my taste," Ashleigh commented before pointing at a sparkly blue gown. "Now that's more my style."
"Of course, it's blue and sparkly," Kaleb replied.
"Try them on!" Rhythmi said as she handed Kate the black dress and Karrie the red dress.
"I'm not sure if this is the right dress," Kate replied, but she ended up being pushed into the changing rooms along with Karrie.
"We have to go, have fun, don't die from seeing them in dresses," Kaleb commented as he looked at his watch.
"It was nice meeting everyone!" Ashleigh added as she was pushed out the store. She tossed the hat she was wearing to Keith so she wouldn't leave without paying for something.
"What a strange couple," Keith commented.
"How are the dresses fitting?" Rebecca asked.
"Is this really alright?" Kate asked as she stepped out of the dressing room. She was wearing a black strapless dress that was fitted in torso area and ruffled a little on the bottom. The dress ended three inches short of the middle of her thighs. "It's kind of short." Kellyn turned red at the sight of his girlfriend wearing such a short fitted dress.
"It looks good on you," Rebecca replied. "But let's keep looking to find the right one."
"Your father will kill me if I let you get that dress," Mrs. Hitomi commented. "And he'll probably want to kill Kellyn too."
"But I won't be the one wearing the dress," Kellyn complained.
"Good, because the thought of you wearing that dress makes me sick," Karrie commented as she walked out while covering her top with her arms and jacket. The dress length was a little longer on Karrie than it was on Kate, but it was a fitted dress that hugged her hips and thighs. Rhythmi yanked Karrie's jacket away and Keith fell backwards with a red face and a nosebleed. The dress made Karrie look like she had enough cleavage to be at least a c-cup, if not a d. The dress made her look hot and sexy, but not innocent at all. Kellyn took action immediately and pushed Karrie back into the dressing room.
"No way you are ever wearing something like that again," Kellyn said.
"I think that's for the best," Isaac replied as he poked Keith. "This one probably would have died if she was dressed like that any longer."
"Kellyn probably would have killed him and any male in sight too," Rebecca commented. "Her curves sure have developed nicely."
"To think she's a year younger than me," Kate commented as she looked down at her own chest.
"Really?" Isaac exclaimed. "Do we have to discuss that kind of stuff now?" Kellyn came back and hugged Kate before twirling her around.
"You're perfect and beautiful just the way you are, Kate," Kellyn whispered into Kate's ear before letting her go back to the dressing room. Kate blushed hard as she went back with Karrie. Rhythmi picked a few dresses off the rack and followed suit.
"Alright, everyone pick a dress for Karrie and Kate," Rebecca ordered and everyone got to work picking out dresses, even the recently revived Keith. Rebecca handed off the dresses to the girls.
"Who the heck picked this monstrous fluff thing?" Karrie exclaimed as she walked out in a green strapless ball gown that had so much poof and fluff that it was a miracle she made it through the doorway. Keith and Kellyn tried to hold back their laughter at the sight of Karrie being nearly swallowed by the mass of the dress.
"I guess maybe I picked something too fluffy," Kiwi commented.
"I would kill you for this, but this dress would get in the way," Karrie replied before returning back to the dressing room.
"Whoever got this one paid no attention to the back of it," Kate commented as she stepped out in a dark blue dress that had a sweet heart neckline that was held up by straps that hooked behind her neck. The dress looked great on her, however she was a bit embarrassed by the fact that there was no back. The back started just low enough to show her whole back but cover her butt.
"That's what the back looked like?" Keith asked and Isaac hit him. "What? This is the first time I've participated in dress shopping! How was I supposed to know?" Kellyn blushed slightly and Kate smiled.
"Dude, is this a joke?" Karrie asked as she came out in a dress that looked like a volcano erupted. The dress hugged her hips nicely and though it was a sweet heart neckline, she was not overly exposed.
"Matches your temper," Isaac commented. "Thought you would appreciate it." Rhythmi walked out in a white strapless dress with a sweet heart neckline that had jewels embedded in the fabric down part of the center. The dress was full length with no ruffles, but it had a slit in it that started halfway down her thighs. "Beautiful as always." Isaac was blushing hard, but he couldn't forget to compliment his girlfriend.
"Thank you Isaac," Rhythmi replied a she flashed a smile. They kept trying on dresses and soon Rhythmi found the right dress.
"I don't like it, but ooh! There's polka dots underneath!" Karrie commented in the dressing room. "AND THERE'S POCKETS!" Karrie came out in a black strapless gown that had a polka dot under layer and apparently pockets. It had a beaded top that drew more attention to Karrie's chest area than Karrie was comfortable with, but the pockets were a major distractions.
"I thought the pocket thing was cool too," Keith commented. "One day I just might good at this dress shopping thing."
"Remind me never to use you as a fashion consultant," Rhythmi commented as Kate came out in a purple sparkly strapless fitted mermaid dress. Kellyn's face became painted bright red as if it was competing with Keith's hair.
"I feel really skinny in this," Kate commented.
"What are you talking about?" Keith asked. "You are skinny." Karrie quickly changed into a dress that was like someone turned a turtleneck into a prom dress.
"I get your concern, Kel, but this is ridiculous," Karrie said as she popped her head out.
"I will force you into that if I ever see you in something like Rhythmi put you in ever again," Kellyn replied.
"I knew it would look great on you!" Mrs. Hitomi exclaimed.
"You picked this out?" Kate exclaimed and her mother nodded.
" You're father probably would prefer to lock you up in a tower instead of you wearing a prom dress or dating, but he would agree you look beautiful in that dress," Mrs. Hitomi commented. "Though he probably would try to gouge out Kellyn's eyes first."
"Hey! I thought you said he liked me!" Kellyn protested.
"He does, but he loves his daughter more than he will ever like you," Mrs. Hitomi commented. "Just be grateful you're here while they dress for prom dresses."
"Yes ma'am," Kellyn replied. Kate went and changed back into her regular dress so that her mother could buy the dress. Karrie came out in a red strapless a-line high low dress that had a beaded belt. It flowed behind her as she walked. She turned around and walked back before listening to any feedback.
"That bad?" Kate asked. "She looked great in that."
"First dress she didn't mind, but she still hasn't tried on Mom's pick," Kellyn replied. Sure enough Karrie came out blushing in a red mermaid dress that was fitted with jewels embedded on the top and ruffles on the bottom. She looked stunning in it, but she acted like it made her feel too self conscious. Keith's jaw almost dropped to the floor.
"I'm getting the other one," Karrie stated as she looked her mother in the eye. She turned around and walked back to change back in her normal clothes.
"Don't give up!" Rebecca exclaimed. "I know you haven't had your dress moment yet!"
"I don't like dresses anyways!" Karrie yelled back before coming back in casual clothes with the dress she tolerated the most.
"Well, why don't we go out to eat after this?" Mrs. Hitomi asked to break the awkward silence created by the disagreement between Karrie and her mother.
"I'm starving!" Keith exclaimed and so they went to a restaurant and ate. Rhythmi and Isaac got their own table together so that the Hitomis, Hajimes, and Keith could sit together with ease.
"So Keith, are you Karrie's boyfriend?" Mrs. Hitomi asked and Keith started to choke on a piece of chicken. Kate hit him hard in the back and he was able to spit out the piece and breathe.
"Thanks Kate," Keith mumbled as he faced started to turn red. "What makes you ask that?"
"You practically fainted with a nosebleed at the sight of her in a short dress," Kellyn commented as he pointed at his girlfriend's best friend with a fork.
"And you two are together constantly," Kate added. "And to be honest, you two tend to act like you two are a couple." Karrie blushed and rested her head on her hand as she stared intently at the wall.
"W-We're not like that," Keith protested and Karrie tapped her fingers impatiently. She didn't seem like she could take listening people talk about a romance between her and Keith for much longer.
"But you like her and she likes you," Kiwi pointed out.
"Aren't you a five year old?" Keith asked.
"Yes, but that's not the point," Kiwi replied.
"Then why aren't you two dating?" Mrs. Hitomi asked. "Going off of what I've heard and seen so far, it would make sense for you two to be dating."
"I can't take this anymore," Karrie commented as she stood up.
"Karrie?" Keith asked.
"I can't sit here and listen to you trying to avoid giving a straight answer for this freakin' old topic!" Karrie exclaimed. "You who fell asleep during his own confession and didn't even hear the confession given in response, let alone what you said!" Karrie's face was painted red and her eyes started to glow red. "There! I said it!" Keith looked at her with wide eyes as Karrie let out a deep breath and sat down again. She rested her head on the table. "This romance thing is turning out to be more exhausting than the whole socializing thing." She let out a sigh as Kellyn laughed and Kate smiled.
"That didn't take you long to blow and tell the world that, did it?" Kellyn asked.
"Shut up glaciem ales," Karrie replied. "At least I don't have a whole box full of my feelings and secrets written on paper."
"Woah, woah, wait, I did what?" Keith asked and Kate whipped out her phone and opened the video Rhythmi had sent her. She played it and showed it to Keith. "Oh Arceus, I said that out loud?!"
"Yes doofus." Karrie replied as she hid her red face on the table.
"And you, you confessed you felt the same way?!" Keith exclaimed as he turned bright red. Karrie mumbled something in response, but the table muffled the sound so that no one could really hear what she said. Keith startled Karrie by pulling her into a tight hug. "So that's why you have been acting funny." He kissed the crook of her neck which cause Karrie's whole body to turn bright red and it looked like Karrie was going to faint from blushing so much.
"FINALLY!" Rhythmi exclaimed.
"Shh! He hasn't officially asked her out yet, calm yourself!" Kate replied as she signaled her best blonde friend to be quiet.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" Keith asked quietly into Karrie's ear. Karrie somehow turned even more red before nodding frantically as she somehow lost her voice.
"Now you can cheer," Kellyn said.
"YES! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW LONG I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!" Rhythmi exclaimed. "ALMOST FOUR FREAKING YEARS! IT WAS SO PAINFUL! IT'S ABOUT TIME!"
"W-Was our feelings for each other that obvious?" Keith asked and everyone nodded.
"Granted part of the problem was her," Kiwi replied as she pointed at her older sister. "Since that one tends to be absolutely clueless when it comes to romance and she's stubborn. Took her so long to even admit to herself what her feelings were to you."
"The other problem was that you were too scared to ruin your friendship or get beaten to a pulp if you tried to flirt with her." Kate added.
"But that was within good reason," Kellyn added.
"It also took him a while for him to admit he liked her," Isaac commented.
"No one asked you!" Keith exclaimed as he blushed. Karrie took the opportunity to steal some of Keith's chicken off his plate and eat some. She was about to eat a piece of chicken when Keith caught her. "Hey! That's my chicken!" Keith ate it right out of her hands with out thinking. Karrie blushed and so did Keith after he realized what he did.
"They were made for each other," Kate commented and Kellyn reached across the table and held her hand. He smiled at her and she smiled back, both blushing.
'So are we.' Kellyn told her mentally.
"Please contain your fangirling when we're out in public," Isaac said as her girlfriend started to jump up and down in excitement at the adorableness of the two couples. He grabbed her hand and kissed it. "Even though I won't ever ask you to change, couldn't ask for a more perfect girlfriend." Rhythmi stopped fangirling and turned bright red before she kissed her boyfriend on the lips.
"Thank you," Rhythmi replied.
"Mommy, will I ever get a boyfriend?" Kiwi asked.
"Maybe one day," Rebecca replied.
"You still have plenty of time," Mrs. Hitomi added.
'And that's if any boy you bring around can handle Karrie and I, let alone your cousins.' Kellyn added mentally so that Kiwi was aware that he and Karrie would not be handing her over to just anyone.
'We can always see how they survive Gold and Jimmy.' Karrie suggested.
'Or Meiko's back slaps.' Kellyn added and the siblings grinned. Yeah, whoever wanted to date Kiwi was going to have a lot to deal with.
"Never realized that a day of helping someone move in and with dress shopping would turn out to be one of the best days of my life," Keith said quietly before kissing the top of Karrie's head. She turned red and Kellyn laughed.
"At this rate, she's going to fry all of her genius brain cells." Kellyn commented.
"S-Shut up!" Karrie exclaimed.
"That the best you can do?" Kellyn asked as he teased his sister.
"I'm going to kill you!" Karrie exclaimed as she reached out to hit her brother. Kellyn laughed as she was to short to reach him when she was in Keith's arms.
"Pay back for all the times you teased me and I didn't have a comeback," Kellyn replied before he stuck his tongue out at her. The mothers bursted out in laughter and the rest of their dining experience consisted of Kellyn teasing Karrie, Karrie teasing Kellyn, Kate teasing Keith, Karrie sitting on Keith's lap, Keith never letting go of Karrie, Kate and Kellyn flirting, and talking about school and some childhood memories.
~end of chapter~
Keith: I CONFESSED IN MY SLEEP AND FORGOT?! THAT WAS WHAT IT WAS THIS WHOLE TIME?!
Me: yes, now have a cookie and calm down *hands Keith a cookie*
Karrie: *blushes* I'm actually dating someone now
Kate: and Kellyn didn't give Keith a hard time about it =D
Kellyn: I can arrange for that
Kate: but you were being so good!
Keith: *turns bright red* right, I finally asked Karrie out
Rhythmi: yes and you two have made me very happy thanks to that
Isaac: why did Kaleb and Ashleigh appear in this chapter anyways? It seemed kind of random
Me: not as random as you think, if readers pay attention to Kaleb's reaction to the name Hajime and the fact that he is an orphan and remember that I had hinted that there is missing Hajime from the tree and whatnot, they be able to-
Kate: stop, say no more
Me: but!
Kate: just stop while you're ahead.
Me: Fine
Rhythmi: well review! We all look forward to hearing from the readers!