Return to you

DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokémon.

Chapter 23: Scattered Puzzle Pieces

Normal POV

A cold breeze flew in from the open window as faded moonbeams entered the room. It was silent and the air was steadily getting tense. Lapis sat up cautiously and leaned back against the wall, with his eyes not leaving the girl's sharp gaze. Sapphire stood unmoving and waited for Lapis to completely understand the situation he was in.

Meanwhile, Momo and Moro decided to hide by the foot of the bed and wait for the conversation to finish. Because judging by the tension, it wasn't their place to intervene.

When the atmosphere finally settled, Sapphire questioned with a tone soft yet dark and deadly as her glare, "Where've ya been?"

It sent a cold chill down the boy's spine, making him shudder and gulp. Though Sapphire didn't show it, it was obvious how pissed off she was. Lapis took a moment to choose his words, knowing that any mistake would deal serious consequences. He took a deep breath and answered in a hush manner. "A-At first, I went to buy some Moo-moo Milk…"

"And then what?" Sapphire raised a brow. She was on the verge of snapping, but she had to maintain her composure and low voice to avoid making a ruckus, knowing that they shouldn't disturb Liz and her mom. With arms crossed, she continued, "…Ya decided that you'd go back ta stalking me?"

Lapis shrunk back in fear and raised his hands in front of his face. "N-No. T-That isn't it..."

The tension was growing rapidly, making it almost hard to breath. For Lapis, that is.

"Then, explain ta me." Sapphire inched closer and growled.

Lapis was almost stunned silent. It was only the mere fact that he must reply that made him utter his words. "I-I just…"

Sapphire gritted her teeth as she grew more impatient. But the next second, she finally snapped and slammed her fist against the wall. "Spit it out already!"

Just then, they heard footsteps followed by a knock on the door.

"Sapphire? Are you alright?" Liz's voice resonated from the other side of the door.

Immediately, the heavy atmosphere shattered. Sapphire cupped Lapis' mouth with her palm and replied in a hurry, "I-I'm okay... I- I just fell off the bed!"

"Ah, really?! Did you hurt yourself?"

Hearing the doorknob jiggle, both teens jolted in panic. There was no other option. Sapphire grabbed Lapis by the shirt and rushed to the door just as Liz opened a small gap.

*bam*

There was thud behind the door that startled Liz. Her worries grew as she came face to face with Sapphire who gave her best smile and greeted the blonde lass, "See? I'm fine. N-Nothin' ta worry about… J-just go back ta bed."

Liz looked at her with concern and studied her face. "Are you sure?"

The brunette rapidly nodded but Liz didn't leave. She was staring very deeply as if she was studying the expression on Sapphire's face.

With sweat running down her back, the Hoenn girl desperately tried to keep calm while firmly pinning Lapis against the other side of the door. It was because she didn't want Liz to see him nor did she want Lapis to get away.

On the other hand, the boy was staying absolutely quiet even though it was getting difficult to breathe because the force of Sapphire's arm was unconsciously growing stronger. He prayed over and over to break free from the situation before he would suffocate.

Fortunately, not a second more, Liz backed down and grinned. "Alright, then. Sleep well."

The door shut and both teens slumped to the floor, exhaling deeply with relief. "That was a close one," Lapis whispered and let out a final huff.

"Ya got that right." Sapphire turned her attention back to the boy. In that instant, her mood shifted from relief to being irritated. She remembered that their conversation was far from over. With a low growl, her brows furrowed and fangs showed.

Lapis flinched, feeling menacing aura near him. He didn't dare to look. He knew all too well what he would see. All he could do at that moment was to stay perfectly still, but even then he knew that would do nothing against the imminent.

Sapphire clutched the boy's shoulder and muttered, "Now…Where were we?"

"…I-I went out to buy M-Moomoo milk?" Lapis quoted with dread.

"And after that?" The girl's grip tightened.

Lapis held his breath but he soon released it in a long sigh. He collected his thoughts and courage before he uttered in a melancholic tone, "I thought it would've been best if …I didn't come back."

Sapphire stared at the back of his head but with a less fierce expression. "…Why's that?"

"I know that every time that you look at me, you think of Ruby," Lapis answered, not bothering to look in her direction.

His words made Sapphire flinch. She couldn't deny it. It was true. Her hold on the boy's shoulder loosened and soon her hand moved away. Lapis glanced over his shoulder and peeked at Sapphire's face. Her head was down, making it hard to get a good glimpse of her expression but her cerulean eyes flickered under the dim moonlight. They were filled with sadness.

Lapis averted his eyes and clenched his fist. "I'm sorry. Staying with you like this is only causing you pain."

It wasn't his fault. Sapphire couldn't blame him for resembling Ruby so much. She stared blankly at the wooden floorboards and dwelled deep into thought as the atmosphere shifted from heavy and tense to empty and silent.

Moments passed. Though her head was jumbled, Sapphire did her best from falling apart. She forced a small smile just to brighten herself up. "Even if yer not here, I still think of Ruby a lot so it doesn't matter… Also, ya still haven't answered why're ya sticking around and stalkin' me." The last sentence was filled with annoyance compared to the former with a tone of fondness.

Lapis chuckled but held back most of it. He raised his head but didn't look at Sapphire. His gaze became fixated on the moonlight raining down from the open window. "I didn't want to back out from the agreement."

"What agreement?" Sapphire's curiosity perked up. She raised her head and turned towards the boy. Her assumption was that Lapis and Ruby made a deal of some sort. It was the most logical explanation as well as the only thing that she can come up with.

Lapis seemed deep in thought as if he was reminiscing on an old memory. "I said before that I'd be with you every step of the way."

*ba-thump*

Sapphire's heart skipped with the feeling of déjà vu. She couldn't put a finger as to why but she was sure that she heard those words before

…But where?

…When?

…From who?

She was about to say something when a white figure floated in from the window.

Azura had waited long enough and had come to see why her trainer was taking so long. Gracefully, she levitated up the second floor and came in like a small angel. She brought Lapis' belongings along and left them by the window before she went over to him, flashing a smile at Momo and Moro as she passed by.

"Did you say goodbye, yet?" Azura inquired through telepathy, but she made sure the message was not only known to Lapis but also to Sapphire who was , in return, startled by it.

"…Goodbye?"

Lapis frowned when he recalled his purpose for coming in the first place. He took another deep breath and fully turned his head towards the girl. "That's right. Azura and I were thinking of going on ahead to Cianwood City so I came here to-"

"-Not happening."

"Eh?" Lapis felt the air suddenly shift back to the dark and tense version—the more unfavorable kind.

"Ya still have some answering ta do. Till then… I'm not lettin' ya ditch me, got that?" Sapphire bared her fangs and growled like a wild Mightyena.

Lapis swiftly nodded as he back away from the girl.

Having reached an agreement, Sapphire stood up, walked up to the window and closed it shut. It now meant that the boy was not getting out anytime soon, but it also meant that he was going to sleep in the same room.

Without batting an eye, Sapphire made her way to her bed and tossed an extra pillow at Lapis. Then she pulled out her own blanket and threw it over as well. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we have ta get up before Liz."

"Isn't it easier if I just camp out?" Lapis recommended in a reasonable tone but was replied by an angry growl.

"If ya want it your way, then choose. To be tied around a tree or hung from the barn loft?" Sapphire argued with a serious voice.

Accepting utter defeat, Lapis shut his mouth and hurriedly began preparing a spot to sleep. He gave the pillow to Azura and wrapped the blanket around himself before settling on the floor, near the window but in clear view of Sapphire who laid on her side, watching him closely.

Momo and Moro finally found the chance to get out of their hiding places. They both scampered over to Lapis who patted their heads as a late greeting. Momo pounced on his lap and complained about the paint stains that were still stuck to her fur. Lapis smiled as he took out some grooming equipment from his bag. Though it was dark, he couldn't resist the Minccino's plea. Luckily, Moro helped out by shedding some light with her tail.

Meanwhile, Azura was still troubled by the situation. Her trainer was getting engrossed in his work. It seemed he had forgotten the importance of the reason that they had to leave. The blue Kirlia sat beside him and sent a telepathic message, "We can just teleport out."

Lapis smiled, shook his head and whispered softly. "It's alright. We'll just make do with the present… Isn't that what Celebi would say?"

Azura sighed and leaned against Lapis while hugging the white pillow tightly. "Just be careful. Celebi also said that the future is always uncertain."

"I know…"

It was getting late. Sapphire was nodding off but she did her best to stay awake because Lapis was also awake. He was finished with Momo some time ago but didn't sleep like the rest of the pokemon around him. Azura was cozily snuggling against him with Momo and Moro beside her.

"Get some sleep, already. I'll be joining you in a minute," Lapis scolded when he noticed her.

"What're ya stayin' up for?" Sapphire asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

Lapis stared out the window and gazed upon the starry sky. "Just reflecting."

Sapphire grumbled. "Wanna know something? Actin' all mysterious and deep like that …is really gettin' on my nerves. Can't ya be more straight ta the point?"

"That was a straight to the point answer," Lapis replied with a small laugh.

Sapphire grunted and tossed back in forth on the bed. Tomorrow will be the eleventh day of her 20-day mission. Olivine City is just around the corner, literally. And after that, it'll be Cianwood City where Ruby is at. It was frustrating just thinking how close the answers were but still she had to wait till they arrive at that place.

Lapis sensed how troubled Sapphire became. He glanced at Azura to check if she was indeed sleeping soundly before he made a decision. "You want to know something too?"

Sapphire rolled over and returned to her previous position, sulking. "…what?"

The boy took a deep breath and told her, "That day when Ruby disappeared… it was because of Celebi."

Sapphire became wide-awake in an instant. She jolted out of bed and was about to speak but was stopped by Lapis who calmly reminded her to keep it down.

With her heart racing, Sapphire sat back and recalled the sixth pokemon that Ruby used when they battled Maxie and Archie. The time-travelling pokemon. She knew that it was also the same pokemon that revived Steven, Marge and Ruby's father, Norman.

But why was Celebi back?

What purpose was its appearance this time around?

"Now you know, so you really have nothing to worry about," Lapis said placidly.

"Why're ya tellin' me this now?" Sapphire asked. There were even more important questions were in her mind but that was the only one that came out of her mouth.

"Since the beginning, you deserved to know about what was going on, but…" Lapis trailed off. He hesitated to continue. It was like there was a lump in his throat.

"…but?" Sapphire quoted. She didn't like the feeling of where the conversation was heading. All she could do was hold back her expectations.

"Before anything else, there is something I have to do," Lapis answered with conviction.

"…in Cianwood City, right?" Sapphire grumbled, fully anticipating the continuation.

"Guess I don't have to tell you twice." Lapis leaned back on the wall and closed his eyes. "Better get some rest."

"Hmph…"

Ruby's POV

I brushed off the remaining frost from my black cloak as I made my way out of the Ice Path. Slowly, the warm autumn breeze erased the winter-like air lingering around me. But even then, I could still see my white breath as I exhaled.

I was now in Blackthorn City.

The place was surrounded by mountains. It reminded me of Sootopolis except the rocks there were white and the gym didn't specialize in dragon-types. Also, it was much greener in Sootopolis. Here, it was very sandy and rocky. I sighed and entered the city. People didn't seem to take much notice of me. They were all too busy in their daily lives. It was good. I was relieved that there were no familiar faces that would recognize me. I slid down my hood and entered the pokemon center to have my team refreshed before I would accomplish what I came here to do.

That is to get the Rising Badge.

I'm pretty sure Clair is no pushover and her Dragon-types aren't a walk in the park either. Furthermore, I only have a team of four and I can't count Celebi. Thankfully, I have a secret weapon up my sleeve.

Nurse Joy handed me back my pokeballs and I secured them one by one unto my belt. Then I took a moment and sat down. I opened up my badge case containing four from Sinnoh, one from Hoenn and my recent one, the Glacier Badge from Mahogany town.

"After this, I have to get to Cianwood City," I reminded myself.

I didn't want Sapphire to get the wrong idea of me not being there at this moment. Lucky for me, Morty was understanding enough to only tell her that. It would have been a disaster if she knew I was elsewhere.

Sigh.

I'm sorry Sapph. I know that I promised you that I wouldn't lie to you anymore but more than that I told myself that I'd always protect you, no matter the consequences. Whether it was from that Salamence or that time when Kyogre and Groudon clashed. I'd do it all over again.

And in this case, I'm not too far from that scenario.

I stood up and went out of the pokemon center. Again, I strolled in the city and made my way to the gym. I took a deep breath and was about to push the door open when I heard something.

(…)

I shifted my attention towards my unexpected company. "You're not supposed to be here."

(…)

I looked around and indeed, there was no one in sight. I was partly relieved but still it wasn't a good idea for us to be out in the open. I needed to be quick about this. "What is it?"

(…)

"That's all?" I asked, puzzlingly.

(…)

"Going through the Ice Path made it kind of numb so I'm fine," I answered, waving an arm.

(…)

"I'll be quick about it. I can't afford to waste time."

(…)

"Ha-ha. Very funny… I know all too well who I'm talking to," I remarked sarcastically and turned around to face the gym. "I better get going. You have to leave too. I'll meet up with you again after I finish here…"

There was no reply. I glanced over my shoulder and saw that there was no one there. Great timing. I heard footsteps coming my way, shifting my attention. I saw a tall woman with bluish hair, half framing her face and the other half tied on a long ponytail. Her clothes were a similar blue, consisting of a one-piece garb that mirrored a dragon-type's belly, knee-length boots and a dark cape.

"You're here to challenge the gym, I presume?" She inquired with a sense of pride.

I held up one of my pokeballs and stared at her, unwaveringly. "Yes…"

The Blackthorn City Gymleader grinned eagerly. "I am Clair. Prepare yourself, challenger."

Normal POV

September 11

Early the next morning, Lapis disappeared, much to Sapphire's anger. Immediately, she sent Toro and Rilo out to look for him while she, along with Momo and Moro, went downstairs to bid Liz farewell. The younger girl was baking breakfast with her mom in the kitchen. When Sapphire came in, she was greeted with a delectable aroma that convinced her to stay for a little longer.

After about half an hour, she said her goodbyes and thanked Liz for her hospitality. She also bid her mom good luck on the bed and breakfast plan for the cottage.

Liz giggled and said that Sapphire was their first satisfied customer and that she was welcome to stay again in the future. Then she handed her a box of freshly baked pastries for her journey.

Sapphire thanked her again and left, with Momo on her shoulder and Moro following closely beside her. She passed by the Mareep enclosure where the Flaaffy's friends waved their sparking tails and cheered lively in baas.

The trio smiled and waved at their direction, and continued onwards to Olivine City. They followed the dusty path along the hill slopes and later found themselves approaching another farm. But this time, it wasn't the sound of baas. Instead they were moos.

As the Milktank ranch came closer into view, Sapphire spotted someone sitting on the fence along with three pokemon; a Kirlia, a Blaziken and a Riolu. All of them were gulping down a bottle of milk when they noticed her.

"Good morning." Lapis greeted and jumped off the fence.

And afterwards, he handed a small milk carton to both Momo and Moro who happily accepted them. He also offered a bottle to Sapphire but all the girl did was grumble and emit a death-like aura. The girl could detect a whiff of flowers which meant that his Sawsbuck, Xylo used Aromatherapy on him earlier.

Lapis gulped but maintained his cool, as much as he possibly could. "I-I'm sorry if I left without saying anything. I just thought I'd get some of the Moomoo milk that I didn't get to give you yesterday."

Glaring, Sapphire snatched the bottle from his hand, opened it up and drank it until the last drop. Afterwards, she eyed the boy from head to toe with great discretion. "So then, what time are ya from?"

"…huh?" Lapis looked at her, startled and clueless.

On the other hand, Azura became suspicious about what Sapphire just said. She stopped drinking midway and listened intently, having already assumed that her trainer mentioned something that he shouldn't have.

"I don't believe that yer Ruby's neighbor when he lived in Goldenrod City," Sapphire declared with a serious look as she set the bottle down and crossed her arms. "More likely, yer involved with Celebi just like Ruby is now."

Azura's guess was spot on. She elbowed Lapis and narrowed her amber eyes. "You told her?"

"I wanted to," The raven-haired boy whispered and tapped the Kirlia's head, apologetically. Then he diverted his attention to Sapphire. "You're really good at observing." He chuckled slightly. "You're right. I'm not Ruby's neighbor from Goldenrod City, but I was born and raised in that place…"

"From what time?"

"…Can't tell," Lapis answered calmly.

The girl grumbled. "Another one of those secrets that I can't know about?"

"If you keep doing that, one day, you're gonna turn into a Grumpig," Lapis teased and then returned to his solemn expression. "And no, it is not one of those secrets. It's just that I've been travelling through time so much that I lost track of whether I'm earlier or late compared to my real time in the present."

"When did ya last do that? …That time-travel with Celebi, I mean," Sapphire inquired as she analyze the details of the boy's words.

"That morning after I got Moomoo milk," Lapis responded. "But I came back around the same time."

More and more questions began to pile up in Sapphire's head. She just wasn't sure what to ask first. "How long were ya really away?"

"…Four days," Lapis answered with some hesitation.

Sapphire was surprised. She never could have guessed the length of time he was gone for, having last seen him in a span of 24-hours. But why was he away for that long? She decided to question further. "When and where exactly did ya time-travel to?"

Lapis looked at her as if he was deciding whether or not he should reply. Finally, after a moment passed, he told her, "The time doesn't matter. What was important was the place."

"So where did ya go that was so important?"

"…Sorry, I can't tell you that either," Lapis apologized as he averted eye contact.

Sapphire was disappointed but she knew at some point that he wouldn't answer. She watched as Lapis brushed passed her and picked up the empty milk bottle on the ground and started walking towards the nearby house with Azura and Rilo, following suit and carrying the remaining milk containers.

"We're going to go return these. I'll be back in a few and don't worry I won't go time-traveling, this time," Lapis joked around a bit, hoping to lighten the atmosphere was left hanging.

Sapphire didn't snap or remark. Instead, she stayed quiet and leaned against the wooden fence next to Toro. The refreshing breeze of the countryside swooped around her, fluttering her caramel locks and waving the end of her pink coat. Exhaling, she took the time to collect her thoughts and go through the things that Lapis just said. There were still a lot of gaps that needed to be filled in order to piece together the puzzle. One thing was clear – Ruby disappeared because he was taken away by Celebi, the time-travel pokemon.

There was something odd though. Lapis said he time-travelled recently so it meant that Celebi is with him or is nearby. Then what about Ruby? Is he not together with the pokemon? Or he's just staying in one place till it comes for him again? It's not very logical for one pokemon to go back and forth from one person to another.

"We're back!" Lapis yelled with a grin as he held up a hand-held plushie of a Milktank. "They were giving these cuties away so I thought I'd get you one as a souvenir."

Sapphire stood straight and waited till the boy was in front of her before she would ask. Lapis didn't notice her serious look and happily gave her the fuzzy toy. The azure-eyed girl stared at the miniature Milktank in her hands before she looked up at Lapis and asked, "…Where's Celebi now?"

Lapis frowned in disappointment, having expected the prior topic to have ended. "Celebi comes and goes all the time so I don't know where the little fella is at the moment. And besides, I did all I needed to do in those four days."

Sapphire bit her lip. It was another dead end. She was getting nowhere fast, but her mind continued to be restless. It was like there were still questions nagging at the back of her head. Momo glanced at Sapphire from her shoulder. Like the rest of her teammates, she hated seeing her trainer be like that.

Lapis turned away, not wanting to see her troubled expression any longer. He called out his Sawsbuck and climbed up on his back. "We'll continue this in Cianwood City, but before that we still have to get to Olivine City for your next badge."

The name Cianwood City was starting to get on her nerves. She kept hearing it over and over like broken record. Clenching her fist, Sapphire agreed in her mind and raised her head. The sooner they reach the place, the better. She called back her pokemon, leaving only Momo. And then she put away the Milktank plushie in her bag. Lapis also returned Azura to her pokeball before he held out his hand, offering to assist the girl up the stag-like pokemon. Since she was in a hurry, Sapphire grabbed his hand and Lapis hoisted her up. Momo took her position between the Sawsbuck's antlers so she could have a better view.

Beyond the distant southern hills, they saw a Lighthouse towering above the green horizon. That marked their destination. After all, that structure is what Olivine City was most famous for. It was still a long trek away but they figured that they'd arrive within an hour or two. As quick as Lapis motioned the Sawsbuck, Xylo dashed swiftly and gracefully on the dirt road that stretched far towards the horizon.

Sapphire remained silent as she held unto Lapis' shoulders. Her head was still full of assumptions and guesses about Ruby, Lapis and Celebi, but none of those had conclusions as to what was really going on. Having no luck, she decided to stray her mind away from the subject. The girl watched the moving scenery of the tranquil countryside. There were Tauros stampeding around a wide enclosure. The other side, there was a glistening creek flowing smoothly. It was just what she needed, something calming.

Then her nose caught the scent of flowers, directing her attention in front. Again, she was met with Lapis' unshakable resemblance to Ruby. If she were to ignore the eye color, they were practically the same person.

Suddenly, a Snubble ran in front of the Sawsbuck. Lapis abruptly halted Xylo who jolted and stood up on his hind legs. Sapphire was dazed at that moment. By the time she snapped out of it, she lost her grip. Lapis felt the girl's hold disappear from his shoulders. He instantly turned about and grabbed her arm, but he couldn't pull back in time. They both fell off and hit the ground with a thud.

The impact didn't hurt as much as Sapphire expected. She opened her eyes and saw Lapis' face just mere inches away from hers. He looked shaken up and somewhat in pain. It was then that the brunette realized why the impact wasn't that painful. Just before they slammed on the ground, the boy had shielded the back of her head with his arm.

"Sapph, are you okay?" Lapis shrugged off the pain and dizziness and looked at Sapphire with utmost concern.

Sapphire didn't move. She just stared into his deep ocean blue eyes. Lapis took a moment to see that she wasn't in pain. He exhaled in relief and leaned his forehead against hers. "Thank Arceus…"

Her heart was racing uncontrollably. Sapphire didn't reject the close contact. She couldn't tell if it was the familiarity of his presence or something else telling her not to. Unconsciously, she muttered, "…Ruby."

End of Chapter 23

As much as I hate making my readers wait, I had a hard time writing (Writer's block, maybe)
I lost interest midway and then got back to writing mode near the end. :D (A little cliche but I thought of a follow-up for it)

My update speed is already turning into once a month. (Nooo!)

So as an apology, I wrote more confusing things for you to think about. (That isn't much of a good thing)

Thanks again to my reviewers and readers who are eagerly awaiting this update.
Special thanks to Vikeila for cheering me on. :)

facelessclocks - Well, here is the enigmatic voice you were looking for. ;)

Dead Bones Sam - I edited Secrets of the Night so you couldn't notice the update. But it's there, Neo I mean.

Review Please! I very much appreciate it.