Ahem. I have returned! I'm so sorry, everyone. I got so busy this past month. So busy... And I've had to deal with seeing my ex-best-friend every day for 5 hours these past three weeks, so I'm just... ugh. He won't look at me, or talk to me, or anything. I'm okay with him not being in my life anymore, but I don't think I should have to avoid him like we're twelve years old or something. He's so immature! Actually, he's gotten yelled at by my band director for being immature several times these past few weeks, which I have to admit I enjoyed. Enough about me. Let's get on with this story! This is one of the best parts in my opinion :)

Disclaimer: I really don't own Pokemon. I wish we all didn't have to keep explaining that in our stories XD

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

The dance broke up after the Pokemon battle occurred. Everyone was feeling a bit unsettled after the explosion of drama, and the teenagers all slowly made their way back to their hotel rooms.

The administrator of the academic events pulled Dawn and her friends, as well as Abby and Corrine, aside. He was speechless with anger, his face glowing a bright red. They all got a stern talking to, especially Abby and Corrine because they'd snuck into the dance uninvited, but after he was done yelling at them for their behavior, he let them go without any punishment. They all knew they'd gotten off easy.

Abby and Corrine disappeared pretty quick after that, and the others wanted to return to their rooms and get out of their fancy clothes. Leaf, however, told the other girls that she needed to use the restroom immediately, and it would be faster to go to the one in the hallway than to have to wait in the elevator. Once they'd all disappeared into the elevator, she made her way to the hotel lobby and exited the hotel.

She was still in her fancy dress, but she didn't feel like she stuck out that much. The streets were basically empty, and it was dark out. She was reminded of her home back in the Sinnoh region. Her parents would often host parties and other big events at their mansion, and she would walk throughout the premises in a fancy dress and heels, the perfect picture of elegance. When she thought of all the lessons she took as a child: etiquette, ballet, speech, acting, piano; she felt bitter. Much of her childhood had been spent preparing for adulthood.

Now she felt the urge to be a child tonight. She began to run in her heels, something that had always been discouraged by her mother, and she spread her arms out in glee. Running in a dress felt good. The material glided against her legs smoothly, steaming out behind her. There were canals all throughout Undella Town, and Leaf came to a small stone bridge that crossed one of them. She stopped at the crest of it and stared down into the unmoving water. Her refection stared back at her with messy hair and perfect makeup - a combination of what is and what could be.

She breathed a heavy sigh. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about the night in Castelia City. Gary promised her a life of freedom, and she'd chosen one of bondage. The man she was engaged to was twenty-one. Red Waterson. She'd been required to meet with him once a month for the past year, and while she found him to be a nice guy, they had nothing in common aside from their wealth. She did not love him. And no matter what, she knew she never would.

"I saw you sneak out."

Leaf turned to see Gary, also still dressed in his fancy clothing, standing a few feet away.

"I needed to be alone."

"Yeah." They stood for a while in silence. Leaf had returned to staring down into the water. She thought about how in a few days, she would be leaving this place behind and once again be thrown into her world of servitude to her parents expectations. Here at Undella Town, she'd been truly happy for the first time in years.

"I do love you, Gary," she whispered. "If I had the power to choose, I would choose you."

"You do have the power to choose."

"No I don't. I'm engaged. My parents have constructed my future for me. I don't get to make the big decisions like you do."

"Hey, you think I'm totally free? Because I'm not. They chose my career too, you know. Maybe they didn't choose my spouse, but they expect me to marry a rich girl. You fit the bill, but choosing you and running away means abandoning their career choice for me. I'd be disowned just like you."

"Why are you willing to just throw everything away like that?"

"Because I love you, Leaf. And when we play our music I feel more alive than dead. Usually it's reversed. Listen to me. I've been thinking this whole thing through and I talked to my grandfather. He's always frowned upon my parents' controlling lifestyle for me. He's willing to let us go stay with him in secret. No one would know where we went. We could stay with him while we write our first album and then we could tour Kanto. We'd be far away from our parents. We could get a great start on our career before they even know about what's happened to us. And besides that we're both eighteen. We can leave if we want to. Leaf, this might seem crazy right now, but it's all too possible."

Leaf stared at him. They could do it. All she had to do is say yes and they could start their life together. They could leave their neatly constructed lives behind and be free together for the first time. They could do it. They would do it.

Shakily, Leaf unhooked the charm bracelet from her wrist. Without taking her eyes off of Gary, she tossed the bracelet into the canal below where it made a light splash. Gone forever.

She stepped towards him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss. He was so surprised that he didn't even kiss back at first, but then his arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed her back passionately.

When they broke apart, Gary held Leaf against him and gently stroked her back. "You know what we have to do now."

"Yeah. We'll have to get out of here tommorrow."

Despite the fact that she felt electricity coursing through her entire body, Leaf was able to register one thought. She'd always hated the story of Romeo and Juliet, and yet here she was in her own modern day version of it. She only hoped it would have a much happier ending.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where do you think we could find her?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know," Paul answered. "We could try going to the house where I was getting the pot, since she's, umm, 'seeing' him, but I'd rather not be around that stuff."

"It's okay. We'll find her another way," Dawn reassured him. Last night had been a disaster, but Dawn was determined to at least talk to Samantha before she went back home. Hopefully she could start a happier relationship between the two of them, but she knew that it was more than likely that the girl would continue to hate her. She had to try though. She had to know for certain that she was still hated by the girl.

"If only we knew where she lives," Paul mumbled.

"I know," Dawn sighed. "What if we can't find her in time? We only have two more days."

"Don't remind me." Dawn stared into Paul's eyes. She knew he was sad to be leaving her. She was sad too. Really sad. Should she be as upset as she was to be leaving a guy who wasn't even her boyfriend? She didn't think so, and that bothered her.

Paul pulled her into a quick hug. "We'll find Samantha. I promise. Let's get back to searching." They walked for a while, stopping to get some food at a restaurant. Paul got a burger and fries and Dawn got a chicken sandwich. She swiped one of Paul's fries as they were walking.

"Bit*ch," he said, shoving her playfully with his elbow.

"Paul, look!" Dawn said, pointing ahead of them. Abby was coming out of a store, turning to walk towards them. She was still a little ways away, and she was staring down at her iPod so she hadn't noticed them.

"Think she'd tell us where Samantha lives if we asked?" Dawn questioned.

"No. But that's a problem I can handle." Paul pulled Dawn around the side of a building, out of Abby's line of sight. They waited, and when Abby passed by, Paul grabbed her and threw her against the building's wall.

"Paul! Don't be so rough!" Dawn shouted. "We just want to talk to her not beat the sh*it out of her!"

"I can handle my own," Abby said, glaring at the bluenette. "What do you guys want?"

"We're looking for Samantha," Dawn explained. "We were hoping you'd tell us where she lives, so that I can go talk to her."

"It's the least you could do," Paul said, tightening his grip on the girl. "After you tried to kill Dawn, you know?"

"It's not like I wouldn't tell you," Abby spat in annoyance. "You think I'm just some angry bit*ch, don't you? I only did what Samantha asked me to because she's my friend and I'd do anything for her. Now that we know she was in the wrong, Corrine and I are kind of mad at her. I'd honestly prefer for you to go talk to her, because she's probably holed up in her room reading emo books right now and she goes a little nuts when she's upset."

"Shouldn't you guys be comforting her? You said you're really close to her..." Dawn pointed out.

"I was there this morning, bit*ch. I can't spend my whole day there though or I might kill myself. When she's upset she talks to me in poetry ."

"Poetry?"

"You heard me."

"Okaaay. Where does she live?"

"1325 East Rainbow Canal Avenue."

"Got it. Thanks." Paul let go of Abby and she brushed herself off as though she'd been touched by a diseased person.

"Good luck with Samantha," she said. "She's never changed her mind about anything in her life."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So this is where she lives?" Dawn asked.

"It's what Abby said. Unless she was lying," Paul answered.

"Do I just ring the doorbell or what?"

"Do I have to teach you how to go up to someone's door?"

"You can leave if you want," Dawn said, biting her cheek in irritation. "I'd rather talk to her alone anyways."

"Jeez, Troublesome. I was just being sarcastic. But you're right, I should go and leave you to do your thing. You have your Pokemon, right? I don't exactly like leaving you with the girl who plotted your murder."

"Good point. I mean, I do have my Pokemon, but... just come in with me."

"Okay." Paul seemed to relax a little as they approached the door. Dawn pressed the doorbell button and they waited for what seemed to be a long time.

"Maybe she's not here."

"Abby said she would be."

Finally, the door opened and Samantha stood there in shock. "Why are you here?" she asked them.

"I wanted to talk to you," Dawn said.

Samantha seemed to weigh her options. "Come in," she finally decided, her voice filled with malice.

"You can come upstairs with me," she said to Dawn. "He stays down here," she added, pointing to Paul.

"Whatever," Paul answered, plopping himself down on the couch.

The two girls headed upstairs. Two doors down the hall, Samantha entered a room. Dawn followed her in and observed her surroundings. Samantha's room was light blue with white carpet. A bed with Suicune print sheets was in the corner, as well as a bookshelf full of books and a desk with a lamp. In another corner was a table with a television on it. Everything in the room was neat and orderly.

"Be glad my mom isn't home right now. She would've literally kicked you out as soon as you walked in."

"So your mom really hates my mother and I?"

"Of course she does. She loved our father. And your mom took him away from her. He was supposed to stay with us."

"Well I'm sorry. I can't really speak for my father's actions, but I'm sorry for everything."

"I hate that you're nice."

"Sorry."

"Quit apologizing!"

"Listen to me. Our dad is a good man. I don't know why he abandoned you, but-"

"He doesn't know about me."

"What?"

"My mom was pregnant when he left her. She never told him."

Dawn pressed her hands over her mouth. Her dad didn't know that he had another daughter.

"Our dad met your mom at a Pokemon Contest, as you probably know, and he fell in love with her talent. After a while, he came to love her as well and he divorced my mom and married yours. My mom hasn't remarried. She speaks ill of our father and your mother and you all the time. She filled my head with such hatred for your family. I thought you all were the scum of the earth."

"We aren't," Dawn said.

"I know. You're really nice. The fact that you came here to talk to me after everything that's happened is ridiculous. You should hate me, but you don't."

"You're my sister."

"Half sister."

"Enough with correcting me. You're my sister and I want you to be a part of my life. Is that so wrong?"

"No. But it's totally unreal. I've been fukk of rage and hatred for so long. I've cried and screamed myself to sleep at night because I've just always felt so bitter in my abandonment."

"I know our dad. If he knew you existed, he'd want you to be a part of his life too. If it's okay with you... let me tell him everything when I get home. I'm sure he'll work out a way for you to come visit us. He'd really want to meet you."

Tears formed in Samantha's eyes. "You're serious about all of this."

"Of course I am." Just then, Samantha hugged Dawn, and the two girls laughed.

"I have a sister," Samantha said. "And her name is Dawn Berlitz."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Are you ready?" Gary's voice asked over the Pokegear.

"Yes," Leaf whispered into her own Pokegear. It was night-time, and she was preparing to sneak out of the hotel with Gary. Her mind flashed to the events of earlier that day. They'd gone downtown to the music store together.

"Hello, Meryl," Leaf said as she entered the store.

"If it isn't my two favorite customers," Meryl said with a smile. "Are you still working on your song? I can go unlock the back room for you."

"No. I'm actually interested in making a purchase today," Leaf explained, pulling out her credit card. I'd like to buy the grand piano I played our first time here, and I'd also like an electronic keyboard. The kind that's in the back room."

"So you decided to ship something home after all," Meryl said as she typed the orders into her register.

"Yes. Here's the address," Leaf said, handing the woman a strip of paper. Gary's Grandfather's address was on the paper. The piano and keyboard would be sent there.

"So what convinced you to buy the piano after all?" Meryl asked.

"Let's just say I'll be doing a lot more work with music," Leaf answered.

"That's wonderful." Leaf paid for the instruments with her credit card, and then Gary purchased an electric guitar and electric bass. Leaf could tell that Meryl knew something was up. Just as they were about to leave, she whispered in Leaf's ear.

"I will cover for you."

"Thank you," Leaf said graciously. Meryl nodded, and then Leaf ran to catch up with Gary.

"Net stop, ATM," Gary said.

"How much are you going to take out?" Leaf asked.

"Five-thousand. You?"

"My parents are loaded. I'm taking ten-thousand."

The plan was to withdraw the money they would need to make it to Pallet town and to pay for any other expenses they had in the near future. They'd purchased the piano and keyboard in Undella Town so that the charges couldn't be tracked to Pallet Town.

Once they'd withdrawn the money, there was one stop left to make. They bought new Pokegears which they would activate when they got to Pallet Town. Their current ones could be tracked, so they'd need to ditch them before they left Undella. Once their parents saw that so much money had been spent and withdrawn, their cards would be frozen, so they needed to get everything they needed now.

Now Leaf and Gary were taking off in the middle of the night. Leaf looked back at her sleeping friends one last time. Tears filled her eyes. She really was leaving behind everything. She'd left a note on her pillow. Gary would do the same.

One last shaky breath, and then she slipped out of the room, suitcase in hand. In the hotel lobby, she met Gary in a warm embrace.

"Let's go, he said. They left the hotel, slipping into the night. They threw their Pokegears into a canal where they'd be swept out to sea, and then they hurried to the train station. Using the money they'd withdrawn so they couldn't be tracked, they purchased two tickets to Nimbasa City. There, they would once again take the bus to Castelia, where they would get on a boat to Vermillion City in Kanto. And there would be a bus in Vermillion to take them to Pallet Town. They had a long journey ahead of themselves.

Once they boarded the train, they sat in one of the units by themselves. Leaf rested her head on Gary's shoulder. She felt heavy with loss. Freedom has its price. He stroked her hair and leaned in close.

"I promise I'll always take care of you," he said.

"I promise I'll always take care of you too."

Tomorrow, their friends would find them gone. They were leaving a time bomb behind them. In the morning, their old world would explode in chaos. Leaf only wished there had been a gentler way to leave.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

And done! Here is your long awaited update, and only two chapters to go! I hope you like it, I'm not sure how I feel about my work on this one. I wanted Dawn and Samantha's conversation to be better, but... it just wouldn't come out right. Sorry :/

And also, my poll is now up on my profile! Sorry that it turned into a wall of text. I had it formatted correctly, and then it... turned out like that. I do know how to fix it, but... I'm lazy. It's pretty easy to figure out anyways. No worries. Please vote on my poll for which story idea you would like me to write next! I'd really appreciate it! The poll should be open to everyone.