(Fanart in media by @Azul-Gale !)

A light chirping pulled me from my slumber. I rolled over in the bed I tossed myself into late last night, throwing a down pillow over my head, "5 more minutes," still, the bright calls of a small bird persisted in the morning. "Damn Pidgey!" my words muffled as I buried my face. With my open arm, I threw my fluffy comforter over myself further until the light that dripped from my bedroom's window was locked from my sight.

My final attempt to fall back into a lazy sleep was abruptly disrupted by heavy pounding. Two feet shot up my staircase and a voice shouted, "Burglar!" I curled up further in my nest of blankets, unsuspecting of the broom which suddenly started to slap against my body, "Get out of my daughter's room!" my mother shouted harshly, never halting her profuse assault by cleaning utensil.

"Ah! Ow! Stop!" I started to yell, now wide awake, "Mom! It's me!" Still the broom thumped against me and my blankets. Finally I tossed up my blankets and I tumbled from my bed and onto the oak paneling of the second floor. "Leaf! It's me, Leaf! Calm down, mom! Dear g--- Arceus, cut it out!"

The broom stopped.

The sheets fluttered down back to the bed as the broom slowly lowered. My mother's face poked around, practically glowing, "You're home!" She cheered after scanning me from top to bottom. The broom slipped from her grip and clattered down beside me. Quickly, I braced myself for a mother's death embrace which her face seemed to say she was about to give. Instead I heard her floundering further away, "I must tell everybody!"

I let out a light sigh of relief and ran my fingers over my scalp, pushing past the ribboning locks. I wondered to myself if my real mother would have been like this if father didn't pass before I was born. I swung myself back to my feet. I took a moment to breath, my mind still laced with a sleepy daze. My vision speckled with dark spots that faded in and out. "Well, that's not good." I breathed, flopping back onto my mattress. The bed frame creaked loudly and trembled for a moment as I continued to speak my thoughts, "Spotted vision usually means that I don't have enough nutrients in my system. Or I have an eye disease... I'm going for the first one."

From the downstairs, I heard my mother opening the front door. The air pushing it open with a whoosh as mother's heels clacked against the wood, backing up presumably.

"Blue," her tone was quizzical, "what are you doing here?"

I let out a grunt, flinging my arm across my face. Can't I just have a day off? I thought to myself, raising my lips into a snarl.

"I am here to check on Leaf, Ms. Green," his voice smoothed out. "I heard she got back late last night."

Mom giggled like child, "My, my! News does carry fast! She's up in her room right now!" she sung, her voice soaring up into my room. The next noise was a pair of feet making their way up into my room, gentle steps pressing into the stairs.

"Good morning, Pesky girl," Blue's voice greeted.

"Mornin', Blue." I mumbled back, not even trying to even argue about the nickname. I flopped onto my side and curled up, the black hood of my pajamas sat with my ear just brushing the cotton fabric. My eyes were softly shut, determined to somehow fall back asleep after the attack moments ago.

A hand skimmed over mine before tenderly patting. What felt like small static ran around the area the hand rubbed, my face grew warmer. "It is noon, ya' know." Blue said with his ever-so cocky tone.

Reluctant to move, I made no try to push away his hand. "I'm tired, ya' know." I mocked him with a deep exhale. "Why are you here?" I finally rolled my neck around to face the advance-trainer. The tip of my nose tingled slightly when both of our eyes locked gaze.

My words floated around in the room for numerous moments, our stares never breaking from one another. I could feel the tips of my ears starting to become heated and my heart pushing blood though my veins erratically. If I kept looking into Blue's ochre brown eyes, I swore I would fall in. Terrified of this odd sensation, I threw my sight off past him to look though my window.

"How's the mission going?" his voice finally broke our silence, from my line of vision I saw his ginger hair brush around. Ultimately, I scrunched my eyes shut and tossed back to face the wall my bed was pressed against.

"I lost," I whispered. A simper crossed my expression while I pulled my blankets closer to my chest. "Probably better that I did... That kid, Red. He'd be lonely up there without his pokemon, wouldn't he? Even after I fixed all the hacks, he would still be sitting on top of that mountain. Wouldn't he?"

"Yeah."

I took in a great breath, my ribs expanding just to collapse in three words, "As I thought," slowly I sat up in the bed, my head hanging low as it pointed towards my bi fold closet doors. "Sooner than later, I will start to hunt down Mew. Once I capture that p-p-p---" I couldn't control it. The one word couldn't come out and I didn't know why. Fear shot though my body as I kept repeating the single letter. I felt suddenly paralyzed, my eyes like the moon. I could only feel the boiling tears roll over my cheeks, my eyes like lava pits. Everything felt like it was going in and out around me.

Something wrapped around my arms, two hands. I began to be forcibly shook around. My head bounced around, my hair whipping across the area. Then, it stopped. My chin brushing the metal zipper of my hoodie and one of my drawstrings thrown over my shoulder, "Leaf. Leaf. Leaf, look at me." Both of my legs curled close, pressing into my stomach as I ignored the words of the worried trainer above me.

In time, I pulled my head up, though it felt like a two-ton weight. Blue hovered over me, both of his knees sat on my bed on each side of me. His back was straight while his worrisome eyes fell on me, "What just happened...?" I buzzed in an air-like voice. The tears stopped, only leaving wet trails.

The grasp on my arms slipped, radiating fingertips skidding across my forearms as they fell. A pressure dropped onto my shoulder, locks of hair scraping against the skin of my neck. "Please," Blue hushed with his forehead rested on me, "don't do that again..."

Everything became slow, his breath blowing out with all the fear he must have been carrying. My shoulder felt so strong in one moment. Carefully I put my chin onto his shoulder and patted his back, his head now handing by my shoulder-blade. I couldn't help but wonder, if he knew what had just taken place. Though I let it tumble away as I continued to pat his back, murmuring words of reassurance. "I won't," I breathed out beside his ear. "I promise," my head sinking further. "I won't."

The seconds ticked to minutes and sped by until he tore away. Not even looking at me, Blue said shaking away whatever just came over him. "Get dressed," I wondered if he could see the darkest glare I would ever shoot at him as he began down to the first floor, "I'll meet you down stairs."

I scratched the back of my head tiredly, happier that he left the room for me to change. Before standing, I just sat and felt my entire body shiver as if small sparks of electricity were kissing my skin. It couldn't. I scoffed while throwing myself to my closet. No way. I repeated as I tugged on my now infamous strawberry colored skirt. It's impossible. I continued to think, pulling over my black tank-top to be followed by a blue sweatervest. Because that was apparently what it was.

Once I was dressed I skipped down the steps, finding my mother washing dishes at the counter. For a moment, I swore a line of something odd running though the plate she held. Once more glance and it was gone. Nothing important, I told myself while bounding up behind her. "Hey mom!" I greeted with a smile, stealing a apple from a bowl of fruits that sat on the windowsill. Sunlight from the day fell from the window and into the sink, reflecting the light in a million directions from the running water.

I sneaked behind her and gave my mom a gentle kiss on the cheek, "Oh, good morning, Leaf!" she laughed, returning a quick lip smack on the side of my face. "Where are you off too?" She inquired, taking note of me being fully dressed. Her voice was full of such joy, I almost couldn't believe it was possible.

Blue moved beside me, resting a one of his hands on my mother's arm. His other touching between my shoulder-blades, I flinched somewhat with the contact, "I'm going to be taking her out for a little while. Don't worry, we'll be back before midnight."

"Okay!" my mom chirped with delight as I followed Blue from my house.

Once I clicked the door shut I said very dryly, "Before midnight is very vague."

He craned his head around and smirked devilishly, "Why yes it is." He purred, his adam's apple bouncing around. I mentally flicked myself to stare back up at his face. He guided me though Pallet town, onto the edge of Route one. He slipped out a pokeball and released Pidgeot.

"I am not getting on that," I blatantly stated, my hands tugging further at my hat to fall over my brow.

Blue chuckled just like last time and grasped my hand, "Yes ya' are." At that point, I was glad I had pulled my hat over my face. For it was blushing profusely as he sat me a top his pokemon. He climbed on behind me and moved me further up the tawny-feathered pokemon's neck. "Don't worry. You won't lose your hat this time."

Like the last time, the pokemon took off and crossed the sky like an arrow soaring towards the target. We flew North-East for a few minutes, lapping ocean waters crashing into one another below us. When the land started to break out beneath us, a city rose from the rolling fields to be surrounded by dark evergreen pines. Blue commanded his pokemon to descend.

As we did, Pidgeot thrusted his wings about, blades of grass spiraling up into the air. Leaning over the edge of the pokemon, simple pink gerbera daisies poked their heads around as we landed. They speckled all turf of land that wasn't paved, their yellow pistils smiling. Beside our landing sight, a fountain tossed up azure water that arched back down to crash into a pool forming below. The cream stones that walled around the pond were darkened by the water that would splash against it.

Carefully I slipped from the pokemon's back to admire the large town, "Celadon City," I noted aloud when the lavender painted shopping mall came into my sight. Seeing that it was just mere meters away. I really had no intention to come up with the number for the distance. Around us, people chatted away with their friends linking arms. I glanced back to an office building, recalling briefly the time I receive Vaporeon there, just as an Eevee.

A game center just paces away bustled in and out with gamblers. A teenage boy, probably no older than I, leaned over to a girl who he draped his arm around. He said to her, I was reading his lips, "You'll be my good luck charm". She giggled as they walked into the shop which illuminated with vibrant neon colors.

I curled over and pretended to vomit, "What a corny line!" I exclaimed, trying so hard not to fall over laughing as I acted sick. From the corner of my eye, I saw Blue call back is pokemon.

Blue rose an eyebrow, "What was it? I bet I could top all corny line." he smirked, an eyebrow holding its place above his other. "I mean, I am great with the women. It could be the worst line ever, and I'll still make a girl melt."

I took a couple deep breaths and sat on the fountain side, trying to kill the smile that stretched across my face, "Really? Prove it." Blue shot me a confused look. "Go up to a girl or two here and use a few of those corny pick-up lines... Wait! You have an hour to get as many numbers as you can, and all you can say are corny pick-up lines." I decided, nodding my head very affirmatively.

His smirk transformed into a very Zorua-like grin. One of a trickster. His back straightened, his fingers pulling though his spikes. The ginger laughed at me, "If that's how you want it." Two girls walked by, their curling hair swaying with their steps. Blue checked the two out very quickly before winking towards me. I rolled my eyes and watch him slick in front of them. "Hey, do either of you have a band aid?"

A girl whose blonde hair had dark red streaks running though struck him with an odd look before rummaging through her purse. Quickly she pulled out a small bandage, and handed it to him, "Why do you need one, sir?"

The other girl jabbed the one extending the band aid, "Aster..." She growled, embarrassed of her own friend.

He snapped it out of the girl's hand and smoldered, "Because I scraped my knee falling for you two."

"Wow..."The previously embarrassed one suddenly flooded red, her long curls of blonde hair complementing her flushed face.

The other who gave him the band aid fell over laughing, "Arceus! That was so corny! Rain, he totally go you!" she cheered as she took her breaths. She snapped the bandage away and took a pen from her purse, "But the way you said it was pretty well done," she looked up at him after scribbling down on the bandage. "On this side is my number. On the other is one for an acting company." She graciously tossed it back at him.

To sum everything up without putting you though grueling pick-up lines, an hour later Blue had 13 phone numbers, three different acting companies numbers, four times he made out with a new chick and twice a girl flipped him. By the way, it was the same girl who just flipped him twice. Surprisingly, no girl flipped him off. Just a boy that dating one of the girls he flirted with.

I was really shocked he came away that one without a broken nose.

"Now, time to get back on track," Blue declared, tossing all the phone numbers into the fountain I waited at.

"Well, that was rude to all those girls," I shrugged, following Blue. "Where are we going?" I asked as we continued out onto the route beside the city. My jaw dropped, "The game never had this..." I pointed out in awe.

A child ran past me, dragging a long one of their friends, "Hurry! Let's get tickets!" the two rushed over to a bright red ticket booth, standing on their toes to speak through the glass, "Two passes to the Carnival!" pale white lights flashed along with many other colors, booths with games were constructed with the famous candy cane-striped awnings. In the back a Ferris Wheel spun gradually as the spokes glowed in rainbow bulbs. In the distance I could see trick houses popped up, mirrors reflecting the afternoon sun.

Many girls paced around carrying obscenely fluffy pokedolls. Boys crouched over at shooting games, taking their aims precisely or were flicking their wrists in prep to toss a dart. My eyes must have been reflecting the scene as I beamed. A voice answered beside me, "Well, if you noticed I did lead you away from both the route and the city," I shot my head around to stare at Blue curiously. "What? Do you think all NPC's roam around in one spot or a few spaces for their entire life?"

"Eh," the corner of my mouth twitched as I fought myself to say: yes, that is what I thought. "Well, let's go in!" I laughed nervously, pulling at Blue's arm. I stumbled over to the ticket booth and smiled sweetly to the Ticketmaster, "Two passes please!"

"Ah, you are the new champion aren't you!" The girl behind the desk squeaked in a statement more than a question. "With former champion? Is this a date?" She blushed, her eyes wide as her mind probably ran with conspiracy theories. She ripped away two all-purpose passes away from an ivory white roll of papers. "No! No! Don't tell me, don't spoil it! Take them, free of charge!" the Ticketmaster continued to squeal, sliding the passes to us.

The rest of the day we spent there. We played games, and I was surprised at how well Blue actually played them. The two of us laughed as I talked about the odd incidents he missed along my journey. The Ginger even bought a swooping cone of cotton candy that was larger than my head. Between bites, I caught Blue stealing a few from the top. Every time I did, I giggled silently. A faint blush painting its way to my cheeks certain times.

When we entered the house of mirrors, I found it entertaining how many times Blue would crash into his own face. He just loves himself so much, he kissed himself! Times I would call out to him, so that he would figure out where I was. My mind wasn't as easily trapped in the halls of reflection.

Then, it came.

The fair below us grew smaller and smaller as I cuddled the iconic large Pikachu doll in my arms. "Thanks for winning it for me, Blue..." I mumbled, burying my face into the pokemon's head. The cab that slowly rose up on the Ferris wheel wobbling every moment. My gaze staring at the shrinking ground, thinking about everything that occurred down there. Oh, and how high we were. That crossed my mind a lot.

"Are you afraid of heights or somethin'?" His voice sounded considerate as I continued to clutch my doll.

I shook my head slightly in a no, pulling the pokedoll closer. So he really didn't pay attention to what I said just before the mountain. "Just falling," I watched as a golden sun sunk into the horizon, the puffs of clouds that drifted by, matching the blaze. Farther above the inky night bled in, tiny diamonds specking around to be defiant from the city light pollution.

Thought nothing here could compare to the rare clear night skies on Mt. Silver.

A silence sung between us until we lurched forward suddenly. Movement after froze, I tossed my head to look and see the entire wheel had stopped. The two of us poised at the top, "Life," I sighed, sinking into my seat as my ears picked up on the rushing people below. "We're stuck at the top." I looked to my riding partner to see his gaze focused on the setting sun. His deep eyes swirling with so many thoughts and emotions.

"You're a girl, right?"

"No. I wear a bra and a skirt because I am secretly a cross-dresser." I hissed in a monotone, receiving a very tired glare from Blue. "Yes, I'm a girl."

Blue looked to me, his elbows sitting on his knees while his chin rested atop his fingers, "Alright. Well, I feel like I can trust you now..." His caramel pools never drew away from mine, "I can trust you. With this. There is someone I really like."

I continued to stick my nose into the Pikachu doll, hiding a rosy shade involuntarily coming to my face, "She must be happy to have someone as arrogant as you." I laughed.

His mouth fell crookedly, "Continuing on. I wanted to take her out on a date. How did this carnival feel in that sort?"

The Beautifly wings flapped around in my stomach as my heart shot blood into my head, "Er... Hey, do I know her?" I suddenly asked, not sure how to respond to his question.

"Yeah, I think you do." I smirked with a kind of superiority in his tone. "Though I'm not sure you'll be happy to hear her name."

"Who?" My words tumbled out before my brain could have commanded to stop it.

"Her name is Selphy. You two didn't meet on good terms last time, but she really is nice once you get past that." He laughed, his eyes suddenly becoming hazed. His mind must have been dancing with the times he spent with the blonde.

"Lucky," the beautiflies in my stomach burnt away, turning into a painful burning acid, "her." My eyes narrowed, recalling the Fangirl Alpha back from before I challenged the pokemon League. My face fell further into the Pikachu doll. It quickly occurred to me, this could seem suspicious. I shot up my head and smiled brightly, "Yeah, you should take her here! There are a couple things here that would be great that we missed. She would have fun!"

Despite the happiness I practically oozed, deep within my heart clenched up and my throat stretched.

Why do I feel so terrible...?