Author's Note: Okay, firstly my apologies for this story taking so long to come out. I could give a plethora of excuses for why it did, but I won't bore you. Also, I'm not totally happy with this story, so if you don't like it, I don't blame you. All I can do is try and do better next time. Oh, and I just wanted to thank my stepfather for helping me to name Erika's pokemon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Present Tense... The large cold, wet snowflakes of late January had been descending upon Celadon City for nearly three days straight before two travelers arrived. The wind had picked up an hour previously, blowing the snow into drifts as it came down at nearly a forty-five degree angle, forcing what few people dared to venture out into it to have to fight their way down what few streets remained mainly clear. As the two made their way down the main street, past the rows of large homes with their ornate, sprawling gardens hibernating beneath the omnipresent snow, the sound of the traveler's wide wooden snowshoes crunching as they stepped was deadened by the howling of the wind and the far off sound of car engine that refused to turn over. "I think that's it up ahead," came the sound of Misty's voice, the quiet, barely audible words breaking the prevailing silence that had overcome them since passing through the city gates. Miranda glanced up, her stormy gray eyes going wide behind the round lenses of her spectacles, her pulse racing as the dark shape of their destination loomed far closer than it had when the courier had first spotted it in the distance. "Is it like you remember it, dear?" her lover teased, her gloved hands sliding around Miranda's waist from behind as the courier stopped in the middle of the empty street, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. "No," she whispered, closing her eyes and covering Misty's arms with her own as her beloved pressed closer, holding her tightly, sharing her warmth, "it was raining that day." Misty rested her head against Miranda's shoulder, closing her eyes and giving the courier a firm hug. "It's alright, you know," she said quietly, ignoring the icy wind that threatened to cut through her heavy Winter coat as it blew about the trailing ends of her scarf. "I know," Miranda sighed, slipping off her fogged up glasses, her visible breath quickly slept away by the wind, "It just feels weird, that's all." "You mean being here with me?" inferred Misty, her voice sympathetic, lacking any trace of malice. The courier nodded slowly, her stomach tying itself in knot. "I've been here off and on since that first time," she explained, Miranda's voice distant as she clung to her lover's arms, thankful for Misty's embrace to help fight off the foolish guilt she felt, "But I've only seen 'her' once or twice since. I guess the in-city courier's do most of the Gym's deliveries. It's not that I've avoided seeing Erika or anything, but now... I dunno. I just feel weird, that's all." Misty nodded slowly, her own conscience nagging her at how uncomfortable her beloved was at being in Celadon. "We can always hit the trading post," she said thoughtfully, "Drop the package off and have the city courier deliver it. And then I could always run by for a Challenge on my-" "No," Miranda insisted firmly, shaking her head determinedly, "I'm not abandoning you. I knew what I was getting into when I signed on for this, and I'm not giving up on it now. Besides, I doubt Erika will do anything to embarrass me, or make you jealous..." Misty laughed heartily, rocking Miranda gently as she lifted her head and looked out over at the large, square building with its glass dome set upon the center of its roof. "Is that what you're afraid of, Miri my love? That I'll be jealous of Erika?" "I know. I'm being silly, I-" "Shhh," came Misty's whispered reply, a small smile upon her face beneath the thick folds of her scarf, "Don't worry. We've talked about this. It's not as though you're surprising me with it just now or anything. I've had enough time to prepare." Miranda nodded as Misty let out a small, quiet chuckle. "Although," she added mischievously, "It also means that I'm going to be just a touch merciless when it comes to my Challenge against Erika." The courier laughed, awkwardly turning her head and smiling at last. "You're going to have to be," she agreed a little teasingly, "You'll be at a disadvantage against Triffid and Audrey." "Eh, I'll handle it," Misty assured with a dismissive shrug and a mischievous grin, "After all, I'm fairly certain that Leviathan and Umberlee should be more than enough to take care of Erika's tossed salad!" Miranda smiled, shaking her head in amusement. "I adore your confidence, you know that?" she said with a happy sigh, glancing up at the Gym with a renewed sense of well-being. "Oh, so you only love me for my confidence, then?" teased Misty, slipping away and taking Miranda's gloved hand. The courier chuckled quietly, once more leading the way across the urban tundra. "Okay then. Since you're gonna challenge me..." Miranda replied thoughtfully as they hovelled along upon their snowshoes, safely wrapped in five layers of Winter coats, heavy sweaters, long scarves, and woolen undergarments, "The intensity of your beauty is a shining light whose radiance is unhindered by armor you must wear to protect silky softness of your skin. Is that okay?" "Mmm, it'll do for now," chuckled Misty, all but hanging off Miranda's arm as they passed beyond the Gym's outer gates, left frozen open for convenience in one of the worst Winters in a century. Miranda laughed as they hurried up the mostly clear walkway with its twin hills of snow on either side as the wind blew fiercely along the artificial pass between the seasonal mountains. Their short, awkward sprint brought them to the small alcove before the large wooden door. Adorned with an ornate silver doorknocker, its surface decorated with carved flowering vine patterns. Before they could knock, however, the door spring open as the two huddled in the doorway for a moment for warmth. "Come in! Come in!" insisted a friendly female voice as the wind blew a short-lived hail of snowflakes into the foyer, "It's freezing out there!" "Thanks, miss," Miranda replied, giving Misty a gently push to ensure she got inside first, "we weren't expecting you to be so prompt!" The woman who wore the long, abstractly patterned kimono of yellow and orange smiled as she hurried the courier inside and shoved the door thankfully closed. "We knew you were going to be here some time this week, so we set up a watch when we heard about the coming storm." Miranda nodded slowly by leaning her body forward slightly, her long dark purple and black scarf it almost impossible to move her neck. "Erika always was fairly thoughtful," she commented, reaching up to untangle the knot of her scarf as the warmth of the Gym began to get to her. "My Lady believes in providing more than adequate hospitality," the woman said simply, tossing her long red hair over one shoulder as her guests unwound their scarves, and extricating themselves from their Winter clothing. "Does that include hot chocolate?" Misty shivered; her cheeks flushed bright red from the cold and quickly stifling the jealous thought she told herself she wouldn't have. The woman nodded. "Anything you wish," she said with a mysterious smile, "Within reason, of course." "Just being out of 'that' is hospitality enough for me," replied Miranda with a nervous glance at her beloved as she struggled out of her coat, her brow sweating now that the Winter's cold was but a memory. "It's also getting close to lunch time if you'd like to join us..." the woman's voice trailed off as her dark eyes cast their way over to the wooden staircase that lead to the upper level. "I'm certain that they will, Joyce," came a soft, feminine tone as figure in an almost flowing green and gold kimono glided down the staircase towards them. As the dark haired woman approached, her steps so graceful she nearly seemed to float as opposed to walking, she trailed her small, slender fingered hand along the dark wooden banister. Her touch light, like the caress of a lover. Miranda looked up at the small woman and gulped down a sudden nervousness, reaching back blindly with a shaking hand before finding Misty's and clutching it tightly. "E-Erika," she said with a small smile, "It, it's been quite a while." The Gym Leader smiled down at the courier, her emerald green eyes reflecting a subtle mischief as she descended at an unhurried pace, her small feet making no sound upon the carpeted wooden steps that had creaked beneath the feet of others. "Indeed, Miri, it has," she said simply, her smile mysterious and all knowing as her gaze seemed to look into the depths of Miranda's soul before turning to Misty and stifling a small quiet chuckle. "Oh my," said Erika, tapping her chin thoughtfully with her index finger as Misty's body tensed from the sudden effort not to blurt out anything she'd regret, "I remember you. It's been quite a while since you were here last but I seem to recall your name being Misty, correct?" Miranda winced as Misty's hand tightened around her fingers almost painfully. "That's right," her lover replied with a forced smile, hating herself for the flare of jealously but feeling more annoyed by both Erika's reminder of an unpleasant memory and especially by the woman's blatant use of Miranda's nickname. "And yes, about three or four years now I think," Misty added quickly, her free hand moving to touch Miranda's shoulder possessively, "But, as they say. Much has changed since then." Erika's eyes slid closed as she chuckled and took the last few steps. "Fear not, miss, I noticed," she assured, holding her hand out to the trainer without any outward appearance of dismay, "And actually, I'm quite pleased that Miranda has found someone. I was rather worried about her when she left my company the last time." "I'm older and wiser now," the courier chuckled nervously, freeing her aching fingers and sliding her arm about her lover's shoulders, "And I'm quite pleased with my choice as well." Misty tried a little unsuccessfully to keep her smile from seeming too smug as the courier kissed her cheek and Misty shook Erika's warm, inviting hand. "Good," said Erika simply, releasing Misty from her gentle grip and turning to glide down the oddly shaped hallway whose right-hand wall curved slightly in response to the odd architecture of the building, "now then, my assistant will provide for you for the time being. I fear I have a most pressing matter that I must attend to elsewhere. Please forgive me, but I will see you in time for dinner." As the woman vanished around the corner Joyce turned to the couple and smiled sweetly. "Please forgive my Lady, Winter is not her favored time of year," she explained, glancing over her shoulder a little worriedly. "Oh, it's no problem," assured Miranda, going back to undoing her boots as Erika's assistant took their coats and hung them up, "I'm not terribly fond of it myself." Miranda then glanced at Misty as her lover kicked off her heavy boots and stepped carefully out of the foyer, doing her best to avoid the melting slush upon the cold tiled floor in an effort to reach the warm hardwood floor of the rest of the Gym. "You okay?" the courier inquired quietly, still not completely convinced that making the delivery together wasn't a mistake. "I'm fine," Misty replied softly, exhaling slowly as the courier extricated herself from her own boots and hopped out onto the drier floor, "She's pretty, though, isn't she? Beautiful even." Miranda's heart sank as Misty turned to walk away, but the courier quickly took her about the shoulder and spun her beloved back around to face her. "Beautiful may turn my head," whispered Miranda quietly so that only Misty would hear as her arms slipped about her lover's waist, "but cute rocks my world." Misty attempted to stammer out a reply, but felt Miranda's lips pressing softly against her own, causing her tension and buried anger to melt away as she leaned into the woman's embrace. "I love you, Miri," Misty breathed as at last their lips parted, finding Miranda looking searchingly into her sea green eyes, "please don't forget that." "It baffles me as to how anyone ever could," the courier replied, kissing Misty gently, "Or how anyone could ever not love you..."
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