"We Have Ways Of Making You 'Stop' Talking..." Her sleeping mind was struck by a sudden absence as her hand reached out but found only emptiness, and vague warmth where once there had been a comforting presence. 'Not again...' her mind muttered, and she pondered the thought for a moment as a sound filtered its way in. The door was slowly creaking open. "Miri?" Misty inquired, once again struck by a sense of d?j... vu she couldn't place as she opened her eyes partway and smiled as Miranda stood before her with a tray. "I thought you might be hungry," her lover explained, and Misty almost laughed when she caught sight of what Miranda was wearing. "Hey," she teased, sitting up and moving a pillow to support herself, "Isn't that-?" "The blouse your sister gave me?" Miranda finished Mirthfully, glancing down at the all too feminine looking garment, whose soft white silk she had to admit felt nice against her skin, "Yeah. And Bob said it too, eh." "Said what?" Miranda sighed, setting the tray down upon its metal legs so that it straddled Misty. "'Miranda! You look like a girl! What happened?!'" she muttered exasperatedly, "But I thought I might as well." "Well you know it looks good on you," assured Misty, inhaling the pleasant scent of the freshly baked crescent rolls Bob had cooked up, and wasting no time taking a sip of the orange juice Miranda had made to replace the last batch she'd all but gone through. "Thanks," the courier replied shyly, feeling a little self-conscious as she sat down beside Misty and took one of the rolls, "I thought, you know... It might be nice to try something different." "Well just don't cut your hair!" warned Misty with a laugh, teasingly ruffling it as Miranda gave her a sheepish grin around the roll she was eating. "I doubt they could make a pair of scissors that sharp," she mused, brushing the flaky crumbs off her denim jeans and onto the floor, "So, um, are you ready for today?" "The challenge?" Misty inquired, trying some of her omelet and finding it almost as good as Bob's lasagna. "That too," Miranda replied pensively, "I meant with my Mom. She still wants to talk to you." Misty nodded, finding her breakfast far too distracting. "I'll admit your mom's a little intimidating," she said between bites, "But hey, fear is a weapon, right? And its best not to let yourself be its victim." "My mom's not a ghost-type," Miranda laughed. "Same principle," Misty shrugged, "I just have to be myself, and be confident. I've noticed something else too." "Oh?" "You and your mother are alike in some ways. So if you like me, then chances are, she will too." "If she chooses to trust you," Miranda replied, glancing out the window as a sudden nervous chill struck her. "Why wouldn't she?" asked Misty, her tone sounding bewildered for a moment, "I've never done anything to make her suspicious." Miranda nodded. "I know," she explained with a wary sigh, "But she's cautious. Too many people in her life have caused her problems, and I guess the stress of running the Company just adds to that. A lot of clients try to take advantage of her because of her disability. They seem to think she's weak minded because of it, but she's used to putting them in their places. And as funny as it may sound, my Mother really didn't trust my Father when they first met either, so don't take it too personally." Misty smiled at the thought. "Was he anything like you?" she inquired. Miranda chuckled. "Actually," she replied reminiscently, "He was a bit like you." "Me?" Misty blinked. "Yup," said Miranda with a slow nod and a bemused smile, "An extrovert. Full of life, and a certain indiscernible quality that makes people like you for no explainable reason. Something that goes beyond reason, and makes you believe in things like love at first sight." "Was it?" Misty inquired softly, her hunger sated as she looked into Miranda's thoughtful gray eyes. "He said so," Miranda teased, leaning over giving her beloved a playful kiss. Misty sighed, shaking her head as she moved the empty tray down onto the floor and turned onto her side as Miranda looked on adoringly. "That's not answering my question, dear," she said, finally free of the distraction of Bob's cooking. Miranda looked thoughtful for a moment, letting out a slow breath as she searched her memories, and the lingering feelings of the day they'd first met. "I don't know," she replied honestly, "I think that I was just overcome by the need to get you out of a bad situation. That and, well... You're not exactly unattractive, dear." "Gee, thanks," Misty laughed, moving closer until their noses slid past each other and Miranda's eyes took up nearly her entire field of view, "And you're not exactly hideous either!" Miranda smirked, glancing away as she blushed. "Sorry," she replied, "I just don't want you thinking I'm completely superficial." "Only a little?" Misty teased, kissing her playfully before leaning back and giving her lover a thoughtful look, "Hey, you know, I just realized something." "What's that?" "That I've been sitting here completely naked for the last while, and here you are fully clothed." Miranda smiled, wetting her lips nervously as she met Misty's gaze. "I guess I just have that quality," she confessed, "Of making people feel comfortable around me. But if you'd like..." Miranda's tone changed subtly as she looked up over the top of her glasses at Misty, her fingers slowly undoing the first button of her blouse, "...I could always join you?" "I- I don't think we'd have time," Misty whispered in amusement, her eyes going wide and her pulse quickening as Miranda leaned forward, steadily undoing buttons at a leisurely pace as she maintained eye contact. "I'm sure we have at least a little while," Miranda replied, glancing down at Misty's bare chest and wondering if the goose bumps along her skin had anything to do with the light chill in the room as she herself felt uncomfortably warm in her Winter jeans. "Just a while?" her lover inquired, swallowing nervously in anticipation as Miranda's blouse hung open except for the portion she'd tucked into her pants, her breasts still bound by her bra, but seeming no less inviting. "Just until my Aunt gets here," the courier continued, slowly moving forward and reaching for the clasp at the front of her bra, "And I'm certain that she's quite distracted at this moment. Just as we are..." Misty nodded slowly, breathing through her mouth, and feeling a pleasant chill run down her spine as Miranda undid the clasp with a simple movement of her thumb and index finger, letting the garment fall against the insides of the blouse. "You know," she commented, looking up to meet Miranda's gaze, "White really is your colour." "That depends," chuckled Miranda, moving to straddle her lover, and letting her long dark hair spill down over her shoulders, "Is it white for innocence, or death?" "'Petite mort'?" Misty breathed as her lover loomed over her, a far more pleasant distraction than Bob's breakfast had been. "Like in Shakespeare," agreed Miranda, as Misty ran her fingers through the courier's dark, silky tresses, "Whenever a character said, 'I die', it was just his own personal inside joke." "Mmm, you bards are such delightful perverts," Misty purred, causing Miranda to catch her breath as her tongue slid lightly across the courier's nipples. "Misty, Misty, Misty..." she sighed bowing her head and panting into a pillow as her lover gently nibbled her nipples and reached out to slowly pull down the fly of Miranda's jeans, "Wha-? I-!" Misty chuckled in reply, her fingers easily undoing the button of Miranda's pants without having to look before her hand slid within, seeking out the warmth of the courier's womanhood through her panties. "Breakfast was nice, and I thank you for it," said Misty as Miranda shuffled closer, making it easier for her lover's hand to touch her, and shivering as she felt Misty's fingers slide down across her labia, "But you're what I'm really hungry for..." Miranda brought her head back in time for Misty to lean in and kiss her. "I- I love you," she managed, lowering herself to be closer to Misty. "I know," Misty replied teasingly, feeling Miranda's arms go about her shoulders and lips press firmly against her own in response to Misty's hand sliding beneath the protective layer of cotton to touch Miranda's skin directly, "And now its my turn to return all those favors your forever doing me." Miranda only nodded, resting her head against the pillow as Misty's free hand slid the courier's jeans down over the rise of her bottom and Miranda became suddenly very aware of just how vulnerable she felt. It hardly mattered, though; her body didn't seem to mind the fact that anyone walking in would get an eye full. Instead, Miranda concentrated on the feeling of her undergarments being slid down as well before Misty's middle finger slowly moved back and forth across her labia, seeking entry with a patient touch. "Don't move," whispered Miranda, convulsing suddenly as Misty's finger slid inside her all at once, her inner walls immediately tightening, trapping her lover for a moment as a pleasant feeling spread through her. "Is this okay?" Misty inquired, her voice sounding concerned. "Yes," Miranda assured, laughing a little as she moved her hips down against her lover's fingers, urging Misty to continue, "I- I'm just tense. Please, don't stop..." "As you wish," Misty assured, her fingers going through Miranda's hair as she kissed her, slowly rocking her other hand back and forth so that her middle- finger slid in and out as her palm and other fingers gently rubbed against her lover's womanhood. "I love you," came Miranda's shivering tone a moment later, giving Misty desperate kisses along her neck before burying her face in the pillow to muffle her cries of ecstasy, her whole body beginning to shake, as her knees felt as though they'd give out. Misty smiled; closing her eyes and basking in the odd thrill it gave her to make her lover loose control. To have the power to bring such overwhelming joy to someone she loved very much. Even when Miranda's arms wrapped around her tightly, clinging to Misty almost desperately as her knees tightened about her hips, Misty still felt in control. It was still by her hand, now sliding a second finger to join the first, covered in Miranda's wetness as her lover moved her hips to desperately meet the oncoming penetrations, that Miranda was reaching the point of orgasm. Misty knew that she could stop at any time, and Miranda would understand. It was a comforting feeling, knowing that she was finally in control of her life, and that someone finally appreciated what she could do for them. Miranda made a loud, gasping cry into her pillow, a thunderous release that had been a long time coming. Her hands gripped Misty's shoulders desperately, as she literally bit her pillow to muffle the screams, her hips moving almost independently of her will as Misty went from the slow, patient movement to a faster, more frantic pace. Misty soon found the tightening grasp of Miranda's inner walls practically holding her fingers in place, and decided instead to reach back with her thumb, making slow circles across her lover's clit as Miranda pulled her onto her side, gritting her teeth and making incomprehensible noises that sounded wonderful to Misty's ears. "Don't hold back, my love," she whispered, refusing to halt her motion as Miranda finally met her gaze. The courier's stormy gray eyes seemed distant, her expression contorted yet beautiful as she looked back at Misty as though she were the only thing that mattered in the entire universe. Miranda leaned forward, awkwardly kissing Misty as her arms scrambled for purchase, desperate to hold her lover closer as her mind swam in the elation of small, but repeated orgasms that besieged her mental defenses. "Do you want me to stop?" Misty teased, smiling as the expression on Miranda's face changed, her eyes looking on pleadingly as Misty kissed her, watching in near fascination as Miranda writhed. It was all the courier could to shake her head as she glanced down, watching Misty's fingers for a moment and feeling strangely amused by the sight of them sliding in and out of her before her mind gave in one final time. Miranda's exclamation had little meaning in of itself, but the emotions behind it came across to clearly to Misty who felt both embarrassed and secretly excited as her lover's voice filled the room, and she had to wonder how soundproof the walls really were. "I- I love you..." Miranda whimpered as she felt little other than a pleasant numbness where once there had been the wonderful friction of Misty's fingers sliding in an out of her. "I love you too," Misty replied happily as Miranda shivered next to her, moving closer as Misty pulled her hand away and just held Miranda, "But, are you going to okay?" Miranda's reply sounded a bit like a laugh as she tried to collect her scattered thoughts. "That was... That was..." she began, but the words refused to come to her as the pleasant lightheadedness, and tingle that still clung to her body like a second skin lingered. "Your crying," commented Misty, her tone soft, sympathetic and happy as she brushed the tear from her lover's eye, "Are you sad?" Miranda smiled shyly before leaning her head forward and kissing Misty gently. "I'm just so... Happy," she confessed, her voice sounding so vulnerable that all Misty could do was hold Miranda closer and gently rock them both back and forth. "I love you, Miri," she repeated, not knowing what else to say as she pondered Miranda's nearly helpless condition, amazed and astounded at her own power. 'This is what "he" could have had,' she mused with satisfaction, 'But now this pleasure I give belongs only to you, Miri... I just wish I had your eloquence so I could tell you how much I really love you.' "That's all that I ask," Miranda whispered, holding Misty closer as her fingers moved affectionately through her lover's hair, "And yet, you always surpass my expectations." Misty smiled, gazing searchingly into Miranda's eyes and idly wondering how they were ever going to collect themselves and be downstairs at the appointed time. 'Please don't interrupt,' she thought, willing the sudden knocking on the front door downstairs to end, for Laurna to give them another hour. Another hour to just lie in Miranda's bed, holding her and being held by her, speaking without words of things that were far beyond them. "We'd better get down there," said Miranda, her tone sad, but her smile still happy as she reluctantly sat up, looking disheveled with her long dark hair all over the place, and her blouse hanging loosely off one shoulder, undone to the last button and only barely containing her modesty. But even with her clothing in disarray, her eyes looking a little red, and the silly grin that refused to leave the courier's lips, Misty still looked up at her beloved, seeing Miranda as the most beautiful thing in all of Creation. "Just tell me one thing, Miri." "Yes?" the courier inquired, taking Misty's hand, holding her lover's gaze as though Misty were the center of her universe. "Was this a perfect moment?" Miranda closed her eyes, chuckling mirthfully at her own thoughts as her mind still stubbornly swam in the remnants of euphoria. "Yes, my love," she said honestly, though she giggled at her own words, "But then, every moment with you is perfect..." *** Miranda lead Misty back downstairs to the dining room/kitchen with a touch of apprehension. There was something intangible in the air that bothered her, but she just couldn't place it, her mind still stubbornly refusing to think logically. And as she rounded the corner and glanced into the room, the feeling only grew stronger because of what she saw. Vivian was seated next to her sister Laurna. The two were talking quietly over tea, the same way they always did right before Laurna did a reading. The round dining room table had only one more place setting, and was laden with a platter of Bob's shortbread cookies; the ones that could halt entire armies with their flavor. "Good luck, dearest," whispered Miranda, squeezing Misty's hand as she leaned close to her ear, "This could get messy." Misty glanced at Miranda and smirked. "Think so?" she asked, feeling slightly amused despite the seriousness of the situation, "Should I be worried?" "Possibly," assured Vivian with a knowing smile, beckoning with a simple hand gesture, "Come, sit with us. Miranda, you're excused. Oh, and Bob should be waiting for you down by Route 12." Miranda nodded, disliking the tone her mother was taking, but accepting it. She gave Misty's hand a final, reassuring squeeze and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "I'll probably be at the Courier Club by the time you're done. Meet me there afterwards. Okay?" "But-" began Misty, turning towards Miranda as the courier hurriedly walked down the hall and grabbing her coat before leaving the house, everything about Miranda echoing her nervous anxiety. "Don't worry, deary," chuckled Laurna over her tea as the sound of the front door closing echoed ominously through the house, "We don't bite." Their guest gave a weak, nervous smile as she turned back to the sisters and took the offered seat. "That's not what I'm afraid of," she chuckled, smiling to hide her sudden feeling of sudden abandonment. "Then perhaps you should be," chuckled Laurna, soliciting a stern glance from her sibling. "But seriously," continued Vivian, pushing her wheelchair back a bit before making her way around the counter to the squealing pot on the low stove, "we wanted to talk to you." "A-about what?" inquired Misty, looking anywhere but Miranda's mother's strangely coloured eyes. "About my daughter, actually," continued Vivian setting the kettle down on the edge of the table as she returned, "But I'm sure that you know that already." "Why? Is there something I should know?" "Perhaps a few things," replied Laurna, pouring hot water into a cup partially filled with tealeaves, "For instance, what are your intentions with Miranda?" "My- My intentions?" stammered Misty, disliking the feeling of being crossed examined and scrutinized by anyone, even if they were Miranda's family. "Yes," continued Vivian, as her sister slid the cup across the table to Misty, "Cookie?" Misty caught the teacup and stared up in surprise at the plate of homemade shortbread cookies her hostess was suddenly offering her. "Um, sure." "And?" inquired Vivian, raising an eyebrow as Misty took a cookie shaped like a gastly from the plate. "And I'd have to say that I'm quite happy," she admitted thoughtfully, "I can't really say that I have 'intentions' beyond keeping things as they already are." "I see," pondered Laurna, her elbows on the table so she could rest her small chin on her entwined fingers, "So you're all right with everything then? No complaints? Drink your tea dear, it's the blend you like." Misty halted her reply for a moment, quickly realizing that the two were trying to keep her off balance. With a contemplative look, the water-trainer leaned back in her chair, munching her cookie and sipping her tea. "Not really," she replied after a careful sip told her that the tea was just like Miranda's special blend, the clock on the wall loudly ticking away the seconds, "Miri's almost been a better friend to me than my pokemon. I really like her." The sisters exchanged a subtle glance as Misty tried to hide a blush behind her teacup. "But do you love her?" asked Vivian, her dark magenta eyes seeming more piercingly than usual, her tone deadly serious. "And how's the tea, deary?" added Laurna with a mischievous smile. Misty swallowed hard, putting the cup down and meeting Vivian's cold hard gaze with all the courage she could muster. "Yes, ma'am," she replied with determined conviction, "I am in love with your daughter." The woman closed her eyes as a warm, hopeful smile crossed her lips and Laurna glanced down at her tea thoughtfully before asking, "So you aren't going to abandon her once you get bored then? Oh, and you never told us what you thought of the cookies." "They're delicious," assured Misty in all honesty, trying to both keep up, and to control the flow of the conversation as best she could, "And no. I'm not just 'using' Miranda. She's the person I've chosen to give my heart to, and I don't take that lightly. I know what it's like to be hurt by someone I care for, and I'm not going to do that to her." Vivian nodded, taking a thoughtful bite of a cookie, successfully decapitating a eevee. "That's good. But has she ever mentioned her other lovers?" she asked, looking up to meet Misty's gaze in time to catch their guest's reaction, "Oh, and I'm glad you like them. Their actually a recipe from Miranda's paternal grandmother Lydia's cookbook." "She's mentioned them. And we've discussed her past, and I'm not worried about it. Why do you ask?" Misty replied, feeling disquieted by the line of questioning, but standing her ground nonetheless. "Oh! And you're quite welcome..." she added hastily, finding the cookies rather addictive. "Her first love was actually one of the Lilcamp Trading Company's former employees," explained Laurna as her sister poured herself some more tea, "However, he quit a short time later and moved down south to marry some millionaire." "I'd heard that his intentions weren't exactly pure," Misty agreed, taking a sip of her strangely perfect tea. "Quite," replied Laurna, her tone serious, "And Miranda didn't take it too well in the end either." "That's one reason why we want to make sure about you," finished Vivian, "Oh, and please forgive a mother's foolish pride, but tell me. Have you ever heard Miranda's poetry." "Yes, many times," Misty replied with a nod and a contented sigh, "It's beautiful. So fully of life and hope and love..." Vivian glanced at her sister in time to notice the worried look that crossed her face. "But not all of it is," she added, glancing back to catch Misty's curious expression, "When her father died, Miranda wrote some rather dark things. That was understandable. It didn't worry me. But after her breakup, it was worse. She wrote of things I never want my daughter to feel again. Bottom line, Misty, there is simply no way that I am allowing my daughter's heart to be broken ever again." "And I won't allow mine to be broken again either," replied Misty, her tone both indignant and determined, meeting the woman's gaze with all the intensity she could muster, half hoping Vivian would back off a bit. "Good," said the ruling matriarch of the Lilcamp Trading Company with a smile, taking note of how much tea Misty had left to drink, "Now finish up, my sister needs to do a reading." "A reading?" inquired Misty, swallowing the last of her tea, "What kind of reading exactly?" "Oh, just your tealeaves, deary," chuckled Laurna, glancing at the cup expectantly, "Or didn't Miri tell you?" Misty nodded slowly and began to slide the cup over, not totally certain whether the woman was serious, only to be stopped by Vivian. "No, dear," she said in a maternal tone, that reminded her of Miranda's when she spoke to her pokemon, "turn it upside down and place it on the saucer." Misty's gaze moved back to Miranda's mother. "Like this?" she inquired, carefully inverting the cup and setting it down as instructed. "Yes," continued Laurna, catching Misty a little off guard as the two women's voices almost seemed to flow into one another, "Now turn it three times counter clockwise, tap the bottom three times, and hand it back to me." Misty's eyes crossed for a moment, and she had to give her head a shake, but she complied. A short time later, she slid the cup across the table into Laurna's waiting hands. "What now?" she inquired as Laurna lifted the cup and pushed her rimless glasses farther up her nose in a thoughtful gesture. "Now you give her a moment," chuckled Vivian, offering Misty another cookie. Misty nodded, taking one that resembled a victreebel and wondering if her choices were being observed as Laurna carefully scrutinized the rim of the cup. "Curious," the professor muttered to herself, carefully turning it in a slow circle, her bright magenta eyes gleaming with interest, "Very interesting..." "What?" Misty inquired, biting her tongue as a sudden aggravation flared within her and she fought to both keep it down, and to keep her voice level. "Oh, just you're past," Laurna replied, wetting her lips thoughtfully and leaning back, holding the cup at arms length, "It's almost as interesting as your future." Across the table Vivian snickered, hiding her smirk behind her teacup as Misty found herself gripping the edge of the table. "But it looks as thought things could go any number of ways." "Isn't that 'normal'?" Misty inquired with a smile, "we are all masters of our own destinies, right?" Laurna nodded slowly, setting the cup down with a degree of reverence as she met Misty's gaze with a suddenly worried expression that actually hinted at her true age. "There are times in people's lives when we let other's make our decisions for us," the woman replied, and Misty half noticed the look of sudden remorse in the eyes of both sisters, "When its just easier to sit back and let other's be the masters of our destinies. I see here that you're familiar with this phenomenon, deary." Misty cringed, suddenly unable to meet the small woman's gaze as the words struck home. "I-I won't deny that," she confessed sadly, her heart sinking in her chest. 'Miri? Have I failed you?' she pondered inwardly, waiting for the other shoe to drop. "But, in both cases you broke away," continued Laurna, "You had the courage, and you had the strength to say, 'No more.' You took back control of your life-" "And gave it away again," Misty interrupted bitterly, her eyes burning with sudden tears as she hugged herself and stared hopelessly down at the table, "I went from one controlling, manipulative relationship, right into another. I-" "Eventually made the right decision," finished Vivian, causing Misty to glance up at her, finding that the woman's gaze had somehow softened, "You met my daughter, and you took a chance. You broke away a second time, and now your looking break the cycle of abuse." Laurna nodded, staring sadly off into space, lost in her own thoughts for a moment. "It took me long enough," Misty added, moderately pleased to see that nothing she said seemed able to frazzle the two sisters; instead their tones were becoming quite sympathetic. "There were others who tried to bring you into their lives," Laurna agreed, making Misty wonder just how much the woman could see in her tealeaves, "But hope held you back. And as Miri once said, 'Hope is a double edged sword.'" "And also to quote, Miri," Misty added, "I was a different person back then." Laurna nodded. "A love unrequited can become a terrible, all consuming thing," she replied, her eyes seeming all too knowing for someone who came across as so innocent, "And when you give yourself so completely to someone who simply can't feel the same way about you, bad things can happen. That person, though they feel not love, can begin to grow dependant upon the actions of those who love them. They can become obsessed with the idea of always having someone around who pampers them. Puts them upon a pedestal, and treats them like royalty every day of their lives despite their own emotional shortcomings. And when that person leaves, gets sick of their cold hearts, they can snap. Becoming very dangerous people." Misty nodded, unwilling to speak her former companion's name as she remembered the superstition about invoking names invoking power. Instead she nodded slowly and replied, "Yes. I know that. It's become all too clear to me, I'm afraid." "And his shadow still falls darkly across the path of your destiny," added Laurna, her tone loosing its soft edge ever so slightly. "So, is that what you're afraid of?" Misty inquired, finally meeting Vivian's gaze, "That this is just my way of getting back at- At 'him'? That I'm just going to do to Miranda what Ash did to me?" Vivian glanced down at her tea as Misty bit her tongue and cursed herself inwardly. "Abuse creates vicious cycles," she explained in a careful tone, one Misty had heard Miranda use from time to time, "But those cycles can be broken. To be honest, that doubt does linger in my mind, but if I... That is, I see a strength in you that my daughter must truly adore. I have the feeling that you're quite capable of overcoming many adversities, and retaining your sense of self." "But still," her sister added hastily, "we had to be sure. We had to be certain beyond a shadow of a doubt that you love Miri, and that this isn't some silly revenge ploy. That you're not just another one of those people who've replaced love with greed and just want her so you can take control of the company, or just use her for your own amusement..." Misty laughed, unable to stop herself at the thought of such things. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered, blushing at her outburst but receiving no disapproval from the two siblings who seemed to place a very high value on honesty, "But even if I was greedy, or evil, or conniving, I doubt that I could ever be that Machiavellian about it." Laurna chuckled, a little of her old self returning as she smiled at Vivian. "You know," she commented with a bemused smile, "I do think I like this one. Don't you agree?" Vivian's smile was subtle as she gave her sibling a knowing glance before leaning back in her seat, her dark magenta eyes looking hard, boring into Misty's soul all too knowingly. "So, bottom line," said Vivian in her sternest, most serious tone, "Can you promise my daughter forever?" Misty met Vivian's gaze bravely. She pushed down her sudden nervousness, and clung to the aggravation that the question sparked; the implication that things could be otherwise seeming somehow absurd to her. "And eternity," Misty responded without hesitation, without so much as blinking as she spoke in a level, calm tone that failed to betray her true emotional state, "Not even death itself shall end my love for Miri. Not the stars falling from the sky, not the oceans swallowing our world whole, and with all due respect, not even your objection would stop me from loving the wonderful, beautiful woman you've done so well in raising." The thin line of Vivian's mouth formed half a smile as she raised her cup again. "Good," she said simply with a quiet chuckle, sipping her tea as Laurna gave Misty a discerning look. "She's rubbing off on you," commented Laurna with a smile. Misty could only nod, slowly letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding, and suddenly looking forward to challenging Laurna. If only to alleviate the stress she felt. "Well, that's all that I really wanted to know," Vivian replied, reaching out for a shortbread cookie shaped like a dragonite, "So, to be fair, is there anything you wanted to know?" Misty glanced at Laurna, who smiled reassuringly and nodded. "Um, well, actually," she stammered, still not sure whether or not to feel elated, "I was kinda wondering if I... You know..." "Passed?" "Yeah." Vivian chuckled, idly turning the dragonite cookie in a slow circle as though examining it for flaws. "Yes, dear," she said drolly, her smile genuine yet guarded, "You meet with my approval thus far. You needed worry. Anything else?" Misty nodded, exhaling slowly as the tension abated somewhat. "Well, actually, there is one thing," she replied, watching thoughtfully as Vivian all to melodramatically bit the head off the dragonite, "It... It might be kinda personal so, if you don't want to tell me, just say so, but... Well, Miri told me about how her father found Selece, but she's never mentioned how you found Undine. Did you find a dratini egg as well?" Vivian sighed, a contentedly reminiscent look crossing her face, making her features seem softer as she spoke. "No," she said in a strangely quiet, soft tone, her eyes seeming distant, "I didn't meet Undine until she was an adult. You see, one evening, a few weeks after Selece finally evolved, Nicholas and myself were down by route 12. We did that at least once a week, going down there to watch the sun set... Anyway, that was when Undine appeared. Well, actually we heard her first. A fully-grown dragonite can fly at speeds of up to mach two, so we heard the boom before we saw her. "But when we did, it became obvious that something was wrong. As she neared us, her flying became erratic as the whole time she made these awful, pained noises that I'll never forget. Undine then landed, not far from us, and it became obvious why she'd come here. She was badly wounded, and completely exhausted. Later, I found out that Undine had been chased over the open water for several hours as by a large group of people in several fast moving black painted motor boats, armed with rifles that fired shards of ice. "So, as a result of her wounds, and her exhaustion, Undine came to Lavender Town. Drawn by the tower, I suppose. But she came here to die. Only she met us, and we helped her. We even introduced Undine to Selece, and she gained an even better reason to live. I suppose you know that they were Umi's parents?" Misty nodded sadly, knowing who the people in dark boats were, and knowing all too well that they'd come back for a second crack at Undine many years later. Only their second meeting had been far more tragic. "Yes," she replied, nodding her thanks as Laurna handed her a fresh cup of tea, "Umi's really quite something. I really envy Miranda's good fortune." "You specialize in water-types, don't you?" Laurna asked rhetorically as her sister slowly chewed the tail off her cookie dragonite. "It's a style thing," Misty chuckled, "And you specialize in ghosts, right?" Laurna blushed, her smile reminiscent. "Yes," she said in quiet amusement, "And maybe one day, I'll tell you why. But, so long as we're on the subject, we should probably discuss this afternoon's challenge. Don't you think?" Misty glanced searchingly into the professor/gym leader's eyes as not for the first time, she wondered what happened to the woman the night she spent in the Tower. "Sure," she replied, enthusiastically, "Miri said you have three ghosts, so I guess you'll want a three on three?" "You could say that," Laurna chuckled, pushing her glasses up her nose and smiling knowingly, "But to be more accurate, at my gym we don't just battle our pokemon one at a time. We do a real three on three. I believe in co-operation, so does Miri. I'm sure you've noticed her pokemon have a few combination techniques?" "Err, yeah," Misty replied, her sea green eyes widening as she suddenly wondered what she'd gotten herself into. One ghost at a time would be bad enough, but three? "And I think they can do a few doubles as well." Laurna's grin seemed all too happy. "It won't be the easy victory you've probably had against other Gym Leaders," she explained wryly, "Unless of course you don't want to challenge me? You only need eight badges to challenge the League after all. Not nine." "I've made my decision," the trainer assured, folding her arms across her chest and smiling in what she hoped was a determined look, "And I'm not backing out of it." "So, which of your pokemon will you be using?" Vivian inquired, the look of amusement in her eyes once more reminding Misty of Miranda. "Well," she replied in a careful tone as she picked up three cookies, each in turn and placed them before her on the table, "I was thinking of using Shadow, Umberlee and Leviathan... Um, assuming that's okay with you?" Laurna smiled at Misty's hesitant tone, and reached out for the spiraling shape of the gyarados before it could touch the table. "Oh, that shouldn't be a problem," the woman explained, meeting Misty's gaze as she raised the cookie to her lips, and bit its head off. Misty blinked as the crumbs scattered everywhere and she remembered Miranda's words. "Fear can win a battle even before it begins..." "So, um... Tell me Professor," Misty stammered, quickly trying to change the topic as she scrambled to rethink her strategy, "Have you ever done Miranda's tealeaves?" Laurna smiled knowingly. "Yes," she said simply, her smile all too amused. "And what did you see? In her future, I mean?" "You." "You're lying!" Misty laughed, feeling the tension abate once more. Laurna shrugged. "Maybe," she replied with a shrug, "But the tarot card reading I did for her last year did turn up a few interesting things." "You do those too? Neat." Laurna shrugged again, and shook her head dismissively. "Used to," she corrected, sipping her tea regretfully, "Before it became way too popular and trendy and got all pretentious." Misty found herself nodding in agreement. "So, are tea leaves your only way for you to foresee the future now?" she inquired. Laurna laughed. "Goodness, no!" she explained as her sister sighed heavily, and covered her eyes, shaking her head in dismay, "I also do horoscopes and palmistry. Oh! And I can also read the holes in cheese. But there's not much call for that..." Misty laughed, uncertain as to whether Laurna was kidding or not, but the look on Vivian's face said that she was suddenly regretting the block of Swiss in the fridge. "Anyway," the elder of the two sisters interrupted, her tone sounding mildly ominous, "It's been a while. I'm sure that Bob's finished with Miranda now. I think you'd both better go have lunch with her while you still can." "Ah, she's right," laughed Laurna, wiping her eyes with her fingers, "And I'd better see about a few last minute preparations. You still have those coins I gave you?" Misty nodded. "Good," said Laurna, her tone bordering on prideful, "I want my first challenger to have the best experience at my gym that she possibly can!" "Should I be afraid?" Misty inquired as she pushed her chair away from the table and stood. "I believe that that's the idea, my dear," Vivian replied, causing her guest to smile nervously. "Well, thank you for your hospitality, Ms. Lilcamp." Vivian's sudden smile both lit up the room and caused a nervous chill to run down Misty's spine, "Actually, dear," she replied in a tone that made Laurna giggle, "if you'd like. You can just call me 'mom'..."
Back to Lavender Ghost Story Index - Back to Pokemon Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction