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Amore Eterno	By : EvelonFox Category: Pokemon > General Views: 9001 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: Pokemon and all licensed Pokemon merchandise, including characters, do not belong to me. In short; I make no profit. Any names or likeness of real people is strictly coincidental (not allegories). All rights reserved.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Summary: Festivals are meant to be fun and exciting, right? Not awkward, or exhausting, or confusing. Unfortunately, that's usually how they end up. At least some "shopping" gets done...

Chapter 11
Jubilee (Part I)
Less than an hour after their appointment with Alkier, the pair took it upon themselves to relax more before bed and made their way down to the baths. Draco groaned as he relaxed in the waters of the bath. He and Evelyn were in the bathhouse, now void of other occupants�leaving them completely alone. She was sitting on the shelf below him, unnaturally close, but her back to him. They had talked for a while about the day's events but soon found themselves in a lack for words and silence fell over the tired paired. So they simply continued to soak�
He smiled, since Evelyn was turned ever-so-slightly so he could see her face. She had a very curious look on her features as she batted a barge of bubbles. Draco couldn't remember how they ended up in here, but he wasn't complaining. They could both use some relaxation after the stressful day they had. Evelyn was acting very strange, though. She kept playing with the bubbles and glancing at him with a smile and a blush before looking away. Her eyes were unfocused; thinking while she was harassing the groups of bubbles. Draco shrugged it off and simply admired the moment�
Then, without warning, she slowly turned around to face him and he averted his gaze. Even alone, Draco tried to give her some respect�for a few moments, anyway, before giving in. He raked his gaze over her, unabashed and enjoying every detail. She was smiling at him in a very odd way as she came a bit closer, their bodies' mere inches away. She reached a hand up and, with a feathery touch, ran her fingertips along his neck, then his collar bone, along his chest and arms. Her touch was so different from their regular contact; old hugs and pats on the head replaced with this exquisite torture. Legends, why was she doing this? He was barely holding back the urge to take her as it was!
"Oh Draco, you handsome devil, you," she spoke. His composure finally snapped, if only marginally. He grabbed her arms and pulled her as close as he could manage. She stiffened when she was suddenly pulled into his lap and she pulled back abruptly. Draco's heart sank with gut wrenching guilt. Then she smiled a very curious smile while looking down at his lap. Draco followed her gaze to see his own cock; pink, hard and ready, just peeking above the top of the water. He felt his face flush and was happy it didn't show. He was contemplating moving to cover himself, but something about the look she had stopped him. A look he recognized; when she smiled and chewed on her bottom lip a little as she studied something or read a book she was really enjoying.
Like an idiot, Draco opened his mouth to say something, and then remembered he couldn't. Not that he'd have the chance because she quickly pushed herself back against him, bodies closer than ever. It was overwhelming, the warmth that engulfed him when she leapt into him, her soft breasts pushed against his chest. Her hands were resting on his arms and a coy smile played on her lips. He growled in frustration when he felt her move more into his lap, a very soft and slick part of her grinding against a very hard and neglected part of him. He glared up at her, clenching his jaw in order to not flex his claws, currently cradling her hips. She only smirked and pushed on his shoulders a bit, forcing him to lean back so that his back was against the wall of the tub in a corner, but she continued to straddle him.
With her sitting on his lap and him leaning back, he was granted a fantastic view of her body. Her face was flushed and her eyes were lidded heavily. Better still her chest moved with every breath she took, her breasts right along with it. Perky and soft-looking, Draco yearned to lean up and lick one of the little taught, hard pink nipples. Unfortunately, she had other areas on her mind. Draco hissed when she made the same grinding move against him, only this time in this position, he got to see it. Between her milky thighs was what any male with half a brain would want; a hot, wet center, its lips against his cock, teasing it to throbbing. Did she know what she was doing to him?
One look at her face and the glint in those violet eyes said yes�she did. If she didn't stop, if she didn't back away, Draco was going to do something they'd regret, but if she wanted it�ugh! She leaned down, her front now pushing into him once more, her soft breast against his chest, under which his heart pounded. Did she want this? She had to, the way she kept grinding teasingly against him, now focusing more toward the tip of his member, enticing it to "come on in". All doubts were dashed, though, when she pressed her face in to nuzzle lovingly at his neck, and he felt her kiss it.
"Draco�" she sighed. He hated this teasing, but it was too sweet to let go, so he held her tighter still.
"Draco!" she shouted, her hand tightening on his shoulder. He let of her abruptly, wondering if he had held her too tightly.
"DRACO!"
His eyes snapped open and he shot up from the bed, gasping for breath as though he'd been pulled from a nightmare. The room was illuminated with the sun of the late morning, his blankets were bunched up at his waist, and Evelyn was half sitting, fully clothed, next to him on the edge of the bed. Her hand was on his shoulder for a moment more before she pulled it back, frowning at him.
"Finally! You have any idea how hard it is to get you up? I called you, like, three times, and I guess shaking you doesn't do much," she said, then sighed, "C'mon, we're running late. Can I meet you in the dining hall?"
Draco nodded numbly. She smiled and leaned in, kissing his cheek before bounding up, quite energized and excited, and all but skipped out the door. The moment it closed behind her Draco shouted a strangled snarl into the room before flopping back down on the bed. He rubbed his eyes gingerly with the backs of his claws and tried to clear his head. It was a dream�all a dream�Funny, some of it just felt so real. Everything did, right down to her touches, her breath. He could even SMELL her breath. With a sigh he picked his head up to look down his body at the lump of sheets at his hips. He lifted them up, not surprised to see a good bit of a mess he'd made. Good thing they were only here for that one night�
Evelyn, despite her cheerful mood, couldn't help but be a little worried about Draco as she descended stairways and walked through corridors. Even the breeze from the ocean on the outer walkways couldn't distract her for more than a second. Something seemed off about him, which was odd since he had been sleeping just fine through the night. Odd because when she woke and left to dress she returned and it looked like he was having a nightmare. She shrugged as she made her way into the dining hall. At least she had a peaceful sleep. More so than usual, in fact. She smiled as she remembered exactly why�
At some time in the wee hours of the morning, Evelyn stretched herself awake while the early morning sunlight invaded the room. It had certainly been a long night, but for once, not an unpleasant one. It was strange, to once again have more questions and few answers, but she was too damn comfortable to really care now. As she stretched, arching her back like a cat, she came to an abrupt halt when something solid and warm met her back.
Evelyn's eyes shot open, making her recoil at first from the sunlight, despite that it was fairly weak as the sun bathed the room in the pinks and light purples of morning. It carried with it the strong smell of the ocean and the sound of waves and birds into the room. Even with all that, all Evelyn could hear was the soft snoring behind her. All she could smell was a warm, strong scent she'd grown to love and expect, though not as strong and pronounced in its presence as it was just then.
Ever so gently, so as not to wake him, Evelyn turned to meet her bed partner. It was so surreal having him there like that. She knew things would be different, but judging by the warmth of his front against her and the thick smell of smoke and sandalwood, she'd underestimated just how different it would be. He was facing her, sound asleep, with his head further up the pillow, making Evelyn eye-level with his neck. She took this time to give him a small once over, really appreciating this new body of his. It was shocking to wake up to your best friend spooning with you, but not at all unpleasant for her. She watched him swallow in his sleep, and something under the taught lines and muscles of his neck moved. Evelyn frowned and waited for him to swallow again. When he did, she followed the movement more closely than before. She saw it and smiled.
(An Adam's apple?) she mused, moving her free left hand to grace her fingertips over it. She was speechless, even in her own head. Draco had an Adam's apple? She let her eyes wander, her fingertips not far behind. Over his collarbone, his broader shoulders, over the curves and dips of his muscular arms. Such a dramatic change. The awe of it was not entirely lost on her when her other Pokemon evolved, but with Draco it felt almost like�Well, like a gift. The gift of being very good-looking, she thought.
"Oh Draco, you handsome devil you," she sighed.
Draco let out a deep moan and shifted his weight, pushing himself to be flushed against her. That was when Evelyn felt a new kind of gift. It was hot, and hard, and pressed against her stomach. She swallowed hard, debating on whether or not to look. It was normal, wasn't it? He was male, and it was the morning after all�but it was so strange! Draco, who had stayed little while she grew. She was happy he'd evolved. She was beginning to hate herself for her own growth spurts. Like her body was leaving him behind, letting her enjoy the wonders of growing up while he did not.
Still, though she was happy for him and appreciated his new body, the shock had given her a curiosity she'd never had before. Like the internal battle she was currently having; a fight between respecting his privacy and just peeking under the covers. The latter of the two won out when she felt the smallest bit of moisture touch her belly where he was.
Oh so carefully she lifted the sheets and peered down. Even in the dim light she could still see that tell-tale bulge just a ways under his navel. The skin of his lower belly acted, basically, like his foreskin, keeping his member within his own body�Well, until aroused, apparently because a warm, healthy pink tip was protruding from the top, its foreskin beginning to bunch and wrinkle under it, unable to stretch and contain it. The amount of the warm-pink flesh she could see had a sheen of moisture to it, some of it left on her lower belly. It was clear and warm, but as Evelyn was leaning away from Draco, it began to cool, and she frowned at herself for missing the warmth when she knew full well that she ought to be disgusted.
As Evelyn pushed herself into him, careful not to wake him, she realized she should be disturbed by that hot, hard bit of Draco flesh that now sat sandwiched between its owner and his best friend. Yet, her heart was hammering and she felt elated. Why? With a sigh she resigned and tilted her head up. She had to get up; they both did, and she knew it. However, it was so warm, so pleasant here that she felt the need to procrastinate climbing out of this little piece of happiness. They were so close that she'd have to go cross-eyed to see that Adam's apple of his again, two inches in front of her. She smiled to herself and leaned forward gingerly to push her face into his neck. She could feel his pulse under her lips. Feel skin that, despite being technically scales, was far from rough. It was smooth, like a snake's. As the familiar and now all consuming scent of sandalwood and smoke kept her shackled here a little while longer, Evelyn decided that she could get used to waking up like this�
"There you are! Breakfast has already started," said Evelyn as Draco walked to the table in the dining hall. It had taken him a little while to compose himself/literally-burn-evidence, but he was certainly ready for breakfast now. He sat down next to Evelyn, Richard nudging him as he did. He cast the Breeloom a curious gaze, and Richard just silently pointed. Draco followed the movement and saw, tucked against a marble column in the hall, Shamma, seeming anxious and almost timid. It was shocking to see her that way, so Draco looked back to Richard, but he was distracted by a particularly lovely plate of eggs. Luckily, Alvaro had been paying attention and spoke in.
"You're not going to believe this," he said. "but�she wants to come with us!"
(WHAT?) shouted Draco mentally. Though Alvaro couldn't hear it, Draco imagined it was obvious on his face, because he quickly continued.
"But she can't connect with a human mind still, so she has no way of asking Evelyn discreetly. She wanted you to pass the message via signing." Explained Alvaro.
(Like Hell�) thought Draco. He looked back to the column, but no one was there.
They ate breakfast, some more than others, and walked (or waddled) behind Father Sabio as he gave them the instructions to their next destination.
"Those tickets you have are finally going to see some use. Sly is going to take you to Goldenrod, Johto; but only so you can get some supplies and catch a ship leaving from there to take you to Snowpoint City, Sinnoh." He explained. It was annoyingly difficult, Evelyn realized, to keep up with him. He walked quickly for such a large man, and she was carrying an egg in pouch, plus her bag. Eventually (mercifully) they reached the entrance hall and exited through the double doors. Morning air was crisp and clean and felt so damn good. Evelyn couldn't help but finally be able to appreciate the island a little more. It was truly a lush paradise. She suspected some Legends had a hand in that. She wondered if she was annoying Father Sabio as she asked questions about plants along the path they walked.
"What's that?"
"A Gilly Fern; grass types eat it when they have a stomach ache."
"What's that?"
"A Nanny's Orchid. The nectar is said to be an aphrodisiac for the Tailows, since it only blooms right at the beginning and all during their mating season."
"What's that?"
"Coal Tree. It's black bark has a toxin with healing effects in small doses, the opposite in large ones."
"What's that?"
"That's a rock�"
"Oh�sorry," muttered Evelyn, elbowing a chuckling Draco. He didn't see what the big deal was. They were plants, so what? They were all flammable to him�As they were passing a small bit of ruins, however, something caught both of their eyes, and together they came to a stop. It was a moment until Father Sabio realized they'd stopped.
"What is, child?" asked Father Sabio, regressing on the path back to them. Evelyn pointed at a small bundle of tropical flowers growing in the softest grass that ran its way through a few small boulders and large, abandoned slabs of marble. All over the little ruin scene were these flowers, which wouldn't normally be too awe inspiring, except for one fact.
"They're all paired�" she muttered. Truly, the little flowers came in twos, which wouldn't mean much, except that each pair wrapped itself around its partner in a tight embrace. Toward the base of the little green stems, it was clear they split and were two separate plants. They came in many colors, but each was only matched with certain ones. Red to blue. Yellow to green. Black to white.
"What are these?" asked Evelyn in a hushed tone. Something about the sunbathed ruins gave one the sense of�not shame, but sadness and respect of some sort. It hurt to be there. The solemn look on Father Sabio's face confirmed that theory, as did his words.
"The Lover's Lily. It's said to grow only where love has conquered at great costs, and against persecution�This site is said to have been a home of such a pair. Their love was so great; the Legends felt they needed to be honored after their passing."
"Why are they in pairs? Is it just symbolic?"
"No-no. Like I said, it's a myth as to how they came to be, a big story, and the Legends will not speak of it. In fact, when I asked as a foolish and overly curious young lad, they were utterly furious at me. If I recall, Articuno actually threw me off the tower. No, it's scientific, these pairings. They only come in primary colors, and each color produces a certain enzyme that breaks down the glucose made during photosynthesis. That enzyme, however, does not break down their own glucose; it breaks down that of its partner, and theirs breaks down the first's. Thus, the matching. Blue and red need each other to survive. They have the means to survive, but lack the ability to use them. Thus, they wrap together and form small shoots to stick together. Even their roots intertwine."
They stood there, admiring and honoring the beautiful sight. Finally, Evelyn turned to Father Sabio.
"Father?"
"Yes, my child?"
"The couple�how did they die?"
He glanced at her from the side, face expressionless, and then gave a deep sigh.
"Come now, it's getting late; you'll miss your ship at this rate."
Evelyn's surprise actually came from a lack of surprise. Even as she asked, she knew Father Sabio wasn't going to answer her. So, conceding defeat, she and Draco continued to follow him further along the path. After what felt like hours the jungle around them began to thin and eventually they were met with the beach. There in the sand, pulled up the beach slightly, was Sly's boat. There leaning against its bow, was Sly himself, looking the same as he did before; kaki pants, dirty blue shirt, and corn-colored hair. He was chatting with someone. Someone with a long, red-haired ponytail, blue jeans, and a black shirt.
"Claire?" asked Evelyn. Claire stopped mid-sentence and turned to her with a smirk.
"M-yes?" she replied with a clearly pseudo-nonchalant voice. Evelyn and Draco continued to the boat for a closer look. Indeed, it was Claire, though it had been a while since they'd seen her in normal clothes.
"Are you coming with us?" asked Evelyn. Claire gave a shrug.
"More or less. I've actually decided that it's high time I leave. You aren't the only one who spoke with Alkier last night," she said.
"What did he say to make you want to leave?" asked Evelyn.
"Well," sighed Claire, "mostly some nonsense about me "finally finding what I came to learn" and that I should "go and teach other young trainers the same lessons I've learned and to spread the good teachings of the Legends" or some crap."
"What did you learn, exactly?"
"How to lose, not how to win." Said Claire with a very serious expression. Despite their developing friendship, Evelyn could see that focus, that hateful fire in Claire's eyes when she looked at her and spoke of losing. She shifted nervously on her feet.
"Erm�so you'll be coming with us?" she asked, desperate to change the subject. It did little to snuff the fire in Claire, though she relaxed considerably.
"Like I said, more or less. I'll be with you as far as Goldenrod, but from there we go our separate ways. It's fortuitous for you that I'm tagging along to Goldenrod," added Claire with a haughty smirk. Evelyn rose a brow.
"How so�?" she asked. Claire came to her side and put an arm around her, giving her a purposefully condescending look and rub on her shoulder.
"Because, my friend, I've seen your wardrobe. You'll need a good shopping partner with a good eye if you don't want to freeze to death or get mauled by fashion police," she said. Evelyn rolled her eyes.
"Fashion police," she scoffed under her breath, and then said, "So you think we should shop for cold weather? Makes plenty of sense to me; I need supplies anyway. Alright, I'm in."
Draco felt his body stiffen. Fantastic�shopping; his favorite pastime. He gave a groan and leaned pitifully against Evelyn. She only gave him a shrewd glance.
"Gripe all you want, Drake, she has a point," she reasoned. Draco didn't much care that she made perfect sense; there was no better torture invented and forced on males to endure quite like shopping with a female, much less two. It was at this point Sly finally cut in.
"Alright, alrighty- I haven't got all day," he inserted, taking his weight from leaning on the bow. He waved them to follow and directed them into the boat. Once he knew they were in, he went to the bow and began pushing. Father Sabio assisted until they were waist deep in water. Sly managed to hoist himself into the ship and wasted little time, heading right for the captain's cabin. The motor roared to life and Father Sabio backed up a few safe paces and smiled up at Evelyn, hands on his hips.
"Well, young one. I hope you find all your answers. I regret that you've become so caught up in a war that isn't your own. Onyx has a lot of power, and presently not even the law is safe. Be wary, be vigilant. Can you do this for me, child?" he asked. Evelyn only nodded, not trusting her voice. It was a shock to realize how attached she'd gotten to this mini-giant patriarch. In fact, she felt drawn to jump from the boat right then and there and stay on the island forever. It was little wonder why her mother had loved it so much. The motor gave an angry snarl and a roar and the boat turned sharply before speeding away. Father Sabio stayed standing in the water as they waved good-bye, not stopping until he was out of sight�
Father Sabio waved until they disappeared from his sight. He turned and left the water, and then the beach to follow up the path once more. As he passed the ruins again, he came to a slow stop, turning his head slightly. He didn't have to look to see who was there, sitting lazily on a marble slab, plucking the petals off of a pair of Lover's Lilies.
"Joining the party a little late, aren't you, Rexus?" he mused. The man, Rexus, chuckled and continued to sit idly. He took a moment to look at the tower and back to Father Sabio, who had no issue with having his back to man�for now. They were, by comparison, very similar in build, and if he chose to fight him, Father Sabio had no doubt he could beat Rexus in a fair fight. But there was no such thing as a fair fight with Rexus Yew.
"I simply came to admire the scenery," mused Rexus, trying to sound hurt. He got up, straightening his silver coat, its tall, pulled up collar casting a shadow around his neck and jaw. Father Sabio turned a little more to see Rexus, at least from one eye. One could never be too safe.
"And how do you find it?" he asked. Rexus gave a thoughtful look, bringing one large, calloused hand up to scratch at his short and graying black beard, looking up at the tower.
"Enlightening�" he mused, then snapped his gaze suddenly to Father Sabio. "It's interesting to realize that the only way to get that chest is to kill her�but you know full well why I cannot. This leaves my hands tied, now doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does," replied Father Sabio. "but even if you had her, you don't have what it takes anymore, if you recall."
"Of coarse I recall!" hissed Rexus, walking along the ruins, gliding along each boulder or slab of marble with the grace of a cat, even with his hands now held in a business like manner behind his back.
"Then why are you here?" inquired Father Sabio. He was rather tired of these games Rexus liked to play. Rexus finally hopped down from a boulder and onto the pathway. They were now mere feet apart.
"I wanted to make sure that it was still safe�and that the means to get it are being collected�" he answered with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Father Sabio felt himself stiffen.
"How could you know about them? Or anything for that matter? You know NOTHING, Rexus!" shouted Father Sabio, a few bird Pokemon taking off from their roosts in the trees. Rexus clucked his tongue, shaking his head mockingly.
"Temper-temper, Father! My goodness. You act as if the keys were a difficult thing to learn about�" he mused, looking at his fingernails. "Father Romulus was eager to fill us in, but only to a point. I knew one key was here."
"And the others�?" asked Father Sabio. "Did he speak of them?"
"No�we didn't quite make it there. As it turns out, electricity is more lethal than I had anticipated�"
"You're a monster."
"And you're a man with answers I need."
"You would not dare try anything here," Father Sabio said confidently. Behind him, in the shadows of the jungle, a loud growl rumbled, deep enough that the leaves themselves rippled with the sound. Rexus looked over Father Sabio's shoulder, looking rather unimpressed. His face was blank now, and he glanced back to Father Sabio.
"Just a word of precaution, Father; don't think you're the only man with answers," he said as he turned around and began to walk through the ruins, toward the dark sanctuary that was the jungle.
"Oh, is that so?" inquired Father Sabio quietly, knowing full well the madman could hear him. Rexus didn't even slow down, much less turn back to face him as he walked away.
"Yes. There are plenty of fish in the sea," he commented. Father Sabio's eyes tightened.
"And how many of your fish are in the sea, Rexus?" he asked. At the boarder of the jungle Rexus stopped, turning his head slightly before he spoke and disappeared into the darkness.
"Plenty�" and he was gone.
=================================================
"LAND!" shouted Evelyn, tumbling out of the boat and onto the pier in Goldenrod. It was newer than the one in Slateport, mostly because Goldenrod was known for two things; fantastic shopping and the magnet train. Still, after a few years, some higher-up executive finally grew a brain and built a pier to cut out one of the middle men in the purchase and shipment of goods. Prices were far cheaper, now that they didn't have to wait for a truck to drive them from other ports.
(What she said�) groaned Draco, stumbling out behind her and helping her up. Claire and Sly walked off naturally, giving both Evelyn and Draco annoyed looks.
"Oh, come on now!" chastised Claire. "It wasn't all that bad!"
"Big baby," mumbled Sly. Draco cut them a look, and they both raised their hands in defense.
"Alright, alright�" sighed Evelyn, getting her balance before looking around. "What's going on here?"
All around were hanging paper lanterns and long banners and flags hanging from street lamps. Magickarp and Remoraid and other water Pokemon were painted on walls, or drawn on the street with chalk. Stalls were in the street, as was what had to be half filled there air along with the oddly chaotically beautiful sound of a happy crowd.
"A jubilee!" exclaimed Sly, looking around with a grin. "I had forgotten there was the population of Johto. Some stalls had games, others had food, and more still had goods to sell. Music one today."
"Wait, a what?" asked Claire. They began walking down from the pier and into the busy streets of Goldenrod.
"A jubilee. Basically a celebration of any kind for whatever reason. Goldenrod holds one at the beginning of winter celebrating the ocean's bounty. Lots of seafood and such." Said Sly. Evelyn had to take a moment to reflect on that; she'd completely forgotten that it was nearly winter. Being in a desert and on a tropical island could do that.
"I'm not sure how much shopping we can get done�" mumbled Claire, looking around excitedly. Evelyn was right there with her; this looked fantastic! Draco was thinking along the same lines, but from the scent's point of view.
(Oh Legends, this place smells amazing!) he mentally swooned. Evelyn glanced at Draco and caught the look on his face and smiled. She nudged Claire.
"Huh, what?" Claire muttered, her attention being drawn away from a jewelry stand she had found fascinating. Evelyn jerked her head to Draco, who was currently defying gravity by leaning forward on his toes, nose out and enjoying the smell of carnival food. Claire smirked.
"Maybe we can work this into our schedule after all," said Claire. "I vote the Pokemon go and enjoy the jubilee while we go get the shopping done. What do you think, Eve?"
"I vote yes," said Evelyn as she reached into her bag and pulled out her Pokemon and released them.
"Alright all!" said Claire as she released her own Pokemon, "Here's the deal! Go hang out, have fun, don't fuck anything up!"
She said the last part as she glared at Magmar, who just shrugged and smiled. She also had a Growlithe, who took to sniffing around right away, and a Slugma that just looked up at Claire with a pitiful look in his eyes.
"Oh�right. You probably won't actually get around much. Return�" sighed Claire, returning him. Evelyn smiled at her team.
"Okay, everyone go have fun, but we're meeting back here at the pier near the painting of the Remoraid by dinner." She said. Draco turned and gave her a torn expression, and she chuckled. "I'll be fine for one evening, Drake; go have some fun."
"Alright, enough talk, let's just go!" sighed Claire impatiently, grabbing Evelyn by the wrist and dragging her aside and deeper into the crowd. She waved goodbye to Draco, who returned the wave with a very apprehensive look about him. Claire dragged Evelyn along through stalls, stopping for a few moments, to stare at whatever they had before clucking her tongue and dragging her off again. Eventually she pulled her into an actual store, and Evelyn was surprised to see that it wasn't very crowded at all.
"This can't be a good sign," she said, frowning and looking at the hand full of people browsing. It was a clothing store with circular racks of clothes here and there.
"Na," said Claire with a shrug, "It's just that most people are outside."
"Ah," replied Evelyn. She followed Claire along the aisles and allowed her to maneuver and physically manipulate her into whatever position she wanted as she held up random clothes and making comments.
"That color clashes, doesn't it?"
"No, you'll need a thicker coat."
"If you wore these shoes, your feet will get frostbite and fall off, and as funny as that is, we just can't have that."
"Wow�did you leave any of the store out there?" muttered Evelyn, looking at the massive pile of clothes Claire had for her to try on. Claire just rolled her eyes and shoved Evelyn toward the women's changing room. Evelyn went into a changing booth, and was surprised at how cramped it was. It could easily fit four people, sure, but not four people changing clothes�
"Move over!" hissed Claire as she squeezed in.
"You're coming in here too?" asked Evelyn, moving over to let Claire in.
"Of course I am! Who else is going to tell you those pants make your ass look fat." Sneered Claire. Evelyn rolled her eyes and started pulling her shirt off to try the first outfit. As it came over her head, she saw Claire sitting on the chair in the corner, giving her a hard stare. Evelyn felt herself fidget with discomfort.
"It'd be nice if you didn't do that�" she mumbled, pulling the first thermal shirt on so quickly she didn't even realize it was backward. Claire snorted with laughter.
"Do what�?" she asked innocently as she walked up to Evelyn and very slowly curled her fingers over the front of the girl's shirt collar, pushing the tag that had been sticking up back down. She didn't remove her hand, but continued to grip Evelyn's front. She hated herself when she gulped loudly and Claire grinned.
"Claire�?" she whispered as if the entire festival were listening and knew of their odd little situation.
"Hmm?" mumbled Claire, who was looking around Evelyn's face, blue eyes alight with interests.
"What are we doing?" asked Evelyn.
"Have you ever had a boyfriend, Eve?" Claire asked out of the blue. Evelyn was so stunned at the odd question that she simply gaped.
"I take that as a 'no' then�shame," sighed Claire, taking her free hand and running her fingertips up Evelyn's neck and to her ear. She shivered and tried to back away, but Claire had a firm grip on her top.
"Claire, knock it off!" hissed Evelyn. Claire finally looked her in the eyes.
"Have you ever been kissed?" she asked. Evelyn didn't know where these questions were coming from, and was beginning to feel more and more uncomfortable. Plus, the stall was beginning to feel very warm.
"Not really. Almost, or sort of, rather. Draco cut it short," she said. Claire's eyebrows shot up and her grip on Evelyn's shirt relaxed, but only slightly.
"You kissed Draco?" she asked.
"No! Some guy at different festival. I'd never kiss Dra-"
"Yes you would�" Claire cut her off, eyes narrowing. Evelyn was backed into the mirror at this point.
"No, it'd be wrong," she bit back.
"Why?"
"He's a Pokemon!" she hissed, like it wasn't obvious. Clearly Claire thought the same thing as she rolled her eyes.
"But he's your best friend, so what does it matter?"
"It would feel too weird-"
"No, it won't," whispered Claire. Evelyn, who had been avoiding Claire intense eyes, finally looked back to the girl, confused at first, and realization dawned on her.
"No�" she mumbled. "You're�? Are you and Toukon-?"
"What? Abominations? Horrible sinners? I thought perhaps you would see it differently. If not just for whom you are, then for what you are with Draco. Don't give me this crap." Claire said, reacting to the shocked and almost appalled sound of Evelyn's voice. She gripped Evelyn's front harder now, pulling at it to stress the shorter girl. Evelyn, however, only relaxed and stared at her friend, a sudden rush of inexplicable relief washing over her.
"I'm not judging you. I was just surprised that you were�you know, with Toukon and would admit it. I won't tell anyone," she whispered. Claire let go of her shirt and grunted.
"I wish you could," she grumbled, taking to lean against the side of the stall. Evelyn frowned.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"I wish I didn't have to be ashamed of it. No one would understand; they'd just be offended and disgusted. Hell, it feels like we're dancing around the subject even now. You can't even say it, so I will�I'm in love with Toukon." Said Claire.
"You shouldn't be ashamed. It's�unorthodox, but I see what you mean. I think�" said Evelyn.
"What do you think about it?" asked Claire. Evelyn frowned, pondering. She'd never considered this possibility. Well, not out loud or deeply.
"You love him�but he's a Pokemon and you're a human, so isn't it supposed to be wrong?"
"Why?" asked Claire, arms crossed. Evelyn frowned and thought about it. What set humans and Pokemon apart so much? Sure, they were physically different, but apart from that, what?
"I�don't know." She said lamely. Claire chuckled.
"Toukon is my partner. I know him and he knows me in ways the world wouldn't understand. I feel calm with him; sated. He's my best friend. Do you have someone like that?" asked Claire. Evelyn stiffened, seeing where this conversation was turning.
"You know I do�" she muttered, now trying to go back to getting dressed by pulling her arms into her shirt and turning it around the right way. Claire shook her head.
"And you never thought of the possibilities?" she asked. Evelyn sighed.
"Before now, I never saw them as possibilities. Just something wrong, and unacceptable," said Evelyn, taking off her pants now, to try on a different pair that Claire handed her. It was odd to move from an awkward situation to a normal one while still carrying an equally awkward conversation.
"I hope, for your sake, you'll look at it from your own point of view and not one from the rest of the world's�" said Claire, and for the first time, Evelyn could see why Alkier had told her to go out into the world and spread her wisdom of understanding. She was less shallow than she let on, and had managed to pull out topics Evelyn had avoided thinking of for years in a matter of minutes.
"Why do you bring all this up, Claire?" asked Evelyn.
"I don't know�a funny feeling. You have a bond with Draco that I haven't seen anywhere else, not even between Toukon and myself. I just couldn't believe you, Miss Pokemon-are-just-like-us, would cave to social standings on interspecies relations." Said Claire as she took a new shirt off of a hanger and handed it to Evelyn.
"I'm not looking for anything, that's why. Maybe I'm meant to be with a human and I just haven't found Mr. Right yet." Said Evelyn.
"It's hard to find what you already have�" said Claire quietly as Evelyn took of her top. She frowned suddenly. "You never really answered my question."
"Which one?" asked Evelyn dryly. Claire chuckled.
"Have you ever really been kissed? I'm making an attempt at this girly chit-chat. Mindless prattle, really�"
"I suppose the answer is 'no'. How sad is that?" laughed Evelyn half heartedly, unbuttoning the button-down blouse Claire had handed her.
"A bit. So you don't have any practice?" she asked, walking around Evelyn, scrutinizing her appearance.
"Well, I doubt it's all that complicated," grumbled Evelyn begrudgingly, annoyed at Claire's blatant show of her ignorance on a simple subject most girls her age were well educated in.
"You'd be surprised," said Claire with a shrug. Evelyn shirked on the open blouse.
"I think I'll be able to handle it when the time comes," she laughed.
"Prove it," said Claire bluntly. Evelyn paused in her attempt to button the bottom button of the blouse. She looked up suddenly, seeing Claire standing close in front of her.
"I beg your pardon?" she asked.
"You heard me just fine. I said 'prove it'. There's no time like the present, right? You might as well learn now," said Claire with a coy smile and a mischievous glint in her eye. Evelyn was tempted to back away from the red-head, but felt the impulse to stand her ground for once. Claire was always pushing and using scare tactics to push Evelyn in whatever direction suited her curiosity, but Evelyn decided to call her out on this one.
"You wouldn't," she said bluntly. Claire raised her eyebrows.
"You want a bet?" she replied, stepping closer to Evelyn, making her back into the mirror once more. Evelyn still looked sternly at her, despite the fact that she was standing in a small changing stall, backed into a wall, with her blouse handing wide open.
"You're bluffing," she said, but no longer sounded so sure, not even to herself. Part of her wondered if Claire wasn't bluffing, thinking of the impending consequences. Claire moved to press into her and whisper into Evelyn's ear, earning a gasp of surprise from the raven-haired girl.
"I. Never. Bluff." Said Claire, slowly but soundly. Then she moved her lips from Evelyn's ear and made her way down the girl's jaw line. Evelyn's heart hammered loudly, and she hoped Claire wouldn't hear. She wasn't backing down now. She would wait for Claire to have her fun teasing and watch as she would have to break down and admit defeat. She was very wrong. Claire moved so that their noses brushed and Evelyn closed her eyes in an effort to concentrate. There was something about peppermint mouthwash that made it hard to keep her composure with Claire's cool breath invading her senses.
Ever so slightly she felt Claire's lips touch hers, just a hair, and she swore she could feel her smile. When Claire spoke, she felt her breath on her face.
"Lesson number one," she whispered before moving forward and pressing her lips against Evelyn's. They were soft, smooth, and very moist. Evelyn willed herself to mimic Claire's movements as best she could. When the other girl parted her lips, Evelyn copied, as she did when Claire in pushed against her more. From there, it was like riding a wave. It was sort of up and down swell of energy as lips would part and come together again; a bottom or top lip getting caught between now and then. Evelyn felt Claire's hands move to her bare waist under her open blouse, warm against her skin. She wasn't thinking about her hands and absently noted they had balled themselves into the hem of Claire's shirt.
Evelyn felt a moan she didn't know she was capable of escape when Claire suddenly sped things along, taking Evelyn's bottom lip and giving it a small nibble, sharp but tender. There was a moment where Evelyn wondered if she was the only one who was enjoying the moment, until Claire gave a groan of her own when Evelyn gingerly ran the tip of her tongue against Claire's bottom lip. She wasn't sure if that was okay or not; she'd simply done it out of the impulse to feel how smooth it was, and was shocked when the tip of Claire's tongue met her own. The action wasn't unpleasant, but surprising, making Evelyn pull away. To her surprise, Claire let her go without a fight.
"Right, right. Tongue really is a lesson two sort of thing. You learn rather quickly," praised Claire with the same voice one would use to compliment someone she was teaching to ride a bike. Evelyn stood there, Godsmacked at what had just happened. Claire poked her arm after a minute or two.
"You should really button that shirt up so you can move on to the pants. We have too much to do for you to be goofing off." Said Claire, pushing a pair of pants into Evelyn's arms. Evelyn just gapped at her, not sure what to say. The red-head rolled her eyes.
"I warned you that I don't bluff," she said simply, as if that explained it all. "Besides, now you have some experience to work with. You're welcome."
That knocked Evelyn out of her stupor. She shook her head and frowned at Claire before she began to change pants.
"You act like you didn't enjoy it," she grumbled. Claire clicked her tongue.
"Now I didn't say that. Oh! Try these shoes!" she said, handing a pair to Evelyn. She had decided that a day with Claire will always be this Bi-polar, moving from one thing to the other without warning or transition. It gave her a case of subject whiplash. She found that she couldn't complain. All-in-all, it was a rather�eventful evening.
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"There you are!" sighed Evelyn from a picnic table set up in the street outside of a busy restaurant with a big Remoraid painted on it. Draco was walking with her other Pokemon, along with Claire's. Evelyn got up and gave Draco a long hug before turning her attention to her other Pokemon. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Alvaro. He was no longer a Gastly, but a Haunter, and perched upon his nose were a wee pair of glasses with no ear pieces. In his floating hands he held a book he was clearly engrossed in.
"Alvaro! Where'd you get those spectacles? Or that book?" she asked. Draco face-palmed. She would notice something like that and overlook the fact that Alvaro had evolved. The Haunter smiled and floated over, showing her the book. It was about basic survival, with diagrams and charts and many things Evelyn would have to investigate further to understand.
"I like it, very practical, very you, Alvaro," she said, and then frowned, "When did you evolve?"
Haunter turned to Draco, who had sat down on the bench and was pressing a cold can of soda onto his head, looking very much stressed. Evelyn walked over and sat down next to him, resting her chin on his shoulder as she waited for him to be calm enough to explain. Finally he put the soda down and turned to her. The other Pokemon had already sat down and were tucking into the festival food.
"It's a long story," signed Draco. Evelyn snorted.
"It's been a long day," she reasoned. Draco snorted. He seemed aggravated about something. "What is it?"
"It's about to get longer," he signed and jerked his head to the side. Standing a few feet away from the table was none other than Shamma the Grumpig, looking quite abashed.
"How did�when did�she�?" stumbled Evelyn, looking back and for the between their guest and an exasperated Draco. She soothed his back with her hand. "You're going to have to tell me what happened today."
"I've had a busy day," he signed before dropping his head to the table with a growl.
"You and me both, buddy�" mumbled Evelyn.

Chapter End Notes:

There really are not enough "I'm sorry"s in the world to express my regret, but know that I have not now, nor will I ever give up on this story. I will update more now.
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Next Chapter:Jubilee (Part II)

So what happened with the Pokemon during the festival? Why did Alvaro evolve? Why is Shamma there?
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- 12
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