The Silver Mountain [Pokémon]

Chapter 15- Kyouhei's POV

Well, I don't really want to work on the retarded performance task, so I decided I'll update this damned story if it kills me.

I mentioned in the comments on Where She Is Now and in some previous ANs that my next Pokemon fanfiction is going to be called "Confessions of a Lousy Trainer." Well, I've decided that it's going to be a sequel to this story. Of course, I'll have to change the plot a bit. Can't say why without spoiling the chapter. ;)

*WARNING* You are NOT going to like this chapter, but I would very much perfer it if you didn't kill me for it. Thank you in advance for not killing me.

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"Well, well, well, the one in the middle with the blue hair and black hat said. "Three intruders. Oh, Giovanni's going to love hearing about this."

Touko stepped forward. "Oh, really? Like we're going to let you tell him."

"Fine, you're going to be a little bitch, then." The grunts stepped aside, and a Houndoom pranced forward. Touko sent out her Hydreigon.

"Oh, you've missed the point, then," the Rocket sneered. "I don't want to battle you."

"Then what's the Houndoom for?"

"I'm going to kill you."

I gasped. I wanted to knock her out of its path, but fear had rooted me to the spot. The fire shot out of the Houndoom's mouth and covered her almost completely before extinguishing itself. I screamed and caught her before she hit the ground. The room was starting to fill with smoke.

Dawn coughed. "Come on, Kyouhei! We've got to get out of here!" I scooped up Touko and bolted out through what I hoped was the exit.

While we were running out of Mt. Silver and into the Pokemon Center, Dawn called Hibiki on her Pokégear to make sure nothing bad had happened on his end. "The last thing we need is someone else being seriously injured," she'd said before dialing his number.

I darted into the Pokemon Center past Nurse Joy and the Pokémart dudes and into the bedroom. I set Touko down gently on the bed. I frantically checked for a pulse. It was there, albeit faint. Now that I had a good look at her, she was still conscious.

"Touko?" I whispered.

"I'm going to die," she said blankly.

"No, you're not. Hold on." Deep down, I knew she was dying, but I refused to believe it.

"Dawn, we're back! Where's Touko?" I glanced over at the door. The first person to stampede in was Cheren, then everyone else gathered around the door.

"Cheren? What are you doing here?" Touko said hoarsely.

"I really don't know," he replied. He seemed to be going into some sort of shock.

"Well, that's good. At least I get to die with my two favorite people right by my side."

Cheren took her hand. "You promised you'd come back home in one piece," he said.

"Well, as long as the Rockets don't find my body and slice it up, I'll have kept that promise, right?" She smiled weakly.

"Let's give them some space," Dawn said. She pushed everyone back and shut the door.

Touko took a deep breath. "Cheren," she said. He looked at her, and from what I could tell, it was taking most of his energy not to cry. "I've known you since we moved to Nuvema Town. You were my best friend growing up. We kept each other safe, and that didn't change even when we started our adventure." She sighed. "I've got a question for you."

He blinked.

"Did you love me?"

He said nothing.

"Cheren, I'm dying. You might as well admit it."

He sniffed. "Yes. And I still do."

"Now, nobody's asking you to stop. But you'll find another girl, twice as good as me. And that's a promise I can keep."

He nodded.

She looked at me. "Kyouhei." I tried to return her gaze without choking up myself.. "You're my little brother. Nothing's ever going to change that, not even death. You may be a pest sometimes, but you're my brother. I love you. Don't ever forget that.

"And a final message, for both of you. It's okay for you to mourn my loss for a little while. Tears are healing. But don't spend too much time on that. I need you both to go out there. Beat Team Rocket in my memory, okay? And remember that I love you both more than anything.

"Well, this is it. I hate to admit it, but I'm a little scared..." I reached out and grabbed her hand firmly, while Cheren did the same with the other hand. "Thank you," she said. "I'm not so scared anymore." She took one last breath.

"Look out, afterlife," she whispered. "Touko White has arrived."

And the hand that had been grasping mine so tightly went limp.

For a couple of seconds, the world seemed to stop. Then suddenly all the tears that had been threatening at the back of my eyes came rushing out. Once I had started, I couldn't stop. I felt Cheren put his arms around me and try to comfort me, even though I could hear him crying himself. I must have cried myself to sleep, because I can't remember anything after that.