Pokemon Evolution: A fanfic for older Pokemon Fans

Chapter 50: Candles

Previously, on Pokémon Evolution:

"Do you 'love' Mallow like a best friend, and are marrying her because it's the 'next step'? OR, are you 'IN love with' Mallow, and you can't imagine going on in life without her?" asked Jennette.

"Is it bad that my answer changes from day to day, sometimes hour to hour?" Ryanne asked sheepishly.

"It might be. Only you can answer that."

Pokémon Evolution Chapter 50:

Candles

With Kira, Fleet, and Zossie back home, and Ryanne and Mallow back from their brief visit in Hoenn, the young couple finally had a moment to themselves. Ryanne lay on her back, her fingers laced over her stomach. "You know what my favorite part about going on trips is? How good it feels to come home and flop on my bed."

Mallow rummaged around in the nightstand drawer. "I can understand that, but you've travelled a lot more than I have. Even if we were just in Hoenn for a couple days, it still felt like an adventure to me. Thanks for bringing me along this time."

The edges of Ryanne's cheeks lifted, "Of course, I couldn't leave you behind again. You looked like you enjoyed it. I just wish we found the necklace Kira gave me. I feel plain awful that it went missing." The brunette lifted her head from the pillows, craning her neck in attempt to peek at what her fiancé was doing. "Do you need any help?"

"No no, I've got it. Just a couple more batteries." Mallow said dismissively.

"A couple more? Usually each battery lasts me a couple months. What are you..." Ryanne sat up as Mallow turned around revealing something different than what she had expected. Mallow's night stand was covered in a squad of candles decorated to resemble the Pokémon Litwick.

"Aren't they cute?" Mallow grinned. "They're flameless votives that I bought in Lilycove City." The verdant-haired girl switched one of the little lights on, filling her hand with a soft blue glow. "I know there isn't a lot of room here, but I was thinking about placing them around. They can help spice things up a bit."

"Uh, sure." Ryanne said hesitantly. "I guess the room could use some more decor." She watched as Mallow placed the nine little lights around the room.

The Trial Captain gave a her fiancé an over the shoulder wink as she hit the light switch. The cool white light faded, the void of darkness instead filled by the tiny glow of the votives. "What do you think Sugar? I was hoping we could try them out now."

"I'm not really in the mood right now." Ryanne expressed honestly.

An exasperated sigh escaped Mallow's mouth. "You're never in the mood. It's been, what? Three weeks? Maybe more."

"Sorry," Ryanne whispered. "You know I don't really have much of a libido anymore. I appreciate the effort, but no. You really should have checked first."

"Pleeeeease?" Mallow begged.

"I. Said. No." Ryanne reached over to her nightstand to switch her lamp back on before crossing her arms over her chest.

Mallow spun around, annoyed, sitting with a flop on the foot of the bed. She grumbled something under her breath that Ryanne couldn't quite make out.

"What did you say?" Ryanne asked.

Mallow's tone was sharp with frustration, "I said 'it's because of those stupid pills.'" She gestured with a flick of her chin to the two orange bottles of Ryanne's nightstand. "If you weren't taking those, maybe you'd actually want to go at it right now."

It was rare that Ryanne rose her voice, but Mallow knew when she did that Ryanne was dead serious. "If I wasn't taking these, I might not be alive right now. You know why I'm taking my medications. If I stop taking these, even for a day, I can get super hormonal, depressed, and it slows down my rate of transition. Or did you forget that?" Ryanne slid out of bed, grabbing a faded blue hoodie off the hook on the wall.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to get some air, don't wait up for me." The brunette replied as she zipped the hoodie over her pajamas to venture into the cool night.

"Don't go. I didn't mean anything by it. I'm sorry."

Ryanne grimaced. "Are you? Because from where I am, it feels like you don't care, and just want a roll in the hay. You say you're sorry, but it doesn't feel sincere." Flipping her hood up, Ryanne slid her sockless feet into her espadrilles and shuffled downstairs.

"Ryanne, please come back!" Mallow pleaded, the cedar steps feeling cold to her bare toes. Her fiancé ignored her, grabbing her bag. In the corner of the room, Darkrai's single blue eye shifted from their Trainer heading out the door to the Trial Captain in her peach nightgown.

"I will follow her." Darkrai assured her.

"Good luck..." Mallow whispered in reply.

Shoulders hunched forward, Ryanne walked with a quick pace along Route 4 toward Heahea City. Able to effortlessly glide through the shadows, the Pitch-Black Pokémon caught up to their Trainer within moments.

"Mistress, is everything alright?" Darkrai asked politely.

"No, I'm upset with Mallow." Ryanne replied with a curt tone.

The Dark-type rolled their one visible eye. "I am aware of that, but why?"

Ryanne uncrossed her arms, shoving them into the pockets of her hoodie. "A number of reasons. I'm still bothered about the jealously thing. She never really made it up to me. I feel like she doesn't really care about my necklace going missing, even though I'm still clearly upset by it. She keeps suggesting I stop taking my medication, even though she knows that's a terrible idea. And..." Ryanne pulled her left hand out of her hoodie pocket, holding up an index finger for emphasis. "And, to top it off, she kept trying to make advances tonight, even though I made it clear I'm not down for that right now. She knows how important consent is to me!"

Darkrai's fairly featureless face nodded slightly. "I can understand why you are upset Mistress, but have you looked at the problem from her perspective?"

"Ugh! Baby needs her bottle!" Ryanne spat disdainfully.

"Now who is being immature?" Darkrai's graven voice rasped.

Their Trainer groaned. "I know, I know. I just need something to get my mind off of it. I loved it when Kira, Fleet and Zossie were visiting, but it felt like Mallow was going to yell 'hands off my girl' at any moment. I just can't deal with her right now. I'm going to grab a ferry to Po Town and see if I can get some work done."

"I assume it is alright if I join you?" Darkrai asked.

Ryanne forced a smile. "Of course old friend. Stay close to me though... Just in case I need a hug."