A dry sob issued from Marina's direction, and the brothers looked up at her. "This is all my fault," she whimpered, covering her face. "I was the one who wanted to stop at an inn, while you wanted to keep going-"
"Marina, no. Don't talk like that." Kenta threw his arms around her, and held her in a tight embrace. "You weren't used to running from this kind of danger. Nobody should have to be."
Marina let Kenta hold her for a while, until he finally let go and stepped back. Hibiki got the feeling that she wanted to hug him back, but couldn't, since it would cause the cloak to open up.
"Well," he said, "let's assess the situation. I managed to hold on to all our stuff, but Marina left without so much as the clothes on her back. Officer Jenny's going to take one look at the water on the walls, and the busted-up room, and Marina's PDA, and she'll have a better idea of what happened than Eusine. I wonder if Lefty will give himself up, or find a way to worm out of it."
Kenta frowned. "I'd hate to be Eusine. He's going to wake up very confused, and whether he tells the truth or makes up a story, nobody's likely to believe him. He'll be lucky if they don't seize his car and confiscate his Master Ball." Kenta began pacing back and forth. "If- or when- they scan for DNA, they'll discover who all was there. It'll become public knowledge that the three of us are missing."
"Mom and Dad are going to find out," murmured Hibiki, the thought coming to him suddenly and painfully. "They've probably been worried sick for the past couple of weeks, but what would they say if they knew someone had been hired to kill us?"
At that, Kenta spun quickly on his heels and marched straight up to Marina. "I can't let you stay wih us anymore," he said. "Not while the government is contracting killers to chase us. If I'd known earlier-"
"No!" Marina cried, stomping her bare foot on the ground. Her eyes had refilled with tears, but her voice was steady. "I want to stay with you!"
"And do what?" he challenged. "Do you have a plan? Because none of mine involve you!"
"Maybe not, but I can't just sit on the sidelines while you go around risking your life! What if I never see you again after today? What if . . ."
She walked straight up to Kenta, who suddenly stood stock-still, paralyzed. "What if I never get the chance to tell you-?"
And then Marina leaned in and kissed him. Hibiki stared at the two of them, overwhelmed at what he was seeing, and at the same time, like a peeping Tom violating a private moment. Kenta was still frozen for a second or two more, but then he returned the kiss, and the two of them held each other.
"That was sudden," Kenta mumbled, face bright red.
"I was waiting for the right time," Marina whispered, still holding him. "And after the first time you almost died, I hated myself for waiting too long. You were always too busy, even when I found you again!"
Hibiki wondered if he should mention the fact that Marina's cloak was now open at the front. He was standing behind, but from how she was holding Kenta, he knew that nothing was covering Marina's bosom as she clove to his brother. He decided not to say anthing. No need to make it more awkward.
"I love you too," Kenta uttered softly, as he and Marina touched foreheads. "I think we've always known. And if I ever make it out of this alive, I'll come for you. But . . . this doesn't change my mind. If anything, I'm even more determined that you stay safe now."
"I figured you'd say that," Marina sighed, pulling back from him and covering herself again. "But at least I got to say what I've wanted to for three years now."
Hibiki coughed. Kenta and Marina turned and gave him a startled look, both faces turning crimson. "Listen, uh . . . even if we are separating, we can't just leave Marina out in the woods with nothing but a mantle and a couple of pokémon. Who do you know that we can trust to let her lie low for a few weeks at their house?"
The three of them thought for a moment.
"I got it!" said Kenta, perking up. "Juni'chi!"
"No WAY," Marina said, giving him a look of sudden disgust. "You know how that idiot's mind works. The second I ask to live at his place, he'll get all the wrong ideas."
"Yeah, but . . . who else do we really know? Unless . . ." Kenta paused, then turned his head slowly to look at Hibiki. A crafty smile crept across his face. "Wait a minute. Hey, Hibiki . . . what about that girl next door with the Marill, the one you had that crush on? What was her name-"
"Kotone! And I don't have a crush on her! Think of someone else!"
***
The door swung open after three knocks, revealing a fourteen-year-old girl with a white hat. "Hibiki!" she cried, her face brightening in happy recognition. "Where have you been?! Your parents said you'd gone to stay with other relatives, but I didn't think it would be this long. You should have told me!"
Hibiki stood outside her door, the cool winds of New Bark Town doing nothing to ease the burning of his scarlet cheeks. Kenta had prepped him with some lines of dialogue ahead of time, but they were pushed clean out of his head at the sight of her. After nearly half a year of bitterness and mourning, he had nearly forgotten about the girl across the way that he . . . maybe, kinda, sorta, possibly thought was cute.
Look at that, he thought dreamily, she's added an adorable little red ribbon onto her hat since I saw her last.
No! Not a helpful thought right now! You have a mission, so talk, stupid!
"H-h-h-hi, Kotone," he stuttered.
Oh, bravo. How come Kenta always knows what to say?
"So . . ." Kotone swayed her shoulders and kicked her foot, looking at him with a small smile. "What did you come to see me for?"
What did I-? . . . Wait a second, did she say that I was supposed to be visiting relatives? That's right- this fits one of the scenarios Kenta went over with me!
"Oh, I, uh . . . hey, cousin! Come over here!" Hibiki turned and waved towards the bushes further out at the edge of town. Marina came out slowly and uncertainly, looking around. The streets were empty, and it was starting to get dark out. Clasping her cloak tightly, she sauntered up to Hibiki's side, doing her best to smile casually.
"This is my, uh, cousin. Cousin, this is my fr-f-friend, Kotone."
Kotone smiled. "Hello, Hibiki's Cousin."
"Hi," Marina grinned, although it looked a bit forced. "Nice pigtails."
"Thanks!"
Hibiki cleared his throat, willing himself to be confident. "So you see, my cousin's now staying with me, and . . . and, uh, she didn't bring any spare clothes. And, y'know, I'm a guy, so it's not like I can lend her my clothes- aaah!"
He covered his face suddenly, overcome by the heat in his cheeks, and the pounding of his heart, and the many chastisements his brain was screaming at him. "I can't do this! I'm sorry, but I just can't!"
Marina and Kotone stared at him, which didn't help things, and Hibiki wondered what Kenta was thinking as he watched him from further off- which REALLY didn't help things. Then, out of nowhere, Kotone clapped her hands together.
"Ahhh . . . ha! I know what this is!" she said cheerily, holding up a finger. "You're helping her run away, aren't you?"
Hibiki blinked. "Huh?"
Marina laughed a genuine nervous laugh. "Sorry about this. I told him that I just had to get away, but we didn't really think about it- we just did it. But it's not like I can crash at his house, because his parents would find out and send me back."
"Ugh, I know what you mean," Kotone said emphatically, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes I just want to get away. That's what the pokémon trainer journey was supposed to be about, until they changed the age limit." Kotone opened the door wider and beckoned Marina to come in. "Here, get inside before anyone's parents see you. I'll find you a nice spot, and we can talk about all kinds of stuff!"
She turned to Hibiki for a moment. "Wait here. I'll be right back."
The door closed. Up from the bushes behind him popped Kenta, like a jack-in-the-box. "Well," he said, brushing leaves out of his hair, "that worked out nicely. Few of the things we do go exactly according to plan, but so far, this has gone almost too well."
"Don't freaking jinx it," Hibiki muttered through his teeth.
"Okay, she said she'd be back in a moment. When she comes, you need to make sure she's thoroughly convinced that Marina's family. Then get away gracefully! Don't get caught up in any conversa- oh, crap!"
He ducked down, and Hibiki turned back around to see Kotone standing back in the door. "What was that?" she asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Uh . . . uh- just a Sentret." Hibiki grinned outwardly, while inwardly cursing himself for telling Kotone so many lies all at once. "So, uh . . . thanks for taking Marina in. Really! I know I should have given you notice ahead of time, but, uh . . ."
He trailed off, looking away. He couldn't maintain eye contact.
"Marina, no. Don't talk like that." Kenta threw his arms around her, and held her in a tight embrace. "You weren't used to running from this kind of danger. Nobody should have to be."
Marina let Kenta hold her for a while, until he finally let go and stepped back. Hibiki got the feeling that she wanted to hug him back, but couldn't, since it would cause the cloak to open up.
"Well," he said, "let's assess the situation. I managed to hold on to all our stuff, but Marina left without so much as the clothes on her back. Officer Jenny's going to take one look at the water on the walls, and the busted-up room, and Marina's PDA, and she'll have a better idea of what happened than Eusine. I wonder if Lefty will give himself up, or find a way to worm out of it."
Kenta frowned. "I'd hate to be Eusine. He's going to wake up very confused, and whether he tells the truth or makes up a story, nobody's likely to believe him. He'll be lucky if they don't seize his car and confiscate his Master Ball." Kenta began pacing back and forth. "If- or when- they scan for DNA, they'll discover who all was there. It'll become public knowledge that the three of us are missing."
"Mom and Dad are going to find out," murmured Hibiki, the thought coming to him suddenly and painfully. "They've probably been worried sick for the past couple of weeks, but what would they say if they knew someone had been hired to kill us?"
At that, Kenta spun quickly on his heels and marched straight up to Marina. "I can't let you stay wih us anymore," he said. "Not while the government is contracting killers to chase us. If I'd known earlier-"
"No!" Marina cried, stomping her bare foot on the ground. Her eyes had refilled with tears, but her voice was steady. "I want to stay with you!"
"And do what?" he challenged. "Do you have a plan? Because none of mine involve you!"
"Maybe not, but I can't just sit on the sidelines while you go around risking your life! What if I never see you again after today? What if . . ."
She walked straight up to Kenta, who suddenly stood stock-still, paralyzed. "What if I never get the chance to tell you-?"
And then Marina leaned in and kissed him. Hibiki stared at the two of them, overwhelmed at what he was seeing, and at the same time, like a peeping Tom violating a private moment. Kenta was still frozen for a second or two more, but then he returned the kiss, and the two of them held each other.
"That was sudden," Kenta mumbled, face bright red.
"I was waiting for the right time," Marina whispered, still holding him. "And after the first time you almost died, I hated myself for waiting too long. You were always too busy, even when I found you again!"
Hibiki wondered if he should mention the fact that Marina's cloak was now open at the front. He was standing behind, but from how she was holding Kenta, he knew that nothing was covering Marina's bosom as she clove to his brother. He decided not to say anthing. No need to make it more awkward.
"I love you too," Kenta uttered softly, as he and Marina touched foreheads. "I think we've always known. And if I ever make it out of this alive, I'll come for you. But . . . this doesn't change my mind. If anything, I'm even more determined that you stay safe now."
"I figured you'd say that," Marina sighed, pulling back from him and covering herself again. "But at least I got to say what I've wanted to for three years now."
Hibiki coughed. Kenta and Marina turned and gave him a startled look, both faces turning crimson. "Listen, uh . . . even if we are separating, we can't just leave Marina out in the woods with nothing but a mantle and a couple of pokémon. Who do you know that we can trust to let her lie low for a few weeks at their house?"
The three of them thought for a moment.
"I got it!" said Kenta, perking up. "Juni'chi!"
"No WAY," Marina said, giving him a look of sudden disgust. "You know how that idiot's mind works. The second I ask to live at his place, he'll get all the wrong ideas."
"Yeah, but . . . who else do we really know? Unless . . ." Kenta paused, then turned his head slowly to look at Hibiki. A crafty smile crept across his face. "Wait a minute. Hey, Hibiki . . . what about that girl next door with the Marill, the one you had that crush on? What was her name-"
"Kotone! And I don't have a crush on her! Think of someone else!"
***
The door swung open after three knocks, revealing a fourteen-year-old girl with a white hat. "Hibiki!" she cried, her face brightening in happy recognition. "Where have you been?! Your parents said you'd gone to stay with other relatives, but I didn't think it would be this long. You should have told me!"
Hibiki stood outside her door, the cool winds of New Bark Town doing nothing to ease the burning of his scarlet cheeks. Kenta had prepped him with some lines of dialogue ahead of time, but they were pushed clean out of his head at the sight of her. After nearly half a year of bitterness and mourning, he had nearly forgotten about the girl across the way that he . . . maybe, kinda, sorta, possibly thought was cute.
Look at that, he thought dreamily, she's added an adorable little red ribbon onto her hat since I saw her last.
No! Not a helpful thought right now! You have a mission, so talk, stupid!
"H-h-h-hi, Kotone," he stuttered.
Oh, bravo. How come Kenta always knows what to say?
"So . . ." Kotone swayed her shoulders and kicked her foot, looking at him with a small smile. "What did you come to see me for?"
What did I-? . . . Wait a second, did she say that I was supposed to be visiting relatives? That's right- this fits one of the scenarios Kenta went over with me!
"Oh, I, uh . . . hey, cousin! Come over here!" Hibiki turned and waved towards the bushes further out at the edge of town. Marina came out slowly and uncertainly, looking around. The streets were empty, and it was starting to get dark out. Clasping her cloak tightly, she sauntered up to Hibiki's side, doing her best to smile casually.
"This is my, uh, cousin. Cousin, this is my fr-f-friend, Kotone."
Kotone smiled. "Hello, Hibiki's Cousin."
"Hi," Marina grinned, although it looked a bit forced. "Nice pigtails."
"Thanks!"
Hibiki cleared his throat, willing himself to be confident. "So you see, my cousin's now staying with me, and . . . and, uh, she didn't bring any spare clothes. And, y'know, I'm a guy, so it's not like I can lend her my clothes- aaah!"
He covered his face suddenly, overcome by the heat in his cheeks, and the pounding of his heart, and the many chastisements his brain was screaming at him. "I can't do this! I'm sorry, but I just can't!"
Marina and Kotone stared at him, which didn't help things, and Hibiki wondered what Kenta was thinking as he watched him from further off- which REALLY didn't help things. Then, out of nowhere, Kotone clapped her hands together.
"Ahhh . . . ha! I know what this is!" she said cheerily, holding up a finger. "You're helping her run away, aren't you?"
Hibiki blinked. "Huh?"
Marina laughed a genuine nervous laugh. "Sorry about this. I told him that I just had to get away, but we didn't really think about it- we just did it. But it's not like I can crash at his house, because his parents would find out and send me back."
"Ugh, I know what you mean," Kotone said emphatically, rolling her eyes. "Sometimes I just want to get away. That's what the pokémon trainer journey was supposed to be about, until they changed the age limit." Kotone opened the door wider and beckoned Marina to come in. "Here, get inside before anyone's parents see you. I'll find you a nice spot, and we can talk about all kinds of stuff!"
She turned to Hibiki for a moment. "Wait here. I'll be right back."
The door closed. Up from the bushes behind him popped Kenta, like a jack-in-the-box. "Well," he said, brushing leaves out of his hair, "that worked out nicely. Few of the things we do go exactly according to plan, but so far, this has gone almost too well."
"Don't freaking jinx it," Hibiki muttered through his teeth.
"Okay, she said she'd be back in a moment. When she comes, you need to make sure she's thoroughly convinced that Marina's family. Then get away gracefully! Don't get caught up in any conversa- oh, crap!"
He ducked down, and Hibiki turned back around to see Kotone standing back in the door. "What was that?" she asked, looking over his shoulder.
"Uh . . . uh- just a Sentret." Hibiki grinned outwardly, while inwardly cursing himself for telling Kotone so many lies all at once. "So, uh . . . thanks for taking Marina in. Really! I know I should have given you notice ahead of time, but, uh . . ."
He trailed off, looking away. He couldn't maintain eye contact.