Chapter 4

The lights were out as the two moved through foyer, into the expansive, domed ceilinged area were people came to be entertained and to challenge for cascade badges. The room itself was quiet except for the gentle lapping of water against the edges of the Olympic sized swimming pool at the center, and the gentle hum from down the hall. This was also where a pale light that barely illuminated the calm water issued forth, marking the site of the enormous aquarium the gym held.

"This place doesn't seem to have changed," commented Misty, her feet padding quietly along the waterproof tiled floor as she led Miranda by the hand through the quiet twilight.

"Home never should," the courier mused, pushing up her glasses and rubbing her wary eyes, "It should always be safe and comforting."

"I wish," sighed Misty, leading Miranda towards the pale light, down a short hall, and into the long, circular corridor that surrounded the expansive aquarium, "but at least I could come here to relax sometimes, when things were bad. I used to just stand her for hours watching the fish and water pokemon."

Miranda nodded, placing her hands upon her lover's shoulders and staring past their mutual reflection into the clear water. "It's very nice," she agreed, looking out at the hundreds of lazily floating sea creatures who moved about the artificial reef, "And your pokemon must like it."

"They do," replied Misty, leaning back as she crossed her arms and laid her hands gently over Miranda's, "Infact, I think that's my starmie over there."

Miranda stood a little taller to see past a large clump of seaweed that swayed in the artificial current. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dim lighting, she could just make out an odd shape half buried in the sand. A large red crystal that glowed with its own inner light, surrounded by a ten-pointed star resting quietly after a long day of doing whatever it was that starmie did in their spare time.

"See your anything else anywhere?" Miranda inquired, keeping her voice low as not to break the spell the quiet dimness seemed to cast over the area.

Misty shook her head, leaning forward and taking a few steps away from Miranda as she searched along the reef for any sign of her other pokemon. "I'm sure he's in here somewhere," she replied in a tone that held a hint of worry.

"Are they nocturnal?" asked Miranda, walking in the opposite direction, her gaze sifting through the swarms of fish for any sign of pokemon.

"No," called Misty, her voice sounding distant.

"The he shouldn't be too hard to find," Miranda whispered to herself, glancing at a sleeping shellder and wondering both why and how it was snoring.

For several minutes, she walked along the arcing corridor, taking careful steps across the thinly carpeted floor, paying more attention to the aquarium than where she was going. After a short time, however, Miranda noticed a large, dark shape descending towards her through the water. Looking up, the woman could just make out a wide circular form with eight long, dark tentacles.

With a smile, she watched it slowly descend, moving carefully through the water and adjusting its angle of descent with subtle movements of its tendrils. "Curious creature," Miranda commented as the octopod angled itself forward and stared out at her with small curious eyes.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" commented Misty, walking up beside Miranda as the woman stared back at the tentacruel.

"They have a certain appeal," she agreed, giving the creature a mysterious smile that caused it to back away a bit, a look of alarm showing in its gleaming amber eyes, "Is it yours?"

Misty sighed sadly, shaking her head. "No," she replied wistfully, "She belongs to Lily. But she still listens to me though."

Miranda smiled, putting an arm around Misty. "I guess the tentacruel can just tell who better trainer is," she teased as her lover waved to the pokemon.

"You bet," chuckled Misty, finally catching the tentacruel's eye, "Hey! Over here," she called with a wide smile, her eyes full of affection, "I need a favor."

The tentacruel moved closer, extending her tentacles and placing two against the glass even as she gave Miranda a suspicious glance. The woman smiled, shaking her head in amusement as Misty placed her hands against the glass across from where the tendrils touched it. "I'm not sure she likes me," commented Miranda mirthfully, glancing at Misty and catching her eye.

"She's just cautious," the water trainer assured, leaning forward and raising her voice a bit to be heard. "I'm looking for the pokemon I left here!" Misty explained, her mouth close to the glass, "Have you seen them?"

The tentacruel bobbed up and down in an affirmative gesture before extending a tentacle meaningfully. "In there with you?" inquired Misty hopefully, to which the tentacruel replied by detaching from the wall of glass and darting off through the water.

"Come on, she's going to show us," said Misty, grabbing Miranda's hand impulsively and leading the courier off down the hall, suppressing a laugh as she ran.

"I don't think she means in the tank," replied Miranda thoughtfully, tracking the pokemon as they hurried along, "I think she's headed for the entrance."

"I think you're right," replied Misty glumly, slowing as the tentacruel floated before the short exit hall and pointed with a tentacle out into the main gym area, "I guess my sister's took the other one to the pokecenter or something."

"That's alright," assured Miranda, waving goodbye as the tentacruel began a rapid accent when she glanced at her, "He'd be asleep anyway. Which reminds me, should there be this much light in the aquarium?"

"No," responded Misty, warily shaking her head as she looked up at the light source far above them, "the timer must be broken again. I'll just shut it off up stairs."

"Is that where your kitchen is?" asked Miranda, her voice changing to a slightly playful tone, "I'm really hungry after looking at all these yummy fish!"

"Don't you dare!" laughed Misty, making her way back towards the pool, "And yes, our living quarters is on the second floor along with the top of the aquarium. My parents always said that it was so we could keep our personal lives separate from our social responsibilities."

"Makes sense," Miranda agreed as they walked through the near darkness until they came to a locked door with a 'No Entry' sign on it located at the far end of the pool, "That's sorta what my family does as well. My parent's house is attached to the company buildings, but it's kept separate just the same. Oh, and it's near the ocean as well-"

"So I'd like it," finished Misty with a smile as she opened a second door and lead Miranda into a comfortable living room, "Ah! Welcome to my parlor!"

"I thought you hated bugs," commented Miranda with a smile, squinting as Misty hit the wall switch and several lamps illuminated.

"Just making sure you don't have a monopoly on melodrama," Misty assured her, glancing over one shoulder and heading towards a dimly lit hall, "Now just make yourself at home and I'll be right back."

"Sure!" called Miranda, chuckling to herself as she took it all in, "I'll just hog the remote, sit on the couch with no pants, eat everything in the fridge and yell at your kids..."

"You say something?" came Misty's echoing voice from down the hall, followed by several loud clicking sounds.

"Nothing!" laughed Miranda, sitting down on an overstuffed couch and grabbing a handful of cashews from a small crystal bowl on the coffee table, "Just quoting my mom!"

"Nice place, though," she commented, only half paying attention to the sound Misty made as she went from the aquarium room to the kitchen, "And then I'll leave my under-things all over the place, run up a huge long distance bill, and- Oh my!"

As Miranda's eyes scanned the room with it's thick plush carpeting, simulated wooden walls, a shelf filled with books that seemed untouched, and a wall unit filled with family mementos. She then spotted a large a painting that gave her reason to pause.

"Wow," she commented, suddenly feeling guilty as she slid to her feet and stepped out from around the coffee table.

Against one wall was a large fireplace that was probably only used for special occasions, its mantle filled with pictures of Misty and her sisters, but above it was a large, expensive looking painting. A small light fixture set innocuously into the ceiling illuminated the large portrait of a man and woman. They both seemed to be in their late twenties, with clothing that was in fashion at least three decades out of date. The woman had long dark hair, curled loosely and tumbling over the shoulders of her comfortably fitting dress, her emerald green eyes seeming to smile knowingly down at Miranda. The man at her side, who lovingly held her hand, was much taller, with long reddish hair that he tied tightly back, his icy blue eyes almost laughing with amusement as he gave Miranda a toothy, but benevolent grin.

"Those are my parents," said Misty, startling Miranda as she quietly stepped up behind her, "About a year or so after they were married. I'm just glad my sisters haven't done anything strange with it."

"I like it," replied Miranda, letting go of the shiver that crept down her spine and put her arm around Misty, "It's better than some of the stern looking, grim portraits of some of my relatives. They look so happy, so alive. So in love."

"They were," agreed Misty sadly as she leaned closer, "And for a time they shared that love and happiness with us. But when they left, that's when things changed, and this place rapidly began to feel less and less like home."

Miranda turned to her, and carefully wiped a tear from Misty's eye with her index finger. "And eventually you just left," she replied, causing Misty to nod sadly in agreement.