Chapter 6

Miranda tucked the bottom of the unfamiliar frilly white blouse into her jeans as she followed Misty down the narrow flight of steps to the gym area. Once again the humid scent of water filled her lungs, but this time it wasn't accompanied by the echoing shouts of happy pokemon. The only sounds were the quiet lapping of the water against the sides of the pool and their already echoing footsteps.

"You're sure it's still alright to stay here?" the woman inquired, taking the towel from her shoulders and giving drying her hair another chance.

Misty smiled as she entered the stadium-sized room and turned to face Miranda as she slid the door closed behind them. "Don't worry," replied Misty, trying to banish Miranda's doubtful look, "Even if Violet's really mad at you, this is still my home. And you're always welcome here."

Miranda nodded and glanced out over the quiet pool, spotting a few of Misty's pokemon several meters down. "I think he's sulking," she commented as she crouched down and Misty walked up behind her.

"My horsea?" the trainer inquired, leaning on Miranda's shoulders and looking down in time to see the pokemon in question swim rather quickly away, "Yeah, I see what you mean. I guess he's had some time to think about what he did."

"Well, I really can't blame him," responded Miranda, glancing up at Misty, "The first time I saw a ghost I was a little unnerved too. Heck, when I first met Wraith I was actually really scared."

"Really?" commented Misty, surprise crossing her face as she focused on Miranda, "I thought you had no problem with ghosts."

Miranda smiled sagely and shrugged. "That's different," she explained, "Most of the ghosts I grew up with avoided people for the most part. When I met Wraith I was actively hunting him."

"Oh yeah!" laughed Misty, "He was making a huge mess of the Sylph Co mainframe, wasn't he?"

"The whole building, actually," she correct with a laugh, waving when she noticed the horsea glance up at her guiltily, "Say, any thoughts on what to name him? Or the others?"

Misty stood up and walked around to crouch beside Miranda, watching her goldeen go back to pestering her starmie. "Um, I was thinking of 'Marina' for the goldeen," she explained thoughtfully, "Maybe 'Umberlee' for the Starmie. Hm, I guess Poseidon would work for my horsea. It's a rather impressive name for such a small pokemon, but he can use the self-esteem!"

Miranda laughed, motioning to the shy water-type to come closer. "Come on, Poseidon," she called as Misty smiled encouragingly, "I forgive you. And I've put away the big scary ghost!"

The horsea turned his head to one side curiously, only hearing water muffled words, but knowing that they were intended for him. With a glance over at his happily smiling trainer, he pushed himself upwards, leaving a trail of bubbles as he went.

Misty laughed and shielded her eyes as the horsea broke the surface of the water, splashing both trainers with warm water. "Sea?" he inquired leaping at his trainer, and forcing her to throw out her arms in time not to let the poor thing drop on the ground at her feet.

"You two okay?" inquired Miranda as Misty fell back wards, still laughing.

"No worries!" assured Misty, holding her water pokemon out at arms length and speaking to him in a serious tone. "Now listen up, you," she said, trying to copy Miranda's teaching tone as best she could, "I've decided on a real name for you, but I want to make sure you like it, okay?"

The horsea tilted his head questioningly but attentively. "Sea," he said pensively, glancing at Miranda with a bit of a worried expression.

"Fear not, little one," assured Miranda, reaching out and petting the pokemon lightly upon the head, "See, new shirt. No problem."

The horsea nodded, looking happy before turning back to his trainer with an expectant look. "So, as I was saying," continued Misty, struggling back into a sitting position despite the damp floor, "I'd like to officially name you 'Poseidon'. Is that alright with you?"

The pokemon blinked at his trainer, looking confused for a moment before making a few happy sounds. "I guess he doesn't care, so long as you're happy," commented Miranda in an amused tone.

"Ah! Unconditional love!" laughed Misty, giving the officially named Poseidon a hug before placing him carefully back in the pool, "Now I just have to get the other two's attention."

"What about 'Aussie'?" inquired Miranda as the horsea swam happily away.

"Aussie?"

"That's what Nezumi calls your psyduck," replied Miranda a little guardedly.

"Do I even want to know what he calls me?" the girl chuckled in response, reaching onto her belt for the psyduck's pokeball.

"Not really," laughed Miranda as the duck appeared dangerously close to the edge of the pool, "But for the record he's called you 'water chick', 'boss lady's babe', and 'Miri's dream come true'."

"'Boss lady's babe'?" inquired Misty, giving Miranda an odd look as the woman shrugged helplessly, "if he wasn't so cute, I'd smack him for that one. But did he really call me 'Miri's dream come true'?"

Miranda smiled sheepishly, turning away as she exhaled slowly. "No," she admitted, trying to hide her blushing, "I just made that one up. Although he does call me 'Miri' sometimes."

"'Miri'," replied Misty thoughtfully, "You know, you never explained that nickname to me. Is that what people called you when you were little?"

Miranda nodded, turning back to Misty, her eyes seeming a little distant behind her glasses. "Well, mostly just my father and my mom's sister," she explained, smiling as Misty's psyduck suddenly lost his footing and began flailing his arms in a desperate attempt not to fall into the pool, "but my father's the one who actually came up with it."

"I see-!" responded Misty, lunging forward just in time to grab her pokemon by his stubby arms and pull him back from the brink and the very real danger of drowning. "Look you stupid 'duck!" she scolded her pokemon as he leaned against her, shivering with fright, "You're a water pokemon! Learn to swim already! Yeesh! Anyway, as I was saying, I like it. But does it bother you to have people call you that?"

Miranda shrugged thoughtfully. "Sometimes," she admitted as Misty lead her pokemon a short distance away from the edge of the pool, "Because it was sort of my father's own private name for me. My relatives use it sometimes, but I don't mind usually."

"Do you mind when I use it from time to time?" inquired Misty in mock meekness, causing a small smile to cross Miranda's lips.

"I feel honored that women I love has chosen to use the name my father once called me," she answered melodramatically, bowing her head once in approval.

"Thank you," replied Misty, glancing down at the pokemon she still held, "Now as for you!"

The psyduck cringed a little, his eyes going wide with fright at the sudden change in Misty's tone. "I've got the perfect name for you, psyduck," his trainer announced in a sly tone, "'Kappa'."

"Psy?" inquired the psyduck, clutching both sides of his head as his head ache suddenly got worse at the mere thought of having to remember something new.

"Oh that's just too funny!" laughed Miranda, "But don't kappas have no top to their heads, and if the water leaks out they die?"

"Something like that," chuckled Misty, scratching her pokemon on the head to make sure it was firmly attached, "But also some people call golducks 'kappas'. Maybe it'll be a lucky name for him."

"You just want him to evolve," said Miranda teasingly as she walked over and sat cross-legged beside Misty.

"Have I ever denied that?" the trainer replied with a smile before turning her attention to the quiet splashing she heard by the pool, "Oh! Great timing ladies!"

Her starmie and goldeen stared back at her as Misty turned to face the sound, an aura of expectation seeming to surround them. "I guess they talked to 'Poseidon'," commented Miranda.

"Guess so," Misty agreed pointing at her goldeen first, "Okay girls, firstly, Goldeen. Your new name is Marina. Starmie? I'm calling you Umberlee. Unless either of you object..."

The goldeen gave a nonchalant reply, flipping backwards and disappearing under the water, not seeming to mind the change. The starmie, however, gave a more meaningful reply.

Misty felt a gentle brush against her mind, and a moment later felt a deep sense of approval emanating form the Umberlee. "Wow..." the girl stammered, leaning back against the strange sense of vertigo that overcame her, "When did you learn to do that?"

"About a week ago," came the voice of Lily as she pushed the door to the upstairs open and walked towards them, "I guess her psychic half is starting to assert itself."

"Really?" inquired Misty, a wide grin crossing her face, "Has she learned any actual psychic techniques at all?"

"Not really," replied her sister with a shrug, tossing her long red hair over one shoulder as she moved to hand Miranda a newspaper clipping, "Well anyway, Violet said you wanted to see this."

"Thanks," said Miranda absently as she took the cut out and scanned it over quickly, "Say, um, is your sister okay?"

"Violet's fine," assured Lily dismissively, "Her pride's bruised, but she'll recover, "On, and, Misty?"

"Yes?" her sibling inquired, her tone somewhat defensive as she glanced suspiciously.

"Yeah, like the three of us are going out shopping," Lily explained, not even noticing her sister's reply, "so would you mind watching the gym for a few hours? Thanks, don't wait up!"

Misty shook her head and turned to Miranda. "See what I mean?" she asked rhetorically as her sister headed back upstairs, "I'm furniture to them. Not that I mind looking after the place and all. So, what's with the secret note?"

"Um, a love letter?" offered Miranda, smiling at the expression that momentarily crossed Misty's face before reading the article more thoroughly, "It's the contest your sister told me about before she tried something stupid."

"Oh?"

"Poetry contest," she continued as Misty shuffled closer and read over her shoulder, "It's being held at the Festival, and the first prize is rather ironic."

"A free dinner for two at 'Ces Batards De L'autre Cote De La Rue'," read Misty, leaning her head on Miranda's shoulder, "Isn't that the place-?"

"Where we made a delivery to last night?" finished Miranda with an amused grin, finishing Misty's sentence without thinking, "Yes. A delightful irony really."

"Hmm, and it does sound kinda romantic," added Misty, slipping her arm around Miranda's and holding it tight, "Don't you think?"

"Kinda..." replied, Miranda reluctantly, struggling to translate the strange, snooty sounding name, "But we'll find out when I win."

"Oooh! You're confident," teased Misty, looking up at Miranda with an amused smile.

"I afford to be," the woman assured her, "I have the greatest source of inspiration in the know universe by my side."

"Kappa?!" inquired Misty, unable to keep a straight face as Miranda's jaw dropped and she struggled to speak.

"That's it!" scolded Miranda mock severity as Misty laughed, startling Kappa awake, "Now you're in trouble!"

"Why? What'd I do?" asked Misty, chuckling as she looked up at Miranda as innocently as possible.

Miranda sighed and shook her head as she crouched down and scooped Misty up into her arms. "Well normally I'd say that you're guilty of making me deliriously happy," she explained as Misty put her arms around Miranda's neck for support, "But I think that joke deserves a harsher punishment that simple reciprocation."

"And just what are you going to do about then, my love?" inquired Misty, using the sweetest tone she could muster, brushing her nose against Miranda's as she spoke.

"I think," her lover replied, slyly before turning towards the pool, "That I'll just toss you in!"

"Ah, no!" exclaimed Misty, laughing even as she clung to Miranda's neck for dear life, "At least not fully clothed, anyway!"

"Oh all right," the woman chuckled, a mirthful smile crossing her face as she turned around before releasing Misty's legs, "Then I'll just have to undress you first!"

"What?!" laughed Misty, as embarrassed as she was amused by Miranda's sudden playfulness, "My sisters are coming down soon! I can't let them see me naked!"

"They've seen me," Miranda teased, one arm still about her lover's shoulders as she lifted the front of Misty's top just enough to get a reaction, "It's only fair. Besides, it'll take them hours to put on their make-up!"

"Hey! That's not nice," Misty giggled, grabbing the bottom of her shirt and pulling it back down before pushing against Miranda with her hip, sending the courier a step back, "Although it's very true!"

"I suppose," agreed Miranda, looking thoughtful, "And actually, it's better that they don't see you naked."

"Oh?" inquired Misty, giving Miranda a knowing glance, mostly sensing what was to come, "And why's that?"

"Well," the woman explained with an expression of helplessness, "Then they'd see what true beauty is..." at this point, she adopted Violet's 'Valley girl' tone and said, "Then they'd like totally not be able to compare to it, and they'd just like to totally die!"

Miranda smiled as Misty's laughter echoed through the room as the door slid open and her trio of siblings entered the gym area. "To speak the name is to invoke the power," she quoted, smiling politely and nodding as the three sisters stopped and stared at Misty.

"Like, what's so funny?" inquired Violet, as always the leader of the terrible trio.

"Oh, nothing," assured Misty, waving her hand dismissively as she wiped a tear from her eye, "Just us being despicably cute."

"I see," commented Lily suspiciously as Violet cringed and Daisy smirked, "Well, we're off.

"So, like take care of the Gym while we're gone, okay Misty?" replied Violet, her falsely friendly tone sounding more like an order to Miranda's ears.

"No problem," assured Misty with a shrug, "I checked the register, and we're not expecting any challengers today."

"Well, we'll probably be gone until this evening," Violet called over her shoulder as the trio wandered past them and towards the exit.

"So don't wait up, you two," chuckled Lily mysteriously.

"Shopping is such a total chore!" added Daisy, their heals clicking noisily across the floor as they entered the foyer and their voices became a muffled cacophony before the being silenced by the final sounding boom of the main doors sliding shut and locking behind them.

"You know," commented Miranda, shaking her head as the echoes faded, "They kinda scare me."

"Just don't give them too much leeway," Misty advised, walking towards the stairs, "Anyway, you want anything? I was going to throw on my bathing suit and take a swim."

"Well, my back pack if it's not too much trouble," said Miranda a little sheepishly, "I have this idea for a poem I could enter in the contest, and it's going to burn a hole in my head if I don't get it down soon."

Misty smiled, shaking her head in amusement as Miranda checked the back of her head with her hand, a perplexed expression crossing the woman's face. "Okay, I'll be down in a second," she promised before jogging up the stairs.

"Thanks," Miranda called before glancing down at Kappa. "You need swimming lessons, don't you?" she inquired rhetorically, causing the psyduck to tilt his head to one side and stare blankly at her in confusion, "Okay, this is probably spoiling her, but I'll see if I can get Umi to help you."

Miranda unfastened a pokeball and hit a hidden switch, causing it to expand to functional size before holding it out towards the pool. "Umi, dear," she called out lovingly, "It's time to spoil you rotten again!"

With a flash of light and a splash, Miranda's dratini reappeared, floating happily in the immense pool. "Draaaa!" she exclaimed, about to dive under causing Miranda to shake her head sternly.

"Not just yet, love," she told the little dragon, causing Umi's eyes to swirl from contented yellow-green to a disappointed mauve, "I need you to help Kappa learn to swim some more. You've done okay teaching him before, but he still needs practice, okay?"

Umi nodded, looking a little forlorn before glancing at Kappa and blasting him with a small jet of water. "Psy! Psy! Psy!" the pokemon exclaimed, running in fear from his own element as Miranda suppressed a laugh.

"No! Not like that, dear," she scolded half hearted, "try just getting him into the water first, then make sure he doesn't drown. For some reason Kappa hasn't figured out he's amphibious yet..."

Miranda shook her head, grumbling at the bizarre ludicrousness of Misty's psyduck, yet strangely reassured that the Universe had a sense of humor. With a wary sigh, she went up into the bleachers and took a seat in the front row before pulling out her note pad and scribbling a basic outline for her latest work.

"Started already?" inquired Misty as Miranda scratched out the first few notes and stared down at her note pad in dismay.

"Yeah," she replied warily, glancing up at Misty and smiling, "I want to make sure it looks alright before I add it to my book.

Misty nodded, lifting Miranda's heavy backpack over the short wall before leaning over and glancing at the small booklet Miranda held. "Can I see?" she asked playfully, feeling more mischievous than curious.