Chapter 10: Gold x Crystal

Second Chance

For as long as Gold had known Crystal, arguments have been a part and parcel of their relationship. It's the norm, one would say, and their fellow Dexholders have long gotten used to their antics. (Or if you asked Emerald, he would grumble and declare decisively that Gold is not good enough for his sister figure.)

When they finally got together, the arguments stayed, and in fact even got worse. Arguments escalated into wars, and fellow Dexholders are forced to pick sides when they are unfortunate enough to be close by during a fight, though of course, their opinions were always left unheard because they are both equally hotheaded when in a temper. There would be cold wars, lasting anywhere between hours to weeks, and Blue would often joke that they're fighting like an old married couple again. It didn't matter though, because the argument would eventually be put passed them, and things would go back to normal again.

Until it didn't.

It started out like every other argument they had, a complain here, a rebuttal there, and a full-out opinion war. But with Gold's ability to put his foot in his mouth, he would inadvertently have crossed the line some day, saying things he didn't mean just to spite Crystal. At that point, Crystal had turned oddly calm, before slapping him square on the cheek and spitting out a "let's break up". She stormed away afterwards, leaving Gold to nurse an aching cheek, wondering how things escalated like this.

Like all wars before this, he left Crystal alone to cool down. He thought that she was just in one of her anger fits and decided to coax her another day when she is more calmed down. But he was dead wrong, because the next thing he knew, Crystal was adamant on refusing to see him or answering his calls, Green had confessed his feelings for Crystal, and then they were an item.

It was stupid, Gold would eventually conclude, because he doesn't even remember what he had said that caused the break up.

They hadn't spoken much since, because it's just a fine line between love and hate, right? On her part, it's because she feels so hurt by the things he do, the things he say, accumulated beyond a threshold that she can no longer tolerate it. Looking at him brings back all the hurt he has inflicted on her, because at one point in time, she loved him so much.

On his part, it's because he feels so betrayed by her abrupt actions. They always had this dynamic, arguing, fighting, only to get back together again. In a way, Gold liked this dynamic, because to him it symbolised how resilient their relationship is, no matter how many times it threatens to break down. But suddenly, she just declared that everything is over and sought comfort in another guy, never bothering to explain herself anymore than that. So he channeled that energy elsewhere, dated her sister just so he could spite her, until he could lie to himself no longer.

The guilt for his actions consumed him, ate him from inside out while he tried to pretend that he enjoyed going out with Lyra. Sure, Lyra was fun and bubbly and she looks like Crystal, but she is an opposite. She isn't Crystal. So like the jerk he was to her sister, he broke up with Lyra, while he wallowed in self-pity. And just like that, his emotions turned into this bitter hate, a constant reminder in the depths of his heart that after all this time, Crystal still mattered a lot to him.

Life goes on.

He buried his emotions within him, and people around him learnt not to mention Crystal or Lyra within his presence. He still hear things, because a subconscious part of him still longs to know how Crystal is doing, where she is now. Where once upon a time, he would the first to be informed of the ongoings of the Johto trio, this time Gold was one of the last person to find out that Crystal and Green had broken up. By then though, Silver had long gone to Kalos to look for Crystal, and he could barely find the energy to feel betrayed by his best friend. In his heart, he prayed that Silver will be right for Crystal, and that he would be the one to heal her broken heart. (Because no matter what he may think or say, he still understood Crystal like the back of his hand.)

...

At night, he dreams that he was the one in Kalos with Crystal, mending her heart under the beautiful star lights and night lights of the Kalos region.

...

He sees her now, five long years after the horrible argument that led to their breakup.

She looks just how like he remembered her to be. Kalos seemed to have been good for her, even if Silver had come back without her. Yet she had grown up, he could feel. The air around her holds some sort of maturity now, no longer the teenager that she was when she left, no longer his same Super Serious Gal. In its place stood a young woman, one who has grown through her many past relationships.

They stand here now, five years later. She looks beautiful in the midnight blue gown that she had donned for today's Pokemon Association Ball, overcoming the history of the past five years, as they make small talk about each other's life amongst the newly bloomed flowers of the spring.

The sky is clear tonight, allowing the stars she loves so much to dominate the skies, shining dimly above the once couple. The new moon is out, a perfect sign of a new beginning on this cool spring night.

"Can I get a second chance?" he asks.

Story notes:

I imagine the scene of the second to be in a garden of some sorts, where the both of them had gone to take a little breather from the Ball and met each other again under the starlight.

Author notes:

This was basically a (major) rewrite from my original draft. I'm not sure if it's because I have the draft, but it wasn't too difficult trying to create the kind of atmosphere I wanted to experiment with since the start of the fic. This was my second favourite chapter from the original drafts I have (though it probably lost its ranking now that I've added some more chapters to the series). I'm finding it hard to write fics based on the Manga now, because the community is just so dead there's nothing to feed off. But I still have my drafts, and in just a few more chapters we will have the Epilogue to round everything off. Thank you for sticking around, even though the first chapter isn't really stellar. I hope you still found something in here that you like.