Summary: "Don't rush things. You're still a kid, Lyra."

Rants: Lyra is 10 and Whitney is 15 years old

Longing For Lyra
By: PPLyra

Saturday afternoons.

Why am I always bored during afternoons on Saturdays?! I visit Jasmine at the Olivine Cafe sometimes to pig out at the restaurant with her, but that's about it. Having to battle a lot of trainers everyday isn't always easy. I'm very weary! But then, there's Lyra. A kid who lately have been a good friend to me. She and I battle periodically. Also at the Pokeathalon during the Speed Course. Dang! She's so fearless! She even managed to win all the medals. I was dumbfounded. If I get to see her happy like that everytime she wins, I can lose to her everyday... Wait, no. I can't be a- lesbian! This is wrong! But... I knew I've felt something for her. I've always been turned on my girls. Jasmine... Clair... Now, Lyra?! Of all poeple! She's just a good friend! That's what I found myself thinking. I've spend my time with her doing what she liked to do, but she doesn't show any signs that she like me back. She was so hard to read. Then after a good few battles every Saturdays, she... somehow stopped visiting. I wasn't sure why. She didn't tell me anything. She just disappeared. I wonder what happened to her. I'm very worried. Just thinking about it makes my stomach do somersaults!

It's currently past three in the afternoon and I have the whole afternoon until evening to myself. I stepped outside my Gym building. The sunray shone straight to my eyes as I blocked it with my arms. Oh crap, I might be going blind! I turned around to wipe my injured eyes and blink. I opened them to look around. I was still seeing white dots in my vision. Crap, crap...crap! It was so sunny today that it was blinding me. Oh my, Arceus! When my proper vision was back, my whole body started to saturate with sweat. My bangs were plastered to my forehead. Oh, man, way too hot to stay in here! So I decided to go over at the subway. I don't want to stay here! The sun hurts my eyes. Plus I was in the mood to eat something chilly in this scorching heat!

I made my way to the underground path. Wow. It was packed. Not that I was really surprised. It was dead-hot outside, of course no-one wants to stay there. I walked around for an hour. There was a lot of sales here today. Especially good food. When I bought some strawberry ice cream on a waffle cone from the nearby ice cream parlour, in the corner I saw... I saw... "Lah... Lyra..." I managed to mumble out. I was rigid as a statue. She saw me and walked towards me in a slow pace. It's just me that everything was in slow-motion. Noises around me were silent. Like the sounds around the place were absorbed like a Venusaur absorbing the sunlight for its Solarbeam attack. All I could hear was my fast heartbeat beating against my ears and Lyra's feet made thumping sounds against the ground. The ice cream I was holding rolled out of the cone and splatted on my arm before fully dropping onto the ground. I could feel that my face is really flushed from all this. I shook it off as she was closer.

Lyra looked straight at me. Her short figure was just a few steps away. "Hey, Whitney! It's been a long time!" she said and showed me one of her cutest smiles. She was still the same Lyra I knew. Beautiful, gorgeous... Sigh. No words can describe of how amazing she is.

I was still gripping my waffle cone until now. The ice cream on my arm was dripping off. When I got my senses back, I bit the cone and swallowed it. "Oh... I'm fuh-f-ine," I nervously stammered the words out. I tried to force myself to get back to my normal state, but failed. I couldn't tear my eyes off Lyra. Sure, she still has a kid's figure. But that's not it. Fully grown or not - she's still alluring!

"Are you alright? You seem... distracted..." Lyra asked. She waved her hand in front of my face to startle me.

"Wait, huh...?!" I exclaimed. Finally, I really snapped out of it. I placed my hand on my forehead to wipe the sweat and looked at her again. "No, I was just surprised to see you here. You haven't visited Goldenrod for weeks!"

"Oh, sorry I didn't tell you that I was traveling in Kanto," Lyra said, happily. "I thought you'd be busy with Gym battles, that's why I didn't call."

"Ah, Lyra. It's alright... I was just worried, that's all."

"Well, don't be, I'm here and that's that!" she suddenly step closer to me and gives me a hug. "I missed you!"

Blush spread all over my cheeks. They were burning. Hotter than the heat I felt outside. "I muh-missed you, too."

Lyra let me go and saw the ice cream that melted on my arm. She grabbed a handkerchief out and wiped it. "Wow, Whitney, want me to buy you an ice cream cone? Looks like you didn't finish yours..."

"N-no, I'm alr-ight, Lyra. Let's go over to my Uncle Milton's place," I said. "It's probably getting dark." When we were going back up, the sun was setting. Cold night air was already lingering. I inhaled the cold air, making my nose tingly. "Ahh, that's nice!"

"Wow, it was hot before, now it's suddenly cold!"

"The weather likes to play up..."

When we walked passed the Gym and went to the route between Goldenrod and Olivine City, it was getting dark out. The sun was completely down. The street lights were on. The night air became colder, giving me chills and goose bumps. I looked at Lyra beside me, she doesn't seem aware of it all. "Whitney! Look!" Lyra said, breaking the silence. She pointed on our right side and I looked. Oh! It was an injured Meowth beside a fence. We quickly run for its aid. "Awh, poor thing... Must've had a fight with another wild Pokemon!" Lyra squatted down to gently picked up the cat Pokemon and laid it on her lap. "Oh, I have a Max Potion in my bag, Whitney. Here, hold Meowth and I'll grab it."

She handed me over the injured Pokemon. It was covered grazes and bruises on its skin. It doesn't seem to be responding either. But it's breathing quite alright. "Whoever done this to Meowth, they're going to be so sorry that they never done this!"

"I wouldn't want to mess with ya!" Lyra giggled. She then pulled out a blue spray-like container. She quickly gave me the container and I sprayed it all over Meowth's wounds and it was slowly coming to.

Meowth gently opened its eyes and saw me. "Nya?" it shakily said.

"You'll be alright, Meowth. You're all healed!" I said, putting it back down near the grass. "Take care now."

Lyra and I continued our way, when... "Nya nya nyaaa!" We both turned around. Meowth was following us. "Nya!" It swiftly jumped onto my chest as I wrapped my arms around it. "Nya... Nya nya..."

"I get the feeling it wants to be your Pokemon, Whitney!" Lyra said, looking at me.

"You think? Oh, of course I want to keep it! It's so adorable!" I said, hugging Meowth close. We continued our walk and arrived at my Uncle's place. "Lyra, my Uncle Milton's out for two days and we have the place to ourselves."

"Really?! Great!" Her stomach growled in excitement. She blushed in embarrassment as she placed her hands over her stomach and her blushing face. "Guess I'm hungry..."

I giggled. "I'll grab some food in the fridge, you wait here!" I walked to the kitchen and Lyra sent her Meowth out.

The two Meowths sniffed each other and eventually started to play with each other. "Nya!" "Nya nya!"

"Wow, they're good friends already!" I said.

"Just like you and I when we first met," Lyra said, smiling.

That made me blush, hoping she didn't see it. I went inside the kitchen to hide. I looked back again a minute later and she was looking at the Meowths. I should really be getting food. Yes, the food! I went and raid the fridge - nothing good was in there. Leftovers and dairy products were in there. Totally not good things to serve out. I quickly had an idea. Olivine Cafe was just nearby, I'll take Lyra there for a date- I mean, dinner! I made my way out of the kitchen and saw Lyra's overalls unclipped. They were hanging on her sides and she was brushing her hair while walkin around. Her hat was placed on the nearby table. She saw me looking at her and she waved. She looked better without her hat! "Lyra... Uh, there's nothing buh-but leftovers. Let's go at the Olivine Cafe for dinner, what do you say?"

"Sure! I'd love to! Come on you two, let's go!" She grabbed her hat and clipped her overalls back. I was behind her. As soon we were in Olivine City, a few people were out in the streets. "I wonder how Jasmine is doing..."

"Her? She's doing fine. I visit her once in a while," I said. We saw the Olivine Cafe and entered in. "My shout, Lyra! Just get anything you can finish."

"Oh, alright!" she scrutinize the menu list for a while. A waiter came up to us. "I'd like... fried chicken drumsticks, hotdogs, this... juicy steak... and for desert... cookies and cream milkshake!" she said and giggled in her last order.

"Cookies and cream milkshake?" I repeated. Looking shocked on what she just said.

"Yeah, why not?"

"Alright then, I'll take that, too. Also white rice and chicken-corn soup! That's about it..." I said, as the waiter wrote everything down.

"Alright, well your food is going to be serve in a few moments," he said, then walking away.

The two Meowths were falling asleep on our table. Their tails were on top of each other and they were close. Wouldn't it be great if that was me and Lyra? Sleeping together like that? I turned to see her, she was fiddling with her hat. She took out a small white paper from her hat. I was curious of what she was looking at. "Lyra, may I see that?"

Her face turned tomato red. "I-I- you can't," she mumbled.

"Why not?!"

"You'll laugh..."

"No, I won't. Just let me-"

"Here you girls go!" the waiter said, placing the milkshakes on our table. We decided to call our felines back to their Pokeballs. And that was Lyra's cue to hide the paper she was holding back in her hat and placd it back on her head. Damn it! I wanted to know what was in there! Don't tell me it's a photo of the person she likes... I sipped my milkshake swiftly. I couldn't stop thinking about that paper... If she likes someone else... I don't know what'll happen... Ack! I sipped too much on my milkshake and caused me to have brain freeze!

Crap!

We were there until past eight at night. When our stomachs were full, we decided to head back, using her Altaria in flight. Cold air was whisking my face. I didn't know that I was crying. I just felt something wet in my face. Great I can't let her see me like this! I quickly wiped my eyes with my wristband. We made it to my Uncle's place and Lyra called her Altaria back in its Pokeball. "I'm tired... Let's go to bed, Lyra..." I said as I wearily made my way to my room. "There's a guest room just across from my room."

"Oh, great!" she happily cheered. She disappeared inside the room to close the door. I heard a loud thump of shoes that fell on the worn-out floor.

"Good night..." I whispered. I made my way inside my room. I looked out the window while sitting on a chair and my chin rested on my arm. The dark night sky was filled of shining stars. If there was a shooting star here, I'd make a wish... but there was no shooting star. I sighed. I was staring out for a while. The gently wind was calmy making me sleepy. It felt so great that I could just fall asleep right here.

I then heard footsteps just outside my door. Better not be Uncle- the door fully opened. It was Lyra. Oh, great. Now what? "Oh. Whitney. I thought you'd be asleep by now..." she said. She walked closer.

I just sat there in the chair, looking at her. "Oh, I wish..." We were quiet for a long time. Lyra only had her red shirt on and blue shorts. Her hat was still on her head. She sees me looking at her and I looked the other way.

"Whitney, you're acting so strange today..." she said, breaking the silence. She walked much closer to me. "I've known you for... I don't know! Months? You can tell me what's wrong... can't you?"

She was about four steps away from where I was sitting. I looked up at her. I don't think Lyra was ready for this. She was very juvenile. I don't even think that she knows what love is. But if I kept this bottled up, she'll probably leave me. Not a great idea! I scratched my head. I wonder how she's going to react when her best female-friend wants to say that she wants to tackle her onto the bed and get on with it?! I twitched my lips. That sounds great when I think about it. Well, what the heck... let's see what she'll do... "Lyra, I have to tell you something... Promise you won't... bolt..."

"Uhh, alright. I promise."

I looked at her, swallowing on whatever it was inside my mouth. It happened again. Everything was silent. My pulse was echoing like crazy in my ears and in my forehead. It was like hearing a Poliwhirl using Belly Drum in my mind! I hate this, I really do! I have to- "Lyra! I lah... like you!" Deep blush appeared on my cheeks when I let the words out.

I waited for her response. Minutes have past, but it felt like it was years. Then she spoke, "Whitney, I like you, too. I thought you knew that."

I slapped my palm against my forehead. I darted, suddenly standing in front of her."No, I mean.. like-like," I sighed. "I like-like you!" I placed my hands on her shoulders and gripped them.

She looked at me, her hazel-brown eyes shimmering in the moonlight. "But Whitney... I like-like you the same as I like-like Jasmine and Clair and my Pokemon!"

Urgh! Damn! Why does this kid has to be so ignoramus?! Or else I'm going to pull her ponytails! Oh, wait, no... She'll probably pull mine as well... "Like-like... More of love..." I said, trying to keep my cool even though I was exasperated.

She blinked, her face was light pink. "The kind of love... as in a man and a woman love? That's different..."

I sighed, letting her go. "Yes. I love you like how a man loves a woman! I want to pound you against the bed and sleep with you!" I suddenly slapped my mouth shout with my hands on the last sentence I said out loud. I didn't think of that line... I just stupidly said it straight forward! I saw her dumbfounded on what I said. I just placed my hands on my hips and looked at her, "What do you think about that?!" I waited for a response. Nothing. I gulped. "Well?!" Lyra didn't move. She was looking down. Sudden tears started to form inside my eyes. I grabbed her arm to drag her out of my room. She doesn't feel that way. I was feeling faint-hearted.

Lyra whimpered at my sudden touch. She was pulling me back, but I kept walking out of my bedroom. "Please don't drag me out, Whitney! Please!" she tried to push my hand off her arm. "Whitney!" Lyra kept removing my hand as she started to cry. "Whi... Whit.. ney... Please..." I stopped just outside my door. I just averted myself from looking at her. "I... I love you, too, Whitney! There, I said it!"

I was breathless. Really breathless. I gently let her arm go. I opened my mouth to speak. No words came out. If she was just taunting me, I'm going to kick her ass! I swallowed hard and opened my mouth again, "If... If you're doing this to make me happy - please, don't. You'll regret it." I turned to face her. Her face was all damp from the tears she shed. "Don't rush things. You're still a kid, Lyra."

Lyra just threw herself on my body to hug me, her hat falling on the floor. "Please don't reject my love, Whitney. I didn't want to visit you because I wouldn't dare to see you when I just wanted to tell you my secret..." She was crying on my chest, so I wrapped my arms around her small body to hug her back. "I wanted to be away from you because I wanted to know if my feelings were real... but now I know!"

I wanted to say something, but something caught my eyes. The paper she was holding at the Olivine Cafe earlier was still inside her hat. "Lyra, keh-... can I see what's that paper is... inside your hat? Can I?"

She went rigid. Then nodded, slowly letting me go. "Yes, but don't laugh..."

I shrugged on what she said. I picked her hat off the floor and took out the white paper. Nothing. I flipped it. I just stood there. I was speechless. There was a hand-drawn photo of me there. The details were amazing. I was laying on my stomach, my face resting on my hands and my feet are up in the air. I was... happy. The colours were coloured by colouring pencils and outlined by a pencil. "This drawing of me... Did you draw this...?" I just had to ask.

"Yes... I drew it while I was in Mt. Moon. The Clefairy I found made me think of you..." That proved it then. Lyra does have feelings for me. Suddenly, she pushed me onto the bed, pushing me against the mattress. My legs were hanging on the drape of the bed. She sat on my thighs and bringing her face close mine. I couldn't budge. I couldn't breathe properly. Her grip was too strong. Curious look in her hazel-brown eyes. My heart was beating really quick. Plus, I was getting pissed! What the hell was she planning?! "So... how do two girls... do it?" she asked.

"Uhh... Well... they kiss... Touch each other..." I blushed more and more.

"They kiss... Like... on the lips?"

I looked at her, she was still curious. I could feel her heartbeat crashing against mine. "Yes. They kiss on the lips-" Wait. What?! "Hold on, Lyra. You're still young. I don't want you to-" All of a sudden, she was kissing me with her lips. I was shocked. I tried to push her away, but she placed her arms around my neck and held me tighter. She kept giving me small pecks on the lips and gave me another deep kiss. I was still struggling to push her away. She then pulled herself away from me and stood up on her feet. I gasped for air. I laid there, breathing heavily. Then, "Lyra! Why did... How... What the heck was that for?!" I found myself shouting from the experienced I just had. Yes, I wanted it, but it felt... wrong.

"I thought... you... wanted it, Whitney..." she began to sniffle. "I'm sorry... Please don't hate me..." Tears fell from her eyes. "I never been this close to anyone besides my Pokemon..." She wiped her face with her hands. "I just want to be with you, that's all..."

I stood up to give her a warm hug. "Lyra, I know you love me and you know that I love you..." I said quietly. "But you shouldn't... do this now. You're still a kid, alright? Continue your journey to become a strong trainer."

"But Whitney. I want my journey... to be with you!"

"Please... don't make it hard when it's already is. Wait for me... If you love me, you can wait for me..." I cried out. "I don't want you to spend your life with me right now... It could destroy your life. And I don't want to hurt you."

"I un... understand," Lyra said, getting up, picking her hat from the bed. "Guess I'll leave now then... to continue my journey..." She made her way out the door, but I stood up really fast and ran straight to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. She stood there, blushing.

"I love you, Lyra... I'll come find you in three years, I promise..." She just flashed a smile. She went back in the guest's room to pack her things. I went straight to my bed and laid on my side, crying softly. I heard her footsteps in the hallway then they faded. She didn't even bother saying goodbye... Damn. I didn't want to hurt her feelings, but I don't want her to rush things either... "Three years... I wonder if she can wait that long..."

~*~*~*~*~.Three years later.~*~*~*~*~

I've been heck busy with being a Gym leader. I forgot what I was supposed to attend to that I told someone years ago... I know it was something important. After giving a Plain Badge to a newly trainer that fought me, I made my way to my Uncle Milton's dairy farm. It has been months since I've visited there. Maybe if I go there, I'll regain my memory somehow. I arrived there an hour later and went inside my old room. The sheets are tidied up. There must be something here to help me remind- Huh? What's...? I picked up a piece of paper underneath my bed. It was covered by dust and the edges were stained and ripped. Wait a second. It was a drawing of me. Suddenly, I remembered that it was Lyra who drew this. She didn't picked this up years ago? She left it here? Oh, that kid! But I remembered that I made a promise that I'll see her in three years! It's been three years now... I wonder where she is? I folded the drawing then placed it inside my pocket.

I went out of the house, thinking of where Lyra could be. I took out my PokeGear to call her. Slight static sound and black vision was showing in the screen. Maybe she changed her PokeGear number without telling me... I was determined. I went back to Goldenrod, maybe she's at the Gym. I ran and ran all the way there. When I made it, no-one was there. Then I tried the subway. Nothing. Great. This is hopeless... I don't know where to start looking. I made my way back to my Uncle's place, but then I stopped walking. Pokeathalon! Lyra used to love that place! I ran like mad at the Pokeathalon. I nearly tripped in excitement.

And there she was.

Her hair was long now. She doesn't tie it in ponytails anymore. She was doing warm-ups with her Meowth, a black-goth Pokemon that I never seen before and Ledian. Wow. She changed. Her body... is no longer a kid. She's a teenager now. Enjoying watching her doing warm-ups, her slim curve was showing through her new outfit. She was wearing baby blue shorts, red loosen shirt that shows her stomach and black shoes. Her strong thighs were a plus. Her chest... I tried not to think about them. She looked so attracting. I sent out my own Meowth, "Come on out," and made my way towards her. "Lyra!" I called out.

She turned around and saw me. I didn't change much. My hair was long, but I still tie it in ponytails. She just stood there in shocked. "Whitney?!" she exclaimed. "Has it been three years already?!"

"Yep. And look at you! You've gotten so beautiful!" I held her in my arms. She gotten taller. She's just two inches shorter than I am. I placed my hands around her hips to pull her closer.

"I wanted to be beautiful... just for you..."

"Before and now... Don't make me choose. You're beautiful since the first day I met you..." I gently gave her a kiss.

The kiss felt right this time.

The end