Morning came, she woke in the strangest place. A soft bed under her, a blanket that didn't burst into flames was laid over her. How did she wind up here? She remembered Sarno, her desperation when she couldn't find Draco.
He was there, sleeping on the floor with nothing more than a pillow for comfort. She studied him as he slept. She wished she could stare at his deep green eyes. So many evenings in their youth he lovingly watched her with those eyes.
Then she had loved him, even all his flaws. She thought his clumsiness was cute. His flaws now as an adult didn't disgust her for she had loved him always but, did he love her? Was this some trick?
The other drakes told her they loved her. And when they had slept together they were gone or after they beat what they wanted out of her. Could she really believe him? He rolled over exposing the emerald scaled wings. She hadn't notice them, the same rich color of his eyes.
His stomach was drawn in, covered with muscle instead of fat. His chest was just as muscular, he was just as flawed as she was now. His legs were longer than they should be, his arms too. She looked at her own arms, the scars and the memories that followed with them. She felt the marks on her face.
One above her right eye, another behind her fang that traveled over her lower lip into her cheek. Her left side three claw marks slashed across her jaw. She felt her cut horn as she watched his odd sharp horns rattle against the floor as he rolled over again.
Could he want something as ugly as her? A monster. She treated him so badly before as well. Had it been love for her? Then again he ran off on her when she needed him. Like the others! He just wanted her for one thing.
She rolled over unable to look at him. He disgusted her. She would leave this place as soon as she could. She cried silently to herself, she had loved him but, she couldn't trust him.
*****
"Good morning! So besides almost getting yourself killed and stranding us here how are you!" Cynder spat as Draco grabbed some coffee.
"Back off Cynder!" Draco furled his lip.
"So how is she doing?" Chester sat down for his share of java.
"Asleep right now. There is a lot of explaining I have to do later. For now I just want to enjoy my meal." He served up some eggs and bacon. "Who cooked?"
"Me." Chester wiped his plate clean as he spoke.
"Rosie! That is not breakfast!" Draco took the chocolate bar out of her hands. "Go sit at the table I'll get you some eggs."
Charcole watched from the hall, he was treating the Pichu like his own mander. He called for someone else to stop watching TV and eat. A little smeargle came to the table. He put food in front of them. He was rather fatherly around children. She had second thoughts about him.
"Hey Ray what's the schedule?" He pulled something from his robe.
"Well, we need to get a few groceries, um...oh yeah fight night boys!" He shouted. "Hal's gym is hosting the fight."
"Easy what?" Draco clipped on his tag.
"Uummm thirty thou." Ray answered.
"Did you say thirty thousand!" Cynder sat up.
"Yup!" Ray rubbed his paws together.
"Cole, you're up." Draco came to her, took her hand. "I believe you know everyone except little Smear."
"Draco where are we?" She asked him.
"Well, my dear welcome to Poké City! Pokémon rule the roost here." He threw the curtain back showing the city to her. "I can show it to you."
*****
She looked about the streets unimpressed. What did he see in this place? Bums on corners, drunks at bar doors, and whores. She was disgusted again. He was a fool, a damn dreamer just like before.
"Draco! This place is decrepit!" She pulled at the shirt he gave her.
"Charcole you have to give this city a chance. I know it looks ugly but, you just have to look in the right places to see it's beauty." He smiled.
He was still a dreamer, always finding beauty in anything. It was his soft and kind nature. She followed him seeing nothing of interest. Just more filthy streets with seedy characters and shady crooks.
"This is one of my favorite spots. The City Garden." He led her into the green landscape.
She had to admit it was lovely. The scents of various flowers flowed about her. She marveled at the redness of the roses, the peach colored ones caught her eye. She fell in love with the marigolds, she stood smelling them, touching them and she couldn't believe such a place existed in the middle of this run down city.
Draco cut a marigold and sat it on her head, carefully he fixed it to her horn. He told her she looked beautiful with it. His smile warmed her heart. She couldn't remember how long it had been since Draco treated her with such romance. He was young those days ago in the castle gardens when he gave her flowers.
"Wait till you see and smell the gardenias. I swear they are breath taking." He kissed her hand.
"Draco you fool." She laughed.
"A fool for you. Your fool." He knelt and kissed her hand again.
Was this really happening to her? Had Chah made a mistake and put her in some other hen's place? Was this love from Draco meant for another? She was too messed up and ugly for romance like this.
"How about some coffee?" He asked
“Draco! You know I’m not so used to human things…” She just grinned and wished she knew what coffee was. “I’m just hungry really.”
Coffee? Wait? Wasn’t that the stuff Angel drank in the mornings? Angel… it had been years since she saw her trainer, since the Rocket’s took her away. Where was Ace? Draco and Ace were inseparable it seemed. Had something happened? A fall out between them?
"Well we can find a bite." Draco took her hand. He gave her cheek a light kiss, ever so tender.
Cole couldn’t believe all of this, she blushed furiously. She was loss for words. He was still sweet, he was everything she could remember about him. He was so brave risking his life to save her. He had no heed to his own safety when he dived to save her. Over the pasta lunch she kept looking at him. Was he her soul mate? She felt hope around him.
"I know this great art gallery just around the corner if you want to go." He wiped his mouth clean.
"Sounds great." She smiled.
Again she was dazzled by the unknown elegance of the city. He stood gazing at garden scenes, bridges with lotus blooms floating beneath. He gave her names, the feelings expressed through the works, he held her close whispering it all to her. She was struck by the craftsmanship the pokémon showed in their work. She was struck by his gentle touch and words. She had forgotten what he was really like, this was the real Draco.
Next he showed her the boardwalk where people ran wildly about. He bought her a pomegranate and she couldn't help but giggle as they spat out the seeds. He watched the lake. She could understand why he found beauty in it. The way the last rays of the dying sun made it seem the water was ablaze.
She scooted next to him. He was so different but, for her it was a good different. She rested her head on his shoulder, he looked surprised at first then he put an arm around her. She purred as the sun set and the moon climbed.
"Whoa! We need to get back. I have a fight at eight thirty!" He helped her up. "So did I help you see the better side of this decrepit city?"
"You did." She took his hand.
"Well we should be getting home."
When they arrived everyone was gone. Drow left a note explaining they went to get some good seats before the crowds poured in. He tossed off his shirts. He told Cole to grab a soda or something while he got ready.
He gathered up his gym registration tag, his badges and he decided to wear one of his red oriental shirts. He had thirty minutes to get there with fifteen minutes to give his team a pep talk and then stomping time.
After his shower he placed his black collar on, clipping his gym and citizen tags to it. He looked up to find Charcole rubbing his shoulders. It felt good, he knew her light sulfur scent. She licked his cheek.
He kissed her lips, she was taken back by it. He was always trying to be so human going as far as now speaking their tongue and using their expressions for love. He kissed her and she froze, what was she supposed to do after a kiss? He saw her face filled in with puzzlement.
"You're supposed to kiss back." He whispered to her.
She returned his kiss. It was an awkward action to her. He didn't seem to be disappointed by her first attempt. He pulled over his shirt and began to button it.
"Forget the fight Draco. There are more important things to do." She rubbed his cheek.
"What is more important? My friends are counting on me." He fixed the last button.
"How about this?" Her hand slipped between his legs.
He groaned as her hand tempted him, he wanted to stay here and ditch his responsibilities. After all wasn't Cynder always pulling shit like that on him? What would it matter if he missed one fight? There was a problem though. He wasn't Cynder.
"I'm sorry Cole. This has to wait." He grabbed his gym bag. "Come to the fight with me."
He invited her, she turned away from him. Why couldn’t he stay? He should have known by now she would refuse to see him fight. It was his eyes. So fierce with love in their youth Cole loved to look into those emerald eyes. Then she saw him one morning, there was a different fierceness to those eyes. Blargg and his friends Grill and that wild charmeleon that seemed to boss over the two others, Chub started their usual teasing of Draco. The charmeleon Chub, was relentless with his jokes about Draco’s inability to fire spin, his green eyes and his clumsiness. Draco had enough that morning. The look she saw in his eyes shocked her, the way he drew his face into such fury.
Blargg fell back as the charmander swung his fists and tail. Draco threw a mega punch and the older char went down. Grill ran when he saw Draco beat Chub. From that day on Cole could not bear to see his eyes clouded with such rage. He was so different outside fighting. His eyes spoke of tranquility and his love for Cole outside battle. She refused his invites to see him compete in the league, she never told him why. She knew he only fought then because it was what Ace asked him to do. Why did he fight now?
"I think not." She sat on the bed.
"I'll be back before you know it." He kissed her.
He was a fool, if he rather go get his brains bashed around instead of making love to her. Then maybe she was right, this was a love not meant for her. She felt she was ugly, that he was appalled by the thought of touching her. His love was meant for someone else. She wept as he walked the street to the subway station.
To be continued..........