Miss Discovery!

By: Chibi-Suiko

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Ash: 15

Misty: 16

Brock: 19

Imuru: 17

Evette: 20

Mr. Gerou: 31

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Last time on Miss Discovery!: Ash and Misty overheard a significant conversation between Mr. Gerou and Imuru, leading Ash to believe that maybe they both have something to do with all of the ruckus taking place at the estate. Misty's doubts have supposedly dragged her on-stage skill level down, which Gerou takes as opportunity to talk to her about. Leaving the rescuing to Imuru (Who Ash is truly suspicious of at the moment), the hat-haired teen headed off to the same Bistro of two days ago, where he and Rein had agreed to meet. The kids have started their second private discussion just as Misty was almost hassled into signing a breaching contract signaling Reins departure from the acting profession. Lucky for her, a while later, Imuru jumped onto the scene and pulled her away, warning his agent that if his friends continued to be conducted aggravatedly in his presence, he'd be dropped. Meanwhile, the others' conversation has now turned to Imuru where Ash has posed a disturbing question. Could the handsome actor that his older friend has become so attracted to be a part of the entire mess--?

***

***

Rein stared at him, as though she was trying hard to process the thought just passed onto her. Ash stared at her determinedly, hoping that she wouldn't take the whole idea as a joke. Unfortunately, she didn't.

" Excuse me? Are you trying to say that Imuru, whose not my man thank you, has something to do with this?" Not only did she believe him, she was deeply insulted.

Ash didn't exactly know how to explain his theory but he knew that if he didn't, Rein would help him force it from his throat.

" I mean... I just keep seeing him in compromising situations and he seems so into Misty that he might be willing to do anything to make her stay... I don't know, maybe..." Rein was looking at him as though she didn't know what to believe.

" What type of compromising situations are we talking about here?" She asked.

" Well... There have been some good ones and all... But I've overheard him talking to that Gerou guy about how he'd like to show Misty how he likes her for her and not because she looks like you... I hope that you don't take that personally or anything..!" He added cautiously.

She didn't say or do anything. Was this one of those touchy feminine subjects that Misty always got so upset about?

***

" So what exactly did he say to you?" Imuru asked as he and Misty continued to share their late lunch together, "Did you tell him anything that may have sounded a bit strange..?" She didn't quite understand what he meant at first but then it clicked.

What unusual news did she mention to Gerou?

" You almost sound as if you don't trust him..." She said in almost a whisper.

" Well... It's not that but, well, with Rein's little escapade a few weeks back... You never know..." Though the name struck a serious cord with her, Misty didn't let the mention bother her... That much.

" Are you saying that you did believe her accusation?" She asked and looked at him closely, trying to decipher anything that might point out a definite 'Yes'. There was nothing. Was that supposed to reassure her, though, or not?

" I... I'm not sure. At first I didn't but ever since you've shown up, he's been acting rather strangely, But he had a great resume, and he's been doing very well on his job. That's why, at first, when she said anything, I didn't believe her. He was just so good at what he did--! I didn't want to think that anything bad would come of him..."

Misty, who'd reached for a drink of her soda, suddenly dropped her cup. It fell to the shining wooden floor as she stared ahead in shock. Imuru, thinking that she'd maybe seen something strange, turned, but nothing was there.

She unexpectedly moaned and leaned her head on the table, her hand draping across her brow as she thought about her strange dream the first night, the phone call... Was something really going on..?

" Misty, are you all right? Should I get you something else to drink? Do you need help--?!" Imuru panicked as he watched her droop in her seat, rubbing her temples as though having maintained a serious migraine over the last few seconds. He reached over to her, gripped her arm, but she pulled free and looked up. A slight (forced) smile lay upon her face as Ash entered the room.

" Hey--?! Wha'd you do to her?!" He shouted and pushed Imuru away, stepping right in front of Misty's face, "You okay? Did he do something to you--? I was right! You're in on everything aren't you?!" He turned to face Imuru, who stood, shocked, watching the ranting boy and the groaning girl, who was still trying to smile...

I thought I heard a door slam... Where has he been since he tried to drag me from the cathedral..? She stood up, grabbed a couple tissues, and began to wipe up the mess that she'd caused with her drink.

" Wha'd you do?! Poison her?! I won't let you get away with that you jacked up--!"

" --ASH--!" Misty shouted, getting back to her feet and standing considerably well for how bad her head throbbed at the moment, "I'm fine, don't you see? He didn't do anything so apologize for accusing hi--" She was cut off as memories of the last few days came pouring into her head. It was killing her, "Ugghhhh..."

" That's all the evidence I need. Come on, Myst, you need to sit down now and let it all cool away..." Ash spoke in one of the most sweet and considerate voices she'd ever heard and, surprisingly, she complied, soon finding herself in her seat.

" Misty, it's Ash! Are you okay?"

" Miss Misty, I asked if you agreed with us..?"

" ...Hmmmnnn? Say what..?" Her head still pounded but the facts were as clear as ever. Something was going to happen. Something was wrong...

" We think that bed rest is the best remedy for distressing migraines--" Imuru began but she interrupted him.

" Someone is posing a threat to you. And they're after everything you've got."

***

A figure watched everything that lay before him, cursing under his breath. This girl was posing as much a threat as Rein had been. Yet they still didn't know anything... Right? Nevertheless, before anything else was said, he had to do something! Before it was all ruined!

The scheming!

The precious planning!

The conniving destruction that still needed to be played!

He stepped forward from behind the door, maintaining silence for a bit longer.

" --Wha--?"

" --Master Imuru..." All heads turned in Gerou's direction as he sighed almost dramatically.

" We are busy Daz. What could you possibly want now?" Imuru said in a low voice.

" --I just wanted to tell you. Preparations for the production are in progress and as the main star--Eh hrm, excuse me--One of the main stars, I thought you would like to be there. It is, after all, in need of perfection..." He grinned in a sneaky manner.

" Yes, that's true. Misty, would you, perhaps, like to join me?"

" --Should Miss Waterflower not like to douse her headache with a nap?" Daz's voice sounded almost panicked.

" Uh--Yeah... Don't mind me Imuru. Yeah, I guess that a nap does sound good right about now. You go on ahead. After all, I've still got Ash. Right Ash?" She smiled at him and sighed when he didn't look her back.

" Un-huh..." He looked towards the ceiling, his blush being highly illuminated by the chandelier light, "...Hey, is that color more blue-green or green-blue?"

They ignored him as Imuru gave one last uneasy look at Misty before turning and abandoning the room, and the manor.

***

Misty lay in her bed asleep with Ash by her side, sitting in her bedroom desk chair. She had tried to sleep after the strange, and almost timely, appearance of Gerou but it seemed like it wouldn't come on it's own. So she'd asked him to come in to be sure to calm her nerves.

He was unsure whether that was really okay or not. You know, being welcomed into a girls room. Maybe it was the headache talking? He'd hate to have her wake up and start calling him perverted or something and start hitting him with a pillow in lapse of memory.

It didn't have to be said that he wanted to leave the place as soon as possible. But as he looked down at her calm, sleeping face, drawing slow and easy breath. It was one of the first times he'd ever seen her look so... Well... kind. It was overwhelming how rarely he saw her with that expression, it was too perfect for him to let go...

He yawned as the clock outside the door chimed nine. The day seemed so much more eventful than it actually had been, and it was exhausting him. He let his head rest on the back of the chair as he rubbed his eyes. He couldn't even find the strength to drag his feet down the hall. Yet he tried.

As he reached his feet, he swayed tiredly and leaned towards the ground, collapsing against his friends bed while she slept on. And before he could stop himself, he was asleep as well.

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A/N: Well, that was a nice break-off point, don't you think? What do you think Misty will say when she wakes up to find him practically in sleeping bed with her? And, yes, I know how short it was and... It was... Intended. Yeah! That's it! I meant to make it that short! Yup! Uh, anyway...

That was really a lot of fun. Creepy, yes, but fun still. Anyway, the review buttons right below this and you know you want to say something POSITIVE about my work so review!

Um... Yeah, that's all for now! Thanks to all of those who've cared to review so far! Make Chibi happy as she's got a little 'something-something' for all you AAML fans out there coming in the next to chapters. You'll like, I promise... Er, hope... You'll just have to decide for yourselves!

Now I'm running out of chapter's to update with so Chibi's gonna have to either go back to work on typing this junk or forget about it and revel in the fact that I'll never be loved by more than a mere few... Now Chibi's feeling depressed so she should go... Bye for now!

-- Chibi