Disclaimer: Do not own Pokemon for the second time.

So yeah, chapter 2 like I said. This chapter here happens to be rushed as I was rushing for time then. I edited a few stuf here and there but I still think... it's not quite the standard of what I usually write. Quality-wise, really really sorry.

Act Two

Shinji felt like falling into a black hole as he went back to his classroom block. That girl, Hikari, had found out about his role in the play. She herself was also in it, so she had to know sooner or later anyway. Wait, she didn’t say what her role was, she only found out mine. Damn, this is embarrassing. Getting owned by a girl, he thought.

“SHINJI!!” shouted Satoshi. Shinji jumped slightly. He was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice Satoshi at all.

“Heard that your class is in a play. Are you in the backstage, the spotlight or the stage crew?” he asked.

“You can find that out for yourself on the day of the open house,” replied Shinji. He wanted to get rid of Satoshi but he kept tagging along.

“Ok, I will. Anyway, Hikari’s class is also doing this play. She said that she pitied the guy getting the female lead role. Oh well, but that’s Hikari. I hope she can cope,” said Satoshi. On hearing Hikari’s name, Shinji decided not to probe further. There’s a good chance that she already told Satoshi. But given his reactions, he was either not listening, pretending or Hikari had not yet told him at all.

“Don’t you have anything to do or anywhere to be?” Shinji asked, obviously annoyed. But Satoshi pretended not to notice.

“Nope. I just finished my home work, Kasumi is in class, Takeshi… somewhere around here, Hikari’s reading through her script book, I don’t know where Shuu is. Kenji, Shigeru…,” Satoshi tried to remember where each of his friends were while Shinji took the golden opportunity to slip away.

“Hey ‘Cresselia’, where were you?” asked a familiar girl’s voice form his left. Hikari was watching him attentively. One small insult and his role would be all over the school by the next day.

“What do you want?” Shinji demanded. He was sick of stopping and answering questions and he was almost going to be late for his next lesson.

“Practice at the main hall later. Be there at 3pm. Don’t be late or the entire school will know tomorrow,” she reminded him.

“Got it, I hope I don’t see you there,” Shinji said.

“Oh, I will MOST definitely be there,” Hikari replied, amusement in her voice. “I’m the male lead.”

Shinji felt his subconscious laughing to itself. “You’re Darkrai?” he asked. Hikari nodded happily.

“Yes, I am. I’m new at acting guys so I’m not sure what to do. Anyway, I hope you can help me later. We are not really going to be acting out. More like, just rehearsing the lines and getting to know who is who,” Hikari said. The school bell rang loudly.

“Oh damn, thanks for holding me up,” Shinji told Hikari sarcastically and ran up the stairs. Just fantastic, gokushujin. You just insulted the girl who stole your heart, his subconscious said. Exuse me? My heart is still beating by my lungs, Shinji told his subconscious mentally.

Hikari never moved from her spot and was observing the violet-haired boy run upstairs to his classroom. He’s interesting. Looks like there’ll be some fun after all. Satoshi-tachi are all so monotonous. Everyday was the same cycle over and over again. Even after Shuu transferred here, she thought to herself as she went back to her own classroom. Something about him struck her familiar. Hmm? Isn’t he the one from back then? She looked up but Shinji was gone from view. Must be my imagination.

When the signal for the end of school came, Shinji never felt more stressed. First off, he was the female lead. Second, THAT girl was the male lead. Third, he was to meet the other class soon and by then, his secret would be out. Fourth, his brother informed him a short while ago via cell phone that their parents had employed a new maid for them. The maid and her daughter will be living in the house as well. The fantastic point? The daughter happens to be from this school as well. He was thankful that his parents lived in another city because of work. He was fed up because there will be two more people occupying the house other than him and Reiji.

Flashback

“Now don’t complain Shinji,” the text message had said. “The girl’s father died not too long ago and they did not have a lot of money saved up. They sold their house so that the daughter could continue schooling. I still have yet to know who those two are.”

End of flashback

Shinji reached the main hall half an hour too early. He did not feel like eating neither did he want to go home. He threw his bag into a corner of the hall and got out his script book. Maybe it could help him focus on something and keep the harsh reality out. But Destiny had other plans.

“Hey ‘Cresselia’, why are you here so early?” a very familiar girl asked. The all-too-familiar vein popped onto his head.

“I have a name, irritating girl,” he said menacingly. But Hikari took no notice.

“I didn’t notice since you are always calling me ‘troublesome girl’,” replied Hikari. “Oh wait, you said ‘irritating girl’ just now.”

“It’s Shinji, not Cresselia,” Shinji snapped. Despite liking her chieerful disposition, he could not help but think that she was deliberately making fun of him.

“Very well, Shinji. Since we are her early, want to rehearse some lines together? I have the most number of scenes with you aside from the others,” suggested Hikari. She flipped open her book to the balcony scene. “I completely have no scenes with Kouki although I have some with Kengo. I’m lucky that Kouhei is a side cast.” On mentioning the last name her expression changed to a murderous one. Shinji decided to change the subject back.

“Alright, how about we start from the place where the Arceus announces its plan to marry Cresselia to Regigigas to form the bond of the moon and the Earth?” Shinji asked. Hikari skimmed over the pages.

“Are you very sure? Darkrai visits Cresselia at night and says that he will try to fight for Cresselia. He also has to kiss Cresselia before leaving,” replied Hikari. Shinji looked at the book again. Yes, Hikari has to kiss him as it was part of the play. Shinji's face flushed very slightly at the very thought of Hikari kissing him.

“Maybe it’s not such a good idea. Then during their nearly flawless plan to escape?” Shinji asked. Hikari nodded.

“Well, ok. I’ll try here since I’m the first one to speak. Tell me, Yuxie. The route to Shinjiko...”

They were still rehearsing when the rest of the cast arrived.

“Miss Serebii has told me everything. Are you sure we’re doing the right thing?” Shinji read.

Hikari put down her book. “You are not very emotional are you? You say the lines like a robot,” she commented

“As much as I want to be natural, I cannot be natural when acting Cresselia. This is the way I am,” asked Shinji.

“Then how about-” Hikari was interrupted by someone calling her loudly.

“HIKARI!” called a blond haired boy with a white and orange striped shirt and a green scarf around his neck. Hikari turned around happily.

"Oh, you’re here Jun. Kouki’s here too,” she said happily. The two boys sat side by side as they chatted with Hikari.

“So, I hear that you are the play’s Darkrai,” said Kouki. “Who’s Cresselia?”

Hikari pointed to Shinji who was reading his book. “There’s Cresselia,” she said. Shinji heard the word ‘Cresselia’ and glared at her. Hikari, totally unfazed continued chatting to the other two boys. Shinji left irritated that Hikari forgot about him like that.

“Hey, what did you want to say” he told Hikari.

“Oh, hang on,” Hikari told her friends and shifted her attention to Shinji. “I just wanted to say if you change your personality, you may find it easier to act in the role. Anyway, Kouki here,” Kouki waved at Shinji, “Happens to be playing the role of Thunder. Don’t ask, it was decided by a draw. This is Jun,” Jun nodded slightly at Shinji, “Is the Giratina, the Judas.”

A red-haired girl and a brown haired boy approached them. “You’re early Pikari,” said the boy. Hikari’s eyes lost its original sparkle. Instead, it was replaced by mad fury.

“Pikari eh?” she said dangerously. “You haven’t seen the afterlife have you Kengo?”

The red-haired girl came in between them. “Kengo, Hikari, stop it,” she said. To the boy, she told him, “Can’t you get through one day without calling her that?” And to Hikari, she said, “Hikari, that incident is so ancient. No point getting upset over it.”

Hikari was still fuming mad. “Kengo started it, Nozomi,” she replied.

“I don’t care who started it,” the girl called Nozomi said firmly. “If you want to kill each other because Kengo called you ‘Pikari’, do it somewhere where I’m not looking.”

All this time, Shinji was watching the mini-drama unfold. Hikari noticed his questioning look and pulled both Kengo and Nozomi in front.

“Shinji, this is Kengo and Nozomi. Kengo wil be playing the part of Arceus and Nozomi is Sheimi,” said Hikari. “Yes, Sheimi, the Princess of the Flowers.”

Nozomi stretched out a hand. “I’m Nozomi. I’m playing the part of Lady Sheimi. Nice to meet you ‘Cresselia’,” she said. Shinji ignored her outstretched hand and looked away. Nozomi withdrew her hand.

“Don’t mind him, he’s always like this,” Hikari told Nozomi. She was saved from further explanation by the arrival of the teacher.

“Alright, is everybody here?” she asked while opening a folder and stared taking attendance. After making sure that everybody was here, she proceeded to introduce the characters.

“Remember, our play is one of the main events during the open house. Each class this year have to do something and this is what we are doing. And your roles are decided by a draw. There will be no changing of roles unless you have a very valid reason. So, moving on, we have our lead roles: Hikari as Darkrai and Shinji as Cresselia,” said the director-teacher as she gestured to Shinji and Hikari.

“Next we have the four Regi gods.” Four random students stood up and bowed before sitting down again.

“The Kings of Kanto: Freezer, Thunder and Fire.” Kouki and two girls waved their hands.

“Johto’s duo: Ho-oh and Lugia with Entei, Suikun and Raikou.” Four other boys and a girl imitated Kouki’s actions earlier.

“The God of the gods and the Princess of the Flowers.” Kengo and Nozomi stood up this time.

“Dialga, with Serebii, Palkia and Giratina” A sinister looking boy with glasses stood up with another girl and boy and Jun. Shinji noticed that Hikari was trying not to look at them.

“The Hoenn rulers, Groudon, Kaiorga and Rayquaza and the Guardian of the Sea Temple, Manafi.” Three boys and a girl waved.

“The mystical Mirage God, Myuu and the Shinou Lake Trio: Yuxie, Emrit and Agnome.” Two boys and two girls stood up, waved and sat down.

“The sibling gods who came back at the last moment: Latias and Latios.” A boy and a girl waved from where they were sitting. Shinji recognized both of them.

“Ok, now that everybody has known each other, let’s get on with the rehearsal.”

The house was extremely quiet when Shinji reached home. His brother worked at a pet grooming center at the other end of the city. He tried calling his brother earlier but got his voicemail box instead. His train of thought were broken by the sound of the doorbell. When he opened the door, a woman with azure hair like Hikari’s dressed in a simple white blouse and pants stood outside.

“Excuse me, are you Reiji or Shinji?” she asked.

“I’m Shinji,” he answered. The woman looked relieved.

“I’m Ayako. Your parents asked me to look after the house and both of you while they are away. They said that I can live here while working,” she said. Before Shinji said anything, Reiji returned.

“Oh, you must be Ayako-san,” he said to the woman. “Shinji, go inside. I’ll take over from here.”

Shinji had no choice but to return to his room where he was safely out of the way and listen to the occasional loud noises upstairs and downstairs of moving furniture. When Reiji called him, Shinji went downstairs for a look.

“They will be staying in the uppermost room,” said Reiji. In the kitchen, Ayako was cooking something with a younger girl.

“That’s her daughter,” said Reiji. There was something familiar about that girl to Shinji. “Her name’s Hikari.”

The girl heard her name and turned around to see Shinji standing dumbstruck. “WHAT?!” she exclaimed.

“What are you doing here?” asked Shinji, equally shocked.

“My mother works here,” Hikari answered while closing the door of a cupboard. Reiji looked back and forth between them.

“You know each other?” he asked but earned him icy glares from both Shinji and Hikari. “W-well, that makes my job easier.”

“It will work even better if I don’t have to see him all the time,” said Hikari while stacking some plates. “Of course, who was the one who told me that he couldn’t act Cresselia because his personality doesn’t allow him to?”

The annoying vein appeared another time. “Troublesome girl, watch your language,” he warned. What he wanted to say was cut short by Ayako.

“Now that’s enough Hikari. And Shinji too,” she said firmly. “I know I am not your mother but I will not tolerate any hostilities in front of me. If you want to insult each other, do it where I’m not looking.” To Hikari, Ayako said, “This is may not our house Hikari. And change out of your uniform. After that go find your things and arrange them nicely.”

Shinji suddenly felt that his life took a turn for the worse.

Gokushujin - Master. This is what maids call their employers. It’s a unisexual term I think…
Satoshi – tachi – Satoshi and the others. ‘Tachi’ means other people, apart from the mentioned individual.
Kouki – Lucas (game)
Kengo – Kenny, one of Dawn’s main rivals
Jun – Damion (game). Rival of the player.
Nozomi – Another of Dawn’s rivals.

Updates may take longer coz of school work :( sorry for the inconvenience. Also I'm planning to rewrite chapter 3 and 4 so yeah, it would really take some time.