Like I said, it wouldn't happen in the morning.
Vincent: what's wrong with Marina?
Macy: settle down.
Me: quit breaking the fourth wall this early!
Vincent and Macy both fall quiet.
A/N: So basically, this is the aftermath/follow-up of what happened the night before. Read that before you read this. I only own OCs, the Master circuit concept, a location and the storyline. ...sorry this is a day late. I actually would've had it up earlier this morning if my dad didn't catch me.
It's Okay, I'm Right Here
(Pallet Town. 10:10am)
We see Ash Ketchum currently asleep on the floor and his bed empty. He is awakened by his Pokégear ringing. He fidgets around before managing to get the yellow and blue device. He yawned before answering, "Hello?"
On the other line was League president Charles Goodshow. "Goodness, my boy. I tried you at least 6 times. How would you like to go on a short excursion to the Alola region with the other Master circuit contestants?"
That woke Ash up. "Sounds great," he said, despite work being involved.
"That's the spirit! Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers. The boat leaves at 5pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 3:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?" the president asked. *
"Yes, sir!" Ash said and the call ended. He knew that both Gary and Leaf would jump on the opportunity for research and Chance would be laidback. Ritchie would probably be just as excited as Ash to see the different Pokémon. Suddenly, Ash's stomach growled.
"Ash," Delia called. "Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming, mom!" Ash said, unzipping his sleeping bag. He looked up and saw that Misty had already left. Gym leaders had early days and Ash would decide on who to bring after breakfast.
(New Bark Town. 10:15am)
On his bed (and still in the patrol clothes he wore last night) was Jimmy Kenta. In his sleep, somehow, he had managed to take all 6 Poké Balls out of his pockets and place them on his dresser. One was rocking back and forth before the enlargement occurred. From the inside, the button was hit and a blue light materialized, revealing a Jolteon.
Jolteon tilted its head before looking at his sleeping trainer. Jolteon had an idea. He saw his trainer's hand and started licking it. No luck. Jolteon skillfully jumped onto its trainer before proceeding to lick his face.
Jimmy realized this and felt it. "Alright, alright," he said, trying not to laugh. "I'm up," he said as he stared at his clock. His eyes widened. "I've gotta call Marina!"
He grabbed his Pokégear and it wasn't the same one he had in his youth. This one was navy blue and orange. (1)
"Hi, Jimmy," Marina said as she answered her baby blue Pokégear. (2)
"How are you feeling?" he asked.
"Well, keep in mind that my mom's a nurse and she said that my ankle would be fine. I'm going to try and get a dental appointment, but I have to make myself breakfast," she said.
"Alright. Sounds good, babe," he said.
"Love you," she said. The call ended. As Jimmy realized that he should probably get into the shower before doing anything else, his Pokégear rang.
"Morning, Mr. Goodshow," Jimmy said with a yawn.
"Long night?" Goodshow asked.
Jimmy yawned again before replying, "Mmhm."
"Listen, James. How would you like to go on a short excursion to the Alola region with the other Master contestants?" Goodshow asked.
Jimmy shot upright. "Sounds great!" he said, not seeming to care that his full first name had just been used.
"Excellent! Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers. The boat leaves at 5pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 3:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?" Goodshow said.
"Clear. Bye," Jimmy said. He got out of bed and stretched. "Jolteon, you know what to do," he said. Jolteon nodded. His mother worked from home and was aware that her son could be a bit forgetful at times. Jolteon went downstairs while Jimmy grabbed his towel before heading to the bathroom to shower. Jimmy was trying to remember who he brought with him on his last trip to another region. Ah well, it would come to him.
(Littleroot Town. 10:19am)
Tossing in his bed is white-haired Master contestant Brendan Birch. He and Brianna went to a masquerade party and it was fun. He had his door open a crack. With a small pond not too far away, it was interesting with his wake-up calls. This was a new one. A baby Lotad waddled to the boy's bed. Lotad blinked. "Lotad?" Lotad asked. Lotad didn't get a reply, so he fired a small Water Gun at Brendan, effectively waking him up. His brown eyes shot open. (3)
"What?" he said groggily. His brown eyes focused on the baby Lotad in his bedroom. Said Lotad was currently tapping his nightstand for reasons unknown. Brendan kept a rag by his bed, for his Swampert would pull the similar stunt, but with more water. As he was drying his face, his PokéNav buzzed. Instead of the yellow one he had, it was now a brighter blue with black streaks. "Brendan speaking," he said.**
"Someone just woke up I see," Mr. Goodshow said.
"Oh. Good morning, sir. What's up?" he asked as he pulled his covers from him, revealing his torso.
"Brendan, I've got a question for you. How would you like to go on a short excursion to the Alola region with the other Master contestants?" Goodshow asked.
Brendan grinned. Alola was beautiful, as he had seen on postcards. "Yeah, okay. Count me in!" he said.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers. The boat leaves at 5pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 3:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?"
"As a bell," Brendan replied. The call ended. Brendan had an idea. "Hey, Lotad, how would you like me to help wake up my dad?" he asked, picking the Water/Grass-type up.
"Lo?" Lotad asked. Brendan smirked as he went to his parents' bedroom in his red boxers. He had to think of who to bring and maybe he'd call Mr. Goodshow to ask him what he knew of the climate if he were bringing Wally with him.
(Veilstone City. 10:25am)
After clearing his mind, Paul Rebolledo fed his Pokémon. As he was coming in from doing so, he was contemplating what to make for breakfast. He settled on a bowl of cereal with a glass of apple juice. (4)
As the plum-haired male is opening the door, the house phone rings. He picks up the milk carton. Paul usually kept his replies curt, but he was changing slightly. "Paul Rebolledo. May I ask who's calling?"
"Ah, Paul. You're the first person I've spoken to that doesn't sound like they're just waking up," Mr. Goodshow said. Paul placed the carton down and closed the door. Typically, he would've questioned something like this, but remembered one of the last times this had happened: the guys pulled an all-nighter gaming challenge. Since Paul had been "eliminated" early, he went to bed first.
"What's going on?" Paul asked.
"Paul, I've got something to ask you. How would you like to go on a short excursion to the Alola region with the other Master contestants?" Goodshow asked.
Paul's onyx eyes widened. He and Dawn had just been talking about the region the night before. Plus, he had been helping Reggie out and training some of his older Pokémon. "Yeah. Sounds good. I could actually use a break," Paul said.
"I won't ask, but I'm glad you agreed. Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers. The boat leaves at 5pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 3:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?" [5]
Paul nodded as a habit. "Yes, sir."
The call ended and Paul resumed his morning routine. Paul knew he couldn't bring Dawn, but that didn't mean he wouldn't buy her something he saw. He also knew that Lucas would jump on the opportunity to study the evolutions there. Screw it. He'd think it over later on and then make his phone calls and go from there.
(Nimbasa City Unova. 11:32am)
In an office was a woman wearing a black skirt, black flats and a light green blouse. She also had on an off-white blazer. Her phone rang. "Hello?" she said.
"Good morning, Ingrid," Charles Goodshow's voice said on the other end. "How are you?"
Ingrid Grey was the president for the Unova League. "I'm doing good, and you?"
"I'm doing super. It's been quite the morning. Early this morning, I got a call from Hala, the Island Kahuna of Melemele Island," he said.
"Interesting," Ingrid replied. "What's up?"
"He and Professor Kukui want to meet the contestants in the Master circuit. Plus, they'll get to see the different variants of Pokémon Alola has. I've included a little bit of R and R because the boys have been working hard," he said. It was true. The boys had to go to the Orange Archipelago, but they were there to see how things were with the Orange League expanding and getting a group of their own Elite 4 members. They were allowed to bring one of their top trainers for the purposes of companionship and camaraderie.
"I see. So, do you want me to call Nate?" she asked. She grabbed a notepad and a black pen. She clicked it and jotted down the basics of what Charles was saying. After hanging up with Mr. Goodshow, Ingrid had a phone call to make.
(Aspertia City. 12:37pm)
A boy with wild brown hair was forming a sphere of aura. His was reddish orange as opposed to Ash's blue. "How's that looking, Lucario?" he asked his partner. This was Nate Werner.
Lucario only grunted in response. Soon, Nate's red X-Transceiver started buzzing. Nate took a break. "Hello?" he said politely as he opened his water bottle and started drinking.
"Good morning, Nate. Did I catch you at a bad time?" Ingrid asked. Had it been a few hours earlier, Nate would've moaned in reply. He and Rosa attended a costume party in Aspertia City. Rosa was dressed as a princess and Nate a prince.
"No," Nate said. "What's the scoop?"
"Nate, how would you like to go on a small vacation of sorts to the Alola region?" she asked.
This got Nate's attention. "Sounds great!" he said.
Ingrid chuckled at Nate's positive attitude. "Well I can tell you're a happy camper. Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers with you. The boat leaves at 6pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 4:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?" [6]
"Yeah. I read you," Nate said. The call ended. Nate looked at his Pokémon as his stomach growled. "Who's ready for lunch?" he asked with a grin. Only then did it sink in for Nate that he had to make a tough choice. ...again. He had to choose from Hilbert (who he saw as a brother), Hilda, Hugh (who he also saw as a brother), Cameron and Trip.
(Anistar City. 1:42pm)
A woman is dressed similarly to Ingrid, except she has on a red skirt and black flats. Her blouse is cream-colored and her blazer is also red. Her office phone rings.
"Bonjour. A qui ai-je le plaisir de parler cet après-midi?" she asked. (Translation: Good day. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with this afternoon?) [7]
Ingrid smiled. "Hello to you, too, Noelle. Mr. Goodshow called me and said that he received word from Professor Kukui and Hala would like to meet the gentlemen of the Master circuit." Noelle is Noelle Sapin, the Kalos League president.
Noelle nodded, processing it all. "Fantastique! I'll put a note to speak with Monsieur Calem. Au revoir," she said. (Translations: Fantastique = Fantastic. Monsieur = gentleman, sir, etc. Au revoir = goodbye) [8]
Noelle wasted no time in contacting Calem.
(Vaniville Town. 1:47pm)
A black-haired young man is watching his Pokémon aim some of their attacks at targets he set up. This is Calem Lafleur and his Greninja, Flareon and Absol are out. (9)
"Alright everyone," Calem said to his three. "Take a break. I think we'll have lunch."
At that moment, Calem's Holo Caster buzzed. (10)
He answered it. "Oui? Calem Lafleur, ici," he said. (Translation: Yes. Calem Lafleur, here)
"Are you busy?" the voice on the other end said. Since Noelle wasn't using a Holo Caster, it worked like a Pokégear.
"Not now, anyway. What-cha got for me?" he asked.
"Calem, how would you like to go on a trip to the Alola region with the other Master circuit contestants?" she asked.
Calem thought about it and looked to the trio. They all nodded. "Sure. We probably need a break," Calem said sheepishly as he felt his stomach rumble a little.
"Excellent. Now keep in mind that you can bring one of your top trainers with you. The boat leaves at 7pm (from Vermilion City) our time and you and the others are supposed to arrive no later than 5:15. Bring your swimsuit and dress is your current training attire. Clear?" [11]
"Of course," he said and the call ended. "Lunch first. Choose later," Calem said to himself. He'd choose who he wanted to bring with him later. He had to choose between Alain, Astrid (who he enjoys battling with), Trevor and Tierno. He could already hear Tierno's reaction: jumping on board for the new dance moves he could learn. He pinched the bridge of the nose as he went inside.
***Interruption A/N: from this point to the end (and I'll try not to make this any longer), it focuses on the Johto group. Vincent, Jimmy, Ethan, Silver, Kris, Lyra and Macy. So, if you don't want to read that (I'm a little upset, but it's okay), just comment on what you thought overall. If you're in the opposite category, keep reading! ***
(Back in New Bark Town, early afternoon. Kenta residence)
Jimmy was wearing everyday clothes and texted his top trainers. Kris was the first to reply, saying that the last time he was allowed to choose someone, Vincent went with him. She had a point and he decided to check on Marina.
"Hey, babe," he said into the videophone.
"Hi, sweetie," she said. She then noticed Jimmy was grinning more than (if that was possible) normal. "Jimmy, what's going on?"
"I get to go to the Alola region and Kris volunteered first. Did you get an appointment with the dentist in Whiterose City?" he asked.
"I did. I'm going at 2:45," she said.
'Oh, no,' Jimmy thought to himself. "That's what time Kris and I will be leaving, Mar. We're not leaving from Johto," he said, realizing he left that minor detail out.
"Don't worry about it," she said, wagging a finger. "I'll find someone to go with me. Take lots of pictures with the camera I gave you last Christmas, okay?"
Jimmy thought about the untouched black digital camera. It was better than the one on the Pokégear. It was a big Secret Santa party, for all the Master circuit members and their top trainers. Marina was Jimmy's and Jimmy was Macy's. Luckily, she liked Fire-types, so he found a bracelet of different Pokémon that evolved with the help of a Fire Stone.
"Okay. I'll check in on you tomorrow. Likely, it'll be mostly business tonight," Jimmy said, finally realizing the requirement for being dressed up. He had ended up calling Mr. Goodshow to check and see what he meant. Simply put: what you'd wear to church on Sunday or if you didn't go to church, what your parents might have you wear for a slightly formal event.
"Okay," Marina said, sounding sad. "Text me if you get a chance tonight."
Jimmy flashed her a thumb's up. "I will. Love you," he said.
"I love you, too," she replied.
The two disconnected. "Jimmy, would you come to the master bedroom? I want to see if something fits you," his mother's voice rang.
Jimmy noticed his Beedrill seemed to be laughing. He was doing one-on-one training and had just came back inside from training Beedrill.
"Coming mom," Jimmy said, glaring at Beedrill before sighing.
(Davis residence)
Marina was scrolling through her contacts. She had to play a game of Angry Pidgey before calling anyone else. (12)
She decided to call Vincent. "Heya Marina," Vincent said cheerfully. "What's up?"
"Hi darling," she said. Yes, Marina still called her friends "darling" at 22. "Are you doing anything this afternoon?"
As a younger boy, Vincent would've eagerly taken the chance to be with her. He looked at the calendar on his bedroom wall. "Uh, what time this afternoon?" he asked.
"My appointment is at 2:45," she said.
Vincent sighed. "No can do, Marina. I promised my mom that Meganium and I would help her with the garden. The annual New Bark Town garden festival is this Saturday and you know how my mom can be," he said truthfully.
"Yeah. I tend to forget that your mom is the only one in our little group who gardens," Marina mused. In her spare time, Marina's mother would work on crossword puzzles. Jimmy's mom would do yoga (which also explained why Jimmy himself was so flexible) in her spare time. Lyra's mom baked, Kris's mother would paint, Ethan's mother did archery, Macy's mother did pottery and ...well, Silver's mom was a mystery.
"Marina? Marina, are you still there?" he asked.
"Huh? Oh, sorry about that Vincent," she said.
"It's okay, but you didn't answer my question. Why can't Jimmy take you?" he asked.
Marina then told him about the situation and she knew that she wouldn't be calling Kris next.
"Lucky," he said, referring to how Kris got to go with him.
"Hey, I asked Jimmy to take lots of pictures for me. Who knows? Maybe after this, there will be a big get together," she said, trying to remain positive.
"Yeah, maybe. Alright, Mar. I'm sorry I gotta cut this short, but I can only keep my mom waiting for so long," he said.
"Okay. Bye Vincent and tell your mom that we'll be coming to see her," she said. By we, she meant her and her family for sure.
Vincent was off the list. Kris was a negative because she was going with Jimmy. So, she opted to call Lyra.
"Hi Marina," Lyra practically cheered.
"Hey, Lyra. What's the good news?" Marina asked.
Lyra went on to say that they found Silver's birth parents. His real last name was in fact Storm. His father was born in Mahogany Town and has been friends with Pryce ever since he was a young boy. His father has bright, red hair and blue eyes. His father's name is Phoenix. His mother, on the other hand was a native of Whiterose City. Her name is Luciana and Marina knew that the name meant "fiery and strong" in another language. That would actually explain why Silver has the desire to be strong. His mother's hair is blonde and she has silver eyes. She was an Elite 4 at one point, but had to withdraw due to illness with her first child. (13)
"So Silver's not an only child. Lyra, what are you doing this afternoon?" Marina asked.
"Going to the mall with Macy at 2:45!" there was a buzzing sound in the background followed by a whistle. "Gotta go, Marina. That's my call waiting!" Lyra said.
Well, that only left three options: Ethan, Silver or going alone. The third option was a last resort. She decided to call Ethan first.
"Yo," Ethan said casually. "Oh, hey, Marina. This afternoon?" he asked. He pulled up the calendar app he had downloaded on his Pokégear. His breath hitched. "I can't, Marina. Hm? No, it's not too much to ask. My dad's in the hospital. Something's going on with his heart."
Marina sighed. "Thanks, anyway, Eth," she said.
She could hear Ethan offering a sympathetic smile. "You know I'd say 'yes' otherwise," he said before hanging up. She scrolled through her contacts.
'I need to get these organized,' she thought. She finally found Silver's number and dialed it.
"Yeah? Nothing, why?" Silver's voice said on the other end.
"I have to go to the dentist and I don't really want to go alone," Marina said.
Silver took a deep breath through his nostrils. "Yes," he said simply.
Marina didn't seem to process. "Please Silver? You're the only one left and wait, did you say you would? Uh, sure. I'll meet you at the end of Autumn Tree Drive," she said.
Marina couldn't believe it, but thanked Arceus that Silver agreed to take her. She had ten minutes to change and she heard that it was raining. She sighed and pulled on a light yellow top, blue jeans and a pair of tennis shoes that were white and blue. She grabbed her purse, keys (to her car and house) and went downstairs. She wrote her parents a note on the board in case they got home before her. She put on a green rain jacket and zipped it up. She locked her house and saw a red Honda Accord at the end of the street.
Marina opened the door and took a breath. "Talk about a rainy day," she said.
Silver merely grunted as he turned the car around. He wore black pants with a red jacket that only had a half-zipper on it. The drive from New Bark Town to Whiterose City was 20 minutes and she had left the house at 2:20.
"I um, talked to Lyra and she told me about your parents," Marina began, hoping to try and converse with the reserved redhead.
"Yeah. They're really not," but before he could finish his sentence, he had to slam on the brakes. Marina clutched her stomach. "Shit," Silver said as he opened the window and gave the driver of the other car the finger before driving in the opposite direction. They reached the office complex and walked in. Silver plopped himself on the couch in the lobby and grabbed a magazine.
Marina signed in and the receptionist smiled. "Someone will be with you shortly, Ms. Davis," the woman said.
"Thank you," Marina replied before sitting in a chair next to the couch. She decided to play Angry Pidgey on her phone. The one thing she loved about Whiterose City was that its residents had no trouble keeping things on the down-low if someone famous was there. Although, not many were out in this yucky weather. In fact, Marina only saw a mother trying to get her child off of the fish tank and a man appearing to be in his late 20s. Marina noticed he had on a pair of dog tags.
"Commander Anderson?" a young woman (25, Silver would guess) asked and that caught his attention.
Both thanked the man for his service. He merely nodded in response. Two or three minutes later, another hygienist came out.
"Marina Davis?" she said. She had fair skin and appeared to be 29, as Silver would tell you. Silver put the magazine down and noticed that Marina's eyes were glued to the game. He tapped her.
"C'mon," he said. While waiting, he turned off his Pokégear and Marina did the same. They were taken to a room. On the way, both of them noticed that it smelled like a mixture of bubblegum, cherry and cleaning solution.
Silver found himself in a wicker chair across from Marina and oddly, the same magazine he was reading in the waiting room was in this room. He picked it up with a smirk and flipped to where he left off.
Marina sat in the maroon chair, which was upright. Marina noticed that the hygienist's name was Kyla. Her brown hair was tied back and she had emerald green eyes. "So Marina," she said, pulling up a file. "What seems to be the problem today?"
"Well," Marina began and then she explained last night's events.
Kyla was typing this into the computer. "Let's get some X-rays to see what's going on," she said.
Not looking up, Silver had a question. "I'm not in the way, am I?"
"Not at all, Mr. Storm," she said, sweetly. She handed him a gray notebook. "Will you autograph my son's notebook? He wants to start with a Cyndaquil like you did."
"Sure," Silver said, letting her get back to taking care of Marina. He held the page with the bookmark and looked on the cover. Sure enough, in the handwriting of a small child was the name: Peyton. Silver saw Jimmy's signature and Lyra's, too. Silver had a pen in his pocket and wrote the following. 'Train hard and maybe one day, we'll battle. Stay in school. Make friends. -Silver Storm'
He closed the book as the chair was lowered back to its original position and looked at Marina. "He probably wouldn't mind her autograph. Marina earned Top 4 in the Silver League in her early days," he said.
"No problem," Marina said. Kyla took the lead apron off of the bluenette and smiled.
Kyla nodded. "I remember watching that battle on TV. Alright. I'll see that these films are developed and I'll be back with one of our docs. Okay?" she asked.
Marina nodded. She took the book from Silver and used her own pen. A pen that wrote in purple ink. She wrote below Jimmy's signature. 'Best of luck in all you do. Maybe we'll meet someday. In the meantime, remember to have fun and enjoy being a kid'
...thinking, she added a heart and wrote her name out. Marina got out of the chair and placed the book on the counter. "That was pretty fast," Silver said, flipping the page in his magazine. Marina assumed it was Minute, a weekly magazine. (14)
"Well, it's only a small part of the center and the right side of my mouth," she admitted.
Five minutes later, Kyla returned and she placed the X-rays up as Silver finished the magazine. "It's nice to meet you, Marina. I'm Dr. Tarigon," the dentist said as she entered behind Kyla. She wore a white labcoat and blue scrubs underneath. She had platinum blonde hair and blue-gray eyes.
She noticed Silver. "...and you're Silver Storm. I saw your charity battle against Alder," she said.
Silver nodded as he looked around the room. The dentist asked Marina a few questions and nodded at each of Marina's responses, Kyla typing furiously at the computer. When the last question was answered, Dr. Tarigon nodded. "I see. Well, I want to take a look inside your mouth. Okay?" the dentist asked.
"Yeah," Marina said as she gripped the armrest, an action that only Silver saw. Now he understood why she wanted someone to come with her.
Within a matter of seconds, a napkin was placed around Marina's neck and the chair reclined. Dr. Tarigon washed her hands and Kyla used hand sanitizer. The hand sanitizer had a powerful scent of lemon and alcohol. Kyla sat in one chair and Dr. Tarigon another. Marina was offered a pair of glasses that had light blue lenses to reduce the brightness of the light and she took them, placing them on.
The light was flicked on and lowered. Dr. Tarigon grabbed the necessary tools. "Open wide," she said. Marina complied, trying to relax. Marina had straight teeth and a relatively bright smile. The examination was rather silent. "I'm going to tap each of your teeth, okay?" the dentist said calmly. Marina nodded. She opened her mouth again. Marina winced a couple of times and as the dentist was nearing the end, that one seemed to hurt the most because Marina yelped.
The light was flicked off and the chair was put in its upright position. Dr. Tarigon was studying Marina's X-rays and had lowered her mask. "The good news is that as a whole, your mouth looks wonderful, Marina," she said, not taking her eyes off the X-ray.
"Thank you," Marina said. Silver had been to the dentist many times as a kid and knew that when they spoke like that, there was also bad news.
"What's the bad news?" he asked.
"Well, let me tell you about these two teeth," the dentist said as Kyla brought up an image next to her with circles on those two teeth and a slash on the last one that seemed to hurt. "They're chipped and can be fixed easily. Chipped teeth are common," she said.
That was simple enough for Marina. "Okay, what about the other tooth?" she asked as she took off the glasses.
Dr. Tarigon sighed. "I'm afraid that you've got a very deep cavity," she told Marina.
Kyla spoke next. "If it were any deeper, there would be an 'x' on that tooth and you'd probably be in more pain. There is a minimum amount of nerve sensitivity, but no nerve damage and the nerve doesn't appear to be dead. Otherwise, we would be looking at a root canal or an extraction," she said.
Marina couldn't hold it as a few tears came from her eyes. 'At least you don't need a root canal,' Silver wanted to say, but kept his thought to himself.
"Kyla, will you get the numbing agent?" Dr. Tarigon asked. Kyla nodded and took off her gloves. Dr. Tarigon also took off her gloves. "I'll be right back," she said.
Marina was crying and Silver didn't like it. Not one iota. He got up and stood next to her. He handed her the tissue box. "I take it you've never been a fan of going to the dentist?" he asked.
Marina wiped her eyes with a tissue before nodding. "My parents usually never told me where we were going until we got closer and when I was smaller, I'd have to sit in my mom's lap," she said. She took a sharp breath before continuing. "To tell the truth, I haven't been to the dentist in a few years. I'm sorry you have to see me like this, Silver."
He pursed his lips. "I know I'm not one of your childhood friends, but you're someone I care about. It'll be okay. I've had a root canal and it wasn't pleasant," he confessed. He didn't tell her that it was while he was with Team Rocket, or that he had been strapped down and Archer was the one performing the work with no anesthetic. Silver was thankful for his high pain tolerance. He fondly remembered himself screaming which scared the grunts. He hated to admit it, but scaring new grunts was a hobby for Silver and if in any way possible, he'd tell them how to flunk out of Team Rocket.
Dr. Tarigon came back into the room before Kyla did. She noticed that Marina was upset. She didn't think Silver was her boyfriend, but rather a friend who cared about her. "Marina, would you like some nitrous oxide?" she offered.
"Nitrous oxide? Isn't that the stuff that makes you hyper?" Marina asked.
"It doesn't cause that, but it can make someone feel euphoric," Silver said. He blushed, realizing that Dr. Tarigon had planned something to say. "Sorry," he said with a small nod of his head.
"No, that's quite alright and you've hit the mark. Sometimes we do call it laughing gas. We'll either use it for the whole procedure, just to numb the spot or combine it with a sedative," Dr. Tarigon explained as Silver noticed Kyla coming in with a bottle and a syringe. Marina took notice of his facial expression as Dr. Tarigon spoke once more, "The sedative is something we usually do in advance. We can use the anesthetic after we give you a little bit of gas, if that's what you'd like."
Marina noticed the look on Silver's face and it was akin to one Jimmy had when they were younger and had accidentally stumbled upon a Beedrill's nest. It read, 'don't turn around' and Marina didn't. She remembered that day clearly, but that was another story for another time. Marina thought it over and took a breath. "Let's get this over with," she said. Marina opted for a grape flavored numbing gel and had that Q-tip in her mouth.
Dr. Tarigon had to wash her hands again and Silver asked if he would be in the way. Marina put the glasses back on as Kyla skillfully pierced the bottle's cap and filled the syringe with the right dosage. He watched Kyla cover the syringe before placing it on the tray. By then, Dr. Tarigon had her mask on and was ready to begin. Kyla discarded the Q-tip before backhanding the syringe to Dr. Tarigon.
"Marina," Kyla said. "I think you better not look at the needle." Kyla placed a mask on Marina's nose and had her breathe normally.
Marina suddenly reached for Silver's hand, which he was expecting. He rubbed her knuckles. "Just look at me and follow their instructions," he said calmly.
Dr. Tarigon had Marina open her mouth and pulled her cheek back. "Now Marina, I want you to take deep breaths through your nose and keep your eyes on Silver. I'm not going to lie; you might feel a pinch. Okay?"
Marina blinked once for yes and looked at Silver. She noticed that he wasn't scowling or had a look of boredom on his face. Rather, his face had one message and he said it softly. "It's okay. I'm right here. Squeeze my hand as tight as you need to."
With that, Dr. Tarigon uncapped the syringe and injected the anesthetic into Marina's gums. True to her word, Marina felt a small pinch and clutched Silver's hand. Silver was taller than Jimmy and Marina at 6'2", so he knelt so he could assure Marina that he wasn't going anywhere.
...and scene. I'll admit, I'm surprised I'm still awake and how long this took to write. I was originally typing this up into the 1:00 hour. I'll meet you at the A/N, okay? Rundown time!
(*) Can't remember the last time I touched a Kanto based game aside from Stadium, but I would think that there would be at least one port in Vermilion City.
(**) I have to admit: anime Brendan appears to have onyx eyes. Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald Brendan appears to have brown eyes, I think. ORAS Brendan has blue-gray eyes, or blue eyes. It's hard to tell, so that's why I stuck with brown.
(1) I watched "The Legend of Thunder" in its entirety, but I couldn't remember the colors of anyone's Pokégears and I just made them up. Jimmy's choice of colors is obviously for his Typhlosion.
(2) Marina's is blue as opposed to pink because that was just my choosing and plus, she started with a Totodile.
(3) I head canon (half the time) that Brendan is Professor Birch's son. The other half will be discussed at some point in the future. Also, I am one of the few who thinks Brendan's hair is white. While he's not fully clothed in this, he won't be in his ORAS attire for the next shot. I'm sorry, but I prefer his Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald attire over the remakes. Thirdly, when I started writing "His Distance" 2 years ago, I don't even think Hoenn was confirmed for remakes yet and if it was, Brendan's new attire wasn't revealed right away, so you'll see what he's going to wear in the next one. As for his attire in HD, that'll have to wait.
(4) For some reason, some writers have Paul having a love for orange juice. I'm different, so Paul favors apple juice in my head canon.
(5) As I've also mentioned in HD [at least I think I have], I head canon that Kanto, the Orange Islands, the Sevii Islands, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh are on the same time zone. Unova is an hour ahead of those regions and two hours ahead of Alola. Kalos is one hour ahead of Unova, two hours of the others [sans Alola] and three hours ahead of Alola. Yeah. I head canon that Alola is an hour behind most of the main regions.
(6) Nate [and whoever he chooses] will initially leave from the airport in Nuvema Town and then take a bus to Vermilion from Viridian City.
(7) I took four years of French altogether. Needless to say, I have Calem pepper his words with Kalosian/French when I feel like it. I thought I'd put the translation next to the sentence, too. Also, for any stories I write with Alola characters, I will likely have the ones who don't appear in the anime (from what I've been watching on YouTube, it looks like neither of them will be. That hasn't happened since Unova) pepper their words with Alolan/Hawaiian as well.
(8) Bonjour and monsieur both have multiple translations into English. Literally, bonjour is "good day" [bon- good, jour-day] and monsieur is literally "gentleman" but can be used for sir and a few other things I don't know off the top of my head.
(9) Calem not appearing in the anime gives me an advantage. When you battle him if you chose Fennekin, three of his Pokémon are Greninja (to counter your Delphox), Absol (and Absol is holding an Absolite later in the games) and Flareon. This is homage to the anime because Serena's choice was Fennekin.
(10) I'm behind in the anime, though I have seen bits and pieces of some episodes of X and Y. …and yes, I saw the Ash and Serena kiss scene. Anyway, I don't know if a Holo Caster rings or buzzes. If you know this [from the anime], then please let me know in a review or a PM.
(11) Calem will use the Gogoat shuttle service to go to Lumiose. From Lumiose, he [and whoever he chooses] will land in Viridian City.
(12) Yes, Angry Pidgey is a parody of Angry Bird. I was going to have her play beer pong, but Marina wouldn't be that type of girl. …unless she's drunk.
(13) Mentioned: Phoenix and Luciana Storm! Is there a backstory? Heck yes. When will I write it? In the future. Wait, what? Hm? Silver isn't an only child? Is he or isn't he? You'll find out in the future. He isn't [sorry for spoilers if you're not reading it] an only child in "They've Gone Too Far" which, trust me, is on my growing to do list. By the way, Luciana's name origin is Italian.
(14) Yes, Minute is a parody of Time magazine.
A/N: So, as I hinted above, this isn't a one-shot. It'll have a mini story as a one-shot and then I'll write the second shot a little later. The second shot will reveal who they chose (save Jimmy) and heading to Alola. I learned that Macy/Vincent is called SpringfeverShipping. I just know that I love the ship. Towards the end, Silver was just being kind (slowly becoming OOC, but what do you expect from me?) to Marina. I was contemplating it being Marina and Ethan, but then it started getting late and I thought, 'Why not practice writing Silver?' So I did just that.
Let me make this clear: there was NO (zero, nothing, nada, whatever you want to call it) ConquestShipping in this. ConquestShipping is Silver from the games (which is who I will be using, unless I say otherwise) and Marina.
Sorry about the rant, though. I'll have to admit that there wasn't as much QuestShipping in this as I wanted, but I really want your opinions. To the group of you who only read the main segment (that focused on the other characters), what did you think? To the group of you who read this whole thing (Author's Notes and rant included), first off, give yourself some praise. Second, thank you so much for doing so. You know what's next. ...sort of. I gave Silver a skill: determining people's ages by appearance. I maintained the habit: Marina has nicknames for her friends. I kept her in character: Lyra is still as bubbly as a bottle of soda that's been shaken. Brendan: has a slightly mischievous side. Silver starting with a Totodile is more an homage to me watching my brother start his game in Gold version. Paul: purposely lost so he could get some sleep. Ethan, Lucas and Brendan had come over. Nate and Rosa's Halloween costumes: are a direct reference to their prince/princess outfits they can be seen in in Black2 and White2. Calem: I'm still working on developing his personality to a degree.
Story rewrite announcement update: I plan on making my way down the to do list and I am trying to focus on rewriting chapter 2 of "Why Should I?" before I move on.
I think that's everything.
Vincent: no, it's not.
Me: what?
Ethan: shouldn't you be emailing the scanned note to your instructor?
Me: I already did that.
Kris: what about emailing your advisor?
Macy: everyone, you're forgetting the most important thing!
Me: oh?
...OH. Yeah. You guys can weigh in as to who goes with Ash, Brendan, Paul, Nate and Calem. I've marked my choices (via a tally) and I'll put the small poll right here. If you are a guest, just pick your choices in the review. If you didn't read "Not Your Typical Halloween Night" and don't know who I'm talking about, I'll list them (by first name) below.
Ash's traveling partner choices: Gary, Leaf, Ritchie or my OC Chase.
Jimmy has already selected Kris, in case you forgot.
Brendan's traveling partner choices: Wally, Tyson, Katie or Harrison.
Paul's traveling partner choices: Lucas, Angie, Barry or Nando.
Nate's traveling partner choices: Hilbert, Hilda, Hugh, Cameron or Trip.
Calem's traveling partner choices: Alain, Astrid, Trevor or Tierno.
Okay. That's everything for the most part. If you've been with me since 2014 or have talked to me in a PM, you know I talk a lot! As always, R and R, F and F, vote (here and on my profile) and ask!
...Since the games will be coming out in a couple of weeks-: aloha, my readers. And yes, that can translate to both hello and goodbye.
``Eagle
PS This will become a two-shot once the player characters' names are revealed.
-The games are out today, so I know that the note is outdated, but I have a Power Point that I'm supposed to be doing, but I thought I'd revise this as a break.
Revision date: 11/18/16
Revisions made: appearances, lists, changing Silver's starter
Why I changed Silver's starter: Vincent, Ethan and Lyra each have a Meganium in the future. Marina and Kris have a Feraligatr. Jimmy has a Typhlosion, so I decided to keep the pattern.
Second revision date: 11/24/16
Revisions made: corrected a capitalization error, added some text, changed OC's first name, added Trip's name to the poll
Third revision date: 12/24/16
Wow. A month later. I didn't intend that. Anyway, I changed Noelle's last name to Sapin because it's easier to type and we'll see her and Ingrid again as I go into the Master Circuit in 2017. Yes I know everything is out and names have been released, but I'm still watching the let's play of Sun on YouTube. I watched Moon's let's play, but I want to see the Battle Tree and then (maybe) I'll update. The poll is still open, by the way.