"Hey, Roark!" Marissa cried from a far off distance of the coal mine where Roark volunteered his spare time away from the Pokemon gym. Roark set down his pick ax down by the mining cart full of dirt and rock that he dug up that day when he finished battling in his gym. He wiped some sweat from his mining helmet and waved at his friend. She smiled and waved back to him running faster with every step. The roads to Oreburgh City were dusty and dingy when anyone ran on them, but Marissa didn't pay any attention to the dust that was blowing by her. Roark had walked slowly to her. She slowed down so she wouldn't run directly into him. "Hey, Roark. Did anyone beat you today?"
Marissa asked that question everyday. She always knew the answer since no one in Oreburgh City was as strong as Roark and his Geodude, but it never stopped her from asking everyday. "Nope, no one beat me today. I guess Geodude and I are still the kings of this town." He turned to the mind to see his Geodude still mining and digging for more coal. Marissa laughed at Roark's wit and humor. He was always so full of himself in a strange way that it made him look funny. She knew he was joking, most of the time.
"Well, I guess that I'll have to step up my game if I'm going to be the best Pokemon trainer ever." she said with a big smile. "Me and my Squirtle have been training really hard. I might just have to up my game." Marissa picked up her Squirtle and rubbed his head. Squirtle waved his arms up and down as a sign of happiness. He has worked hard for his master all day and now he was getting attention. Roark walked over to her and Squirtle and pet him on the head too. "Awww. I think he likes you." Marissa said when Roark pet him. He laughed at Squirtle's happiness and he picked up his hat.
"Marissa. I'm going to miss you when you leave. You're one of my best friends you know." Geodude waddled over to Marissa and began to rub her leg. "Even MY Pokemon don't want you to leave." he said with a smile and a thumbs up. Soon Onix and Cranidos all joined in on the group hug with Marissa and Geodude. Squirtle hugged too. He was friends with all of Roark's Pokemon since the day he was hatched form his egg. Roark and Marissa saved him from and avalanche in the coal mine when he was an egg. When he hatched, they were the first thing he saw, so he was attached to both of them. Roark let Marissa keep him because he wasn't allowed to keep a Water Pokemon in a Rock Pokemon Gym. Ever since them, she was attache to Pokemon and has caught and trained many upon many of types of Pokemon, but Water was always her favorite type.
"Roark, I'm not leaving forever, just for a few months. I'll be back and we can talk about all the badges I've won." Marissa was drifting off again into her fantasy about beating the Elite Four. Ever since she and Roark were young, they had dreams of leaving Oreburgh City and going down to Victory Road. They had dreams of beating the Elite Four and their leader Cynthia some day, and for Marissa, her journey was starting sooner then she thought. "I'm going to beat the Elite Four. Me and Squirtle will show them no mercy. We'll return heroes." Roark crouched down to Geodude and Squirtle and pat them both on the heads. Squirtle began to laugh and Geodude held completely still.
"I'll have to admit, I'll miss having Squirtle around." Roark picked him up and cradled the little blue creature. Squirtle wiggled around a little, but seemed to be enjoying the attention.
"Oh, by the way, My mom wanted to know if you would like to say over again for dinner." Marissa said. "She feels that we all should spend the rest of the time we have hanging out. She's even offering you the couch in the living room." She smiled at Roark. He smiled back at the sight of his best friend's goofy grin. She always had a way of making him feel welcome in her home. Weather it was her smile or cheerful attitude, he was always having a good time with Marissa. Roark thought back to when they were younger. He was just a lad when she moved into town, just right across the street (or dirt road) of the Oreburgh City Gym. Roark was outside the building with his Onix training to become stronger. He remembers because that was the day he had gotten Onix from his father. Not to long after that, a moving van had pulled up to the house's driveway right across the street. A young women and a little girl, who appeared to be Roark's age had both stepped out of the truck. The girl was just a little bit shorter with long dark brown curly hair. She was wearing a light blue hat with a sailor suit dress, carrying a small blue backpack. She didn't look too happy at all. She looked like she was about to cry.
"Don't be sad, Marissa." he mother had said to her when she stepped out of the house and saw her little girl cry. "I know that you miss your friends back in Pastoria City, but I'm sure that you'll make many more friends here." The girl shook her head no. She kept on crying.
Roark had walked into the gym to find his father. "Dad, Guess what?" he said almost pulling his father's pants down from jerking so hard. "A new girl and her Mommy has just moved in across the street. I think we should go say 'hi' to them." Roark looked t his dad who was in a bad mood. Roark didn't even wait for an answer. He pulled his father's arm and the two of them walked right across the street to introduce themselves to the new people in town.
"Hi, My name is Roark." he said to Marissa who was still crying. She looked over at her mother who was getting to know Roark's father from the gym across the street. Roark stuck his had out to Marissa who was trying not to be scared. He mother had looked over to her and nodded her head as a sigh of approval
"I'm Marissa." she finally said and shook his hand. Ever since that day, Marissa and Roark have been best friends.
"Sure. I'll come over." he said to her. Marissa was still hugging Onix who refused to part from his long time friend. Marissa wasn't even his owner, but he still felt safe with her as much as he did with Roark. She tried to squeeze out out of Onix's tight hug, but he was so strong , that Roark had to call his Pokemon back to free Marissa from his grasp.
-Marissa's Home-
"Wow Mrs. Welsh, You really out done yourself this time." Roark said to Marissa's mom about her cooking. Tonight she had prepared a pot roast with steamed carrots and a serving of baked potatoes and a freshly washed salad, dressing on the side. Mrs. Welsh always had a thing for eating healthy without leaving behind taste, so every time Roark came over for dinner, we knew what kind of treat he was in for.
"Oh, this? This was something I cooked special for Marissa. Today she and Squirtle have been practicing all day in the woods to get as good as you and Onix are." Marissa blushed and lowered her head. She always did when her mother bragged about her. "She's been working really hard for weeks to prepare for her trip through the Sinnoh Region. She's been so excited that she sometimes falls asleep looking at all the places she has marked on her map."
"Mom, Please. I don't think this is appropriate dinner conversation." Marissa said in a embarrassed manner. She tried to stop blushing, but with all her mother was speaking about, it was hard to stop.
"Oh, Why are you worried about what Roark thinks? You practically begged me to let him come over here, and you two have been friends for a long time."
Marissa lowered her head at what her mother just said. Roark turned his head to Marissa who was too embarrassed to speak. They he looked away and began to laugh. Marissa didn't think of what would happen between her and Roark if her mother had said anything, but she didn't wish to stick around and find out. She turned her head and stood up. "I'm going to step out on the porch for a little bit. I need some air."
Roark stayed there for a moment and looked over at Mrs. Welsh, who nodded him to go after her and talk to her as if she gave a wave of approval. He then got up, walked over to the door, and followed after her.
"Hey, Marissa. What's the matter?" he said from behind her shutting the door. He never seen Marissa like this before. She has not been this sad since that day he first met her. Roark walked closer to her. He tried to turn her toward him but she jerked away every time. She didn't want him to see her like this. Marissa was way too upset for even her best friend. "Marissa, if you're angry about what your mom said, don't be. She was just trying to have some fun..."
"Well, she shouldn't be telling you things that she promised not to talk about." Marissa was stern when she was mad. Roark knew that, but he never seen it with his own two eyes before.
"Marissa." he started "Why didn't you want me to know that it was you who invited me over and not your mom? It's not that big of a deal..."
"It's a VERY big deal!" she screamed. Marissa began to cry. This was something she hasn't done sine the day she met Roark. He has never seen her cry since. This meant that to her, this was something very important. "I didn't want my mom to let you know I like you." she said almost hysterical "I wasn't sure if I should tell you." Roark paused in his tracks.
"Even if she does like me like that, doesn't mean she wants a relationship with me." Roark always said to himself. "Plus, why would she like me? I'm dusty and dirty. What she wants is probably out there somewhere else." Roark has told himself that for many years because he didn't want to ruin his friendship with Marissa. He didn't have that many friends( He didn't have that many people in general) who knew what it was like to have a parent leave him when he was young. With Marissa, she knew very well. He dad left her when she was just a baby, as did Roark's mom. She was the only person that he could talk to about the situation.
"Roark, I'm so..."Marissa was interrupted by Roark. To be even more correct, he kissed her in mid sentence. She didn't pull away, or push him away. She kissed him back and closed her eyes. Roark wrapped his arms around her torso while Marissa wrapped her arms around his neck. She didn't mind the dirt on his face from working in the mines. She was too use to that to let it bother her. Marissa pulled back from his lips but not from his hold. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you." She said and began to smile.
"Don't be." Roark said to her. "I did the same thing." he chuckled and kissed Marissa again. He glanced out of the corner of his eye to see Mrs. Welsh looking through the patio window through the curtain. She gave Roark a 'thumbs up' as a sign of congratulations. (She gives a lot of signs Just so you know) Roark gave her one a back then continued to hold Marissa as the moon kept shining down on the two of them.
"I'll see you tomorrow." Marissa said as she was walking Roark out passed her picket fence gate. They kissed once more as if to make sure they would.
"You can count on it." he said while he walked out the fence and running like a moron through the streets of Oreburgh to let everyone know what had just happened to him.