Well, this is my first multi-chapter fanfiction. Hmm, scary! This follows a theme that I've been thinking over for months, and finally started writing a few weeks ago. It has quite a complicated chapter structure, with three parts to each chapter, which is why this first one is 1A; there will be a 1B and a 1C before we get to chapter two, and further on I may even do and D part to the chapters as well. I'm not sure how this story will work out, and I hope it's well received, but I think I'll just take it chapter by chapter and see how it goes. This is very different to my last fanfiction, with different pairing and friendships, plus a few original characters.
Phew! Sorry about the long author's note; I'll try and trim it down in future.
Disclaimer: I do not Pokemon, or any of the characters mentioned in the entirity of this fanfiction.
The two complete strangers sat several seats apart in the large waiting room, dressed in their usual clean white uniform, waiting silently for their 10:15 meeting. Despite their nerves, and the knowledge that this meeting was to be an important one, they were yet to realise that this meeting would change their lives- though whether they were to change for better or for worse was questionable.
The boy (for he could not be called a man- his face still bore the obvious signs of youth- he could not have been more than twenty years old) tapped his foot against the leg of his chair anxiously- he had received a voicemail from his immediate boss to be in the Dragonair waiting room for 9:50am that morning. However, his boss was the not most reliable of men, so the boy had only received the message just after 8:30. The boy was shocked at the older man's words, wasting ten whole minutes repeating the message, listening for any missed sarcastic tones in the older man's otherwise serious message.
However, when he realised that the words were serious, he finally used his last hour to shower, iron his crumpled uniform that he finally found under his bed after nearly eight minutes of frantic searching, put on said uniform, and make his way to the Dragonair waiting room in the private wing on the ninth floor. He arrived just after 9:45, half collapsing and breathless, against the receptionist's desk. She raised a finely tweaked eyebrow at him, before pointing him to a chair in the far right corner of the room.
He'd been sitting in the same chair for nearly twenty minutes, watching people come and go, most arriving to be immediately sent in, the stern receptionist doling out reproachful looks to those latecomers, sending them in with a clipped tone as she checked them off on her register.
The young lady a few seats away from him had arrived not long after him- he had been relieved to see someone who wasn't at least a decade older than himself enter the room- she also seemed to be as nervous as he was to be here.
The girl sat remarkably still, a stark contrast to the boy sat not ten feet away from her, who apparently could not keep still for any longer than four seconds. She held tightly in her right palm a crumpled sheet of yellow paper, he left hand folded into a tight fist, her short, jagged fingernails biting into the soft skin of her palm. Every five minutes or so, she would unfold the paper and read the hastily scribbled note that her supervisor had slipped underneath her door yesterday evening. Her name was written at the top of the paper, followed by a short message written in red ink;
Kindly attend a meeting in Dragonair room at 10:15am tomorrow morning. I would recommend arriving in the waiting area at no later than 9:50- please wear your neatest uniform- this is an important meeting! You should be called in with another agent- 725684. Good luck!
The note was signed at the bottom with her supervisor's name, and despite the fact that the girl had read the note so many times that she had it practically memorized, she could not help re-reading it every few minutes- if only to distract herself from her nerves. Although the note told her to arrive by 9:50, she was in the waiting room by 9:45, giving her plenty of time to sit nervously, only occupied by watching the people around her come and go.
After twenty minutes, she realised the boy three seats away from her had not moved from his seat since she had arrived, and judging by his pale face and constant fidgeting, she guessed this was his first visit to Dragonair as well.
At this point, he turned slightly, and, noticing her looking at him, smiled at her, sliding over a seat towards her.
"Is it your first time here too?" He asked her, taking in her impeccably neat uniform, clenched fists and nervous posture. She nodded.
"I have no idea why I'm here. I only finished my third year training three months ago. As far as I knew, up until last night, I had half of my six month waiting period left!" She told him. He nodded.
"I know what you mean. I only finished my training a few weeks ago- my waiting time's barely started!" He replied, apparently just as confused as she was about the situation. He held out his hand to her. "Jack." She smiled, taking it.
"Ava." She replied. "Are you going in on your own? I'm supposed to go in with another agent. I've been watching everyone in here, and I'm really hoping that it's not that old crone over there." She pointed to a sour looking older woman three rows away, dressed in 3rd rank uniform- the same as most of the people in the room, apart from a few 2nd ranks- and Jack and herself, the only two still wearing the 8th rank trainee uniform. He chuckled when he spotted the woman she pointed out.
"I'll keep my fingers crossed for you." He told her. "Do you know their name at least?" She looked a little confused.
"What, the woman's?" She asked doubtfully. He laughed lightly again.
"No, no, the agent you're meant to be called in with." He told her.
"Oh!" She blushed, quickly smoothing out the note in her hand. "Agent 725684." She relayed from the note. He looked surprised.
"No kidding! Looks like it's your lucky day." He told her. She looked confused, so he held his hand out to her again. "Agent 725684 at your service." He told her. She grinned and took his hand, relieved to see that the agent she would be called in with was not only the same rank as her, but apparently warm and friendly as well.
At that point, the office door opened, and an older man in 2nd rank uniform came out, stopping with the reception for a minute before leaving.
"725499 and 725684?" The receptionist called. "The boss will see you now."
Well, that's the first part-chapter! Hope you liked it, please please stick with it- everything will be explained in the future chapters! Reviews are love. =)