A young woman was crouched in front of a sleeping plant-like creature, taking notes on a small notepad.
Vileplume's large flower is not its normal red. Golden yellow. Body is green. Still keeps attributes. Toxic spores inside the stigma and on petals. Disgusting and noxious gas. Vomit inducing, gag reflex, dangerous as ever. Is a shiny vileplume's spores more or equal powerful as a normal one? Shiny's moves are powerful but what about abilities? More research.
The girl swiped a brown lock behind her ear and started very slowly to back up, still in the crouch position. Feeling her thighs burn as she tried to keep quiet as to not disturb its sleep she felt another presence coming.
Quickly as she could, which was not that much faster, she stood up and tried for an escape. Stepping lightly, she tiptoed as fast as she could before the weapon of mass destruction revealed itself, endangering them both.
She could hear the monster's rustling and loud steps behind her as she tried to get away from the site.
"Hey, Leafy!"
'Leafy' froze as the vileplume shifted and blinked it's beady eyes open. "Vi? Vileplume?"
Leaf held her breath and prayed that some gigantic flying Pokémon came and swooped up Oak before he made the vileplume paralyze her.
Its red eyes focused on the immobilized Leaf. "Plume!" Its yellow petals shook with the force of the cry, and with it, shaking off spores, making the surrounding air yellow.
With a muffled squeak in her throat she ran. Her right hand clutching the notepad, her left, the pencil. She could sense the Flower Pokémon waddling to catch her. Thank Arceus for that flower.
Sprinting through the greenery she collided with a hard object, knocking them both over.
Leaf gasped on impact and greedily panted in air to her lungs. Her hands rested on a hard, muscled chest, empty of the possessions recently in them. The person's arms were around her to hold her steady, groaning as he landed on a hard rock.
"Geeze, Leafy. I figured you were happy to see me but still." Gary groaned.
Leaf, not time or breath for a comeback, pushed herself off of his body and grabbed his hand in a punishing grip. Weakly she kicked his shoulder. "You…idiot…Plume…coming…RUN!"
She sprinted off dragging him behind her as she seen the yellow spores in her peripheral vision.
With Leafy dragging Gary it was hard to regain his footing, especially when she didn't give him a chance to even stand up. But he did. Because Gary Oak can do anything.
…Except get his long-time crush to go on a date with him.
Sure they go on outings, but it's not the same as a date. She still treats him as she did as kids and she never gave a hint she wants something more.
He was a player before, but since she came back his dates were few and far between and more to see if he can make her jealous or not. Which were not.
She just teases him and jokes around. Acts like it doesn't affect her in the slightest. It doesn't, and it never will be.
Surpassing her in speed as he runs instead of being dragged he starts pulling her. Without dragging dead weight they break the tree line.
Leaf collapses on the ground, still clenching Gary's hand, bringing him down with her. He lands next to her on a grassy knoll. They're both panting from the exercise, adrenaline waning.
"You idiot!" Leaf exclaimed. "If it weren't for you yelling out 'Hey, Leafy!' it wouldn't have woken up the vileplume!" She panted and didn't bother hitting him, for she used up her energy berating him.
"I wasn't that loud, Leafy." Gary said, calmly, but still breathing hard.
"Oh no? I think they heard you all the way in Unova! And didn't I say to not call me Leafy?!"
"Yes, but you never mean it." He waited for her to retort but she stayed silent. He turned his head to her, her eyes were closed and her breathing regulating.
"I would yell, but I'm too tired."
A smirk pulled at his lips. He tried stretching but soon realized that their hands were still connected. Blushing her broke contact and looked away, not seeing her equally burning face.
Lying back down again he stared holes into the sky blue ozone layer.
"Hey, Leaf?'
"Hm?"
"What do you consider a date?"
"Huh?"
He shrugged. "Just wondering what classifies as a date."
She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess… um… two people who like each other, compatible, something fun, eating, ends the night with a kiss." She shrugs again. "That's what I think of when I think of a date."
"Hm." Gary's eyelids were getting heavier as he stared at the soothing sky. "Nice to know…" He murmured before falling asleep.
Leaf yawned, looking at the sunny day. The last thought that she had before following Gary to dreamland was that it was a nice day for the Fourth of July.
Sometime later they stirred. Opening his eyes Gary saw the stars winking at them in the night sky. He checked his watch, 8:17 P.M. He nudged Leaf.
"Leaf," Gary rasped. "Leafy, wake up."
She stretched, her arms reaching above her head, body bowing off the ground slightly.
"I'm up." She released her stretch.
"Wanna go to the barbeque at the lake edge?"
"Sure," she yawned. "Can I get changed first?"
He nodded, "Yeah, I'll meet you there."
Leaf changed out of her teal tank top and red skirt. Later she arrived in a dark blue strapless and sleeveless dress paired with comfortable black flats. She left the lab coat she was wearing before at home with her hat.
She searched for Gary in the crowd. It wasn't just made up of Pallet town, some folks from Viridian and Cinnabar came over to see the fireworks and people.
When she finally spotted the elusive male, wearing the same thing he wore earlier, not to mention everyday, talking to a pretty blonde.
Blondie sidled up close to him playing with his green and yellow pendant, and stroking the collar of his black shirt. He didn't seem like he di abhorred the attention. He basked in it. He's Gary Oak of course; he loves attention.
Usually she plays it off as if she doesn't care. It's his life he can do whatever he wants. But he invited her to this. Not Blondie.
She's not spending an awesome night brooding over her fantasy boyfriend being fawned over by some girl from Viridian or Cinnabar. Leaf doesn't really understand right now. She's feeling strangely possessive. Which is not like her at all.
Putting on a smiling face, which she's certain looks completely fake, she walks over. Waving, she yells, "Gary! Hey!"
He turns, and smiles. Disentangling himself from the blonde he meets Leaf halfway. She goes on her toes and hugs him, sending the other girl a glare.
Settling on her toes she beams at him. "Ready for the fireworks?"
He smirks at her. "Of course. That nap today has me all energized, I'm not going to miss a thing." He puts an arm around her shoulders and steers her away from the crowd.
"Let's go to the planetarium. Less crowded."
Leaf nods and snags a pizza slice from the buffet table as they pass.
The planetarium is a place not too far from the festivities. It's where they look at stars and the kids try to see cleffas and clefables jump off of shooting stars. It's also used to communicate with Cinnabar.
Gary grabs her pizza and eats the rest in one bite. "Hey!" Leaf protests.
He shrugs and smirks at her. "We're here and you know the rules, Leafy. No food in the planetarium."
She scoffs and heads in. Heading toward a comfy chair she looks up at the domed glass ceiling waiting for the colorful explosions.
Gary stands next to her chair and they make conversation. Stories about their travels, what they're working on now. Leaf mentions the questions about if a shiny Pokémon has stronger abilities or if it's just the moves. They have a discussion about that. It doesn't seem long until the fireworks shoot off.
"Wow," Leaf breathed. "Fireworks are amazing."
"Yeah, they are pretty cool." He swallowed, thinking about how he's going to do this.
"Leaf?"
"Yes?"
"Are you having fun?"
"Of course! Today has been fun."
"Can you stand up?
"Why?" She asked.
"Can't you just do what I ask?" He sighed, exasperated.
"No. Then your life would be ten times duller." But she stood up anyways.
He half-smiled. He took a step closer to her and cupped her face with one hand. "I think we've been dating for most of our lives." Bringing his hand to her waist and reeling her in he kissed her.
His lips rubbed gently against hers, like a sweet first kiss. But it wasn't his first and it wasn't hers either. But it was a first kiss between them.
Pulling away he rested his forehead against hers. "What do you mean?" She whispers against his lips.
"Our time together matches your criteria for a date. Two people like each other…" He smoothed the pad of his thumb against her cheek.
"Are compatible…" His lips brush the spot his thumb touched.
"We ate and you said you had fun." He kissed her again.
"And ended the night with a kiss. Two. So I'm even better than whatever losers you've seen before."
The girl in his arms chuckled and twined her arms around his neck. "You're an idiot."
"Ah, ah. But I'm your idiot."
She kissed him to shut him up. "Yes, yes you are."
"Three kisses. This must be a really great date."
"Shut up and just kiss me."
A/N: I'm feeling so fluffy I'm not even kidding. This just got away from me! It had a mind of it's own! I started going in a completely different direction and I ended up with this! Aw, well. Hope you all had a great Fourth of July!
