Hey all! This is a side project story that's been in my head for a while. It's different than my other stories, but it does contain an OC. I wanted to write about Riley finding out more about Sir Aaron, however, the events of the movie didn't happen so Lucario is in the painting because this isn't a rewrite of the movie. I say side project because I'm not entirely sure where the story/characters will take me, but that doesn't mean I won't be updating it. I like this plot, so I will work on this one as much as the others.
Enjoy!
"Cameran Palace. A place where legends come to life, and where mysteries can be solved," Riley speaks in a soft voice while staring at the Palace poster on the wall at the train station.
Beside him a group of kids giggle before one of them states, "Why are you talking to yourself, Mister? You're weird!"
They run off afterwards, and Riley sighs to himself. "And people wonder why I'm quiet."
Glancing at the watch on his wrist, he turns on his heel and heads towards the station platform. The train for Cameran station should arrive soon, after that he'll have to walk through the large town to the Palace at the end of the bridge. He's been traveling for over ten hours so far, and he's ready to collapse on a hotel bed and sleep all day.
But he won't do that, not until he can get a lead on his goal, no matter how small.
A hanging light above the platform illuminates, alerting the passengers to the approaching train.
Finally, Riley thinks to himself with a smile as the metro comes to a stop and the doors open in front of him. He lets the crowd of people inside pool out before rushing in to find a spot on the cushioned seats. The ride should take about twenty minutes to the town from Silver Town's train station, plenty of time for a nap.
Pulling down on his blue hat, Riley closes his eyes and lets his chin hang to sleep.
OoOoOoO
Emma walks along the great bridge leading back into the town of Rota. The bridge is rather lengthy and not her favorite walk. She does love the view as Rota is a beautiful town located in northern Kanto. It's partially nestled within a large lake and at the end of a thick forest. It's a historical and cultural town, known for Cameran Palace and the ancient and beautiful Tree of Beginning.
Though her skinny jeans, white tank top, jean jacket, and converse shoes say otherwise. She had been at the Palace talking with the Ilene about redoing the shields and suits of armor within the castle. A tedious job, but well worth the money she'll be getting restoring those old hunks of metal. Standing next to such a regal person, even if she was only dressed in a regular sundress and beautiful gladiators, made Emma feel underdressed.
She remembers seeing the numbers on the paper, only an estimate of what the actual price would be, but still. It made her heart leap and suddenly she knew every single thing she'd be able to fix and redo with the money.
So, of course, she took the job.
Leaving the castle, the day seems brighter than when she walked in. The sun gleams behind white fluffy clouds, illuminating the windows of shops in the town. With big money coming her way, she has to resist stepping in and thinking about future purchases.
"All in good time, Emma. All in good time."
It's been awhile since she's left her shop and seen the town, she's almost tempted to go grocery shopping. Almost. The comforts of her bed are calling her home, begging her to come back, and that sounds much better than standing around in a store wondering what she's going to eat.
Then again, while she's up, she's got orders to fill and jewelry to make. Her shop's been booming. Her customers have been ordering lots of jewelry lately, must be love in the air.
She loves her job, but sometimes she just doesn't have the energy.
"Ugh, might as well."
At the end of the bridge, she continues on to head to the outdoor market held in the town strip. With the day being so bright and warm, the strip is bustling with people trying to get fresh fruit, vegetables, spices, and meat. Emma stares at the crowd, most of them towering above her given her height, and takes an empowering breath.
No way is she going to be pushed around, short or not. She's going to get food and eat tonight. With a quick adjustment of her short hair in its ponytail, and of her wide rimmed glasses, she marches in.
She is able to visit each shop and gather all the food she wants in a manageable time. Wading through the crowd, Emma knows the way back to her shop without having to search for the sign. Finding a place to set up shop came a surprise to Emma many months ago when she didn't think, she just bought it. Now, it's her home with half her heart. Close to the bakery and even closer to the clothing store, two of her worst enemies packed so near.
Surely, she'd spend the money well when she got it.
Turning the corner with bags in her hand, Emma jumps at the sight of a man standing in front of her shop examining her work. It always comes as a surprise when someone physically comes to see her.
He's tall and dressed in nice clothing, dark pants, boots and a dress shirt under a dark blue blazer. His hair, dark blue, lays spiked along his head and pressed on by his dark blue hat. She recognizes the theme and instantly worries that it's some obsessed creep who is hoping she'll recreate Sir Aaron's staff for them.
Whoever he is, if he wants one, he had better be ready to pay a hefty price.
With that in mind she saunters up to the shop, preparing to voice her practiced dialogue for customers and key in hand.
"Hello there, can I help you?" she greets the man with a warm smile while coming up to the door.
"Oh, hello," he speaks in a smooth and cool tone. "This is your shop, then?" He glances up at the sign, 'Pumping Iron', and grins in appreciation. "Clever name."
"Thank you." She finds herself giggling at her own genius.
She pushes open the door and sets the stopper in front of it so he can choose to come in if he pleases.
"Mawile, I'm back!" the black hair girl rounds the front counter.
Her building is bigger than most of the buildings on the street. The storefront holds her smaller works of art, small statues of pokemon or abstract shapes carved into different kinds of metals down to a small rack of jewelry she makes. There are a few chairs and a small table with a cheap coffee maker, some cups and additional ingredients lying on top. At the counter is a computer and some papers advertising her work as well as a few of the town's events.
Behind the counter lies the normal machinery and other things usually seen in a metal shop. On the right sits a table with a vent atop it cluttered with strange looking tools and containers that Riley can't recognize. A large table sits a little further back on the same side with more tools, metals, and jewels lay strewn about. The other side is a little less cluttered where a rolling cart sits and a singular room is.
"If you want you can come in, there's a book with my work in it over there," Emma pauses before heading to the back of the shop with her groceries. "I'll be back in a minute."
"All right," the man nods, following her finger to a portfolio lying on the table by the coffee.
Emma rushes back into her home, separated by just a door from the shop, and nearly runs into her pokemon. Setting the bags on the counter, she picks up her work bag and heads back with the sleepy little steel type right behind her.
When she gets back, the man is sitting at a chair, legs crossed like a businessman and forehead creased as he studies her work.
"Are you interested, or are you just being polite?" she can't help but question with a nervous laugh.
"Both," he grins at her. "I was hoping for a consultation on a mega accessory."
"Well, you've come to the right place," Emma beams, her brown eyes gleaming behind her glasses. "Follow me to my office, and we can get started." She turns on her heel then hastily turns back to face him. "I forgot! My name's Emma."
"Riley," he greets, keeping up his smile.
She returns it before heading back in the direction of her office just a few feet behind the counter. On the concrete floor is tape marking the safest, and cleanest, path to her office. Riley glances up to see windows lining the ceiling, letting in most of the light, and some glass decorations hanging from the rafters. The different colored glass casts those same colors in an array along the shop.
He remarks at how welcoming it is.
"Sorry for the clutter," Emma rushes to fix up her desk after swinging open the door and turning on a light.
Her office is a bit small with two tall shelves on either side of the taller windows taking up the back wall. He tries not to focus on the empty shelves just out of her reach while he takes a seat across from her wooden desk. Papers and folders piled on the desk are neatly pushed aside as Emma makes room for her pokemon to sit as well as her laptop.
"Okay," she takes a calming breath while digging for some paper and a pen. "You want something for a mega stone and a key stone?"
"Yes," he answers and then grimaces. "Should I have brought them? I left them at the hotel today."
"That's all right, there's always time if you want something," she waves it off. "What kind of pokemon is it for?"
"A Lucario."
"Did you leave him at the hotel too? Or...?"
Riley's lips twitch as he fights a smile, he reaches for his belt to pull out the pokeball, "No, no. He's with me."
"Excellent, this will be quick," Emma gets a tape measure as the customary popping sound fills the room.
Mawile bristles at the appearance of a new pokemon and tilts her head at it, studying the fellow steel type with curiosity. Riley nods at his pokemon, letting him know that everything's fine and to behave. In return, Lucario bows his head before regarding Emma with suspicious eyes.
She works quick, wrapping the tape measure around his neck and midsection and jotting down the numbers on a legal pad. Lucario watches her work, a little put off by her constant handling of his body as she murmurs to herself. Riley holds back a laugh at his pokemon's discomfort as she progresses.
Finally, she steps back and grins. "Okay."
She sits at her desk and begins jotting down some numbers. Mega Stone holders are much more expensive than Keystones just because sometimes it's practically armor for the pokemon, it has to withstand battles and take damage while staying comfortable. Pokemon still have to battle with it on and wear it to the trainer's discretion.
At the end of her little number pile up, she explains the details of making the accessories. The amounts of metal needed to make them, how much time will go into it, and how the fitting will work. She gives him a tentative sheet with the final price on it and hopes he can come to a decision.
"That's better than I thought," he admits, his eyes widened just a fraction in surprise.
"That's a good sign," Emma laughs. "You can take that back to the hotel with you and think about it."
"I think I will," Riley grins at her and holds out his hand. "Thank you for your time."
"No problem," she shakes his hand firmly. "I'll see you around, Riley."
Once the two are out, Emma waits a few more seconds before closing the front door and closing down the shop. She's going to be working for the rest of the night and after five o'clock, no one comes in for orders. They can ring the bell anyway.
Heading back into her home section of the building, she's quick to put away her groceries and put together some dinner for herself. The amount of work to do will possibly take most of the night, but the thought of working on the beautiful armor at the Palace only fuels Emma's need to refine her skills.
"I just need to be inspired for the next few months, enough to do a fabulous job and then I can debate if I want to stay," she speaks into her shop. Above her, she's closed her windows, but the array of colors painting her shop purple, pink and more calm her. At her side, Mawile nuzzles into her jeans, giving her an understanding look. Emma bends over and pats her head. "Just a few months."
Digging out orders and some works in progress, Emma takes a seat at her work table and dives in.
Just a few more months of this and then she'll be free to decide, once again, what she wants to do with her life.
