Hello and welcome to the author's note. I would like to begin by getting in the open that this is not my original work. My friend Ash was the author of the original plot line of this story, and my purpose here is to make it shiny and new, and provide it with a home. Also, beware of the yaoi. This fic focuses heavily on RoarkxVolkner and gets a bit lemony at times. If you have issues with boy love, I implore you to hightail it out of this fic here and now. And as a side note, this fic is told from Volkner's perspective. Other than that, enjoy the co-written shonen-ai goodness that follows

The Story Behind Volkner

Chapter 1

I don't know what I'm getting myself into. I mean, for God's sake, he's just a kid! One chance meeting and I can't get him out of my head…It started like any other day, aside from my causing the entire city of Sunnyshore to go into a blackout…whoops. Oh, you can't blame a guy for trying to make his gym look good, don't even go there.

I'm Volkner, by the way. But I'm sure you knew that. Everyone knows that. I've got a fansquad for crying out loud. But like I said, day in the life of me, as usual. Then the blackout, and my so-called followers at the gym told me to get out for some fresh air. In other words, I was kicked out of my own gym. Can you believe that? I mean, if it weren't for me, none of them would even be there. Kick me out…the nerve. And I didn't have shit to do. I walked around, stood on the beach, dodged some fangirls…you know, the usual.

I figured after awhile that I'd go check out the Underground. Everyone around town was raving about it. All with the Secret Bases, and the Spheres and the Treasure and all that. Quite honestly I couldn't see the big deal about it. You were under ground. Whoopee-do. But like I said, I had nothing to do. So I took Luxio, and off we went.

Now let me begin by saying that the Underground is huge! Enormous even. I swear to God I hiked miles of tunnels. And I kid you not, it all looks the same. So I wandered around, dug up some Spheres and traded em' off to some guy taking them in exchange for Base Decorations.

Got myself a Shinx doll.

Great, huh?

Base décor aside, Luxio and I wandered around the Underground for...hours? Days? Weeks? Hell if I know. It all blends together after awhile. And it's so eerily quite down there. I'm sure there's other people around. Other wise all those God-ridiculous traps wouldn't trip me up every two steps. But I'll be damned if I ever actually see one of them.

After a bit I noticed a voice. Off in the distance, can't actually hear what they're saying, kind of voice. I figured, hey, let's go see who they are, maybe I'll actually catch someone laying a trap. And I followed my ears until I found him.

And I tell you, I couldn't have been more surprised.

Now, its not like I didn't know the kid. All us Leader's get our share of publicity, what with the news, and the magazines…and the paparazzi… But he was the last person I'd expected to find hiking in the Underground. Looking back on it, I guess it was kind of stupid to be so surprised. He trains ground types for God's sake. Why shouldn't he be underground?

But there he was, plain as day. Byron's son, the leader of Oreburgh Gym. I fumbled for his name a bit until I finally remembered. Roark.

I watched him from behind the shadow of the cave wall. He was with his Cranidos, and they were digging up the Spheres. What was surprising though was how I noticed my heart rate pick up. I felt the blood rushing to my face and frowned and tried to rub it off.

After a bit, I figured I'd go say hi. Y'know, Leader to Leader? Its not like I was close friends with him at the time or anything. Hell, the only reason I even knew who he was, was because once a year the Elite Four hold a meeting with the Eight Gym Leaders of their region, and discuss what needs to be done to improve and all that crap. I never pay attention.

So I walk up behind him, Luxio nearly making me fall flat on my face darting out in front of me to greet Cranidos. Roark looked up at my pokemon's entrance and turned around. That was the first time I got a good look at him, and by God was he hot.

"Hi." I said. He put on the cheesiest bubbly happy sparkle-sparkle smile and returned my greeting. But under that façade I could tell he was unsure. So I went on,

"I'm Volkner…from Sunnyshore." I added the last part when he looked at me funny…a kind of I-still-don't-know-who-you-are kind of deal. He got it after that,

"Oh right, right, you're the Eight Leader." He said, "I'm Roark, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." I said, and stuck out my hand to shake. We shook, then stood in a bit of semi-awkward silence sizing each other up. By then I had to fight to keep my hormones where they were supposed to be. I didn't know what it was about him—for that matter I still don't know—but there was something in the kid's attitude that gave me the strongest urge to do things to him that shouldn't be mentioned outside the bedroom.

We got to talking a bit, and he showed me around the caverns and caves. I learned how to make my own Base. And we got to be good friends. And when I left to get back home, I was in a very pleasant mood. But it sure as hell didn't get anything off my mind…