Just Another Day at the Gym
The fourth of July was never something Volkner paid much attention to. The past few years, he had spent it holed up in his gym, renovating it or playing around with wires to experiment with the electricity. Challengers rarely came, so he had nothing better to do. Holidays were like a regular day to him; he just sat around, doing nothing but staring at the colorful gears he had designed over the years, waiting for some trainer to poke their curious heads through the gym doors.
He glanced at his calendar and gave a shrug. "Fourth of July? Heh, who cares. I think I'll just sit here as always." he said aloud to nobody in particular. Lazily, he sauntered over to a pile of giant gears stacked on top of one-another and plopped on top of it, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared at his gym. The slightest of smiles crossed his lips, and he couldn't help but feel proud. He had designed the gym himself, and to add to that, he had built every single part of his design without help. For years, he'd work on it, ever since his father had granted him the title of Gym Leader when he was fourteen. Now he was nearing the ripe-old age of twenty-six, and had only completely finished his renovations a couple of years ago.
The gym was silent, and Volkner liked it—all of his trainers had taken the day off, probably to celebrate or have a family barbeque. For once, he didn't have to listen to the blaring guitars that his rockers played. They were obnoxious; they'd bring their amps, hook up their guitars and blast death metal tunes all day, a sound that echoed throughout the whole gym, meaning there was not a single spot that escaped the cacophony.
His best friend of roughly twenty years, Flint, third member of the Sinnoh Elite Four, had always teased Volkner about his boredom and lack of a life. "Come on, party every so often! Take a week off! See the sights of Sinnoh like you've never seen 'em before, and don't worry about them trainers!" He, in retaliation, had always replied with, "Eh. Forget all that, challenging the league would give me all the fun I need."
It was true, there was hardly any fun in his life. He had lost the passion for battling long ago, since there were never any trainers that made it to Sunyshore—and the few that did always lost to him, and ended up quitting their league challenge. He had lost the desire to do anything else but work on his gym, since that provided enough entertainment to keep him sane. Although Flint had offered countless times to have mock battles with him, Volkner always declined. He didn't quite know why, to be honest. He just assumed it was because he had lost all desire to battle.
As many times as he threatened Flint that he'd challenge the league, he never ended up doing so. He wanted to, badly, and was literally a hair away from surfing to Victory Road. He was sure that he'd get disowned by all the other gym leaders for trying to show off or something, but he didn't really care anymore. It wasn't like he kept in touch with them, anyway. The only one he saw on occasion was Candice, gym leader of Snowpoint. She'd stop by once or twice a year to make sure that he hadn't 'died yet', in her words. As nice as an individual as she was, Volkner couldn't grow attached to her. He didn't really have many friends, with the exception of Flint and a couple of the trainers in his gym.
"Hm. What to do today, Luxray..." he mumbled, glancing down at his favorite Pokemon. Luxray gave him a sad sort of look, nuzzling his leg. Volkner reached down to stroke it, running his fingers down the velvety black coat of fur that it bore. "Guess it's just another day at the gym, heh."
The sudden sound of the heavy metal doors opening caught his attention. He snapped his head upwards, and craned his neck in an attempt to make out who was at the door. Within a minute or so, Flint emerged. Volkner let out a sigh of disappointment; he had actually been excited at the thought that a trainer would come all the way to challenge him, especially on the Fourth of July.
"Yo, Volkner! Thought I'd find ya here!" The red-haired man had a cheesy grin manifested on his lips, and his afro looked more poofy than ever. He gave a wave before sliding his hands back into the pockets of his baggy grey slacks and walking over to the blonde gym leader.
Volkner looked at him, bearing an not-amused expression. "Hello, Flint. Well, you looked in the right place. I'm just a master at hide and seek, aren't I?" he said sarcastically. He removed his hand from Luxray and propped his chin on his wrist. "What brings you here, anyway? It's the Fourth of July, aren't you supposed to be out 'partying' and 'having fun'?" he added, putting his fingers in quotation marks for extra emphasis.
Flint let out a small chuckle. "Really Volk, lighten up! Get outside and get yerself some of that Sunyshore sunshine. It'd do ya some good!" He plopped beside Volkner, sitting on the cool metal floors of the gym. "What brings me here? Well, I was gonna offer you to come with me to see the fireworks show in Nimbasa tonight. I think you'd like it, man! They have an awesome amusement park that runs on Neon lights, and plus, Nimbasa is known for its festivities! It surely won't disappoint."
Volkner threw back his head and let out a laugh. "Fireworks? God Flint, what makes you think that I, of all people, would want to see Fireworks! Why don't you go ask some softy like Lucian to go with you. Or better yet, take a girl."
Flint let out an exasperated sigh. It could be extremely hard to get his cast-down friend to cooperate, but he always managed to get him to do things in the end. It took an extreme amount of effort and an infinite supply of patience, but it was possible. Putting on a grin, he looked at Volkner. "Lucian's boring. All he cares about are his books. And I'm not taking a girl, man. It's not a date, it's just an excuse to go out and have fun! Come on."
Volkner looked at him dubiously, and raised an eyebrow. "You people and your festivities. Ugh, am I the only one who isn't into this stuff?"
"Yes, Volkner, you are. Don't be such a scrooge, for crying out loud. I promise, you'll have fun. And if you don't, I'll make it so you have fun!" Flint said, punching his friend on the shoulder. Volkner wasn't budging yet, but then again, it took effort. Flint wasn't too worried.
"Pfft, don't attempt the impossible, Flint. Look, you go and have fun. I'll stay here, okay? I'll be fine." he said, reaching over to pick up a wrench. He twirled it in his hands, staring down at it with curiosity.
"Pretty much nothing's impossible, Volkner, especially not that. I'll drag you with me if I have to. Seriously, dude! You've never even seen Nimbasa, let alone Unova. I'll betcha you haven't left Sinnoh, either!"
Volkner mumbled something, but it wasn't audible. Flint glanced at him, pausing for a moment to see if his blonde haired friend was going to speak. There was just silence, so he decided to continue.
"There'll be lots of people, possibly even tough trainers who are planning to make their way to the Sinnoh league! I'll be with ya, and we can drink and watch the fireworks and do stupid stuff. Like we used to do when we were teenagers. Before you became a wet blanket." he said, grinning. Flint slung an arm around his friend and leaned his head back. "Just imagining it is exciting, if you ask me!"
Volkner's lips twitched slightly, signifying some amount of interest, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to look at Flint. "Well, now that you're bringing up trainers..." was all he said, but Flint could tell that he had successfully piqued the man's curiosity.
"Yep! Come on, man. I just want you to get out for a night. You can go back to being old, grumpy, secluded Volkner tomorrow if you really want to. You can even be grumpy at the Fireworks! As long as you come, I'll leave you alone and stop nagging you!" Flint said, letting out a light laugh. "Whaddaya say?"
Volkner let out a sigh. "Fine, Flint. I'll go. Okay?" He gave his friend a look of exasperation, but Flint ignored it. Volkner might be a cold man on the outside, but once you got him going and opened him up, he was a real sweetheart, especially to those who had similar interests.
"Woot! Sounds like a party, yo! I'll pick ya up at four thirty-ish or so, 'kay? Then we'll take the train to Unova. Or I can ask Cyn to give us a ride on her Toge-"
"No, Flint. God no. Train is fine. I don't need to arrive on the Champion's Pokemon, okay?" he said.
Flint snorted. "Alright, alright. See ya in a few, kid! Have fun doing nothing while I have fun popping a couple of beers and eating burgers."
Volkner suddenly stood up. "The hell, if I'm going with you to the Fireworks, I might as well go to your cookout."
"Awright! Come on, let's go!" Flint said, beaming. He had won. He had gotten the mulish Volkner to budge. Victory was his.
Four-thirty came sooner than both Flint and Volkner had expected. The two had been sprawled out in lawn chairs that were in Flint's lawn, drinking a beer as they chatted.
"Aw, horseshit! It's four-thirty, Volk! We're gonna be late if we don't move our asses now!" Flint exclaimed, leaping out of his chair. He set down the beer he had been drinking and took a big bite of his hot dog before setting it down.
Volkner rubbed his eyes tiredly, before dragging himself upward. "Huh, already? Wow, time never flies by that quickly at the gym..."
Flint laughed. "That's because you're not having fun, you goof. Time flies when you're having fun! Ever heard that one, Volkner?"
Volkner frowned at his friend, and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I guess I wouldn't know what fun feels like, then. My apologies." He gave an eye-roll, implying that his statement was sarcastic, and watched his red-haired friend.
The hot summer sun beat down on both friends, and Volkner groaned and wiped his forehead. He never realized how warm it could get in the summer, for one thing. The amount of wildlife teeming around him fascinated him as well. It had been years since he had went on a hike of any sort. The only outdoor route he'd taken in recent years was the five minute walk at six in the morning from his house to the gym. Sometimes, he didn't even make that walk at all—he'd just fall asleep in the gym, Luxray by his side, some sort of tool in hand.
Flint beckoned for his friend to follow him, and they made their way into the center of Sunyshore, arriving at the newly improved train station. "Nimbasa's known for its extensive subway. They've only just started adding routes to other regions. Sinnoh was first, since it's closest. Convenient, right?"
"Guess so." the blonde man mumbled. He had never used the Subway system before, so he looked at Flint for help.
Flint slid his credit card in a slot that read "Get tickets here", and selected a ten-dollar charge. Out popped some sort of ticket that read "PokeSubway"
"Uh...what did you just do?" Volkner asked. He had produced his credit card from his pocket, but wasn't exactly sure how to work the machine. He stared at it in confusion, tilting his head a bit.
Flint snorted. "Wow, Volkner, really?" He took the credit card from his friend's hand, and repeated the same exact actions he had done with his ticket. "There you go."
Volkner just glanced at him, taking the ticket and shoving it in his pocket. He ran one hand through his blonde hair and let out a sigh. "Well?"
"This way." Flint said. He stepped onto an escalator, and Volkner followed him down. The red-haired man sauntered over to an area that said "Purple Line: Unova"
"Ah, so that's how it works..." Volkner mused, rubbing his chin. Fascinated, he took a look around him. "Man, these guys must've worked hard to construct such a complex system..but I like it. He leaned forward a bit to examine the train tracks. "Very interesting."
Flint couldn't help but smile. As boring and bland as Volkner could be, anything that had to do with wiring or construction or electricity almost immediately had him fascinated. Flint recalled that one day, during their childhood, Volkner had spent almost an entire day taking apart his father's motorcycle, studying how the cables were aligned and how they allowed the vehicle to move and how they all fit together so perfectly. It enthralled him, and he had given Flint this goofy smile before saying, "Look at how perfectly they all fit! It's a simple system, really." He had proceeded to give Flint a near hour lecture on the make-up of wires and all sorts of things. All of this coming from a seven-year-old!
Within a few minutes, the subway raced into the station, and a flow of people came out, mostly from Unova, as Volkner assumed. He eyed the vehicle before setting foot onto it. Flint followed, and plopped down on a chair. "Ya might wanna sit, Volk. You get violently jerked around if you stand, 'specially if you're not holding on to anything!"
Volkner obeyed, and took a seat next to his friend. He watched person after person file onto the subway, all of them different and each with their own story. Although he'd never admit to anyone, especially Flint, he was excited. Never in his life had he experienced such an adventure, and he was eager to see the rest of the night, especially the fireworks.
The engine roared to life, and Volkner was jerked back to reality as they took off speeding underground, through absolute blackness. A dim light bulb hung from the ceiling, lighting up their car. Most people were reading a magazine or newspaper. Some sat there, staring off into space with their iPods on full blast. Others chatted to one-another, coffee in hand. This was the city life that foreign to such a hermit as Volkner. This was only a fraction of the activity in Sunyshore that he had never known about.
"See, usually subway rides are pretty quick," Flint explained, gesticulating as he looked at his best friend, "but this one's gonna take at least a good half an hour, seeing as we have to go underseas, and it's in a whole 'nother region."
Volkner's eyes widened, and he looked over at his friend. "Underseas? What?" He was clearly confused—even that logical brain of his couldn't seem to piece together how a subway could go underwater.
Flint laughed. "Don't you know anything about technology these days, Volkner? I woulda thought you did! Anyway, they have an underwater tunnel. It's pretty sick, you'll be able to look into the seas and see all the wild water Pokemon. Once, I saw a shiny Finneon!"
"Ahh...I see." Volkner said, his voice trailing off as he looked around him. The darkness suddenly disappeared as Volkner found himself surrounded by the water. It was tinted cerulean, and schools of Remoraid rushed by. He saw Corsola floating and Clampearls buried amongst the seafloor.
"Woah..." he breathed, pressing his face to the window. Life was bountiful in the sea, something that had never even crossed his mind.
Flint watched him, grinning. It was amazing to see Volkner open his eyes and take a better look at the world, one that was wider and not just monochromatic. Flint drummed his fingers on his lap and looked around. He'd been on subways before, and to be quite honest, he wasn't a big fan. Unlike Volkner, he had already seen it all—coming home late at night and being thrown up on by some drunk college student wasn't exactly a party.
Time continued to pass, and about thirty-five minutes later or so, the car grew dark as it once again entered underground.
"Welcome to Unova. Next stop: Nimbasa. Approximately fifteen minutes." the conductor announced, bringing everyone back to attention. Volkner looked up at the speaker before turning to Flint.
"That was pretty damn cool."
Flint grinned. "I thought you'd like the subway. You know, in Nimbasa, they have routes where you can battle at the same time as you ride. Isn't that nifty? Perfect for you, eh?"
Volkner's eyes lit up, and for the first time in years, they actually sparkled. "Really? That's awesome!"
Flint could've sworn he saw that excited little boy shining through Volkner at that very moment. The blonde trainer had brought his hands together and a wide smile had pasted itself onto his face, which looked ridiculous, frankly, because Volkner never smiled.
Fifteen minutes came and went, and the subway finally came to a halt. Flint rose from his seat at once, followed by Volkner.
"Now arriving at Nimbasa. Please exit your car. This is the last stop."
Flint walked out with his friend, and looked around. People rushed all around, most of them decked out in patriotic gear. Nimbasa was a very busy city, although not the urban center of Unova. Castelia City took the cake; it was a giant arrangement of office buildings and department stores, filled with the biggest melting pot of people of all sorts. Nimbasa was a close second—although not nearly as large in size, it had more attractions such as the first ever subway, an amusement park, the musical theatre and the sports stadium, to name a few. It was very touristy and never was empty.
Volkner and Flint walked up the countless escalators and exited the subway, only to find themselves lost in a colorful world filled with people and Pokemon.
"Woah." Volkner said, looking around. A big neon sign hung from a side of town that read "AMUSEMENT PARK. NIMBASA GYM THIS WAY"
"Nimbasa has a gym?" Volkner asked, arching an eyebrow. He had never suspected Nimbasa to have a gym; he had automatically assumed it was like Jubilife, or in other words, a city known for its attractions but didn't have a gym.
"Guess so." Flint said. He glanced at his watch. "Fireworks should start in about an hour. Let's go get good seats." People were scattered amongst the streets—cops had put up cones to block off the roads from cars.
"Good plan." Volkner agreed. He looked around, before wandering the entire city with Flint, to get a feel for things. They hadn't quite found an area that they liked yet.
"What about the amusement park? That's oughta have a nice view!" Flint suggested, pointing at the bright neon sign. It sure did look inviting, with bright neon arrows pointing towards the entrance and a flow of people, children and adults all rushing towards it.
"Alright, why not?" Volkner said. He started off towards the gym, hands in pockets as usual. Flint strode beside him, and patted him on the back.
"See, this isn't too bad, is it?" he said, grinning, nudging his blonde friend. "I know you're enjoying yourself!"
Volkner said nothing, but just gave a small grin. He continued walking, and made his way into the amusement park. A bunch of rides greeted him, along with concession stands that offered cotton candy and fried dough.
"Man, do I feel like a little kid!" Flint exclaimed. He grinned at Volkner before sprinting over to one of the stands.
"Hello, can I have one fried dough please?" he asked, fishing in his pocket for money. He produced twenty dollars, and handed it to the man before taking his fried dough along with the change. "Thanks!"
Volkner stared at it in jealously, then finally spoke up. "Can I have a piece, bro?"
Flint looked over at him. "Yeah, sure. Help yourself!"
Volkner tore off a fair sized chunk, which was covered with butter and powdered sugar, before taking a big bite. He closed his eyes and smiled at the sweetness, and continued to devour the delicacy before him. "Man, this stwuff ish gud!" he managed, mouth full of fried dough.
Flint let out a loud laugh, slinging an arm around Volkner's shoulder. "Think of today as the childhood you never had. Now come on, let's find some seats before they're all gone. Then we can goof around."
Volkner gave a nod, and they finally settled on a bench that over-looked the water and the area where the Fireworks would be launched.
"Good thinking, Flint. This is just perfect, right here. Awesome view." Volkner said, looking out at the lake and the sky. The sun was just starting to dip below the horizon, and the sky had darkened a bit, giving the city a more lively feel. The neon lights stood out, and crowds of excited teenagers filed into the park to go on the Ferris Wheel or just hang out, waiting for the fireworks.
Flint and Volkner sat down, and Flint opened up his backpack. "Flint is always prepared!" he chirped, tossing a beer at Volkner. He pulled one out for himself, before tossing his backpack down on the ground.
Volkner gave him a wide grin, and popped off the cap on his beer before raising his bottle. "To an excellent night!" he said, nodding at his friend.
Flint beamed, popping off the cap on his as well and lifting it into the air, tapping Volkner's bottle. "To an excellent night!" he agreed, laughing as he took a big sip of his drink.
Volkner chugged his beer and rested against the bench, propping his feet up on a grassy ledge. This was the ultimate way to kick back and relax. Volkner had already had so much fun, and the best hadn't even happened yet! He couldn't believe it.
The sun eventually disappeared, and blackness engulfed the thriving city. Neon lights flashed on and off, and hundreds of people jammed themselves all around the city, desperate to catch a nice view of the Fireworks. Little children waved their red, white, and blue glow sticks to and fro, adding to Nimbasa's festive lights.
Flint stretched his arms and legs and grinned at his friend, looking up at the sky, which was completely clear and untouched by clouds. The stars twinkled, and a crescent moon adorned the blackness.
"Fireworks should start in a few minutes. I can't wait!" Flint exclaimed. Although he'd been to Fireworks before, it was his first time going to Nimbasa to see them, and rumor had it that Nimbasa had the best Fireworks in all of the land. Excitement rushed throughout him, and he couldn't help but let out a laugh.
"It'll be something new, that's for sure." Volkner agreed. He looked around, at the people, at the scenery, and at the lights. Everything was so new to him, he didn't know what to take in first. Sunyshore, even at its most exciting moments, had never looked anything like this.
As he looked at the people, something—no, someone—caught his eye. There was one woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties. She was lean and tall, with short blonde hair that glowed in the darkness. She was looking up at the sky with her big, bright blue eyes and soft smile.
Volkner froze; never had a person ever caught his attention like that. She was absolutely beautiful; the way she held herself, the way she crossed her legs, the way her hair rustled in the cool July breeze. The way her feet tapped the ledge she was sitting on, the way her fingernails were painted yellow, the way she had giant headphones on her head. Every single movement she made Volkner noticed, and he sat there, eyes fixated on the girl he so desperately wanted to talk to.
"Hey, whatcha looking at?" Flint asked, snapping his attention back to his red-haired friend. He was grinning foolishly.
"U-uh, nothing. Just looking around." Volkner stammered. He felt himself flush red, but was thankful that it wasn't visible in the darkness.
Flint looked at him, then burst out laughing. "You were staring in this direction for like, five minutes." he said, pointing a finger towards the girl. "I'm thinkin' you were checkin' her out!"
Volkner's face went redder, and he said nothing for a moment. Then, he quickly said "Nah, she just caught my eye 'cause she's dressed differently." His voice was tight and tense, the fact that he was so painfully obvious made him cringe.
Flint smiled. "Why dontcha go over and talk to her? She seems lonely." he said, nudging Volkner. "Perhaps you could win her over, if you were a bit more lively and didn't focus so much on electricity and wires and all that junk."
Volkner shot his friend a short glare, but made no moves. He turned his attention back to the girl. The neon lights made her a bit easier to see, and now he could make out that she was wearing a yellow leotard that was completely open in the front, save for three or so black leather strips that were evenly spaced, covering her chest, midsection, and lower stomach. Below the waist, she wore tight black leggings, and five-inch platformers. Maybe that's why Volkner had assumed she was so tall.
KA-BOOM!
At once, he turned around at the sudden cracking sound, and a bright light filled his eyes as the first firework shot into the sky, sparks of bright blue dispersing themselves through the darkness before they fell. All at once, people started shouting in celebration. Little kids gasped in amazement, teenagers cheered, and adults produced excited chatter. A shower of green fireworks shot into the sky, falling over the lake, followed by a ginormous red one. Volkner stared, transfixed by the beauty and elegance of the fireworks. His mouth formed an 'o' as he continued to watch.
"Amazing, huh? It just gets better. Rumor has it, Fireworks last for like a half an hour here! Nifty, eh?" Flint whispered. As he finished his sentence, a giant silver and gold firework exploded in the sky, raining over the lake as they lit up the city.
As Volkner was watching, he noticed out of the corner of his eye that the blonde girl had gotten to her feet. All at once, the fireworks didn't matter for Volkner anymore. His complete attention turned itself onto the girl, and he watched her run forward, right past him, up to the stone ledges in front of him that were the closest to the lake. Her smile widened and she pulled herself up with her hands, staring at the beautiful night sky.
This is my chance, Volkner thought. Turning to Flint, he said, "I'll be back." He rose from his seat and casually moved himself forward, until he was leaning on the stone ledge, in propinquity to the beautiful girl that he had been eying ever since she had come into his vision.
They watched in silence, neither one acknowledging the other for a bit, until Volkner glanced over to look at her. She was completely lost in the excitement of the fireworks; her eyes danced along the night sky, reflecting the many colors that were being shown.
His insides fluttered. Should he talk to her? Volkner was honestly unsure of what to do in this situation. Never had he been attracted to someone so much. Usually, it was other people who were attracted to him that made the first move. After watching her for a bit more, Volkner realized that he'd have to be the one to speak up first.
"Hey." Volkner finally managed. He shoved his hands in his pockets, rolling back his shoulders. "Nice view, huh?"
The girl snapped around to face him, her eyes wide. She hadn't been expecting someone to come up to her, let alone talk to her.
"O-oh. Yeah, that's what Nimbasa's known for..." she said, her voice trailing off as she looked into the sky once more. Then she turned to face him again. "It's such a beautiful sight."
Volkner nodded, and flashed a smile. "Yeah. It's my first time venturing out here. I really like it."
The girl looked at him, obviously amused. Her smile widened, and she looked him over. "Really? Ha, I've grown up here all my life. Gets boring after a while. Don't get me wrong, I love Nimbasa, and you're probably thinking, 'God, how can you get bored of such an exciting place', but it's just..." her voice trailed off. "Excuse me for being silly!"
Volkner looked at her, fascinated. "Really? Wow. I'm from Sunyshore in Sinnoh...I've been there all my life, too. It does get boring, I hear you." He gave a nod at her.
She looked at him, smiling. "I thought I was the only one who felt that way! Ha!"
Volkner chuckled. "Nope. I'm pretty sure everyone goes through a phase like this at some point."
She nodded, and it was silent between them for a few more minutes. Volkner turned his attention back to the fireworks, watching the red, white, and blue ones shoot up all at once and spread throughout the sky, covering the moon and the stars. On the inside though, he couldn't stop thinking about the girl next to him, and prayed that there would be more conversation between the two.
Trying to distract himself from her and not seem so desperate, he reached into his belt and pulled out a Pokeball. "Come on out, Luxray. I think you'll enjoy this as much as I am." he said, watching as his loyal partner nuzzled against him. He grinned and leaned over to stroke it.
Somehow, this had caught the girl's attention, and she stared down at the Luxray, her face lighting up. "You have a Luxray?" she exclaimed. Her eyes twinkled, just like they had when she had been watching those fireworks.
"Indeed I do." Volkner said, grinning. "It's my favorite Pokemon." Then he added, "I don't believe I ever caught your name."
The girl looked up at him, and Volkner could have sworn that she blushed. "Oh. I'm Elesa." she said, giving a gentle laugh. "I thought you might've known who I was for a second. I'm a famous supermodel around these parts...but seeing as you're from Sinnoh, I should've known. Ah, silly me."
Volkner's eyes widened. "Supermodel? Wow. I thought you were some kind of model," he admitted, looking her over, "based on the way you dressed and how you carried yourself. Oh, and of course, you're nice looking."
Elesa gave a light laugh. "You're too kind! To be honest, though..." her voice trailed off as she looked around, as if she didn't want anybody to hear, "...I hate being a model. It's really hard. I can only weigh so much, dress a certain way, look a certain way, eat barely anything, and constantly free my schedule so I can make room for gigs. It's not a realistic job...the real me comes out when I battle." she let out a sigh, propping one elbow on the ledge and staring out into the lake. Then she turned back to face Volkner. "I'm sorry, I never got your name, either..."
"Ah. I'm Volkner," he said, giving her a gentle smile, "and you battle?" His eyes lit up. Perhaps Elesa could give him a good match, one that would make him actually have to try.
"A pleasure to meet you, Volkner." she said, shaking his hand. "Yeah, I battle...I'm actually gym leader of Nimbasa. I'll bet you didn't know that!" she said, grinning. Her teeth were perfect, all lined straightly and tinted white.
"Are you really? Wow, that's incredible! Supermodel...and gym leader!" he was honestly surprised that she of all people was the gym leader. "I'm a gym leader too."
"Oh, are you? That's incredible!" she exclaimed. "I've never really talked to any gym leaders that weren't from Unova. What type do you specialize in?"
Volkner grinned, and gestured to his Luxray. "Electric. You?"
Elesa's eyes grew wide, and a huge smile found itself on her face. "Really? How interesting, me too!"
She touched his arm, and her hand was cold on his warm skin—it sent shivers down Volkner's spine.
"How funny! But wow, that's awesome. I mean, I can't believe that you're an Electric-type gym leader who's so...perfect." he stammered.
She blushed a bit, and then said, "Perfect? Oh, you're much too kind...but I'm far from perfect. Everyone always assumes I am, being a supermodel and all. God, I'd much rather be sitting in the garage, looking at the wiring of cars and things..." she admitted sheepishly. "Nobody expects it from somebody like me, haha."
Volkner suddenly beamed. "When I was seven, I took apart my dad's motorcycle and completely re-wired it. He never knew, but apparently it ran better from then on. My friend, Flint, who's somewhere back there," he said jerking a thumb towards Flint, "always used to tease me for my obsession with wiring and stuff."
Elesa looked completely interested in what he was saying, and it seemed that the fireworks suddenly didn't matter to either one of them. They were so similar, yet so different in many ways, and Volkner found that he could talk to her for hours on end without running out of things to say or getting bored.
They exchanged stories from their childhood, and Volkner opened up to her about his reclusive nature and how he didn't stray much from his gym. He vented to her about the lack of trainers with potential, and how a young trainer by the name of Dawn had been the last one to give him an exciting battle, somewhere around two or three years back.
Elesa opened up to him about her lifelong struggle with anorexia and bulimia, and how the model industry wasn't helping, and how everybody saw her as this perfect icon that people should act just like, when in reality she was a caged bird with little freedom of expression. She went on about how badly she wanted to quit her modeling career, but feared for her reputation and income if she did.
An hour or so passed, and both Volkner and Elesa looked at each other, each one knowing just about every dark secret that the other had. Volkner stared at her, and a smile creased his lips. Elesa smiled back at him, her eye lashes fluttering a bit.
"I'm really happy I talked to you, Volkner...I've never opened up to someone like that, especially not someone who I had recently met less than a day ago.." she said, smiling. She reached for his hand and gave it a tight squeeze.
Volkner squeezed her hand back, a warm feeling of happiness encompassing him. He had forgotten all about Flint and the fireworks. The only thing that mattered was Elesa.
"Elesa, I am too. I really am." he told her, letting one of his hands rest itself on the small of her back. "I've actually never really opened up to someone that much, period." His deep blue eyes penetrated hers, and they smiled at each other.
"The grande finale is coming up!" Elesa suddenly exclaimed, looking out at the lake. "They release hundreds of fireworks at the same time. It's amazing, it really is!" she exclaimed, leaning against him slightly.
Volkner wrapped an arm around her, and she didn't protest; he held her close, watching the the few remaining fireworks shoot themselves into the sky. Then, all was black for a moment and Elesa squeezed his hand again.
"They're going to start the finale..." she breathed, looking up at him. She found herself grabbing onto him, and fell against him. "I've never...quite had a Fourth of July that ended like this."
"Me neither, Elesa. Me neither." Volkner mused. He watched as a bright cloud of hundreds of shades and colors enveloped the sky, sparkling, glittering, bright, and beautiful. His eyes stared in wonder, and he looked back at Elesa.
"We should make this a special Fourth of July, don't you think?" he asked, winking at her. Before she could respond, Volkner leaned over and closed the space between the two, smashing his lips against hers. He bound both of his arms around her tiny frame, holding her close as he continued to kiss her, mashing their lips together passionately. Colors exploded behind them as Volkner lifted her up, not breaking the kiss, and set her down on the ledge. He leaned up as he continued to passionately smooch her, sliding his tongue inside of her mouth, entwining it with hers.
Flint had been silently watching them the whole time, and he bore a bemused expression. "Heh! Well I'll be DAMNED!" he exclaimed, watching his best friend kiss the girl he'd been eying and talking to the whole time. "It's like a scene outta a movie. You go get some, bro!" he called.
Volkner smiled to himself while he kissed Elesa, taking in his best friend's words. He stroked her back gently and continued to kiss her, right up until the last firework had dissipated in the sky.
Elesa pulled back, her eyes sparkling. "Wow...that was...amazing." She was out of breath, and her perfectly kept blonde hair was now rustled and out of place.
"Wasn't it?" Volkner asked, grinning. He gave her a tight hug, pulling her close. "This feels like one of those cheesy love stories, heh."
Elesa laughed, and hugged him close. "I had fun, Volkner." She broke the hug, giving him a sad smile.
"I have to go now...I have duties to attend to. Modeling, the gym, you know...the whole nine yards. But I had so much fun!" she said. She once again touched his arm, and Volkner once again got shivers down his spine.
He gave a nod and looked at her. "Hey, before you go, Elesa—keep in touch, okay?" he said, giving a grin. "You know where to find me. Sunyshore Gym!"
Elesa gave a laugh. "I definitely will. It was really nice, Volkner. Stop by Nimbasa sometime too, if you ever want to leave the gym!"
Volkner smiled. "I guess I can make an exception for you and leave it occasionally."
Elesa laughed again, but it was ephemeral. "I've really got to go...but do stop by again! I'll be looking forward to it!" she spun around, before giving him one last hug and kiss.
"Good-bye, Elesa." Volkner told her, letting her go. "Have fun over there, modeling and whatnot."
She smiled. "Good-bye, Volkner. I'll try!" And then she ran off, disappearing into the night of Nimbasa.
Volkner smiled. He turned to Flint. "So, how was your Fourth of July? Mine was pretty memorable."
–
THE END