"What did you say?" she seethed, her menacing eyes glowing.
Hielo and Ledus exchanged terrified glances, both spluttering incomprehensively.
"Well?"
"They…er…we didn't have much of a chance -" Hielo mumbled, hiding behind his acid green hair.
"What do you mean?" she snapped.
"Th-the Lake Warden…he took our rods –"
"Rods?" Pascalia whispered, her slitted eyes narrowing.
"Super rods!" Ledus exclaimed, his eyes flitting to Hielo in fear.
"YOU CAN'T CATCH DEWGONG ON A ROD" Pascalia screamed. Her yellow eyes flashed and the two men took a hasty step back from her.
"We're sorry," Hielo said, trying desperately to salvage the situation.
"You are lucky," Pascalia began, "that I have recently come across a new agent; hopefully she will be more of an asset to me than you two have proved to be. It will be her that accompanies me to Fenugreek Town."
"We're so sorry," Ledus added, flushing in both fear and embarrassment.
"In the meantime," she continued, ignoring their grovels, "I want you to return to Hyssop Lake and finish the task you so miserably attempted."
"But the Lake Warden –"
"I DO NOT CARE. Do whatever you must to stall him, but bring as many Dewgong as you can to me."
-o-
"Greetings."
Rose and Tripp moved forward into the marble Gym, their tentative footsteps echoing off the walls. At the far end of the colossal space, just visible, was an old man. He was perched in a throne-like chair, constructed of gilded gold and red velvet. He stood as he greeted them, and clapped his knotted hands together in enthusiasm.
"Er…hello."
"And your name young man?"
"Tripp."
"And your girlfriend?"
Both Tripp and Rose blushed, mortified.
"My name's Rose...and I'm not his girlfriend.
"I'm happy to hear it; far too many youngsters courting nowadays…" he told them sternly; Rose and Tripp exchanged incredulous glances.
"You are, I presume, challengers?"
"We are," Tripp confirmed.
"Excellent…excellent. Well, I Englebert, have been the Master of the noble normal type for many a year. By truly understanding this fascinating type of Pokémon, I like to believe that I have succeeded in making my party (almost) invincible…I am assuming you still wish to challenge me?"
Rose studied the old man; his suit was crisp and his white hair immaculately parted. He was clearly a strong trainer; she could tell through his natural and easy confidence.
The teenagers nodded simultaneously in answer to his question.
"You!" Englebert shouted, pointing at Tripp, his voice clear and authoritative.
"Yes?" he asked uncertainly.
"I wish to challenge you first."
Rose and Tripp raised their eyebrows at one another.
"O-okay?"
"I will be using three Pokémon; you may use however many you need to try and win."
Tripp attempted not to look too surprised at this.
"That's fine," he nodded, mentally choosing a strategy.
"Excellent. I'm going to start with – Glameow!"
Tripp grinned.
"Then I'm going to use Houndour!"
The cat Pokémon and the dog Pokémon emerged in flashes of blinding light, and scrutinized one another from their opposite sides of the battle ground. Englebert began.
"Scratch Glameow!"
"Use Bite Houndour!"
Houndour's attack missed and Glameow retaliated with another stinging Scratch.
Houndour raised his hackles in anger, awaiting his next instruction.
"Show it your Ember!"
Glameow let out a high pitch squeal as it was burnt.
"Bite Houndour!"
"Glameow use Hypnosis!"
"Dodge it! Use Ember again!"
"Use Scratch Glameow!"
The cat Pokémon was in a lot of pain from the fire type attacks and could only move gingerly. Its Scratch was only half-hearted, and Houndour barely reeled.
"Tackle it!"
"Hypnosis!"
The wave hit Tripp's dog Pokémon, whom immediately succumbed to sleep, and slumped softly sideways.
"Aha!" Englebert rejoiced, only to gape in horror as Glameow toppled over and fainted, weakened by its smarting burn.
"Yes!" Tripp shouted, punching his fist into the air.
Englebert composed himself, and selected a Pokéball from his belt.
"Not bad young man, but let's see how you cope with – Buneary!"
Tripp used an Awakening on Houndour, who shook his head groggily as he stood.
"Use Pound Buneary!"
"Bite it Houndour!"
"Quick Attack!"
Houndour reeled, already weak from the previous battle.
"High Jump Kick Buneary!"
Houndour howled in pain, as the super effective attack hit it, before fainting heavily against the unyielding marble floor.
Tripp gulped and recalled Houndour, considering his next choice.
"Go! Golduck!"
Golduck snapped his beak menacingly as he advanced on the rabbit Pokémon.
"Use Confusion!"
"High Jump Kick Buneary!"
"Show it your Water Pulse!"
"Use Pound!"
"Confusion Golduck!"
Buneary staggered, but managed to right itself in time to launch another High Jump Kick.
Golduck managed to duck the kick and fired a Water Gun, which hit Buneary square in the face. The rabbit Pokémon was exhausted from the two battles. It valiantly attempted to get to its feet, but fatigue overtook it, and it too fainted.
Englebert managed to keep his face impassive, but Tripp grinned as he saw him wipe the perspiration from his forehead with a starched handkerchief.
"Surprising, young man - but don't think you've won it already! I choose Wigglytuff!"
Tripp blinked in shock, expecting to be faced with a far more impressive Pokémon. In fact, he relaxed slightly as he appreciated his next opponent.
From the side-lines, Rose bit her lip in worry, hoping that Tripp wouldn't do exactly that.
"Golduck use -"
"Thunderbolt Wigglytuff!"
Tripp's mouth fell open, as his prize Pokémon fainted right out from the immense electric attack.
Rose closed her eyes in horror, she was afraid something of this nature would happen; her cousin Mona owned a Jigglypuff that knew electric, fire, and water type attacks.
"R-return Golduck. Go! Weedle!"
"Rollout Wigglytuff!"
Weedle staggered, but righted himself almost instantly.
"Poison Sting!" Tripp called triumphantly.
Wigglytuff, slowed, its breathing becoming ragged. But to Tripp's horror and indignation, Englebert called:
"Use Rest!"
The pink Pokémon closed its eyes, and glowed slightly, fully healing itself. The move caused it to fall asleep, but Englebert was no ordinary trainer; Wigglytuff was holding a Lum berry, so that it woke up instantly.
"Rollout Wigglytuff!"
"Poison Sting!"
The attack missed, and Wigglytuff used Rollout once more.
Tripp panicked, ordering Weedle to Tackle the normal type Pokémon, forgetting in his haste that that particular move would have hardly any effect.
"Rollout again!"
Weedle couldn't cope with three Rollouts in a row, the final attack being considerably stronger than the previous two. Tripp began to sweat freely as he realised he had only one able Pokémon left. One against one.
Rose began to wring her hands in nervousness. Tripp had only Eevee and Geodude left, and the former could not yet battle. But that wasn't the end. Tripp had trained the rock type Pokémon hard recently, but Rose couldn't help but worry whether or not the type advantage would help him pull through. She could tell Englebert's Pokémon was highly trained.
"Go for it Geodude!" Tripp had remembered the type advantage, and a particle of his confidence returned.
Englebert frowned, neither Rollout nor Thunderbolt would work here, and that left him with very few options indeed. He surveyed the young man before him. He stood firm, his legs parallel with his shoulders. His blue eyes were sharp and keen and his fists were clenched, and Englebert could almost feel the determination radiating from him.
"Doubleslap Wigglytuff!"
Geodude barely winced, but grinned his rocky grin.
"Rock Throw Geodude!"
Wigglytuff cried out as the rocks rained down upon it, but returned determinedly to battle.
"Doubleslap again!"
Tripp started suddenly, a bubble of hope swelling in his abdomen; the attack had barely worked the previous time, but here was Englebert using it again. Tripp realised that neither Thunderbolt, Rollout nor Doubleslap were going to affect Geodude critically. He was elated, but also rather abashed. Why had he not thought to use this Pokémon in the first place?
"Now use Rockblast!"
"Use Rest Wigglytuff!"
But Wigglytuff was exhausted, and could barely stand. Screwing up its remaining energy, it was just about to comply, when Tripp ordered Geodude to use its final attack.
"Finish it off with Rock Throw!"
To nobody's surprise, Wigglytuff fainted heavily. Englebert reluctantly returned his last Pokémon to its Pokéball, before smiling at Tripp. He cleared his throat.
"I thought you were going to be an easy challenge…but I was wrong," he smiled warmly. "tthe end of the battle I sensed an inner strength in you young man."
Tripp blinked in surprise and pleasure.
"You just need the confidence to use it I think…yes. You're definitely following the right path to develop this strength. I am proud to present you with the Standard Badge."
Rose felt as though her chest was going to burst with pride. Although she knew Tripp was a strong trainer, she was always in fear of a repeat performance of his first Gym battle. After hearing Englebert praise him, and so tactfully telling him that he did indeed have strength, she felt as though he had finally put his disastrous losing experience behind him.
"I also look forward to challenging you, young lady."
Rose frowned in confusion. Before she could speak, Englebert made to leave his Gym.
"Can't I challenge you now?" she stammered awkwardly.
The Gym Leader looked at her in surprise.
"You could…but I'm about to have my dinner. You may return at eight if you wish."
-o-
"He certainly likes to do things his own way," Rose grumbled. She felt incredibly twitchy now that she had been denied a battle. Patience was not a virtue she possessed.
"I know! I can't believe he pretty much ordered me to go first!"
"At least your battle is over…and well done by the way, you were brilliant."
"Thanks Ro," he smiled, pecking her on the cheek.
Rose's eyes widened, and Tripp looked straight ahead, mortified. He couldn't quite figure out where he had found the confidence to do that, especially after their 'conversation'.
Rose's stomach jolted at the kiss. She didn't quite understand why. She assumed it was the shock; after all they had only recently agreed that nothing good would come out of them being together. A kiss was the last thing she expected. That's probably why it felt weird, she convinced herself.
-o-
The bakery didn't prove difficult to find. Owned by a French patisserie chef, it attracted scores of customers. Rose and Tripp only had to follow the streams of people holding pale pink paper bags filled with baked goods to find the bakery itself.
"We should buy your aunty something," Tripp suggested, "as she's having us to dinner and everything."
Rose looked at her friend in surprise.
"Good idea!"
The door tinkled as they opened it, and they were hit with the warm, almost spicy smell of baked sugar.
"Ah! Bonjour! You will 'ave to be ze last customers of ze day! I close at seven o'clock!"
The speaker was a rotund French man, with an amiable ruddy face, and forearms white with flour.
Rose and Tripp gaped at the display. Never before had they seen such an exciting array of cakes, pastries, and biscuits.
"What is it you would like?" the French baker asked, piping his last macaron with a flourish, before sliding the tray into the oven.
"Um…"
"We…don't know," Rose finished lamely.
"Will it be for yourselves?"
"No, it's a present," Tripp told him.
"For my aunty."
"Ah! A gift! In that case, you must buy a box of my famous macarons!"
He showed Rose and Tripp a platter of the prettiest little meringue biscuits. There seemed to be hundreds of colours to choose from; deep forest green to the palest lime, shocking red and delicate pink, violet, lilac, light blue and turquoise, lemon yellow and florescent orange, each with a corresponding flavour.
"I can't choose!"
"Me neither!" Tripp exclaimed, looking terrified at the thought.
"In that case, I will prepare you a selection!" the French baker boomed, before taking one of each macaron and placing them tenderly in a pale rose coloured box.
-o-
"Forty fucking Pokéloans!"
"It is a bit pricey…but they're so awesome looking!" Tripp tried to convince his friend.
"I guess it's only twenty each…but I was expecting to pay about five!"
"You know I don't mind paying…"
Rose glared at Tripp icily.
"Or not…" he sighed. It irritated him that Rose was so touchy about money. He didn't expect her to pay when it was his idea anyway.
-o-
When they arrived at Nurse Joy's front door, which was literally next door to the bakery, they had to forget their less than friendly feelings towards one another.
The door swung open and Nurse Joy stood in the doorway, looking even more erratic with the absence of her professional uniform. She wore a tie-dye orange top, paired with faded blue jeans and sandals. Her hair, without her nurse's cap to tame it, was flyaway and tumbling out of its loose bun.
"Rose! And Tripp!" she beamed.
The house, they noticed as they stepped into it, smelt heavenly.
"I hope you haven't gone to too much trouble Aunty Joy," Rose asked worriedly, chewing on her bottom lip.
"Not at all, not at all! You're sounding too much like Hope, Rose…now let me show you where you'll be sleeping!"
-o-
Tripp felt very comfortable in Joy's house. He had been given the spare room to sleep in, which was light and fresh, the bedding crisp and clean. He knew what Rose meant when she said that he had to 'see her house'. The spare room was the only room in the house that felt as though it had any space. Almost every surface in the house was covered with Pokédolls, which Nurse Joy apparently collected. Framed too, were paintings of Pokémon, so numerous that it was difficult to make out the colour of the wall paper. Vases of flowers covered every surface that wasn't abundant with dolls, giving the house both a sweet and clean smell.
Rose lay back on Mona's bed, and closed her eyes. She had forgotten just how comfortable a bed was. She could hear the water gushing through the pipes, from where Tripp was showering in the bathroom, and the gentle, rhythmic thrum made her eyelids heavy. She was so warm, and the pillow was so soft…
After Tripp had dressed, he made his way to Mona's bedroom. He had barely managed to say two words to Rose since they had entered the house. He knocked gently on the bedroom door and opened it. Rose was lying curled up on the bed, her long hair streaming down her back. He gulped as he appreciated just how glossy her hair was, and how her long eyelashes cast a slight shadow on her cheeks. Her mouth was small, but her lips were plump, and without thinking, Tripp reached out to stroke her face with the back of his hand. Her eyelids fluttered and, realising what he had done, he left the room before she awoke. Back in his bedroom he sank onto the bed and held his face in his hands. He couldn't have her as just a friend, it would kill him. He sighed as he realised that was all he could ever have. He grimaced as he decided that as painful as it was, it was better than nothing.
-o-
Nurse Joy had cooked a splendid three course dinner, and had opened a bottle of expensive wine. Rose and Tripp, who had been living mainly off the Trainer's Lodge food, ate with gusto. Tripp had a good time, joking with Nurse Joy's husband who in stark contrast to her was very quiet. He appeared to take a shine to Tripp however, and spent much of the evening telling him jokes that had the younger man clutching his sides from laughter. After a home-made chocolate tart, Rose and Tripp presented their hosts with the macarons. To their shock, Nurse Joy turned livid.
"How much did you two pay for these?! When I invited you here for dinner, I did not expect any payment! I wanted to treat you! Travelling is a difficult business! I did not want you to spend your hard earned money paying for ridiculously expensive French cakes!" she fumed.
Her husband however, took a macaron from the box and winked at the teenagers.
"I do believe the French refer to them as cookies, Joy dear, not cakes…thank you very much by the way kids, you needn't have."
Nurse Joy became flustered.
"Well…well of course I'm grateful! I'm overjoyed! It's only that…that I wish you hadn't gone to the trouble!"
Rose, who had been trying not to laugh during the whole spectacle, composed herself.
"Really Aunty Joy, it's nothing, we wanted to."
"It's true, and thank you for the lovely dinner," Tripp added.
"Y-you're welcome," Joy bustled out to the kitchen to begin clearing up, adamantly refusing to be helped.
-o-
"I hope you didn't take that to heart," her husband smiled, as they sat down with a cup of tea in the living room, "she loves to look after people, and finds it an insult if people think she expects something in return."
"I know, it's fine," Rose smiled at her uncle, "I found it quite funny to be honest, she's so different from my mum."
"She's something special," he laughed.
Rose and Tripp had let their Eevees out of their Pokéballs, and the trio watched as they played together on the rug.
"Oh, I do love Eevees!" Joy beamed as she came into the living room, bringing with her, to her husband's amusement, the box of macarons. She scooped both Eevees up and sat back on the sofa whilst they nuzzled her face.
"They're still babies mind, I hope you're not training them yet?" she asked disapprovingly, "they look as though they've been toughened up slightly…"
"Not as such…" Rose said uncomfortably.
"What do you mean?" Joy asked sharply, "they really are too young to battle Rose…"
"Rose came up with a strategy," Tripp interrupted, "a really quite good one."
"Oh?" Uncle Jim asked; he had been a Pokémon trainer in his younger years.
Rose explained how she engineered the battle so that Eevee came to no harm, but still gained experience.
Jim and Joy gaped at their niece, and Tripp watched with pride.
"And you thought of this…by yourself?" her uncle asked.
Rose shrugged, "It's nothing really…"
"It is," Tripp smiled, "it's brilliant."
Rose looked up at him; they had barely spoken since the money dispute outside the bakery. She started as she looked into his blue eyes. In the dim light from the lamp, they burned intensely bright. She wasn't sure what it was, but she couldn't seem to look away; her limbs turned cold and her heartbeat increased as they stared at one another.
Jim and Joy exchanged amused glances, neither of them entirely sure what to make of the situation.
Rose snapped back to reality and looked away from Tripp, flushing with heat as she realised what had just happened.
"I'm going to have a bath if that's okay?" she stammered.
"Of course, of course!" Joy waved her off, and Rose all but sprinted for the stairs.
"Would you like anything else, Tripp?" Jim asked, as he made his way to the kitchen for another cup of tea.
"No thank you!" he called. He turned to Joy, who to his surprise was smiling knowingly at him.
-o-
Rose cursed herself as she lay in the bath. She had no idea what just came over her, and she flushed once more as she realised how it must have looked.
You've only gone and given him ideas now, she fumed to herself, it's not even as though I fancy him! He's Tripp! What're you playing at Rose? Staring at him like that…
She sat up as she remembered how he had kissed her cheek after his Gym battle. She touched the spot tenderly, before shaking her head. He said he didn't really like me like that, he admitted that he only wanted a 'perfect adventure'…
Ever rational, Rose came to her conclusion as she finished her bath and began drying her long hair methodically. It was the wine at dinner, she thought, it addled both our minds and somehow had us staring at one another. He doesn't like me and I certainly don't like him.
At this last thought, her brow furrowed, and she fell back on her bed and sighed heavily. She didn't know what to think.
-o-
When Tripp was back in his bedroom, he sat on the floor with his back against the wall. He knew that Rose didn't like him in that way, and he also realised that if he kept pushing her for it, he would only drive her further away. That had been proved with both the kiss from earlier, and the staring not long ago. As he sat, he also thought of everything bad that would come of them being in a relationship.
After about fifteen minutes of deep thought, he smiled sadly to himself.
We're not meant to be.
As soon as he had this realisation, he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his chest, and he felt curiously light. He knew he had been acting oddly the past few days, and he realised now it was because he was pining for what he could not have. He could now concentrate on what mattered, their friendship, and becoming the best trainer he could be. He would always love her, but now he had to concentrate on loving her as he should. His best friend and nothing more.
-o-
Rose had been pacing Mona's bedroom for the best part of fifteen minutes. She was scared and confused; she didn't know what to think. She decided that she just needed to talk to Tripp, only then could she get her thoughts straight.
She knocked softly on his bedroom door, but there was no response. She took hold of the door handle, and gently turned it. From the light of the landing, she could see Tripp lying in bed. He was asleep. For reasons unbeknownst to her, she moved through the room towards him, and gazed down upon his sleeping form. With an uncomfortable jolt that was becoming all the more familiar to her as of late, she realised for the first time that her friend was very good looking. She noticed his straight nose, and full lips. She noticed how his longish dark hair was falling into his closed eyes and she brushed it aside with her hand. She jumped backwards in shock as Tripp rolled onto his back, but she relaxed slightly as she realised that she had not woken him. The covers had shifted, and she scolded herself inwardly for noticing the muscle definition of his chest, and how smooth the skin of his shoulders was. It took all of her self-restraint not to reach out a hand once more and stroke his skin. Horrified at herself, and at how weak she had suddenly become, Rose fled for her own room, and dived into the bed, her new realisation terrifying her.
-o-
The next morning Rose came out of the bathroom just as Tripp was about to enter it.
"Morning!" he said cheerfully; he'd had a good night's sleep for the first time in days after coming to his conclusion.
"Hello," Rose replied somewhat stiffly. She was shocked at his light tone; it had seemed like an age since he hadn't woken in a mood.
Tripp smiled to himself, wondering if she always sounded that unenthusiastic, and he'd just never noticed.
-o-
When they had finished their (cooked) breakfast, and thanked Nurse Joy and Jim profusely before they left for work, Rose and Tripp were on their way again.
"You still need to challenge the Gym!" Tripp exclaimed, staring at his friend.
Rose shrugged, "Did you forget?"
Tripp laughed in response, "I suppose I did…are you all right?"
There was something wrong with Rose this morning, though he couldn't quite figure out what it was.
"Of course…why?"
"I just thought you seemed a little…off. Obviously not," he grinned.
Rose turned away from his smile. Tripp noticed, but decided to drop it.
When they reached the Gym, Rose turned to Tripp and forced herself to look him in the eye.
"Can you wait here?"
"What?!"
"Whilst I battle. Can you please wait outside?"
"Why?!" Tripp asked, flabbergasted.
Rose hesitated.
"I don't want to be distracted," she said, hoping a double bluff would save her.
Tripp frowned, but nodded.
"If that's what you want…" he said.
-o-
He sat outside the Gym for over half an hour, wondering what on earth had come over Rose. She had been fine yesterday, until their very minor dispute over money, and although they didn't talk very much at her aunty's house, he didn't think there had been anything particularly wrong with their exchanges. It had all started when he complimented her, and they had somehow ended up staring at one another. After that…he didn't know what had changed.
He sat up straight suddenly, as he remembered the photograph. If he had noticed it, surely Rose had.
It had been in the dining room, on the dresser. She must have seen it whilst they had dinner. Perhaps the reference to her training skills from her aunty and uncle had reminded her of her father, who had left them to become a trainer…
Tripp closed his eyes as he pictured the photograph. Rose, about four years old, her curly hair as it always had been, tumbling down her back in dark brown waves. She was sat on the lap of a black haired, handsome young man; they shared the same brown eyes. Her father. Sat on Rose's lap was a Growlithe; both father and daughter were laughing as the dog Pokémon licked Rose's ear.
Snapping out of his reverie, Tripp made a decision.
If I ever have children, I'll never leave them for selfish reasons; never.
AN:
[I'm back! And here is the new chapter as promised (:]
Ooh dear, so that was unexpected! Poor Rose, just as Tripp decides they're better as friends…she's not overly pleased by her 'feelings' though, as you might have gathered.
Next chapter we find out the outcome of Rose's battle, and we also meet a (sort of) new character… I'd love to hear from you as always!
Love A. x
