Uhm...wow. You know that "I don't know, never thought I'd get this far." Plankton meme? That's kinda what I'm going through right now. That Snivy in a lot of ways is me pushing myself to explore other methods of story writing. Take Covelight as an example here. Covelight is an action story, with the entire story written in a first-person perspective (With a couple exceptions.) And even before writing it, I had the entire plot on paper, every chapter was planned to a T, with of course some wiggle room. Since Covelight's been my child since 2014, and I've only written a story in that way. I thought that I should broaden myself, and thus That Snivy, being a Slice of Life Story, in third person, with most of it being improvised save for a few key moments, goes against all of that.
That's where I've found something.
...HOW THE HELL DO I IMPROV THIS STUFF?!
Well, then again, you're reading this so I've already managed to come up with enough fluff and packing peanuts to make a full chapter. So just, bear with me guys. Like I said, I'm practicing a whole new story, and a whole new way of storytelling. So hopefully with enough time, and some much appreciated feedback, I'll be able to blow you away!
Anyways, let's go!
Act 1: Welcome (Rameses B)
Chapter 3: Friends
"Jeez Charlie, what'd you do to it!"
Blake shouts as West Latias High's very own 'Group of Table Four' struts down one of the school's many indoor hallways. The group consisting of three Quadrupeds, A giant armored crab-bug...thing, and their latest (Though currently unofficial) member, the Leaf-tailed vine snake all stare in utter confusion at the completely demolished vending machine laying in the middle of the hallway. The Snorlax Janitor which somehow doesn't take up the entire hallway emptying the contents of a dustpan into a large trash bag, however most of the contents of the vending machine are still strewn about the floor.
The Golisopod looks away sheepishly, "I bought cookies but dey got stuck, and I shook da snack machine too hard." he admits. "I didn't even get the cookies…" he whines.
"It's alright, big guy, we'll get you some later." Klayton offers, causing an ecstatic cheer from the behemoth.
However, our protagonist here seems to have her mind preoccupied after hearing mention of cookies, now scanning the ground as if she were a predator tracking the footprints of her prey.
What are you doing?
What's it look like I'm doing?
...Are you looking for a snack to steal while no one's looking?
No...I'm looking for SWEETS to steal while no one's looking!
Janitor's looking right at you.
At Me?
I dunno, can you really see where those slits are actually looking?
Fair point, though...say, if you were my subconscious, wouldn't you refer to you and I as 'US' instead of 'You and I?'
I...well….uhhhhh….sigh, I give up.
AHA! I KNEW IT! YOU ARE SOMEONE ELSE! SPILL! WHO ARE YOU?!
…
OH COME ON DON'T GET ALL QUIET ON M-OH! NEVERMIND, I HAVE DETECTED SUGAR! YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK FOR NOW!
Delilah spots a small clear baggie of two delectable looking Chocolate chip cookies laying just in front of the machine, they aren't from any brand, as they appear to be distributed by the school themselves, they're probably garbage cookies, but to Jade, there's no such thing. She slows down for a second, trying to hide a smile as a small flash comes from her left pauldron (the left yellow collar thing, by the way.) A slender green vine extending out from her body, quickly shooting towards the ground, before coiling around the packet and retracting back into her body, not before stuffing the packet into the purple hood of her sweater.
She glances back to see the Janitor staring her down, the color leaves her face, until the Janitor smirks, quickly flashing the inside of his vest, revealing an assortment of snacks acquired the same way. A sigh of relief escapes her lips, that was close. At least the janitor didn't pass by the opportunity either.
You have some serious balls.
If I didn't take them, someone else would've. That's just how high school students are.
I'm starting to remember why I like you.
Maybe I'll like you once you tell me who you are and how you got inside my head.
…(Sigh) Fine, I'll tell you later. Okay? If I tell you now, we're gonna cause a scene. And by we, I mean YOU. You wouldn't want your brand new friends to think you're crazy, would you?
...Fine, but I'm holding you to that!
Delilah was honestly surprised at how lax Phys-ed was. She was half expecting a drill sergeant shouting at the class to do 69 (nice) bur-...Shut the hell up and let me finish Arceus, go bother Julley or something, that's your character. (Okay, Okay I'll stop…)
Ahem, 69 bur-(NICE!)
…
BURPEES! WE ARE MOVING ON. WITHOUT YOU.
Ahem, where were we?
Instead, what she got was a dusty middle aged Floatzel who looked like he'd been at this job WAY too long. He rattled off the names of the class all seated on the bleachers from his clipboard.
"Okay, now yesterday we got a new student from Celatia. But she's got this class on the even days so we should still welcome her. Delilah Chaser?" He announces, prompting the students to all murmur amongst themselves.
"Yeah, I'm here...and here come the eyes." She mutters in response, avoiding the gaze of about 15 or so students by staring at the gymnasium ceiling.
Blake, seated just behind Jade leans forward, "This has been happening all day, huh?"
She annoyingly nods in response, "And yesterday." she notes. Though, at least she gets to know the full names of her new compatriots.
"Blake Pine?"
"Up here."
"Charlie Abrams?"
Abrams...Like the...tank?
I guess so.
"Here, coach!"
It's at this point that Delilah's realised that the list isn't in alphabetical order and while she may not have OCD (At least, she thinks she doesn't?) This random name calling agitated the Snivy, probably more than it realistically should have. Unless it's in a weird ordering system, like they A1Z26'd and averaged the letters, but who would do that? Probably a Mothim or something.
"Luna Fross?"
Luna remains silent, of course, though she forces out a cough hoping that it'll get his attention.
"Luna Fross, Going once?"
The Ice type narrows her eyes in annoyance, lightly shoving her boyfriend with a paw.
"Ack! Okay! She's right here, Coach" Blake substitutes since the Vulpix has barely functioning vocal cords.
"Thank you, Pine. Vega Von Kaiser?"
That's a cool name.
That Raboot-(No, that's not a series)-stop interrupting me.
(Whatever, Sav.)
That Raboot she met yesterday responded simply with "here." like most of the other students
"I'm gonna see you at the Slaughterball tournament later this month, right?"
"As always."
"Excellent."
Jade leaned forward upon hearing that, turning to Klay on her right, "What kinda name is Slaughterball?" she jokes, noticing Blake lean in from behind, her eyes meeting the fellow grass type.
"It's a thing they started a couple years ago, imagine Dodgeball on Rare Candies. The Raboot there, Vega. He's won two tournaments back to back, says it's all luck." Blake notes, seeming not too interested in the topic, staring out at the gymnasium.
"Isn't dodgeball intense enough?"
"Apparently the balls are special, they can only be launched with moves and they fly really really fast, they store up all of the energy from the attacks used on them and release it all at once when they hit someone who doesn't hit it back with another attack, it's SUPER intense and it's sent people to the nurse many times. You're extremely lucky if you make it out without a scratch. If you ask me, I'd just take regular dodgeball."
Blake looks back down to see stars in the Snivy's jade green eyes as she takes in a long, trembling gasp, his eyes narrow in irritation.
"...Please tell me you're not thinking of doing it."
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! THAT SOUNDS FREAKING AWESOME!" Delilah explodes, causing a few nearby heads to turn. Blake sighs, but Luna, forced to eavesdrop as she's sat next to the deerling grins in response at her enthusiasm.
Klay nudges Delilah with an elbow, "Don't mind him, he's just too much of a wimp to play." he explains.
"I heard that, Klay." Blake groans, prompting a short snicker from the water type.
"What are you gonna do about it?" Klay replies, smirking
The Deerling wears a flustered expression for a second, before pointing a hoof in Klay's direction. "You-!" he growls, prompting Klayton to snicker.
"Absolutely nothing is what I'm gonna do about it!" he jokes, prompting a 'pffft!' from the adjacent Snivy.
"What?" Blake asks as his grey eyes dart over to the other Grass type, now giggling to herself.
"I like you guys already."
…
Meanwhile, at another end of the bleachers.
"Of course, Valerie Shear...I saw you at practice earlier today, so you're all good." Mr. Wheezle announces. Now starting to give out his announcements about the coming week.
"Just a free day today, on Thursday we'll hold a battling session. Remember, registration for the battling team ends on Friday, so report to your registration teacher about it."
Blah blah blah, she heard all of this last week. Valerie can't focus as she stares at the 'new girl' with HER friends. Those same friends that know that she doesn't do new people in the group, they didn't even bother to let her know, how could they?! Had they forgotten why she's like this? Do they not care?! The Scizor narrows her eyes at the Snivy with that black and purple hoodie, It's freaking summer! Why is she wearing a hoodie in the Summer?!
(To be fair, she IS a snake, cold blooded and all that.)
Finally, Val places a claw to her head. "Remember Luna...Remember Charlie...Remember Aria." she sighs, trying desperately to calm down. "They were brought in, and they were fine...This one is no different." she mutters to herself.
She'll probably hit the mat for today's period, she needs a distraction.
"Hey Klayton!" She shouts, prompting a head turn from the Vaporeon. "Let's go a couple rounds."
The Vaporeon glances between her and the group next to him, before slowly nodding, informing the group of his departure.
Klayton makes a short sigh as he makes his way over to the mat. A deep, almost modulated sounding voice fills his mind.
Ooooh~! You're in troooouuubllllee!
Necrozma, I really, REALLY don't need your input right now.
I don't think she's very happy you dropped a new member into the GT4, Klay. I'd play your cards right here, at least keep her on your side.
I'm working on it! Quiet!
If I be quiet can I have your desk lamp?
No. Stop asking, you can't have it.
BUT IT'S SO BRIGHT AND I'M STARVING!
STEAL SOMEONE ELSE'S LAMP!
Klayton plants his feet on one end of the baby blue, square mat on the gymnasium floor as Valerie steps onto the other end.
Klayton sighs "L you bring me here cause you wanna talk with me away from the group. I just-"
et me guess, Jade?"
Valerie narrows her eyes, "Yeah! A little heads up wouldn't have hurt, Klay!" she growls as the two get into battle stances.
"Well sorry, she only just got to school yesterday and she looked like she could use some fr-whoa!" Klayton gets interrupted by Valerie shooting a pair of buzzsaws made of air at the water type. Rolling to the right to dodge the first and performing a short hop over the second. "Oh wow, I actually managed to dodge Air Slash that time." He notes.
Val's scowl turns into a small smile "Hey, nice going Klay, let's keep that up until you can dodge em' every time, kay?"
"Alright."
"Anyway…" her scowl returns. "Look, you KNOW how I feel about new people! I can't believe you'd just ignore that for this... tomboy!"
"You really like calling her that."
"Oh come on Klay it's written all over her."
"Val…this is no different from when I brought Charlie or when Blake brought in Luna."
"Klayton, Charlie's basically my son and Luna doesn't speak!"
"Fair."
"But this one, Delilah?"
"Yeah?"
"I've got two words that can describe her, and they aren't pleasant words, Klay."
"Boy and Tom, not in that order?"
"No, they're-well first of all, shut your up."
Klayton chuckles, firing a hydro pump in her direction which she simply leans away from, unintentionally soaking a poor Ariados behind them, who rather than get angry, just gets a look of pure apathy. "Aw...gee darn it…" the spider groans before carrying on.
"But no. Attention Whore. Those were the words I was thinking of."
Klayton sighs, "Val, I really thin-"
"No! Look at her! She comes into our group, immediately starts talking like 'Oh, I'm from a different country, I'm special!' whilst wearing a hoodie in the SUMMERTIME because 'I'm so Quirky!' Klayton, she's probably the type of girl to unironically say 'Snicky-Snack' and those people are the worst kind of people!"
Klayton lowers his stance, now appearing a bit more submissive. "Valerie, I just…" he sighs again "I've got a good feeling about her, y'know?"
"No."
"Valerie please, just...give her a chance okay? I'm sorry I just sorta thrust this all onto the group today and that's totally on me. But I know you two can get along if you just...opened up a bit."
Valerie glares at the Eeveelution, "You of all people KNOW why I can't do that…" she growls.
"Did I leave, Val?"
Valerie, now also lowering her stance, sighs, "No. No you didn't. I just-"
"None of us left, you might've scared off some other potential group members, but we didn't leave. Delilah isn't leaving, so... just...try, okay? I'll try inviting her over to Mom's today, you guys can try again then, yeah?"
Valerie looks to the grass type on the bleachers. She pulls a packet of cookies out of her hood, pulling one out and handing it to an incredibly delighted Charlie, before nibbling on one of her own.
"Yo, can I get a piece, Jade?" Blake urges the other grass type as she nibbles on the chocolate chip cookie she acquired not 20 minutes prior.
"No! Mine!" She playfully blurts with her mouth full.
"Why not? You gave an entire cookie to Charlie!" He argues, prompting a wide smile from the Golisopod as he clutches a half eaten cookie with his short claws.
"He broke the machine for them, this is my cookie brah!" She shoots back.
"Come oooon! Just pull a piece off the side you're not eating!"
"That's a piece I wouldn't be able to enjoy."
"You're just nibbling though!"
"I can't enjoy it if I swallow it all at once..."
"Okay then, Charlie! Oh wait he's already finished his."
"That was really yummy!"
"I'm sure it was."
Valerie turns back to the water type.
"I...I'll try, but only cause you asked me to, not because I want to."
"I guess that'll have to do." Klayton sighs
Sure you worded yourself correctly?
Seems to have worked.
We'll see.
…
"After the party
You find us at a dive bar
Back of the room, you notice just
What we are, but I don't know what just what we are
Streetlights flashing like a disco and
Your eyes tell me, "Baby, let's go"
How much does she know, and what did you say to your friends?
When we're dancing like lovers,
You spell out my shape with your hands (she's all yours)
How much do you lie when you say that we're just friends?"
Jade quietly hums along with a pleasant Future Bass song as she slings her backpack off of her back for a second. Turning the key halfway as she waits for the bluetooth speaker to connect to her phone. She takes an earbud out for a second as she hears the tone of the speaker connecting. Fully turning the key as the bike purrs to life, a complimentary "Vrrm!" exits the exhaust as she starts squeezing her head into her helmet, just barely large enough to accommodate her head.
"Jade!" she hears from behind her. Her head snaps around, spotting Blake running up beside her. She flips up the front of her helmet, since it's one of those helmets where the entire front half of the helmet can flip up. "Hey Blake!" she greets as the Deerling suddenly halts once he spots what she's currently sitting atop.
"Whoa...well first of all, is that-is that yours?" he stutters. Jade giggles
"You're damn right it's mine! Brought her with me from Celatia, purrty ain't she?" She laughs, giving the engine a single rev, prompting Blake to jump slightly as he grins.
Blake circles the bike, "I'll say, most of here don't even have our licenses yet." he notes, before suddenly shaking his head, "OH YEAH, right! I came over to talk to ya about something!" he notes, the Snivy cocking her head in response.
"That is?"
"Right, Right. So Klay's mom runs a diner not that far from here, he's there pretty much everyday afterschool, and he often drags us along with him, so he was wondering if you wanted to come hang out with us. Klay and Luna went on ahead already though."
The Snivy smiles as she thinks for a second.
Hmm...that DOES sound like fun, plus, hey, I can probably get dinner there.
Just a reminder, you still have catch-up work to do.
…...baaah! I can work on it when I get back!
That's not exactly the most responsible thing in the world.
Hey! You don't get to invade my mind and tell me how to run my life, whoever the hell you are!
...fiiine.
"Fuck it, I'm down!" Delilah responds, Blake grinning in response. "Just show me the way, I'll follow you."
"You're going to follow me...who are on foot, with your motorcycle?"
"I'm not just gonna leave it unattended at school, Someone could just wheel this away while I'm not there!"
"...alright, yeah that makes sense."
"Besides, just hop on behind me, I'll give you a lift."
"Sure that's safe?"
"Well you don't have a helmet, but I'll be gentle, not gonna floor it."
"Well alright then."
The deerling hops on behind Delilah, wrapping his front hoofs around her chest. After nodding to Blake and flicking the face of her helmet back down, the two ride off toward the diner.
"What kind of motorcycle is this?" Blake asks, attempting to break up the short drive as the two are stopped at a light.
"This is a Yanmaha YZF-R1S. It's the cheaper, less quick version of the R1. Still quick though."
"How much was it?"
"It was a gift, actually."
The light turns green as she accelerates down the road.
"Someone just GAVE you a motorcycle?"
"Yeah, I did some work over the summer at a recording studio, owner of the place was this old Sceptile, big hit back in the 70's, so he was pretty friggin comfy financially. Him and I got along really well. Taught me to play guitar, how to mix audio, whole lotta stuff. Big mentor and pupil relationship, you know? Anyway, summer was over and when I was packing up and leaving he pulled up to my house in it and just...handed me the keys! He said he felt bad I was doing all of this hard work for free and I was essentially commuting by bus, so he just...bought me a brand new 15,000 Poke' motorcycle. Ended up passing shortly after. Parents were of course, surprised to hear that ol' Steve bought their daughter a freaking motorcycle, but they figured as long as I got a helmet and a license, they'd be okay with it."
"That's quite a story."
"Heh, more where that came from...oh hey, there's the others!"
Well, Jade apparently has a sweet tooth, Valerie's still upset and Klayton's got a legendary follower as well, huh? Seems they've known each other a while too.
Well, I ended up planning the rest of act 1 while I was writing this, damn, oh well. Anyway, I showed LuanOTP (Author of That Glaceon and That Sylveon. Hi Luan!) and she gave me a lot of useful feedback, so hopefully with her advice and some more practice with this type of story and storytelling this story will get better and better, as for now though, hope you enjoy some more shenanigans of the Group of Table Four! And believe me, there's going to be a lot of them!
Well, I guess I can explain some quick things I've developed sorta behind the scenes, not spoilers, mind you, just some general things. First, I've now Canonically set this story 4 years after That Glaceon, which would put this at...2003? Wait, what? TG was in '98? Well then again, the Pokemon timeline doesn't have to line up with OUR timeline. Also, Luan might put Jade in the next chapter! I'm excited for that! As thanks I think I'll put Julley, Cass, and a 3 year old Anais in the next chapter. Oh right, getting off-topic.
I've now made it so that each act will be 7 chapters long, with a chapter in between each to sort of act as a transition. Each act will get it's own cover art as well, courtesy of yours truly!
Anyway, I've wasted enough of your guys' time, so I guess this is SavageCaliber22 over and out!
Music References
Friends by Subtact (Future bass)