Memories of Hell

While walking home, Roark was pleasantly smiling to himself. This was very unlike him and Gardenia snapped her fingers impatiently. "Yo Roarky, what's up?" Roark immediately snapped out of it. "Can't you let a man dream?" he complained. Gardenia pouted. "Aww, come on, Roarky! I know something's playing on your mind and I need to know what it was!" Roark fumed. "Stop calling me Roarky! It's plain annoying!"

Gardenia winced. "Oooh, I am sorry! I really shouldn't lose my temper; especially when we'll be battling tomorrow to check out which city we'll be assigned to!" Roark coughed hearing this. "We what-?!

"My my, Roark! Aren't you the most oblivious man in the world! We are supposed to battle tomorrow to check who is worth going to each new city for our 'ruling province'!" said Gardenia wiggling her fingers. He stared at her deathly pale. Gardenia clicked her tongue. "Geez, Roark; you have to stop spending too much time in that mine!" she scolded. Roark said nothing. Right now he just wanted to scream. Why did nobody ever tell him anything?!

"Just WHY does nobody EVER tell me ANYTHING?!" he wailed. Gardenia felt a pity for him. She remembered Roark in high school and how he used to be then. Same old shy, socially awkward kid, but possessed a high level of toughness and intelligence. He used to be a really clever kid and geology was his primarily interest. Ah those good old days!

"Aww come on, wimp! What's stopping you? Too scared or Meowth got your tongue?"

Roark winced; he was currently facing his arch enemy Kentaro. A guy who he hated and couldn't stand at all!

"Just leave me alone. Can't you see I'm busy?" he spouted while studying a conglomerate rock. "Now if this were to be put in any longer, would it ever become mica..." he contemplated aloud. Geology was one of his talents and his life's passion. He remembered the day he collected the fossil as a child and his passion for rocks and mining escalated ever since. Nothing in this world could stop him from this.

Sadly, that was to be crushed when he felt a hard kick and a stomp on his back. It hurt like a slip disc, which is torture. He turned round to see his spiteful enemy right behind. He cringed in anger. "What do you want?!" he yelled throatily.

"You. Get your sorry butt up and start battling. I don't care how bleeping sick your Cranidos is!" Kentaro spat. Roark was furious- just two days ago, Kentaro's minions had battered the life out of the poor dinosaur. "In your dreams sucker." He smirked smugly. A few girls fainted. Nobody had the guts to swear at Kentaro before, least of all his enemies.

"That's it! Take this!" he yelled as he ripped Roark's pokeballs off his belt and then smashed them to the ground, the lifted him up and kicked him twice in the stomach. Roark was really hurt, but no signs of it were on his face. "I'm giving you a last warning- battle me now! Else you'll face the consequences."
Kentaro warned him coldly. "Not happening, love." Said Roark coldly. This really hit Kentaro and made him furious. He then held Roark by his hair and began to pummel him and pulverise him so hard that the others almost wept for poor Roark who was seriously in agony, but did as much as he could to resist. Finally, his hands aching from assault; Kentaro dropped Roark down and walked off laughing with his minions off to class while Roark lay bleeding and injured. He certainly was no sight for soar eyes.

Others scampered off, but he still lay there aching like hell until a group of girls came to him and saw the poor injured soul. They gasped "Oh my! How did this happen?" Roark smiled. "Just the usual catfights." The girls weren't convinced. "We have to get you to a hospital! Now!" exclaimed their leader as they all lifted him and took him to the school hospital where he lay still injured and agonised. Over there, he met a strange woman who was really nice to him. She was tall and graceful. Her hands were nimble and smelled of perfume. She had long beautiful hair of auburn and was really pretty. Of course, that was his nurse, named Camellia after the flower and she was a beauty indeed.

Over those recuperating weeks, she had taken a strong liking to Roark and had a motherly fondness for him. One day, she just barge in and gave him some of her comfort soup, flavoured with rosemary. "Thank you so much for taking care of me..." he said weakly. Camellia laughed. "That's my job, hun! I ought to thank you for being such an angel in general- the other guys are so rough! You really shouldn't be getting back in them fights, laddie! So to cheer ya up, I've got you a surprise... meet my daughter!" Roark smiled- she was always so full of energy.

And there she was- a beautiful auburn-brunette girl who was considerably short, rather as tall as him. She had hazel brown eyes which were really alluring and the shades of green she wore just made her look even prettier- Roark was no poet, but this was what was in his mind. Even if he wasn't in love with her the minute she spoke... "Morning, patient! Great to see you! Your name?" Roark was taken aback- this really wasn't what he expected, but he still liked her anyway. "Roark. Yours?" he inquired. She beamed like and angel and said "Gardenia! Great to meet you!

And so did their great saga begin. Irritating as Gardenia was, he couldn't help but like her energy and zest for life. It was something that was so blooming appealing! For no reason whatsoever, it was just... sweet.

"Hey, Roark? Do you think we'll still be this close when we are gym leaders? You know, being best friends and all." Gardenia confessed. Roark was taken aback. "What? Best friends? Oh, for Arceus' sake Gardenia- we met in our sophomore year and didn't talk till the end of our major year!" he admitted bluntly. That really hurt Gardenia but she still gave a bitter smile. "Maybe, yeah. I never know. Anyway, let's get home! I am so excited for tomorrow's coronation!" she blurted.

"I really don't know if we can call it a coronation..." Roark mumbled to himself. "Pardon?" Gardenia loved eavesdropping, especially on his words, even if they made no sense. "Wha-? Nothing, nothing at all!" Roark interjected. He really wasn't looking forward to coming the next day and that was for sure. Especially since he had more pressing, better things to do..."