-1
"Roark," said Byron. "According to your Pokemon, you've been having a bit of trouble with Gardenia."
The fossil nerd glared at his Pokemon. Rampardos had become very interested in polishing his many horns. However, at the look from his trainer, he responded with a silent challenge to confess at least part of it.
"The little trouble? It isn't little," Roark explained.
"Well, it's high time you had a girlfriend…" Byron started, but he caught Rampardos's don't say anything look and fell silent. "Let me guess: She broke your heart." Roark said nothing. Byron took that as a yes. "Listen, Roark, I know you consider this stupid, having your father guess everything, but I can tell from your face exactly what's going on. I'm surprised it took you this long for…" another glare from Rampardos, "well, never mind that."
"Thank you," said Roark shortly. The last thing he needed was his dad making comments about his life.
"But I was called to talk some sense into you. You can't just keep quiet for the rest of your life, you know."
"I can talk," Roark protested.
"In very short sentences," said Byron. The caped gym leader was getting annoyed. "Which is better than not at all, but you might scare off challengers like this."
Roark fought the impulse to say that he didn't think so.
(Gardenia and Volkner)
"Well," said Flint, who had recently turned up to find two gym leaders in a position innocent enough for a K-rated fic, but sends the Moss/Senirasu readers into this angry uproar. "Who would have thought."
He was grinning like a maniac, clearly enjoying the ability to hang this over his best friend's head for years to come. Volker scowled at him.
"Why are you even here?" he asked. "Last I checked, this was Gardenia's gym."
This triggered a memory in the Elite member's mind. "Oh yeah…Cynthia decided I was supposed to be the messenger for a Sinnoh conference, and she said all gym leaders and Elite trainers were supposed to be there. Anyway, you weren't in Sunyshore, so I decided to look for you elsewhere." His moronic grin got wider. "And I guess I've found you."
Gardenia turned to a little turtle Pokemon. "Turtwig, Razor Leaf."
Flint ducked just in time. "All right, I'll get out of your personal lives. Just remember, a meeting for the gym leaders and Elite in Sinnoh."
As he left, probably to deliver the message to Roark, Gardenia turned back to Volkner and asked if something was wrong with the Elite member.
"Only with his head," the Naruto-look-alike replied, serious as ever.
(Snowpoint)
Candice was not looking forward to that meeting. All gym leaders were required to be there, meaning Volkner and Gardenia as well. And they were the people she was least looking forward to seeing.
"WHY does Cynthia choose NOW to call a meeting?" she growled. "We'll all have to put up with Aaron's flipping bug obsession…"
Of course, she had only said that in case the snoopy referee had been listening. She really did not want to see Volkner and Gardenia.
All right, she did.