Hey, readers! I'm so glad that you guys like the story so far, and I agree that this fic is a lot different from the other ORS stories on fanfiction. Hopefully I won't be losing your interest this chapter...
Thanks to LittleMusicLover, AquaStarlight, pikachibi, CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva,Spacebar, PandoraStar123, oxEmmaxo, and Guest for sending in a review!
While I still (might) have your attention, I'd like to ask that you guys check out my other story Midsummer Nightmare. Who knows? You just might like it. Some of the OC characters kinda carry over between these two fics, but don't count on them to be exactly the same.
Warning: Characters may seem OOC.
Disclaimer: Four words- I don't own Pokémon.
The first thing Gary notices is that the door was left slightly ajar. Hadn't he locked up yesterday?
A thought about the laboratory being broken into briefly crosses his mind before he casts it out altogether. It was more likely that Sakari, one of the research aides, had come here early in the morning. The two were both workaholics and preferred to research in the quiet before the others arrived.
Satisfied with that answer, Gary turns his mind back to the previous night. To his dismay, Bill was over at their house again, hanging over his older sister like a lost puppy. Bill stayed late, claiming that he couldn't possibly travel back home in that weather. True, it had been storming pretty hard, but Gary was sure that Bill would use even the excuse of a paper cut to hang around. (And okay, really it had been Daisy who insisted that the nerdy man stay).
Gary, though tired from work, could not manage to do anything else in his bed other than toss and turn. He spent a great deal of the night staring up at his ceiling.
When Gary steps into the lab, he does not see Sakari, but rather, another girl with her back to him. She is definitely not a research aide.
She is pretty from the back. She has long chestnut brown hair, graceful arms, and a rather nice behind…
Gary shakes his head to clear such unprofessional thoughts.
"May I help you?" Gary tries to keep the slight annoyance out of his voice. "Visiting hours aren't until noon."
How had the girl even gotten into the lab? He could've sworn that he locked it up tight.
The girl turns around and flashes him a cautious smile.
Her big, doe-like hazel eyes blink up at him innocently. She is just as beautiful in the front as she is in the back. But she still doesn't say anything to him. She gestures to her throat instead.
"You can't speak." Gary says rather bluntly, interpreting her gesture. "Terrific."
Then he spots one of the computers on at the terminal. The lone machine that he had used just yesterday.
Gary's cheeks flush in slight embarrassment as he realizes that the girl had probably read it. She is such a close distance to it, after all.
"Excuse me," Gary says briskly, stalking to the computer in an annoyed manner. "But the computers are off limits to visitors."
The mysterious girl backs away. Or at least, Gary thinks she did; he didn't quite see her move. But he would've collided into her if she didn't, and it was impossible for him to go right through her. Simple as that.
His index finger moves to push the power button when a slightly cold and small hand wraps around his hand, preventing him from doing so. Gary freezes in shock for a moment and he feels sparks coursing from his hand. The girl must feel it too or something, because she gives a silent gasp.
Startled, Gary pulls his hand out of her icy touch and backs away from her. Her hands are inhumanely cold.
'Sorry' her eyes seem to almost say as she protectively hovers around the computer. The way she acted, it was almost like her life depended on it or something.
Before Gary can say anything in response, footsteps sound, announcing the arrival of another person.
"Good morning," Sakari Saison cordially greets. She casts a somewhat suspicious glance at the two. "Am I interrupting something?" Her tone is polite and detached.
Gary notices the girl eagerly cocking her ears in Sakari's direction. Her face is blank, but she seems to be intently listening to Sakari.
"Not at all," Gary steps further away from the girl. "I was just telling our visitor to step away from the research terminals."
Sakari's violet eyes dart between Gary and the girl before she sighs. "Mr. Oak, please refrain from bringing your girlfriend in here when it is not visiting hours."
"G-girlfriend?!" He sputters indignantly. "She's not my-"
But, by then, the raven-haired female has turned to her own computer on the other side of the lab. Gary's voice trails off as he watches the research aide sit down and begin furiously typing.
Gary then turns to the mystery girl, not quite sure what to do with her. It was best to get her out as soon as possible though.
To his surprise, she isn't there anymore.
Weird, wasn't she just here a second ago?
Gary blinks and rubs his eyes. He must have been really tired. When he opens them again, he finds himself once more staring at the chestnut-haired girl, who now has a small smile at her lips. Clearly she finds him amusing.
He doesn't have the time for this. The other research aides would begin streaming into the lab in about forty-five minutes from now. He wants some peace and quiet while it still lasts.
"You know the door, right?" Gary nods to her. "Just walk yourself out."
With that, he stalks off to his research area. There is work to be done after all.
Gary is too immersed in his work to notice the girl's response.
Her smile has only widened. As if she could actually go anywhere….
Gary leaves work that day early. It's Friday, and Gary can't help but feel exhausted. He also didn't want to be the one responsible for locking the lab again. Clearly he hadn't done so properly if the mysterious girl could get in.
Who was she anyway? He had never caught her name or anything that he could use to identify her.
Gary pinches his nose and shuts his eyes in frustration, berating himself for neglecting to ask.
"Well look who it is," a familiar voice comments.
Gary opens his eyes, only to find the resident grass head and his bandana-wearing girlfriend before him.
"Hey, Gary!" May Maple enthusiastically waves at him, her sapphire eyes shining. "Got any food on ya?"
A common question that Gary certainly could always expect from both her and Ashy Boy.
Drew affectionately flicks her on the forehead, "April, quit asking people for food. We just ate lunch two hours ago."
"Drreeeww," May whines, "I'm starving. Do you want me to die from a lack of food?!"
The grasshead flicks his hair, "Well. It would be nice and quiet around here…"
"Drew!" she stamps her foot. "Quit being so mean!"
Then she remembers what he had called her before. "And how many times do I have to tell you?! It's May. Not June, April, March, or any of the other months!"
The two begin to banter back and forth, all the while increasing in volume.
Is it wrong that Gary feels a slight pang of loneliness at the two's argument? May had barely greeted him, and the two were already off into their own world.
Suddenly, Drew stops mid-argument.
"Your phone's buzzing," he points out to Gary.
Hmmm, so it is. In confusion, Gary fumbles about to pull out his cell.
Who could've been trying to contact him? Only friends and family had his private number. After all, Gary had too many crazy stalkers and fans throughout Kanto for him to even count.
It couldn't have been Daisy or Gramps. They knew where he was and were the ones who encouraged him for some down time, anyway. If they were to interrupt it, Gary would just end up going back home or to work, which the two certainly did not want for the young man.
"That's weird," Gary says out loud. His phone only displays a blank screen. It then flickers for a moment and the words 'Download Complete' appear on the screen.
As Gary wonders what exactly his phone just downloaded, the phone answers him by bringing up the game 'Pidgey Throw'. Obnoxiously loud pidgeys line up behind a huge slingshot that appears to be aiming at a Beedrill hive.
"What's it say?" Drew looks over his shoulder.
"I should really switch networks," Gary groans, snapping the phone shut. "It keeps doing weird crud like this."
"Hello!" May's cheery voice cuts in. "I'm May Maple. It's nice to meet you!"
"Who are you talking-" Drew asks quizzically as both boys look up to glance at the female.
It's that girl again. This time, she's smiling pleasantly as May talks to her.
"That's freaky," Drew mutters to Gary. "She wasn't there a second ago."
"Tell me about it," Gary murmurs back. He wants to tell his green-haired friend about his earlier meeting with this girl, but it seems too rude to do that right in front of the girl.
"-anyway," May is saying to the mystery girl. She point to Gary and Drew, "That's Gary Oak, and the grass head is my boyfriend, Drew."
"You're just jealous of my magnificent hair," Drew boasts, doing his signature hair flick.
May rolls her eyes and sends a look at the girl, who reciprocates.
Suddenly, May bursts out in laughter, clutching her stomach and wiping tears from her eyes. "You are so funny!"
"Wha-?" Drew takes a step back from his girlfriend as she literally begins to roll on the ground laughing. "Quit 'rofling', May! No one does that in real life!"
"Sorry," May eventually composes herself and stands back up. "But she just said the most hilarious thing about you, Drew."
"What did she say?" Drew casts a suspicious look at the girl, who only shrugs in response.
"She said-" the brunette begins to erupt into snickers, "'Drew? More like dew!'."
Drew only gives his girlfriend a look of disbelief.
"Get it?" May slaps her knee with her gloved hand. "Dew, as in the dew on grass!"
Drew folds his arms, obviously slightly offended. "I didn't know you had that bad of a sense of humor, June."
"I didn't even hear her say a single word," Gary points out.
May gives him a look, "Well, duh, you couldn't. She lost her voice. She just said that with her eyes."
"How could you get that just from looking at her eyes?" Gary asks incredulously.
"I don't know," May shrugs, "You just can. She's just good at expressing herself without saying anything."
"Um, guys," Drew calls for the two brunets' attention. "She's right here, you know."
"Right," May snaps her fingers, "And I don't even know your name!"
Drew snorts, "Your lack of manners is astounding."
May blows a raspberry at her boyfriend, "Your supply of green hair dye is astounding!"
"I told you, April. IT'S ALL-NATURAL."
"Getting off-topic here," Gary sighs in exasperation at the two.
The mystery girl gives Gary a look, tipping her head in the arguing couple's direction. Her hazel eyes roll in a slightly exasperated manner, as if to say 'Are they always like this?'
So Maple did have a point. Whoever she is, the unknown girl is good at expressing herself without using words.
"Ooh!" May suddenly claps her hands together eagerly. "I have an idea! Let's guess her name since she can't tell us!"
"She could just write it for us," Drew points out.
May sticks her tongue out at him, "That's no fun, Drew. Besides, if I guess her name correctly first, then you," she gestures to both Gary and her boyfriend, "have to treat me and her to a nice warm meal….now."
"And if Gary or I guess her name correctly first?" Drew raises an eyebrow.
"Then you still take us out for food!"
"What?!" the resident grasshead protests. "That makes no sense!"
"I'm hungry, Drew," May laughs, "get with the program."
Her boyfriend grumbles, but does not say anything more.
"Okay," May turns to the brunette beside her. She taps on her chin, looking at the girl to think of possible names.
"Taking too long, June," Drew groans.
"I'm thinking!" May snaps. Then she brightens, "Megan?"
The girl makes a face, as if to say 'What? No.'
"Mary? Patty? Vivian? Katie? Sam?" May guesses desperately.
She simply shakes her head at every name.
"Give it up," Drew scoffs. He flicks his green hair before snapping his fingers, "I've got it. Hailey? Lucy? Annie? Betty?"
Betty? Gary snorts at the last name.
"Don't laugh," Drew snaps. "I know a girl named Betty!"
She continues to shake her head.
"My turn." Gary looks critically at the girl, surveying her. "Quinn?"
Drew snickers, "I haven't met a single girl with that name."
Gary ignores him, "Caitlyn?"
The girl merely smiles at him, amused with his guesses. Clearly he's not anywhere close.
Gary's about to give up when a pidgey startled by an oncoming car suddenly flies off from the branch above him. The loose leaves from the tree begin to float down, and one lands on Gary's shoulder. The rest settle onto his hair.
He brushes it off his shoulder with slight annoyance, "Pesky leaf."
The girl nods at this, clapping her hands enthusiastically.
"You've got to be kidding me," Drew casts a side glance to Gary.
"Leaf?" Gary asks in disbelief. Some people had the strangest names…
"Then it's settled," May cheers, linking her arm through the other brunette's arm. "Gary and Drew are taking Leaf and me out to the Poké Forest Café!
"We didn't even agree to the deal," Gary feels the need to point this out. Her boyfriend nods his head at his friend's statement.
It is always awkward for Gary to go to places with his friends when they are with their girlfriend/boyfriend. He always feels like the third wheel.
"TOO BAD!" May growls, her sapphire eyes suddenly fierce. "I'M HUNGRY!"
That shut the boys right up.
"Glad we're all on the same page then," May smiles satisfactorily and happily skips off, still linked to Leaf.
"I don't believe this," Gary mutters. "They've ditched me."
He's currently sitting outside the café, across from Leaf. The brunette girl smiles charmingly at him before casting a glance at the hot chocolate and pastry in front of her.
May had gone inside with the intention of ordering more food, and her boyfriend had gone along in order to make sure she didn't cause the boys to go broke. That had been over half an hour ago, and the two have yet to make an appearance.
Gary had casually chatted with Leaf during that time, and he was pleased when she had listened to him and surprisingly wrote a few interesting and intelligent things on her napkin to continue the conversation. She ran out of room about ten minutes ago, and Gary's not quite sure how to continue the conversation without a partner capable of speaking,
His phone buzzes, and Gary pulls it out to check. It's a text message from Dawn.
Ive heard u got a keeper this time. Bring her to game night later? ;)
Gary growls after reading the text. May was trying to set him up with her. Of course. He should've known.
With a loud 'snap', Gary closes his phone. Leaf looks up at him, slightly startled.
"Aren't you going to finish your food?" he nods to the completely untouched plate in front of her.
Cautiously, Leaf reaches out to poke the chocolate croissant. May had recommended it, saying that it was the one item on the menu that everyone likes.
"It's not going to kill you," Gary smiles in slight amusement. Inwardly, he hopes that this isn't going to be a repeat of anti-germ girl.
Leaf blinks up at him through her lashes. She still heavily reminds him of an innocent deer.
Gary frustratedly runs his hands through his spiky hair, remembering his small predicament.
Now that May had told Dawn- and knowing the bluenette, she probably told the whole block- Gary had no choice but to bring the brunette girl that he just met. The girls had been complaining that Gary never brought anyone to Game Night and that he always showed up alone. They were forever attempting to set him up on blind dates, and if he turned down bringing Leaf, he'd never see the end of their matchmaking attempts. Apparently, a guy his age shouldn't still be out of a serious relationship.
Then again, he could always skip out on the weekly game nights until Misty, May, and Dawn got the message…
Leaf wrinkles her nose in confusion, before quickly picking up the pastry and taking small nibbles of it. The small nibbles swiftly turn into normal bites, then into huge bites. Before Gary knows it, Leaf finishes the croissant and grins, licking her lips.
That was the worst thing she could've done to Gary. His eyes drift down from her eyes to her lips, a cute and glossy strawberry pink.
He must've been staring for too long, because she shifts slightly, clearly a little uncomfortable. Then she suddenly reaches her hand out and rests it on top of one of Gary's.
A cool sensation comes over Gary, but this time, her hand isn't shockingly cold to him. True, there's no warmth to it, but Gary supposes that the girl just had cold hands.
Leaf flushes, and she just looks so adorable that Gary can't help but feel his heart skip in his chest. The thudding in his heart is completely new to him. None of his other dates had made him feel this way with even the simplest of actions.
Gary gives her the most charming smile he can, and Leaf returns it, the smile even reaching her hazel eyes.
Just like that, Gary makes the never-before decision after his numerous dates: He wants to see Leaf again.
"Leaf seems like a nice person," Kenny comments to Gary as they're getting the drinks from the Oak's kitchen.
Each girl had turned to their respective boyfriend (or in Dawn's case, almost-boyfriend) and asked for a drink. Groaning good-naturedly, the boys trudged along to the kitchen. Misty gave Gary a look that told him to do the same for Leaf.
"I guess," Gary shrugs, but he smiles inwardly. "I mean, I just met her today."
Kenny whistles in amazement, "Moving that fast?"
Drew laughs, "Game Night's almost like marriage to you. This is the first time that you've brought someone. You should hear May bragging that she introduced you guys to each other. It's hilarious."
"Nah," Ash says as he pours soda into the plastic cups, "Gary just wants a partner to help him win. He's not getting married to Leaf."
"Wait," the raven-haired trainer sets down the soda bottle and frantically grabs and shakes Gary by the shoulders, "You're not getting married tonight…are you?!"
Drew face palms, "Ash, this is couple's game night. He and Leaf aren't even a couple."
Ash blinks in confusion, "Then what's Gary been doing here?"
"It's not a couple's game night," Gary frowns. "Unless I've just been the seventh wheel all along."
"Okay, fine," Kenny amends, ever the peacemaker. "Couple's game night and Gary."
"But what about Leaf?" Ash's nose wrinkles, clearly not understanding.
"She's here too today," Drew says casually.
Ash's face takes on an expression that looks like his brain's been spinning around in circles.
Gary sighs and steers Ash of the kitchen before the pokémon trainer could say anything else dense or stupid. But this is Ash Ketchum after all.
One thing that all of you should know about me. I downright suck at endings. I hope I didn't lose any of your interest in this story with this chapter. So...does anyone have any guesses on who/what Leaf is? I think I dropped a few hints, and it's not meant to be so much of a mystery. Gold star to whoever guesses it!
Please give me your comment,opinions, and suggestions!