- N - = Nicky's part
- J - = my part
Chapter 029 - Life upside down!
- N -
When you lived with a man who grew fur and hunted small animals once a month, there were few things that could honestly surprise you.
Seeing Amethyst – shy, quiet, reserved little Amethyst – scream like a fangirling Exploud was, however, one of them.
"Oh, my... Kyaahh~!"
Serena stared at the brown-haired trainer, her mouth slightly agape and a bemused expression on her eyes as they watched Riley finish the final lines of whatever it was he was singing. The young woman was practically bouncing up and down as she trilled aloud. Several customers looked their way as they wound past tables, Amy enthralled with Riley's performance the whole time.
Amy really wasn't kidding when she said she should've drunk water instead. Still, the change wasn't entirely unwelcome – if anything, it made Serena smile to see Amy finally come clean with her admiration.
"Hey, look, Serena! Roark's here t-!"
ROARK?
She was too shocked by the idea that Roark was at the Reynardine to break Amy's fall as she tripped and scrambled to hold onto a chair's backrest to stop herself from hitting the floor. Thankfully the Raticate sitting in the chair was helping her to her feet with concerned little paws. Stephanie Brown was staring at the trainer with quite probably the same sense of confused excitement as Serena had.
"Whoaaah there!" Brown grabbed onto one of Amy's arms, Rodent holding onto the other, and tried to heave her to her feet. "You okay, Miss Amy?"
Stephanie had heard Amy from the other side of the restaurant (who hadn't?) and a contented smile had started to grow on her face as the new alien Amy did one unAmy thing after the other. The jumping, the screaming, the tripping over things… She could definitely get used to that!
Riley hadn't been exaggerating when he said Serena had made Roark less serious – she'd practically turned Amy into Stephanie herself!
"I don't know what you guys did when we weren't around," Brown managed with a cheery grin, "but damn! You two should do it more often!"
Serena, however, wasn't listening to her – her attention was fixated on the redheaded gym leader now seated next to what had been her chair. Roark was at the Reynardine. And he hated the Reynardine.
"Amethyst? Are you okay?"
But… why? Had he come to eat lunch with Riley? Did he know she'd be here? She rubbed her fingers over her lips contemplatively – until he stood up and tipped the table over.
"Eeh! Phew... Thanks goodness the wine didn't spill out, hehe."
Serena slapped a palm against her face. Why was he so clumsy? He worked in a damned mine – weren't miners careful by nature? But, wait – had she unnerved him? She felt a little guiltier than she'd been before, half-worried that Roark was sitting in the last place he'd want to eat his lunch at because of her.
Secured in the knowledge Amy wasn't about to fall backwards, the Stephanie had left the trainer with Rodent to duck under the table to pick up a fork that had rolled off it, her other hand had rescued a plate that had tried to slip into her lap.
She noticed Serena's pink sneakers move past Rodent's seat, then Roark's, and then coming to rest as she sat down next to Roark's dark brown working boots.
Making sure not to hit herself with the table, she pulled herself out from under it and straightened herself. True enough, Serena was sitting down and looking at the soup that she'd probably ordered, an unreadable expression on her face – it was equal parts satisfaction and guilt.
"We're good. What about you? Are you alright?" She looked concerned. Odd, Brown thought. She'd suspected Serena would at least yell at him for tipping the table over – why was she being so nice?
"Is... anything wrong with her? She seems... slightly altered."
"Don't worry about Amy." the Joy assured him. "We had a few drinks and… and I think we're not all there." She rubbed her temples, as if to help her concentrate.
Well, Brown thought. That explained it – Amy was drunk and higher than a Drifloon filled with helium. Serena seemed to be doing a better job of holding her alcohol, but still, the Joy did seem a little friendlier than usual…
Something was wrong with Roark, too. He was looking at Riley with what seemed like longing on his face – as if he wanted a little admiration too. It was only then she realised she hadn't talked to Roark since they'd gotten into the restaurant.
Slightly guilty, she attempted to say something: "If it's any consolation," She whispered, "I think you're buffer than Riley."
There. A compliment. She smiled contentedly.
Serena's face looked sour. "What're you implying, Blondie?" She said, a protectively territorial edge to her voice.
"I just thought…" Brown began, but then shut up. "He seemed kinda… sad." She simply admitted.
Serena looked at him, long and hard. "You're not… jealous of Riley up there, are you?"
She stretched out long surgical fingers and cradled Roark's sweaty face in one hand, turning him to face her. The Joy leaned in, and for a moment, Brown thought she was trying to kiss him, but she merely wiped at a patch of dark dirt on his face.
"You don't need a dumb karaoke session to prove anything," She insisted, still running her thumb against his cheekbone, where a persistent little smudge refused to leave. "I think you sing great." She admitted.
Her brow furrowed, and she reached for her napkin to help her banish the smudge. Once she was satisfied, she leaned back and away, her face had started turning slightly red, as if she'd only just begun to realise she'd spent the last minute too close to him for comfort.
She cleared her throat. "Right. Ah, there you go." She muttered. "You really should take care of yourself better." She added, as an afterthought.
"Raticate!" Rodent chirruped as a familiar shadow appeared at the table.
Riley wiped a velvet-gloved hand against his forehead. "That… was not something I'd ever do again," He said. "Don't you dare pull a stunt like that ever again, Stephanie Brown." Despite the firm tone of his voice, the cobalt-haired man was smiling broadly.
"I won't," Brown agreed, discreetly crossing her fingers behind her back.
"Amethyst?" He turned to the purple-eyed woman. "Was… was that you cheering at the foot of the stage?" He said it slowly, as if unsure whether or not to believe himself and what he'd seen. "Because I could've sworn you sounded almost like Stephanie."
He pulled off his gloves, resting the back of his naked hand against her forehead, "A-are you alright?" His blue eyes were filling with concern. "Come on, you'd better sit down."
Half-leading her and half-letting her lean against his chest, he walked the brunette to her seat before she could do much as protest.
He sat her down, and looked her deep into the eyes. There was a new layer of… was that eyeshadow? He raised a brow. Was she trying to look pretty for him? He smiled. Her eyes themselves seemed slightly off-focus, and that was when he noticed the wine on the table.
"You've been drinking?" He said, not entirely sounding like he was asking a question. "Oh, Amethyst…" He shook his head, the smile still on his face. "Are you going to be alright? Should I get you some water?"
Brown raised her hand. "I could get it." She suggested.
"Actually," Riley suggested, "that band's going to play the First Dance tomorrow night – and they're looking for a vocalist,"
Brown shook her head. "I can't sing, Riley," She admitted. "The last time I tried to sing in the woods, Pidgeys tried to peck my nose off." She shuddered. "Ugh…"
"Well, then, what can you do?"
"I… uh… I can play the drums?"
"Well, then, they're looking for a drummer ," Riley smiled coyly. "Just go,"
Understanding began to hit her. Riley wanted to spend a little time undisturbed to talk to Amy – smiling broadly, she decided it was time she left both couples alone to brew in their own fermenting romance.
"C'mon, Rodent," She motioned for him to climb onto her shoulders, "let's see if the band wants a drummer for tomorrow night!" And like a flash, she was off – whizzing past tables on her runningshoes and making napkins, aprons and tablecloths fly about in her wake.
"Don't run!" Serena called after her, half-heartedly, but returned her attention to Roark. "I ordered food for you just now, but I was going to bring it back to you…" She droned off, waving to a waiter and whispering in his ear to change her order and bring the meal she ordered to the table instead.
She turned back to the redhead.
"Sorry Roark. I never wanted to force you to eat here. Especially not when…" She waved vaguely, "…You know." Serena sighed.
However, she moved her wine glass out from his reach, her voice firm: "No drinking." She insisted, but whispering softly. "The last thing I need is you losing control tonight. The full moon's coming." A look of worry was written over her pert face.
She didn't – no, wouldn't – tell him about the full moon tomorrow night. Not yet. There was no point of worrying him like that in public, especially not when Riley was around.
- J -
"You okay, Miss Amy? I don't know what you guys did when we weren't around, but damn! You two should do it more often!"
"I'm okay!" Amethyst exclaimed, overwhelmed by Roark and Stephanie's concern. "I'm okay, guys!"
The teenager worrying about the chestnut-haired woman? Had the world gone upside down? Amethyst puffed and panted, her head a bit dizzy and her cheeks burning.
"You should chill out a bit, Amethyst." Roark said after the incident with the table. "Although this isn't really my place to ask..."
"Okay, okay." Was all Amethyst could say, or so seemed.
She stayed standing between Stephanie and Rodent while Roark watched Serena take seat near him. He started to plan what he could say to her... Maybe he could tell her off for putting his glasses on the statue? But he didn't want to ruin the mood, he was too relieved to see her...
"Don't worry about Amy. We had a few drinks and… and I think we're not all there."
"Eh? Oh, hahaha!" Roark couldn't help but laugh; the idea seemed inexplicably funny to him. "Is that so? Haha, I would have never imagined this... As for me, well, I've been working hard. They have probably already told you, but I had to help Riley, Amethyst and Raticate out earlier in the mines, so my work got a bit delayed, that's why I'm having lunch now..."
The ginger was trying to sound happy-go-lucky, but Serena seemed to have noticed his jealous expression. And not only Serena, but the blondie in front of him too! Was it that obvious?
"If it's any consolation, I think you're buffer than Riley."
"What're you implying, Blondie?"
Roark stiffened, somewhat embarrassed at Stephanie's statement. The girl definitely had no qualms when talking to a stranger! And Serena... Was she being, like... territorial? Truth be told, Roark barely interacted with any more women than Serena, he wasn't certain of Serena being the jealous-type.
...But why was she jealous? Did she... like him?
"Come on, girls." Roark said, a nervous laugh coming out of his mouth. "There's no need to fight over me..."
Amethyst, for once, put her purple eyes away from the scenario and rested them on the embarrassed man sitting near the Joy.
"Then, there's Roark for everyone?" Amethyst asked.
"Wha-what are you saying, Amethyst?" The miner exclaimed, flustered beyond belief. "And why are you saying that?"
The chestnut-head shrugged, as if she hadn't said anything bad.
"You said that 'there's no need to fight over you', didn't you?" Amethyst said. "Which implies you're going to let them share, which implies there's Roark for everyone!"
"I-eh, uh... no." Roark stuttered, speechless; alcohol got kind of an extravagant effect on Amethyst, definitely. "Don't say stupidities, Amethyst!"
The purple-eyed woman shrugged again and looked back at the scenario. When things were more relaxed again, Serena talked back to him, a familiar look on her face. Very familiar, the miner'd say.
"You're not… jealous of Riley up there, are you?"
"Eh-uh, of course I'm not!" Roark exclaimed, offended; it wasn't entirely a lie. Okay, Riley could do a lot of things, and Roark wished he could do as many things as him, but he was a Gym Leader and a strong trainer! There was no need to feel jealous.
Roark was cool in his own way! And he wished Serena could appreciate it...
"Listen, Serena," The ginger added, firmly; he didn't want to look like a jealous bitch in front of his woman! "I'm not jea-"
His mind blanked out and he ran out of ideas when suddenly the pink-haired woman caressed his face, her long, thin nose a few inches away from his face.
"You don't need a dumb karaoke session to prove anything, I think you sing great."
"Serena, you..." Roark muttered, nervous; he felt the uncontrollable need to pull her against him and kiss her. "You..."
But there were more people in front of them. Not to mention Serena was doing like, the least romantic thing in the world: scrapping dirt off his face.
"You... So you listen to me when I sing in the shower!" Was all Roark could think of to reply. After all, the shower was the only place he sang at.
He felt stupid. Serena might be mad at him for saying that stupidity at that moment, but there was the chance she'd understand... Well, she didn't seem angry in the end.
"Right. Ah, there you go. You really should take care of yourself better."
"Hehe, well..." Roark mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Actually," Amethyst intervened again, leaning herself over the table to look at the miner and the Joy. "Roark took care very well of us earlier at the mines, he's a very caring guy!"
The ginger flickered, surprised at the fact that Amethyst was saying something nice. He looked up at her, pleasantly, as if saying "thank you". Roark wanted to talk more to Serena, but in that moment, Riley arrived, which made Roark remain silent for a while.
Riley's arrival'd caught Amethyst by surprise, though, since she'd been talking to the couple. She stiffened, watching Riley dare Stephanie make him join the band again. However, the teen's naughty smile meant she'd repeat that as many times as she could...
"Amethyst? Was… was that you cheering at the foot of the stage? Because I could've sworn you sounded almost like Stephanie."
The purple-eyed woman flickered, realizing she'd been looking at Riley in a daze since he'd come back with them.
"Oh... Oh!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth with her small hand. "So... you heard me? Hehe, well, yeah... it was me, hehe!"
Great. Now she was unable to think anything intelligent to say. Anyway, Riley didn't seem angry, or disappointed. On the contrary, he seemed concerned about her. Amethyst stood mouth agape as he touched her forehead.
"A-are you alright? Come on, you'd better sit down."
"I-I'm okay... really..." The small woman muttered, blushing, letting him lead her to her seat. She took seat, finally feeling assured.
Amethyst could think clearly, but words didn't seem to find their way off her mouth. Not to mention she was feeling pathetically clumsy. Anyway, she wanted Riley to notice her make-up, so she kept looking at him dumbly.
"You've been drinking? Oh, Amethyst… Are you going to be alright? Should I get you some water?"
"Yeah, I've had enough wine, I think!" Amethyst exclaimed. "I'll drink water from now on!"
"I could get it."
The chestnut-head looked at Stephanie, opening her mouth to reply. But then, Riley intervened, so Amethyst couldn't help but stare at them. In a matter of seconds, the brown-eyed girl had flown off.
Roark grinned as he saw Serena tell Stephanie off for running at the restaurant. Many people might consider it annoying, but Serena's bossy side was really appealing for Roark.
"I ordered food for you just now, but I was going to bring it back to you…"
"Oh! Thank you very much, Serena!" Roark exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. "Thanks goodness you're always caring about me."
However, things turned more serious as she talked in a lower tone to him.
"Sorry Roark. I never wanted to force you to eat here. Especially not when… You know... No drinking. The last thing I need is you losing control tonight. The full moon's coming."
"S'okay." Roark whispered. "This time... I'll try to control myself more than ever, I swear... But..." He lowered the tone of his voice even more. "This is not the moment to talk about this..."
Specially when Riley was in front of them. Roark increased his tone again and rested his right arm on the table, trying to seem like he was in a happy-go-lucky mood.
"Say, Serena," Roark said, as if nothing had happened. "why did you have to put my glasses on the statue? Really, you could have forgotten them there and I'd be lost!"
He wasn't actually either mad nor disappointed, but it was the only topic he could think of to not look too suspicious. However, he noticed, Riley seemed busy enough with Amethyst.
After a few seconds watching Stephanie get lost among the crowd in the restaurant, the purple-eyed woman looked back at Riley.
"Say, say!" She exclaimed, joyfully. "Have you seen my make-up, Riley? Serena lended it to me! She's sooo awesome, hehe!"
Oh, if at least that stupid laugh stopped coming out from her throat... Wanting to say something but not being able to was frustrating, and there were many things Amethyst wanted to say to Riley, like thank him for saving her earlier... But maybe not in front of more people, and maybe not when she was a bit drunk.
"I saw you singing!" Amethyst exclaimed. "You were pretty cool! And... hehehe!"
Amethyst began to blush and giggle uncontrollably. Not even Roark, who was conversing with Serena, couldn't help but stare at her and arch an eyebrow. Amethyst tried to control herself: one thing was to be nicer, but another thing was looking stupid!
"I mean," She said, staying still. "I like this... new outfit of yours. Why did you get it? Is it for the Dance? You look gorgeous..."
The chestnut-head flickered a few times, realizing what she'd said. She hastened to finish her wine and ask a waiter to serve a glass of water. The embarrassment was too big to handle, Amethyst felt her cheeks and ears grow warm.
"I'm sorry." The tiny woman muttered; she tried her steak again, thinking desperately of a new topic to talk about. "Ah, this is finally edible!"
After munching, she looked back at Riley, her face totally red. The light purple make-up was hardly noticeable already.
"You must be starving." She said, handing him the menu. "Better make your orders already. And I'm sure you can order for Ms. Brown too, anything'll do for her."