"The last order is up!" White called to Cillian from the kitchen. She had just added the finishing whipped cream topping to a chocolate hazelnut parfait.
"Once I'm done with fixing and sending out these crème brulee, I'll help you run the food to the last table, too," Cress said while carefully scorching the sugar topping to 3 small custard desserts. Chili popped his head in to look at Cress and White working frantically on the line.
"Did we have to 86 the tiramisu or what?" Chili asked Cress.
"Chili. Everything is 86ed. We are closed. No more customers. If we keep taking customers, we'll never have time to set up for tomorrow," Cress grumbled. He shook his head and turned off the small flame to the kitchen torch.
"Right. Sorry," the red head muttered and he disappeared to go out onto the main dining floor. Cillian then ran into the kitchen looking a little disheveled.
"Sorry. I was cleaning up some stuff in the back. Have you finished the order? Ready for me to help you run it?"
"Yes, let me just double check since it was such a big table," White said quickly. She snatched the long ticket off of the metal rail that held the tiny receipts as they made the food. Cress stated that he would be right back and left balancing the 3 still bubbling crème brulee custards on a tray in one hand.
"One chocolate hazelnut parfait," White said pointing at the just finished dessert, "Lemon tart with lemon sorbetto, rose petal parfait, two of those, white chocolate macadamia nut shortbread and a coffee, a slice of carrot cake with vanilla gelato, and 5 earl grey teas to go with it. Yes! I got it all!" White said rejoicing at getting her large table's desserts correct. Cillian smiled at White's little victory and they exchanged a high five.
White had been working at the trio café for the past 2 weeks. The café became the newest hot spot in the southern Unova region once the exhibition dinner and match were announced and the formal invitations were sent out. Everyone wanted to come out to see the new girl that the brothers had waiting tables. White had been pretty nervous about the entire new ordeal at first but with each day she became more and more comfortable with the situation.
"Are you both ready now?" Cress asked White who was now balancing some of the desserts on a large black platter. He began to stack the teas on his platter when she nodded to him.
"Ready!" White said happily.
"Wait!" Cillian said setting down the tart and carrot cake. He shuffled over to White and smoothed down her black maid dress in the back. The day that White agreed to do the event, the 3 gym leaders locked themselves away in their craft room for a few hours to sew White's maid outfit and put together invitations. White was blown away by their resourcefulness; she didn't know the first thing about a sewing machine! The brothers agreed that they couldn't have her running around serving their guests in hot shorts and a pink hat. Her outfit now consisted of many layers…a white blouse, a black jumper skirt, a white apron at her waist, and a black headband with a bow attached to it. She blushed a little and raised an eyebrow.
"Your petticoat…it…it was…sticking out," he stammered nervously as his green eyes studied the ground. That was another thing she couldn't quite get used to, a big poofy petticoat underneath her dress.
"Oh. Got it. Thanks, Cill," White said quickly. Cress rolled his eyes at the exchange. As White walked out with her giant tray in hand she heard Cress say something quietly to Cillian behind her.
"When you've got something to say to a girl, Cillian, you just need to say it."
"R-right," Cillian whispered glumly. White shook her head and smiled. Once she got over how obnoxious each of boys were, she began to find them absolutely hilarious. White had really enjoyed the past couple of weeks especially because she got to know Cress, Chili, and Cillian very well.
White announced each of the desserts as she and the two butlers set them down in front of their respective guests. The woman who ordered the lemon tart spoke up once White, Cillian, and Cress bowed at the end of their presentation.
"Miss White, we are just dying to know what type of pokemon you chose when you began your journey! Perhaps you could give us a little hint? Rumor is that it might be a water type?" she said nodding to everyone at the table who looked at White expectantly. White was used to this question. Nearly all of her guests asked her this since what type of pokemon she started with would determine which butler she would fight for the gym badge. White tilted her head to the side and grinned apologetically.
"Now madameoiselle, you know that I cannot divulge that information," she traded glances with the butlers that helped her bring out the desserts, "I can tell you that it will be a very intense match, though."
The guests seemed to be satisfied enough with her response because some of them smiled and began to eat their sweets. White had improved exponentially in dealing with guests at the restaurant. At first she was clumsy and a bit nervous, but once she learned that patience is key, she became an excellent waitress. White, Cillian, and Cress each bowed one last time before dismissing themselves to the kitchen and washroom area. Chili had already begun to wash dishes like a maniac with the help of 3 pokemon that White had come to know from her weeks spent with the brothers.
"Hey guys!" White's eyes lit up when she saw the three monkey-like pokemon. Panpour stopped shooting high-powered water guns at the dishes, Pansear stopped helping Chili dry off dishes with his warm breath, and Pansage stopped putting the dry dishes away in the cabinet just to run up to White.
"PAN!" they chimed in unison and leapt into her arms. Pansage snuggled up in her arms and under her chin. Panpour found a spot on her shoulder and rubbed his furry face against White's soft cheek. Pansear found a spot on the top of White's head in between her black headbow and high ponytail. White giggled as each of the little pokemon tried to get her attention all at once by mindlessly gibberjabbering and snuggling her from all angles.
"All right, fellas! Back to work!" Chili said while he grabbed Pansear off of the top of White's head. He set him down by a stack of wet dishes and the little red monkey snorted a small flame from his nostrils in defiance and began to go back to work reluctantly. White set the other two down to and looked at Chili.
"Need any help in here?" she asked him.
"Nah, they are actually just finishing up," Chili said watching the bouncy little pokemon get back to work, "Want me to help you close out the cash register?"
"That's cool," White said. They made their way back past the kitchen and into the main hall where they collected the payment for the last two tables, and ushered the remaining guests outside of the building. They began to count money at the host counter in the front. When they finished, they put the divided tip money into four envelopes.
"Do you need to go and check up on the washroom? Make sure they're doing all right in there?"
"Nah, I'm sure they'll finished their job ok," Chili grinned, "They only act goofy and show off if a pretty girl is here! It's hard to get those guys to do anything around you, White."
"I know what you mean," White smirked, "It's a good thing that you brothers have Pansage, Panpour, and Pansear! You boys would never get any work done if it weren't for them!"
Chili's eyes widened and White giggled.
"Just kidding!" she said waving her hand. Chili chuckled.
They walked back into the dining room together and found Cillian and Cress already clearing off tables. The dining room was going to be transformed for the event tomorrow. They closed early this afternoon and were closed tomorrow just to set it all up. Instead of having a formal sit down dinner, the gym leaders decided to have a flat entry fee and have h'orderves and tiny desserts. They could make room for a dance floor with all of the dining tables and plush rugs that each of the tables sat on out of the way. While Cilian ran the last stack of dirty dishes to the back, White began to pack all of the candleholders, candles, and tablecloths into boxes. Cress and Chili folded up the tables and rolled up the large decorative rugs. White also moved the chairs closer to the walls so that people would have places to sit and relax during the event.
After putting away all of the furniture and other knickknacks in their storage shed behind the building, White, Cress, Chili, and Cillian marveled at the expansive ballroom. The floor underneath was a marbled alternating pattern of black and white marble tiles, which fit the theme of their party nicely.
"Pretty smart to make this whole thing chess themed. The ballroom goes with it perfectly," White said and gave Cress a nudge with her elbow. Cress cleared his throat and wore a proud smirk on his face.
"I usually come up with most of the ideas for the parties. These two just do my bidding," Cress gloated.
"Your bidding?" Chili fumed.
"Yes, yes, now go and get a broom. We desperately need to polish the floors."
Chili rolled his eyes and stomped away. It was clear from Chili's submissiveness that Cress was the one in charge of organizing.
"I'll get Pansage, Panpour, and Pansear to dust the high curtains," Cillian suggested to Cress.
"Good idea. Would you mind cleaning up the stage?" Cress responded.
"That's fine," Cillian said with a nod.
"How can I help clean?" White asked Cress as Cillian turned to leave. Cress smiled down at her, and reached into his pocket. He checked his xtransciever quickly for some reason and his smile broadened as he returned it to its place.
"Better late than never, I suppose. Actually, I have a very important thing for you to do, White," he took her hand and winked, "Come with me."
Cress ushered her back into the waiting area in the front of the café with the register and the entrance. White did not expect the surprise waiting for her in the lobby.
"White!" Bianca exclaimed the second she saw her friend.
"Oh my goodness! Bianca!" White released Cress' hand as Bianca dove into her arms. Even though Bianca was a few inches taller than White, she always ended up being the one to hold her taller friend in the hug.
"I thought you weren't even coming! When you told me that you and Cheren made it to Nacrene I figured there was no way you would travel all the way back!" White exclaimed.
"I actually came right back when you told me! I've been staying with Professor Juniper's friend on the south end of town," Bianca said happily.
White frowned.
"Why haven't you stopped by?" she said with obvious disappointment in her voice. Bianca gave her a sideways smile.
"This place has been so busy! You've been busy, too, from what I hear. I didn't want to distract you." Bianca looked at Cress, "Thank you for contacting me!"
"My pleasure," Cress said with a bow. White shrugged and smiled.
"You can keep a secret pretty well, Cress. I'm impressed."
"It was one of our little surprises for you in return for working so hard the past couple of weeks. Go out and have fun with your friend. Relax a little. You deserve it. Leave this place to us," Cress said kindly.
"One of your little surprises?" White said. She tilted her head to the side and Cress laughed lightly.
"I've said too much! Go change! We'll take care of things here!"
/
White met Bianca outside of the building minutes later now dressed in her usual travel attire.
"Oh yeah! I meant to tell you that you looked super cute in your costume dress thing!" Bianca said in her usual cheery tone. White twirled some of her curly hair between her fingers and wrinkled her nose.
"Maid uniform. Thanks. The three crazy butlers made it. So. Where in town would you like to go?" White asked changing the subject from her embarrassing outfit from earlier.
"Actually I'm running a little errand for Professor Fennel. Have you ever been to the dream yard?" Bianca asked her friend.
"Can't say that I have."
The blonde excitedly suggested that they check it out.
Bianca lead White to the less developed northeast end of town. The paved road turned into a gravel path and the trees came closer and closer to the trail. White began to get a little nervous about Bianca's navigational skills but then she reminded herself that there was no way that her friend could be any worse than her in that department. After hearing Bianca's story about how she, Oshawatt, and her new friend Lilipup had been getting along, White decided that it was finally time to tell Bianca about her own travels.
"So, Bianca. I know we didn't get to meet up other than that one night in Accumula. Sorry about that."
Bianca shook her head.
"It is totally fine. I've been so busy training Lilipup and Oshawatt anyway. Why did it take you so long? Cheren had already beaten the gym within the first hour of being here! Isn't that crazy!"
White remembered Cress discussing this with her on multiple occasions during her stay.
"I think that he upset the gym leader that he challenged," White said with a smile forming on her lips as she remembered the choice words that he called Cheren.
"Really?" Bianca said with a small gasp.
"Cress said that he stomped in like a tyranitar and demanded a battle! I think he called him a mannerless, uncouth oaf. Pretty hilarious!" White said and the two girls giggled. When their chatter about Cheren died, White decided to answer Bianca's question.
"So you wanted to know why it took me so long to get to Striaton?" White asked Bianca tentatively as they stopped for a minute to take a sip of water. Her blonde friend finished a sip on her travel canteen and handed it to White who began to take a generous gulp.
"Cheren figured you were probably out training in the wilderness but I told him that I thought you met a boy or something," Bianca said absentmindedly.
White spewed out the water she was drinking faster than a water gun from a wartortle. Bianca's eyes lit up.
"Cheren did the same thing when I suggested that, too! Wow!"
White wiped her mouth off and looked at her blonde friend wide-eyed like a deerling caught in headlights. For a complete ditz, Bianca was actually more aware of the situation than White gave her credit for.
"Yeah, actually. I met someone. The person who saved Snivy and I on the beach at route 1," White said folding her arms. The two girls began to walk again. Bianca squealed.
"Ah-hah! White! So so so is he cute?" Bianca bubbled.
"Ah…yeah," White said nervously. The two girls were very close friends but they had never really discussed boys together. It wasn't that White didn't want to, but more that it was a completely embarrassing thing to talk about. White hated being uncomfortable in any way.
"How old is he? What color are his eyes? Oh, is he taller than you?"
White gave her friend an apologetic smile. Bianca looked like an excited pachirisu so White figured she would humor her by sticking with the subject just this once.
"He's a year older than me, 18. Green eyes, they're very light and friendly. His hair is a light green color, too. And…he's taller than me. 6 feet? Maybe taller." White said recalling all of N's features. Specifically she recalled his smile and his laugh that she had to work so hard to see a glimpse of.
The girls arrived at the dreamyard during their discussion. The dreamyard was actually the ruins of an old research facility. Mother nature took residence in the abandoned and crumbling building and there were many plants growing along the ruins. Pokemon also skittered around here and there avoiding White and Bianca for the most part. White had just finished recalling how she came to travel with N and the details of their journey. Every once and awhile Bianca would giggle or squeal from the things that White would say.
"That's pretty much it. After the last trainer told us where the path was, it took a couple of hours to make it to Striaton, and we got there in one piece," White said downplaying their goodbye. She also left out the little tidbit about N making her cry and run away like a moron into the woods.
Bianca's eyes shined.
"Did you kiss him?" the blonde asked. White's cheeks turned an undeniable shade of red.
"No way, Bianca! He's just a friend! Just a friend!" White squeaked.
"I dunno, White…he took you out to lunch, gave you your hat back; it sounds like the beginning of romance!" Bianca said. White couldn't believe that her crazy friend was actually teasing her!
"Listen! He's just as much of my friend as Cheren is. Or you! I don't go around kissing you any old time we do things together, do I?"
Bianca laughed lightly.
"I've never seen you like this, White! You're so uptight!"
"You jerk. See if I ever discuss boys with you again," White said rolling her eyes. She brought her hands to her face to calm the furious shade of pink that had begun to spread across her cheeks.
/chapter 10 end/
To 86 something is a restaurant slang that means to take something off the menu temporarily if you run out of the item or a main ingredient in the item.
whew! If you couldn't already tell, this is going to be a long fic. If all goes according to my outline, Nimbasa happens around chapter 25 or so which means this fic may end up over 40 chapters long. Wow. It's hard for me to say and accept that haha!
As usual, thank you all so much for your kind words! I really appreciate the reviews!