Thirteen: Silver
Giovanni, Madison, Elaina, and Penny all piled into the car to make their way to Mesagoza airport. "I'm glad I sprung for third row seating when I bought this car." Giovanni muttered as he drove. "Are you both comfortable back there?" he looked in the rearview at Penny and Elaina. Who shot back a "Yeah." At the same time. They were watching the second episode of a stupid internet video of some people dubbing over a video game, so barely noticed as they entered the city. Giovanni pulled into the pickup zone where Silver and Kris were waiting. The two climbed into the car and Giovanni pulled away.
"Dad, I thought you were still in Unova." His expression was mild, a good change from the usual dynamic between them. Silver and Kris looked to one another and seemed to have an entire conversation with their eyes. "Still though, it's going to be nice to have you around for the holiday."
"Let's talk about you, Mr. Blackthorn City gym trainer. Congratulations!" Giovanni smiled into the rearview. "How is the Johto league? I haven't been following it for a while now." Silver gave a smirk.
"Chuck retired last year. The new Cyanwood gym leader is a girl named Leaf from over in Kanto." Silver recounted. "Claire was looking to go on sabbatical over in Sinnoh, so I went ahead and applied to be interim leader there, and Falkner's Pidgeot died." Giovanni smiled.
"I'm proud of you, Silver. You've come a long way, and you are a leagues better man than I was back then." He turned his eyes back to the road as it began to snow. "I'll have to get the details later, so we get home safe, I'm afraid." He said as he pulled his car into the other lane. Silver turned to face Elaina as best he could.
"So, Kit, is this your girl right here?" his eyes jumped over to Penny as Elaina smiled and nodded. "You two are cute as hell." He turned to Penny. "I'm Silver, from Blackthorn Gym in the Johto Region. Nice to meet you." Penny looked to Elaina before answering. "I'm Penny, from Motostoke over in Galar." Silver smiled at her.
"Well, Penny, you seem like a winner, congratulations on finding each other, you two." He gestured toward Kris. "This is Kris, former Johto league champion and resident amazing woman." Kris gave a wave and turned herself around. The four of them began laughing and joking with each other about their lives until Giovanni pulled into the driveway. As he pulled in and everyone filed out of the car, Arven came into view.
"Hey, 'Layna!" He shouted as he made his way to the family. "I found this great recipe for authentic Galarian spicy curry, and I'm itching to cook it. Have you or your family eaten?" Giovanni smiled at the man. "Oh, you must be 'Layna's dad. I'm Arven, 'Layna and I met right before the term started. I live up in the lighthouse." He pointed behind him to the lighthouse on Poco Path.
"And you're an aspiring chef? I'd love to sample your cooking. Please come in, Arven. Elaina, why not call Nemona and Trish? We'll have a potluck dinner." The lot of them filed into the chalet and took off their coats. Arven put down his bag and began rifling through his cook kit.
"I will need to borrow your stove." Arven announced as he pulled utensils and ingredients from his bag. Ms. Madison led him into the kitchen. Before returning to the living room. "Your father and I will make our pasta fagioli. What about you, Elaina and Penny?"
Penny's face lit up. "I'm making my frosted sugar cookie recipe!" She paused. "Is that fine?" she asked as Giovanni grinned. He voiced his assent and Elaina and Penny found themselves wrist deep in cookie dough. Kris had entered the kitchen to make her great grandmother's butter cream frosting for the cookies, and Silver sat on the couch.
"Are you going to make something, son?" Giovanni asked from across the chalet. Silver let out a sigh. "Yeah," he called back. I'm making everyone a house salad with that honey balsamic dressing that everyone likes. I only need a few minutes to chop and then whip up the vinaigrette, so I figured I'd be one less body gumming up the whole works." He smiled. "I am going to participate in family potluck, this is a logistics decision."
Giovanni nodded and began opening cans of beans. The kitchen was indeed crowded as everyone bustled around. Penny and Elaina ended up moving the stand mixer to the table to finish their cookie dough. Kris was right behind them with hand mixer at the ready as she started whipping the butter for her frosting. It was Arven who finished first.
"Penny, do you want to taste and tell me how bad my supposedly authentic curry is?" he laughed as he spoke, and Penny nodded. She took a spoon from Arven and took a big bite. After a few seconds of chewing, she swallowed and looked back at him. "This is the equivalent to someone outside of Mesagoza trying to make an authentic Mesagozan cheesesteak. It's really good food, Arven, but it doesn't taste like home."
Arven laughed again. "Then it will be perfect, thank you, Penny." He pulled his dish from the stove and poured it into a serving bowl. A few moments later there was a knock at the door. Arven went to answer it.
"Nemona and Trish are here, and they have roasted vegetables and pie!" Arven announced as he let the two girls into the chalet. Trish sat her pie down somewhere out of the way. "Leppa Berry and Sweet Apple pie. It's my mom's recipe." Nemona's tray of roasted vegetables was promptly placed into the warming oven as Penny and Elaina claimed the large oven for cookies. As the Pasta Fagioli came close to boiling, Silver hopped up. "Alright, All I need is a knife and some vegetables." He made his way into the kitchen and within 7 minutes, had a large house salad and a jar of Balsamic dressing.
"I propose we lead with Arven and Silver's dishes, then move on to mom and dad's dish and Nemona's veggie tray, and we round out the meal with Penny and Kris's cookies and Trish's pie." Elaina announced as she moved the stand mixer off the table. Giovanni agreed and produced plates, bowls and silverware. He and Ms. Madison quickly set the table before he announced "Alright, glasses are next to the fridge, grab yourselves some water and let's eat." The rest of the meal was quiet as everyone enjoyed the feast laid before them. After the meal was finished and the dishes done, everyone sat around the living room. "That might have been the best idea you ever had, dad." Elaina laid back onto the floor. "Penny honey, we might not both fit in the bed tonight; I'm so full." Penny chuckled and laid back on her hands. Her lips turned up into a smile and a tear started to run down her cheek.
"This was the kind of family I've always wanted." She said quietly. Giovanni smiled as she continued. "My family back in Galar is nice. They care about me a whole lot, but we'd never do anything like this. Hell, we'd barely play a family board game night in my house."
"Well, Penny, I'm glad you've enjoyed your time with us. When are you flying back to Galar?" Giovanni asked as his phone buzzed. He pulled it out and upon seeing the caller ID he looked up. "Hold that thought. It's Archer. I have to take this." He stood and stepped into he and Ms. Madison's bedroom. The rest of the gathered crowd sat, tensely waiting. After about five minutes, he returned. "Unfortunately, we have a former employee who is threatening to leak some corporate secrets. Archer has the situation under control. Now, Penny, when is your flight?"
"Friday at 8:00 in the morning."She said as the smile ran away from her face."Then I'll be in Galar for two weeks before I go back to school."Elaina put her hand on Penny's."But once we're back in Mesagoza, everyone here goes on independent study, so that'll be a whole new adventure."She smiled to Elaina. "I think I've got a pretty good lead on my greatest treasure, though."