A/N: I'm not even going to try to make an excuse. So, er...read, please?
Sunyshore City, reads the sign in front of her. Sweeping her long braids out of her face, Candice sighs. How did she get herself into this in the first place?
Right. Flint. She's definitely going to strangle him as soon as she got her hands on him. But first, she has a job to do.
Candice looks around and sighs once again, noticing she sticks out like a sore thumb. She's a pale, dark-haired girl with an Ice-type in a city full of tanned skin, bleached hair, and most definitely not Ice-types.
She begins to move through the streets, and up onto the overpass that's for pedestrians. She assumes Volkner's done this in his free time-he must have a lot of it. She meanders about the city, not really looking for the gym until she stumbles upon it.
"Oh. We're here."
'Glace.' (Yup.)
Candice opens the door and steps inside, not really knowing what to expect. The gym is filled with gears and moving pathways, machinery and switches. As she's pondering exactly how she's supposed to even get near him, a voice pipes up, "Volkner's not taking any challengers today. You'll have to come back tomorrow. And you have to beat me, first." It's a young girl with a Pikachu whose peppy voice doesn't match her outward appearance. She's glaring at Candice, angrily motioning for her to leave.
"I'm not here to challenge the gym," she says. Glaceon just looks down haughtily at the Pikachu.
"Oi, what's going o-"a young boy appears next to the girl, stopping mid-sentence as he (hopefully) recognizes the Gym Leader. "Meghan! What are you doing?" he shout-whispers to the girl beside him. "That's Candice, the Snowpoint Gym Leader!" He looks nearly terrified.
"Um, can I come in?"Candice says, somewhat amused at the proceedings.
"Oh! Of course, miss," the boy replies, saluting her.
"There's no need for that," she reprimands. "I'm Candice. Not "miss". No need for formalities-actually, please don't."
The girl is still glaring at her. Candice wonders if she has a problem.
"'Scuse me," she grins, following the boy into the gym. "How do I get back there to see him?"
"Oh…" the boy looks crestfallen for a moment, then brightens up. "Er, follow me." He starts maneuvering his way through the platforms, rotating them so they can continue. Several times they double back, starting on a completely new path, but the boy seems like he knows what he's doing.
"Er, yeah, so he's probably in there." The boy points at a nondescript black door behind the battlefield.
Candice smiles at the boy. "Thanks much," she tells him. She turns to the door, but is halted by the boy.
"Muh…My name is Forrest, and I um… Can I have your autograph? I'm a huge fan…"he looks down shyly.
Candice grins at him again. "What do you want me to sign?"
The boy's face lights up and he presents her with his badge case. "Right here. Where I'll put your badge when I become a trainer."
Candice's smile grows wider, if possible. "Well, I wish you good luck on your journey."
"Thanks, miss!" He dashes off with another salute.
Candice turns and steels herself. Wait, I'm just knocking on a door. No big deal.
She nervously laughs at herself, then knocks on the door. Almost immediately, a reply comes back, "Not now, Flint, I'm busy." It's the same low, husky voice she remembers.
"It's not Flint," she forces herself to say, all the while berating her lack of confidence.
The door opens, and there he is in the doorway, in all his shining, blond, tall, blue-eyed brilliance.
"Oh," Volkner says, eyeing her. "It's you. Here I was thinking Flint had gone and got himself manners. Well, you can come in." He turns away, back into the room, and Candice follows, gently shutting the door behind. She's in a rather large room with a lot of stuff because there's really not a better word for it. His Pokemon are relaxing-Luxray is curled up asleep, Electivire is lounging around by him, Jolteon (who looked up when Glaceon entered) is haughtily surveying the room, and Raichu is sticking his tail in the outlets (which there were many of). There's cabinets and tables full of what look like machine parts, and a little mini-Sunyshore model is set up. Each drawer was labeled with sizes and colors. (Who knew Volkner was so OCD?) In the corner is a well-used guitar, and throughout the room there are chairs and sofas of various sizes and types.
"Make yourself comfortable," Volkner says, motioning to a chair. "And stop it, Raichu, you're going to cause another blackout."
Raichu mutters a little disappointed 'Rai…' and decides to follow Volkner around. Candice sits down on a chair, watching the man tinker with some gears and springs (and Raichu mime his movements).
He looks up after a moment. "Why are you here?" It's not meant to be rude, and it doesn't come across that way, merely as a question.
Candice ponders her options for a second, then settles on the truth. "Flint's trying to set us up."
There's a decided lack of reaction from the blond, who simply raises an eyebrow.
"And you're going along with it?" It's also a question, not an accusation.
She blushes slightly. "Well, not really, I only came to tell you that that was what's happening if Flint decided to show up and be, well, Flint…" she trails off, noting how lame it sounds.
There's a ghost of a smirk on his face right now, and Candice feels doomed. "You could have sent me mail."
Her mouth gapes open, floundering for words, like a fish, until she promptly snaps it shut with a dignified, "Hmph."
The smirk is more pronounced now, and Candice finds herself wondering if that's the closest he ever gets to a smile.
"Why aren't you more surprised?" she asks. "I mean, that's kind of a weird thing to randomly come in and say."
"It's not the first time Flint has tried to set me up."
"Really. And here I was thinking I was special," she pouts. Volkner's blue eyes are sparkling, but his face is still neutral, with the hint of a smile.
"He first tried with Bertha."
"WHAT?" Candice nearly jumps out of her seat at that. "No offence to her, but she could be your grandma!"
Volkner chuckles at that. 'Only a half-point. It wasn't a real laugh,' she thinks.
"Not to mention she likes Ground types." He scowls. Beside him, Raichu shakes his head in disapproval. 'Rai rai.' (Ground types. Hn.)
"I think he's trying harder now," he continues, looking at her.
Candice blushes and looks down, feigning complete interest in her clogs. Did he just compliment me?Or just merely say I was more attractive than Bertha?
They sit in companionable silence for a while, as Candice wonders why he's letting her stay, and Volkner still messes with his machine things.
He's being sociable-for him, at least. He's even talking to me-more than a few sentences. I wonder what-
Candice's thoughts are interrupted by an indignant cry from Glaceon. Both she and Jolteon are nose to nose, glaring, with fur in spikes. Apparently, Jolteon had shocked her when she'd wandered by, investigating things.
"Jolteon." It's not a question, but a statement with a hidden warning. Pokemon and Leader have a glaring contest until Pokemon looks away, laying his head on his paws. Meanwhile, Glaceon finds Luxray, and decides to poke him. One golden eye opens.
'Lux?'
"Glaceon!" Candice reprimands. "Don't annoy Luxray."
'Glace…'
'Luxray lux.'
'Glace?'
'Lux.'
'EON!'
Glaceon happily bats his tail around, while shooting Jolteon glares, which are returned.
"He doesn't mind much of anything," Volkner tells Candice.
"O-okay," she replies. "Er, what are you making?"
"Hm, this?" He holds up a hunk of metal. "It's almost done. You'll see."
More silence follows, during which Candice decides to look at the model of Sunyshore. It's made out of metal, but with actual working lights and solar panels. There's miniature people and a little gym. On the side of the table, she's sure she can see discarded gyms-probably what it previously looked like, before renovations.
"Wow…" she whispers, gazing at the detail. There's even architectural accuracy in the buildings, and that half-built house by the entrance…"
"It's to scale." His voice startles her, because it's so close to her ear-he' so close she can feel the warmth he gives off. Candice tries desperately to hold herself together for the few moments he lingers there. Then he moves around the side of the table, frowning at the lighthouse. The bulb's burnt out, she supposes, as the light's not on. She watches as he deftly removes the miniscule light bulb and files it away in a cabinet, returning with another and installing it. He doesn't bother to turn off the electricity, and she thinks it's because he's received enough shocks that he no longer cares.
Needing a change of subject, she points to the guitar in the corner. "Do you play?"
He looks up at her then, responding simply with a nod.
She sighs. Back to anti-social Volkner, it seems.
He's fixing a few of the tiny wires that light the houses. Her eyes are drawn to his hands- slender, but decidedly masculine, with long fingers. Flint's comment echoes in her mind-'he's…good with his hands'. He certainly is-his fingers are precise and deft, well-practiced in their movements.
Guitar music fills the room, and Candice looks up in wonder, thinking she had missed something. It was Raichu, sending sparks of electricity down the strings. The music stopped. 'Rai?'
"E minor."
'Rai.'
She stares at the duo in awe. "Raichu can play?"
"He's learning," comes the response. "Tempo's off."
Volkner strides over to Raichu and the guitar, relieving his mouse-like companion of the instrument.
The music begins again, but this time it's more depressing, slightly eerie, but beautiful all the same. Candice closes her eyes slowly, losing herself in the mournful melody.
When the tune fades, Candice opens her eyes, slightly disappointed. She doesn't want to say anything to ruin the sound of the song in her memory. Flint has even more support now, she reasons. Now Volkner's hands are dexterous and nimble, but strong.
Luxray and Electivire, meanwhile, exchange glances.
He doesn't do that.
Nah, he doesn't even have anyone sit in here for more than a little bit.
Exactly. Do you think~?
Yeah, I think.
The two rise and round up Jolteon, Glaceon and Raichu, and under the pretext of something or other, leave the room.
"Is that…normal?" asks Candice, still preoccupied with the song.
"Yeah." Volkner returns to his previous position, tinkering with the gears.
"I…"Candice murmurs. "The song was beautiful." She sneaks a glance at him. He's looking at her, sapphire eyes meeting chocolate.
"Thank you." He murmurs another few words and Candice swears she heard "as are you" but that's probably just her mind on its fantasy trips.
He looks at her again, this time scrutinizing her. He holds out his hand. "Here. This is want I was making."
Candice reaches for it, brushing his hand along the way. The contact produces a spark, one that neither acknowledge, but both feel. She picks up the item, trying to avert her gaze from him, but it's difficult when he's looking at her so intensely. The little piece is a silver snowflake which rotates to give the illusion of falling.
"It's so delicate, so fragile-looking, but so strong," she whispers. Once again, she hears a "like you", but she dismisses it.
"It's beautiful."
This time, he actually says it.
"As are you."
Candice looks up in slight shock, snowflake forgotten on the table. Their eyes meet, and then he's around the table that separates them, pulling her closer towards him. He kisses her. The spark of electricity between their lips is strong, and it pulls her closer. She kisses him back.
She's only able to form a single coherent thought afterwards.
He's good with everything.
A/N: Hello there...It's been a while. If you're still with me, I applaud you. Cookies to you!
Thank you very much to all of my reviewers and favoriters-you guys rock ^-^
So, that's the end of this one-please review, though-tell me what you thought.
Besides "WHY DID YOU TAKE SO EFFING LONG?"
It's a whole new year... :o
Oh, and tell me if I should make an epilogue. I like it how it is, though.
Toodles!~