|
C hapter XII
"I'll leave you two alone," Rose said to Glasorden. She proceeded to kick some of the dirt in Roark's Gym around. Glasorden continued inside and grabbed two Ball Belts that he saw along the way. At a doorway, he heard a loud knock and a muffled "Let me out of here!" He tried the key, which fit snugly in the lock. The door opened.
It was Dirk.
"Thank goodness you're here!" he said.
"What are you doing here?" Glasorden asked Dirk.
"That scoundrel Roark kidnapped my daughter!" the man answered.
"Your daughter's here, too?" Glasorden asked.
"Gardenia...she means more to me than any treasure! Roark was far too powerful! I couldn't beat him, so he threw me in here! Hey, is that my Ball Belt?"
"Oh, this?" Glasorden said, handing one of the two Ball Belts to Dirk. "You have a very beautiful daughter."
"I agree," Dirk said. "When I read the letter that she wrote about you, I could tell that there was more than a friendship growing between the two of you! Even before what happened in the desert, I would not have hesitated to choose you for my daughter..."
"The desert?" Glasorden asked.
"What happened with Miror B!" Dirk replied. "Some years ago, he was in league with a villainous group named Cipher. However, there was internal corruption in Cipher and Miror B. felt that the Shadow Pokémon project was flawed, so he decided to start his own group. He began various attempts to genetically engineer Pokémon to make them more powerful...this last one came dangerously close to fruition...anyway, that's all said and done now! What's important is that when we battled, I realized the strength of your bond with your Pokémon, and I thought, 'That's the kind of man I want around my daughter!' Please let her out of this wretched place! She should be in the room next door!"
"What about you?" Glasorden asked.
"I need to get back home," Dirk answered. "My TV show's about to come on. Oh, sweet, sweet TV..."
With that, Dirk left the Gym. Before leaving, he said, "Please take good care of Gardenia."
"I will," Glasorden replied. He continued to another door and tried his key again. The lock gave way. He opened the door to find Gardenia turned away from him in a corner.
"Please don't hurt me anymore," she said. "I don't love you."
"You're safe now," Glasorden said. "Roark is gone."
Upon hearing those words, Gardenia's eyes lit up. She turned around and saw Glasorden.
"Oh, my sweet laurel has come back to save me!" she cried. She ran towards Glasorden and got ready to embrace him. When he closed his arms around her, he half-expected to feel nothing, but instead, he felt her soft embrace wrapping all around him. He smiled like he never smiled before.
"Roark is a pathetic excuse for a man!" Gardenia was crying again. "I trusted him!" She cried on Glasorden's shoulder. One of the Poké Balls on Glasorden's belt opened at this point.
"Budew!" Glasorden's Budew cried.
"That's...Rose's," Gardenia said. "She cares about me so much. Is she here?"
"Yes, she's in the arena," Glasorden answered. "She's waiting for us."
"I don't care that you can win Pokémon battles," Gardenia said. "What I care about is that there is a gentle, sweet man under that rough exterior. That's who I see when I look at you, my laurel."
He was resisting a strong urge to kiss Gardenia at this point, but he couldn't hold on any longer. Apparently, Gardenia could sense this.
"Kiss me," she said in a soft voice.
They kissed. It was one of the most passionate kisses of all time. When it was over, he handed Gardenia's Ball Belt to her.
"I'm so glad to see my Pokémon again!" she said.
They left the room. When they entered the arena, Rose greeted them.
"Oh, Gardenia, you're safe!" Rose said. She hugged her.
"Yes, and I've never felt happier in my life," Gardenia replied. "It's getting late. We should get back to the Gym."
All three of them walked back to Eterna City.
"You two look so cute together," Rose said on the way back.
When they got to Eterna City, Glasorden said, "I'll see you two tomorrow. I need to find a room somewhere."
"Oh, there's an extra room in the Gym, my laurel," Gardenia said. "Please stay there tonight."
"It would be my pleasure, my Skitty," Glasorden replied. Rose smiled. When they went into the Gym, Rose showed Glasorden to his room.
"Would you like anything to eat or drink?" she asked.
"No, it's too late for that," Glasorden replied. "I need to get some sleep."
When his head hit the pillow, he was fast asleep.
Glasorden woke up. The sunlight was pouring through his window. He noticed that his breakfast was carefully laid out for him. It was comprised of the finest fruits and vegetables. Since Glasorden lived in an icy city, this food seemed exotic to him. He ate it happily.
When he left his room, Rose saw him.
"Gardenia's waiting for you in the garden," she said.
Glasorden walked outside the Gym and into the garden, where Gardenia was, indeed, awaiting him.
"Good morning, my laurel," she said. "Close your eyes."
He did. He saw no reason to distrust such a sweet woman and the love of his life.
"Open your mouth," she said. He did. After a short time, he felt something small placed on his tongue.
"Close it, my laurel," she said. When he did so, a sweet taste rushed over him. He never tasted anything like it in his life.
"What is that, my Skitty?" he asked, opening his eyes.
"That is a Cherrim berry, my laurel," she replied. "What to you want to do today, sweetie?"
"Would you like to visit Eterna Forest?" Glasorden answered.
"I love Eterna Forest!" Gardenia said. "Let's go there right away!"
They went across the bridge. The fisherman who was angry at Glasorden on his last trip to the bridge eyed the pair with contempt. When they went in, Glasorden noticed a decrepit old building.
"That place used to terrify me, but I feel that when I'm with you, I can do anything, my laurel," Gardenia said. She kissed her man on the cheek. She continued by describing the various types of flora in the forest to Glasorden. It began to get late.
"We need to have dinner, my laurel," Gardenia said.
"You're right, my Skitty," Glasorden answered. "I'm very hungry."
They went to the same restaurant that Glasorden had gone to on his previous trip after being rescued by Staravia. Glasorden remembered his waiter.
"Good evening, my lovebirds," the waiter said. "What would you like to eat tonight?"
"I'd like a Cherubi salad and some Lemonade, please," Gardenia said.
"I'd like a half-pound steak and some Soda Pop," Glasorden told the waiter.
"I'll be right back with your orders," the kind waiter replied. He kissed Gardenia's hand and left. Shortly after, he brought out their orders and said "Bon appetit!" once more. Glasorden and Gardenia ate their dinners happily.
"They make some fine ice cream down here!" a young, dark-haired girl said. She noticed Glasorden and Gardenia. "Have you finally found a lover, Gardenia?" she asked.
"Well, if it isn't Candice!" Gardenia replied. "Candice, Glasorden is the sweetest, most handsome man I've ever met." She introduced Glasorden and Candice to each other. "He's also a Gym Leader, you know."
"He is?" Candice replied. "What's his type?"
"Ice," Glasorden answered.
"So is mine!" Candice said. "It's such a pleasure to meet you! I hope that we get to know each other better one day!" She went back to her table.
Eventually, dinner ended and there was a call for karaoke performances. Glasorden and Gardenia performed a karaoke rendition of the old classic "Plusle and Minun." Everyone was mesmerized by their performance. At the end, they held each other close.
"I'm definitely coming to this restaurant again!" someone said.
"It's getting late, my Skitty," Glasorden said.
"We should get back to the Gym," Gardenia said. "I had such a good time with you, my laurel."
They exchanged another kiss before going back inside the Gym. Glasorden wrote Eldritch a letter before going to bed that night. In the morning, he prepared to set off for Glacierbay City.
"I'll miss you!" Gardenia said. "Please come back soon, my laurel."
"I will, my Skitty," Glasorden replied. He went to Canalave City and left with Eldritch.
It was nightfall when Glasorden got back to his port-of-call. He went to the tavern.
"I haven't seen you this happy in ages!" Peter yelled. "Did you win the lottery?"
"I won something even better," Glasorden told Peter. "I won the heart of the most beautiful and sweet woman in the world."
"That's great to hear," Peter said. "Here's your hot chocolate."
Glasorden looked over. He saw Gardenia winking at him. He smiled.
"Hey, quit looking at me like that!" Ralph said, bringing Glasorden back to reality.
When he went to bed that night, he smiled again. He couldn't wait to get back to Eterna City.
Chapter XII-aside
Contents
Main
|
