Ambyssin
Winter can't come soon enough
This here is my Yuletide submission. A gift for none other than JX Valentine. Naturally, being the fool that I am, I didn't quite realize how dealing with prompts worked. So, the end result is essentially three stories that got rolled together into one. Here are the things I covered:
[SPOIL]Characters
- I’d hate to be predictable, but the easiest way to my heart is through the boxdevs (Bill and his colleagues). Give it your best shot. I’m delighted by other people’s portrayals.
- So are Spark, Candela, and Blanche!
- Like writing pokémon? I adore clefairy and other cutesy, pink ‘mons
Prompts
- Magical girls. Just … magical girls.
- Santa Spark. That is all.
- Bill tries to convince League officials that, no, really, the ridiculous candidate he’s hand-picked is the right person to maintain the regional storage system. Even if that candidate is a punk guy/a former trial captain/a battle girl/a literal child/insert something here.[/SPOIL]
I should stress that the entirety of this was written prior to me getting to read Electric Sheep (which you should check out b/c it's a bundle of fun). For the sake of the forums, I've divided this into three chapters. Should anyone actually choose to leave a review for this, here's some navigation:
Part One (this post!)
Part Two
Part Three
Let's get started!
The mouse icon hung over a giant red SUMIT APPLICATION button. In fact, it had been hovering there for the past ten minutes. That period of inactivity proved long enough for the automated application system on hrcentral.indigoleague.kanto.gov to put up a warning saying the session was about to expire and any unsaved progress would be lost. The mouse scrolled over and clicked the, “Keep me signed in,” option, shooing away the warning.
“Come on, Lydia. Just click the damn mouse already. You’ve been stuck on this screen forever. Bill’s gonna vouch for you, remember? You’re turning this into a bigger deal than it has to be.”
Except, deep in her heart of hearts, Lydia Castelañeros knew this was a big deal. A huge deal, actually. The enormity of such a deal struck her the second she had pulled up the official application and read the big, bold paragraph that stated if her application passed initial review, she’d be summoned to the Indigo Plateau to interview with the Elite Four and Champion.
That made her start to sweat. After all, trying to become the new Johto-Kanto PC Storage System Administrator wasn’t something they let any old techie or Pokémon trainer do.
Another few minutes of staring silently at the computer screen went by. At which point, Lydia gave a frustrated groan. She reached into her bookbag and produced a Love Ball. It opened up, and from the splash of blue light emerged her Sylveon. She stretched out her feeler-ribbons and gave a yawn.
“Usagi, I need you to press this button right here for me,” Lydia sighed, pointing to the mouse clicker.
Usagi tilted her head. “Phyia?”
“I know it sounds stupid. But momma can’t do it herself right now. So please, just press it,” Lydia said, giving Usagi the best baby doll eyes a human could muster. Usagi smiled and stretched a ribbon out toward the computer. She clicked the mouse and Lydia held her breath while the screen loaded up.
After a few seconds, a new page appeared, saying her application had been successfully submitted. She let out a sigh of relief and slumped down in her office chair. “Phew… got that taken care of,” she said. “Now, what time is it?” She looked over to a small clock on her desk and immediately doubled over in a fit of surprised coughing. “Damn it! 4:10 already?” She bolted from her chair and sprinted over toward a staircase. “Great. Nita’s gym battle started 10 minutes ago. She’s totally gonna kill me.”
“Sylphiiiie?”
Usagi ran up the stairs after her trainer. “Sorry, buddy. Looks like I lost track of time. We’ll have to play later, okay?” She fumbled for Usagi’s ball and recalled her. When she reached the top of the stairs, she started to head for the front door, when a body stepped out in front of her.
“Hey now, Lydia. Where’s the fire?”
Lydia screeched to a halt. “B-Bill, sir. H-Hi!” she stammered, standing at attention. “I, uh, finished encrypting those data logs to send to Silph about an hour ago. Listen, my little cousin’s supposed to be battling Misty right now and I promised her I’d be there. I’d love to stay and chat but I really need to get moving here!” She started jogging in place.
“Well, shoot. I was just going to ask if ya’d sent in that application to the League yet?” Bill said. “But yer jumping about like someone done dumped a Durant colony into yer jeans, so I’ll just let ya be on yer way.” He stepped aside.
“I just sent the application in,” Lydia said. “I’ll see you here tomorrow, sir. Gotta run!” She gave Bill a farewell wave as she ran out the front door of the Sea Cottage.
“Bless her heart,” Bill chuckled. “She’s the hardest-working assistant I’ve done hired, but she still can’t keep track of time to save her life. What am I gonna do with her?”
Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring, ring! Phone call! Phone call!
Bill jumped as he felt his Pokégear vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and blanched at the name in the caller ID. Flipping the phone open, he muttered a quick, “Bill here.”
“I just received an online application for the PC admin position,” a male voice exclaimed. “One of my assistants traced the IP address to your workshop by Cerulean Coast. I take it this ‘Lydia Castelañeros’ is the one you were recommending to us?”
“Yessir, Lance,” Bill said. “She’s a real whiz with the server machines and has helped me get the network through some rough patches.”
“Not exactly a good first impression to receive her application a mere 24 hours before the deadline,” Lance scoffed. “And, am I reading this right? She’s an Alolan native? Don’t you think it better to pick a candidate who has their roots in Kanto or Johto?”
“It’s okay, sir. She’s actually caring for her little cousin right now. So, I don’t reckon she’ll be heading back to Alola anytime soon,” Bill replied.
“I see. Well, I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it,” Lance said. “I’ll process her application and get her set up to come to the Indigo Plateau. I hope she’s prepared, because you’re both flying out of Cerulean tomorrow morning.”
Bill tugged at his collar. “Y-Yer kidding,” he stammered.
“What can I say? All the other admins picked their candidates a month ago,” Lance explained. “It seems their assistants must be more eager to win this job.”
“But what about just teleporting us there?” Bill asked.
“Unavailable. Pokémon illnesses… budget cuts… you know how it goes,” Lance sighed.
“Uh… right,” Bill gulped. “I think y’all will be surprised by my choice. In fact, I guarantee it.”
“I’m already surprised, Bill,” Lance scoffed. “And it’s more the type of surprise my opponents get when I tell Dragonite to use Hyper Beam, if you catch my drift.”
Bill winced at this. “Drift caught, sir,” he said, trying not to let his confidence waver. “Just keep an open mind. Lydia’s got what it takes to knock yer socks off.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Lance hung up, leaving Bill to close up his Pokégear. “Well now, looks like my pre-Christmas rush just got mighty interesting.”
Lydia sprinted through the door to the Cerulean Gym’s arena, just in time to see a giant ball of pink fairy energy fly across the pool. It struck a Starmie trying to dive into the water, resulting in a brilliant, blinding explosion. Lydia struck a railing and yelped as she tumbled over it. She landed on a bench and let out a loud groan.
At that point, Lydia’s cousin noticed her presence. “Liddy!” Nita gasped. “When did you got here? Oh, crud, you look absolutely awful.” She turned around to face the gym leader. Her opponent had recalled the Starmie. “Um, could we take a time out for a second? My cousin just showed up and she’s not looking too good.”
“There’s no need for a time out,” Leader Misty declared. “That was my last Pokémon. Congratulations, the Cascade Badge is yours.” She spun around, producing a teardrop-shaped badge from her swimsuit.
“Really? Oh, awesome!” Nita chirped. “Hey, Jeanne, you mind checking up on Liddy for me?”
She turned to one of the battlefield’s floating rafts. Atop it, her Clefairy gave a slow nod. She leaped from the raft and daintily glided in Lydia’s direction. “Fairy?” she muttered, cocking her head in confusion at the sight of Lydia rubbing her head.
“Heya, Jeanne. Don’t mind me,” Lydia chuckled. “Just fell and banged up my head, ‘s all.” Jeanne frowned. She raised her right arm and snapped her fingers. Lydia felt a soft light wash across her. The throbbing pain her head quickly subsided.
“You doing okay, cuz?” Nita asked. “What the heck happened to you?”
“Aha ha… funny story…” Lydia let out a nervous laugh.
Nita gave her an unamused look. “You lost track of time at work again, didn’t you?” Lydia nodded slowly. “Ugh, seriously?” Nita groaned. “How long have I had this gym battle booked for? You said you’d be here for it!” She recalled Jeanne and stomped off toward the door in a huff.
“Wait, Nita!” Lydia stumbled to her feet and ran after her cousin. In the process, she nearly fell off the stairs once again. She recovered, however, and jogged after her sister. “C’mon, Nita, wait up. Gimme a sec to explain everything!”
Nita ignored her and quickly turned down a street, making off for the Pokémon Center. Lydia gave an exasperated groan and lumbered along after her. She finally managed to catch up when her cousin entered the center. Nita stood by the main desk, watching Nurse Joy load her three Poké Balls into the healing machine.
“Nita, please understand. I had to fill out this application for work and it, uh, y’know, took longer than I expected it to,” Lydia explained.
“And what sort of application could possibly be so important you ditched my first gym battle to fill it out?” Nita huffed.
“It’s… a promotion,” Lydia said. “Bill wants me to take over his job running the PC.”
Nita rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Doesn’t that just mean you sit and stare at a couple of screens all day? Why would you want to do that?”
“No, it’s way more than that!” Lydia declared. “Look, I know you don’t think about it much since you’re doing the gym challenge, but my bank account’s not exactly overflowing right now. As it is, we can’t even afford tickets back to Alola for Christmas. And you know your mom’s not up for flying here.”
Nita fidgeted with the strap of her bag. “Oh, yeah. I hadn’t really thought much about Christmas,” she whispered.
Lydia gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, kiddo. We can do something together.”
“Like what?”
Lydia tapped her chin. “Oh! We could totally binge stuff on Netflix. When was the last time we did that?”
“I don’t know. When did they put up the last season of One Castelia Manor again?” Nita mused. “C’mon, there’s gotta be something better we can come up with. I know! How about we finally have that Pokémon battle. I want to see a Z-Move in action!”
Lydia instinctively brought her right hand over to clutch the white band around her wrist. “Err… maybe another time, kiddo.”
“Aww, c’mon. Don’t be such a scrooge!” Nita whined.
“Oh? Would a scrooge take you out for some frozen yogurt to celebrate a new gym badge?” Lydia teased.
Nita kicked the ground dejectedly. “I guess not.”
“Your Pokémon are fighting fit, miss,” Nurse Joy declared, pushing Nita’s Poké Balls back to her. “We thank you for your patronage and hope to see you again.”
Nita scooped up the Poké Balls and fastened them to her belt. Lydia wrapped an arm around her and guided her out of the center. “Hey, why do you think the Nurse Joys always say they hope to see us again? Do they want our Pokémon getting hurt?”
“I think they’re just trying to be courteous,” Lydia mused. “So, how did you find the battle?”
“A bit difficult at first,” Nita admitted. “But that Cosmic Power and Stored Power combination you recommended really helped out with her Starmie and Corsola.”
Lydia smiled. “Atta girl! See, aren’t you glad you evolved Jeanne after all?”
“I guess so. But I’ll miss being able to carry an adorable little Cleffa,” Nita said.
“If you’re feeling that way, I could always buy you a plushie for Christmas,” Lydia said with a laugh.
Nita playfully punched her in the shoulder. “Now that sounds like something a scrooge would do.”
“Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god…”
No sooner had the cousins finished off their frozen yogurt than Lydia got a call from Bill. She was due to fly out with him to Indigo Plateau tomorrow morning. He certainly sounded excited and Lydia knew she should be too. But then Bill told her to check her emails and hung up and that’s when the panic started up.
“Hey, Liddy, you sure you don’t want any help?”
Which led to Lydia’s current situation. She raced back and forth across her bedroom, haphazardly grabbing things off her dresser and tossing them onto a worn piece of luggage. Nita lay on the bed, alternating her attention between her cousin and the floor. Beside the bed, two Eevees and a Kantonian Vulpix chased each other back and forth. Lydia failed to notice this, and tripped over the Vulpix. She fell into her desk chair, which wheeled across the room and struck the far wall.
“I’m… fine…” Lydia groaned. “Just need to get a few more things and I should be good to go.”
“Really? Because I think you just grabbed your old bikini instead of some underwear and you definitely put a mayonnaise packet into your toiletry bag instead of your travel toothpaste,” Nita explained. Lydia got to her feet and approached her suitcase. She quickly peered in and confirmed that Nita was indeed telling the truth.
Her shoulders sagged. “Son of a–” She cut herself off. “Give me a break, Nita. I haven’t flown anywhere since Bill took me to that conference in Goldenrod City and that was two years ago.” She removed the unwanted items from her suitcase and crossed her arms. “Wait, do you think I should be dressing professionally for this? Crap! I didn’t even think of that.”
She sprinted over to her closet and started pushing aside sundresses. “I don’t even have anything formal. They’re probably expecting a pantsuit or something.”
“Don’t you usually just go to work in jeans and a t-shirt?” Nita asked.
“Well, yeah, but that’s work and Bill’s very lax about dress code,” Lydia sighed. “This is totally different. I have to interview with the Elite Four. They’ll laugh me out of the room if I show up in my usual outfit.”
Nita sat right up. Even the Eevees and Vulpix abruptly froze at Lydia’s statement. “Shut up! You’re going to meet the Elite Four? Like, all of them? At once?”
“Um… maybe?”
“Ohmygod why didn’t you say that’s what you’d be doing in the first place?” Nita huffed. “You’ve gotta get me some autographs!”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “I am not going to tank my interview so you can get some autographs.”
“Aww, c’mon, cuz! Couldn’t you at least sneak in a photograph?” Nita begged.
“No. End of story,” Lydia said. She had pulled out a Poké Ball and summoned an Espeon. “Vee, I need a little help here. Can you help me find something nice to wear for the interview?”
Vee nodded slowly. He let out a soft, “Espy,” and his eyes glowed blue. A few seconds later, some hangers flew out from her closet and deposited their contents into the suitcase. Vee shut the suitcase with her telekinesis and zipped it up tight. He then casually strode to the other side of the room and lay down by Nita’s Eevee and Vulpix. The Eevee spotted his dad and bounded over, snuggling up next to him.
“Looks like they’ve got the right idea,” Lydia said, letting out a yawn. “Okay, Nita. I’m hitting the sack. I trust you can lock the apartment up if I leave before you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, no problem. But, you’re seriously going to sleep? It’s not even sundown!”
She felt contact against the bed and looked over to see Lydia lying beside her, snoring loudly.
“Aww, for crying out loud.” Bill ran a hand through his hair. “The flight’s already started boarding. What’s keeping Lydia?”
“I’m here! I’m here!”
Bill looked over his shoulder and saw Lydia running toward him, wheeling her suitcase behind her. She reached the end of the moving walkway, only for her luggage to get caught, sending her falling to the ground. She shakily got to her feet and dusted herself off. “I’m okay,” she insisted.
“Great. Now get a move on. Some of us don’t have all day!” a particularly angry-looking businessman growled. Bill walked over and helped pull Lydia aside so other passengers could exit the moving walkway.
“You gave me quite the scare,” Bill conceded. “I was starting to think I’d be showing up to the Indigo Plateau all by myself. And then I’d never hear the end of it. Especially not from Cassius.” He raised his right hand and started pantomiming, “‘Heh, nice going there, Bill. Bet you scared her off with that stupid accent of yours.’ Honestly, the nerve of that guy. I get him the PC admin job in Kalos and what thanks do I get? A ‘World’s Best Dad’ mug for my birthday! Can you believe that?”
“Um… who are we talking about again?” Lydia muttered.
“Err, never mind. What kept you so long anyway?”
“Aha ha… funny story.” Lydia poked her index fingers together. “See, Usagi and Vee had another Eevee egg recently and I may have forgotten to put him in a Poké Ball until this morning. He hadn’t registered to my trainer ID when I got to the airport, so I maaaaaaaaay have gotten pulled aside by security.”
Bill shook his head. “Tell me there ain’t gonna be any surprises like that when we get to Indigo Plateau. As it is the Elite Four are a bit skeptical of my recommendation. So, they’ll pounce on any opening they see.”
Lydia’s face blanched. “Seriously?”
Bill tapped his chin. “Hmm… I reckon I should’ve kept that tidbit to myself, huh?”
‘Ya think?’ Lydia thought but held her tongue.
Now boarding all rows for All Kanton Airways Flight 174, with service to the Indigo Plateau, at Gate C34.
“Well, I think that’s our cue,” Bill declared. “Ladies first.” He gestured toward the gate door and they approached it in tandem. Luckily, waiting until the end to board made the process rather quick. They easily found space for their luggage and settled into their seats. “How about that. We got the side with only two seats. Pretty lucky, huh?”
Lydia wasn’t sure how much that could be attributed to luck, given who had apparently purchased the tickets. But she decided to play along. “Sure.” She let out a yawn. “Wake me when we get there.” And she was out like a light before the plane even took off.
Bill whistled. “Golly. I sure wish I could fall asleep that quickly.” He settled for pulling out his copy of Tech-World magazine and thumbing through it.
The flight proved entirely uneventful. But as the plane descended, Bill gently nudged Lydia awake. “Mmm… are we there yet?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Not quite. But I thought you might want to have a look at the place from on high,” Bill exclaimed. Lydia turned to look out the window and her jaw stiffened.
“Yeah, wow, okay. That’s, uh, that’s pretty big,” she gasped. “I mean, I’ve seen some battles there on TV before but it looks massive from the outside. It’s like a gigantic colosseum, surrounded by another colosseum. No wonder Kukui wanted to make a Pokémon League after he came here.”
“Yup, sure is something, ain’t it?” Bill chuckled. “I remember when this place was half its size and weren’t nothing but five battling rings and a Pokémon Center. Now it’s a venerable tourist trap. I try to steer clear of the place when I can. But, well, work’s work. And I somehow keep having to come out here more and more every year.”
“So, is there a hotel or something we’re staying at?” Lydia asked.
“Course not. You’ll be spending the night on sight, seeing as how the interviewing starts at 7:00 tomorrow.”
“Seriously?” Lydia groaned.
“Yeah. Well, actually, you’ll be going last,” Bill said. “But that don’t mean you should even think about sleeping in.”
“Wait… what do you mean ‘going last?’ They’re interviewing all the applicants at once? How did you know that?”
“Well, us PC admins all recommended a candidate to the Elite Four,” Bill explained. “And we all sit in for all the interviews. You’re going last on account of you were the last one to submit the application.”
Lydia winced. ‘Great. I’m already starting off on the wrong foot and the interview’s still a day away.’
The plane came in for a landing. Bill and Lydia disembarked and exited the airport. He effortlessly maneuvered through the crowded plaza, with Lydia struggling to keep up. Eventually they found themselves at the base of a massive staircase. “Hope you’re ready for a hike,” Bill chuckled.
“Hey now, I climbed Mt. Lanakila in my trainer days. This is nothing!” Lydia boasted. But, much to her chagrin, years in a sedentary job had left her rather out of shape. She was gasping for breath by the end of the climb.
“You’re looking a little pale there,” Bill observed. “I’ll see if I can get you some water.”
“I’m fine!” Lydia insisted. She smoothed out her sundress and took in several big gulps of air. Bill watched her march inside the League’s main entrance. “Hey, aren’t you coming? I have no idea where I’m going.”
Bill shrugged and followed her inside. Lydia was currently preoccupied with the extraordinarily high ceiling. Sparkling chandeliers lit up the room, showcasing a Pokémon Center, accompany mart, and several sets of doors leading in different directions. Naturally, the whole place had red carpet with a gold trim. Similarly-colored banners descended from the ceilings, with the Indigo League’s crest emblazoned boldly upon them.
“Okay, this is pretty impressive,” she marveled.
“Eh, it’ll wear off on ya with time. And trust me, you’ll be coming here plenty if you get the job,” Bill said. “Come on, I’ll take you back to your room.” He guided her toward one of the side doorways, using an ID card to activate a locked door. They quickly left the extravagant main hallway for a far more sterile hallway. Gray steel plating lined the floor, walls, and ceiling. White doors lined the hallway, all of which were locked off with similar ID card readers.
“Weird, it’s like I’m walking around Aether Paradise all of a sudden,” Lydia exclaimed. She silently followed Bill toward a set of elevators and rode them up. They got off on the fifth floor; deceptively higher-up than she actually thought the building went. In contrast to the hallway they had left, this one seemed more rustic and inviting. It had blue carpeting and the walls were lined with wallpaper depicting a pair of beautiful sunsets.
“I think you’re in the room at the end of the hallway, on the left,” Bill exclaimed. Lydia walked forward and found her room. Bill handed her a guest pass and she touched it to the ID scanner. It flashed green and the words, “Welcome, Miss Castelañeros,” popped up. She opened the door and headed inside to a room that wouldn’t look out of place in a hotel catering to top business professionals; king-sized bed, small fridge with a freezer, desk and accompany office chair, large flat-screen TV, and some ridiculous-looking alarm clock with a holographic display.
“Well, I’m afraid this is where we’ve gotta part,” Bill announced.
“Huh? You’re leaving already?”
“’Fraid so. I was told to drop you off and head on up to meet with my bosses,” Bill explained. “That’s something you’d best get used to. Them Elite Four folk love the cloak-and-dagger routine.” He glanced over toward her nightstand and spotted a phone. “You should get a call from someone with more detailed instructions.”
“That’s it? Aren’t you going to give me any last-second words of wisdom?”
Sweatdrops formed on the back of Bill’s head. “Well, when you put it like that…” He took in a deep breath.
“Don’t look Will directly in the eyes because I’m pretty sure he can read your mind. If’n you’re thinking about lightening the mood with a joke, don’t. Bruno and Koga won’t like that one bit. Karen’s gonna try to get under your skin with a few personal jabs; possibly about your looks. And if you happen to do particularly well she may call out her Absol to use its disaster sensing trick on you. So, keep a stiff upper lip. Lastly, Lance is going to come off as fearsome and no-nonsense; it’s just who he is. And don’t be surprised if he brings one of his Dragonites along because, and I quote, ‘I’m the Champion, I can bring my dragons wherever I want.’ There’s a reason the Indigo League’s been voted ‘World’s Most Intimidating Elite Four’ twelve-years running.”
He exhaled. “Did ya get all that?”
“Uh, you lost me at ‘don’t,’” Lydia admitted.
Bill rubbed his temples. “Just be yourself and you should do fine. Oh, but make sure you bring a strong Pokémon or two. You’d be surprised how many of these interviews turn into an impromptu battle.”
Lydia’s face blanched. “W-Wait, I’m not gonna have to battle one of them, am I?”
“’Course not!” Bill said with a laugh. “What kind of monsters do you think they are?” He patted her on the back. “Alright, now you take care and try to relax. They’ll bring meals directly to your room and it’s on the house, so order whatever you want.” He turned and left the room, giving her a wave.
Bill returned to the elevators and proceeded up to the seventh floor. He stepped out into the hallways, taking his suitcase with him.
“Yo! Ya finally made it, old-timer. I was beginning to think you’d be a no-show.”
“Howdy, Cassius.” Bill gave him a curt nod. “Nice to see you again. And what would make you think I’d be missing the interviews for my successor?”
“How about that fact that you ain’t said a word about it since we all got the announcement,” Cassius scoffed.
“Weren’t much to say, frankly,” Bill said with a shrug. “Bridgette needs someone else to keep up the Pokémon Bank’s servers. She’s trying to expand to Orre and Almia and she’s stretched herself a bit too thin in the process.”
“That’s not what I meant, man,” Cassius chuckled. “I’m talking about your candidate. Who’d ya pick, huh? We’re all totally curious.”
“Oh, well, she’s my assistant. Nothin’ simpler than that,” Bill declared.
“You sure about that? Because your accent’s slipping out, so you must be pretty nervous.”
“Or maybe my accent’s out cause I’m on my home turf… relatively speaking,” Bill insisted. “I thought I told ya to stop bringing it up.”
“Ahh, I’m just ribbing ya, bud. Keep your shirt on,” Cassius said with a laugh. “You’ve gotta lighten up a bit. I thought you came around to this place regularly?”
“Course I do. But tomorrow’s an important day. I’ll relax a bit when things are over and the Elite Four’s made their decision,” Bill explained.
“I don’t quite think that’s the issue here. I’ll bet he’s just nervous about how this assistant of his is going to do.”
“That so, Lanette?” Cassius asked as Hoenn’s PC admin made her way down the hall. A Swablu perched happily atop her shoulder, preening its puffy wings.
Lanette nodded. “Yes. How I arrived at that conclusion is a simple deductive process, really. First off, his accent’s showing, as you stated. Next, he hasn’t told us anything about the person he recommended. The fact that he only just arrived today suggests that his assistant didn’t even send their application in until very recently.”
Bill’s face blanched. “Err, things have just been a bit busy for us lately,” he said, tugging at his collar.
“Or, another possible explanation is that you don’t think she has a solid chance of nailing the job. Despite the fact that your recommendation should put your assistant a cut above everyone else,” Lanette theorized. She nudged up her glasses. “Perhaps his candidate isn’t actually from Kanto or Johto, for example.”
Bill did his best to betray absolutely no hint that Lanette’s guess was on the mark. “I think y’all are just making a mountain out of a Drillbur hill. I’m just a bit tired from the early-morning flight, that’s all.”
“C’mon, you two. Leave the poor guy alone. It’s not nice to tease your elders, after all!”
Bill rubbed his temples. “Good to see you again too, Bebe. How’s the weather in Sinnoh?”
“Cold. It’s always cold. And that’s why I like it!” Bebe proclaimed. The Eevee riding her shoulder leaped off and bounded over to Bill, wagging her tail excitedly. “Aww, I think she remembers you. How adorable!”
“Vee! Eevvuiii!”
“I will never understand why Eevees get so cutesy around you,” Cassius chuckled. “You got some sort of secret Eevee pheromone that you use or something?”
“Am I detecting a hint of jealousy?” Bill teased, kneeling down to pet the Eevee. She purred loudly and brushed her trunk up against his leg.
“Pfbt, as if,” Cassius scoffed. “Gimme a Koffing or a Skrelp over those little fuzz buckets any day of the week.”
“Your taste in Pokémon leaves something to be desired,” Bebe scolded. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to live in a region with wild Eevees? I can’t count the number of trainers I’ve met who would kill for an opportunity to get one so easily.” She shook her head. “You Kalosians can be so ungrateful for what you have.”
“Slow down there, Bebe. Your motor mouth’s as bad as ever,” Cassius teased. “It’s called breathing and you’re supposed to do it every so often.”
“By my estimations, I think her speaking rate has actually climbed by about four and half words per minute, give or take,” Lanette mused.
“Okay, very funny, you two,” Bebe deadpanned. She kneeled down and reached out to her Eevee. “Come on, buddy. You stay around Bill too long you’re going to end up a spoiled little furball. Let’s go and get you some fresh air, okay?”
“Eevee!” Eevee leaped up into Bebe’s arms and she made for the elevator.
“Well, it’s been mighty fun catching up,” Bill said as he got to his feet, “But I’d really like to get settled in my room, if y’all don’t mind.”
“One sec,” Cassius said, sticking an arm out to block his path. “Can’t you at least tell us a little bit about this assistant of yours? Or is Lanette telling the truth here?”
Bill rolled his eyes. “She’s from Alola. I met her a few years back, when she brought this nice young lass and her sick mother to the Sea Cottage. Turned out they were a couple of VIP’s, so to speak. It was a rather strange case, but Lydia stuck around to help me out. I was impressed by her attention to detail, so I decided to hire her.”
“Aww, well ain’t that sweet of ya,” Cassius chuckled. “I’m sure that warm, fuzzy story’s gonna go down great with the Elite Four.”
“Lydia can stand on her own merits, thank you very much,” Bill exclaimed. “Why, I bet right this second she’s working on something to prepare for the interview…”
(cont. in next post)
[SPOIL]Characters
- I’d hate to be predictable, but the easiest way to my heart is through the boxdevs (Bill and his colleagues). Give it your best shot. I’m delighted by other people’s portrayals.
- So are Spark, Candela, and Blanche!
- Like writing pokémon? I adore clefairy and other cutesy, pink ‘mons
Prompts
- Magical girls. Just … magical girls.
- Santa Spark. That is all.
- Bill tries to convince League officials that, no, really, the ridiculous candidate he’s hand-picked is the right person to maintain the regional storage system. Even if that candidate is a punk guy/a former trial captain/a battle girl/a literal child/insert something here.[/SPOIL]
I should stress that the entirety of this was written prior to me getting to read Electric Sheep (which you should check out b/c it's a bundle of fun). For the sake of the forums, I've divided this into three chapters. Should anyone actually choose to leave a review for this, here's some navigation:
Part One (this post!)
Part Two
Part Three
Let's get started!
XxX
Top Billing
Part One: Input
Top Billing
Part One: Input
The mouse icon hung over a giant red SUMIT APPLICATION button. In fact, it had been hovering there for the past ten minutes. That period of inactivity proved long enough for the automated application system on hrcentral.indigoleague.kanto.gov to put up a warning saying the session was about to expire and any unsaved progress would be lost. The mouse scrolled over and clicked the, “Keep me signed in,” option, shooing away the warning.
“Come on, Lydia. Just click the damn mouse already. You’ve been stuck on this screen forever. Bill’s gonna vouch for you, remember? You’re turning this into a bigger deal than it has to be.”
Except, deep in her heart of hearts, Lydia Castelañeros knew this was a big deal. A huge deal, actually. The enormity of such a deal struck her the second she had pulled up the official application and read the big, bold paragraph that stated if her application passed initial review, she’d be summoned to the Indigo Plateau to interview with the Elite Four and Champion.
That made her start to sweat. After all, trying to become the new Johto-Kanto PC Storage System Administrator wasn’t something they let any old techie or Pokémon trainer do.
Another few minutes of staring silently at the computer screen went by. At which point, Lydia gave a frustrated groan. She reached into her bookbag and produced a Love Ball. It opened up, and from the splash of blue light emerged her Sylveon. She stretched out her feeler-ribbons and gave a yawn.
“Usagi, I need you to press this button right here for me,” Lydia sighed, pointing to the mouse clicker.
Usagi tilted her head. “Phyia?”
“I know it sounds stupid. But momma can’t do it herself right now. So please, just press it,” Lydia said, giving Usagi the best baby doll eyes a human could muster. Usagi smiled and stretched a ribbon out toward the computer. She clicked the mouse and Lydia held her breath while the screen loaded up.
After a few seconds, a new page appeared, saying her application had been successfully submitted. She let out a sigh of relief and slumped down in her office chair. “Phew… got that taken care of,” she said. “Now, what time is it?” She looked over to a small clock on her desk and immediately doubled over in a fit of surprised coughing. “Damn it! 4:10 already?” She bolted from her chair and sprinted over toward a staircase. “Great. Nita’s gym battle started 10 minutes ago. She’s totally gonna kill me.”
“Sylphiiiie?”
Usagi ran up the stairs after her trainer. “Sorry, buddy. Looks like I lost track of time. We’ll have to play later, okay?” She fumbled for Usagi’s ball and recalled her. When she reached the top of the stairs, she started to head for the front door, when a body stepped out in front of her.
“Hey now, Lydia. Where’s the fire?”
Lydia screeched to a halt. “B-Bill, sir. H-Hi!” she stammered, standing at attention. “I, uh, finished encrypting those data logs to send to Silph about an hour ago. Listen, my little cousin’s supposed to be battling Misty right now and I promised her I’d be there. I’d love to stay and chat but I really need to get moving here!” She started jogging in place.
“Well, shoot. I was just going to ask if ya’d sent in that application to the League yet?” Bill said. “But yer jumping about like someone done dumped a Durant colony into yer jeans, so I’ll just let ya be on yer way.” He stepped aside.
“I just sent the application in,” Lydia said. “I’ll see you here tomorrow, sir. Gotta run!” She gave Bill a farewell wave as she ran out the front door of the Sea Cottage.
“Bless her heart,” Bill chuckled. “She’s the hardest-working assistant I’ve done hired, but she still can’t keep track of time to save her life. What am I gonna do with her?”
Ring, ring, ring! Ring, ring, ring! Phone call! Phone call!
Bill jumped as he felt his Pokégear vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and blanched at the name in the caller ID. Flipping the phone open, he muttered a quick, “Bill here.”
“I just received an online application for the PC admin position,” a male voice exclaimed. “One of my assistants traced the IP address to your workshop by Cerulean Coast. I take it this ‘Lydia Castelañeros’ is the one you were recommending to us?”
“Yessir, Lance,” Bill said. “She’s a real whiz with the server machines and has helped me get the network through some rough patches.”
“Not exactly a good first impression to receive her application a mere 24 hours before the deadline,” Lance scoffed. “And, am I reading this right? She’s an Alolan native? Don’t you think it better to pick a candidate who has their roots in Kanto or Johto?”
“It’s okay, sir. She’s actually caring for her little cousin right now. So, I don’t reckon she’ll be heading back to Alola anytime soon,” Bill replied.
“I see. Well, I suppose I’ll have to take your word for it,” Lance said. “I’ll process her application and get her set up to come to the Indigo Plateau. I hope she’s prepared, because you’re both flying out of Cerulean tomorrow morning.”
Bill tugged at his collar. “Y-Yer kidding,” he stammered.
“What can I say? All the other admins picked their candidates a month ago,” Lance explained. “It seems their assistants must be more eager to win this job.”
“But what about just teleporting us there?” Bill asked.
“Unavailable. Pokémon illnesses… budget cuts… you know how it goes,” Lance sighed.
“Uh… right,” Bill gulped. “I think y’all will be surprised by my choice. In fact, I guarantee it.”
“I’m already surprised, Bill,” Lance scoffed. “And it’s more the type of surprise my opponents get when I tell Dragonite to use Hyper Beam, if you catch my drift.”
Bill winced at this. “Drift caught, sir,” he said, trying not to let his confidence waver. “Just keep an open mind. Lydia’s got what it takes to knock yer socks off.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Lance hung up, leaving Bill to close up his Pokégear. “Well now, looks like my pre-Christmas rush just got mighty interesting.”
XxX
Lydia sprinted through the door to the Cerulean Gym’s arena, just in time to see a giant ball of pink fairy energy fly across the pool. It struck a Starmie trying to dive into the water, resulting in a brilliant, blinding explosion. Lydia struck a railing and yelped as she tumbled over it. She landed on a bench and let out a loud groan.
At that point, Lydia’s cousin noticed her presence. “Liddy!” Nita gasped. “When did you got here? Oh, crud, you look absolutely awful.” She turned around to face the gym leader. Her opponent had recalled the Starmie. “Um, could we take a time out for a second? My cousin just showed up and she’s not looking too good.”
“There’s no need for a time out,” Leader Misty declared. “That was my last Pokémon. Congratulations, the Cascade Badge is yours.” She spun around, producing a teardrop-shaped badge from her swimsuit.
“Really? Oh, awesome!” Nita chirped. “Hey, Jeanne, you mind checking up on Liddy for me?”
She turned to one of the battlefield’s floating rafts. Atop it, her Clefairy gave a slow nod. She leaped from the raft and daintily glided in Lydia’s direction. “Fairy?” she muttered, cocking her head in confusion at the sight of Lydia rubbing her head.
“Heya, Jeanne. Don’t mind me,” Lydia chuckled. “Just fell and banged up my head, ‘s all.” Jeanne frowned. She raised her right arm and snapped her fingers. Lydia felt a soft light wash across her. The throbbing pain her head quickly subsided.
“You doing okay, cuz?” Nita asked. “What the heck happened to you?”
“Aha ha… funny story…” Lydia let out a nervous laugh.
Nita gave her an unamused look. “You lost track of time at work again, didn’t you?” Lydia nodded slowly. “Ugh, seriously?” Nita groaned. “How long have I had this gym battle booked for? You said you’d be here for it!” She recalled Jeanne and stomped off toward the door in a huff.
“Wait, Nita!” Lydia stumbled to her feet and ran after her cousin. In the process, she nearly fell off the stairs once again. She recovered, however, and jogged after her sister. “C’mon, Nita, wait up. Gimme a sec to explain everything!”
Nita ignored her and quickly turned down a street, making off for the Pokémon Center. Lydia gave an exasperated groan and lumbered along after her. She finally managed to catch up when her cousin entered the center. Nita stood by the main desk, watching Nurse Joy load her three Poké Balls into the healing machine.
“Nita, please understand. I had to fill out this application for work and it, uh, y’know, took longer than I expected it to,” Lydia explained.
“And what sort of application could possibly be so important you ditched my first gym battle to fill it out?” Nita huffed.
“It’s… a promotion,” Lydia said. “Bill wants me to take over his job running the PC.”
Nita rolled her eyes. “Seriously? Doesn’t that just mean you sit and stare at a couple of screens all day? Why would you want to do that?”
“No, it’s way more than that!” Lydia declared. “Look, I know you don’t think about it much since you’re doing the gym challenge, but my bank account’s not exactly overflowing right now. As it is, we can’t even afford tickets back to Alola for Christmas. And you know your mom’s not up for flying here.”
Nita fidgeted with the strap of her bag. “Oh, yeah. I hadn’t really thought much about Christmas,” she whispered.
Lydia gave her a reassuring smile. “It’s okay, kiddo. We can do something together.”
“Like what?”
Lydia tapped her chin. “Oh! We could totally binge stuff on Netflix. When was the last time we did that?”
“I don’t know. When did they put up the last season of One Castelia Manor again?” Nita mused. “C’mon, there’s gotta be something better we can come up with. I know! How about we finally have that Pokémon battle. I want to see a Z-Move in action!”
Lydia instinctively brought her right hand over to clutch the white band around her wrist. “Err… maybe another time, kiddo.”
“Aww, c’mon. Don’t be such a scrooge!” Nita whined.
“Oh? Would a scrooge take you out for some frozen yogurt to celebrate a new gym badge?” Lydia teased.
Nita kicked the ground dejectedly. “I guess not.”
“Your Pokémon are fighting fit, miss,” Nurse Joy declared, pushing Nita’s Poké Balls back to her. “We thank you for your patronage and hope to see you again.”
Nita scooped up the Poké Balls and fastened them to her belt. Lydia wrapped an arm around her and guided her out of the center. “Hey, why do you think the Nurse Joys always say they hope to see us again? Do they want our Pokémon getting hurt?”
“I think they’re just trying to be courteous,” Lydia mused. “So, how did you find the battle?”
“A bit difficult at first,” Nita admitted. “But that Cosmic Power and Stored Power combination you recommended really helped out with her Starmie and Corsola.”
Lydia smiled. “Atta girl! See, aren’t you glad you evolved Jeanne after all?”
“I guess so. But I’ll miss being able to carry an adorable little Cleffa,” Nita said.
“If you’re feeling that way, I could always buy you a plushie for Christmas,” Lydia said with a laugh.
Nita playfully punched her in the shoulder. “Now that sounds like something a scrooge would do.”
XxX
“Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god…”
No sooner had the cousins finished off their frozen yogurt than Lydia got a call from Bill. She was due to fly out with him to Indigo Plateau tomorrow morning. He certainly sounded excited and Lydia knew she should be too. But then Bill told her to check her emails and hung up and that’s when the panic started up.
“Hey, Liddy, you sure you don’t want any help?”
Which led to Lydia’s current situation. She raced back and forth across her bedroom, haphazardly grabbing things off her dresser and tossing them onto a worn piece of luggage. Nita lay on the bed, alternating her attention between her cousin and the floor. Beside the bed, two Eevees and a Kantonian Vulpix chased each other back and forth. Lydia failed to notice this, and tripped over the Vulpix. She fell into her desk chair, which wheeled across the room and struck the far wall.
“I’m… fine…” Lydia groaned. “Just need to get a few more things and I should be good to go.”
“Really? Because I think you just grabbed your old bikini instead of some underwear and you definitely put a mayonnaise packet into your toiletry bag instead of your travel toothpaste,” Nita explained. Lydia got to her feet and approached her suitcase. She quickly peered in and confirmed that Nita was indeed telling the truth.
Her shoulders sagged. “Son of a–” She cut herself off. “Give me a break, Nita. I haven’t flown anywhere since Bill took me to that conference in Goldenrod City and that was two years ago.” She removed the unwanted items from her suitcase and crossed her arms. “Wait, do you think I should be dressing professionally for this? Crap! I didn’t even think of that.”
She sprinted over to her closet and started pushing aside sundresses. “I don’t even have anything formal. They’re probably expecting a pantsuit or something.”
“Don’t you usually just go to work in jeans and a t-shirt?” Nita asked.
“Well, yeah, but that’s work and Bill’s very lax about dress code,” Lydia sighed. “This is totally different. I have to interview with the Elite Four. They’ll laugh me out of the room if I show up in my usual outfit.”
Nita sat right up. Even the Eevees and Vulpix abruptly froze at Lydia’s statement. “Shut up! You’re going to meet the Elite Four? Like, all of them? At once?”
“Um… maybe?”
“Ohmygod why didn’t you say that’s what you’d be doing in the first place?” Nita huffed. “You’ve gotta get me some autographs!”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “I am not going to tank my interview so you can get some autographs.”
“Aww, c’mon, cuz! Couldn’t you at least sneak in a photograph?” Nita begged.
“No. End of story,” Lydia said. She had pulled out a Poké Ball and summoned an Espeon. “Vee, I need a little help here. Can you help me find something nice to wear for the interview?”
Vee nodded slowly. He let out a soft, “Espy,” and his eyes glowed blue. A few seconds later, some hangers flew out from her closet and deposited their contents into the suitcase. Vee shut the suitcase with her telekinesis and zipped it up tight. He then casually strode to the other side of the room and lay down by Nita’s Eevee and Vulpix. The Eevee spotted his dad and bounded over, snuggling up next to him.
“Looks like they’ve got the right idea,” Lydia said, letting out a yawn. “Okay, Nita. I’m hitting the sack. I trust you can lock the apartment up if I leave before you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, no problem. But, you’re seriously going to sleep? It’s not even sundown!”
She felt contact against the bed and looked over to see Lydia lying beside her, snoring loudly.
XxX
“Aww, for crying out loud.” Bill ran a hand through his hair. “The flight’s already started boarding. What’s keeping Lydia?”
“I’m here! I’m here!”
Bill looked over his shoulder and saw Lydia running toward him, wheeling her suitcase behind her. She reached the end of the moving walkway, only for her luggage to get caught, sending her falling to the ground. She shakily got to her feet and dusted herself off. “I’m okay,” she insisted.
“Great. Now get a move on. Some of us don’t have all day!” a particularly angry-looking businessman growled. Bill walked over and helped pull Lydia aside so other passengers could exit the moving walkway.
“You gave me quite the scare,” Bill conceded. “I was starting to think I’d be showing up to the Indigo Plateau all by myself. And then I’d never hear the end of it. Especially not from Cassius.” He raised his right hand and started pantomiming, “‘Heh, nice going there, Bill. Bet you scared her off with that stupid accent of yours.’ Honestly, the nerve of that guy. I get him the PC admin job in Kalos and what thanks do I get? A ‘World’s Best Dad’ mug for my birthday! Can you believe that?”
“Um… who are we talking about again?” Lydia muttered.
“Err, never mind. What kept you so long anyway?”
“Aha ha… funny story.” Lydia poked her index fingers together. “See, Usagi and Vee had another Eevee egg recently and I may have forgotten to put him in a Poké Ball until this morning. He hadn’t registered to my trainer ID when I got to the airport, so I maaaaaaaaay have gotten pulled aside by security.”
Bill shook his head. “Tell me there ain’t gonna be any surprises like that when we get to Indigo Plateau. As it is the Elite Four are a bit skeptical of my recommendation. So, they’ll pounce on any opening they see.”
Lydia’s face blanched. “Seriously?”
Bill tapped his chin. “Hmm… I reckon I should’ve kept that tidbit to myself, huh?”
‘Ya think?’ Lydia thought but held her tongue.
Now boarding all rows for All Kanton Airways Flight 174, with service to the Indigo Plateau, at Gate C34.
“Well, I think that’s our cue,” Bill declared. “Ladies first.” He gestured toward the gate door and they approached it in tandem. Luckily, waiting until the end to board made the process rather quick. They easily found space for their luggage and settled into their seats. “How about that. We got the side with only two seats. Pretty lucky, huh?”
Lydia wasn’t sure how much that could be attributed to luck, given who had apparently purchased the tickets. But she decided to play along. “Sure.” She let out a yawn. “Wake me when we get there.” And she was out like a light before the plane even took off.
Bill whistled. “Golly. I sure wish I could fall asleep that quickly.” He settled for pulling out his copy of Tech-World magazine and thumbing through it.
The flight proved entirely uneventful. But as the plane descended, Bill gently nudged Lydia awake. “Mmm… are we there yet?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.
“Not quite. But I thought you might want to have a look at the place from on high,” Bill exclaimed. Lydia turned to look out the window and her jaw stiffened.
“Yeah, wow, okay. That’s, uh, that’s pretty big,” she gasped. “I mean, I’ve seen some battles there on TV before but it looks massive from the outside. It’s like a gigantic colosseum, surrounded by another colosseum. No wonder Kukui wanted to make a Pokémon League after he came here.”
“Yup, sure is something, ain’t it?” Bill chuckled. “I remember when this place was half its size and weren’t nothing but five battling rings and a Pokémon Center. Now it’s a venerable tourist trap. I try to steer clear of the place when I can. But, well, work’s work. And I somehow keep having to come out here more and more every year.”
“So, is there a hotel or something we’re staying at?” Lydia asked.
“Course not. You’ll be spending the night on sight, seeing as how the interviewing starts at 7:00 tomorrow.”
“Seriously?” Lydia groaned.
“Yeah. Well, actually, you’ll be going last,” Bill said. “But that don’t mean you should even think about sleeping in.”
“Wait… what do you mean ‘going last?’ They’re interviewing all the applicants at once? How did you know that?”
“Well, us PC admins all recommended a candidate to the Elite Four,” Bill explained. “And we all sit in for all the interviews. You’re going last on account of you were the last one to submit the application.”
Lydia winced. ‘Great. I’m already starting off on the wrong foot and the interview’s still a day away.’
The plane came in for a landing. Bill and Lydia disembarked and exited the airport. He effortlessly maneuvered through the crowded plaza, with Lydia struggling to keep up. Eventually they found themselves at the base of a massive staircase. “Hope you’re ready for a hike,” Bill chuckled.
“Hey now, I climbed Mt. Lanakila in my trainer days. This is nothing!” Lydia boasted. But, much to her chagrin, years in a sedentary job had left her rather out of shape. She was gasping for breath by the end of the climb.
“You’re looking a little pale there,” Bill observed. “I’ll see if I can get you some water.”
“I’m fine!” Lydia insisted. She smoothed out her sundress and took in several big gulps of air. Bill watched her march inside the League’s main entrance. “Hey, aren’t you coming? I have no idea where I’m going.”
Bill shrugged and followed her inside. Lydia was currently preoccupied with the extraordinarily high ceiling. Sparkling chandeliers lit up the room, showcasing a Pokémon Center, accompany mart, and several sets of doors leading in different directions. Naturally, the whole place had red carpet with a gold trim. Similarly-colored banners descended from the ceilings, with the Indigo League’s crest emblazoned boldly upon them.
“Okay, this is pretty impressive,” she marveled.
“Eh, it’ll wear off on ya with time. And trust me, you’ll be coming here plenty if you get the job,” Bill said. “Come on, I’ll take you back to your room.” He guided her toward one of the side doorways, using an ID card to activate a locked door. They quickly left the extravagant main hallway for a far more sterile hallway. Gray steel plating lined the floor, walls, and ceiling. White doors lined the hallway, all of which were locked off with similar ID card readers.
“Weird, it’s like I’m walking around Aether Paradise all of a sudden,” Lydia exclaimed. She silently followed Bill toward a set of elevators and rode them up. They got off on the fifth floor; deceptively higher-up than she actually thought the building went. In contrast to the hallway they had left, this one seemed more rustic and inviting. It had blue carpeting and the walls were lined with wallpaper depicting a pair of beautiful sunsets.
“I think you’re in the room at the end of the hallway, on the left,” Bill exclaimed. Lydia walked forward and found her room. Bill handed her a guest pass and she touched it to the ID scanner. It flashed green and the words, “Welcome, Miss Castelañeros,” popped up. She opened the door and headed inside to a room that wouldn’t look out of place in a hotel catering to top business professionals; king-sized bed, small fridge with a freezer, desk and accompany office chair, large flat-screen TV, and some ridiculous-looking alarm clock with a holographic display.
“Well, I’m afraid this is where we’ve gotta part,” Bill announced.
“Huh? You’re leaving already?”
“’Fraid so. I was told to drop you off and head on up to meet with my bosses,” Bill explained. “That’s something you’d best get used to. Them Elite Four folk love the cloak-and-dagger routine.” He glanced over toward her nightstand and spotted a phone. “You should get a call from someone with more detailed instructions.”
“That’s it? Aren’t you going to give me any last-second words of wisdom?”
Sweatdrops formed on the back of Bill’s head. “Well, when you put it like that…” He took in a deep breath.
“Don’t look Will directly in the eyes because I’m pretty sure he can read your mind. If’n you’re thinking about lightening the mood with a joke, don’t. Bruno and Koga won’t like that one bit. Karen’s gonna try to get under your skin with a few personal jabs; possibly about your looks. And if you happen to do particularly well she may call out her Absol to use its disaster sensing trick on you. So, keep a stiff upper lip. Lastly, Lance is going to come off as fearsome and no-nonsense; it’s just who he is. And don’t be surprised if he brings one of his Dragonites along because, and I quote, ‘I’m the Champion, I can bring my dragons wherever I want.’ There’s a reason the Indigo League’s been voted ‘World’s Most Intimidating Elite Four’ twelve-years running.”
He exhaled. “Did ya get all that?”
“Uh, you lost me at ‘don’t,’” Lydia admitted.
Bill rubbed his temples. “Just be yourself and you should do fine. Oh, but make sure you bring a strong Pokémon or two. You’d be surprised how many of these interviews turn into an impromptu battle.”
Lydia’s face blanched. “W-Wait, I’m not gonna have to battle one of them, am I?”
“’Course not!” Bill said with a laugh. “What kind of monsters do you think they are?” He patted her on the back. “Alright, now you take care and try to relax. They’ll bring meals directly to your room and it’s on the house, so order whatever you want.” He turned and left the room, giving her a wave.
Bill returned to the elevators and proceeded up to the seventh floor. He stepped out into the hallways, taking his suitcase with him.
“Yo! Ya finally made it, old-timer. I was beginning to think you’d be a no-show.”
“Howdy, Cassius.” Bill gave him a curt nod. “Nice to see you again. And what would make you think I’d be missing the interviews for my successor?”
“How about that fact that you ain’t said a word about it since we all got the announcement,” Cassius scoffed.
“Weren’t much to say, frankly,” Bill said with a shrug. “Bridgette needs someone else to keep up the Pokémon Bank’s servers. She’s trying to expand to Orre and Almia and she’s stretched herself a bit too thin in the process.”
“That’s not what I meant, man,” Cassius chuckled. “I’m talking about your candidate. Who’d ya pick, huh? We’re all totally curious.”
“Oh, well, she’s my assistant. Nothin’ simpler than that,” Bill declared.
“You sure about that? Because your accent’s slipping out, so you must be pretty nervous.”
“Or maybe my accent’s out cause I’m on my home turf… relatively speaking,” Bill insisted. “I thought I told ya to stop bringing it up.”
“Ahh, I’m just ribbing ya, bud. Keep your shirt on,” Cassius said with a laugh. “You’ve gotta lighten up a bit. I thought you came around to this place regularly?”
“Course I do. But tomorrow’s an important day. I’ll relax a bit when things are over and the Elite Four’s made their decision,” Bill explained.
“I don’t quite think that’s the issue here. I’ll bet he’s just nervous about how this assistant of his is going to do.”
“That so, Lanette?” Cassius asked as Hoenn’s PC admin made her way down the hall. A Swablu perched happily atop her shoulder, preening its puffy wings.
Lanette nodded. “Yes. How I arrived at that conclusion is a simple deductive process, really. First off, his accent’s showing, as you stated. Next, he hasn’t told us anything about the person he recommended. The fact that he only just arrived today suggests that his assistant didn’t even send their application in until very recently.”
Bill’s face blanched. “Err, things have just been a bit busy for us lately,” he said, tugging at his collar.
“Or, another possible explanation is that you don’t think she has a solid chance of nailing the job. Despite the fact that your recommendation should put your assistant a cut above everyone else,” Lanette theorized. She nudged up her glasses. “Perhaps his candidate isn’t actually from Kanto or Johto, for example.”
Bill did his best to betray absolutely no hint that Lanette’s guess was on the mark. “I think y’all are just making a mountain out of a Drillbur hill. I’m just a bit tired from the early-morning flight, that’s all.”
“C’mon, you two. Leave the poor guy alone. It’s not nice to tease your elders, after all!”
Bill rubbed his temples. “Good to see you again too, Bebe. How’s the weather in Sinnoh?”
“Cold. It’s always cold. And that’s why I like it!” Bebe proclaimed. The Eevee riding her shoulder leaped off and bounded over to Bill, wagging her tail excitedly. “Aww, I think she remembers you. How adorable!”
“Vee! Eevvuiii!”
“I will never understand why Eevees get so cutesy around you,” Cassius chuckled. “You got some sort of secret Eevee pheromone that you use or something?”
“Am I detecting a hint of jealousy?” Bill teased, kneeling down to pet the Eevee. She purred loudly and brushed her trunk up against his leg.
“Pfbt, as if,” Cassius scoffed. “Gimme a Koffing or a Skrelp over those little fuzz buckets any day of the week.”
“Your taste in Pokémon leaves something to be desired,” Bebe scolded. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to live in a region with wild Eevees? I can’t count the number of trainers I’ve met who would kill for an opportunity to get one so easily.” She shook her head. “You Kalosians can be so ungrateful for what you have.”
“Slow down there, Bebe. Your motor mouth’s as bad as ever,” Cassius teased. “It’s called breathing and you’re supposed to do it every so often.”
“By my estimations, I think her speaking rate has actually climbed by about four and half words per minute, give or take,” Lanette mused.
“Okay, very funny, you two,” Bebe deadpanned. She kneeled down and reached out to her Eevee. “Come on, buddy. You stay around Bill too long you’re going to end up a spoiled little furball. Let’s go and get you some fresh air, okay?”
“Eevee!” Eevee leaped up into Bebe’s arms and she made for the elevator.
“Well, it’s been mighty fun catching up,” Bill said as he got to his feet, “But I’d really like to get settled in my room, if y’all don’t mind.”
“One sec,” Cassius said, sticking an arm out to block his path. “Can’t you at least tell us a little bit about this assistant of yours? Or is Lanette telling the truth here?”
Bill rolled his eyes. “She’s from Alola. I met her a few years back, when she brought this nice young lass and her sick mother to the Sea Cottage. Turned out they were a couple of VIP’s, so to speak. It was a rather strange case, but Lydia stuck around to help me out. I was impressed by her attention to detail, so I decided to hire her.”
“Aww, well ain’t that sweet of ya,” Cassius chuckled. “I’m sure that warm, fuzzy story’s gonna go down great with the Elite Four.”
“Lydia can stand on her own merits, thank you very much,” Bill exclaimed. “Why, I bet right this second she’s working on something to prepare for the interview…”
(cont. in next post)
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