Interlude 1 highlights:
- What did Quayle and Nye talk about? Did they bone? Did they talk about boning? THE SUSPENSE IS REAL. FIND OUT BELOW
- I plant some seeds
Will they sprout??? Who knooooooooooows :O
- forum censors are dumb lol
- just a little baby ficlet starring Nye to tide you over until chapter 3
- it's friggin dope
Word count: 3371
Interlude 1: Deal or No Deal
"Please, sit down," Quayle told Nye.
Nye was wary, but did as she was told. Quayle didn't say anything, at first - just paced around the room, occasionally looking at his phone, which rested on his bed. "Is there a point to this?" she said, a little more forcefully than she'd meant to. She hadn't intended to sound rude, or even sympathetic, but she disliked the way it sounded all the same.
Quayle pulled up another chair and sat in front of her. He buried his face in his hands and sighed. "I messed up," he finally said, staring into Nye's cool blue eyes. "I messed up big time."
"Yes, I imagine you did," she replied, crossing her legs. "Your behavior is inexcusable. I'm ashamed to be called your friend."
"Come on, Nye, don't say that," Quayle said, getting to his feet. He resumed his pacing around the room as he spoke. "Okay, look, you're right, okay? I know I messed up. You saw me, I tried apologizing to that girl for calling her a bitch."
"
Stupid bitch," Nye corrected. "Her name is Windra, and she was right for not forgiving you. I wouldn't have, in her place. You did horrible things to Rose's Gardevoir, and the entire world knows it. Did you forget that millions of people are watching us? Have you seen the news? They're talking about having you arrested, Quayle."
"They won't do it," Quayle said, still pacing. "What I did was awful, but it wasn't against the rules."
"Who cares about the rules, Quayle?!" she shouted back to him. "What about basic decency? What about respect for your fellow trainers? What about that?" Now she stood up, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I swear, Quayle, if you're even
thinking about trying to rules lawyer your way out of taking responsibility for--"
"No! Nye, no, not at all, okay? Please, listen," he pleaded. "I was serious when I said I was sorry. I'm scared, Nye. Look at this." He picked up his phone, showed Nye the display. "She called me, Nye. She called me right about when my match was over, and I haven't listened to it because I'm scared of what she's going to say."
"And what do you think she's going to say?" Nye said, crossing her arms. She already knew the answer, but she wanted him to say the words himself.
"She's going to leave me."
"Then why not just listen to the message and find out? Better to take the knife out quickly than to slowly drag it out."
"It's not the same. This knife is in my heart," Quayle said, borrowing her analogy. "If I yank it out, I'll die."
Nye rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself, Quayle. You made your bed, and now you have to lie in it. And what will you do if it turns out that she didn't break up with you? You're simply going to ignore Candice forever because of what you
think she said? I knew you were a coward, Quayle, but I didn't think you were this much of one."
"Why are you so mean to me?" Quayle asked. "I came to you for help and you've done nothing but say mean things to me."
She sighed. "Goodbye, Quayle," she said, turning towards the door.
"Wait!" he practically shouted, rushing to put himself between her and the exit. "Okay, I'm sorry, I deserve everything bad you said! Just... listen to it with me, okay? Please sit. Please, Nye."
Nye didn't know what made her listen. Maybe it was pity. Maybe it was friendship. Whatever it was, Nye took her seat, but Quayle didn't move from his spot by the door. He opened up the voice mail and played back the message a frantic Candice had left him.
Jesus, Quayle, are you insane?! You almost killed that poor girl's Gardevoir! And for what, some stupid tournament?! Money? You didn't even win! I... I don't know what to say, Quayle. Team Galactic is one thing. If that had been all it was, I would have looked past it, but this... Candice sighed, and Quayle could hear the hurt in every syllable she spoke next.
I can't be a part of this, Quayle. I'm sorry, but I'm done. I'm going to stay at Mom's house tonight. I'll have the rest of my stuff out before the end of the week. Another sigh, and a sniffle.
I'm sorry, I have to go. Goodbye, Quayle.
Quayle stared at his phone display, teary-eyed. He slumped against the door, unwilling to believe that this was really happening. Candice, his love, his everything, was gone. He noticed Nye had gotten up from her seat and was now standing in front of him. He looked up at her, expecting pity, but saw only hot fury in those icy blue eyes.
"What did she mean by 'Team Galactic', Quayle?"
When it rains, it pours, he thought. There was no point in trying to hide it from her any longer. "I used to be an administrator of Team Galactic. I-"
Impossibly fast, Nye slapped him across the face. "How dare you?! Do you mean to tell me that you willingly consorted with the same people who burned Celestic Town to the ground and defaced the sacred murals? Answer me! No, don't. The very thought of hearing you speak repulses me. Get out of my way. You'll waste no more of my time today." Quayle held a hand to the spot where Nye had struck him. He balled up his other hand into a fist, clenched it tight. Nye noticed this and immediately went back on the offensive. "Do you intend on hitting me, too? I can't speak for Windra, but I am quite capable of handling myself. You--"
"No, Nye, I'm not going to hit you. You're my best friend. I'd never put my hands on you in anger. I deserved that hit. I'm sorry for deceiving you. Truly, Nye, I am. I didn't join Team Galactic until after that incident happened. I was there when it all went down. I'll never forget that day. I was so weak back then... I was powerless to stop them. I ran and hid and cried like a baby as they did as they pleased. And after they'd had their fill and left, I swore I would do whatever it took to bring them down. I joined them and I was
this close, Nye, I was this
f*cking close to doing it. Do you remember the incident at Spear Pillar?"
"No, I don't," she said plainly.
"That's because it never happened. Cyrus wanted to make a new world using Dialga and Palkia's power, and I stopped it from happening. Me. I tried controlling the legendary Pokemon for myself, but I couldn't do it. They escaped, but not before taking out one of Team Galactic's commanders and a handful of their scientists. I was lucky to get out alive."
Nye scoffed. "Do not lie to me and say you had Celestic Town's best interests at heart when you just said you tried controlling the legendary Pokemon for yourself."
"Nye, I swear on our friendship that I am telling you the truth. Yes, I wanted the legendary Pokemon's power. I wanted to bring Team Galactic to their knees, to make them answer for what they did to our town, to make them beg for their lives before I snuffed them out like a wick."
"Listen to yourself!" she yelled. "You speak of bringing them to their knees...
murdering them? I agree they should be held accountable for what they did, but not with their lives!" The fire in her eyes calmed a little, but Quayle didn't like the sadness that replaced it. "I had wondered why you changed so abruptly all those years ago. I didn't want to believe it was permanent, but having heard this... it seems I was wrong about you."
Alarm bells went off in Quayle's head. First Candice, and now... "Nye, hold on, that's not--"
"No, it is," she said plainly. "It is, Quayle. You used to be so kind and sweet. Did you know there actually was a time when I was jealous of Candice? The first time she told me that she loved you, I was, frankly, shocked. How could she possibly love someone as fashion backwards as you? You never stopped talking about Darkrai and the night and you look like a teenager chose your entire wardrobe. But then she explained to me how much of a gentleman you were. She told me that you made her feel like the luckiest girl in the world. She called you ambitious, driven, powerful, words I would never have even thought to use to describe you until she said them to me. And I thought... what had I done? I was so caught up in what other people thought of you and I together that I missed the forest for the trees.
"I stood up for you, you know," she continued, the sadness slowly giving way to anger. "I took all that teasing from people who constantly ridiculed you. 'You don't know him like I know him,' I said. 'He's not a freak. He's my friend.'" She stepped closer to him, her eyes flaring and her voice low. "But you aren't a freak. You're a
monster. You are no better than Cyrus. 'Master of Darkness,' indeed. The Quayle I know would never have used the tactics you used to win a fight. Your blatant disregard for others' lives is appalling and it sickens me to think that I might have once felt something for you."
Nye's harsh words sliced through Quayle like a blade. He sighed heavily. "You're right. You're absolutely right," he began. "When we lost the village, all I could think of was revenge. I rose through the ranks and became an admin within months, and I became drunk on the power that position gave me. It wouldn't be a stretch to say it consumed me. But if you don't believe anything I say ever again, believe one thing: I want to see Team Galactic's end. I have been blessed with a great power," Quayle said, displaying his Absolite, "and I will use that power along with my abilities as a trainer to see them undone by whatever means necessary. They
will answer for their crimes, Nye. I swear it. Everyone who lost their lives that day will be avenged.
"Look," he said, carefully removing the contacts from his eyes. He knelt in front of her and, for the first time in years, she could see his rich, mahogany-colored eyes. "For the past year, I've been living a lie. I kept my past from the two people I care about most in this world. I won't give up on Candice, and I hope and pray that you won't give up on me. I am more than my job, Nye. Forest for the trees, remember?" He reached up and took her hands into his own, and was thankful that she didn't immediately jerk them away. "I lied to the woman I love, and to you, and I'll regret that for as long as I live. This was the wake-up call I needed, Nye. I won't ask for you to forgive me right away. All I ask is that you reserve judgment until the tournament is over. If at that time you honestly think I haven't treated this with the seriousness it deserves, I'll never speak to you again. You don't have to stick up for me when the others yell at me. I'm not going to tell them they shouldn't be mad at me."
Nye hesitated. In her heart of hearts, she wanted to believe him. As angry and betrayed as she felt, there was a small part of her that was overjoyed to see that finally,
finally, Quayle was starting to take things seriously. And yet, as the logical part of her brain pointed out, all of this seemed awfully convenient. If he truly was serious, Nye needed to be completely sure. "Two conditions."
Quayle stood up so quickly he nearly fell over. "Anything."
"Do you honestly mean that, Quayle? If I tell you my conditions and you don't accept, the deal is off."
"Yes," he answered immediately. "If it will help prove to you that I want to change, I'll do anything."
Nye took a Poke Ball off her belt and held it out, releasing the Dragonite within. "Give me your contacts."
Quayle hesitated for a moment, but nevertheless picked them up off the table and handed the delicate eyewear over. Nye held them in her open palm in front of her Dragonite. "Eat them," she instructed. Before Quayle could say two words, Nye's Dragonite complied, swiftly licking them off her hand. "That is the first. If you want to show people you have changed, a new look is a very good start. Next, I'm going to have Dragonite cut your hair. Do you object?"
"You better believe I do. I love my hair... but that's your point, isn't it? Very well. Do I have any say in how it looks afterwards?"
"No. Turn around." Quayle did so, and Nye ran her fingers through his unnaturally purple hair. She'd let him keep the color - at least it was a pretty shade of purple. She settled on a length of about five inches and instructed her Dragonite to slice the hair at that point. Once he'd done so, she ran her fingers through it again to make sure the cut was even. It wasn't perfect, but it would do. His hair reached his shoulders now, instead of ending up in a tangled mess somewhere down his back. "Where are your glasses?"
"Right there, by the bed," Quayle said, pointing to them. "I suppose I'll have no choice but to wear them, now, won't I?"
Nye brought her Pokemon back to his Poke Ball. "Bingo. Now, for the second condition: Apologize to Rose. You owe her that much."
"Yes, of course," Quayle said, putting on the thick, black, square frames. He hated the way they looked, but admitted he felt smart in them. "I'll go see her right now."
"I would advise against that. She's with Taikyu right now. She mentioned wanting to learn more about his legendary Pokemon, and they left together. You should do it at dinner tonight."
Quayle shook his head. "No. I don't think I'll be eating with you all tonight. I don't want to make things awkward for everyone. I'll catch her sometime tomorrow. And hey," he said, smiling for the first time since his loss, "if she's interested in legendary Pokemon, I can use Shifter to break the ice."
"Very well," Nye replied, preparing to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Yeah. Thanks for hearing me out. And thanks for having faith in me. I won't let you down."
"You're welcome. Goodnight, Quayle."
Nye slipped out of his room, somewhat pleased with how the visit turned out, only to come face to sunglasses with Eldan. Noticing her, he grinned devilishly, looking over her figure and whistling approvingly. He caught a glance of the name tag attached to the door she'd just come out of, and his grin was replaced with a look of disgust. "Ugh, really? You're still wasting time with him? What do you see in him? What's he got that I haven't got?"
"Respect for himself, apparently," Nye immediately countered. "I see you still dress as though you were color blind."
"And I see your temper is still as hot as you are," Eldan replied, his grin returning. "And give me a break. I dress
way better than your boyfriend."
Nye crossed her arms, glaring daggers at Eldan. "He is
not my boyfriend."
That got a laugh out of Eldan, who slowly started pacing around her. "You sure about that? You know everyone thinks you two are way more than just friends, right? They don't say it to your face, but there's talk. They figure the only reason you're even giving him the time of day is because he's good in bed."
Nye spun on her heels to face him, incredulous. "That is
not--!" When Eldan only smiled wider, she'd realized she'd taken his bait. "Quayle and I are just friends. He has someone else," she said calmly.
"Is that a fact? In that case, why don't we keep each other company tonight? I have a feeling we would have quite a bit to talk about," he said, raising an eyebrow.
Now it was Nye's turn to smile. She wouldn't be hooked again. "Oh? And what would we talk about? Your obsession with the color red? Why you think it's acceptable to wear sunglasses indoors? How Quayle is more of a gentleman than you'll ever be?"
"That guy is no gentleman," Eldan said, quite seriously, gesturing towards Quayle's door. "Am I less of a gentleman for telling a beautiful woman she's beautiful? For appreciating the finer things in life, and wanting my girl to do the same? Team Flare is dedicated to the preservation of the world's beauty. We would never use underhanded tactics like that. Seeing him do that to that girl's Gardevoir made me think about my own Gardevoir, and what I'd do to anyone who thought they could get away with what
he did. What he did is disgusting, plain and simple."
Nye was taken aback by Eldan's sudden normalcy, but she wouldn't let her guard down. "At least on that, we agree."
And instantly, Eldan's smile was back. "So, what do you say? Care to be my guest tonight? Maybe you can tell me more about the $300 dress you're wearing? It's one of... Jeremiah's designs, is it not?"
Nye stared at Eldan, unable to fathom what was happening. "Yes, it is," she said dumbly. "How did you know that?"
"Come to my room later and we can chat all about it," he replied.
Nye scoffed. "I wouldn't be caught dead in your bedroom, Eldan."
"Wanna bet?"
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like. A bet," he said. "I bet you one date that I beat you in our match."
Nye laughed before she could stop herself. "That is rich. You think you can beat me? Does your Pokemon team have the same ridiculous sunglasses you do?"
"Come on, be serious. If I beat you, you have to be my date for one night. I'm more than just handsome, you know," he said, winking. "If you're so sure you can win, then you have nothing to be afraid of, right?"
Nye was about to deliver a scathing retort, but reconsidered. What was the worst case scenario here, really? They'd go to his room and talk, the same way she'd done with Quayle. If he tried anything funny, Dragonite would kick his ass, and that was only after she got done with him, so she didn't really fear for her safety. It was simply an aversion to being seen with him, which would be mitigated by them meeting in private. For one night. And not even the whole night, just a couple hours after dinner. And he'd have to beat her in battle first.
"And what do I get if I win?" she asked.
Eldan shrugged. "I don't know. I'm trying to spend time with you here, cut me a break."
Nye tried to think of something. She didn't want anything in particular from him, least of all a date. She gasped softly, inspiration having hit her. "If I win, you are no longer allowed to solicit me or any of the other girls for a date or anything even
remotely sexual, for the duration of the tournament."
"Oh, come on, that's way harsh!" he objected.
A sly smile came across Nye's face. "If you're so sure you can win, then you have nothing to be afraid of, right?"
Eldan smirked. "Well played. Fine, fine, I'll agree to those terms. Do we have a deal?" He held out his hand.
Nye shook it, confident that regardless of the outcome of her match, she'd be coming out on top. "We have a deal."
