Chapter Text
“Christoph for 5 points. How many Pokémon originate from Unova?”
“Uhh… 156?”
“Well, Christoph, your answer is… correct!”
“Yes!”
“Now, Nancy, you're currently behind by 7 points. What type of question would you like?”
“Let's go with battle knowledge!” Yancy says, excited more than usual, with a noticeable smile,
“Okay, your question is. What type of Pokémon are immune to Ghost-type attacks?
“Normal!” Yancy blurting it out.
“Correct! Nancy, with the immediate response, will receive 9 points!”
“Yippee!” Yancy jumps with joy.
“Just a little side track, Nancy, you seem to be in a good mood. Did something nice happen to you?”
“Wha?!” Yancy tries to laugh it off. “Does it show? I had so much fun the other day! But... It's probably best not to say anything.”
Eventually, they go on break, and Curtis approaches her, “Hey, Nancy.”
“Oh, hey Christoph! What's up?”
“I just wanted to ask. Why, you seemed to be in an unusual good mood.”
“Well, if you must know. I was with a special friend last night, and had a great time.”
“Oh, really? Well, who is your special friend, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“I do mind, actually.” Yancy becomes wary of Curtis, as she figures out what he's trying to do.
Later, after the game show, Yancy is in her dressing room, getting ready to leave, when she hears a knock on her door. “Come in!” She yells out.
Curtis peeks his head in and comes in. “Oh, it's you,” Yancy says.
“Hey, just wanted to ask you. What did you do with Nate last night?”
“Huh!?” Yancy is immediately caught off guard by Curtis’s question.
“What did you guys do? It was obvious you were Nate last night.”
“What?! No, I wasn’t!”
“I don’t know how you can be an actor, but be so bad at lying sometimes.”
Yancy sighs, “Okay… Maybe I was...”
“Figured, what’d you guys do?”
“We went to my hotel room, chatted last night, and spent the night together.”
Curtis’s jaw drops in shock.
“What?” Yancy says, confused about why Curtis is in shock. Yancy puts the pieces together. “Wait, no! That's not what I meant!” Yancy says, panicking, waving her hands. “That's not what I meant! I swear!”
“Eww, you didn’t have to mention that.”
“Nothing of that sort happened! I swear that's not what I meant!” In the middle of this ruckus, a knock is then heard from the door. The two stop and look at the door. Yancy says, “Yes? Who is it?”
“It’s your manager.”
“Come in!”
Their manager enters the room, closing the door behind her. “Hey, guys.”
“Hey, Ms. White,” The two say in unison.
“Just wanted to say, great job to both of you. And that if I can speak to Nancy privately for a second.”
“Yeah, that's fine. I was planning to leave. Anyway, see you guys!”
“Bye!” Yancy says to Curtis,”
As he leaves and closes the door. Yancy's manager begins, “Before we get started, quick question? Are you two a, uh.. thing?”
“Me with him? Eww, no, I could never. It’s just, he is one of the very few people I can really talk to about work, and stuff.”
“Yeah, was just wondering. Anyway, the real reason Im here is I wanted to speak to you. Maybe start thinking of making another album.”
“Already?”
“I know, it's just that some of your singles have been slowly dipping in the charts.”
“I swear, I just made one not that long ago. Especially with the world tour for it.”
“I know, but that's why I wanted to ask you to think about it. I know, you’ve been busy with more television-like stuff this past year. But, I want you to think about it for now, okay.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, I’ll leave you be and let you have your weekend off. Have a great weekend.”
“You too!” As her manager leaves, Yancy sighs.
Yancy soon leaves the studio, heading to her hotel room. She walks, thinking about what her manager told her. Going back and forth in her head, as she thinks about her relationship with Nate, which is still in its early blooming stages.
But, thinking of Nate, “I wonder if he’s still nearby.” Yancy whispers to herself.
Yancy opens her contacts on her Xtransceiver, goes to favorites, pressing call on Nate’s contact.
-
Hours earlier, Nate had just left Route 8, finally arriving in Icirrus City. He immediately notices the windmills in the distance, just being blown by the wind. Eventually, Nate finally arrives at the location where the former gym was originally located.
Nate is amazed at the unique entrance, as he’s never seen something like it, let alone a gym. Though Nate was disappointed, as he wished he had been able to fight in it before. So, out of curiosity, he decides to check it out, to see how it would’ve been. He enters and is amazed by what he sees.
After what feels like an hour, it happens to be several. Nate has a blast checking out the gym, eventually making his way to where Brycen was waiting.
As Nate approaches him, Brycen begins, “In the past, when I was hurt and depressed, Alder shared this with me... There is strength in being with other people and Pokémon. Receiving their support makes you stronger. I worked as a Gym Leader, and I came to understand what he meant by that. My desire became to strengthen this relationship that makes everyone stronger - the relationship between people and Pokémon. By focusing on the path of an actor, I want to make everyone think that living together with Pokémon is exciting and wonderful."
Nate eventually leaves the gym, making his way back to Icirrus City Pokémon Center.
Inside, buying something for his Pokémon and himself, Nate feels a vibration, and soon a ring from his wrist. It’s his Xtransceiver.
-
“Hey, Yancy!”
“Hey, Nate! Was checking in on how you were doing.”
“I checked out the former Icirrus City gym, and it was nice. It would've been fun to have gotten a badge there if Brycen were still a Gym Leader. Well, anyway, how was work?”
“It was fun.”
“Wasn’t it a game show you did?”
“Yeah, it was.”
“Who won?”
“I surprisingly did, but by a couple of points.”
“At least you won.”
“Yeah, true."
"What type of questions were you given?"
"A lot. Mostly Pokémon and region questions."
"Really? I guess, if you think about it isn't really surprising."
"Yeah, huh.. Also, Nate?"
"Yeah?"
"Can we meet up?"
“Like right now?”
“I know! I know, it's just… I need to talk to you in person.”
“You’re worrying me, Yancy.”
“Im sorry, it's just I need to talk to you.”
“Okay, yeah. I’ll head to Opelucid City.”
“I'll meet you at the park, at the edge of the city.”
“Yeah, I’ll see you there.”
“Alright, see then.”
Nate nods in response, and the call ends. Nate hops on Braviary and takes off to Opelucid City. Yancy begins making her way to the park to meet up with him.
While making his way to Opelucid, his mind is panicking, and his heart is racing at a pace he hasn’t felt since his near-death experience with Ghetsis a while back. Nate tries replaying all his moments with Yancy, trying to see what could have been a problem for the pair that made them hit a bump. But none came to mind. "What. went wrong.." he whispers to himself, overthinking the situation, and stressing himself out.