Hopelessly Devoted to Misery {Pokémon Fanfiction}

Chapter 14: Plan & Solution

My hand is stuck suspended in midair as I reach for the Striaton Restaurant's front door. It's a tormenting paranoia knowing an annoying brother will be on the other side to greet me. Their greetings are never fun. I cannot stress how much I dislike meeting them.

"Tristan! Err...welcome!" a voice says awkwardly, opening the front entrance. Cilan is my greeter for today? Why can't I just get a random stranger instead? It's as if these three brothers are everywhere.

"Cilan," I acknowledge simply. Going any farther than that would result in excess conversation. Please, just no.

"Thalia awaits you in the restaurant," he says sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. I nod as he takes a step back and shows me in. With a slight bow, he motions towards a table in the center of the lobby. Why did Thalia have to choose such a conspicuous spot? I like to think by this point she knows I enjoy the corners in both restaurants and desserts.

I pass a few scrambling employees trying to clean and bus tables with food and dishes left on them. They all have the uniform I'm glad I didn't immediately discard. Their energy makes me feel extra lethargic.

"Thalia," I say simply as I approach her table. She looks up and smiles to me. To think she's actually the same girl who shouted thief! at a foreigner and had such a serious talk with me after the first assignment. I guess even the most simplest and average of people are more complex than what they seem.

"Tristan! I'm ready whenever you are!" she grins. The painful smile and her beaming attitude makes me feel like I just drank food coloring. I feel like I just dyed a little on the inside.

Her comment though makes me chuckle to myself. "I like how you assume I have something already planned."

"Well, I'm just concerned because you seem to skip a lot of steps despite seeming so methodical."

I squint at her, realizing she just praised and insulted me in the same sentence. "I'll take that as a compliment." I sit down across from her as I glance off to my left. Cilan is fast approaching as he apologizes every few steps for accidentally bumping chairs.

"What have you got in mind, Tristan?" Thalia asks. I look at her momentarily, seeing her affixed gaze at me. I cross my arms and sigh as my response.

"We need Cilan's help. Once he comes, I will ask him if he will introduce us to whoever had their Pokémon stolen. Like I said last time, if you recall, we need to gather information," I explain to her. I run my fingers through my hair as Cilan finally reaches us.

"Tristan and Thalia, hello. How may I...umm...be of service?" he asks us. I quickly reply to Cilan myself.

"Introduce us to the person who had their Pokémon stolen, if you don't mind," I say. He nods quickly as the two of us get up. He walks over to a table with only one person occupying it. I recognize the girl immediately.

"Excuse me, miss?" Cilan asks. The girl turns around. All of the facial features and brown hair are easily discernable. She's the other girl of The Clique. Don't tell me she's the victim here.

"What do you want, Cilan? Or should I say Ci-lame?" the girl says. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I recall her name being Camille.

"Cilan is the correct name," Cilan says. I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. I can hear Thalia manage to hold in a laugh.

"Who are these people?" Camille asks. Cilan nods as he clasps his hands together.

"These people? Err...they're here to help you. They personally will help you find your lost Pokémon," Cilan explains. "If you don't mind cooperating with them..."