Reel, as a noun, can be a type of dance. As a verb, it can be ‘to be shaken mentally or physically’.
Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*
Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE
Chapter 1
“So you’re not going to the dance at Pokemon Technical High?” Lance asked Red. Red gave his best friend a glare worthy of an Arbok.
“No, I’m not! Who wants to spend twenty bucks to get in and then shell out an extra thirty for food?”
Lance raised an eyebrow. “You make at least twice that much every time you have a pokemon battle, and there’s no lack of those. Why the resistance?”
“I find dancing a pointless activity.”
“…. This wouldn’t have anything to do with your lack of a girlfriend would it?”
“Rub it in, why don’t you!”
Lance laughed. “So that’s the real reason. Well, why not? You might meet a date. I’m only taking Clair, since grandfather would throw a hissy fit if I didn’t.”
“… You’re little sister is cute.”
“Ah, so you’ll go then?”
“… Sabrina is going too…”
“Your older sister is quite pretty.”
“… Well then.” Red grinned. “It’s only a night tonight! If I don’t like it, I’ll never go to a dance again!”
“That’s the spirit, or close enough. You’d better get something to wear though. It’s in three hours.”
“Ah! I need to go shopping! Bye Lance!”
Lance watched as Red ran off in a whirlwind, laughing softly to himself…
That night…
Red munched on a caramel apple as he watched several couples waltz around the floor. All the girls had probably spent hours dressing up. Luckily, since it was a masquerade ball, all the students wore white masks with the pokemon technical logo on their foreheads. Ugly, but they served their purpose.
Of course, he spotted Yellow a mile away because of her distinctive half-ponytail, which she hadn’t bothered to take out. He had fought his hair with gel and hairspray and prayers and curses for almost an hour to get it to lie flat, but it was already starting to stick up again. Ah well…
< Having fun? >
Red glanced around the room, but Sabrina had done a good job of disguising herself. He nodded.
< Well, I see a girl heading your way. Be careful, all right? >
It was hard having an older sister who was psychic sometimes! She was two years older, so this was her last year at Pokemon Technical High.
Sometimes he wished he were psychic too, but he hadn’t gotten any talents from his father, er, their father.
Genetics… if you cross a psychic with a non-psychic, there’s only 1/16 chance of getting psychic powers. Sabrina was lucky. He was not.
But now was no time to ponder biological sciences! He looked at the girl, but didn’t recognize her. She had black hair falling almost to her waist, and blue eyes behind the mask… so it wasn’t cousin Erika…
“Would you like to dance?”
Red blinked. “Well, all right.” * Right, brain, one does dance at a dance! *
They began circling around the dance floor, slowly. He studied her more carefully once his feet started moving on their own in time to the music, being careful not to step on her – that made bad impressions! She was wearing pale yellow, frothy lace at the throat, and scalloped, old-fashioned sleeves. Interesting.
After three dances, Red excused himself. That hadn’t been so bad…
He spotted Lance and Clair – they weren’t even trying to dance! Well, Clair was looking at her watch and getting angrier and angrier, and Lance was trying to calm her down. Were they waiting for someone? If so, who?
This could be interesting!
Lance got up to get punch for them both and spotted Red. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Red said; glad Lance had distinctive hair. “What’s wrong with Clair?”
“Drake promised to be here tonight but it’s been half an hour since the dance started and he hasn’t shown up yet.”
“Drake?”
“Clair met him in the Orange Islands last summer. She seems quite besotted with him, or at least... obsessed.”
“Oh…”
“So, any luck?”
Red colored. “Not really.”
“Mm.”
“Well, it wasn’t that bad, but I’m still bored… do people really dance for hours?”
“No, they stand in corners and gossip, see?” Lance pointed.
Red nodded, seeing a gaggle of brightly dressed boys and girls in a corner. “The popular crowd…”
“They’re taking bets on something, looks like.” Lance squinted. “Shall we go see?”
“Lance, they’re vicious, backstabbing-.”
“I’ve got Dragonite on me.”
“Well in that case…”
Walking back to the ring, they saw a blonde girl in yellow take off a black wing.
“Samantha…”
“So, he danced with you?”
“Pay up, Joel.”
Red twitched. * She got paid to dance with me?! * He touched his necklace, where Poliwrath’s poke ball waited…
Lance shot him a glare.
He glared back.
The older student grabbed his arm and began steering him back to Clair. “She’s not worth your anger.”
“Grr… and I thought she was nice too!” Red fumed. “This is why I don’t like dances Lance. I’ll never go to another one!”
“…”
Red was about to storm out the door when he saw a black-haired male in a suit rush in, disarray present in every line.
“Drake!” Clair stood up. “What took you so long?”
“Ran into a storm over the Islands. Sorry I’m late.”
“I’m just glad you’re here…”
Red quit looking as they began to get mushy – in his opinion. Sighing, he found an empty spot on the wall and nursed another cup of punch. What a drag this was turning out to be…
End Chapter
Completed 7/2/05
Lance: You’re doing a high school fic?!
Phantomness: EEK!
Red: Pienso que si…