A.N. : I am running out of apologies. I become busier as time passes by and can't keep up with updates as well as I did a few years ago.

For quite a long time I've been wanting to write an Oshareshipping fic, I even tried to but I wasn't really satisfied with the outcomes.

I'm not going to annoy you further, enjoy the fiction! :)

Canalave library: one of the most important buildings in Sinnoh. Since when it was first build, it always attracted a large amount of people from residents to tourists. It doesn't matter whether you have to study, enjoying yourself with a piece of fine literature or just take a picture of ancient and precious books, you can make it all at Canalave Library.

Among the various people hanging out there, there's a resident who is pretty loyal to this institution especially in these last times, its name is Riley. Better known as the Iron Island Guardian, the boy lives alone in a small wooden house in the aforementioned place, which is not too far from the lively Canalave City.

Living out there became lonesome from time to time and despite his father's house is located right in the center of Canalave, they couldn't meet very often due to each other jobs. A good book had always helped Riley coming out of his boring routine.

It was a spring day, Riley woke up early, fed his Pokèmon, washed himself and checked his timetable just to notice the page for that day was blank: no rookie trainer was coming, this meant he would have had a free day.

He took advantage of the sunny day to fix the broken tiles up on his roof and clean the restroom.

It was almost six in the evening when he was done with his chores. Seen that it was relatively early, he decided to go to the city center and give back the books he took some weeks earlier. He sent his father a text message, asking if they could meet for dinner at that cheap yet good restaurant they both loved in front of the library.

As he approached the library's entrance, Riley noticed there were more people than usual and the oddest thing was that they didn't get inside: some of them were spying on the windows. He himself could feel some kind of a strong presence but he didn't pay attention to the sensation. It was crowded and noisy, his perceptions could have been altered.

He got inside the building, heading straight to the reception. An old woman with white straight hair and a TV screen-size pair of glasses smiled at him.

"Good morning Mrs. Leaflet" he greeted, approaching the counter.

He noticed there was another man standing in front of the other employee, which in such a place wasn't that odd. He was sure he had never met him but his appearance had something familiar. The man was rather tall and slim even though that violet suit made him look a bit more muscular. His lilac hair was held back by a pair of violet shades. At that moment Riley understood: the strong presence came from that man and this time there was no disturbance since the room was as silent as a forgotten graveyard.

Distracted by the unknown guy at his side, Riley started when the old employee greeted him back "Good morning darling! What can I do for you?"

Riley leaned the books on the counter "I am here to give these back. I rented them two weeks ago" the woman took them, checking the bar code on the cover "Midnight Murder; Shoal Cave Treasures; Forgotten thoughts of a Dead man and Soul's refugee" she said, counterchecking the titles on the computer screen. The woman nodded, then she poked her colleague on the shoulder "Hey Lilian, here it is. Riley returned it just now" she informed, handing her the copy of Forgotten thoughts of a dead man.

The woman nodded giving the book to the man in front of her. It didn't take a profiler to understand that woman was forcing an excessive smile to this man "Here you go Sir. We are sorry for the inconvenient."

The man shook his head "It isn't a big deal" he then turned to Riley "Thank you for bringing it back."

Riley's eyes went wide, he mentally slapped his face for being so oblivious, the mysterious man in front of him was no one less than the Elite Four Lucian himself. It was so odd to see him, even when he went to visit his aunt Bertha, he never had the chance to meet him.

Completely taken aback, Riley stuttered "Yo… you're welcome…. sir.?"

The man cracked a smile, he then excused himself and went to sit in a table with his good amount of books.

Once he was sure the Elite was at a safe distance, Riley leant forward whispering to Mrs. Leaflet "Since when that guy comes here?"

The woman adjusted her glasses "The last time was around seven years ago. They say he has a wide book collection. And with wide I mean twice this library."

"Wow. Maybe next time I could rent something from him, until then I would kindly ask you to rent the following titles."

Riley handed the employee a list of books. She wrote the section on it and registered the rent on the database.

Once the books were retrieved, Riley checked his Pokègear to see his father answered to his dinner invitation.

"See you at 7.30"

Riley texted him back as he sat down on a blue velvet armchair close to the window where he spent the following hour, completely lost in the flood of words coming from the new novels.

Xxxxxx

Riley glanced at the golden clock hung upon the adventure section shelves: a quarter past seven. His father would have reached the restaurant soon.

Shoving the books in his bag, he headed to the Steelix Diner. He noticed the place wasn't really crowded yet, that was the perfect time to grab a good seat. Riley sat down on a table for two, leaning his bag on the empty chair and since there was some time left, he decided to keep reading the book he started before.

He was reading the last lines of the tenth chapter when the feeling of a hand on his shoulder made him flinch. Turning around, he was faced by a smiling Byron "You study even during your spare time?" he joked, sitting down in front of his son.

"You know, this novel is located in Goldenrod City, in Johto. It's so well described it is like walking in there."

Byron shrugged at the comment "According to me it's better to visit places for real. Images in books and movies are always sugar-coated."

"As if I could afford a trip to Johto! You don't have the least clue on the airfare prices."

"You, distrustful man! I went there for a training course when I was younger"

Riley glared at him from the rim of the menu paper "When?"

"Ten years ago, maybe"

"I knew it. You have no clue."

A young waitress with a blue uniform approached them holding a paper block on her hands. She scrapped something on the paper then stared at the two smiling "Are you ready to order?"

Byron gave her the menu back "Two special Oreburgers, one with extra cheese, a mineral water and a beer."

The maid nodded leaving a bowl of chips on the table, she then hurried up to the kitchen.

"You know…" said Riley biting at a potato chip "…there's Lucian in the library"

"Lucian the Elite?" asked Byron

"Yes, in flesh and bones. This is the first time I see him out of the TV screen. When I went to visit aunt Bertha I met Aaron and Flint and sometimes even Cynthia, however I have never crossed him. I was sure he lived abroad."

Byron shrugged "I met him at the annual meetings held at the Pokèmon League, what can I say? He is a very reserved guy. Even when you talk with him, he never pushes himself out of the greetings. Even your aunt knows almost nothing about him. She said he just talks about work when they are together."

Riley swallowed down the last potato bite "He looked older on TV. I have to admit he is a handsome guy. He's really tall. Not bad for a bookworm…"

"He is one of the Elite Four."

"So it's Flint…"

Father and son exchanged a glance before stifling a laughter. In the meantime, the waitress brought them their order.

"You know, once I was fixing a pipe in your aunt's room. I went to the Pokèmon League entrance to retrieve some tools. Flint was laying on one of those couches in front of the Pokèmon Center desk when some tourists arrived. There was an old man among them who just scolded the hell out of Flint for sitting on the league's couch…" laughed Byron, almost chocking on his bite "…. they thought he was a scumbag or something…" he kept on laughing "…and the funniest stuff is that Cynthia came out scolding him as well!" there were tears at Byron's eyes and Riley was laughing as well.

The conversation quickly moved from the Elite Four to Byron's troubles at the Gym to Riley's current pupil.

Taken as they were in their conversation, neither Byron nor Riley heard someone approaching behind them.

"Ahem."

They both turned around at the strangers' voice just to discover it was no one less than Lucian standing in front of them. Byron quickly swallowed his beer, standing up to greet him "Sir. Lucian" he greeted, bowing down. The Elite patted his shoulder "Hi Byron, come on, there is no need for ceremonies."

He then rummaged in his pockets taking a key out. Riley recognized it immediately, it was his home door key.

"You left it on the armchair in the library."

Riley blushed "Oh gosh, thank you. These trousers' pockets are terrible."

Lucian smiled "Don't worry, just be more careful next time."

The Elite took a seat in a table nearby. Riley glanced at him, in the previous mere moments he had a strange feeling it was as if he was forcing himself to hold back, like he wanted to talk more but was afraid or something.

Caught in his thoughts, Riley missed to notice he was staring, however Lucian felt the eyes on him. The Elite cracked a smile making Riley take his look away, luckily, Byron's blabbering about the new mining drill distracted him quite well. He would have ever imaged that tool would be such a problem source.

It took few seconds to turn that somehow weird situation back to just an ordinary one. Just a normal dinner, father and son talking about random stuff. An ordinary day, nothing less, nothing more, the same old faces, same old chats.

All of sudden, the floor started shaking, it was brief, yet intense. Sauce holders fell from the counter, making a mess over the white tiles, the glasses hung to dry fell and shattered in one thousand pieces, luckily the personnel were untouched.

"What the hell is going on?" groaned Byron coming out from the table

"An earthquake? In Canalave? There's something wrong with it." accused Riley.

A police officer came running through the door "Mr. Byron!"

"Sergeant Blossom, what happened? What's the situation in the surroundings?"

The policeman nodded "Someone was wounded, luckily no one is critical, but some buildings have been damaged we need to act as soon as possible, I don't think those walls will stand another attack."

Lucian joined them "What about the causes?"

Sgt. Blossom didn't notice who was talking to him and was about to tell him to scram, luckily he realized it just before opening his mouth "It seems like there was an explosion on- "

"Lake Verity." Riley cut the agent off "And troubles might get worse if we don't hurry." He added putting his jacket on and running out ì.

"Going on your own? Are you insane?" shouted Byron running behind him. He felt a hand over his shoulder, turning around he saw Lucian at his back "I'm going with him. You should help the police here, make sure all the people are going to be safe. You should evacuate the city until the danger is over."

Biting his lips and feeling his heart race, Byron agreed with the solution proposed by the Elite.

"Be careful you two!"

Riley called his Salamence out, hopping on its back "Come on, jump back and hold on tight. I don't want become an Elite splatter!"

Avoiding to express his disapproval for that joke, Lucian followed the instructions and they flight to Lake Verity.

Being quite a big Pokèmon, Salamence might have been noticed, thus Riley thought it was better to land before entering the lake.

Lucian followed him "Are you sure this is the right place?"

"Four hundred percent sure."

Riley felt a presence, there were humans, and, as his senses suggested him, they weren't good company at all.

They silently approached the lake, peeking over the leaves, their eyes met something so horridly unpleasant: the whole lake had been emptied, there were Magikarp twitching on the nude ground, they were all badly wounded. In the middle of the now sterile lake, there were men and women dressed like astronauts, it wasn't needed a huge imagination to understand they belong to Team Galactic.

"There must be at least ten of them…" whispered Riley.

"They're almost all grunts, they're not as though as they might seem, the administrators are the ones we need to worry about."

Riley wasn't listening, he stared intently into the criminals' direction "Are you listening— "the aura user hushed his mate "Just a moment."

Lucian looked at him curiously; there was no way he could hear them speaking from their actual spot.

"Any of your pokèmon know a fire move?"

"Nope…why?"

"She has a Bronzor and Purugly"

Lucian nodded "I suggest we use a surprise attack. I think your Salamence and my Gallade could do a perfect teamwork."

"There's no trace of the legendary Pokèmon here, Miss!" a grunt reported. Mars glared at him, and practically roared "It's impossible! You are telling me we wasted all that explosive for fucking nothing? Keep on searching! If the boss gets angry at me, then I'll have my payback on you!"

All the grunts resumed their work frantically, moving rocks and digging around the ground.

"Damn good for nothing bastards…I knew I couldn't count on them."

There was a movement from the upper rock, and the commander was under alarm "Grunt alpha and omega! There are suspect movements up there, go and check!"

The chosen grunts obeyed like puppies, climbing the friable rock with difficulty.

As they were expecting, up the cliff there was no one. The grunt named omega sighed "It must have been some Magikarp's fault. Mars is seeing things."

"Right, she's too tense."

They didn't know that turning their back was one of the biggest mistakes they could have ever done, two strangers' hands placed on their mouths "Alakazam, use hypnosis." came a whisper behind them, and in few mere moments, both the grunt fell on the ground sleeping like babies.

"Madame! We found something here!" a grunt waved energetically from where the entrance of a cave was "What are you all waiting for? Move your asses! That Pokèmon needs to be caught!"

"Who stated that?"

All the villains stopped dead, staring at the figures of Lucian and Riley on the top of the cliff.

"Look, look, who's here…the strongest Elite Four. What an honor!" exclaimed Mars sarcastically, bringing both her hands on her hips "Where do you think you're going? You're just in two. We'll blow you away like dust!"

Knowing that words were useless, Riley and Lucian took action, sending Salamence and Gallade out as planned.

The flock of grunts was around them, trying to intimidate the pair with sharp glares and angry Zubat "Salamence, use flamethrower and get rid of them!" shouted Riley "Go catch Mars, I'll run after you as soon as I'm done with them!"

The Elite four ran through the craggy soil trying to catch the commander, in the end, he got her back against the wall "You leave me no choice but defeat your Elite ass in a battle!"

An enraged Purugly came out its trainer's Pokèball, but Lucian knew it, and he had Gallade ready for the event "Come on psychic master of my ass, show me your power"

Lucian was patient, he didn't order anything, he'd rather wait for his foe to make the first move. As he was expecting, the enemy attacked using the move Crunch "Gallade, use Thunder-punch!"

The fighting Pokèmon's paws charged with electricity, striking the other straight on the muzzle. Purugly flew back, hitting hard against the rocky walls.

"Purugly, get up and use Crunch!"

"Gallade, jump!"

As Gallade lifted up, Purugly bit it on the leg, forcing the poor Pokèmon to fall on the ground "Thunder-punch again, make sure to paralyze it!"

It was just a moment, few seconds, a sharp cry at his hears advised Lucian that there was a Zubat flying directly against him, Gallade noticed it, but the foe took advantage of the distraction, to trap the psychic Pokèmon on the floor, Lucian shielded himself with his arms.

Strangely, it seemed effective, as the Zubat didn't hit him.

Peeking his head out from the shield of limbs he created, Lucian noticed Riley with a hand stretched out, generating some kind of a force field, and the foe Zubat fell on the ground "Keep on battling, or she'll flee!"

His head still had to process what just happened, but he needed to be focused on his enemy "Gallade, use Leaf Blade!"

Gallade's paw hit Purugly, sending it finally K.O.

In the meantime, Byron arrived bringing aids with him.

"Are you okay?"

Lucian looked at his mate, still confused about the events happened few seconds earlier "Ye...yeah…"

"I'm sorry. I didn't notice one of them escaped."

"You used…the aura?" there were clear signs of bewilderment in the Elite four's voice

"Yes" answered Riley. Lucian brought a hand to massage his forehead "Sorry, I think…I defiantly need a rest."

With two cups of boiling tea in their hands, the Elite four and his mate sat in the police car, it was cold and moist in that lake, they obviously didn't realize it as they were too taken form the battle.

"Not bad for an ordinary trainer" commented Lucian after some whiles. Riley smiled at the comment "The fact that I don't own any badge doesn't prove anything. My father asked me to be a gym leader once."

"I believe that. what kept you?"

"I wasn't the right one. Specializing on a single type, being locked after piles of documents. Bills, trainers' wages… defiantly not the life I was looking for. I am just good as I am right now."

"Such noble purposes" Lucian sipped at his hot drink "What about the Police force? Have you ever thought about it?"

Riley shrugged "I have never considered that option. Do you think I could be suitable for that role?"

The elite smiled "With your trainer skills and powers you'd be just the perfect."

"Thank you, I am going to consider it."

Lucian glanced at his wristwatch, he noticed it was getting late "Okay..." he said taking the blanket off "Time for me to go, I wouldn't find any available room in the city."

After the chaos caused by the bomb, one of the major hotels was closed, the other was ordered to host private citizen whose homes were endangered and the Pokèmon Center was full for sure. In that moment, Riley recalled that his couch could turn into a bed, this would make his room available.

"You can stay at my place for tonight. It's not a five-star hotel but I can provide you a bed and clean sheets."

"Are you sure? I can find something on the neighboring cities. I don't want to bother."

"No bothering at all. You found my home keys, I owe you."

Lucian would have rather spend the night in a place built for that purpose, without bothering a person, but he realized he was too tired to move to another city. Besides, Riley seemed a good guy, he supposed there was nothing to worry about.

"Fine. I'll gladly accept your offer."

Xxxxxxxxx

The door creaked as Riley opened it, the salty air was a killer for the junctions. He turned the lights on, leaving his jacket and hat on the clothes hanger beside the door.

"Follow me, I'll show you your room."

Riley climbed up the stairs, followed by the Elite. They reached a red wooden door and got inside.

Riley reached the bottom drawer of his wardrobe, taking some freshly clean sheets out "I am sorry, I didn't have time for it this morning."

Lucian smiled in understanding, observing the room around him. His attention was taken by a silver frame hung on the wall: it was a family picture of Riley, Byron, his brother Roark and his old aunt Bertha. Seeing his colleague's picture, the Elite frowned "Do you know Bertha?" he asked.

Riley chuckled "She's my acquired aunt. I also often visit her."

Lucian blushed in embarrassment, he swore he had never seen Riley before that day "I never noticed."

"If it can be of any help, that's the first time I meet you outside the TV screen. I guess your work keeps you pretty busy."

Lucian rubbed the back of his head "More or less. Truth is that I try to avoid my colleagues' acquaintances…"

Noticing the hint of bitterness in Lucian's words, Riley couldn't help but smile "Did something bad happen?"

"A little more than something I would say. Once Aaron's girlfriend came along with her sister. Maybe you know her, she's a reporter in Kalos. Well, she barged into my room and asked any kind of question without the least hint of shame."

"I would have kicked her out."

Lucian sighed, sitting on the chair close to the window "I would have liked to, but reporters could be dangerous"

"You just answered to all her questions?"

"I had to"

"You really are a patient man"

"At least she visited just once, while that whiny Sunyshore Gym Leader is always loafing around…"

Riley shook his head, he understood who he was talking about and fully agreed with Lucian's words "Volkner? Please don't mention him. He is always complaining about something, and he is an arrogant. Always crying over himself because there aren't strong trainers around, that he wants to leave his position as a Gym Leader… bullshits! If so why did he never challenge the League? I'll tell you what, he is too comfortable with his wage."

"You said it. And what about regional founding? There's a blackout almost every month because he uses money to renew his gym. If Cynthia was a bit stricter he would have been gone from a long time."

"I can't believe she is okay with that."

"She's too good. Every time she called him out he made those puppy eyes and took the depression story out. He doesn't even know what it means."

"At least he doesn't often visit here, I can assume I am safe."

With that said, Riley leaned the pillow on the mattress, yawning "Done. I am sorry, I would like to chat with you further, but at the moment I am too tired."

Lucian nodded "Don't mind it. I guess we both are."

Riley pointed towards the door in front of the bedroom "There's the restroom, if you'll need it. I'll be sleeping downstairs. If anything comes up, don't worry and wake me up."

"Fine. Thank you a lot for your hospitality."

Riley smiled closing the door at his back.

He felt somehow glad that Lucian was open to him, he hoped a nice friendship could bloom out of this random encounter.

A.N. : So, the first chapter is gone. I know it is a bit long, but seen the average speed of my posting, it's for the best. I hope I'll succeed to update this story soon :))