Party Like it's 1993
By Lord Agravane the Undead
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters within.
Notes:
Written as a gift for Pumpkaboo
The Punch Bowl is an item that often appears in strange Role Plays I do with my mates on the Pokemaniacs Forum. If anybody is interested, PM me about it, ha!
It was a sunny Saturday morning in Vaniville Town and Lysandre was walking along the avenue, heading towards Grace's house with an important parcel tucked under his arm. It was a Holo-caster, a communication device which he had invented a couple of years previously. As an old friend of both Lysandre's and James's, Grace had been one of the first to receive a prototype of the Holo-caster and it always worked perfectly for her. Unfortunately, her pet Rhyhorn had recently decided to use it as a chew toy, resulting in one dead Holo-caster. So naturally, Lysandre had offered to supply her with another one, free of charge.
Lysandre walked up the path, passing the chew-happy Rhyhorn, who was slumbering in his shelter. Reaching the front door, Lysandre pressed the doorbell. A musical chime sounded and seconds later, the door was opened by Grace.
"Lysandre," said Grace, smiling at him.
"Hello Grace," said Lysandre, kissing her on both cheeks. "How are you today?"
"Really good, thank you," Grace replied. "Just enjoying the nice weather".
"Yes, I think that spring is here at last," said Lysandre. He looked over his shoulder at the garden, where the flowers were opening and trees were in bud.
"Ah yes. I have brought you your new Holo-caster," said Lysandre, remembering the purpose of his visit. He handed over the parcel to Grace, who thanked him and then unwrapped it.
"Oh, that's excellent, thank you so much," she said, admiring the new Holo-caster. "It was so kind of you to give me another one".
"Not at all," said Lysandre. "It was a pleasure to be able to help".
"Well, thank you all the same," said Grace. "Now, won't you come inside for a coffee?"
Lysandre was quite busy at work that day but he thought that a quick coffee wouldn't hurt. Also, it would look rude if he refused and he didn't want that at all.
"Thank you, I should be delighted," he said.
Grace smiled again and led Lysandre inside; down the hallway and into the kitchen. The kitchen was a cosy, south facing room and the morning sunlight was streaming in through the open window.
"Sit down a minute while I put the kettle on," said Grace, indicating towards her pinewood dining table and chairs. Lysandre pulled out a chair near the window and settled down onto it. Grace bustled around the kitchen, filling the kettle with water and then getting two cups out of the cupboard. Lysandre leaned back, enjoying the breeze and fresh air from the open window. He could see Serena, Grace's daughter, standing in he back garden. She was leaning against a tree and talking to a couple of friends. Lysandre thought he recognised the one as Calem, the boy who lived next door and then there was a smaller girl too. They were talking loudly and sounded pretty excited.
"I can't believe that Tierno won that break-dancing contest last weekend", the girl was saying. "It was so thrilling!"
"Yeah, that was crazy," Calem agreed. "I thought he was gonna break some bones at least!" The girls laughed and Grace, overhearing, chuckled too.
"I remember that being all the rage when we were kids," she said to Lysandre.
"Yes," Lysandre agreed. "It started off in Unova, I think?"
"It did indeed". Grace sighed. "That was such a long time ago. Sounds like it's making a comeback now".
Lysandre winced internally. Such a long time ago? The 80s were surely not *that* long ago.
Overhearing the teens again, Lysandre realised they had changed the subject. Calem was talking about going waterskiing at the harbour of Coumarine City that Sunday. It would be his second time and he was looking forward it.
"You girls oughta come along too," he was saying. "It's really wild".
"I would do, Cal but Trevor's sister is taking us dirt biking tomorrow," said Serena.
"And I'm going hang gliding with Tierno," said the girl.
"Wow, hang gliding! You're so lucky, Shauna," said Calem. "I'm gonna try that next".
"They never stop, do they," Grace said to Lysandre. She set two cups of coffee down onto the table. "There we go dear".
"Thank you," said Lysandre, who was trying to work out whether he was envious, horrified or simply overwhelmed by the kids' plans.
Grace smiled and nodded. "They've got a party tonight as well, I believe".
"A party?" Lysandre repeated. Before Grace could say any more, as if by magic, the subject of the said party came up with Serena and her friends.
"Oh my Arceus, I can't WAIT for tonight," Shauna exclaimed. "It's going to be the party of the century!"
"Yeah," Calem said eagerly. "Tiernos' parties are always so crazy!"
"Hehehehe, remember the on we went to last month," giggled Serena. "It went on until four in the morning and of course, THE INCIDEENT".
"You mean, that weird Punch Bowl that suddenly appeared?" Calem asked.
"Or that crazy old hermit who turned up with his gang of dancers in penguin costumes?" said Shauna.
Lysandre shook his head and sipped his coffee. He tried to remember if his teenage years had been as wild. He seemed to recall sneaking down to his parent's wine cellar to procure wine frequently. He had also borrowed his Dad's car often, to take various boyfriends to the cinema or to rock concerts. Usually, without his Dad's permission.
"Kids nowadays," Grace was saying, bringing Lysandre out of his thoughts. "I don't think I'd have the energy for any of those activities".
"Uh…" said Lysandre.
"I guess when you get to our age, you start to slow down a bit," Grace continued.
Lysandre blinked and tried to defend himself. "Just over thirty? I think I could still party until four in the morning".
Grace laughed. "Nine years and three months just over thirty," she teased him.
Lysandre blushed. "Alright then. Three forty five in the morning".
After he left Grace's house, Lysandre walked along the avenue, deep in thought. Break-dancing, waterskiing, dirt biking and whatever else the teens had been up to. It did sound very wild and pretty exhausting too.
Lysandre shook his head. No, absolutely not! I could do all of that and more, if I wanted to. So could Augustine.
If fact, I think we should! Maybe tonight, after we have both finished work? We should go waterskiing or hang gliding. Or maybe throw a party?
Maybe we should do something even wilder; he continued to think as he walked along. Something so dangerous and shocking that the kids would just stare and possibly faint too. And definitely be impressed!
The only problem with such things, Lysandre thought, was that they were likely to risk either messing his hair up or causing him some sort of accident where a scar would be inevitable.
Lysandre made up his mind. I shall ask Augustine tonight, after work. I am sure that between us, we shall come up with something heart-stoppingly thrilling that no kid would dare to ever consider doing it!
Evening arrived and with it, Professor Sycamore, home from his lab at last. Lysandre opened the door for him; embracing the Professor and kissing him on the cheek.
"Oh, thank you dear," said Professor Sycamore, kissing Lysandre back. "I'm so glad to be home".
"And I am glad to have you home," said Lysandre. He helped Professor Sycamore out of his jacket and hung it up for him. "Would you like some wine, Augustine?"
"Please," said Professor Sycamore. "I could do with a glass; I have had such a hectic day".
"You shall have one," said Lysandre. Then he remembered the teenagers at Grace's house earlier and his follow up thoughts and plans for him and Augustine. Now was surely the time to put them into action!
Professor Sycamore went to sit down in the living room and Lysandre fetched two glasses and a bottle of wine from the kitchen. He sat on the settee next to the Professor and handed him a wine glass.
"Thank you dear," said Professor Sycamore, as Lysandre began pouring the wine.
"It is not a problem," Lysandre smiled. "Now, Augustine, I have had an idea".
"Oooh," said Professor Sycamore curiously. "What is it?"
"I was thinking," Lysandre began. "We should do something different this evening. Something…fun".
"That does sound good," agreed Professor Sycamore. He sipped his wine and smiled back. "What did you have in mind?"
Lysandre poured himself some wine and settled comfortably next to Professor Sycamore. "Hmm, well I wasn't quite sure," he admitted. "Something exciting, definitely".
"Yes, I am game for that," said Professor Sycamore. He slid and arm around Lysandre's shoulder and patted it.
Lysandre thought hard. Professor Sycamore looked tired after his long day at work. Somehow, Lysandre didn't quite want to suggest wild parties or hang gliding.
"Why don't you choose, Augustine?" Lysandre offered. "You are always so interesting and innovative; I just know that you would come up with the most wonderful idea".
"Oh, do you really think so?" Professor Sycamore asked, very flattered.
"Of course," said Lysandre, taking hold of Professor Sycamore's hand and rubbing it gently. "I am always honest. I do not say things I don't mean."
Professor Sycamore smiled and kissed Lysandre again. "Thank you! Well, I shall certainly think then…"
Lysandre nodded and drank some more wine. He felt relaxed and comfortable. He wasn't quiet sure that he wished to go out and do something wild and extreme after all.
Then he remembered the kid's conversation and steeled himself. No, no matter what crazy and exciting thing Augustine suggested, he would go along with it. He would prove that age was just a number and that he could party as well as he had done back in the 1990s.
"I have it," said Professor Sycamore, beaming. "Why don't we order in a pizza, put our feet up and watch old 80s movies from when we were kids?"
Lys blinked. He stared at Professor Sycamore in surprise.
"Then, afterwards we can have an early night," Professor Sycamore continued. "We can have hot chocolate in bed and then…" he grinned with a Let's follow it up with making out grin.
Lysandre thought about it carefully. He realised that his back ached a little and hang gliding and wild parties were overrated anyway.
"I think that sounds splendid!" he said, kissing Professor Sycamore on the lips. "I'll go and phone the pizza place.
The End
