Note: set between ME Special I and II. Because I want Zinnia and Wally and hey, when they had those little snippets from the Mega Evolution journal about Mega Salamence and Gallade it was my headcanon that they would fight Alain. Also inspired by this one doujinshi on Pixiv. Japanese names because why not.
Manon might have used the incident regarding the Hoenn natives as a point in her favour for the argument about the benefits of travelling together, but the truth was, he saw it as the point where he began to see her as his weakness. It was when he began to realize that the cheerful girl with the bright smiles was someone dear to him that he wanted to protect, just like Professor Sycamore and Charizard.
Manon, in her usual clumsiness, had tripped as she ran forwards, and ran into an innocent passerby. She apologized, the passerby – a young green-haired boy – accepted it graciously, and that would have been that.
Except she had noticed a keystone imbedded into the wooden pendant he wore around his neck. And promptly pointed it out, drawing Alain's attention.
"Ah, yes," the green-haired boy said with a nervous smile. "That's my keystone. You know about Mega Evolution?"
"I do!" Manon declared. "I'm travelling with Alain so Hari-san and I can learn about it and become stronger by Mega Evolving as well!"
"It's your Pokémon that's Mega Evolving," he reminded her for what felt like the hundredth time. It didn't feel as annoying on his tongue as it used to. "Not you."
And, before she could retort back, he continued on, directing his words towards the green-haired boy. "Will you battle me?"
The green-haired boy looked at Alain, and suddenly it was like he was a lot less nervous. At the mention of battling, something inside him had calmed, and Alain felt like he was trying to gaze into a very deep lake. This trainer was strong, with hidden depths inside. A worthy opponent.
He was disappointed by the boy's words a few moments later. "A normal battle, yes," he said slowly, weighing each word out carefully. "But if you specifically want a Mega Evolution battle, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
"What?" Manon squawked before Alain could open his mouth to protest, to argue. "But why? You can use Mega Evolution, can't you?"
The words he felt exactly. Alain nodded, not breaking his gaze with the green-haired boy.
Unfortunately, the keystone-holder didn't flinch or look like he was about to change his mind about the matter. "My partner and I have only recently learned how to use it, so we need permission from our master before we can use it more in battle." He smiled apologetically, and made to leave.
Alain didn't want to let this matter go. "Wouldn't you be able to better gain mastery over it if you used it more often in battles, against tougher foes?" he pressed.
The boy hesitated, seeing the logic but torn by his caution.
"This one's got a good point, Mitsuru."
That wasn't from any of them. A woman had approached from the side, catching them blind. Only the Whismur in her arms seemed amused. Manon squeaked in surprise. The green-haired boy flinched in shock. Alain was a bit taken aback at how the newcomer, a woman in a gray cape, had snuck up on all of them without anyone noticing, but he hid his surprise better than the other two.
The cloaked woman, a short brunette with tied-back hair, gave him a sly red-eyed grin like she knew what he was hiding before continuing to speak. "And as for my permission," she said magnanimously, "I give it fully! Go all out, duke it out in passionate battle! Test your bonds, see if they have been forged well-enough to withstand the assaults from the flames of opposition!"
For some reason, Alain didn't like this woman very much.