Trainers, which of Delcatty's Abilities is generally regarded as a hindrance?
a) Cute Charm
b) Normalize
c) Wonder Skin
Calem woke up, seeing the sight of his tent above him. For a moment, he forgot why he was camping, before remembering all of what happened the previous day. Meeting Serena, starting a momentous journey… earning the Bug Badge… Calem got up, and shook himself free of dust. He started the day checking on the two girls: his self-proclaimed surrogate niece Shauna and their ward Serena. He looked into the tent, and then gasped with surprise.
"What is that?" he asked. There, within the tent and resting on Shauna's lap, was a pink and cream coloured cat. Its tail was shaped like an oddly-proportioned paw. Calem was somewhat worried about how it got there.
"It walked into the tent while we were sleeping, and nuzzled up with us. Calem, can we keep it? Please?" Shauna said. Calem eyed it over. He nodded, and Shauna leapt with glee.
"Come on up, little kitty! Onto Shauna's shoulder!" Shauna said, whistling. The kitty neatly complied, and mewed. Serena gave it a gentle caress with her hand. The kitten mewled again.
Starting their trek, Calem, Serena and Shauna easily made it to the next town. However, 'town' was putting it mildly. Lumiose City was a maze of high-reaching skyscrapers. Calem looked across to construction workers blocking certain parts of the city. He was almost relieved: the less of Lumiose City they had to worry about, the better. However, Shauna was not so easily subdued.
"It's all…so… pretty! Cal, I've got to see, I've got to see!" she cheered, before running away in a flash.
"Wait, Shauna, stay where I can see you!" Calem said, before turning to Serena. He held out a hand, and Serena nervously took it. They ran as fast as they could to catch up to Shauna.
They were lucky to catch up to her. She had bumped into a young girl wearing a similar style to Shauna, but with more hot colours like brown and yellow. Her blond hair was tied in one ponytail, in contrast to brunette Shauna's four.
"Ow! Hey, watch where you're going!" the other girl said. Apparently, the crash was recent.
"Sorry… got a bit carried away… wait!" Shauna said, before crying out. She looked around the street frantically. Calem followed her lead in confusion, but Serena understood. She was looking at Shauna's shoulder.
"Bonnie! I told you not to run off!" a young voice called from behind the blond girl, his voice cracking. Serena looked up, taking Calem's shoulder. The boy was wearing a blue jumpsuit, and had a large backpack strewn across one shoulder. He wore glasses that seemed to shine opaque white.
"Well, then you should run faster, Clemont!" the young girl, Bonnie, shouted back. Clemont had caught up to his companion, and looked at Shauna with some concern.
"Sorry about my sister. She can be a little headstrong sometimes. What have you lost?" Clemont told her.
"I lost the little kitty we adopted in Route 4!" Shauna cried. Clemont put a hand to his chin.
"If you adopted it on Route 4, I should know what it looks like. Since the blackout recently, I haven't had much to do, so of course I'll look for your pet. I am Clemont, Gym Leader of Lumiose City, and thus Bonnie and I are the only ones who are strictly speaking allowed past the blockade at the moment," Clemont said. Shauna nodded.
"Go to Professor Sycamore's laboratory. He said he was looking for a group similar in size and makeup to yours anyway. I will meet you there as soon as I find your pet," Clemont said.
"Just as long as you don't use another one of those inventions again, I'll help with that. And-" Bonnie said, before noticing the girl hiding behind Calem.
"Oh my goddess, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen! Would you please, please marry my brother?" she asked, getting down on one knee and holding her hand out to Serena. Serena blushed, and took a few steps back. Calem quickly put his arm around Serena to stop her outright fleeing, and Serena leaned in to nuzzle Calem.
"Bonnie! I told you not to do that!" Clemont said, twitching his arm to activate something in his bag. A long, purple arm ending in a cream hand extended from the backpack, and latched onto Bonnie's dress. Lifting her up, the pair left, their respective arguments being drowned out by each other. Calem, Serena and Shauna heard one phrase each.
"Think about it!" was Bonnie's.
"Will you stop that?" was Clemont's.
"What do you think?" Calem asked.
"Just as long as they manage to find my little kitty, I'm good. Who knows how lost she feels in this huge city?" Shauna said. Serena said nothing, shivering. Calem gave her a nervous pat on the back, and the three decided to head to Sycamore's lab.
Calem, Serena and Shauna entered the laboratory, which luckily stood out like a sore thumb. It was painted very natural colours to easily contrast it with the surrounding skyscrapers. Calem, Serena and Shauna entered, to meet a very tall man in a lab coat. Even before the introductions, Calem and Shauna knew who he was.
"Welcome to Lumiose City! My name is Professor Augustine Sycamore, and I am the Kalos region's resident Pokémon Expert! You must be the promising new students I had Trevor hire," Professor Sycamore said.
"Thank you for your kind welcome, Sycamore. My name is Calem, and this is Shauna and Serena. Sorry about springing Serena on you unnecessarily, Professor," Calem said, speaking for the group.
"It was no trouble, Calem, no trouble at all. I have heard rumours that the legendary racer Grace moved into Vaniville… I suppose she would be your mother, Serena?" Sycamore said. Serena nodded, and stepped behind Calem.
"No need for concern, my little girl. No need at all. I've sent messages to Grace, but I never got a reply… oh well. Anyway, my new apprentices, I shall now bestow upon you an object Trevor forgot to. He tends to overlook details in the face of significant events, and I assume Serena's arrival was significant enough. The least I can do is commend him for getting the Battle Rings to you…" Sycamore prattled on, before finally handing three card-like objects to each Calem, Serena and Shauna.
"These are Pokédexes. I hope you will use them well," Sycamore said. "Now, for something I have been looking forward to… how about a battle?" Sycamore asked, gesturing to his belt. Three Pokémon were buckled there.
"You're on, Sycamore!" Calem said. Calem, Serena and Shauna pulled out their Pokémon on sync. Sycamore pulled all three of his partners from his belt in one fluid motion.
Calem, Serena and Shauna are challenged by Pokémon Professor Sycamore!
Pokémon Professor Sycamore sent out Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle!
Go! Chester!
Go! Braixen!
Go! Froakie!
Braixen moved the fastest, being the most evolved of the trio. It's quick movements brought its stick from its tail. However, instead of a lightning-fast fire attack, Braixen used a Psybeam. Taken aback by the choice of move, Bulbasaur's defences were beat easily.
What? Froakie is evolving!
Time stood still, as Froakie spread his legs forward in preparation to bounce. His entire body became longer and thinner, with his head experiencing the most dramatic change. Darker blues were speckled along the light blue body, and his eyes narrowed. Literally, they became a lot narrower.
Congratulations! Calem's Froakie has evolved to become Frogadier!
Frogadier's next move came faster than Braixen's. The lightning-fast Water Pulse had already been thrown in the time it took for Charmander to process that fact. He got blasted solidly back.
What? Chester is evolving!
Time stood still, as Chester jumped into the air, and rolled into a ball. The ball expanded, coated in green. Brown patches appeared sporadically across his skin, and the ball landed. He revealed his face, showing that he became the ball.
Congratulations! Shauna's Chester has evolved to become Quilladin!
Chester rolled back into an orb, and rolled at Squirtle. Squirtle deflected the blow, but was seeded by Chester. Chester immediately turned around, and used a Needle Arm, taking Squirtle completely by surprise.
Calem, Serena and Shauna defeated Pokémon Professor Sycamore!
"That was way too easy…" Calem said, wary.
"I spend more time studying Pokémon than battling with them. That really was my best effort," Professor Sycamore said mournfully. Serena raised an eyebrow.
"Nevertheless, you have beaten me, which proves you are at the very least beginner Trainers. So please, take another Pokémon!" Professor Sycamore said, pulling out a similar case to that Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie were contained within.
"Take a choice of one of the three Pokémon I have used in the fight. Don't worry: these aren't the ones I used, and my fight is no indicator of their actual talent." He swung his hand across the capsule, and the three Pokémon were released. Shauna knelt down to think about the choices.
"Shauna, I've made my choice," Calem said. He swiped the Poké Ball of his choice from the rack, pocketing it. Shauna looked between them, and smirked.
"You made that choice easy," Shauna said, swiping the remaining Poké Balls, and tossing one to Serena.
"Your choices?" Sycamore asked.
"Charmander, so I can leave Braixen with Serena!" Calem said. Serena flushed.
"Shelly, because I don't want two Grass types!" Shauna said, nicknaming her partner. Sycamore agreed. Variety was the cornerstone to a successful team.
"And I'm left with Bulbasaur," Serena pointed out. Sycamore nodded.
"I'm not leaving you with just these new partners. I study a newly discovered form of evolution known as Mega Evolution. It gives Pokémon more of a boost than regular evolution, with the added pro that it can be conducted more often than regular evolution," Sycamore explained.
"And it's cons?" Calem asked. He knew that there would be some limiters.
"Mega Evolution can only be conducted under specific conditions, which I still struggle to piece together. Additionally, only certain Pokémon are able to Mega Evolve. This list is also under construction. However, I do know three Pokémon for sure. Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise," Sycamore said, pulling out three stones. He passed one to each member of the group.
"These stones are the Venusaurite, the Blastoisinite, and the Charizardite X. I have heard that these stones are critical to Venusaur, Blastoise and Charizard's Mega Evolutions, but I'm not quite sure how. If you continue on, I'm sure you'll find someone who can assist you."
"Thanks, Professor Sycamore!" Shauna said.
"Shauna!" Clemont called out. Shauna turned, and saw Clemont running up to the lab clumsily. He reached the lab, stopping only to breathe.
"I've… found it…" Clemont said, holding up the adopted cat. Shauna took it from his hand, and started to hug it. Calem pulled out his Pokédex, and scanned the Pokémon.
Skitty, the Kitten Pokémon. It shows its cute side by chasing its own tail until it gets dizzy.
"Skitty? You mean to say that's an actual Pokémon?" Calem asked.
"Why yes indeed, Calem! Most non-human creatures are Pokémon!" Clemont triumphantly told him.
"In that case, it was obvious in retrospect. Probably seeing it show up out of nowhere while I was sleeping made me think otherwise. But in any case… Shauna, could you catch it, so it's easier to carry about?" Calem said. Shauna fumbled with her skirt, before pulling out a Poké Ball. She aimed it at the Skitty, and caught it.
… … … …Gotcha! Skitty has been caught!
"And while I'm thinking about it… I got a request from a certain individual that you head to that café over there," Clemont said, his extendable arm pointing in that direction. Calem, Serena and Shauna followed his sight to see it.
"Should we be worried?" Calem asked, looking at Serena. At the mention of 'unnamed', she had jumped on Calem's shoulder and began to shiver.
"It was a female voice I heard, so no, I think Serena will be fine," Clemont assured Calem.
"You're quite shrewd, Clemont…" Serena mumbled.
"It's part of the job description! …I don't remember what job, but it's in the description!" Clemont stated.
Shauna ran into the café suddenly, just barely short of making a scene. Calem and Serena followed her, Serena locked in Calem's embrace. To the casual observer, this looked like an ordinary family. But to the right person, she knew that this was just a rather odd band that acted like one.
"It's nice to finally see you," she said, beckoning from her corner table. Calem, Serena and Shauna sat down at it, with Shauna seated closest to the woman. She wore a dark coat that concealed everything but her face, and she wore sunshades to cover her eyes.
"I heard from Professor Sycamore he was hiring new apprentices. So I wanted to give them something rather special," she said. She pulled from a deep pocket a Poké Ball, and passed it to Shauna.
"Who are you?" Calem asked.
"I would not like to make a big deal of my name in this corner café. But…" she trailed off, leaning forward. Calem, Serena and Shauna leaned closer, so that no one else could hear.
"I am Diantha, world-renowned star and the Champion of Kalos," she said, lowering her shades. Calem gasped, and Diantha winked.
"Wait, who's she?" Serena asked.
"I'll fill you in later, Serena. It's a long story, especially to you," Calem muttered. "And you too, Shauna, you'll hear the story," he said, forestalling Shauna's question. Diantha smiled.
"Glad to see someone doesn't know who I am. I show even a shred of evidence that I am Diantha, and the world goes completely insane. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to head back to the one place I don't go insane. Bonne route!" she said, standing from the table and leaving. Shauna sent out the Pokémon she was given.
"It's a Ralts…" she said, smiling.
Nice to meet you, too, the Ralts said, curtseying.
"Aw, if it isn't a little princess? Oh, and what's this?" Serena said, holding her hand out. Ralts understood her meaning, and passed Serena her marble. Serena pulled out the Venusaurite she had been given by Professor Sycamore.
"They're alike… Ralts has a Mega Evolution?" she said.
Gardevoir has a Mega Evolution. My mother has a Gardevoirite as well, and can Mega Evolve. But I'm not old enough yet, and my old Trainer Diantha has no need for two Mega Gardevoir. So, with my consent, she wanted to give me to the most promising student of Mega Evolution. I guess that's you, Ralts explained, gently taking her Gardevoirite back. Serena looked at Shauna.
"I'll train her, Serena. But I'll keep the Blastoisinite, just in case," she said, returning Ralts. "And you're right; she is a cute little Princess. Sounds like a cute name," Shauna said.
"Now shall we head off to the next Route?" Calem asked.
Calem, Serena and Shauna walked onto Route 5, a Route with deep forests and a skate rink. Shauna had barely registered this when a blue shape bumped straight into her. She crashed into the ground, and looked up at the shape.
"Whoops, buddy, sorry about that… Korrina!" the Pokémon said, pronouncing the last word with a long call. Skating down from a high beam, the girl leaped from the railing, did a mid-air flip, and landed, roller blades down, on the grass next to it.
"Lucario! I warned you about that! So sorry about that…" the girl, Korrina, said. She wore a red and white casual dress, and safety gear, also white.
"No problem. Didn't lose my Kitty this time, so no harm done," Shauna said.
"The name's Korrina, and I'm looking to become an expert on Mega Evolution, just like my grandfather!" Korrina said, flipping the hair underneath her helmet, and placing her hand on the Lucario's shoulder.
"Lucario can Mega Evolve? Five minutes out of Sycamore's lab, and we've almost matched his list of known Mega Evolutions!" Calem remarked.
"You mean Augustine? I'm pretty sure he knows Lucario can Mega Evolve. Anyone with more than a passing familiarity with Mega Evolution should know Lucario can go Mega. I've also seen a Mega Blaziken, Absol, an unfortunate encounter with a Mega Alakazam we don't need to mention…" Korrina started to recount.
"And now we've matched his list," Shauna said.
"But enough about Mega Evolutions. You, girl in the pink, what did you say your name was?" Korrina finished.
"I didn't. It's Shauna. How rude of me. These here are Calem and Serena," Shauna said.
"Shauna, it's just you I'm looking at. Yeah… one day, there will be an important event between us. But for now, I must depart. À la prochaine!" Korrina said, before turning on her skates and leaving.
Calem, Serena and Shauna arrived at Camphrier Town next. It was a very small town, but it was surrounded by walls, and headed by a large castle. Shauna looked up in awe.
"Kinda makes you feel medieval, doesn't it?" she asked. Calem nodded. Serena yawned nervously. As they watched the castle, the drawbridge lowered, and a man came rushing from it.
"What happened?" Calem asked, keeping one eye on Serena. She seized up at the sight of someone in a hurry.
"There's been… follow me!" the man said. Calem, Serena and Shauna followed him to Route 7, where they saw the cause of his woes.
*SNORE!*
"Oh my goddess, that thing is loud!" Serena said, blocking her ears.
"What do we do about it? It looks like it's blocking the road…" Calem pointed out.
"Well… under natural circumstances, Snorlax can sleep for more than…" he started, before pausing in his narration. His eyes whipped across to see Shauna bouncing on Snorlax's giant belly.
"Wake up! Wake up!" she chanted.
"Get down from there, Shauna!" Calem called out. Shauna smiled, and began to do so.
*SNORE!*
The Snorlax's bellow sounded again, throwing Shauna off balance. She whipped around, and fell from the Snorlax. Serena hurriedly rushed forward, and caught Shauna in her arms.
"Thanks…" Shauna said. Serena smiled.
"You're a friend of mine. And I don't let my friends get hurt," she said, although she was starting to blush. Shauna giggled, and Serena set her down. Calem hugged her from relief, before hugging Serena in gratitude. Serena blushed even harder.
"Err-hem. As I was saying, this Snorlax is not going to wake up under its own power. And while she had the good idea to try and awaken the creature, there's only one thing that can do that," the man told them.
"And since you are not using it or running back to your castle to collect it, I can assume that you are not currently in possession of it," Calem said. The man nodded.
"I am afraid that, while the Poké Flute is indeed a possession of Shabboneau Castle, it was recently claimed by the owner of Parfum Palace. Could you please be helpful and go collect it? Please?" the man asked.
"OK," Calem wearily said.
"Thanks. I'm called Daryl. When you get to Parfum Palace, mention my name, and you'll get the Flute. Don't let me down now," Daryl said. Calem, Serena and Shauna nodded, and went along the path to Parfum Palace.
Calem, Serena and Shauna walked up to the Parfum Palace. It was more of a manor with a giant golden gate. They walked up to this gate, only to be stopped by a man clad in a tuxedo.
"Excuse me, visitors. The fee for entering this Palace will be 1000 Poké Dollars per head," he said. He sounded like he said little else. Calem reached into his pocket, and withdrew 3000 Poké Dollars, reluctantly paying the man.
"Thank you. Please enjoy your visit, and please refrain from breaking things," he said. Somehow, Calem got the feeling that this was the 'little else' he said.
Calem, Serena and Shauna entered the palace, only to hear a panicked shout.
"Furfrou! Where are you, boy?" the voice was shouting. Serena shivered. She closed her eyes, and began to think. Drowning out the sounds of the shouts, she heard the terrified yipping of the Furfrou. She opened her eyes.
"In the backyard!" she shouted. All three of them hustled in that direction.
Calem and Serena rushed into the backyard, and found a massive maze. They could see the Furfrou running around within without direction. Calem and Serena looked between each other, and nodded. They began to run towards the garden.
"Hold it!" Shauna shouted. Both Calem and Serena turned, to see Shauna holding a map of the garden.
"Where did you get that?" Calem asked.
"I drew it from the balcony. Anyway, what we want to do is not run after the Furfrou… that'll just get us tired. What we want to do is outsmart it, and run it into a corner where it cannot escape. From what I saw, we can do that here… here… possibly here, it wasn't all that clear from too high… and… here," Shauna said, pointing out her idea on the map. Calem and Serena nodded.
"To corner it, we're going to need to run away from the corners. Not run away as in flee, but run… kinda not next to them, if you understand. Calem, Serena, you'll run parallel to the Furfrou, and stop it from turning. I will guide the dog from behind. If we can run it like that, it'll be cornered, and we can keep it still long enough for its owner to take it from our hands."
Calem and Serena nodded like they understood what she said. Calem had absolutely no idea where Shauna got so good at puzzles.
After an hour of trying (and failing) Shauna's tactic, it finally worked. Luckily for the three of them, the Furfrou was all tuckered out from the run as much as they were, and it was easy to contain long enough for Shauna's yell to have summoned its owner.
"Furfrou!" he said, running up and hugging the dog. Shauna smiled, Serena beamed, and Calem smirked.
"This was simply wonderfrou! I am Keith, the current keeper of Parfum Palace, and it would simply be a crime to leave you unrewarded. I know! How about a display of fireworks?" Keith prattled on. Calem looked at the sky. It was dusk, and not too long before nightfall.
"Might as well," he said.
Calem, Serena and Shauna all stood at the balcony Shauna drew the map from. Serena gulped, but did not show much more fear of height. Especially not since Calem held her hand.
"Fire in the hall!" Keith called, and the fireworks started to fly. He left the balcony, leaving just Calem, Serena, and a drowsy Shauna.
*Yawn…* "Calem… I can't…" Shauna sighed.
"Just go to sleep, if you can't stay up. You've had a big day today. I don't blame you," Calem said. Shauna nodded, and fell asleep. The view must have worn off after Shauna copied it down. It left Calem essentially alone with Serena. Noticing this, Calem started slowly edging away, but Serena held on.
"Serena…" Calem said nervously.
"It's all so… grand. Just… I've never seen fireworks before…" Serena said. Calem placed his arm around her shoulders, smiling all the more nervously.
"Calem, I… urgh…" Serena said.
"Shh… just relax, Serena…" Calem said, going back to concern over his friend. The fireworks continued to go off, but Calem was staring at something that was, to him, far more beautiful. He beamed at the sight of Serena's bliss. She turned to him, the bliss translating to something different, but no less happiness-inducing.
"Calem… or can I call you Cal?" Serena whispered.
"Either's fine…" Calem said. Serena looked into his eyes. Her deep blue eyes found his hazel, liking what they found. Something passed between them, and Serena closed her eyes. She pulled Calem down slightly, and kissed him right then and there.
Shauna smiled through her slitted eyes: she had a hunch that Serena liked Calem, and wanted to help her with that. Happy with seeing the fireworks and Calem's kiss, she sunk into an actual sleep.
Serena pulled away from Calem, and looked at him.
How did I do? her eyes seemed to ask.
"That was… magical. Serena, I…" Calem started, before his eyes drooped. Serena nodded, and they moved over to a pillar, before falling asleep. Serena's head found its way into Calem's lap.
The correct answer is b) Normalize. It's an exclusive Ability, with an effect it took a complex strategy to weaponise. I repeat: experts had to come up with a way to not make it completely stupid.
Next time, on To Lead The Way, we head the rest of the way to Cyllage City, and hopefully have a battle worth splashing. 4000 words and no Battle Splash...