The couple jogged back down the mountain, careful with where they placed their feet. Within a half hour, the pair broke through the forest and were strolling on the ranch proper again, passing nearby the cabin. Octavia led Clemont past the barn and down the steeper hills that led to the lake below. As Ash turned around to look at them, Octavia quickly dropped Clemont's hand. His ego deflated a tad, and he felt slighted by her, but didn't have time to ask about it, as Bonnie ran to meet them.
"The babies were so cute!" Bonnie gasped, her words squeaky as she had sprinted up the rest of the incline to meet them. "They are doing so well now too, and can swim the whole lake!"
"I knew I chose the perfect swim instructor," Octavia grinned, falling to her knees so she was eye level with the young girl. "I had no doubt that they'd be zipping around in no time." Bonnie placed her small fists on her hips, her tiny chest swelling with pride. Octavia patted Bonnie's head adoringly, then rose and continued down the hill to the others.
"Clemont, you would've loved them!" Bonnie continued to babble, grabbing roughly on his left arm and pulling on it. "They had the smallest little fins, and their tails were extra curly! They kept blowing bubbles and…." Clemont nodded as though he were listening intently, but hurried down after Octavia, his arm still being tugged on by his sister.
"Seems like you all had a good day," Octavia said, stopping in front of Ash.
"Yeah, the twins picked it up pretty fast," Ash smiled, rubbing Pikachu's ear lovingly.
"And the weather is amazing!" Serena added from where she sat at the lake's edge, her feet splashing rhythmically in the water. Dedenne sat on her head, intently focused on trying to zap specific droplets from the air.
"Well, I came down with an offer," Octavia responded, her warm grin that she had given Bonnie earlier now just a polite smile. "Someone's cleared the Elite Four and wants to battle me, and I was wondering if any of you wanted to come watch."
"Would I ever!" Ash gasped, his fists gripped tight. This would be the perfect opportunity for him to study more of Octavia's battle tactics, maybe he could learn a few ways to gain the upper hand the next time he faced her.
"That sounds fun," Serena agreed, standing up and shaking her legs, trying to flick off the water streaming down her calves. "It'll be good to see you really challenged!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ash growled, glaring at his traveling companion. As Serena struggled to explain herself, Octavia turned to Bonnie, who was now leaning out over the lake's edge, trying to coax a wild Surskit closer to her.
"Well, how about it Bonnie? Want to come along?" Octavia asked, her smile warming again for the little girl.
"Not really," Bonnie replied off handedly, her eyes not leaving the water spider before her. "I wanna' stay here."
"Then I'd better stay with her," Clemont sighed, slightly disappointed. He knew he was being dramatic, but he didn't want to leave Octavia's side. Octavia nodded, then turned to the two who were accompanying her.
"On the far side of my cabin are a couple of bikes. One of them is mine, but the other one you two can share. You'll have to decide who's pedaling, and who's riding along." Immediately, Serena cried she would be pedaling as she tore off up the hill. Ash yanked her back and shouted that it was he that would be pedaling. Pikachu hopped down and ran along the squabbling pair, egging them on as they raced up to the cabin. "Alright, I've got to get my team together," Octavia said, turning her gaze back to Clemont and Bonnie. "You two think you can hold down the fort while I'm away?"
"Leave it to us!" Clemont smiled, trying to get her to show her sincere side once more. Octavia nodded cordially before spinning on her heel and walking away, calling loudly for the Pokemon she wanted to accompany her. Clemont watched her walk away wistfully, wishing she could stay.
"Don't worry, Clemont," Bonnie said. Clemont turned to look down at his tot sister to find she was looking at him seriously beside him. "She'll be fine! Nothing could hurt her." Clemont smiled and patted her head lovingly, not bothering to correct that he wasn't worried for Octavia; he was already missing her.
Clemont and Bonnie began to scale the hill pumping their knees as they gasped for breath. Ash called out to them. When he saw them pause their ascent and look up, he waved from his spot on the handlebars. Serena had won the race to the bikes. "Alright, let's go!" Ash edged excitedly, Pikachu clinging to the top of Ash's head. Octavia twisted her handlebars and disappeared down a small dirt path in the forest. Serena pedaled hard to keep up.
"There they go," Clemont remarked as his friends disappeared into the shadows. He glanced at his watch and saw it was six o'clock. "Must be about time for everyone to eat," he continued as he restarted his climb of the steep hills. "Let's go feed the Pokemon, and then figure out what we are gonna' have." Bonnie nodded in agreement, too winded to respond. Her small cheeks were splotchy and red as she huffed.
After what felt like quiet the climb, Bonnie trotted into the barn as if she had hardly broke a sweat, her youthful reserves of energy hardly tapped. She pressed the two buttons she had seen Octavia push the night before. A loud rattle filled the air as the heating kicked to life, a quiet buzzing as the lights flickered on. Clemont frowned and saw that many of the troughs were nearly empty of food. "What're we gonna' do?" Bonnie aired the question, her little brow furrowed. "We don't have that whistle she used to call 'em in, and we don't know where the food is kept."
"Rroooowwww." Clemont and Bonnie looked up. Strutting above in the rafters was the same Glameow Clemont had seen earlier in the day.
"Still napping, I see," Clemont called up disapprovingly. "Haven't moved all day, you lazy pussy cat!" The Glameow's luminescent eyes narrowed in a glare. It leaned cautiously over the beam before dropping from the rafters to the hay loft, and from the loft to the barn floor before them.
"Ignore my brother," Bonnie quipped, squatting before the cat. "He's just grumpy because he had to stay behind and watch me." The Glameow's glare turned to Bonnie. She offered the feline her hand. The Glameow sniffed it carefully before shoving its head against her palm, purring loudly. "You're such a good boy!" Bonnie cooed. "Think you could help us out? We don't know how to refill the troughs with food, and Octavia had to leave." The Glameow pushed hard against Bonnie's knees, begging for another stroke, before turning and walking away, meowing at Bonnie insistently.
Bonnie followed the purple creature to the far side of the barn. It growled as it stretched its body up the wall, pointing with its small paws and sharp claws to a button above it. Bonnie pressed it, investigative. A loud rattle filled the air as kibble shivered down the silver chutes above and clattered into the metal troughs below. "I did it!" Bonnie announced happily.
"Well, now that the food's out, how do we get them all to come in?"Clemont mused, crossing the barn to stand with his sister. As he arrived by her side, several Houndour's pranced in, nipping at each other as they wrestled their way to dinner. From the opposite open barn doors, a pair of Sentret bounded in eagerly.
"I think the food falling was loud enough to call them in," Bonnie guessed. Clemont greeted his Bunnelby, Heliolisk, and Luxio as they padded in for dinner. Just as they passed their Trainer to head to the troughs, Bonnie tugged on her brother's sleeve. "How do we feed the ones at the lake?" A Metang hovered into the barn and turned at Bonnie's voice, appraising them. "Do you know how we feed the Water types?" the little girl asked fearlessly. The Metang called outside loudly then levitated up into the hay loft. A Pidegot and a Ledian followed quickly. After a moment, the three reappeared hoisting several large bags of food in beak or paw. "Thank you!" Bonnie called as the trio flew out the opposite barn door and began the descent to the body of water below. Dedenne offered Bonnie a nuzzle before it crawled over to Clemont's team to chat and eat.
With a final grateful pat to the Glameow for his assistance, the siblings began an easy lope from the barn to the cabin. Hidden in the trees at the forest's edge, three pairs of eyes peeked through the leaves. They darted around, counting and assessing the Pokemon as they funneled into the barn for their evening meal. "Quite the selection," purred a nasally voice. A mischievous smirk gleamed as the sun set, casting the night into twilight.
"So, what to eat tonight?" Clemont asked his sister, making his way into the pantry. Bonnie wriggled a chair over to the kitchen counter then bounded over to choose the ingredients for their own supper. "I think if we made a really big pizza, the other three would be grateful to a hot dinner when they get back."
"That's a great idea, Clemont," Bonnie agreed. The two grabbed the ingredients, tripping to place their haul onto the counter. Bonnie stood on the chair so she could see the counter as her brother showed her how to make the dough from scratch. As he kneaded rhythmically and grinned as his sister babbled about her day, Clemont's mind wandered to Octavia. Where would she be now? Just getting to the stadium, or was she already finishing off the battle? His kneading grew rougher as he remember their shared moment on the cliff and her dropping his hand before his friends saw. He had so many questions, so many concerns.
"Clemont? Clemont, pay attention!" Bonnie shook him roughly, skewing his glasses.
"Huh? What? What's wrong?" Clemont stuttered, fixing his glasses and refocusing on the present.
"You didn't hear that crash? Listen," Bonnie commanded. The pair stood completely still. A solid thud shook the ground beneath them. Another heavy thud rattled the dishes in their cupboards. "Some…something's wrong!" Bonnie whispered, hopping off her chair and dashing to the door.
"Bonnie, wait!" Clemont ran after her and out the front door. The night was early, the stars just beginning to display their glory. Bonnie charged towards the barn recklessly, tripping but regaining her footing and charging forward. "Bonnie, stop!" As they quickly closed the short distance, Clemont's spine tingled with fear as a deep orange fog rolled slowly from the open barn doors. "Bonnie, don't go in there!" Clemont lunged and wrapped his hand around Bonnie's arm, yanking her back just as she was about to sprint into the mist. "We don't know what that could do!"
"You're hurting me," Bonnie whimpered, trying to yank his iron grip from her arm. A Machoke's silhouette in the fog fell heavily to the barn floor, shaking the ground. Clemont released Bonnie, grimacing at the red outline of his hand on her pale skin. "Who are they?" Bonnie growled, glaring into the depths of the fog. Two figures darted forward and began hauling the unconscious Machoke, dragging it roughly.
"Stop it, what are you doing with these Pokemon?" Clemont shouted angrily. The two figures glanced up, the glass of the eyeholes in their gas masks gleaming back. They shoved the Machoke behind them and straightened, standing shoulder to shoulder, staring down the siblings menacingly.
Thanks to those who've reading my story! Any reviews would be greatly appreciated 3