Why is no one reading :(

Chapter 10: Advice and Confrontation

Verity looked around. She was waiting for her to show up, but she never did. Although, she was notoriously late to everything, so this might be another one of those occasions.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said, running in and almost out of breath. "I would've been here sooner but I wasn't," she said, leaving Verity confused.

"Well, anyway, thanks for showing up, Lyra. You seem like the best person to handle this situation."

Lyra nodded. "Of course I am. Now, what is it that you needed?" Of course, Lyra had a plan here, if it didn't come from Verity tonight, she was going to tell her. She had already suspected that she agreed to mind-reading lessons, which Nathan agreed to. Bonnie was actually a huge help to this, as she could play under the facade that she was just playing with the little girl, when she was actually acquiring key information about Verity. She sure wasn't academically the smartest, but if there was a valedictorian for social skills, Lyra would have it easily.

"Well, before I start, you have to promise not to laugh at anything I think," Verity pleaded.

"Of course," Lyra said. "I'm not awful like your friend."

"Oh," Verity said. "And you can't tell anyone what we're talking about, especially Serena."

Lyra knew where this one was going, but she decided to stay quiet for now. "Ok, go ahead."

Verity began. "So I know I'm super new here, and this isn't at all what you should be worrying about, but I sort of have a big problem. There's two guys I think I like, but I don't know which one I like more."

"Well," Lyra started, grinning, "I think Ash is quite a catch. But of course, there is someone who has a much better chance. Although, when was the last time Nathan was actually at one of your training sessions?"

"I didn't say it was Ash," Verity said nervously.

"I did," Lyra said. "I am the grandmaster of everything social. Sorry I am such a pest, but I already know the two people."

"Oh," Verity said. "This makes it much easier to deal with, with you at least."

"Of course it does, I'm such an approachable person!" Lyra exclaimed.

"Anyway, Nathan hasn't been there since the night he rejected to teach me."

"Rejected?" Lyra asked. "I think not. Do not try and best me here. Honesty will get you places. Trying to fool me will not."

"Fine," Verity said, grudgingly.

"Well, with that out of the way, I think my time to evaluate the situation will be best done after the Winter Formal. I would say that you should go with Nathan. You have no chance of getting Ash, as they are going 'as friends' together, and it might prove my hypothesis." That was a pretty big word for Lyra to use, so Verity wanted to know where exactly this was going.

"Hypothesis? What do you mean?"

"I've figured out all the new kids by now. Nathan took some time, but like I said, I'm the grandmaster. Nathan would in no universe just ask someone to a dance because of tradition. If he actually didn't want to go, he would have been training for the Johto gyms." Lyra was quick and to the point with this.

"So what exactly are you getting at?"

"Easy," Lyra responded. "I think he likes you."

That hit Verity hard. If this kid, the future champion of Johto, or whatever he was trying to be, had real life feelings for her, this would draw problems. She definitely liked Ash more, and she really just needed Lyra to determine her chances. It seems that she did that ages ago though, and those chances were little to none, so she says. Although, if there's one thing her mom taught her, it was that you should never give up, and always try, especially if no one was watching. But then again, Nathan was an option, right? Of course not, Verity, she thought. How could even think he's an option?

"So, what you're saying is-"

"Go with what you have, for now. If you are truly evil enough to rip Ash from Serena's sad and depressed arms, I don't think you'd have an issue, especially with your mind reading abilities I'm not supposed to know about," Lyra confirmed. "I have a practice battle tomorrow. You should watch. They'll both be there."

Ash and Serena made their way to the battlefield. They wanted to see a fight where two very skilled trainers fought. She didn't like to, but Lyra was very impressive at the activity. Nathan only agreed to a practice battle because she beat all eight gyms already. Nathan stood on the other end of Lyra. "This one's strong, so watch out," Nathan prefaced. He never admitted that his pokemon were strong, but this one was apparently strong enough to earn the title in his eyes.

"Don't think I'm gonna hold back against a badgeless," Lyra said. "Meganium, let's do it!" Lyra sent out a Megainum, which looked fierce and ready to go.

"Huh, looks like the new move will come in handy. Ampre, you're up." Nathan sent out Ampre. He was looking just as fierce. Ampre wore a scarf, with a round rock holding the scarf together. Ampre looked back at Nathan. "Not yet, kiddo. Let's see what we're dealing with. Signal beam." Ampre obeyed the order, shooting a multicolored beam at the target.

Lyra laughed. "Tank it, then use earthquake." Meganuim tanked the attack, and responded with a powerful earthquake, which Nathan had not ordered Ampre to dodge.

"Why did they take the hits?" Serena asked Ash, as she started moving way too close to him.

Ash looked at the battlefield. "I've seen this before." He thought back to his battles with Paul. "They are testing each other's strength. They knew neither move would kill, but it would do something. If I had to guess, Nathan will hold back on mega-evolving for now."

Nathan observed the hit that was delivered. "I see. That's a good move. Ampre, how about we use a real move? Try a thunderbolt, see what it does." Ampre started preparing a thunderbolt.

"Meganium, sun time!" Lyra called. Meganium began to take in sunlight.

"Ash, is that-" Serena started.

"Yup, solarbeam. I'm not sure what Nathan's going for, but given the bulk of these two, it could be along battle," Ash said.

"Aww, really?" Serena asked. She pretended to start falling asleep.

Meganium fired a solarbeam at Ampre, who took that hit as well. Ampre's thunderbolt landed, but did minimal damage. "I think it's time, buddy," Nathan said. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a keystone. "Ampre, mega evove!" The Ampharosite on Ampre's scarf began to react with Nathan's keystone. Ampre grew long white hair, and looked bulkier and stronger too.

Lyra observed this. "I was waiting for this. Meganium, spore!" Meganium fired out small cotton-like spheres at Ampre.

"Ampre, dodge that, and use dragon pulse," Nathan ordered calmly. Ampre barely made it out of the way, and fired out a powerful dragon pulse, hitting Meganium. "Good," Nathan said.

Ash was watching the battle intensely. He was learning some interesting strategies from this. Lyra's meganium seemed to be ready to cover anything, except the dragon typing on Ampre. What would she do about this? He kept watching, hoping a result would come out of this.

Serena was not watching the battle so intensely. She followed through from earlier, successfully "falling asleep" on Ash's lap. At this point, Verity walked into the field area. She looked over at Ash, who was currently housing a sleeping Serena on his lap. Sighing, she sat on the other side of the field.

"Ampre, one more dragon pulse should do it," Nathan mentioned. The pokemon nodded and fired.

"Not so fast," Lyra said. "Meganium, moonblast." Meganium shot out a powerful fairy attack, but to no avail. Dragon pulse had already hit, knocking the grass starter out. Ampre stepped out of the way of the uncontrolled moonblast.

Lyra looked down at her fainted pokemon. "Well, if I had to say, you should have no issue at all. Ampre will be of good use in many gyms."

Nathan laughed, while returning Ampre. "I didn't even use my new move. Shame."

Ash jumped off the bleachers, nearly knocking down Serena, who caught herself at the last minute. "What was the move you taught Ampre?"

"Fire blast," Nathan responded. "Took effort too, but I didn't get to use it."

Verity got down slowly, and walked up. "I didn't think an ampharos could learn fire blast."

"Well, it can't," Nathan said. "I was deciding whether to put focus blast or fire punch on it, and I thought, 'why not both?', so I tried combining them. It worked."

"Evidently," Verity said.

"Ash," Serena said, getting up, "I know you said it would take a while, but we're late now to go see Trevor and Shauna."

"Oh, right! Well, see you guys," Ash said. As they left, Serena grabbed onto his hand. It was like a tradition thing they did now, or at least that's what Serena told Ash.

Verity started walking back to her room. "I have to go pick an outfit for the Formal, since, I'm apparently going." She seemed to have adopted Nathan's sarcastic attitude toward everything.

"Whatever," Nathan responded, as he watched her leave. "Lyra, I didn't expect you to have moonblast on your meganium. I am quite impressed."

Lyra looked at him. "You aren't the greatest at avoiding awkward conversations, bud. I know a crush when I see one. You have your expertise, and I have mine."

Nathan laughed. "I can be nice every once in a while. I'm only going to make her not so upset about not going with Ash. Bedsides, had you not challenged my abilities, I would be gone pretty soon. Maybe I know your 'special area' better then you do."

Lyra growled. "We'll see this Friday."

"If you manage to get there," Nathan teased. "You don't have a date. I can tell."

Lyra growled again. "Ok, fine, I don't have one yet. I have a backup plan, but I really don't want to use it."

"You're running out of time, you might as well."

"Ash are you sure Serena doesn't cheat?" Trevor jokingly asked, on the way back.

"I'm sure, Trevor. Sorry we won again," Ash joked back.

"Ash, did you do it?" Gary asked as they walked in the room.

"Do what?" Ash questioned.

"Ask her out, Ash. This wasn't hard to figure out," Clemont said. "Even I did."

Ash looked at the room. "I'll see how Holiday goes before considering your wild ideas."

"Holiday? Won't you be back in Kanto with me?" Gary said.

"Uh, about that," Ash responded. "Mimey's pretty sick, so to avoid contagion my mom's having me stay at a different hou-"

"Oh my gosh, Ash, that's incredible!" Gary exclaimed. "That's a good idea, though. Grace could be pretty hard on you if you ask her out before."

"Gary, for the last time, nothing is happening at the dance," Ash said. Grinning, he smiled at Gary. "And even if something did, you won't be there to see it."

Gary pouted. "I can't believe this. I should be the first one with a date, and I'll probably be the last. Even Clemont got one!"

"Well," Clemont said. "Maybe you're like, someone's last resort, just to get there, like you want."

"Unlikely," Gary concluded. The conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Who in the world is trying to reach us at this ungodly hour?" Gary asked to no one, getting the door. He opened it up to Lyra.

"Is this urgent?" Ash asked. "It's kinda late."

Lyra growled. "It couldn't be any less urgent."

"Ok, understood. Goodbye," Gary said, closing the door.

Lyra smirked. "Ok, Gary. Seems you don't want to spy on Ash and Serena at the dance?"

Gary opened the door up very quickly. "Let's do it."

As Lyra mentioned, she is only taking Gary for functional purposes. Don't expect anything more there.

Uh, leave a review, assuming someone sees this. Leave two, or three, I just need someone to confirm that these are being read. It's hard writing off negative support like I was at the beginning, but the lack of anything at all makes it even harder.

The Winter Formal's up next. Brace yourselves.