Hello, readers... That sounded like an alien. "Greeting, Earthlings." Anyway, I'm back. I've written another chapter for you. Also, the future chapters will be rather sporadic. I've got several stories in the making, none abandoned or canceled.

I apologize for putting this story on hold. I'm the kind of guy to not plan my stories. I've tried, but can't stick to it. So, I plan the major plot, then write and things develop as I go. Did you know Verrin wasn't supposed to exist?

XXX

Navarone, having just got out of a call with Morgan, head of Research and Development at PokeTech Industries, walked outside to speak to Liz, his Gardevoir and girlfriend. He exited the back door to see several clones of her arrayed in a line, and she was attacking them.

It wasn't, however, as easy as 'hit a stationary target.' Each one was dodging at the last second, making it impossible to know where they'd dodge. Liz was still doing good. She had hit two out of five of them, making them disperse. The Psychic Pokemon was using Shadow Ball, as well as Teleporting to her target and using either Fire, Thunder, or Ice Punch. For a Psychic, she was rather physical.

"Liz! After you've finished, I need to discuss something with you." Navarone called out.

Liz looked back, momentarily pausing her training. She nodded with a rather curious face. Continuing, she took out one with a Thunder and Ice Punch combo. The next, she defeated by launching two Shadow Balls, one where it was, and one where it moved to. The final one, she dispersed with a simple Fire Punch, right after Teleporting behind it.

She Teleported over to Navarone, only to immediately blush as he clapped. "Well done, Liz. I like how you predicted one clone's movement with the Shadow Ball. Impressive."

He stepped forward and kissed her lightly, deepening her blush and making him smile at how cute he found her when she blushed. Liz took a second to calm her face, and asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"The CEO of PokeTech Industries has created a type of Kinetic Energy Barrier. Supposedly, it will block any and all Psychic attacks, no matter the strength. They want us to go test it to see if it will actually withstand Psychic attacks."

"And by 'us test it,' they meant, 'me hit it?'" Liz asked rhetorically.

"Exactly." Navarone said with a slight smile. "I see it as a chance for Harmony, Melody, and Verrin to bond more, with Destiny watching over them. We get to go test new technology, and we'll be paid well, as well as spend a little time together."

Then, he gave a small smirk. "And, it let's you show off those new abilities you've been working on."

Liz was silent for a moment as she thought the proposal over, then nodded. "Alright. Let's do it. When do we leave?"

Navarone smiled. "I have to make sure Destiny and Alyss are able to watch the little ones, call Morgan back and give her our answer, and set up a date to do it."

Liz seemed a bit embarrassed at the fact that it involved a bit more that she originally believed.

XXX

Liz sat in the passenger's seat of Navarone's back car as they drove toward the PTI Company Building. It was two days after they had been asked to come. Yesterday had been spent making sure Destiny and Alyss could watch Melody, Harmony, and Verrin as well as setting a date for this.

Liz looked at Navarone out the corner of her eye. She opened her mouth and immediately Navarone spoke with a smirk. "No matter how many times you ask, I won't tell you what the surprise is. That's why it's a surprise."

Liz pouted as she looked out the window. She had been trying to convince him to reveal the surprise throughout the better part of the ride. Thinking back, she was just happy he didn't get annoyed.

She was startled when she felt a hand rest on hers and looked over at Navarone to see him smiling kindly. "I can guarantee you'll like it. It'll be fun."

"I just want to know what it is..." Liz mumbled.

Navarone gave an exaggerated, long-suffering sigh, ruined by his smile. "You really want to know? Its a dinner-date. Just me and you at a restaurant. I already made reservations for a table."

With a massive blush, she smiled happily and kissed Navarone's cheek. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you. It also explains why you dressed up."

With a grin, Navarone replied. "Yep. I'm glad I didn't need to convince you to wear a dress. I definitely wouldn't have been able to make it a surprise then."

With a sheepish smile, she looked down at the white dress she wore. It was rather plain, but also her favorite. Navarone certainly liked it, shown by his compliment earlier that morning.

They continued on, one in a silence born of patience and contentment, the other in a silence born of curiosity satisfied. Soon enough, they arrived. The company building was roughly six stories high. It had an iconic logo of Pokeball above the doors. The walls were white, with a small garden and fountain in the front. Nothing too special, yet nice.

Navarone and Liz got out to be met with Morgan standing at the front door. When they approached, she shook their hands, Navarone first, then Liz. "Welcome to PokeTech Industries. If you follow me, we can get started."

With a small nod, Navarone and Liz followed the employee. They arrived in a rather large room. In it were several researchers next to a computer terminal. In the center of the room, there was a shimmering wall. It wasn't obvious, nor easy to see. It was more like a far-off mirage in the desert, or like the shimmer caused by heat on a paved road.

Morgan stopped and turned to Liz and spoke while gesturing to the 'wall.' "That is the Kinetic Energy Barrier. Whenever you're ready, begin. Use only Psychic type moves. Keep going until you've tried them all, or it breaks."

When Liz nodded, Morgan stepped back and joined the researchers. With a glance to Navarone, who returned a reassuring nod, she began with a simple Magical Leaf. The leaves faded into being with a small shimmer and flew at the barrier. Most were shattered, and those that didn't simply bounced away. With a small murmur, the group began recording data.

Next, she tried Psybeam. It was a new ability she had learned from Lilia. With a slight whine, a beam of purple energy tore through the air, impacting the barrier. With a crackle, the beam faded, showing the barrier still in place.

With a deep breath, she prepared a beam of pure psychic energy and put as much power as she was comfortable with into it. A loud scream sounded out from the beam as it tore the barrier apart, traveling on and impacting the wall, leaving a large scorch mark.

The entire room was silent for several long seconds as the researchers and even Navarone stared at the wall in shock. Liz, however, was too tired to care. Her knees buckled, and she almost fell.

With a tired sigh, she leaned against Navarone, who had come to her side almost immediately. As he held her, he whisper encouragements. "You did amazing, Liz. The Psybeam was great, and that Energy Beam had an unreal amount of power behind it."

She gave him a tired, yet grateful smile to him and kissed him lightly. The researchers finally snapped out of their shock and a low, yet excited murmur came from the group. Morgan approached the Pokemon and Trainer with a small smile.

"Thank you for coming today. Its helped a lot. We now know that the barrier has a limit, which might have costed a life in the field."

She then turned to Liz, specifically. "Also, you might be interested in knowing that before the barrier broke, our instruments recorded fifteen Psy-Un from your Energy Beam. Since it still had the strength to burn the ceramic wall, as well as the fact you aren't unconscious, it's estimated you have about twenty Psy-Un."

With a smile and farewell, Morgan left and Navarone helped the tired Liz back to the car. Once in, Navarone looked at Liz with a not-so-small sense of awe. "Twenty units, Liz. I knew you were strong, but not that strong."

When Liz faced him with a confused look, he realized she didn't know what Psy-Uns were. "A Psy-Un, or Psychic Unit, is how powerful a Pokemon's Psychic powers are. You were rated at twenty PUs, where the normal Gardevoir is twelve. That's amazing."

With a proud smile, Liz spoke. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have tried so hard. That smile made me want to prove to you that I was strong."

"I've always known you were strong, Liz. Only someone strong could do what you did." Navarone said softly, referring to how she took care of Melody and Harmony, even when being abused by Apollo.

With a loud growl and intense blush from Liz, the somber moment was over as Navarone grinned. "Seems like you're ready for that dinner."

Liz blushed a little and smiled sheepishly, then her smile turned to a nervous frown. "W-will they be okay with us?"

Navarone glanced at her, focusing on the road. "What do you mean, beloved?"

Liz blushed at the name, then answered. "A P-Pokemon and human couple. Will it cause anyone there be against it."

Navarone smiled at that. "The restaurant was specifically created for Pokemon and human couples. Everyone there will be like us. Its a requirement to make a reservation."

Liz, no longer worried, smiled brightly at the thought of an entire restaurant dedicated to couples like them. "What is it called?"

"Angela's."

Liz looked a bit confused at the name. She looked at Navarone to see him smile. "There's a story behind it, if you want to hear it."

When he saw Liz nod, he continued. "The owner, John, is in a relationship with an Espeon, named Angela. They tried to go to a restaurant in town, only to be kicked out because she wasn't a human. Instead of getting angry, he started his own restaurant for people like him. To make no mistake about it, he named it after her."

"That's a wonderful story." Liz replied, smiling at John's show of love.

"It is. It shows you how far people have come. Just a few years ago, this kind of stuff was illegal. Now there's a restaurant dedicated to it."

Navarone stopped the car and Liz refocused outside, noticing they had arrived. The restaurant was simple, yet nice. It had dark, wooden walls with a light roof that was shingled. The windows showed a view of the inside, and the main theme was red and white. They went in through the front door and immediately the smell of various foods suffused the air.

They approached a lady standing at a podium in front of the door and she smiled them, then welcomed them cheerfully. "Welcome to Angela's. Do you have a reservation?"

"We do, under Navarone."

She glanced down, then looked back up. "Right this way. I'll show you to your table, and a waiter will be with you shortly to take your order."

"Thank you."

She walked off and Navarone and Liz took their seats, he pulling hers out. The table was right next to a window. They picked up the menus. After a moment, Liz set hers down, having decided on a simple salad. She took the opportunity to look around and smiled at the sight that greeted her.

Situated in several tables across the room were Pokemon/Human couples. She saw a Lopunny, a Froslass, an Alakazam, and even a Flygon.

She looked back at Navarone to see him place his menu down. Within moments, a waitress approached them. She had a tag which read "Allison." She spoke up as she stopped at the edge of the table. "Have you decided what you'll be having?"

They both nodded and Navarone gestured to Liz to let her order first, which she did. "I'll take the Caesar salad."

"And to drink?" Allison asked.

"Just water, please."

The waitress nodded and turned to Navarone after having written it down. "And you, sir?"

"Today's special with iced tea, please."

She wrote it down and smiled at them. "I'll be right back with your orders and drinks."

She walked into the kitchen to deliver the order. After a moment, Liz spoke up. "T-thank you."

Navarone looked at her, pulling his gaze away from the night life outside.

"For what?"

"For taking care of us. You had no reason to take me, Melody, and Harmony back to your house and care for us. You could have just l-left us at the PokeCenter."

"I couldn't have done that. You three needed help, and I was able to provide. Any person with any form of kindness would have done the same."

"But you're not just any person, are you? You're my b-boyfriend." She stuttered lightly with a blush as she said that. "If you hadn't, I never would have met you, and I'd be alone. I don't want to be alone any more."

Navarone reached over and grasped Liz's hand, her three fingers interlocking with his five. "With me around, you'll never be alone again."

He leaned forward and lightly kissed her cheek, making her blush and smile. She glanced around, hoping no one saw, then calmed when she remember where she was.

"I l-love you, Nav." Liz said, feeling a warmth in her chest.

"I love you, too, Liz." Navarone replied readily, smiling as he felt the same.

XXX

Navarone exited the car and held open Liz's door, closing it behind her. They had just gotten home after their dinner and it was late at night, nearly midnight.

They entered the Planctus Lapidem Estate to, unsurprisingly, learn that everyone was asleep. They both went upstairs and stopped at the door to Liz's room. Navarone turned to look at Liz just as she spoke up.

"I really enjoyed tonight. Thank you."

Navarone smiled softly and kissed her, which Liz happily returned. When they broke apart, he spoke. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I did as well. You're more than welcome, and I thank you for making me so happy."

With a small blush, Liz entered her room and Navarone went to his. Surprisingly, Verrin wasn't in the room, making Navarone wonder where the fire canine was sleeping. With a contemplative look, Navarone took a shower, changing into softer clothes.

He lied down in bed and switched off his lamp and readied for sleep. Just as he felt himself slipping away, his door opened. Due to the time, no light entered so he didn't know who it was. It wasn't until he felt the head on his chest that he realized who it was.

"Why?" Navarone asked the welcome intruder, not at all upset, but rather surprised.

"Verrin's in my bed. Either Destiny or Alyss put him there, not realized it was my room."

"Now don't get me wrong, you're certainly welcome here, but why didn't you take the spare room?" Navarone asked, doing what he could to keep his drowsiness from affecting him.

"M-maybe I wanted to s-sleep in the arms of the man I love." Liz replied. Even though he couldn't see her, he knew she was blushing.

With a chuckle, he wrapped an arm around her, then spoke. "In that case, I hope you'll forgive me for saying that I'm glad you decided to sleep with me."

"You're forgiven." The Gardevoir said with slight amusement. "Good night, Nav."

"Good night, Liz."

XXX

And now Navarone and Liz has taken another step in their relationship. Its also been revealed that Liz is a sight bit more powerful than I previously hinted at. (Yes, sight was the word I meant. Its a phrase.) I wonder what that'll mean for the future?

I wonder how many people have guess where this is going? Also, some of you might be disappointed with a rather short chapter. For that, I am sorry. I wanted to have the 'return' chapter a filler one showing a little bit of their feelings.

Until next time, with my thanks for bearing with me.