*~Pokemon X and Y~*

Chapter 14: A Flood of la Sentiment

*Deadpans* *Stops* *Squints at last chapter's publishing date* *pauses* *Curses and runs away*

Amy47101: I think he might have a million! xD Lol, just kidding! But there are several!

Lollipop: Aww, thanks! :33

The Guestmiester: Thank you! That made my day. Thank you for the support!

Waterlily12: I'm glad you think so! :) Thank you sweety! ^.^

LeafeonLover: Haha, basically. ;)

Kitten-lover13: Thanks Lily!

Guest: Wow, really? Thank you~

EmeraldRhino: True! Oh you will see. xD

SkyWolf907: I'm glad the story caught your eye! And yes, when you read the ending, I hope you'll tell me what your feeling about him is.

Malory79080: Pretty much! xD

Pikachaaaa: Nooo, it's okay! Haha, I'm glad you like Xavier. He's funny. :33 Shallowest in the game/anime. But in this fanfiction...they have a different goal. :D You'll have to wait and see what it is. The blonde? Haha! It's a secret! Yes, it was pretty shallow. ^^' I loved that part, honestly. :P They DID seem a little rude. O.O I noticed that..

Guest: I sowwyyyyy! I am updating now! :33

And to add, here is the next chapter! A pretty long one too! :D IT'S LONG! BE HAPPYYY! ;D

Please don't hate me for taking so long. I had...complications. But here is a chapter!

Enjoy~

I pry my hands out of the young man's in a flash, but unfortunately for me, Xavier's sleeves decide to stay in his grasp. My eyes narrow but I don't have enough time to process what happens next as I'm somehow dragged into the Daycare. All I see are sky-blue walls with puffy clouds painted on them, and all I can think is that this looks like the most cliché baby Pokemon building I've ever seen.

Deadpanning for a long moment, I blink to notice the same guy from before directly in front of my face. "Here are your coveralls!" he says cheerily. "Go get changed!"

I open my mouth, "Excuse me," I say, "but I'm not a volun-" I'm shoved into a changing room. "What the enfer?!" I grumble under my breath. "I will not change into this uniform..."

"As soon as you're changed we are going to go berry picking through the brambles until we find the allusive berry, called the-!"

I change immediately.

I cannot let my burns get in the way of danger, and this one-piece suit would protect me from that. Stowing my clothes and Xavier's jacket away, I harden my expression and imagine throwing Xavier into a pit of hungry Avalugg for leaving me here.

"Don't say I didn't warn you!"

I shake my head and shove his voice out of my brain. "Crétin..."

"Reaaaaady yet?" the Daycare guy asks, and the door flies open, smacking me directly in the face.

I wipe sweat from my head as I hack away at brambles with a tiny shovel, which was the only thing I was given to keep the thorns from literally piercing my side. Being on my hands and knees makes my middle-section stretch and throb as my burns ache from the strain they shouldn't be under.

"This is illegal.." I murmur under my breath. "Forced travail..." I inch forward, but my head is suddenly jerked backwards. My ponytail is stuck in a cluster of brambles; I feel tears well up in the corners of my eyes but I squeeze them back automatically. I never cry, even when in pain.

Never show weakness to others, Serena...

My eyes fly open, and I swing my arm in an arc, cutting the thorns and dislodging my hair. My lips purse as I move through the bramble patch even faster until I find the ridiculously hidden berries hidden in a pile.

I glare at the orange spheres and wonder if the Daycare man had just placed them here for fun. "You found them!" I hear, and I'm suddenly yanked out into the bright sunlight by the scruff of my coveralls. "NEXT PROJECT!"

"What-?" I start, but next thing I know, we're standing in the middle of a small pond.

"This is where all the Skrelp are playing!" the man says. "But it's time for them to go into their Pokeballs so please catch them all within ten minutes and put them on that table." I stare as he hops out of the water and smiles at me kindly before pressing start on a timer. Well...merde.

I reach into the water and search around before I grasp something and pull it from the pool. "Skreeeeeeee!" it shrieks, and slips out of my grip before flipping in midair and slapping my across the face with one of its fins. Sploosh! It disappears and I stare at where it landed with disgust. After several failed attempts-one where I was sprayed with a super powerful Smokescreen-I let out a loud breath.

Spying another shadow in the depths, I snag the Pokemon and throw it to shore where it bounces back and headbutts me in the face. I fall into the water with a loud splash and my uniform soaks through. Shivering, I wipe the water from my eyes, and let out a breath before sitting quietly and waiting for a Skrelp to get closer.

Once one does, I close my hands gently around its form and slowly drag it towards the shore. Grabbing a Pokeball from the edge, I point it at the Pokemon and it goes into its Pokeball. Sighing, I let a relaxed smile settle on my face before turning to look at the time.

I have twenty seconds left.

After feeding a group of unruly Pancham who like to eat hair, getting very close to being trampled by some energetic Gogoat, and grooming haughty Meowstic who like glitter fights, I find myself digging vegetables for the Daycare man's meal. I flick dirt this way and that until I find the first potato within ten different garden squares, which is extremely ridicule.

I'm beginning to think this man should go to an insane asylum.

"Psst!" I hear, and turn to see Xavier sticking his head through some leafy bushes surrounding the gated Daycare. I ignore him by facing the opposite direction.

"Hey!" he hisses. "Why would you take my jacket off for? The Daycare man could've used it for his fireplace starter! It's my favorite jacket!"

I whirl around to look at him incredulously, "You leave me here to do this and all you care about is your jacket?!" I growl.

He shrugs, "I did warn you," he states and I look away.

"And you did lend me your jacket, so you're at fault if you didn't want it left somewhere," I reply, getting back to my digging.

"Aaaaaalmost done?" the Daycare man trills behind me, and I chuck the single potato at his head. He catches it even though his eyes are shut and holds up a finger.

"Time to do the most important job of all!" he says. "You must-"

"Hold it!" I hear, and Xavier leaps out of the bushes. "That's enough."

The Daycare man's eyes glint in a way I haven't seen this entire time and I watch as the two stare at each other. "Welcome to the Wonderful Daycare!" he says. "A new volunteer!"

Xavier and I end up sitting side by side on the floor in the back of the daycare...scrubbing eggs. Xavier hasn't spoken since earlier.

"Why would you jump out if you were just going to get caught?" I ask him finally.

"No reason.." he mutters, looking agitated. "Let's just finish this quickly so we can leave."

I blink, "How do you know we can leave after this?" I inquire, my eyes narrowing. He tenses up but before he can speak, the Daycare man appears in front of us.

"Well!" he says, "that was some great work guys! Better than most volunteers. Perhaps even the best!" He gives us a smile that causes me to shiver. "As a reward for your efforts, here is a Pokemon egg!" he says, and hands a tan egg to me and I hold it in my palms. The second egg I've been given since my journey began. I stow it under my arm and the Daycare man allows us to get up and change into our clothes.

"Please come again!" he calls as we exit the Daycare.

"No way," I mutter under my breath.

"Well, at least we're out of that situation," Xavier murmurs to himself more than me. "But the consequences..."

I stare at him as he keeps walking, deep in thought. I suddenly realize my burns are hurting still, and put a hand to my middle, trying not to make a face.

"Are you okay?" Xavier asks, glancing back at me.

I let out a sigh, and pass him. "Oui, je vais bien."

"I don't understand Kalosian.." he says, a small grin appearing on his face as we pass a large building with a sign that says 'Battle Chateau'. The thought of my burns only causes me to think of my failure to destroy those trainers from before, and I glower at the ground. It's only a little later that someone calls out to us.

"SERENAAAAAAA!" I hear, and look up from watching my footsteps to see Shauna, Trevor and Tierno all sitting on a fuchsia colored blanket, having a picnic.

The words come out before I can stop them. "I challenge you to a battle," I say, my annoyance with losing surfacing as I try to regain my unbeatable status. The three just stare at me.

"Well...why not do a double battle?" Xavier says.

"You're my partner," I say immediately.

Xavier holds up his hands, "I'm not that great of a battler...how about you and Shauna?" I look towards Shauna and she hops up, stuffing a cookies into her mouth before scampering over to my side. Trevor and Tierno exchange looks before standing and pulling out their Pokeballs.

"Pikachu!" Trevor calls. "Flabebé!" Tierno says simultaneously.

"Charmander!" I summon my Pokemon.

"Lil' Fenn!" Shauna cheers. "Ember on Flabebé!"

"Charmander, Flamethrower." Fennekin leaps towards Tierno's Pokemon and spits out fire but the grass type simply floats out of the way and hovers over the stream on our right. Fennekin stops and stares at the water cautiously.

"Pikachu, thundershock!" Trevor commands, and his Pokemon darts towards Charmander who waits until the last second to blast the electric mouse in the face.

"Pikaaaaaaaa!" it shrieks, and falls down, slightly singed.

"Help out Pikachu, Flabebé!" Tierno calls. "Use Fairy Wind!" Silver streaks cut through the air and slam into Charmander, knocking it backwards.

"Don't take that," I say. "Tackle!"

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"

"Fennekin, Scratch on Flabebé!" All four Pokemon dash towards one another and somehow end up crashing into one big pile.

"Get up," I command, my hand clenching into a fist. "Take them all out with a Flamethrower!"

"Agh!" Trevor yelps. "Thundershock!" Both pokemon send out their attacks simultaneously, and the entire group gets singed and paralyzed.

"Charmander-" I start, but Trevor returns his Pokemon, as does Tierno. "What are you doing?" I demand.

"Isn't that enough for now?" Trevor tells me. "Our Pokemon are not used to battling this much."

"That was nothing," I shoot back, my eyes narrowing. "Finish the battle."

Tierno holds up his hands. "Calm down Serena," he says, frowning. "It was just a battle."

I stalk over to him. "Just a battle?" I snap, my annoyance boiling over. "I refuse!" In my blindness, I raise my arm up, fist clenched, and I almost do something I regret.

"SERENA!" Xavier grabs my wrist even though I had mentally stopped myself in time. I almost hit someone. There was no reason to hit Tierno.

I let my emotions get the better of me, which is something I should not have allowed. Blinking I look at the boy in front of me and I notice he's shaking and muttering something.

"Stop...stop...stop..." he says his arms covering his head. "Don't do it!"

"...Tierno?" I question, frowning as I notice his face is extremely panicked.

"What is wrong?" Xavier asks, his grip on my wrist tightening.

"Don't let him hurt me!" Tierno yells, pointing at me, his eyes wide and afraid. I stare at him in confusion; I'm most definitely not male.

"Serena, how could you almost hit someone?" Xavier asks me, his eyes showing disappointment as Shauna and Trevor huddle by Tierno, trying to calm him down. I ignore Xavier's look and stare at the ground as I try to figure out why Tierno referred to me as "him".

Xavier lets me go and walks over to stand in front of Tierno. "Hey," he says, "what does Tierno like most?"

Trevor glances at him and says, "Dancing." Xavier backs away but stays in Tierno's field of view. Pressing a few buttons on a wristwatch, music begins playing, and he starts moving around, showing off a couple dance moves. Tierno watches Xavier quietly.

After a couple minutes, Xavier holds out a hand to Tierno. "C'mon, let me show you this one I learned a while back," he says. "I bet you'll like it." The boy sitting on the ground stares at Xavier's hand for a moment before pushing himself up slowly and walking over to stand beside the brunet.

"Left foot here," Xavier starts, "then we'll scoop our arms like this..." I glance between the two groups of two; I notice Shauna leaning towards Trevor.

"Hey, isn't that sweet?" she asks him.

Trevor doesn't look at her and stares at the ground, looking a little nervous to only be talking to Shauna.

"Umm, Trevor?" she starts again. "You were talking a little bit earlier...why won't you talk to me for? I don't really get it..."

Trevor closes his eyes and I squint at his cheeks as I see a faint dusting of pink on his fair skin.

"Trevor-?" she says, but the boy suddenly jumps to his feet and dashes away. "Hey, Trevor! Stop!" Shauna calls. "Come back! I'm sorry! What did I do!?"

I feel like the odd one out as Shauna chases Trevor into the distance and dance music plays in the background. I hold the wrist Xavier had grabbed loosely in my opposite hand and watch the two boys for a minute.

Xavier must have noticed my gaze on him and looks over. "Serena," he says, and I can hear seriousness in his voice. "I think you and Tierno should reconcile."

I glance at Tierno as he slowly catches my gaze.

"Dance together," Xavier instructs. Both of us look at him with different expressions; Tierno's is confusion and mine is a look that says Xavier is an idiot.

"Do something simple," Xavier says, changing the station on his wristwatch. "Like a pop waltz or something."

"A pop waltz?" I murmur.

"A waltz to a pop song," Xavier says with a shrug, and shoves Tierno towards me as the music starts. I swallow before letting out a breath through my nose. The two of us awkwardly take hands and start moving into the dance.

My feet fumble about, and I step on Tierno's toes more than once within the first ten seconds.

It only takes a minute of my clumsy dancing until Xavier is on the ground laughing his head off and holding his stomach. "Oh my gosh!" he says, tears springing into his eyes. "That was just so entertaining!"

I glower at him, and I hear Tierno finally let out a small laugh. "Hey..." Tierno says, "I'll show you how to dance properly." Then he begins instructing me in what way to move and how to get my body to flow in sync with the music.

I begin to feel a little better as Tierno seems to forgive me through our dance practice and as soon as we're finished, I turn to look at Xavier but realize that he's not there.

My eyes widen, and I look around for him.

He simply vanished.

(French/Kalosian. I don't know French, remember! :)

Hell - enfer

Feeling – la sentiment

Moron - crétin

Labor - travail

Ridiculous - ridicule

Yes I'm fine - Oui, je vais bien.

Welllll, that is all for now. I apologize again! Take this virtual cake! *Tosses it* And the daycare scene might've seemed pointless, but there is something about it that you will need to remember for later. I won't say what...so good luck finding it! :D

~Review~

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~Misty