Chapter twenty-one - Yes? No? Maybe so.

My heart started beating faster, why is that? I stare coldly up into his eyes as he turns slightly red.

"H-hi."

My silence was the reply.

"Caly, why did you stop?" Yvonne peeps over his shoulder. "Oh...you."

"You sound so ecstatic." I answer sarcastically.

"I take it you're challenging this gym?" She glares annoyingly at me. I held up the Fairy badge for the two to see.

"Already did." I reply simple. "And Idiot, either move out of the way or I'll make you."

"Don't talk to Caly like that!" Yvonne snaps.

"Well, he's too close into my personal space." I said coldly.

"Okay, I'll move, no need to fight." Calem says, moving away from the door. I notice that his wound on his shoulder healed.

"You heal quick." I raise an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah, it wasn't that deep of a wound." Calem replies.

"I should've hit you harder then." I mutter. He flinches

"No need to be so cold right Seré?" He chuckles nervously.

"Seré? Is that her real name?"

"No, it's a nickname." I answer and turn away to leave.

"Wait!" Someone grabbed my wrist, I look over my shoulder to see that it was Calem.

"What?"

He looks like he wants to say something but Yvonne steps in with a look of jealousy.

"Lady S, Seré, or whoever you are, I challenge you to a battle!" She exclaims. "Whoever wins gets a date with Caly!"

"Wait what?!" Calem exclaims. I break from Calem's grip.

"Why would I fight over an idiot?"

"Don't call him that!"

"Whatever you say princess."

Yvonne held out a pokeball in front of me. "I won't take no as an answer!"

"Will you take a maybe not then?"

"No." She glares at me with determined eyes.

"H-hey...g-girls...?" Calem tries to stop us.

"Oh shut up Idiot, I got in this because of you." I snap. He shrinks back a little, fearing I would explode or something. I return an annoying glare back at Yvonne.

"Fine, let's get this over with."

Yvonne then proceeds to led me to an open battle field.

"You sure know your way around this place." I said.

"Of course I do." She says proudly. "Caly and I lived here when we were kids."

"Yeah, yeah, I don't need the story of your childhood." I roll my eyes.

"Hmph!" She pouts.

"Are you really going through with this?" Calem whispers.

"Didn't she said I haven't a choice?" I answer dully.

"Wait, are you going to lose on purpose?"

"Yes, no, maybe so." I answer dully. "What do you think?"

Calem sweatdrops.

"Let's go Sylv!" A Sylveon materializes out of her pokeball.

"Another one?" I mutter, taking out my pokeball. "Eevee."

Calem

"What has this day come to?" I sigh, watching the two girls battle.

"What have we here?" Someone says. I turn around to see who.

"Oh hey Valerie."

"Hello, I haven't seen your face or Yvonne's in quite a while now." She smiles. "How are things?"

"They're...grim..." I look as Eevee and Sylveon go back and forth.

"That girl..." Valerie says, noticing Seré.

"Oh yeah, how was that battle?" I ask. "I mean, she did challenge you right?"

"It was...a...well, she was like you."

"What?" I turn to her with raised eyebrows. Valerie chuckles.

"She literally crash and broke the walls and ceilings of my gym to get to me!"

"O-oh...I did the same huh." I sweatdrop. "But it wasn't my fault, that place is just got on my nerves!"

"Not only that, she summoned a wave of water with her Lapras and freezes it inside the room." Valerie continues. "It was...a unique way of defeating my Sylveon though perish song could've finish me though she says that was just back up."

"Wait what?!" I said, surprised. "So you're room was frozen by the time she finish?"

"Yes, I was just speechless!" Valerie laughs. "But she apologizes and melt everything with her Delphox."

"No wonder I felt a heatwave in the gym..."

"You were there?"

"Yvonne and I were about to visit you when we bump into Seré on the way in."

"So her name is Seré?" Valerie asks.

"No, it's a nickname, her name is Serena."

"That name doesn't seem to fit her much..." Valerie sweatdrops.

"Believe me, she's calm and cold most of the time, especially towards me." I sigh.

"By the way, is there a reason behind this battle?" Valerie asks.

"Yeah, Yvonne challenged her to a battle to see who will get a...d-d-d- GAH!" I hold my head.

"My, my, aren't you popular?" Valerie tease, understanding what I said. "Two girls fighting over you!"

"Not exactly..." I sweatdrop. "Just look."

Valerie observes the battle. "She...doesn't seem to be at all interested in this battle..."

"Yep, Seré will probably lose on purpose." I sigh.

"Too bad..." Valerie says, disappointed. "Why did she accepted the battle then?'

"Yvonne didn't give her a choice."

"I see..." Valerie puts a hand on her chin. "Calem, do you like Yvonne or Serena?"

"W-w-what's with that all of a sudden?!" I try to hide my blushing.

"Because you sound disappointed that Serena wants to lose on purpose."

"How could I like someone who acts cold towards me all the time." I laugh nervously.

"Calem, don't hide." Valerie states. "I know you only treat Yvonne like a little sister and you did say she looks likes someone you know a long time ago, before you came to live in Laverre City."

I gulp.

"Is Serena the one you were talking about?"

"Why are we talking about my love interest?" I ask, trying to avoid answering her question.

"Because, I like being a match maker."

I sweatdrop. "We're not your toy..."

I heard my Holo Caster's reminder that I need to do something.

"Sorry Valerie but could you tell Yvonne that I have an errand to run?"

"What about Serena?"

I look at Seré out there being bored and from. "I doubt she'll care. Anyways, See ya!"

Serena

"Eevee, dig."

"Sylv, quick attack!" Sylveon prevents my Eevee from digging under ground. Yvonne then gets cocky for blocking my Eevee.

"Eevee, switch to shadow ball."

"Sylv, fairy wind and knock it back!" Eevee launches the shadow but only to be flying back at it. It landed near me and Eevee. I block the smoke that appeared with my arm then I feel a wave of tiredness surging through me.

"Finish that weakling with dazzling gleam!" She got cocky.

"Excuse me?" I said, irritated and forgetting my fatigue. Sylveon charges the attack.

"Eevee." I said, my pokemon looks at me. "This just got personal."

Eevee nods with a grin.

"Quick attack and shut that Sylveon's mouth!" I command. Eevee went lightning fast under Sylveon while it is still preparing and headbutt under Sylveon's chin. The attack stops.

"Shadow ball!"

"Vee!" Shadow ball hits in a matter of seconds after quick attack, causing Sylveon to be pushed back.

"Sylv!" Yvonne calls.

"Yvonne, I don't care if you insult me but to my pokemon," I said coldly. "You're done."

"W-what..?" Yvonne takes a step back.

"Eevee, quick attack!"

"Sylv, dodge it!" It was too late, by the time Sylveon notices, Eevee had already gotten close.

"Sylv!" It cries out.

"Shadow ball!"

"Veee..." Eevee charges for a all out shadow ball and releases it as Sylveon tries to get up.

CRASH!

The ground shook as we heard a loud crash from somewhere.

"What was that?" I ask no one in particular then I see smoke raising from afar.

"Looks like it's from the Pokeball Factory!" Someone says. I turn around to see the gym leader I fought earlier.

"You been here to whole time?" She nods then turn to Yvonne.

"Yvonne, Calem told me to tell you that he have to go on an errand."

"Oh...um thanks Valerie." Yvonne replies blankly.

So, he didn't bother to tell me. Not that I care.

I stare at the direction of the smoke and started running there,

"Hey wait!" Someone calls from behind but that didn't stop me. Pika, Eevee and I squeeze through the crowd and landed in a spot where there is no one. Walking closer to it I figure that it's the back door and I see a few Team Flare grunts, they're guarding it.

"Them..." I mutter. I look up and see the smoke raising out.

"EEEEKKKK!" Someone screamed and I look to see Shauna, Tieno, and Trevor speeding pass me with grunts chasing after them.

"That place is NOT a candy factory!"

"What do you expect?! I been telling you that it's a POKEBALL FACTORY!" Trevor screeches while running.

"Come back here intruders!"

"But why is Team Flare grunts chasing after us ?!" Tierno yells.

They sped right pass without even noticing me.

I sweatdrop, "That was weird."

"Pikapi..." Pika says with widen eyes. I look back and wonder why is Team Flare here. I know it isn't my business to meddle but I want to pay them back for last time. So I walk up to the now unguarded door, thanks to Shauna and the others, and open it.

I wonder who is the idiot that kept this unlocked.

I enter through to see unmoving conveyor belts, pokeballs on them, grunts patrolling, and smoke. The whole place looks like it's going to come crashing down.

"Hey!" I turn around to see that a grunt had spotted me though I wasn't that much hidden from view.

"What's a little brat like you do-" He holds onto his stomach as I let go my fist.

"Sweet dreams." I said coldly as he sulks to the ground.

I walk away, "Why sneak around if I'm want to beat them to pult for last time?"

"Pikapi!" Pika nods in agreement. Suddenly, a ball of shadow came in my direction. I jump out of the way as it misses and hits a beam.

"Who's there?" Someone says. Another grunt appears with a Mightyena.

"Eevee, sand attack." Eevee splashes sand onto their eyes.

"Argh!" He grunts while blocking the sand with his arm. "Watch it! This is my new suit!"

"Eevee, shadow ball."

"Vee!" Eevee shoots serval shadow balls at the opponent, knocking them to the floor.

"Let's go." I told Eevee then runs onto a conveyor belt.

"Come back here intruders!" He calls. "Mightyena-"

"Knock them out with swift." Eevee shoots out stars at them, creating a mini explosion. Somehow the conveyor belt started moving and I almost drop to my feet because of that. It then stops and I hop down. I look around to see where I was to where I am, this place is like a maze.

"Stop intruder!" I'm halted by another grunt.

"Pika." I called. Pika lets out a shock and knock the grunt out cold, I continue on after.

"Pika, go on ahead to scout." I told her as we see nothing. "And be careful."

"Pikachu!" Pika nods and hop off. Everything starts to become blurry, I must be tired.

Moments later, a blast of flames came at me and I duck so that it hits another supporting pull. Then another attack charges at me, I barely go out of the away and scrape away, on my feet, from the smoke the attack created though it did some damage to my arm. I clutched it tightly and wince at the pain.

Ugh...should've rested after being up so for long...

"Well, well, well, you're quite agile." Someone appears from the smoke. She's wearing a white suit, white skirt, red shirt showing underneath, red stockings, and red sunglasses.

"I can see how you manage to sneak in." She gives a smirk.

"No, it isn't what you think." I deadpan. "Your grunts left the door open and went off chasing some others."

"What...?" Her composure loosens.

"You should have taught them better."

"Why...you..." That got on her nerves. "Houndoom burn that brat to a crisp!"

I have to tuck and roll out of the way. I support up on one knee and take out another of my pokemon - "Hold it right there!"

Before I let out my pokemon, two more woman in red appear, both wearing some kind of goggle/headgear on their face. One have purple hair and one have green hair.

"If you don't want your precious little pokemon get hurt, don't move." The green haired one threatens and signal out their pokemon from the shadows.

"Eevee!" I said as I see Eevee injured and captured by a Manectric and Liepard, Liepard's sharp claws sinking close on Eevee.

How did they get there?

"Excellent work Bryony, Celosia!" The woman from before says.

"Thank you Team Flare Admin." The green haired woman who I suspect to be Bryony replies.

"If you do anything, you can say good bye to your little Eevee." Celosia sneers.

"Vee..." Eevee says weakly.

"Grr..." I grit my teeth in anger.

The Admin chuckles. "You are so soft!" The others smirk at me. I glared back at them, I can't do anything or Eevee will get hurt.

"What do you want?" I growl.

"Why we are just following the orders from our leader of course!" Bryony answers.

"But to make this more satisfying for me..." The Admin says. "Houndoom!"

"Argh...!" The black canine slashes at my arm, creating a claw mark wound. It feels like that all over again...

Everything...is so blurry... The soreness and fatigue from last night finally hits me along with new ones.

Pika's view

This is place is really like a maze, the conveyor belts twists here and there, making it impossible to tell which direction to go. I turn and run, wandering aimlessly.

"I hope I'm not getting myself lost..." I murmur. Then I stumble across a room, I look up to see a word.

[Office] I couldn't really read though. Sensing movement behind me, I turn around, preparing for any danger coming my way.

"Pika?" A familiar voice rings through. From the shadows, the boy whom Seré is greatly annoyed with appeared.

"What are you doing here?" He asks.

I wondered what Calem is doing in a place like this and at this time but I won't put any suspicion on him since he cares greatly for my trainer. Besides, I think they go great together tehehe!

"Seré told me to look around." I answered but realized that humans cannot understand my language. I see Calem tilt his head.

"Since your here, that means she's here right?" He asks.

I nod then suddenly, all the lights turn off and the whole building shook.

"W-what's going on?!" I shout. A piece of the ceiling was about to fall on top of me but Calem swiftly saved me.

"Where's Seré?" I can hear a hint of anxiety in his voice.

"This way!" I hop down from his arms and lead the way, Calem follows closely behind. It's hard to see though but I guess Calem knew too because he sent out one of his pokemon.

"Could you light up your marks?"

His pokemon nods and the rings on the pokemon's body glowed. We had to dodge falling rubbles on the way but they're pretty agile. We arrived at the spot Seré and I split up but she was no where to be found. I look around then sniff the air. There was more than Eevee's and Seré's scent, now I know they are in danger. I franticly trying to tell Calem this.

"What's wrong?" Calem asks. "She's in trouble?"

I nod, the building shook again. I have to find Seré, and quick! This place is falling apart! I take another whiff of the air and caught Seré's and Eevee's scent.

Serena

I have to put my good hand to a wall to support myself standing. It's getting harder to breath and getting harder to keep my eyes open.

No...I have to stay awake...

"Vee!" Eevee shouted and, gathering all her strength, uses sand attack followed by multiple shadow balls to break away from Liepard and Manectric. A piece of the ceiling came falling down, separating me and Team Flare.

"Ugh! This place is crumbling down, we need to get out!" I heard one of them said.

"Eevee..." I called out weakly as rocks begin falling above me. My pokemon begin to glow, lighting up the area. I look up to see the rocks falling closer to use but then they stopped closer to my head. They had an outline of blue surrounding them.

"Eevee...?" I turn slowly to see that where Eevee was sits a pokemon of lilac fur, purple eyes, and a red gem on its forehead.

"Espeon..." My sight becomes blurry and I stagger.

Calem

We followed Pika to see an Espeon using psychic to hold upcrumbled rocks from falling onto it.

"Use dark pulse!" My pokemon shoots a ray of dark energy at the pile, breaking the rocks to pieces. The Espeon seems out of breath.

"Pikapi pikachu!" Pika yelps franticly.

"P-pika...?" I heard someone says though the voice is weak. I froze when I arrive closer to see who it is.

"S-Seré...?" She looks up at me, really tired and out of breath as she gasps. Blood is dripping down her arm.

"What...are you...doing here?" She manages to ask.

"What happened?!"

"I..." She falls forward, I caught her before she falls to the ground. "You always manage to find me at the worst times..."

"I told you, I will always be by your side to help remember?" I try to smile.

"Since when?"

"When we were little." I mumble.

"I can't hear you...I'm just too tired..." She answers weakly. "Mind if I sleep?"

"Sure, just sleep tight."