I'm at twenty-five chapters now! I'm sorry that this chapter is so short, but it really is just a transition chapter. A lot more is going to happen in the next one, trust me.
I'm leaving Canada today and heading back to the States. It was quite a great trip overall. Not only did I get to see two uncles, two aunts, and my cousins, but I got to go ziplining for the first time. Soaring above the trees...there is no greater feeling of euphoria in the world.
Anyway, the chapter. Enjoy.
THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 201X - 5:45 PM
JUBILIFE CITY, SINNOH
HIGH TEMPERATURE: 82 DEGREES
"Really?" Tanner said. "I can go?"
"I see no reason why not" his mother replied. "If your father's okay with it, I don't see why I shouldn't be. It's your life".
"That's true" Kevin said. "I didn't think about that, but it's true. I really do think, Tanner, that you're going to have a good time. And these three will make sure that you are safe. Right, Lucas?"
Lucas smiled. "I'm going to do everything in my power to do that. I can't move mountains or anything like that, but I'm going to protect him in any way I can".
Tanner gave Lucas an interesting look, almost as though he didn't want to be protected. Lucas knew all too well what it was like to have overprotective parents; it wasn't a good feeling, not in the least.
They continued eating their steak, and the conversation slowed down for a while. Lucas tried to remember to use his utensils in the proper manner, as that was something he had often struggled with at home. Now, he really hoped that he could do this thing right, otherwise he'd be embarrassing himself in front of Tanner and his parents. He always felt an immense amount of pressure when he was around new people, and this time was no different.
"I never introduced myself" Orkun said. "I'm Lucas's Lucario, Orkun".
"Orkun, now?" Kevin asked. "I can't say that I've ever heard that name before. How is it spelled?"
After Orkun clarified the spelling, the other Pokemon introduced themselves in turn. Vinaka, Tai, Soko, Aparri, and Bayon all clarified which trainers they belonged to as they dug into their steak as well. Most Pokemon could eat human food as well as food that was made for Pokemon specifically, which was good for trainers who weren't particularly well-funded.
"So...Lucas" Mrs. Warren said. "You left Gardenia when, exactly? How long have you been travelling for?"
"I left on June fifteenth" Lucas replied. "So it was nine days ago. Hard to believe that it's only been that long".
"Indeed" Andromeda said.
Once everybody was finished with their steak, the servants came and took the plates away, and Lucas moved to stand up from his seat. He wanted to go back to the living room, perhaps see more of Tanner's apartment.
"No" Kevin said.
Lucas sat back down. "What do you mean, no?" he replied, slightly indignantly.
"I mean that there is still another course" Tanner's father replied. "We're not done with dinner just yet".
Since Lucas was one of those boys who was always hungry, or so it seemed, he didn't have a problem with that. The motley group sat there for another five minutes before the cooks came back.
They set two large apple pies on the table, since they had been cooking for twelve. "Here you go, Honorable Kevin Warren".
"Thank you" the man replied. Kevin took two hundred-dollar bills out of his pocket and handed one to each servant. "That's your pay".
After the servants had their turn to thank Kevin, they left, and each apple pie was cut into six slices. Lucas was licking his lips already - apple pie was one of his favorite foods. In addition, the steam wafting up from the hot cinnamon apples looked and smelled extremely inviting.
Indeed, the pie was one of the best things the boy had ever tasted. He saw the pure euphoria on Solanna's face, and he knew that the girl agreed with him on that.
Of course, the fact that he was enjoying it might also have had something to do with the fact that his group had just gotten another human member. Somehow, whenever they gained a Pokemon, if it didn't belong to Lucas himself, he didn't feel the special bond with it.
On second thought, it shouldn't have been too surprising that he felt this way about that. Of course he would relate to Orkun and Vinaka the most. He saw no reason to feel guilty about it.
Once everybody had finished their slice of pie, Tanner said, "Do you guys want to see my bedroom? It's pretty awesome".
"Don't see why not" Andromeda replied. "We'll do that, and then let's head to the hotel. You can stay with us - we'll just get a rollaway bed or something for you".
"Are you okay with that?" Tanner asked his parents again, just to confirm that yes, it was fine for him to go on a journey with the others.
"Yes" his mother said. "Just call me tomorrow, and I'll put your account online. You'll be able to merge your account with the others, so that all of you can use that money".
Tanner nodded. Then, standing up from his chair and raising his arm to beckon the others away from the table, he said, "All right. Let me show you my room. I think that you'll like it very much".
Lucas, Andromeda, and Solanna were led out of the dining room and past the living room into a third room, which looked like the coolest bedroom that the former had ever seen...because it was the coolest bedroom Lucas had ever seen.
The room was probably about twice the size of the room Lucas had once slept in back at home, and that was saying something indeed. The bed was pushed into the corner of the room, and its sheets were made to look like a Lucario's face, with light blue "fur" and a black line down the middle.
That wasn't the only cool part of the room, however. Posters of Sir Aaron, sometimes known as the King of Aura, were plastered all over the walls. Lucas, for all that he knew his parents loved him, had never been allowed to put up a poster on his wall, probably for the sake of being able to sleep without any distractions.
"You are so lucky, Tanner" Lucas told the older boy. "I'd never been allowed to have anything like this at home".
Almost immediately, Lucas had to resist the urge to slap himself upside the head. That wasn't a good thought to have; indeed, it was a very bad thought. If he didn't get over thoughts about home, he would just keep on feeling homesick.
"There were some at my school" Solanna said. "Some of the other girls in my dormitory would take their posters of movie stars or whatever to the school, and they'd put them up there. I was never one of those girls, though".
"You slept in a dormitory?" Tanner asked.
"Yeah" the girl replied. Turning towards Tanner, Tavua, and Zapatera, she explained, "I attended a boarding school in order to learn how to become a better trainer. It's not like I abused any of my Pokemon or anything like that".
"I don't think anyone ever accused you of doing so, Solanna" Andromeda said.
"Whatever" Solanna replied. "Anyway, yeah. We should probably put our Pokemon in their Pokeballs and head back to our hotel. It's not quite as lavish as this, but it's not too far off, either?"
"A five-star hotel, I hope?" Tanner asked. "Because we always stay in those".
Of course you do, Lucas thought, you're super rich.
After they all bade goodbye to Tanner's parents, they left the apartment and took the elevator back down to the lobby. This time, Lucas felt far more scared than he had before.
He reminded himself that they were now going closer to the surface of the Earth, not further away from it, They weren't descending into some deep, dark mine shaft. The roof wasn't going to collapse in on them.
Solanna, thankfully, rescued Lucas from these ruminations about everything that could go wrong. "Tell me more about your travels, Tanner" she said, sounding very interested indeed.
"Well", the boy replied, "my family and I went to Hoenn one time. That was a fun trip, because we got to stay at a beach hotel, and we went canopy ziplining. That's one thing that was on my bucket list, and I finally got to do it that time".
Lucas thought back to something his mother had said at the table. "Why did she say no ziplining back at dinner?" he asked Tanner.
"No reason, really. At least, I think the reason she said that was just because she wanted to use it as an example of something dangerous that we shouldn't do. However, if we get the chance, I absolutely want to do it again".
"You do?" Andromeda asked.
"Of course. It's really fun" Tanner replied. "And they let Pokemon do it as well, although they have special harnesses made for each species. If we find a place, maybe Tavua and Zapatera would have a good time with us".
Lucas had never asked Orkun if he wanted to go ziplining, but he got the feeling that the Lucario would have had a very good time doing it. Most Lucario, he imagined, were adrenaline junkies, at least compared to him.
"Yeah. I don't really care what your parents say" Solanna said. "If we get the chance, we're going to do it".
After everyone else had nodded their assent to that, the trainers reached the bottom of the elevator. They then left the lobby and started making their way back to the hotel.
"So...what hotel are you guys staying at?" Tanner asked. "I've lived here my whole life, and even I don't know the names of all of the places".
"It's the Monopoli Grand Hotel" Andromeda replied.
"I've heard of that one" the other boy said. "You guys are right; I've heard of it, and it is a five-star hotel. It's almost as though you guys were expecting me".
"No offense, but we weren't" Lucas said.
Almost immediately, he realized his mistake in saying so. He was often one to say things that he regretted seconds later, and this time was no different. He couldn't believe that he'd put his foot in his mouth so badly.
"It's fine:" Tanner replied, a response Lucas did not expect. He was glad that the older boy seemed to forgive him, so that was definitely a good thing. At the same time, however….he needed to get over this tendency to say stupid things.
They got back to the hotel, and the original three trainers showed Tanner up to the room. Then, seeing that it was only seven in the evening, Solanna asked him a question.
"Do you want to go out and battle tonight? It's not that late".
"No" Tanner replied. "I really do think that my Pokemon need, and deserve, some rest. Maybe in the morning, though. But not tonight. Definitely not tonight".
"Okay" Lucas said. Truth be told, it had been quite a long day. He was looking forward to getting into bed, getting to sleep in a real bed for a change. Tomorrow, and in the days that followed as well, there would be plenty of time to practice battling.
For now, however, Lucas was perfectly content to simply get to know Tanner better. Battling could wait.
I'd like to note that I'm still looking for characters for my SYOT Hunger Games. I have 14 spots left open. Luckily, I now have all the characters I need for the first chapter, but after that I will need more.
Anyway, you know the drill. I'd love to know what you think below.
EDIT: I decided not to do the SYOT after all. I just decided to focus on this story for the time being.
Lucas: Orkun - Lucario: Aura Sphere, Laser Focus, Foresight, Quick Attack, Detect, Metal Claw, Counter, Feint (Level 11). Vinaka - Vulpix: Ember, Tail Whip, Roar (Level 7).
Andromeda: Tai - Turtwig: Tackle, Withdraw (Level 9). Soko - Shinx: Tackle, Leer, Charge, Baby-Doll Eyes (Level 12).
Solanna: Aparri - Charmander: Scratch, Growl, Ember, Smokescreen (Level 15). Bayon - Machop: Low Kick, Leer, Focus Energy, Karate Chop (Level 8).
Tanner: Tavua - Chimchar: Scratch, Leer, Ember, Taunt, Fury Swipes, Flame Wheel (Level 17). Zapatera - Zorua: Scratch, Leer, Pursuit, Fake Tears, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Scary Face (Level 20).