"speaking"
"Thinking"
On with the story
A few days had passed since the Mikuru Cup as Ken was on his way back to Celestic Town after defeating Melissa in the Hearthome Gym and obtained the Relic Badge
He was riding on Golurk's back as the Automaton Pokemon was flying in the sky, heading towards Celestic Town
"can't believe that I got to visit a town twice" Ken said holding onto Golurk's back before letting out a sigh "but seriously, a date? What is Karashina-san thinking?"
Ken then started to think as to what to do in the date
"haaaa, what did I get myself into?" Ken asked himself before Golurk rockets towards Celestic Town
After an hour of flying, Ken and Golurk arrived to Celestic Town where the first person greeted them is Karashina herself
"good, you've come in the right time" Karashina said with a smile
"well, I did promise to come" Ken said before he called back Golurk to its Pokeball "but are you serious? Me going on a date with Shirona? Shouldn't she go out with someone else? I'm just an ordinary trainer while she's on a whole different league"
"haaa, you should not underestimate your own self, Ken" Karashina said while folding her arms behind her back "back in the past, lots of admirers came to Celestic Town to see Shirona when she became the champion"
Karashina looks to the sky as she sees the floating clouds and a flock of Starly
"they only wanted her looks, her fame, and her own self" Karashina said before sighing a bit "but you're different…. there is a certain something about you that draws out Shirona's true personality within her. Her true self. You made her into her own self, not her as the Sinnoh Champion but just ordinary Shirona"
Ken looks to the elder as he hears her words and felt what Shirona went through in the past, how she had a hard life for becoming a champion like he did
"that's why you're the only one I can ever allow to go with my granddaughter" Karashina said looking to Ken "I'm not young anymore, and when I'm no longer with you all, Shirona will truly be on her own…and I don't like that…I want someone to stay by her side…to support her….to protect her….may it be on sad times…may it be on hard times…..you, Ken are that someone"
"Can you please…be with her, Ken? Hear this as a favor from an old woman" Karashina said as Ken looks down before looking up and nodded to her
"thank you" Karashina thanked him with a smile
At Shirona's home, the Sinnoh Champion was in the middle of cleaning her home as Glaceon was resting on the couch
"there we go" Shirona said as she cleans the picture frame of her and Ken winning the indigo league as the picture frame's glass shine before Shirona place it back to the wall
She smiles to the picture before the doorbell rang
"yes" Shirona said as she went to answer the door
She opened it and finds her Grandmother with Ken beside her
"Ken! You're back already?!" Shirona said with a smile
"yo" Ken greeted her with a smile
"he'll be staying for a week or so, got to win that Pokemon Contest, right?" Karashina said as she entered the home and leaves the two be
Shirona welcomed Ken back into her home as she closed the door
The day turned to noon as Ken and Shirona were at her home's porch, talking with each other while Glaceon and Lairon were with them
"the way Poliwrath and Alakazam made that beautiful ice ribbon sculpture was so amazing that even Glaceon was amazed" Shirona said as she petted Glaceon's head
"is that so?" Ken replied before looking to the clouds above "truthfully speaking, when the thought of me performing in the contest with my Pokemon, I was thinking of making a performance with Golurk and Drapion, but I decided not to because Golurk can't do any good talents while Drapion, well he just might scare some of the crowds"
"I can imagine that happening" Shirona said with a smile and a small laugh
"yeah, it would've ended in a disaster" Ken said "but thankfully, I got Poliwrath and Alakazam to help me out that time"
The two chatted a bit more before they decided to head in the town
Ken and Shirona walked together side by side as they walk in a small park where there were some kids playing around with their pokemon
A couple of kids were running away as they were being chased by another kid and a Poochyena
"how nostalgic" Shirona said as she looks to the small park and the swing in it "my grandmother and I used to go here very often back when I was a little girl"
Shirona went to the swing as she touched the metal pole
"I can't help and remember how much fun I had playing here" Shirona said while smiling
"why don't you take a small swing then?" Ken said "for old times sake that is"
"what? I shouldn't…I'm a grown up now and all" Shirona said looking to the nostalgic swing
"it's fine" Ken said as he leads her to the swing's seat and sat her on the seat before going behind her
Ken gently pushed Shirona as she swings front before swinging back as Ken pushed her again
Shirona smiles so happily as she remembers her fun childhood
Ken smiled as well as he continued to push Shirona on the swing, many times to her heart's content
As the two had fun in the park, they were being spied on
"fufufufufu, Shirona is so mature now, having Mr. Indigo League champion on a date with her" Kia appeared as she had a snickering smirk on her "got to take a picture"
She pulled out her Poketch as she opened the camera app and took a quick shot of Ken and Shirona having fun in the swing
Kia then hides away as she lets the two have fun in the park
That's a wrap!
Bye bye
