"This is the room Pikachu."
Ash went to the suite his new Performer friend is staying in. The Pokevision they were going to film today on the card Amelia probably wanted to show off the SS Shimmer too. He knocked on her door and called her out.
"Amelia? It's me." Hearing his voice the Performer put on her fake smile.
"I arranged for you to come in. The door should be open."
The door did slid open to his surprise. Stepping in he saw Amelia sitting on her bed with a purple summer dress with pumps on her feet on the bed. The large summer hat placed next to her she turned on the bed towards him. A camera placed next to it all, Amelia arranged it so all he had to do was press play and aim it at her.
"Morning Ash."
"Morning. You look ready for your shoot."
"Thank you. I just pulled on something which I think displays the status of my family." Not expecting the compliment she took it. Again compared to others she heard it from before he sounded genuine and not just to get in her good graces.
"So how did the door open? I thought the crew said your pass only works on your room." Confused how he got into her room as his pass was only for his room and not others.
"I told the crew that you were allowed in my room. I gave your pass access to my room at my request. You can walk in here at anytime now or until I block it."
"So where are we going?"
"You already had breakfast?"
"I did."
"Good. I think we should start on the top deck and get a shot of the ocean. From there we'll just go around the ship filming separate parts. I'm sure I can edit it into something worth watching."
Amelia hid her annoyance from the boy. Not wanting to film at all she just wanted to get it over with as her vision was still set on making Ash talk more about Serena. The two went towards the top deck. Amelia leaned over against the railing looking out over the ocean.
"This is a good spot. Can you stand over there?" She pointed a few feet away from her as Ash took his spot.
"Ready?"
Amelia began to smile and did her best impressions of how to do a commercial. Bragging a bit about success and wealth in her lines she shot it as a standard commercial where the typical actress does a cringe promotion of their product.
"So he's your cameraman." The two black haired people looked away with Amelia being pulled out of her role and Ash stopped rolling.
"You're interrupting us." Amelia not appreciating the delay of her film. Remembering the guy's face from when she tried to get a tan at the pool she got his business card and that would be the end of it. Instead he was quite persistent and he seemed to have some grief aimed at Ash.
"Him again." It was the same male who caused a stir with him in the dining hall. The one who calls himself Byron sought out the heir of Valeur to talk cause for his tastes it was gong to slow.
"Seriously. Here I was worrying about nothing."
"You know him Amelia?" Ash annoyed at seeing the suited male he wondered if they had a past together.
"This is Byron. He's a businessman who contacted me before." She told him nothing is going on between them but being associates.
"I told you I'd relay your request for a meeting with my father later." The Performer saying that as she was on holiday. Byron looked at the boy who held her camera.
"So why are you hanging out with this guy?"
"Could you leave us alone? We're trying to film a commercial." Amelia's request thrown in the wind Byron kept pushing her.
"You were on holiday are you? Why are you working then?"
"That's none of your business." Amelia said wanting to get rid of him. Byron leaned forward.
"Everything is my business." He said in a threatening manner as he is of the belief money makes the world go round. Ash put the camera down and he went up to the two. He and Pikachu had a bone to pick with him too.
"Then it's my business to teach you some manners."
"You're challenging me?"
"But not here." Ash not wanted to get kicked off the luxury cruise liner because of one horrible guest.
"Let's move to the battlefield if you dare then." Byron again trying to wound Ash's pride the raven haired boy bit.
"You're on."
Byron turned his back to the pair and already left. Ash and Pikachu staring him down turned to his mew friend who had a scowl on her face too. Clearly she felt the wrong way like him.
"Can we put this filming away for a few minutes? I don't want to make it too long."
"Of course." Amelia granted his request for a quick battle wanting to see the annoying male lose.
As Amelia followed Ash to the battlefield. It being on the top deck as well it was only a short walk as the business man was already on his part of the field. Ash went to his spot on it with Amelia standing behind him already picking his side. Who would care about the loss of one business partner? She'd just explain to her father he was a swindler and insulted her on the ship which would cross off any opportunity at some of her stocks.
"Out Pyroar!" The same Pokémon as last night the golden fur sparkled as it came out of the Pokeball.
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash's trusty starter leaped off his shoulder. Landing on the battlefield it was ready for let out some electricity as usual. Byron laughed off the small mouse against his in comparison large lion.
"It's not even an alternate color one."
"The color of a Pokémon doesn't matter. It's how you train it does." A statement the yellow mouse agreed. They both gone through too much just to lose to a guy like Byron as Pikachu sparked its cheeks.
"And by the look of your rodent it's not even housebroken."
"So you make the first move then!" Ash wanted to get to the part that mattered.
"Pyroar, Rock Smash!" The shiny Pokémon roared and it leapt to the small house. His front paws glowing white it raised his left front to crush the rodent.
"Use Quick Attack!" Pikachu sped off into a yellow blur. The Pyroar slow to react got hit in the chest area as it flew backwards. Pikachu landed on his feet as Pyroar spun around and did too.
"Use Noble Roar!" Pyroar planted his paws and let out a deafening roar. Ash and Pikachu both clutched their ears as the sound hurt to listen too. Pikachu glowed a faint blue and it's stance from before was a bit droopier than normal.
"Iron Tail!" Ash ordered his buddy as its tail began to glow silver. Pikachu jumped up and
"Rock Smash again!" Pyroar swiped sideways as Pikachu's tail connected again with Pyroar's paw. The lion scrambled back again as it grimaced with Byron already getting frustrated.
"It overpowered you again!?"
"That Pyroar is not exactly strong." Amelia watching on knew what the move Noble Roar did. It supposedly was to lower your opponents strength giving you an power advantage. But even if it weakened the mouse it seemed to have enough left to overcome the size and weight in a direct clash.
"He is a League finalist though so Ash at least knows what he is doing.'
"Pyroar, Overheat!" Pyroar opened his maw and a huge stream of flames came shooting out at high speed. Ash and Pikachu were surprised at the size of it as it was bigger than any they've ever seen.
"Dodge it!" Pikachu jumped out of the way yet the flames touched one of its hind legs giving some burn. A black spot formed over his left leg as Pikachu seemed to be in a bit of pain.
"Look up you slob." Byron told Ash to look up. The sun still being out in full force shining on them the field was still bright and Pyroar seemed to look pretty healthy in it.
"The Sunny Day the crews Pokémon do every time to keep the weather nice gives Fire types a nice advantage." Byron taking the weather to his advantage he had control of the area. Ash smirked mocking his opponent. If weather is all he got this would be easy.
"Pikachu, Electro Web into the air!" Pikachu formed a bit of electricity on his tail and shot it up at a reasonable height.
"Electro Web again! Keep firing them Pikachu!" Move after move the sky became more yellow with webs.
"What is he doing? Isn't he wasting electricity that way?" Amelia confused on why he wasn't attacking directly as even with the power drop Pikachu is still stronger. Pikachu finished placing a final web just behind him.
"Overheat again!" Pyroar opened its mouth and fired off another heat blast. Smaller than the previous one it was still big.
"Use Iron Tail on the Electro Web behind you!" Pikachu slammed his tail and he got launched up with the web making him jump higher as the Overheat passed under him. Pikachu landed into a web he placed in the air and he got launched to another.
"He's using them as a trampoline!?" The Performer amazed at how Pikachu was just flying through the air as it bounced from one web to another.
"Overheat again!" Pyroar letting a weaker Fire move again tried to snipe Pikachu out of the air. The move missing the size the mouse easily flew past it.
"Use Iron Tail!" Pikachu curled up into a ball and spun with his tail shining. Just before he reached the Fire type he stretched out and his it with full force on the head. The lion stumbled having all sense knocked out of him as it fell to the ground in a heap of dust.
"Pyroar!" Byron screamed as Pikachu landed on his feet.
"Great job buddy!" Ash complimenting his buddy, Pikachu gave the thumbs up. Byron returned his Pokémon with a grimace and without saying thanks for his effort.
"This isn't over."
"The battle is. So yeah, it's over." Ash said hoping he and his friend will be left alone now.
"You're going to regret this." Byron left without a word more. Amelia went to Ash as he thanked Pikachu for the win. Still amazed at the way outside of calling an attack he did and improvising to make the Electro Web a part of increasing the power Pikachu lost from the Noble Roar's.
"That was more a move of a coordinator than a trainer. I didn't know you could use Electro Web like that."
"It wasn't that special. We're doing it all the time. Others just haven't caught on yet."
A smile came over her face and she began to laugh softly. Amelia found it strange she did. She hasn't felt this happy in quite some time. Always the stress of polishing her Performances, the expectations set on her and the demands the family business put on her as their heir. Maybe this vacation wasn't so bad after all. She met this strange boy after all.
"It wasn't that funny." Ash didn't get where her mood came from. Amelia composed herself back in character as she still had her plan to exploit Ash for Serena's secrets. Maybe she could learn a bit from watching his battles too as he was quite unorthodox in them.
"Come on. Let's get your Pikachu fixed up first. It's a nice day and lets not waste it. We still have a commercial to film."
"Right!"
The two went on to film places on the ship together and within a few hours Amelia figured she has all the footage she needs and could make a great commercial to keep her father off her back till she got off the SS Shimmer.
"Thank you for helping me Ash."
"It's not a big deal." Truly grateful for his help there was just one matter left.
"Is there a way I can thank you? Something you want for your services?"
"Services? I helped you cause you're a friend. I don't need anything in return except your company."
She wasn't sure if it was something he just said spontaneously or a flirt. In any case it took her by surprise. The way he came to her aid against Byron, the way he helped shoot the commercial and the declaration of friendship because he just wanted to help her out even if they just met she dealt with a boy so much different than any her father tried to set her up with.
"Hey Ash?" She gently smiled as he stuffed his face with more food.
"Yeah?"
"You're the nicest person I ever met." Amelia dropped her acting for a second to try and get close to him. She felt like she can be herself with him away from every expectation ever set on her. Even strangers were not this lovely to her and she was going to miss him once this cruise is over.
"Uhm…thanks?" Ash a bit surprised over her weird comment. Amelia got up as her day was not finished yet.
"It won't take me too long to edit the material we filmed into something. May I be excused so I can work on the commercial?"
"Sure. We'll meet tomorrow in the restaurant here for breakfast. Can't wait to see it."
"Good night Ash."
"Night Amelia."
As she walked the way to her cabin the boy she was drawn to was out of sight but not out of mind.
"He is really different."
"No. Think about your real goal. Kalos Queen. Don't get attached to him and forget why you're doing it in the first place."
"Oh yeah. That's why."
"This is just his plan like with Byron. You can't trust him."
"He's not like that. He's too honest."
"He's either gullible or plays the part better than you do. You're not doing what you're supposed too and time is running out."
"I got three more days at least. Don't worry, I'll get it. Why am I arguing with myself?"
Going crazy she would finish the video, take a bath and then go to sleep. The day being stressful yet fun thanks to Ash she doubted even more about her social skills than her ability as a didn't believe her other self actually doubting her plan for her now. Like her conscience was in a tug of war. Ash didn't deserve to be played the way she did but the end goal was more important than the connection she began to build.
Still she doubted.
"Friendship or betray his trust for my goal? Why is the choice so hard!? It shouldn't be!"
Been a bit so here's to a more consistent update schedule. Amelia slowly starts to get closer and closer to Ash and will this Byron continue to cause issues for them?
Later.