Ash, Serena and Nina took the earliest bus to Lumiose City. After Professor Sycamore's phone call they headed straight to him. The reveal of a brand new trainer with the same power as Ash and Nina they practically raced to the capital of Kalos to get to know him. They got off the stop closest to the lab and headed inside. The entrance way empty they arrived a bit late in the afternoon thanks to the long trip. After calling out to the Professor, Sycamore saw them and was happy they came here on such short notice.
"Ash, Serena, Nina. As always welcome to my humble home."
"Thank you Professor." Ash said eager to meet his younger counterpart. Serena looked sideways to Nina as the singer had to explain herself. Sycamore wanted to have some time hoping she loosened up a bit more to him as he only had more questions.
"I'm glad you're here. If you can spare the time to talk about your master and his Decidueye I'd be most pleased." It reminded Ash of a topic as Nina just ignored him.
"Nina has something to say to you." The singer raised an eyebrow.
"No. I don't."
"You do." Serena saying it as well she waited for a few more seconds.
"Nina wants to apologize for the encounter with her master in Team Union's hideout." Archer being a thorn in their side and preventing the researcher from accessing Battle Bond history, the top student of the man willingly put them in danger.
"No, I don't." Not regretting anything her companions glared at her. Sycamore sensing the tension would just had to listen in absorbing the history the singer is aware of on today's subject.
"Where are they Professor?" Ash wondered as Sycamore led them in. In an inside grass field the glass ceiling shone the remaining daylight as she saw a younger girl play with the lab's Pokémon. Sycamore called to the young girl who held onto a Chikorita. Seeing the three new older people she stood up and ran directly to the Kalos Queen stopping right in front of her on a dime.
"You're Serena!" Excited to see the top Performer the girl kept looking at her dreamily.
"You're even prettier in real life!" Serena flattered by the compliment Sycamore introduced the young girl.
"Ash, Serena, Nina. This is Lucy and her Chikorita." The little Grass type waved the leaf on top its head to say hello. Serena gently waved back as she smelled the faint aroma coming from it.
"Nice to meet you Lucy, Chikorita. I'm Ash and this is Pikachu."
"Aw, you're a cutie!" Lucy asked if she could pet him. Pikachu lowered its head so she could. As Lucy touched the top of its head, without it being in any sort of battle spirit she felt Pikachu's power.
"Chikorita is your partner?" Ash wondered since he had to used to have one as well who long evolved at this point.
"I used to have one that was pretty affectionate. It evolved since then but it always kept the need to hug with me."
"Yep. Chikorita is my starter Pokémon. It hasn't evolved yet but that's just fine." Lucy said before looking at the third person.
"And I'm Nina."
"You're the one with the Primarina that can transform right? I saw you singing on Pokevision. You were amazing."
"Thank you." Nice to hear someone else enjoying it but she was here for someone else.
"Where's the boy who we're for?" Nina asked the young girl in particular not even glancing in Sycamore's direction.
"Over there." Lucy pointed over to a tree in the labs garden. Slumped over against the tree a boy had his hands behind his head as a pillow. Letting the world just pass him by he paid no attention to anyone.
"Evan!" Lucy yelled at him. The boy laying down opened his left eye only.
"Hmm?"
"These are the people Professor Sycamore talked about." Lucy told him.
"S'up." He waved his hand before laying on his back again closing his eyes.
"What's his issue?" Serena asked. She thought he'd be excited to get to hear where his special bond with his Pokémon came from. Still laying down Lucy explained what's wrong with him.
"He's so laid back it's infuriating."
"You said his chosen partner was a Toxicroak right?" Nina asked again for confirmation. Lucy nodded as the singer then laughed a tiny bit.
"The lazy swamp hermit. According to the stories I've read the original one was so secluded in its swamp that it just let the world pass by. It just wanted to spend its days living normally but they always ran into someone who wanted to destroy their habitat so they were forced to battle. Not much motivation in both till someone ruins their day."
"How do you know that? That's him to a tee!" Lucy amazed the singer described Evan so accurately. Nina wanted to give the lazy one the recap of the Battle Bond history but waited.
"Could you go away Lucy?" Nina asked her as Ash and Serena knew what was coming.
"You're not allowed to hear what we have to say to your friend."
"Hold on a minute. I think she should hear this too." Ash thinking it would be a good idea if Lucy was included in this.
"You know how this works. I was willing to let it slide with your friends and we were in a hurry to find that knight, but we don't know this girl." Nina argued back. Lucy while befriended to one was an outsider. Not without Archer's permission would she tell the Battle Bond history and basics.
"You should at least warn her about the hunters." Serena said.
"Hunters?" The girl asked confused.
"You mean Evan is in danger?" Worried for her friend said trainer still didn't look up.
"Way to go." Severely outmatched in two to one Ash and Serena told them the basic stuff. Where Evan's power came from, the history of Battle Bond and the hunters that were looking to exterminate them.
"That's horrible!"
"Yeah. We've been trying to get more of them but they seem to pop out of nowhere." Ash told the young girl.
"So? What should we do with him?" Serena asked.
"I'm not bringing him to our mentor like this. He needs to grow an interest in the subject first before we take him there." Evan's non motivation is a problem. As much as Nina wanted to bring him to her master he currently was a waste of time. A Slaking is more energetic than the young Battle Bond trainer.
"Well we can't just let him out of sight with It and other hunters stalking around." Ash not eager to let Evan alone with the risk of him transforming and giving away his identity.
"I got an idea." Serena said.
"Let's bring him to Cyllage City. We can stay at the base Palermo is building while you two try to spark his interest. It's filled with people that can protect him from It and the other hunters." Serena suggested they go to the second safest place she knows off. With the security and facilities there it's a perfect pace besides the forest where the old master lives.
"And it gives you an opportunity to let him see that Battle Bond Arbok you caught and how to deal with her."
"There's a Battle Bond Arbok?" Sycamore interested in studying that case too.
"Marvelous. Perhaps a research trip to Cyllage City is in order to watch you and her." Sycamore smelling the opportunity to study it in person. That makes five real Battle Bond trainers in total with Ash, Nina, their mentor and Evan on their side.
"Your funeral. Just don't make eye contact with her unless you really want to know what it's like to be a statue." Nina at least courteous enough to warn him. She won't take the blame if he got turned to stone and do extra effort to break him out of it.
"Then it's settled. I'll call Palermo and tell her we're visiting again." Serena went to look for the nearest phone ready for a return there.
"Hey Evan? How about we battle?" Ash suggested wondering if that would get Evan up. The boy finally opened one eye and slowly got up. He heard a few stories from Sycamore on how strong he and his Greninja were.
"Not in here!" Serena yelled at him.
"I've seen how a battle between two of you goes and I'm not letting you damage the lab. Find a different spot or wait till Cyllage City." Serena well aware how Ash and Nina battled after their reunion at Archer did not wanted to scare the Pokémon here or do more damage.
"Yes." Ash pushed it back. Evan hearing his battle being denied laid down again. Ash shook his head as he looked at Nina.
"You must be excited on getting your own Battle Bond student."
"How about you take him on?" Nina suggested Ash took on the role of instructor. This kind of surprised him.
"Aren't you the one that's more into teaching and know more about this stuff?"
"Yeah, but I'm partially teaching you already. I want to know how you're going to treat your student. It's a learning experience for you both." Nina already knew how she'd treat her Battle Bond student in the future. This was a great opportunity to bestow Ash with a pupil and see how good of a teacher he would make passing down Battle Bond knowledge.
"Don't worry. I'll jump in when you make a mistake in the subject. Just do what you think is the best way to teach them."
With Serena making the arrangements to go to Cyllage City, Ash and Nina took a moment to create a learning plan for the lazy Evan. Once they arrived at the coastal city they'd battle when Ash would take the boy under his wing and get him ready for a fight with the hunters. From then on they would decide on what to do with It cause these waiting for him to pop out is getting on their nerves.
They needed a plan to lure It somewhere to their advantage where they can settle this game of cat and mouse and give others like Evan a chance to live in peace and not fear about being hunted.
Short one but more of a set up. Just no mojo for this one
See you around.