Hey everyone, hope you all are doing well. I'm sorry if this chapter's a little later than what I said last time, but there was just too much to cram into one chapter. So I decided to make it a three parter and all three chapter's will be in Serena's perspective. Thanks again to all of you for reading, and please leave as many reviews as you'd like. I really love your feedback. See you again in another couple weeks.
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"Nghhhh..." Serena groaned, burying her face into the pillow to try and filter out the sunlight assaulting her eyelids. She thought she'd told her Pokemon to keep the curtains closed at all times. Guess she'd have to remind them again later. Flipping away from the window, she pulled the soft quilt further up to her chin, basking in the warmth it provided and glad to finally be rid of that horrible nightmare from last night. Of all the crazy things for her mind to come up with, being stuck with the Champion as a bodyguard definitely had to be near the top of the list. Oh well, at least it was over now and she could peacefully go back to sleep.
Hang on a minute...
She didn't own a quilt.
Also, this didn't feel like her normal pillow.
And why wasn't she wearing her pajamas?
The performer bolted upright in her bed, terrified at the sudden realization that it wasn't actually "her" bed, and that none of her surroundings were familiar in the slightest. Glancing around, she noticed the cream colored drywall of her apartment had been replaced with rows upon rows of medium hued wood, the boards varying in width. In front of her, a heavy door made out of the same material as the wall while just to the left rested an antique vanity and mirror. The floor was also wooden, but stained a much darker color that provided a needed contrast. There were virtually no decorations, giving the room a very plain and minimalistic style.
Realizing she was still squinting, Serena quickly discovered the window to her left that was responsible for her discomfort. Thankfully, her bed was close enough to the window that she was able to lean over and twist the little white wand, closing the blinds. Some sunlight still bled through, but the current amount was much more tolerable. Unfortunately, she was still attempting to shake off the grogginess from waking up, so she was still having a little trouble putting all the details together concerning where she was.
However, an odd noise to her right quickly grabbed her attention. Quickly turning her head, Serena's eyes widened at what she saw.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Her signature scream echoed throughout the room, startling the round creature on her nightstand enough for it to fall off.
Shoving herself as far away from it as she could, she peeked over the covers that were pulled just above her nose, observing the odd little thing as it struggled on it's back. Two tiny black nubs she believed were its legs kicked in the air in an effort to right itself, but apparently it wasn't doing much good. Now that some of the shock factor had worn off, Serena figured that what she was looking at had to be some sort of Pokemon. Like its legs, a significant portion of its body was pitch black, but the rest appeared to be covered in some kind of yellow armor. A long crimson horn jutted from the top of its head and slowly receded down its back, reminding her of a mohawk. Twin disks that resembled shields of some sort seemed to act as its arms, but in its current position, they weren't of much use.
Before she could use the built-in Pokedex on her smartphone, a loud knock interrupted her.
"Hey, Blondie. You alright in there?"
Snatching her head toward the door, Serena's thoughts finally collected themselves enough for the pieces to begin falling into place. What she had initially thought was a nightmare had actually ended up being reality, clued in by her recognition of the voice on the other side of the door. It did sound a little different this time though, but at the moment she couldn't really put her finger on it.
"Uhh...yeah I'm…" She glimpsed over at the still struggling Pokemon, realizing it probably didn't pose a threat at the moment. "I'm fine."
"Can I come in?"
The performer scrunched her brow, curious as to why the Champion even bothered asking. Suddenly, the answer hit her and she quickly checked underneath the covers, relieved to see her clothes were still the same as this morning, save for the beanie that she just now noticed folded up on the vanity along with her three Pokeballs. Her shoes had also been neatly stowed away underneath the chair. She also discovered her reflection in the mirror, and thankfully her hair was still in decent shape. There were still a few wild strands, but it wasn't anything she couldn't live with.
"Umm...sure." She finally replied, eager to get an explanation about how she ended up in here.
A brief pause followed before the brass doorknob slowly turned and the door swung inward. Expecting to see the dark dressed figure of her bodyguard, Serena had to doubletake once she got a good look at the person standing in the doorway. Blinking a few times to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, she tried her best to make sense of what she was seeing.
It was definitely L. The voice was unmistakable. But the flight jacket and jean combo she'd grown accustomed to had been replaced by a what appeared to be an off white dress shirt tucked into a pair of thick caramel trousers, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, while his black combat boots had been swapped with a pair of brown leather work shoes. His face and neck were still covered, but instead of his usual mask, bandages the same shade as his shirt wrapped up to just below his eyebrows, hiding his ears as well. Sharp-framed sunglasses had also taken the place of his goggles, but still plenty dark enough to hide his eyes. Like before, his blonde hair was still visible, covering the rest of his features save for a small section of his forehead. The makeshift mask reminded her of something you might see in a B horror flick. Yet even that probably wasn't the strangest thing out of his attire. No, that title belonged to the matching tan suspenders holding up his pants. Serena wondered for a moment if she was still sleeping, because this being a dream was pretty much the only explanation that made any bit of sense right now.
"What?" He inquired, apparently curious at her reaction.
While she was busy struggling to get words out of her mouth, L's gaze suddenly landed on the squirming Pokemon by her bedside.
"What did you do?!" He snapped, rushing over to it.
The accusatory tone shocked her out of her funk. "Me? I didn't do anything!" She fired back. "I just woke up and it was on the nightstand staring at me!"
"Oh for the love of…" He groaned before turning around and barking out the door. "Bravo, get everyone in here. Alpha's stuck again."
Confused as to who he was talking to, Serena didn't have to wait much longer before she had her answer. Marching through the door came five creatures identical to the one on the floor.
No. That wasn't right. They weren't exactly the same.
Upon closer inspection, the newly entered Pokemon were a tad bit shorter than the original, and their horns weren't nearly as pronounced. She knew that Pokemon of the same species could vary in size, so was that the case here or did it have to do with something else? Regardless, the performer watched with curiosity as the smaller Pokemon made their way over to the larger one. After L had backed out of the way, they formed a small circle around their fallen comrade before converging and hoisting it up in the air. Utilizing precise maneuvering, they managed to upright the creature and set it back on its feet. It appeared to thank its friends with a bob of its head and a vocalization of its name.
"Fa...Faly…" Serena attempted to repeat what she'd heard.
"Falinks." L filled in the blank. "Its name is Falinks."
Serena paused for a moment, trying to recall if she'd ever heard that name before, but nothing rang any bells. It must've been from a region other than Kalos or Hoenn as she was fairly familiar with those native Pokemon.
"Are they from Unova?"
He knelt down to check on the one he had called Alpha. It appeared to reassure the Champion that it was alright. "Galar."
Another question quickly popped in her mind. "Is there a reason why you caught six of them?"
She could've sworn she heard a chuckle from him.
"I didn't."
Ok. Now she was really confused. "Umm...I'm not the best at Math, but I can count you know."
His earlier frustration with her seemed to disappear as he laughed a little louder this time. And it was really starting to get on her nerves. "And just what's so funny, Mister?"
Thankfully, he didn't keep her in the dark much longer. "Relax, Blondie. I didn't mean anything by it. I was laughing because all of these guys are Falinks."
She scrunched her brow in frustration. "Yeah. I'm pretty sure I got that already."
"No. I mean they're all one Pokemon. Like a Dugtrio or an Exeggcute." He clarified.
Her curiosity once again taking over, Serena grabbed her phone on the nightstand and activated the Pokedex app before aiming it at the group of Pokemon.
"Falinks, the formation Pokemon. A fighting type. A robotic, feminine voice spoke from the device. "Five of them are troopers, and one is the brass. The brass's orders are absolute. The six of them work together as one Pokémon. Teamwork is also their battle strategy, and they constantly change their formation as they fight."
And as if to prove the Pokedex's point, Alpha shouted its name sharply, causing the five remaining creatures to hurriedly line up single file behind it. Gesturing with one of its appendages toward the door, the entire unit soon marched in rhythmic fashion out of her room. She stared at the entrance intently, wondering what they were up to. It wasn't long before she had her answer.
They returned in the same manner they left, except this time they were toting one of her massive suitcases, each of the six sharing a portion of the weight. Now Serena understood what the Pokedex had meant. One of them probably couldn't do much by themselves, but together they were much more formidable.
"Cute little guys aren't they?" L interjected. Serena had to admit his voice sounded much better without the metallic reverb. It made him seem much more...normal.
Now that the shock had worn off, the performer couldn't help but agree as she observed the mini soldiers in action. Still, it was kind of odd to hear the word "cute" from a guy like L. "Yeah." She giggled softly. "They really are. Do they all have names?"
He nodded. "They might be a single Pokemon, but each of them still have their own little personalities. Guess I should probably introduce the rest of them."
L whistled sharply, and the battalion immediately marched over to his feet, having completed their task of bringing in her suitcase.
"Alright men, rolecall." He instructed, and they quickly obeyed, organizing themselves side by side. Serena couldn't help but chuckle at L's military jargon, speaking to them as if he were their commander officer or something. But it was pretty obvious they all enjoyed it.
"You already know Alpha." He pointed down at the large one that had nearly made her pee her pants a few minutes ago. The rotund creature chirped its name at the Champion, apparently upset at something. "Oh...right. My bad." He cleared his throat. "Sergeant Alpha."
Seemingly satisfied, it gave her a salute with one of its shields. Doing her best not to laugh, she returned the gesture with a smile. She could tell L was in the same predicament, the bandages stretched tight enough across his face for her to notice the rising of his cheeks.
Collecting himself, he moved on to the next in line. The one he'd called to when Alpha was stuck. "This is Corporal Bravo, second in command." Bravo mimicked its leader, saluting her as well. Again she saluted back.
L kept going, now gesturing at the remaining four in turn. "And this is Private First Class Charlie, Echo, Delta and…"
"Foxtrot?" She guessed with a grin, possessing a little familiarity with the military alphabet.
"Steve." The deadpan caught her off guard.
"Wait. What?"
"Long story." He explained, and she felt it was best to leave it at that.
Now that the introductions were out of the way, he allowed them to return to their task of bringing in the rest of her luggage. Meanwhile, she decided it was time to address the Donphan in the room.
"So...where are we exactly?" She asked before raising an eyebrow at his attire. "And what's with the outfit?"
"My house." The Champion bluntness hadn't missed a beat. "You were still sleeping when we got here so I had one of my Pokemon bring you to the guest room." He glanced down at his clothes. "And this is what I usually wear around the place."
Serena felt like she'd been left with more questions than answers. Observing her surroundings again, this was nothing like what she had pictured in her mind. It honestly felt like she'd woken up in her Grandmother's house, and that opinion was further reinforced once she noticed the clawfoot tub and shower through the open bathroom door to her right.
Seeing her confusion, L spoke up. "Let me guess. Not what you were thinking?"
It took her a few seconds to reply. "To be honest, I was expecting a cave."
This got another chuckle out of him before he headed back to the doorway. "Go ahead and settle in. I'll show you around after I finish up a few chores. There's some leftover breakfast in the kitchen if you're hungry. "
And with that, he left her to herself. Well, to herself and Falinks anyways, who was currently maneuvering her makeup bag towards the bathroom. She figured she might as well get familiar with the room considering she was stuck here for the next two weeks. Sliding out of bed, she was grateful her socks had been left on. No doubt the hardwood floors would be ice cold this time of year. She made her way into the bathroom, having to sidestep the squad of Pokemon as they marched out.
It was pretty standard utilities wise. Besides the oldschool shower and tub, there was a single sink and medicine cabinet. She could probably fit most of her makeup and personal care stuff in there. The toilet was sandwiched between the sink and the tub, and to her great relief, the seat was absent of any doilies. Otherwise, she would've seriously started to entertain the idea that the Champion was really just her Grandma in disguise.
Snagging the brush out of her makeup bag, Serena tamed the wild strands of her hair, relieved that it didn't take more than a few minutes. The rumble in her stomach had furiously reminded her of the last thing L had said.
After straightening her bed, she made sure to grab her Pokeballs on the way out, planning on releasing everybody in the kitchen so they could all eat breakfast together. However, her train of thought was momentarily lost as she stepped out into the living room. Because as strange as the room she'd just left was, it was nothing compared to where she found herself now.
She had to still be asleep. There was no way the Champion lived in a log cabin. Rubbing her eyes, she quickly discovered everything around her was in fact real. It felt like she had stepped into a Christmas calendar, absent the holiday decorations. The honey-hued wooden walls, the towering vaulted ceiling, the stone fireplace harboring a crackling flame. Not to mention the unmistakable heavenly fragrance wafting through the air. She'd spent more than enough time around baking to recognize the scent of freshly baked bread. Attempting to determine the source, her eyes quickly located the immense kitchen, along with a short, stocky figure ambling near the oven.
L really didn't seem like the type of guy who would hire a maid, but the plain cream-colored dress and bonnet the woman wore honestly didn't leave much room for interpretation. Unless…
I wonder if that's his mother?
Sure it was a weird idea, but that was the only other explanation Serena could come up with at the moment. Guess there was only one way to find out for sure.
Shuffling over to the kitchen entrance, the performer tried her best not to startle the lady as it appeared she was focused on whatever was inside the hot box. "Um...excuse me, Miss?"
Realizing she wasn't alone, the woman spun around to face Serena. But much to the blonde's surprise, it turned out the figure wasn't a woman at all, or at least, not a human one. She jumped back in shock.
"Mil?" It replied, cocking its head at her reaction.
A Miltank? They weren't super uncommon in the more rural areas of Kalos, but it still seemed odd for the Champion to have one. And why on earth was it in a dress?
The portly Pokemon furrowed her brow in what looked like concern, and Serena rapidly became aware of just how rude her reaction probably seemed to it.
"Sorry. You kinda caught me off guard there hehe?" She rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, hoping she hadn't already ruined her first impression.
But the Miltank didn't appear to hold any grudges, smiling warmly at her along with another "Mil" before returning to her previous task. The blonde watched with interest as the bovine donned a pair of oven mitts (seemingly customized for her hooves) and removed a tray of rolls from the cast iron stove. She'd seen one or two similar ones in the antique store windows back in Lumiose City, but had no idea anyone still bothered to use something so ancient.
However, Serena couldn't deny the bread taken from it looked and smelled absolutely delicious, so Miltank must've had extensive experience operating it. And given the external heat it radiated, she guessed it also acted as an additional heater for the home. She was more than glad to have it too considering she nearly froze to death on the way here. Gosh, hopefully that was the last time she had to fly on that Pokemon. Her gut, however, assumed otherwise.
"Miltank?"
The blonde was snapped out of her thoughts by the Pokemon, who was currently holding out one of the fresh rolls on a paper towel, clearly offering it to her. She might not've been completely wrong after all, because although Miltank wasn't human, the gentle disposition combined with the noticeable wrinkles on its face really gave off a motherly vibe. Especially when you added in the fact that it was offering her something to eat.
Laughing to herself, Serena gladly received the gift. But upon further inspection, she discovered that it wasn't any type of bread she'd ever seen before. It was roundish and fluffy, with a golden brown top reminding her of a scone. Yet it was taller than the scones she was familiar with, and much flakier from what she could see.
Pinching off a small piece, she sampled the pastry, and any reservations she had about it vanished instantaneously as the flavor exploded inside her mouth. She was correct in that the texture was somewhat similar to a scone, but this was softer, almost pillowy, and erred more on the savory side. The comforting taste of butter and salt was unmistakable, and she knew immediately that she was going to have to ask for the recipe.
Miltank grinned again at their new guest, happy to see she enjoyed the snack, but also knew how to improve her experience even further. The bovine gestured to the counter behind her where, along with a pan of leftover eggs and bacon, various jars of jellies, jams, and preserves rested on a platter. A small tub of freshly churned butter sat beside it.
Catching the hint, Serena approached and examined the condiments. The options were nearly endless. There was the traditional grape, strawberry, and blackberry, but a quick examination of the other labels revealed some additional flavors. Oran, Sitrus, and Mago berry to name a few. In the center was a larger jar filled with a thick, amber liquid. The unique wand submerged inside immediately gave away its identity.
She thought about going for the honey, but eventually settled for strawberry. A safe choice, but one of her absolute favorites. Smearing a little butter on the still warm bread, she topped it with a dollop of the jam before taking another bite. And sure enough, it was even better than the first time around, the contrast of sweet and savory creating a heavenly experience for her taste buds.
Polishing off the rest, her parched throat reminded her that she needed something to wash it down. Miltank seemed to notice her predicament, heading over to the massive, double door refrigerator and retrieving a glass pitcher of what looked to be orange juice.
"Milmil?" It spoke, and Serena realized it wanted to know if she was ok with the beverage option.
She nodded in affirmation, so the spotted Pokemon poured her a glass and brought it over, and she awkwardly accepted it, still trying to process her situation but having a hard time. Everything was just so confusing. To put it nicely, she expected to be roughing it for the next two weeks. And yet, here she was getting the full bed and breakfast treatment. Not to mention the Champion's sudden change in fashion. Maybe she was stuck in an alternate reality like in an episode from that old black and white TV show her mom loved to watch.
A growl from her stomach shook her from her thoughts. At least something was still normal around here. Heading over to the counter, she grabbed a plate from the stack and helped herself to a generous portion of leftovers, also snagging another one of those odd pastries before glancing around for a place to sit down. Her eyes eventually landed on the high top bar, where three conveniently placed bowls of Pokemon food sat in front of the wooden stools, leaving just one space empty. Whether L or Miltank was responsible for that she couldn't say for sure.
Carefully setting down her food, she released her Pokemon, and was glad to see they all looked far more rested than this morning, the lack of eye bags definitely an improvement. And just like their trainer, their expressions devolved into inquisitiveness as they attempted to figure out where they were. Well, Sylveon and Braixen anyway. Pancham was already up on a stool, shoveling down food from one of the bowls. Must have been too much for the little guy to handle.
"Brai? Syl?" Her other two companions questioned, causing her to sigh.
"I know. I thought the same thing. Let's just go ahead and eat and I'll explain later, ok?"
Although still a tad suspicious, they eventually accepted her offer, nodding their heads before joining Pancham for breakfast, and she wasn't far behind.
It didn't take long for Serena to demolish half of her plate, her old habits rearing their ugly heads. Unfortunately, food was pretty much the only thing that gave her any sort of comfort anymore, and that had caused her to develop a ravenous appetite. She knew it was a problem, especially considering the impact on her weight, but was too embarrassed to ask for help. Also, losing the crutch that had at least somewhat kept her mind off of Ash left her more terrified then she'd like to admit.
Thankfully, she didn't have to dwell on that thought for too long as the sound of heavy footsteps signaled L's arrival into the kitchen. Grabbing a glass from the same cabinet Miltank did, he helped himself to some water from the sink. The sweat stains on his shirt and his matted hair betrayed the fact that he'd been doing some kind of physical labor, but exactly what kind she couldn't say for sure.
Keeping his back to them, he somehow downed the rest of the water, most likely by pulling apart the bandages around his mouth. After he was done, he turned around and finally said something after another second or two.
"You all seem to be enjoying your meal."
Serena thought there might've been a hidden barb laced in that remark, but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt once she saw that her Pokemon had devoured their food just as rapidly as she had.
"It's not bad." She huffed back, thinking that he was fishing for a compliment.
"Good." He acknowledged, unfazed by her remark. "Personally, I think Miltank makes the best breakfast in Kalos. But I might also be a little bias—oof!"
He hunched over a little as Miltank jabbed her elbow into his stomach, not letting him finish that last sentence. Serena wondered how he would react, her mind flashing back to the Bisharp fiasco yesterday, but apparently he thought nothing of it, simply chuckling at the bovine.
"Ok. Ok. You make the best breakfast period." He corrected himself.
This seemingly appeased the Pokemon, who spouted off something that sounded suspiciously like "And don't you forget it." before heading off towards the performer's bedroom.
"Uhh...where's she going?" Serena inquired.
"To make your bed." L answered with a strange amount of confidence.
"But I already did." She might've lived like a slob back in her apartment, but she was raised better than to do that in someone else's home, even if she couldn't stand said person.
"Trust me. You didn't." The deadpan tone made the message clear. Don't ask.
Not sure what to say, she returned to her meal, taking another bite of her roll.
"I take it you like Miltank's biscuits?" The Champion inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"Biscuit?" Serena repeated in bewilderment, her mouth still half full of bread. She'd been an adamant baker ever since she was a kid, and while Pokepuffs were her expertise, she knew for a fact that what she was currently chewing was not a biscuit. Biscuits were hard and flat, like a dense cracker. She would eat them alongside her coffee for breakfast a lot. What she was eating now was pretty much the exact opposite.
She was about to argue but realization suddenly seemed to click in L's expression. "Oh that's right. I forgot that biscuits over here are different from the ones in Unova."
Clearing her throat with OJ, she attempted to get some more information. "So these are Unovan?" She inspected her half eaten pastry.
He nodded. "Yeah. If I remember right, they evolved from hardtack."
"Hardtack? That stuff sailors used to eat hundreds of years ago."
"You know your history." The Champion appeared genuinely impressed. Hah, and her mom said she needed to pay more attention in class.
L continued. "After Unova was settled, people started adding leavening and fat and they ended up with something pretty close to what you're eating now." He pointed at the roll.
"So...what makes it different from back then."
He scratched at the bandages covering his chin. "You're familiar with baking. So I'm sure you know that not all flours are the same."
She rolled her eyes. "Of course I know that. I use only pastry flour for my pokepuffs. It helps with the texture."
"Same principle." He explained. "In southern Unova, the climate's perfect for soft winter wheat, and the flour they make from it is what makes our biscuits so tender and flaky."
Serena was surprised to say the least. L was probably the last person she expected to have baking knowledge. Although his treats from yesterday probably should've clued her in. Was anything going to make sense today? But she had to admit, she was kinda fascinated that he knew so much about it. And a quick glance over revealed that her Pokemon were shell shocked with the Champion as well. Stifling a laugh, she decided to ask him something since Miltank was now absent.
"So do you know how to make these?"
He nodded. "I do. Although mine never turn out as good as Miltank's. Then again, she learned from my…" His voice trailed off, and Serena quickly got the idea that he'd said more than he'd meant to. Despite the fact that she couldn't see his face, the subtle changes in his body language were enough for her to understand.
For a second, a part of her enjoyed seeing the stoic Champion so somber after everything he'd put her through. But she quickly smothered those thoughts. She was a better person than that, and now she had a chance to prove it.
"Could you maybe show me how sometime?" The thought of spending more time than she had to with L wasn't a pleasant one, and she wasn't even sure if he'd agree to it, but at the very least maybe changing the subject would help lift his spirits a bit. She'd become an expert at that these last two months.
Her proposition clearly caught him off guard, and it took him a second to give her an answer. Finally, he did. "I can do that. I usually help Miltank with her first batch in the morning so tomorrow I'll get you up when it's time."
Uh oh. Just what did she get herself into? She really didn't want to ask her next question.
"And what time would that be exactly?" She braced herself, already knowing the answer.
"Probably about 4:30."
Oh no that's much worse. The sarcasm in her mind was nearly audible.
She battled to keep the moan of frustration from escaping her lips, and forced a smile instead. "Can't…wait."
Well, at least his mood had brightened some, even if just slightly. Too bad her act of kindness came with a price, one she was dreading to pay. What kind of psycho gets up that early anyway? The only people she could think of were her grandparents, and at least they had an excuse due to their age.
"Once you all get done eating, just toss your dishes in the sink. Miltank will take of them when she gets back." L's voice interjected. "I'm going to put on a fresh shirt and then I'll give you a quick tour around the place."
Setting his own glass down in the sink, he turned to leave while the rest of them got back to finsihing what little amount of food they had left.
"Hey, Blondie…"
Serena snapped her head up and found the Champion looking back over his shoulder while standing just outside the kitchen. Her eyes locked onto his lenses, and for a moment she could've sworn that he was smiling underneath all those bandages. Seeing he had her attention, L finished his sentence.
"Thanks."
And with that, he left them to themselves. But this time, the small smile that found its way on her face was anything but fake.