Chapter 8:

Old Starters, New Friend

Location: Lumiose City

"I can't believe it!" Shauna said. "We're actually meeting Professor Sycamore!"

"Big deal," Trevor said. "He's my uncle."

I looked at him. I was expecting everyone else to do the same. But we didn't. "Are you joking?" I asked. "I'm not saying you're lying; it's just I was never told this."

"It's fine Lil' C," he responded. "But it's true. Uncle Augustine, or Professor Sycamore as I'll call him to avoid confusion with all of you, is my dad's younger brother."

The Lab was easy to find. It was a grand building. Wait, no. Bad analogy because all of the Lumiose buildings were grand. This one had some gates with Pokéballs on each end. It had many windows.

"Here we go," Tierno said, as we all walked in.

Location: Sycamore Pokémon Lab

The room we went in was the reception area. There was a woman taking calls at the desk through a headset, a waiting area and pictures of different Pokémon hung up on the walls.

"Fascinating place, and this is only the reception area," I said.

The receptionist saw us. "Thanks for calling." She put down her headset. "You must be Sycamore's students. "Hold on." She picked up the phone. "Sina, Dexio. They're here." After she said this, the receptionist told us to sit down on the waiting chairs.

About five minutes later, Sina and Dexio appeared from the elevator.

"Welcome!" Sina said. "Professor Sycamore would like to see you all! Please come into the elevator. We're going to the third floor."

We all scrunched into the elevator. (In hindsight, squeezing five teenagers and two young adults in a small space was not a good idea) and we went up.

We reached the third floor and went out. We walked round the corner, and there he was. Professor Sycamore.

"Bounjour Pokémon Trainers!" he said, opening his arms. "So, we finally meet." He looked at all of us but directed his eyes to me. "So, this is our new recruit." He shook my hand. "I do believe I am in the presence of a… Pokémon Trainer."

Serena whispered into my ear. "I told Sina and Dexio to tell him about the situation with you. He's just getting use to things."

"Now, may I all see your Pokédex results?"

We all gave our devices to him. He looked through them.

"Yes, you all have done extraordinarily well. Especially you Trevor, as to be expected from my nephew!"

"Thanks Uncle Au- I mean Professor Sycamore!"

"As for you," he said, looking at me. "You have a certain… je ne seus quoi!"

"Alright calm down Fantina," I said. "So, why did you bring us here aside from to check our Pokédex?"

He opened his arms. "To give you, Calem Yvonne, a big Kalos welcome! You are from a different region, no?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Well then this new region must be very unfamiliar to you! So, how would you like a Pokémon battle?"

"Take it Big C!" Shauna said. "This is a real honour!"

I nodded. "Professor Sycamore, I accept your challenge!"

"Tres bein!" Professor Sycamore replied. "Then with further ado, allons-y!"

Calem Vs. Professor Sycamore

"Aller, Bulbasaur!" Professor Sycamore sent out the blue Pokémon with a green bulb on its back.

Bulbasaur (Bulbizarre)

#080 (Central)

Grass/Poison Type

Seed Pokémon

0.7 m (2'04")

6.9 kg (15.2 lbs)

For some time after its birth, it grows by gaining nourishment from the seed on its back.

"Fletchling, go!" I replied. "Use Peck!" Fletchling darted towards Bulbasaur, pecking it with its beak.

"Bulbasaur, Tackle!" Bulbasaur jumped up and tackled Fletchling, knocking it to the ground.

"We still have this. Fletchling, Peck again!" Fletchling flew up and then flew into Bulbasaur, knocking it out.

"There goes my first Pokémon. But out comes my second one! Aller, Charmander!" Next was an orange Pokémon with a flame on its tail.

Charmander (Salaméche)

#083 (Central)

Fire Type

Lizard Pokémon

0.6 m (2'00")

8.5 kg (18.7 lbs)

The flame on its tail indicates Charmander's life force. If it is healthy, the flame burns brightly.

"Use another Peck Fletchling!" Fletchling did just that, pecking Charmander violently.

"Use Ember!" Charmander shot a flame at Fletchling, dealing the final blow.

"Good job," I told Fletchling. "Okay Zigzagoon, go!" I shouted. "Use Headbutt!" Zigzagoon jumped forward and headbutted Charmander.

"Ember, tout suite!" Charmander shot another flame, and it hit Zigzagoon.

"One more Headbutt!" Zigzagoon hit Charmander once more, knocking it out.

"Sacre blue, I am down to my final Pokémon! Well, I'll use it then! Aller, Squirtle!" Professor Sycamore sent out a blue Pokémon with a brown shell.

Squirtle (Carapuce)

#086 (Central)

Water Type

Tiny Turtle Pokémon

0.5 m (1'08")

9 kg (19.8 lbs)

It shelters itself in its shell, then strikes back with spouts of water at every opportunity.

"Fletchling, thanks," I said, returning it. "Okay Chespin, come out!" It was a Grass Type Vs. a Water Type. "Use Vine Whip!" Using its vines, Chespin hit Squirtle hard.

"Use Tail Whip!" Squirtle waggled its tail, lowering Chespin's Defense.

"Another Vine Whip!" Chespin used it again, but Squirtle's shell was very hard. It was taking hits. I was impressed.

"Tackle!" Squirtle tackled Chespin for lots of damage thanks to the Defense drop.

"One more Vine Whip!" Chespin attacked Squirtle once more with its Super Effective move, knocking it out.

"Tres bien! Tres bien!"

My friends cheered for me.

"Well done C-Meister!"

"You've got a bright future Big C!"

Professor Sycamore clapped slowly. "That was incroyable Calem! Now, I believe that you are worthy of receiving a Pokémon."

"Really?!" I asked. "Which one?"

"One of the ones you have just battled!" Professor Sycamore said, sending them out again. (They had had a Max Revive on them each). "So, which one are you choosing? There are no takebacks."

I thought about it. Bulbasaur wouldn't make sense because I already had a Grass Type as my partner. I looked through the other options.

"I've decided," I said. "I'm picking Squirtle!"

Squirtle smiled and started jumping on the spot.

"A bein choice!" Professor Sycamore handed me Squirtle's Pokéball. "It's moves are Tackle, Tail Whip, Water Gun and Withdraw."

"We are going to go onto to do great things Squirtle," I said, as I returned it with a Ball that Sycamore gave to me. "I got… a Squirtle!"

"Now that that's done, I would like to tell you about… Mega Evolution."

My ears pricked. "Mega Evolution? What's that?"

"It's the biggest mystery of the Kalos region! It's a phenomenon where the hearts of Trainer become one, and an interesting metamorphosis occurs. However, it is not permanent. After the battle, the Pokémon reverts back to let's just say its weaker state. Not all Pokémon can Mega Evolve, and there are some conditions that need to be met. First, the bond between Trainer and Pokémon needs to be on point. If you have no connection, no Mega Evolution. The other things you need is a Key Stone. This activates Mega Evolution by using the power of the final thing. And that being, one of these." He went over to his desk and got out a small box. Inside it was a stone that had a blue pattern inside it with a bit of brown.

"That can't be!" Tierno said. "A Mega Stone?"

"It is!" Trevor said. "I think that's a Blastoisinite!"

"C'est exact!" Sycamore shouted. "When Squirtle has evolved into Blastoise, give it this stone. Provided the quotas are met, Blastoise will be able to Mega Evolve!"

I picked the Mega Stone out of the box and put it into my Bag. "Professor, words cannot express how thankful I am."

"Don't do it by words Monsieur Calem. Do it by action. All of you, be the best Trainer you can be!"

"We promise!" we all said.

"Let's head up two by two in the elevator though," I said. I saw this as a good opportunity. "Serena, want to come with-"

"I'll do it!" Tierno insisted.

I didn't have a go at him for ruining my plans. I just went along with it.

When we got back to the first floor, we noticed we had some company.

"Hey, who's that?" I asked Tierno. I had my eye on a man dressed in a black business suit. He had very large spiky-orange hair, and a small-orange beard.

"You don't know?" Tierno whispered. "That's Léon Lysandre. He's the CEO of Lysandre Labs, who created the Holo Caster."

"You know your stuff," Lysandre said to us. He walked over; we couldn't help but feel a bit threatened. "You already know my name, so I won't bore you, but I have been working with Professor Sycamore for the past couple of months. Recently, he told me he gave out some Pokémon and even Pokédex's to some children. You must be Calem, the son of Rhyhorn Racer Grace Yvonne."

"Yes, but I don't like going by that. I won't get angry this time though, just don't refer me to that again." I only said that because something about this man told me I didn't want to mess about with him.

"And you, you're Tierno. I heard you like to dance."

Tierno nodded. "Yeah, it's my dream."

He also noticed our Holo Casters. "Hmm. I see you endorse my products to. I wish that you use them well. I hope to make this world more beautiful, and I believe this could be the first step. Now, I should let you go."

He was walking to the elevator, when Serena and Trevor came up. They looked up at him, a bit scared.

"Hello," Serena said. "Are we in your way?"

"No, but I would appreciate if you let me use this," he said.

Without hesitating, my two friends moved out to let him in.

"Tell our friend Shauna to meet us at the Pokémon Center," I told Lysandre.

"I will," he replied as the doors closed.

"Well, I'll say this," said Tierno. "He's successful."

"Yeah," I said. "But there is still something about him."

Whilst we said we would meet Shauna at the Pokémon Center, we instead waiting in the reception area for her.

"You wouldn't believe who I saw!" Shauna shouted.

"Lysandre?" we all said in unison.

"How did you know?!" she replied.

"Because he was just here," replied Serena. "Anyway, I think tomorrow we should spend one more day in Lumiose City, getting supplies. The next Gym we can reach is Cyllage City, and it's a bit of a trek. We need to save some energy."

"Good idea!" I said. "Hey, shall we go to a café tomorrow?"

"I know which one!" Shauna said. "I'll show you tomorrow Mega Boy!"