"Stop dreaming and walk fast."
"Yes, Shauna. I'm coming." Serena quickened her pace, trotting to her previous prissy gait. She vigilantly crossed the asphalt road, habitually holding her hand out—an attempt to slow the non-existent vehicles. She reached the far side of the road where the Kalos Academy and the Regional Professor's Laboratory were situated, both connected by the same access gate.
Shauna stood on the black-white checkered cobblestone sidewalk, waiting, her arms crossed and brow narrowed.
"You know that we needn't hurry, right?" Serena said.
"Yeah, 'cause you wanted to come so early and wipe the windows, but that doesn't mean you can walk at the speed of an eighty-year-old granny," Shauna said. She lifted the latch of the small iron gate connected to the brick wall, fencing the lab and the academy.
"Sorry," Serena stuck her tongue out apologetically. She had been dazing off in trance ever since they boarded the bus to Lumiose. Even during their ride, her whole attention was on nothing but her eventual reunion with Ash.
"You're not sick, are you?" Shauna placed her palm on Serena's forehead.
"N-no. I'm fine," Serena stuttered, swaying her hands in before her face, hiding behind her long honey-blonde hair—her way of concealing her embarrassed look. Even though she revealed her secret to Shauna, she wasn't completely ready for the teasing orgy which accompanied it. Today was the day Ash was arriving and dealing with that anxiety alone was enough of a stress. "Shall we move?"
"Sure, but when I said sick, I actually meant—lovesick," Shauna smirked slyly. She spun around and pranced through the lawn.
"Shauna!" Serena shrieked, but received no response. Her brunette friend has long vanished from her sight. She was blessed with feet as quick as race cars, and to top that off was her hyperactive personality keeping her toes eternally warm. Her parents must have gone through a nightmare raising her.
Serena advanced inside with a disgruntled sigh. Perhaps disclosing her secret about her crush to Shauna might have been a bad idea. There was no telling how the brunette planned to strangle her peace. At least she promised not to do it in public.
She re-latched the gate Shauna opened and treaded on the lush green lawn grass which diverged into two pebbled pathways. The shorter one snaked to her right, leading to the olive steps of the laboratory. The long left one spiraled through the garden beside the lab, ending at the academy's entrance.
She took the one on the left, created from handpicked black pebbles of various shapes and sizes, expertly fixed without leaving any minute open gaps. It meandered like a black river on a green surface.
On her way, Serena flicked a glance to the side, eying the miniature-sized laboratory, possibly closed for the day's program. It was a small dome shaped structure primarily constructed of cement and blue tinted glass. She could never get her head around how the professor conducted his research in such a small building, but there he was, proving everybody wrong. Maybe he voluntarily restricted the lab's expansion, leaving enough room for the artificial ranch behind it, or maybe he lacked enough resources, or maybe both.
She brushed her palm against the shrubs on the side of her pursued path, her fingers meeting the rinsed foliage. As she ambled further, the dense flora advertised its existence with an enticing aroma of diversified scents. She took a long whiff of the grassy flavor. It had hints of mint, lavender, and other diminutive fragrances circling it. Her spirits revitalized. She smiled gratifiedly—the Professor sure knew how to maintain a garden.
She weaved past the garden and reached the gravel path. The academy's entrance lay ahead. A sizable metallic gate, adorned with numerous designs of Pokémon greeted her. It was the most lavish entrance Serena had ever perceived. She made her way through it and entered the academy's playground.
As she stepped foot on the hardened red terrain, her ears exploded from loud hollers and excited cheers from a gathered crowd. Curious, she pushed herself on her toes, craning her neck, and peered at the heated Pokémon battle between her friends, Tierno and Calem. She knew who was winning; she didn't even need to witness the entire brawl. Calem was last year's league runner-up, while Tierno, though he participated in the league and various battle tournaments, his focus predominantly resided in dance than any form of Pokémon battles. The outcome was evident.
She averted her gaze from the decided battle and scouted for Shauna. She stood in a corner with Trevor, both cheering, probably in support of Tierno. She quickly paced towards her two friends.
Shauna caught the honey-blonde approaching her, and excitedly waved her hands.
Serena smiled and sped. "Hey, Trevor," she waved.
"H-Hello, S-Serena," Trevor, the short ginger-haired boy said as he fidgeted with the camera in his hands. His legs wobbled and he had a terrified expression like the mouth of a Magmortar's cannon was aimed at his head.
"Are we the only ones invited?" Serena asked. Apart from her friends: Shauna, Trevor, Calem, and Tierno, there wasn't any other graduate around. She expected at least ten of her previous classmates to turn up.
"Many invitations went, but I don't think anyone else will show up." Trevor said nervously, his legs still wobbling.
"If we're the loser squad." Shauna shrugged. "So be it."
"Right there with ya," Serena said. "So, Trevor, why did Tierno decide to challenge Calem?" she asked, convinced he was the one to instigate the battle. Of her several months of acquaintance with Calem, she had never known him to challenge trainers voluntarily. He only accepted the ones thrown at him.
"That's exactly what I had in mind," Shauna said. "Trevor, you said that you'd tell once Serena came. Now speak up." She pressed her forehead against his, glaring evilly. "I've waited long enough."
"Uh-uh, t-the thing is—" Trevor stammered.
"Quick or you gonna eat this." Shauna rolled her raised fist, threatening the lean boy. Serena knew it was all fun and games and Shauna would never hurt a Scatterbug, but it was still hilarious to watch Trevor's reaction every time she pretended to bully him.
"No, wait! I'll talk." Trevor held his arms in defense. "They are fighting for Serena!" he blurted out.
"What?" Serena and Shauna shared an exclaim. Their bewildered gazes met.
"What do you mean they are fighting for me?" Serena asked exasperatedly.
"Calem wanted to ask you to join him on his journey today. But even Tierno wanted the same, so he challenged Calem to a battle on the condition that the loser will walk out," Trevor said. His downcast expression exposed his guilt of revealing his friend's secret.
"Doesn't Tierno know that Calem is way beyond his skill level?" Shauna tipped her head. "Calem will wipe the floor without raising a single finger."
"He knows, that's why he convinced Calem to give him a handicap. It's a two against one battle."
"Oh, I see." Shauna tapped her finger on her chin. "Hmm," she nodded. "Makes sense. Our fatso's smart."
On hearing Trevor's account of transpired events, Serena stiffened her body, motionless like a century old banyan tree cemented in its position. Her throat closed and her clenched fist quivered, fingernails biting into her palms. She was ready to eviscerate Tierno for coming up with such a ridiculous proposition, and Calem for foolishly complying with it. She was not a commodity. A silly battle could not determine her choice, and neither was she interested in joining either of them. They lacked the minimum commonsense to consult her before they decided who was she going with. She had already promised Ash, and there was no way she was reconsidering her decision. She curled her lips, disgusted at the boys' actions. They miserably failed to understand her feelings.
"They won't like what they'll hear from Serena though," Shauna said. She pulled Serena's arm and brought her out of her raging rapture. "They are fighting a lost battle, aren't they, Serena?" she asked innocently.
Serena flushed. "Y-yeah." Damn you, Shauna! You didn't need to throw hints.
"Fighting a lost battle?" Trevor asked.
"No matter who wins. Serena isn't going with them," Shauna swatted the air.
"So, you're not starting your journey this year also? Didn't you say last week that you would start today?" Trevor asked.
Serena scowled at her brunette friend. Now she had to explain Trevor, a conversation she wanted to avoid at least until Ash arrived. She had no intentions of getting caught up in giving explanations to everyone.
Shauna nudged Serena with her elbow. "Just tell him, silly. They'll have to find out eventually."
Shauna was probably right. There was nothing to hide. Serena put on a smile and said, "I'm starting my journey this time, Trevor, but with another friend of mine. Not Calem or Tierno."
"What!" Trevor exclaimed and caught his head, scurrying in circles. "Tierno will be so mad!"
Shauna grabbed Trevor's collar and glared him in the eye. "Grow some balls, will you? You don't need to fear him so much."
"I-I'm not scared of him," Trevor got rid of Shauna's grasp. "I just don't like to see him upset. He gets all moody and starts yelling. I can't bear that noise." Trevor covered his ears. "My ears hurt."
"Yeah, that's our Tierno, alright?" Shauna said as she stared at the final moments of the battle between their friends. "Never a calm moment when he's around."
The crowd got noisier and Serena's heart raced faster. It wasn't the result that bothered her, but how the boys would react once they heard from her. Despite Serena's wish to verbally rip Tierno and Calem apart for betting on her, she did empathize with their perspective in a way. Tierno had been begging her to travel with his group for almost three years. Calem, though she knew him for less than a year, was interested in the same. So, naturally both would have wanted to invite her into their groups when they knew of her plan to start her journey.
The referee raised his arms and was ready to make his announcement. From the thick crowd and the distance, none of the three could make out the victor so all waited for the referee.
Serena was nervous while Shauna seemed curious.
"Both Pokémon are unable to continue. This battle is declared a tie."
"Phew," Serena exhaled in relief. "There goes one arrow."
"Eh, I wish someone had won," Shauna whined, jerking her hands in a quick motion. "Now both will be equally disappointed. There's no fun in that."
"Shauna!" Serena glared.
"What? There's nothing wrong in a friendly contest," Shauna winked. "If a simple battle upsets you, what would you do if one of them asks you out?"
Serena quailed. This was a completely different playing field. Though she was aware of Tierno's romantic interests in her, he only made advances and never outright said something straight. There were minor hints of Calem being interested in her too, but they weren't as explicit as Tierno's. Either way, Serena had her answer clear, but had no way of expressing it. She was too considerate to hurt their feelings. She rolled her eyes at a smirking Shauna and cursed her under her breath. You had to put this in my head today of all days, you fucking bitch!
"Bitch!" Shauna cried out.
"Hey!" Serena was about to pounce on her, but Shauna's knowing scowl stopped her. She blushed. "How did you know?"
"You made that same face you make every time you curse me," Shauna smirked.
Serena puffed her cheeks. Shauna burst out laughing.
"Hey, Serena," Tierno exclaimed, gaining the attention of the two girls. He danced in a twirl, got on his knee, and held Serena's hand. "You look beautiful today, my gorgeous." Right when he was about to kiss her hand, Serena recoiled, swiftly withdrawing her hand.
"Something wrong?" Tierno skewed his head.
"No," Serena said with a poker face. Her heart declined to confront Tierno for initiating that senseless battle. He was one of her oldest classmates and a good friend. She could not do that to him, no matter how outlandish his deeds were.
"I'll tell you what's wrong." Shauna squeezed Tierno's ear, twisting his helix, and pulling him up from his kneeled position.
"Ouch, that hurts! Please stop, Shauna! Ouch!" Tierno winced, trying to get rid of Shauna's hold.
Shauna released her grip at Tierno's agonic cry. "You better apologize to her or you'll get more than a pinch," she threatened.
Serena was thankful to Shauna for taking a small load off her. That pinch she gave Tierno may not be enough of a punishment for his actions, but it satisfied Serena's ego and she would accept that as justice.
"But why?" Tierno asked virtuously. He didn't seem to understand the illogic behind his actions.
"Hello, Serena," Calem said, walking towards the group.
"H-hey Calem." Serena timidly waved.
The awkwardness meter in her body was crossing its limit. Ash's arrival, her mom's morning tease, still fresh in her mind, Shauna's knowledge of her crush, and the fear of a slip-up from her, and finally, Calem and Tierno's fight over her. The whole world seemed to revolve around her today. For a second, she wanted to flee to a secluded snowy mountain with no one around and breathe in the fresh cold air there. Okay, maybe breathe that same fresh cold air while she latched onto Ash's arm. He was the most important person in her life today. She wanted all her problems to take a break for now and come back tomorrow. She could face them then. But was that the case? No! The nature acted wickedly and was bent on tormenting her, placing traps and hurdles at every juncture.
"Can we talk for a bit?" Calem asked.
Serena breathed in and breathed out, calming herself. She was ready to give Calem the truth. His question was evident and her answer was concrete. There was no need to prolong the obvious. "Yes, what is it?"
"I wanted to—"
Buzz! Buzz!
"Excuse me," Serena said. She pulled the vibrating smartphone out of her bag and checked the notification. It was a message from Ash. Her eyes lit up as she read its contents.
Ash: Hi, Serena, I've reched Kalos and I shuld be there at the acadmy in few minutes. Hope to see you there.
"I am sorry, Calem, but I can't talk right now. Can we do this later?" Serena hurried through her sentence. "I'll see you'll later, guys. Bye." She waved at her friends and trotted towards the stands, close to the academy's entrance.
"Hey, wait!" She heard Shauna's voice but pretended it was lost in the myriad of rumpus around. She honestly didn't want to abandon her friends in the middle, but what could she do? Ash was to arrive in a few minutes and she didn't want to deal with Calem or any other nonsense which may crop up at the same time. Besides, Ash's message launched her into a different dimension of anxiety and had she been with her friends, they would've effortlessly spotted her jitters and would barrage her with canons of questions. She ultimately had to introduce Ash to them anyway, but it wasn't going to be before her anxiety subsides. Avoiding them was the only alternative she found viable.
She read Ash's message again and chuckled to herself. He still hasn't learned to spell properly Well, at least he got my name right. She quickly typed in her response to him.
Serena: Sure, Ash. I'm already at the academy. Please come inside, I'll be waiting.
Serena cruised towards the concrete stands, erected for students to watch battles at the academy. She dusted the seat on the lower stand and gingerly sat on it as to not ruin her new dress. She placed her bag to her side and stole a quick glance at her friends. She tried to avoid all eye contact, but unfortunately, Shauna caught her and flashed a sly smirk.
Serena flicked her head away—the inner message behind that gesture was as transparent as rainwater. She hoped Shauna would stay by her word and keep her mouth zipped.
She checked the time on her smartphone—three minutes since Ash's text.
Ahh, why can't the time fly faster? Impatience overwhelmed her and the time moving at a lethargic pace. She waited for over eight years to meet Ash, but these last few minutes were the most laborious to elapse.
She attempted to calm her stirred nerves by clutching and toying with her smartphone in hand, but it wasn't too fruitful. She was meeting him after so long; probably even a tranquilizer couldn't calm her elevated hype.
She incessantly tapped her unrestrained feet and tried to fritter time, but every strike her foot thumped, it took a hundred years for the next one to follow.
She took her backpack, placed it in her lap, wrapped her arms around it, and drummed her fingers on it. The playground brimmed with yelling and scampering children. They were about a hundred-odd of them. All belonged, or seemed to belong, to ages between eight and twelve. They formed various groups among themselves, interacting with each other. Some of the curious few surrounded an invited graduate from her friends.
She would've probably relished this pleasant visual distraction owing to her eternal love for kids, but her pounding heart mercilessly invaded her mind—it refrained her from any bleak solace. With every beat of her heart, her restlessness raised exponentially.
She bit her red pillowy lips and flipped her smartphone to check the time, again—five minutes since Ash's text.
The delayed movement of the clock only frustrated her further. She fidgeted with her long fingernails, scrapping the glossy pink paint off them. Maybe this could sidetrack her.
Amidst her bustling turmoil, she heard a soft whisper in her head. She instantly knew who it was.
"Psst, Serena." Her suppressed sassy subconscious spoke.
"What?" she answered to herself.
"Did you think of how you'll greet Ash? You're meeting him after so long, shouldn't there be something special?" she stressed on the word special.
"Not really, what's there to greet him with? I'll just… you know, I'll just… I'll just… say hi? No. I don't know."
"Thought so. You're all talk and no walk."
"Huh? All right, if you are so smart, then why don't you tell me, how I should greet him?"
"Hug him, silly. Show him all the love you've been hiding all these years."
"What? I am not doing that."
"But why? I know you want to."
"No, thank you very much."
"We both know how you feel about him."
"Yeah, you may know how I feel about him. But I'm not getting touchy with him. Ash doesn't like that."
"No Guy, I mean, not one straight and healthy guy on this planet won't like to be hugged by a girl. That's the nature's law, even your great Ash can't change it. You should know, Tierno tried that many times with you, didn't he?"
"Yeah, but he was never successful."
"No need to tell me that, I've been there. So, back to the topic, tell me: are you going to hug him or not?"
"I don't know, it sounds too… clingy, maybe? No, desperate. Yes, it sounds desperate."
"Aren't you?"
"What do you mean, huh?"
"Aren't you desperate to see him?"
"Uh, maybe a little, but that holds no reason to go hug him."
"What about a kiss, then?"
"Shut up!"
"Just a piece of advice. A kiss can be significantly more effective, just so you now."
"Get—Out—Of—My—Head! Now!"
"All right, don't shout, I am leaving. But remember my suggestion. If not a kiss then at least a hug. Don't miss this chance. I am sure he won't mind. Bye!"
Serena breathed out in relief; fighting her own self can certainly be vexing. But was her subconscious right? Should she greet him with such affection? Well, she can't simply shake his hand and say: 'glad to see you again, Ash.' That would be lame, even for her reserved standards. But what if she hugged him and he hated getting all touchy? That would be even more disastrous. But what if he doesn't mind and she missed her only chance? Who knew when she would get such an opportunity again? Sure, they were going to travel together, but that did not mean she would get to hug him every time. He certainly would want his own space. Yes, sassy Serena was right, she wouldn't find a better opportunity than this. She was meeting him after eight long years; she sure deserved one hug at the very least. Yes, she should do it. She giddily tightened her wrap around her back.
Boom! An ear-cracking explosion shook the ground and the stands Serena sat on.
Ash stretched his arms and took a deep breath of the ambrosial Kalos air. It's been a few minutes since he and Gary exited the Lumiose City International Airport after collecting Pikachu at the Pokémon counter.
Following the security's directed route, the tourist trio strolled through the city's grand road—a sinless black ribbon, clean with no flecks or any earthly smudges. Cobblestone pavements barricaded either sides of the road which hostaged ornate benches and antique styled lamp-posts successively. It gloated the city's exquisite maintenance.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Ash asked as he devoured the sterile breeze grazing his face. "The air tastes kind of sweet, right, buddy?"
"You said it."
"The cleanliness was so high, that the air is carrying the pollen's taste. It's surprising that we are in a city." Gary peered around. There weren't many citizens in the vicinity, but few weird robotic machines. Gary pointed towards them. "They should be responsible for such clean air. Their bodies are vacuum cleaners and their heads suck in all the pollutants and dust particles. A genius invention for a chaotic city."
"Wow!" Ash gaped at the robots with sparkling eyes. Pikachu too joined him in his admiration. The robots were bulky and were about three of them hovering on the pavements. As they passed over a spot, they collected every microscopic litter with their vacuum pipes sticking out of their bodies. They mostly collected fallen leaves and dust. There was a long band of placid trees dividing the road into two lanes, and there was one Spruce tree after every three benches on the sidewalk. Leaf litter must be these robots' main concern here.
"Look, Pikachu," Ash ran ahead with Pikachu towards the few lurching citizens. They had their Pokémon out, and each one was a new feast to Ash's eyes. Not even Assumption Island had these species.
"Ash, wait!"
There were three middle aged women each with a different Pokémon. Upon Ash's interest they introduced them as Furfrou, Spritzee, and Swirlix. But as Ash wanted to know further about their Pokémon, a double-decker bus arrived and the three ladies climbed on it.
"When will you stop running away like that? This is a new place for me too."
"Sorry, Gary. There were these new Pokémon that I saw, but before I got to know them, their trainers left," Ash said with a downcast expression. He wanted to know more about those Pokémon.
"Yeah, they were pretty cool looking," Pikachu said, but to Gary it might have sounded like the word Pika on repeat.
"Tell me something I haven't heard before," Gary shook his head facing the ground.
"We need to find our way to Professor Sycamore's Lab somehow. Serena must be waiting for me," Ash said.
Gary threw his arm around Ash. "That's right!" he grinned. "Our talk on the plane clear some of your brain's rust, ey?"
"Nothing like that. She told me that she'd wait for me and the sooner I meet her, the sooner I can get my gym battle too." Ash balled his fist. "I haven't had one since Hoenn."
"Kill yourself, dipshit," Gary muttered under his breath, but Ash heard that.
"What talk, Ash?" Pikachu asked him.
"N-nothing important, Pikachu. Just a simple talk," Ash sweatdropped. He turned to Gary who was ogling at a young lady in shorts on a scooter with the eyes of a sleazy judge in a beauty contest. Ash punched Gary in the gut.
"Son of a bi—"
"Stop right there before I break your teeth," Ash warned, rolling his fist.
"I wasn't gonna finish that even if you wanted me to," Gary groaned, rubbing his punched spot.
"Good," Ash said. He had no problem with people cursing around him, even if those curses were directed at him. He came to accept this sin as an inevitable part of life, but involving his mom in those curses was one fine line even his friends aren't allowed to cross. "Anyway, you know the way to Professor's lab, don't you?"
"Of course." Gary jutted his chin. "I just need someone to point me in the right direction," Gary half-shrugged, shoving his hand in his pocket.
"So, you don't know." Ash sighed with a slouch. "I thought you knew everything, Gare-bear."
"How do you expect me to know about a place I haven't visited before?" Gary said. "Would you happen to know the map of every region you visit? Oh, shoot," he raised his index finger. "You can't read a map, can you?" he mocked with a smirk.
"He-he, that, you are right." Ash foolishly rubbed his head. "We should ask someone, then." He inspected his surroundings to find a savior. He found the closest to be a duo sitting on a bench, a few yards away from them. "Look, there are two people over there."
Ash was about to race forward, but Gary held his collar from behind.
"What's wrong?"
"Look closely, Ashy-boy, but not too close." Gary grinned mischievously. "This is what I was talking about back on the plane."
Ash adhered to Gary and peeked closer towards the pair. His jaw dropped at the sight. A young couple was vehemently spooning each other without any care in the world. Even the passing cyclists didn't seem to care much.
Ash tossed his head aside and cringed. "Yuck! Why would they do such stuff in public?"
"Ha-ha." Gary cackled. "This is Kalos Ash, the region of love as they call it. You'll probably see a lot of such scenes while you're here, so be prepared."
"Argh!" Ash groaned. "Isn't that supposed to be private?"
"What's your problem with what they do? Forget it, let's find someone else," Gary said and scouted.
There weren't any pedestrians around since most of the public either used a bicycle or a motorcycle. They were a few cars they've encountered, but they weren't as many as a city should have.
"There," Ash pointed at a young blonde girl on the sidewalk. She was skipping her steps, following the checkered pattern, and bounding forward.
"Yes, let's ask that kid. She seems like she's from around here."
They sprinted towards the said girl before they lost sight of her. When they reached behind her, they heard her hum as she alternately jumped from one square white square to another.
"Hey!" Gary called, ceasing the girl's tracks.
"Huh?" the girl spun towards them. She appeared about seven or eight years old. She tied her blonde hair tied into a single ponytail and held it with a single clip. A yellow sling bag dangled around her shoulder, which bore a small orange color Pokémon inside.
"Ash, I got this," Gary said. He swiveled his messenger bag around and pulled out a medium sized book. It was an English to Kalosian tourist language guide. By the crippled state of the book, Ash assumed that Gary must have visited an antique store and asked for the oldest and cheapest thing they had, and the store owner, to get rid of this book, offered it to Gary for free. He flipped the half-torn pages of the book. "Watch and learn."
"Gary, I think this is a mistake. We better ask her if she can understand before you begin to show off," Ash said. He had a premonition that the situation might not end well for his friend.
"Shut up, Ash. You're too dumb for this shit." Gary continued flipping the pages. The young girl was holding her patience by tapping her foot. She had her arms folded and eyes squinted.
"Ha! Mon nom est Gary." Gary said as he read from the book. "Il est Ash et c'est Pikachu. Nous venons du Kanto donc nous sommes nouveaux ici. Où est le laboratoire du Professeur Sycamore?" He triumphantly grinned exposing his teeth and flashed a thumbs up at Ash. "Nailed it, brother!"
Ash facepalmed. That sounded like gibberish. Grammatically, Gary may have been spot on, thanks to that book, but his pronunciation was horrendous. Serena never sounded like Gary whenever she playfully spoke in Kalosian to annoy him.
The young girl remained silent. She made a calling gesture to Gary, asking him to stoop to her level.
Gary smiled and bent to the girl's height. "Oui!"
She smacked her fist on his head.
"Argh!" Gary caught his head in pain. "Why'd you do that, you little witch."
The girl puffed her cheeks. "If you don't know how to speak our language, then don't. Why ruin it with your stupid accent?" she said and held her hips. "Not even one word you said sounded like Kalosian."
Ash and Pikachu couldn't control their laughter. Ash shoved Gary to the side and mocked at his defeated look. Gary was breathing noisily like he wanted to strangle that little kid.
"You deserved it," Ash laughed. He squatted to the girl's height and held an open palm out. "That was awesome."
"Of course," the girl hi-fived Ash. "Your friend lacks common sense."
"Hey! I thought people in Kalos love culture and speak Kalosian. How would I know that they don't? Sorry, I didn't dream about it last night," Gary grumbled. He turned his body away from both Ash and the little girl.
The little girl looked up to Gary. "You've never took history lessons at school, did you? People talked in that language when my grand-dad was of my age. Now it's only used in art and literature."
"You, tiny brat!" Gary gritted his teeth, rolling his head in the girl's direction.
"Ey, don't call me tiny. I'll use my birthday money to hire goons to beat you up," the girl raised a threatening finger.
"Yeah? Bring it on. I'll use my hard-earned money to buy those goons off you," Gary accepted the challenge and marched fearlessly towards the girl.
Ash stopped Gary in his tracks. "She is a kid, Gary. You wanna fight a kid?"
"Then tell her to act like one. She doesn't know who I am, yet she hit me." Gary rubbed the spot where he was smacked.
"You started it. Who asked you to show off?" the girl raised a valid point.
"You—"
"—Enough, Gary," Ash held Gary at bay, preventing him from pouncing on the little girl. Technically, it was Gary's fault for trying to be a smartass. He could have simply asked for directions and be done. "You've had your turn, now let me handle this."
Ash turned to the girl and smiled. "I'm sorry for my friend there. I'm Ash, this is Pikachu here, and you are?" he extended a friendly hand. Pikachu looked at her cheerfully.
The girl shook Ash's hand. "Hi, Ash and Pikachu. I'm Bonnie and he is my friend, Dedenne," she opened her sling bag and showed a sleeping Pokémon. She rolled her eyes at Gary. "See, so simple."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Gary snapped his gaze away.
Ash laughed. "I like you, Bonnie. Please don't pay any attention to him, the nurse in the hospital dropped him on his head as a child."
"Why am I not surprised?" Bonnie said.
"Ash!" Gary groaned.
"You wanna fight over that detail or ask her what we came here to ask?"
"The latter," Gary grumbled.
Ash faced Bonnie again. "Now, Bonnie, could you please direct us to Professor Sycamore's lab?" Ash scratched his head. "You see, we're kind of lost here."
"Sure, I'll take you there, but before that—" she clasped her hands. "Can I please pet your Pikachu?" stars sparkled in her eyes like she was looking at a mountain made of dark chocolate.
Ash looked at his partner on his shoulder. Pikachu nodded. "Sure, Pikachu would like that."
Ash's electric type leaped from his shoulder to Bonnie's.
Bonnie held him with both arms and pressed her face lovingly into Pikachu's fur. "Aww, your Pikachu is so cute!" She wiggled her head sunk in Pikachu's fur. "You're the softest Pokémon I ever touched, Pikachu," she giggled.
"Will you show us the way now, kid?" Gary asked bitterly.
Bonnie broke her cuddle with Pikachu. "I will," she said. She returned Pikachu to Ash. "Thanks, Ash. You have the bestest Pikachu." She spun around and marched forward. "Now follow me!"
A few minutes into their walk, Ash broke his silence. "Bonnie, how come you have a Pokémon when you're not old enough?"
"She must have robbed it from somewhere," Gary muttered under his breath.
"Oh, that. Dedenne is not my Pokémon; actually, he belongs to my brother. He allowed me to take care of him until I'm old enough to be Dedenne's trainer."
"That's interesting," Ash said.
"So, Ash and Gary, are you both Pokémon trainers?"
"Yes, we are." Ash grinned.
"Uooh, so you came to challenge the Kalos league?" Bonnie asked enthusiastically. "The league here is so awesome. Last year, one of my friend's friend came in second. I don't like him so much though, but I was happy to get special seats for the final because of him." She giggled.
"Well, I am sure your friend's friend is a strong trainer to come in second. And yes, I came here to challenge the Kalos League, but Gary here came to work under Professor Sycamore."
"Just that, Ashy-boy?" Gary flung his arm over Ash and waggled his brows.
Ash flinched. Gary sure knew how to remove the threads off a tight rope. Well, on the bright side, his annoyance with Bonnie seemed to have evaporated with this topic. He was back to his usual spirits. "Ah, that and to meet an old friend of mine."
"Who is he? Maybe I know. I know so many people in this city, almost all of them. My daddy is very popular here, he introduces me to everybody."
"It is not he but she. Her name is Serena Yvonne," Ash said.
Bonnie paused her walk and spun towards Ash. "What? You are Serena's friend?"
"You know her?" Gary pushed his face forward.
"Obviously, I know her," Bonnie said ever so casually, spreading her arms open. "She is my bestest friend in this world. If you two are her friends, then you are now my friends too," she said. "I'm sorry for hitting you before, Gary."
"Hmm, since you apologized, it's alright I guess," Gary said.
"Yay!" Bonnie jumped on her toes. "I made two new friends today! No, three new friends including Pikachu."
"Ha-ha, we are glad to be your friends, Bonnie," Ash said smiling at Bonnie's overzealous personality. She remined him of his childhood when he was just as enthusiastic as her. "I am sure Pikachu is happy too, isn't that right buddy?"
"I'm always happy to make any new friends."
Bonnie nodded with an open grin. "Does Serena know you're coming to meet her, Ash? She never told me she had foreign friends, but that's okay. I got to meet you all, anyway."
"She knows, she told me to come straight to the lab."
"That's impossible, Ash. Serena is very lazy and doesn't wake up this early," Bonnie tilted her head and tapped her chin. "When did she tell you that?"
Ash sweat dropped. "Umm, right before we boarded the plane."
"So, you didn't contact her after landing in Kalos?"
Gary slapped Ash's back. "Yeah, Ashy-boy, why didn't you call her?"
"I-I guess I forgot." Ash blushed sheepishly. "Wait, I'll message her now." He pulled out his PokéNav and typed in a message. "Here, done!"
"This should wake her up now," Bonnie said.
"Is she that lazy?" Gary asked with a raised brow.
Bonnie spread her palms out and shook her head. "You have no idea, mister."
"Look, she replied." Ash read the message. "She is already at the lab and wants me to come there. Maybe she isn't too lazy after all," Ash smirked at Bonnie.
"Hmm, strange. She was never—"
"Hey what is that?" Ash exclaimed eying a tall sophisticated metal tower piercing the sky. It was conical in shape and easily measured around a thousand feet. The tower's lofty height reflected the colossal vision of its maker. Ash stood gaping at it, absorbing the magnificent spectacle.
"That… is… amazing," Gary fixed his gaze at the ravish structure.
"Gary is right Ash, it really is amazing."
"It is," Ash said, transfixed in fascination. The tower emulated the embodiment of human ingenuity—a marvel of a sight to witness.
"That is the Prism Tower." Bonnie folded her arms and smirked. "My brother was one of the chief engineers who built it," she said rather nonchalantly.
"What?" Gary, Ash, and Pikachu shrieked together.
"You heard me right," Bonnie said. "My brother is bad at many things, but building machines is his specialty. Have you seen those robotic vacuum cleaners before?"
"Yes."
"He made them too," Bonnie said. "You should meet him. He should be here somewhere." She whirled her gaze around with a finger between her teeth. "He told me he had to fix something."
"That's so awesome. I'd love to meet him." Ash's eyes twinkled. "You heard that Gary?"
"I'd like to meet him, too. He must be quite talented to build such impressive machinery."
"There he is!" Bonnie yelled and scampered towards a blond boy dressed in a mundane blue jumpsuit.
Ash and Gary ran after Bonnie.
"Clemont!" Bonnie waved at the boy as he rummaged through his tool kit. He stood near a defected lamp post trying to fix it. There were various wires falling out of the post's pole as the apparent engineer tried to fix it.
"What are you doing here, Bonnie? Don't you have tuition now?" Bonnie's brother, Clemont said. He seemed to be around Ash's age, but the round glasses on his face made him seem older than his actual age.
"I bunked, brother dear," Bonnie grinned mischievously. "Don't tell daddy, please."
"What should I even do with you?" Clemont slammed his palm against his forehead. "Fine, I won't tell dad, but promise me you won't do it again."
"I don't want to lie to you, Clemont." Bonnie shook her head.
Clemont sighed. "At least don't do it too often?"
"I'll try, but no promises." Bonnie wiggled her finger.
"Won't you introduce your brother to us, Bonnie?" Ash asked. He waited behind her to finish her conversation with her genius sibling.
"Oh, right," Bonnie said. "Clemont, meet my new friends Ash and Gary." She introduced the duo to her brother. "And that is Pikachu, Ash's Pokémon. Isn't he just cute?"
"Hello, Ash and Gary." Clemont shook the duo's hands. Ash observed his grip shiver as he shook it. "That is one fine Pikachu you got there, Ash."
"He is. Are you all right, Clemont? You seem a little nervous to me," Ash remarked.
"I-I am doing good, thank you. He-he, just a little tired I guess." Clemont precipitated profusely. "I am glad Bonnie is making new friends."
"My brother gets nervous around new people. He prefers to stay at home alone and work on his inventions," Bonnie said. "You should get out more often Clemont, otherwise how do you expect me to find you a good bride? Girls like strong and confident men." She put her hands on her hips.
"S-st-stop it, Bonnie. I told you many times before; I don't need your help." Clemont clenched his fist. "How did you all meet anyway?"
"I'll tell! I'll tell! I'll tell!" Bonnie raised her hand and bounced on her feet like an excited student who knew the answer to the teacher's question.
"All right, Bonnie. You tell me."
"Ash here came to Kalos to meet Serena and challenge the league. Gary is here to work under Professor Sycamore."
"That's right," Gary said. "So, Clemont, Bonnie told us you built the Prism Tower. How did you do that, man? I mean, you look quite young and that tower must have taken years to build, right?"
"I didn't exactly build it. Bonnie here exaggerates everything." Clemont fixed his large round glasses. "I was on the team of engineers who built it. I only designed the interior electricity grid. While the rest were responsible with the actual build. It didn't take too long, though. The total project lasted only eight months. We completed it just under a year ago."
"That's awesome! You must be a genius, Clemont!" Ash exclaimed. "Ouch!" he cried, rubbing his head where he felt a dull sting. He looked ahead to and found a blue Pokémon jumping from one tree to another. He seemed like the one who used his head as a base to leap. "Who's that Pokémon?" Ash asked.
"Oh, that? It is the Lumiose City's famous Froakie, the Blue Crusader," Bonnie said.
"Famous?" Gary creased his brow. "The Blue Crusader?"
"Yes, you see, Froakie is one of the three starter Pokémon of Kalos. Many trainers choose this one since he was the strongest of the lot, but Froakie always abandoned the trainer and returned to the lab in under a week," Clemont said. "It happened over twenty times in three years, I heard. Therefore, about five years ago, the professor stopped offering him to trainers. From then on, Froakie roams around the City helping anyone in need. Seeing how he helps everyone, the city nicknamed him the Blue Crusader."
"Uh-huh," Bonnie nodded. "That's why he is famous."
"He helps people and Pokémon around the city? That's so cool," Ash said. "I want to meet him."
"If you are visiting the lab, then you probably will—"
Boom!
"What was that?" Gary asked as he recoiled at a loud explosion. Grey smoke clouds erupted from a building nearby.
"It is coming from Professor Sycamore's laboratory," Bonnie said hastily. "We should go check it out."
All of them agreed to Bonnie's suggestion and darted towards the lab.
"What the fuck?" Gary cried out. He was the first one to reach the spot.
Foggy fumes covered most of his vision. There wasn't any fire around, but the temperature was close to the insides of a volcano and it smelled like burning coal. Many squelched coughs and cries of people came from behind the fumes, but its thickness didn't allow Gary to get any glimpse of the victims inside. He tried to move in, but fine soot particles quickly entered his mouth and burned his chest.
"Cough, cough," he coughed violently like his lungs were set ablaze. He fell back. Black smoke swept over his face. His eyes burned and watered.
Ash and the rest had arrived and instantly experienced the same symptoms. Bonnie hid behind Clemont as he struggled to breathe.
Gary covered his mouth and threw his Pokéball out. "Fearow,"—cough—"use Wing Attack"—cough, cough—"and"—cough, cough—"clear the smoke!"
Gary's orange bird materialized and swiftly flapped his elongated wings. He created short bursts of fierce gusts and dissipated the polluted smoke.
The murkiness gradually cleared out, revealing a tall, bipedal, draconian Pokémon and a middle-aged man in a white lab coat. Garchomp was crying in agony and had a weird snare-like device clamped around its neck.
"Listen to me, Garchomp!" the man tried to control the huge beast. By the looks of it, he was the trainer who lost control of his Pokémon. All his attempts, rather than calming the dragon, enraged him.
"What happened, Professor?" Bonnie asked the man. "Why isn't Garchomp listening to you?"
"Oh, Bonnie, Clemont." The professor recognized the siblings. "I don't know what's wrong. I just got here to begin with the Initiation Program, but as soon as Garchomp and I landed, someone attacked us and since then, I lost control of her."
"Who did that?" Ash roared in anger. Gary expected that reaction from his friend. Ash always emulated the personality of a Pokémon guardian. The news of attack on Garchomp was right up Ash's rage alley. "Who attacked Garchomp? Show yourselves! Now!"
"Are you all right, Professor?" A ginger-blonde girl hurried from inside. Gary, right away recognized her. He snapped his head towards Ash, his suppressed smile broke its shackles and radiated like a full moon; but the Raven-haired trainer abstained from any sound. The circumstances didn't ideally favor a reunion to be honest.
"I am all right, Serena, but Garchomp isn't," the Professor said.
"Serena!" Bonnie emphatically screamed.
"Hey, Bonni—" Serena's lips parted in surprise as she caught sight of Ash. "Ash?" she aspirated.
Gary grinned. No matter how dire the circumstances were, he wasn't going to miss this moment. He was eager to see Ash's reaction, but the dumbass successfully disappointed him again. Ash timidly waved his hand. "Hi, Serena—"
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" A peal of loud laughter echoed from behind the conical trees. A Meowth shaped hot-air balloon surfaced into the sky. Gary scowled in disdain as he anticipated a worthless motto.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all people within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie."
"James."
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight."
"Meowth! That's right," Meowth exclaimed, jumping right in front of the Duo.
"Wobbuffet," a blue blob-like Pokémon saluted.
"You three?" Ash snarled. Gary wasn't surprised that the act of terror on Garchomp was by these three. They were Ash's arch nemeses and would follow him to the ends of earth. It was but natural that they appeared the day Ash landed in Kalos. "What do you want this time?"
"Pika Pika Pika Pi Pika Pi?" Pikachu grunted from his trainer's shoulder.
"You know them, Ash?" Clemont asked. He dragged Bonnie behind him and held a Pokéball out in defense.
"Yes," Ash said. "They are thieves who try to steal Pokémon from trainers. They've been after Pikachu and me since the day I began my journey."
As Ash explained the identity of the idiot-three, the students from the academy and a few curious citizens swarmed into the scene. They eventually formed into an unruly crowd with their disruptive shrieks and cries. The children especially were horrified by the rumpus. A few cried in fear while the brave few hid behind the adults.
Ash coyly peeked at Serena, but Gary caught his flitting gaze. A brunette and three other boys joined her. They seemed like her friends. One of them, the stout one, called his Blastoise out and helped to put out the fire on the trees and lab. The other three were on guard with their Pokéballs, ready to prevent any serious escalation.
"Hey looik Jess, the twoip's 'ere," Meowth gestured towards Ash.
"Oh, so we finally see you again." Jessie held her waist and tucked her chin inwards. "Ha-ha-ha-ha, don't you worry twerp, we are not after your Pikachu for now. We want that Garchomp." She pointed towards the Mach Pokémon. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!"
"Pikachu can wait for another day. Today, it's Garchomp we're after." James said. He had a remote with a red button in his hand. "He is now in our control."
"It's aoi she, Jimmy," Meowth said.
"Hu?" James tilted his head. Meowth nodded. "Then, she is now in our control," James pushed the red button.
With the click of the button, the device around Garchomp's collar emitted several static sparks. The pseudo-legendry's aggravation intensified. She cried painfully and fired hyper beams into the air. The people shivered and crowed away from the dragon.
"Yoiu said it would woik Jimmy," Meowth said. "What 'append?"
"I-I d-don't know, Meowth. I guess this Garchomp is too strong for our device." James shivered as he tinkered with the remote in his hand.
The device around Garchomp's neck glowed. Garchomp cried again and fired rapid Dragon Rages in air. The people around cowered in fear, pushing each other, trying to flee before one of those Dragon Rages hit them.
A few adults escaped, but more adults scurried in, and in the gamble, they unknowingly pushed and hurt several children. Serena and her friends took responsibility and gathered the children away from the growing stampede.
"You three, get down right now!" Ash ordered, but his words made no effect. The Team Rocket trio were in their own world.
Jessie kicked James in his face and grunted. "Do something, you idiot."
"I'm-I'm trying Jess." James shuddered.
Vroom! A defeating noise of a motorcycle drift resounded at the entrance gate. Officer Jenny stepped down her motorcycle and rushed to the scene. "What happened? I came as soon as I got the call."
"It's those three, officer." Gary aimed his finger at Team Rocket. "They used some device on Garchomp and now she's out of control."
"J-J-Jess." Meowth shivered. "Looiks loike we in troiuble."
"James!" Jessie yelled with protruded eyes.
"Watch out!" Ash pushed Officer Jenny aside. She fell on her back, but was saved from a violent Dragon Pulse headed her way. The bush behind her was left in ashes. "You all right, officer?"
"Yes, thank you, young man," Jenny said. She got to her feet and analyzed the current situation and from the circumstantial evidence she witnessed, she seemed to extrapolate the rest.
Officer Jenny drew the black baton secured to her waist and aimed it at the Rocket Trio. "You three, I'm holding you'll under arrest for creating a terrorist attack in an educational institution and disrupting public harmony. By the power vested in me by the Kalos Law Enforcement, I order you to come down right now!"
"They won't listen like that, officer," Ash said. "Pikachu, Thunder—" before he finished his command, a hyper beam from Garchomp set the trio flying into space.
"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" they screamed as they flew into oblivion.
"Wobbuffet!"
"Well, that took care of them," Bonnie deadpanned. "But how to stop Garchomp?" she said as the dragon took off the ground, headed in the direction of the Prism Tower. "She's going towards the city."
"If she rampages there, the death count would be huge," Gary cried in horror.
As the crowd heard Gary, they multiplied their shrieks. They skittered around like Rattatas running in fear of an Arbok.
Officer Jenny got on her duty and tried to contain their panic, but wasn't faring too well. The public was out of control.
The Professor along with Serena and her friends started organizing the children in lines, away from the terror-stricken crowd. It was harder than Officer Jenny's task. None of the children probably witnessed such large-scale destruction before. They cried their lungs out in fear, calling for their parents. With the help of a few older children, Serena, and her friends somehow managed to curb the younger ones, guiding them away from the public.
"Everybody, please stop right where you are and listen to me," Officer Jenny yelled through a loudspeaker. The crowd stopped dead in their tracks. "I understand the gravity of the situation here. I have informed the headquarters and the backup is arriving soon. We are working on taking control of the situation as we speak, until then I want all your support and patience. Can You'll keep your faith in us?"
The crowed clapped happily and agreed. They calmed their ruckus knowing that the situating was being handled.
"Okay, since Garchomp is headed towards the city, I assume this is a safe place for now. I want all of you'll to stay here while the force arrives," Officer Jenny said.
The crowd formed an organized group and waited for further instructions. They didn't ask any question nor fought with each other. They followed Officer Jenny's orders like they've been trained for such unexpected situations. Serena and her friends too finished with their head-count of the children. None were missing nor critically injured.
"Officer Jenny!" Ash called. The female officer left the crowd and came towards Ash. Gary, Clemont, and Bonnie also joined. "We can't any waste time waiting for support. Garchomp will destroy most of the city by then."
"I agree, young man, but I had to tell the citizens something to stop their panic. I made the call to HQ. It would take at least two hours for the Pokémon Rangers to arrive. The fire service has already dispatched all their force to some other accident up north. It would take at least four hours for that to arrive. I hardly have any support from other officers," Officer Jenny wiped her sweat with her handkerchief. "We've never been caught in such a defenseless situation before. I'm helpless."
"Then let us help you," Ash said.
"What can you kids do?"
"Trust me," Ash smiled. "I know what I'm doing."
For some reason Officer Jenny seemed transfixed into Ash's confident eyes. "U-uh, all right."
"Clemont, do you know how to stop Garchomp?" Ash asked.
"According to my calculations, the device around Garchomp's neck is the cause for her rage. It has to be destroyed if you want to stop her."
"Lemme take care of that." Ash tightened his fists. He said the unspoken words that this was his territory and there was no way he was failing. It was the Ash Ketchum moment. "Gary, cover the ground. Protect the people."
"Right!" There was no stopping Ash here. He and his team are experts at handling such situations and following him was the best course of action.
Ash took out a Pokéball and materialized a Pokémon.
"Wartortle!" Squirtle's evolved form appeared. He was about to do an acrobatic feat, but when he realized his surroundings he stood to attention. "War Wartortle?" he asked.
"Use him and your Blastoise and any other water-type you can find. There shouldn't be any fire."
"Done!" Gary said. Wartortle also nodded with a salute.
"Officer Jenny, I hope you can use the help of citizens to evacuate other citizens."
"Yes, I think that can be done."
Gary was surprised on how quick Ash was processing and allocating tasks. Was he the same Ash Ketchum before his mysterious training, he'd have forgotten all this and ran after Garchomp. Now he was using his mind more than his instincts.
"What about you, Ash?" Clemont asked. "What are you planning to do?"
Ash raised his head towards the Prism Tower and declared: "I'm going to stop Garchomp." He asked his yellow partner on his shoulder, "you ready, buddy?"
"Pika Pika Pi Pika Pikachu, Pika!"
"Forakie Fro," the Froakie from before leaped from a tree to Ash's other shoulder. He had the same determined look as Ash and Pikachu.
"You wanna join in too?" Ash asked the blue frog, to which he nodded. "All right then. Pidgeot, I choose you," he yelled and hurled a Pokeball in the air.
A huge golden shiny golden bird materialized out. The gathered crowd instantly forgot the seriousness of the situation and awed in amazement at the stunning Pokémon. It wasn't everyday they got to see a rare bird like Pidgeot, that too in its shiny form.
Pidgeot gave a flap of her wings, dazzling the crowd again. Some even started clicking pictures of the magnificent bird.
"Are you sure you want to do this, young man?" Officer Jenny asked as she tapped her baton in her palm. "You could be putting your life at risk."
"Don't worry, officer," Ash said and got on his bird with Pikachu and Froakie perched on his shoulders. He gave a quick glance towards Serena. "I'll meet you once I come back."
"Let's go Pidgeot." Ash tapped Pidgeot's head and took off in a blink.
"Ash, no!" Serena ran after him.
"Is that kid crazy?" Professor Sycamore grasped his head with his palms.
"Serena, stop!" Gary grasped Serena's hand before she ran after Ash and did something regrettable.
"Leave me!" Serena jerked Gary's hand off. "Who the fuck are you?" she snapped at him.
"I guess you forgot, huh? Never mind, does the name Gary Oak ring any bells?" Gary scratched his temple.
Serena's diluted pupils dilated. "Ga-Gary?" she gasped.
"You remembered." Gary gave a weak chuckle. "Listen, I know how important Ash is to you, but—" He held Serena's shoulders and stared into her. "You can't stop him. No one can at this point. He has been in such situations before and believe we when I say this: he knows what he is doing. He will be safe."
Serena took a second's pause. She had her head bowed and two slim lines of tears trickled down her cheek. Damn, Ash! you lucky bugger. Your chick looks pretty, even when upset. Don't die at least for her sake now.
"Will he be okay?" Serena softly asked. Her moistened eyes appeared like blue glassy mirrors reflecting the morning light.
"As long as he has his Pokémon, he will be fine," Gary smiled. He had known Ash to handle graver situations before—this was cinch compared to any of that.
"Young man, who is he and who are you?" Professor Sycamore asked. He regained his lost senses. It was tough to keep up when it was his Pokémon who's responsible for this chain of events.
"I am Gary Oak, Professor, and I am here for the internship," Gary said. "And that is my friend, Ash Ketchum."
"Oh, so you are Professor Oak's grandson?"
Gary nodded at the professor's question. "Professor, I could talk to you all day, but right now, I have things to do," Gary hurriedly said. He materialized his Umbreon, Blastoise, and Alakazam.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked. She had her hands clasped together.
"Didn't you hear Ash? We need to protect the people, evacuate them. Garchomp might destroy the buildings along with the people stuck in them," Gary said. "Officer, may I?"
"Please, go ahead."
Gary noticed the teenagers standing behind Serena. "Are they your friends?"
Serena nodded and quickly introduced her friends to Gary.
"Guys, I can't do this alone, so I need your cooperation," Gary said. "You'll think you can help me?"
Serena and her friends accepted with no hesitance; their city was in trouble, after all. The swelled commotion of the crowd slowly simmered down, all getting attentive to what Gary had to say.
"All right then, who all of you have water types with you?"
"I do!" Tierno said. He pointed towards his Blastoise, who had finished putting of the nearby fire.
"I want you to take my Blastoise along and follow Ash's Wartortle's lead. Put off any fire around the city," Gary said. "You okay with that, big guy?"
"Blastoise!" Gary's Blastoise nodded in affirmation.
"Hold on." Tierno wrinkled his nose. "Why should I follow an unevolved Pokémon's lead? My Blastoise and I can take charge," he smirked in overconfidence, directing a thumb towards his fully evolved water type.
Gary gritted his teeth. "Tierno, was it?" he said coldly.
"Yes, that's my name."
Gary grabbed Tierno's collar, pulled him closer, and scowled into his face. "Listen to me, you punk, this is no time to flaunt your skills. Ash's Wartortle is an experienced firefighter and there is no shame in following his lead. If you think he is weak just because he is unevolved, then think again. He can make you and your Blastoise drink a hundred gallons of water, should he wish to do so. You understand?" Gary said that without skipping a beat. He himself was proud of the fierce persona he emulated.
"Ye-yes." Tierno stuttered.
"Good, now go; do as I said."
"Come on, Blastoise, we have a job." Tierno sprinted towards the city with both Blastoises behind.
"Wartortle, please take charge," Gary said.
Wartortle acknowledged Gary with a salute and put his dark glasses on. "War Wartortle!" He raised his hand up and rushed behind Tierno.
Officer Jenny gasped, recognizing the glasses on Wartortle. "Is he?"
"Yes, the same one," Gary said with a smirk. "Officer, I know I am not in charge of anything here, but would you be kind enough and control the public?"
"Sure, young man. I am on it." Jenny went towards her motorcycle. She had her loudspeaker ready in her hand.
"Now, how many of you guys have flying types on you?" Gary asked.
"I-I do." Trevor reluctantly raised his hand up, staggered by Gary's temper towards Tierno. He called his Charizard out.
"I have my Braviary." Calem materialized his flying type.
"All right, I want you guys to take my Fearow along with you and rescue any citizens stuck in buildings." Gary glanced towards the city. A few buildings were already on fire. Garchomp was not holding back. "There seems to be quite a lot."
Calem and Trevor got on their respective Pokémon and flew towards the city, followed by Gary's Fearow.
"Alakazam, you know what to do."
"Alakazam." The Psi Pokémon teleported to get to work.
"Clemont, I want you to send Bonnie inside with the kids and then join me after that."
"No! I'm coming with Clemont," Bonnie protested adamantly.
"You don't get to choose, Bonnie," Gary said with a straight face. He had anticipated the girl to retaliate.
"I'll take care of her," Clemont interjected and took hold of Bonnie's hand and moved towards the gathered kids.
"Umbreon, you are coming with me." Gary faced Serena and Shauna. "Girls, it's your call if you want to help."
Shauna and Serena met each other's eyes and nodded together. "We'll help. Tell us what to do."
"Call your Pokémon out. We will help the citizens stuck in the streets."
"Okay." Serena concurred and called her Fennekin out while Shauna materialized her Ivyasaur.
"Let's go and save the city!" Gary punched the air and bolted towards Prism Tower with his Umbreon. Shauna and Serena followed behind.
Any review is much appreciated. Thank you and have a nice day ahead.
"Gotta Bond 'em all"