Episode 6: A Date With Kristen! Grievances And Aspirations!
Today was the day. Ever since the dating game was decided, these last few days became the toughest days of Kristen's life. Simply put, having to help the Pokémon you love go on a date with other Pokémon was agonising.
She had no idea how those dates went, but the last one yesterday put Leos in bed for the night. She couldn't recall the last time he'd been tired enough to want to sleep in his own bed. As adorable as it was, today was her date with him. He couldn't be allowed to laze around.
And so here she was, skipping along the castle halls with plates balanced on her hands and tail. The other servants and guards squeezed against the walls to avoid her fast pace, amazed at how she balanced towers of food and still skipped so fast. She sung all the way until she reached his room too, where she was happy to find him still asleep.
"Wow. You must've been really busy yesterday," the Clefairy sung as she skipped over. Her wings fluttered as she hopped up on the bed, where she sat right between his feet. She carefully put the plates to their sides, and giggled at his sleeping form. "Well and truly oblivious. Rise and shine, Leos!"
No response. Not even a twitch. Just the slow rise and fall of his chest with his quiet breaths. She giggled again and raised a palm, gathering the slightest specks of a Moonblast. Maybe just a tickle this time.
The sparkles fell on his face, making him squirm. He recited a series of sleepy movements before he opened his eyes and stretched, and then he suddenly sat up in surprise. "A-ah! Kristen, what the?"
"Good morning, Leos!" she said with a cheerful wave. He froze, but she could clearly see his eyes divert from her face down to where she was sat. They were so close to each other their bellies were practically touching. Perfect, even if a tiny bit nerve-wracking. "You were oversleeping quite this time, so I thought to get you up. Sorry!"
"You're, uh, ahem, kind of close to me." He shuffled back a bit.
She gave him a half-lidded smirk. "No need to be shy about it, Mister."
"What're you doing? Get off the bed," he said with a sigh, and squeezed himself backwards. He stopped when she presented one of the plates.
"Ta-da! Breakfast in bed for the special little wott. I know you like your spice, so I cooked it especially for you," she said cheerfully.
He stared and blinked at the plate for a few seconds. A combo of sliced pancakes painted with mashed berries, some light sauces, and a small layer of lettuce, all cut up and positioned in the shape of a heart. Pecha juice was the beverage of choice, in a fancy wine glass, too.
"I er… w-whoa," he responded at last, making her sigh in inside. He made a move to dig in, then hesitated, sweating a little. "Wha-what about you?"
"Oh don't mind me. This is for you, your special day off. A breakfast in bed for myself doesn't have the same magic now, does it?" she said with a giggle and a wiggle. Amazing. Just like that, he doesn't mind me here.
"Have you eaten at least?" he wondered. He rolled up the pancakes and began to eat them like a wrap, and squirmed in content from the first bite. As far as she knew, that alone meant today was in the bag.
"Spicy food can get a little iffy for me, so I had my own breakfast, don't worry," she replied. She got to work on her usual habits. Tissue from her tail delt with crumbs and sauce that went everywhere, and then she got up to shove his belongings into neater piles. She also took a moment to return to her usual look, tying a large purple bow to her tail.
"It's important if you're doing something weird like giving me breakfast in bed," Leos commented. She gave him a half-lidded look. "Not saying I mind it. But what's your game?"
"My 'game' is to take you somewhere special today, and for you to take a load off from it all. But it's a surpri- wow you were hungry," she remarked. He was already picking up crumbs and sauce with his hands and licking them, but froze at the comment.
"We didn't actually eat yesterday. Sorry, that reservation you made went to waste." He blushed and turned away.
It did? What exactly did him and Griselle do? Don't tell me that bitch took him on a mission, she slowed as her face twisted in concern. "That's okay. No need to worry about that now. Today's just for the relaxation!"
"Relax—"
"Oops, I almost gave away the surprise!" she giggled. "If you're ready to go, let's get a move on. It's midday, after all."
"It's already past midday?" he gasped and sat up, but she stopped him with a hand on his side. "I-I'm so sorry I overslept and stuff. I'll get in the wash and sort out my bag and—"
"Your bag's all taken care of." She pointed to the corner by the doorway. "And you look fine. Don't smell bad, either. I know you don't like your washing and chores."
"You're… sure?" he replied, looking at himself. She edged even closer, and he finally blushed. "U-uh, Kristen…"
"You've got to teach me how you can eat food like that and not make your breath smell," she said with that half-lidded smirk again. Before he could comment, she grabbed his hand and pulled him into a walk. "But it's okay! You're all set. If you do feel like making it up to me, don't. Today's just for the relaxation!"
"U-uh, okay. You're awfully excited today, Kristen," he said blankly as she pulled him through the castle. She was surprised he allowed her to do so, all the way until they reached carriage in waiting.
"How far are we going?" he finally asked.
"Somewhere special for just the two of us. Won't you take a guess?" She swayed side to side.
"Seriously you're acting very funny today. Not pushing me to wash, making breakfast for me… you've got something up," he grumbled as he climbed into the carriage. She giggled and shoved him playfully, where he realised that they didn't have a chaperone this time. It was just the Mudsdale to pull the carriage, and nobody at the reigns. "Wait a minute…"
"The only thing that's 'up' is your inability to relax. Seriously, take it easy! What's the worst I could do?" she giggled.
He sighed. "Lots of things, actually."
Oh boy. What the heck did I do now? She tried not to look too offended. "Hey! Don't make me sound like a bully."
He folded his arms and turned away, so she dropped the tease there. Tapping on the wood of the seat in front, she called out. "You boys know where to go, so off we go!"
"You're unusually informal today, too. That I won't complain about." Leos faced forward.
"Well today I'm off-duty, too. You're not saying you prefer me being strict rather than playful, are you?" She put her hands together.
"I don't actually know. They're both scary."
"Aww, be honest! That's what today is for, yes?" she giggled.
The Mudsdale took off then. With the open top carriage, the only thing the duo had to hold onto were handlebars on the back of the seats in front of them. Leos seemed surprised and curious at least, and kept looking out all over at the surroundings they passed. They weren't heading into town, but through a rocky path to avoid it.
Not long after they set off, quiet fell between the two. She watched him intently, and he didn't seem to notice. He was glued to the rocky fields around them. She didn't blame him for that. They were a nice miracle of this region. Heavy hooves clopped along a typically dusty road, but to their sides, flowers and other varied greens grew on top of the grey rocks. It was like a field of flowers, only instead of soil, you had the jagged slopes of a rocky hill.
She thought to get his attention by slipping her hand into his. He immediately noticed, but only withdrew his hand for an instant. He allowed her to hold his hand, so she shifted closer. "Pretty, right? This hasn't grown old to you yet?"
"I'm rarely in Halcandra. Er, this is the first time I've actually seen this road." He turned back to her. He had the cutest look to him, despite his messy head fur. Or maybe the messiness made him cuter.
"You make this special face when you're exploring. I don't know how to explain it. I love it so much," she said with a slight giggle. "Don't worry, we'll be getting out to walk soon."
"Telling the Mudsdale where to go, too. I've never seen something like that. I know you're good at planning, but how did you get over their bad memory?" he wondered.
"Are you more interested in that than where we're going?" she replied.
"Well it's not like you're going to tell me either way." He rolled his eyes.
"Or maybe you're starting to catch on. You just sit back, relax, and take it easy," she said soothingly.
He huffed and pulled his hand free. "Do we have a moment?"
"Hmm?"
He paused. "I'm serious. Do we have a moment?"
The one time I decide to be carefree, she complained. She patiently put her hands together, showing she was listening.
"I know today's supposed to be for amusement, but… well, the past two days of living normally, I've already seen life through different eyes. And there's a lot more that needs to be done than I'm comfortable with," he began without looking at her.
"Where's this come from? What happened yesterday?" she asked. Are you really gonna put me to work on the one day?
"This was mostly Griselle. But I imagine it's going to be an issue for you too, when I think about it," he continued. He looked quite intense all of a sudden. "You're a Constellar."
"I fail to see how that's an issue," she replied and leaned on a hand.
"There's a reason Pokémon of that religious following live separated from mainland locations. Last I heard, habitats of Constellars don't even get marked on official maps," he clarified. He finally turned to her. "If me and you got together, an uproar would be unavoidable. Do the public even know who I've been dating?"
Kristen gulped. "No. They don't."
"Even you guys know that if the public found out, there'd be problems. If anyone's serious about this, we need to change the way everybody thinks before even considering my marriage," he stated. "But I don't know how much time we have. It's scary to think about."
"What're you talking about?" she asked.
"Everything. From the bigger issues like the separation, to the way we talk to each other in general," he explained sternly. "You make a lot of comments about Griselle being a hybrid. I thought for all this time that we were just passing them off, but with how casual you are about it, it does a lot more damage than you realise."
Great. She's sensitive. Probably cried all over him, damn it. Got to find a way to fix this topic. She shifted in her seat. "Well we went through this briefly. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Or if it's too much of a problem now, Griselle can speak up about it."
There was a pause. She couldn't help but shudder, and slowly turned to him. Just like that, he looked more annoyed than he sounded. Don't tell me this suddenly isn't an option. Seriously, why on MY date?
"You couldn't even say that without putting on a tone. I'd really appreciate it without the attitude," he said. "And that's just the thing. She does speak up about it. No one listens. What do you do when others treat you as so insignificant that they don't even listen to your honest pleas?"
"Then she's not being loud enough. Or there's some other problem. It's tough to make a rule out of when she's one Pokémon, you know," Kristen reasoned. "She's one of the heroes from the war, right? Is that really not enough for Pokémon to put up with her?"
"That might be the only reason Pokémon allow her to stay here at all. Don't forget her father's a hybrid, too," Leos explained
"Her father doesn't live here, though. But hey, we're almost here. You excited?" she tried to shift the topic.
"I don't actually care, Kristen! This is important," he raised his voice.
She sighed and tried not to look too angry, but her heart was racing. "What do you want me to do about it?"
"What you do best. Start treating her the same way you treat me and the others: with respect. And get some rules in place for the authorities, too. We need to confront the Pokémon that trespass and graffiti on her hut. Less directly for her, we need to change the way hybrids and Constellars are seen by the general populace," Leos ordered, and started rubbing his chin. "Phase out the common mindset that we can be rude to them, make sure they're treated fairly on trial, and find some way to make it known that they're welcome here. That kind of thing."
"Wait a minute. Constellars, too?" Kristen asked. He looked at her. "Nothing like that happens to me. How can it possibly be a problem?"
"Nothing happens to you because it's a known fact that you're one of my retainers. Pokémon know that if they mess with you, they'll get the royal prosecution. But Griselle doesn't live in the castle. Consider Prem: after he was kicked out, he chose not to live in Halcandra. But it'd be easier to manage a team like his if they were set up here, right?" he explained.
"You're reading way too much into this, honey. Prem's an explorer like you, of course he'd run around and do his own thing," she said, going back to a sing-song tone.
"He didn't feel welcome here, Kristen! It doesn't make sense. Why would somebody who felt so strongly about me decide to outright leave? He didn't even have anything to prove," he cried.
"It's not healthy to worry about things like this on your day off, Leos. C'mon, we're almost there! Or are you still hungry? I did bring some cooking equipment if you're still hungry," she suggested.
"You're not taking me seriously," Leos' tone lowered. He glared at her. "Why wouldn't you take me seriously?"
"I am I am, I promise. It's juuuust… today's a special day, y'know? We're all allowed to have those times where we just forget everything, sit back and take a load off," she reasoned.
"Meanwhile, my friend can't even line up to buy food properly because others get away with pushing in front like she's not even there. That's exactly the kind of rich prick I don't want to end up as," Leos exclaimed.
"Leos, wow! C'mon, it's not that bad, that's exaggerating."
"Except that it is that bad. I can't relax knowing that sort of thing is just, happening," he threw his arms up.
Kristen groaned. "Ugh, seriously. Did you have to do this on the day of our date? I don't normally mind the orders, but sometimes it's like you don't see me as anything other than a servant."
He raised a paw, paused, and then got cross. "Wait, is that all the reason why you don't want to do this? Just because of this stupid dating game?"
"It's not a stupid dating game, and you know it. I don't know why you don't get it – Pokémon actually like you; you know. But every day it's just work this, find aura that, legend here, society that. I just wanna show you a fun, relaxing day for once. Show you how good it can feel to really be in love, but you can't even play along," she ranted.
"Because it's stupid, unimportant, and irrelevant. I was going to decline everyone, anyway! There's no way I can father a Cosmog. Likewise, there's got to be a more relevant way to raise that Cosmog into the Radiant One. We've—"
"Wait a minute, you were going to decline everyone? Even me?" she gasped. After everything I've done for you, do you have no feelings for me at all? What in the world do I have to do?
"Yes, I was going to decline everyone. I don't care about marriage right now. And like I've been trying to explain, there's far more important things to worry abou—"
The nearby blast of an attack cut him off with a choke, and the two of them were thrown forwards as the Mudsdale reared to a halt. Somehow, she didn't hear other Pokémon nearby or their attacks being prepared, but in the brief moment just now, she sensed many. Projectile attacks from many angles at their front, all from spots hidden by the surrounding hills. She only had the time to brace for the worst before they went off.
She saw them for a moment, too. Shadow Ball, Psyshock, and arrows clothed in a dark, shadowy energy pelted the Mudsdale and the sides of their carriage. Her and Leos cowered below the seats as more blasts went off, and then the world seemed to spin. The entire carriage was flipped into the air, where it landed on its side and crumbled. She expected to scrape herself on the side, but a heavy grunt came instead, and she felt a pinching grip.
Breathing hard, she slowly opened her eyes to find Leos cradling her close. The damaged carriage was above them, with little glints of light gleaming through the broken wood. His face was intense, and he didn't seem to care that they were so close that she could feel his breath.
"You okay?" he whispered.
She gulped. She wouldn't dare move. He ever so slowly reached for his scalchop and held it to his side, where he silently formed Razor Shell. Their attackers were still nearby, and were creeping up. Playing dead wasn't her thing, but she usually wasn't surprise attacked, either.
The moment was way longer than she expected, too. She knew she should have been focused on the threat of their unknown attackers, yet her mind wandered to the most sinful subjects. Leos was so close to her that they could cuddle, nuzzle, and all the other naughty acts beyond. All things she wanted, besides his distraction. If only he could bring his arms closer and stare down at her, then this scene would make for quite the memory.
It was broken before she could urge that to happen. A Duskull popped through the wood, but Leos was prepared. He twisted his body to slash it with Razor Shell in a strike so hard it tore the wood above them. Duskull was knocked out of sight, but not without a shaky cry that sounded like it got knocked out.
Her dutiful instincts made her jump right into the action, too. She fluttered to her feet and then the two of them barged through the broken wood, finding themselves surrounded by a circle of ghost types. Eight including the floored Duskull, all unevolved, small Pokémon, and all at different angles. It only took a second, but she knew exactly what to do.
"Leos, Aqua Jet!" she commanded.
He didn't hesitate, almost as if he read her mind. Before they touched the ground, he was surrounded by water. She pointed to trap him in a Psychic hold, just light enough that he wasn't hurt, and then spun to pull him along. With Leos going in the same direction, his Aqua Jet moved quicker than the eye could follow, and struck the ghosts so hard they went flying. He had to skid to a stop thanks to the added momentum from her Psychic.
"Please tell me that dealt with them," she muttered as she floated to the ground.
"They're not getting up, so that says enough. But are you okay?" Leos walked over. He still looked as serious as earlier.
Oh so now you're concerned for me? She blinked at him. No. Just play along. As long as we drop that topic from earlier…
"I'm fine. Thank you for shielding me back there, too," she said. Now just say something romantic, or get flustered so I can tease you.
"Good. They totalled the cart, and the Mudsdale ran off. But I imagine the ghosts are operating nearby," he said as he walked off. "Specifically, towards that forest."
I should've guessed. I can't get you to calm down at all. Kristen slumped as she watched him until she realised where he was going. "Wait a minute. That forest is- Leos!"
She had to catch up to him, but he was right on the money. She could hear voices and activity, voices that didn't belong in the woodland. In that area was her surprise to him, and it was potentially being trampled on by these ghost type outlaws. There was no point in praying that she wouldn't have to deal with them to get some alone time with Leos. Even if they weren't in the way, he'd make them fight.
"This is just a forest mystery dungeon. This is where I was going to take you," she confessed.
He stopped and stared. Just like any other condensed woodland, all they had was a path that vanished into darkness cast by tall trees and leaves that blocked the sun. "Really? What's in here? And isn't a mystery dungeon the last place to relax?"
"It is. But there's something important in there. I… don't want to spoil it for you, but it's important," she explained.
"That's explains why the Ghost Gang are here, then," he said, and walked in.
She stared for a moment, and then skipped to catch up. "Ghost Gang?"
"I don't know what's going on with them. Apparently they're not new, but they've been far more active lately than ever. I ran into them with Prem and Griselle. Not on purpose, mind you," he reported. "But both times were quite serious. We're lucky I ran into them this way. Because we all caught each other off-guard, we were able to thwart them before anything serious happened."
So you've been fighting this whole time. Wait a minute- she thought, and stopped in her tracks. "Leos, have you been dating at all?"
"Hmm? That's what the past two days have been, yes? And today, right?" he replied.
"What? No, that's not a date. A date is supposed to be romantic, relaxing, revelatory… you're supposed to just take it easy and hang out, do something enjoyable with a partner," she explained. His face was so plain and confused it was shocking. Now she was less angry and bothered, and more concerned. "Did you really spend the last two days just fighting with Prem and Griselle?"
"Well they were supposed to be dates. Like I said, we set out to do things and just came across them, like what's happening now." He scratched his head.
"That's not," she said, and then mouthed off. "We're going back to the castle, now. We're replanning this."
"No can do. We don't know what they're up to, but if they're attacking public coaches, then it can't be good," Leos stated, and walked off.
Ah, I should've known… you're really cutting out work for me this time, Leos. She skipped to catch up, and held his hand. "At least try to deal with this quickly so that we can get back to better things."
"I imagine that's a given. These guys are a real nuisance," he said, holding her hand. Just that made her chest heat up.
Did he actually forget about the whole hybrid thing? Hopefully… just keep playing along. Keep playing along, Kristen, she thought as she played around his paw a bit. What an odd feeling – he was fierce enough to strike down all those ghosts earlier, yet his touch here was as delicate as a plush toy. Not that she would complain at that; it was perfect for a flowery Clefairy like herself. Perhaps his hybrid features enabled him to be as soft as a Clefairy, but rugged as a Samurott.
Well, she didn't really know or care how it worked. All that was important right now was that she was holding the hand of her beloved as they explored a pretty, normally quiet forest. The floor here was bumpy and congested, but there were plenty of gaps above to let rays of light through. This kept the area oddly warm and colourful, as a range flowers and bushes grew amongst the tree roots.
That did also mean there was a colourful range of enemies to deal with, too. Ghost goons like earlier, while indigenous ferals like Spinarak and Fletchinder attacked on sight. A combination of Helping Hand and Razor Shell or Water Pulse dealt with them, while the occasional Reflect kept damage to a minimum. It wasn't anything the duo hadn't dealt with before, but it was obstructive. She couldn't hold Leos' paw for much more than a minute or two before they had to break free and fight. Every single time, his hold was soft. So maybe his hold was just delicate altogether?
"Shh. Hide," Leos said after a while, and dragged her behind a tree.
She obeyed without question, but her mind was still in the naughty zone. Or the cheeky zone? Whichever it was, she was to seize every opportunity. Instead of spying on the nearby ghosts with him, she squeezed up to him and wrapped her arms around him, just about not touching. She could look up at him like this. There was something heroic about being held so close, even if he was fully concentrated on the nearby enemies. If he could just turn to her now, and lean closer… but he didn't.
The gathering of minor ghost types behind their tree were being addressed by one evolved Pokémon: a Decidueye, and that was who Leos fixated on. The ghosts were in a clearing, so it was impossible to get closer without revealing themselves.
"Please boss, can we go home? All this light is killing me," a Ghastly whined. Decidueye made a gesture to smack them continuously, but their wings passed right through.
"You- c'mere- stop doing that invisible shit and lemme smack you!" Decidueye yelled. His voice was smooth but very loud and exaggerated. Ghastly didn't move, looking nervous. "Bah, whatever. Put your ass into it for once!"
"But boss," another ghost tried to speak up.
"Shut up! Nobody goes home until we find the prince. I don't care if you gotta smoke out every habitat in this whole shit heap. Find that prince!" Decidueye ordered and pointed.
"But boss, you didn't even tell us what we're looking for. How're we meant to find a Pokémon we don't know?"
"Yeah, at least give us a description. Who's the prince?"
"You dumbasses, it's the prince! Everybody knows what the prince looks like. It's the prince, so it's a he by default!" he shouted. Nobody moved, so he stood straight and cleared his throat. "He's… erm… y'know, just drag a species that doesn't look like it belongs here. Yeah, anyone dressed in royal shit who doesn't live like a tramp. It should be easy, that shit don't need explaining!"
Gods, this guy sounds like he's shouting even when he talks, Kristen grumbled.
"He's looking for me?" Leos whispered and glanced at her. He approached the ghosts, prompting her to join him.
"Ah, you!" the ghosts all turned at once.
"Like them? They're not dressed in royal, but they definitely look like they don't belong here!" the Ghastly said. Decidueye tried to smack him again.
"Gods- damn it- I said stop doing that invisible shit!"
The smacking continued for a while, and all the other ghosts seemed to share awkwardness about it, exchanging glances. Decidueye just kept throwing his body into attempts to slap the Ghastly, so they eventually pretended to get hit, satisfying him.
"Finally. You stupid fool, do you look with your eyes? Does that look like a prince to you?" Decidueye said.
The ghosts stared for almost a minute. They looked reluctant to answer. "Yes."
He was smacked again. "Maximum stupidity! That's clearly a female!"
Wait, he thinks Leos is a girl? Kristen glanced at him. Even Leos couldn't help but twitch at this. I guess if you're really pulling at strings… but I'm sure plenty of males have ponytails.
She focused on the arguing Decidueye. Either way, does this guy seriously not recognise Leos? He's the least publicly closed off monarch I've ever known.
"Regardless, you! What do you dimwits think you're staring at, huh? This look like a public show to you?" Decidueye pointed at them.
"It might as well be, with that display," Leos groaned.
"What's that supposed to mean? You think it's wise to play smart?" Decidueye pointed at him. "I'd think twice before trying to mess with who you're messing with!"
Kristen expected Leos to come out with something witty and funny, but he didn't. Usually when they got into confrontations like this, she could predict what was going to happen, but she couldn't this time. She wasn't in the mood, especially when she spotted the arch and slope behind the ghosts. The destination for their date was right there.
"We don't actually care why you're here. Please leave this place at once," she demanded.
"You're really daring to say that to me?" Decidueye said excitedly.
"If anything, we should be putting you away, but you're here at a bad time. You're the one who should be considering their options carefully," Kristen replied.
"Kristen, wait," Leos whispered. He didn't need to go close for her to hear him. "This guy's an evolved grass type. We'll need a proper plan if we're going to win."
"You're a mouthy little shit! You know what, you're catching me at a bad time. I'm surrounded by dimwits who can't tell the difference between a male or a female, we're stuck here until the prince of Halcandra shows up, and now you little things have shown up. I might just offload my steam on you!" Decidueye threatened. "And don't think you're gonna get off easy. Hundred of the Ghost Gang doesn't let anybody off easy, ever! Whether or not it's a pair of little girls!"
"That… I don't think that came out the way you wanted it to." Leos leaned back.
"Shut up! That's what I hate about you sassy ones. Ya think you can get away with everything!" Hundred yelled.
Wait but Leos spoke. Does he really still think Leos is a girl? Kristen started to sweat, and glanced at Leos again. He appeared focused, but she could see him trembling. Wait a minute, how serious are you about not winning this?
"You're the Ghost Gang, just like I thought," Leos said, and shifted one foot in front of the other.
"Exactly. You buffoons stay back. Observe how a real criminal genius punishes!" Hundred announced, and spread his wings into flight. An arrow was already drawn, throwing the duo into surprise. "Get ready to eat street, nimrod!"
Leos made a move to jump away as the first arrow was fired, drawing his scalchop in the process. Hundred's attack missed and lodged into the soil a metre in front of Leos, but that seemed to trip him up mid-jump, and he fell face flat. "What the?"
"Hey look out!" Kristen gasped as she thrust both palms forward. A clear sheet of light appeared in front of them both.
"Why can't I- I can't move!" Leos shouted. He was stood up, but his feet wouldn't move from the spot.
What? Was all Kristen could manage before panic threw everything into disarray. Hundred swooped towards them with a foot forward, nails bared while he cackled with laughter. Her Reflect shattered from that alone, and those sharp nails soon dug into her side as she turned to brace for the hit. The next thing she knew, she was rolling across the floor until she crashed against a tree.
She was surprised. That one kick not only broke her expertly crafted and well-practiced Reflect, but it left her in a daze for longer than anything she had ever been hit by. Her body throbbed and felt like it was bleeding somewhere, while the noise and view of the forest blurred. She was able to sit up and shake herself after a moment, but if it was up to her, she would happily stay on the floor.
Oh my gods, Leos! She gasped and stood up. Hundred was taking him on with green wings in the shape of blades, which Leos blocked with his Razor Shell. But with Leos stuck to the spot, he had to bend and twist in very uncomfortable ways. After that moment she spent on the floor, he was already covered in nicks and scratches.
"You put up quite a fight you cheeky little thing, I'll give you that. Bet you regret getting' in my way now, don'tcha?" Hundred mocked as he circled Leos. He kept bringing his Leaf Blade down at random, and each time, Leos let out a strained grunt whether he blocked it or not. "This'll teach you bigshot kids not to get in the Ghost Gang's way. We rule the world now!"
This is… no, this can't be happening, Kristen shuddered. Her eyes started to water. Think girl, think! This is more important than the stupid date… if I don't do something now, Leos is going to…
She scrunched herself up. She didn't want to think about that one. But she wasn't the fighter of this group, nor was she the war veteran like Leos usually hung around. If she was to win his heart, she needed to save him, and now. Do a better job than Griselle or Prem could ever do. Boast her knowledge and resourcefulness.
She gasped. In that moment, her mind ran through the dictionary of knowledge she had on Pokémon and realised the solution. She didn't need to think about this one, so now it was embarrassing that it took her so long to act.
"Will you quit it? You sound so loud and stupid!" Kristen shouted.
"What was that?" Hundred stopped immediately.
Wow, I didn't think it'd be that easy to get his attention, she thought to herself. She pointed a finger at the arrow in the ground, hoping to trap it with Psychic. She got a grip, but it turned out to be lodged tighter than it looked.
"You wanna say that again or do you wanna sit and cry in the corner like a baby, huh?" Hundred challenged.
She ignored him. She had to plant her feet, grit her fangs and growl as she pulled back with full effort. Hundred continued to mock her despite clearly seeing what she was doing, or maybe he didn't realise. She had the time to pull his arrow free. The moment it came out of the ground, Leos tripped forward in surprise, and Hundred shut up completely.
"What're you doing? Hit him!" Kristen shouted as her partner stumbled.
"You… what? That's bull, how the hell did you break free of—"
Leos silenced him with a surprise Water Pulse attack to knock him into the air, and then chased with Aqua Jet while holding his Razor Shell out front. The duo latched to each other, fought in the air for a bit, and then crashed to the ground in a big, dusty puff of smoke.
Kristen skipped closer and held out an arm in angst, surrounded by the surprised ghosts, too. All they could hear was Hundred's muffled shouts and curses. He wasn't actually that muffled, but she drowned out his vulgarity with desperate thoughts.
When the smoke cleared, Leos was slapped so hard he skidded across the floor back to Kristen's side. He looked intense, and breathed hard. Hundred wasn't much better, now patterned with torn leaves and dirty marks all over his front.
"Grr, this shit wasn't part of the deal. Why'd I have to get hooligan hour?" Hundred shouted. "Now my coat's a mess!"
Leos didn't say anything. He just stared.
"You buffoons couldn't even help me? Just sat there like a bunch of stale lemons, huh?"
"But boss, you told us to—"
"Shut up and use your god damn heads for once!" he roared. He pointed at Leos and Kristen, one feather sticking out exaggeratedly. "Your lucky day is here, but you better be thinkin' of skipping town. We're letting you off today and today only!"
"Wait, we are?" one of the ghosts said.
"Weren't we—"
"Yes we are! Shut it and don't question me, squire!" Hundred shouted.
"… Squire?"
"If me and you ever cross paths again, no hospital in town is gonna be able to heal you, you hear? You'll be mangled and tangled worse than a Tangela! Scrambled and zambled like an exploded Exeggcute!" Hundred shouted even louder, and then left in small but frequent stomps.
"Boss, wait for us!" the ghosts cried as they followed. Some pushed past Leos and Kristen so hard they spun, though they were unharmed.
"What… just happened?" Kristen said after a minute of staring at where Hundred just was.
"I sliced his bow so he couldn't fire anymore arrows, so he retreated," Leos informed, doing the same. He suddenly let out a hoarse gasp and fell on one paw. "That could've gone a lot better, but a win is a win."
"Ah, are you okay? Show me where it hurts," Kristen ordered. He seemed reluctant. "Leos, just let me do this. I can use Heal Pulse."
"I know, but," he growled.
Not gonna take no for an answer, Mister. This is serious, she told herself as she made a move to pull him up. He seemed surprised at how careful she was. Thankfully he wasn't wounded in any way, but he did have a lot of small cuts across his form from the Leaf Blade. "Okay, this is nothing that I can't heal. But can you walk? It's better we don't do this here."
"Kristen, it's fine," he huffed, and pushed away from her.
"What? No Leos, you're hurt. Just let me—" she replied, trying to keep her arms around him.
"I don't need you fretting over me like a mother," he objected.
"It's just a little Heal Pulse, don't start acting like a spoilt kid!"
"Kristen, stop it!" he raised his voice and pushed her.
In that moment, she yelped and cringed as a sharp pain coursed through her. Leos froze in surprise, letting her slowly rub her side until she reached a deep cut. She immediately withdrew her hand and looked at it, disheartened to see red.
"From that kick. He stabbed me," she whispered.
"You're the one that's hurt," he said.
"Yeah but, I can't use Heal Pulse on myself. And it won't work for wounds like this," she informed. Now that she knew the cut was there, her body burnt and she felt wobbly. "But it's fine, it doesn't hurt that much. This'll heal on its own in no time."
"Are you kidding? Kristen," he gasped. His arms fell loosely to his side, and he sighed. "Sorry."
"Huh?"
"I dragged you into this without thinking. I'd forgotten that you aren't as accustomed to battles like that. So really, I'm sorry," he said.
Well you should be, after I kept saying to drop it over and over. She put her hands on her hips. She was about to pout, but put on a smile instead. But if you're ready to care about me now, it's better to play along.
"Apology accepted. Now stop trying to play tough guy and let me fix you up." She waggled a finger at him. He still seemed to be a little pouty, but that only brought her to giggle. He let her take his paw, and they began to walk toward the arch and up the hill the ghosts blocked earlier. "What's with this, anyway? You're not normally upset about a little healing work."
"You said it yourself. You're off-duty. If I didn't mess up, you wouldn't have to be worrying about me like this," he reasoned.
"Oh come on, that's just silly. Yeah today's a day off, but it was meant to be a date. Not much of a fun time if you're rougher than a Cacnea, right?" she joked.
He sighed again. "Okay, I'll be honest. I've never fought that species before. Their attack took me by surprise. I'm a bit angry with myself. I should've known what to expect."
"That's Decidueye's Spirit Shackle. It stitches your shadow to trap you in place," Kristen explained. He gawked at that. "It took me by surprise as well. I'd forgotten how it worked since everything happened so fast. But it's kind of funny a guy so dumb had a move that good, huh? I mean, he thought you were a girl!"
"I didn't really understand that, either. Was he looking for me, and if he was, why was he here and not in the city? What was the Ghost Gang doing here?" He questioned, rubbing his chin and elbow. "Three consecutive attacks in different places, but I happened to run into each of them. If they were searching for me in town after the first two, it'd make sense. But this is an unrelated area."
"Leos," she sighed.
"And what exactly does that activity mean? Stealing the bathhouse, then causing the flood in the valley, and then whatever was going on here," he rambled.
Kristen hesitated, and then grabbed his paw again. "I might have an idea. Let's get a move on."
"This is important, you know," he said.
"I know, and I mean it," she replied as she sped up into a skip.
The hill was very smooth and mossy compared to the rest of the forest, and despite being directly in the middle, went far higher than the rest of the woodland. Even stranger, it led directly to a grey wall. Leos' curiosity grew until they got here, where she finally let go of him to start climbing.
"Sorry, we have to put in a little work. Just hold out a bit longer, okay?" She glanced back at him before starting. The moment she reached her left arm up to grab a hold, she felt her wound burn, and cringed to a halt.
"Do… you need me to carry you?" Leos asked.
Did I just hear that right? She turned to look down. He was watching her patiently, and then turned away with a slight blush on his cheeks.
"If it hurts, I can carry you," he said.
He's actually offering! Just take it Kristen, now's the time to be playful! She gasped, and then covered her mouth. "I appreciate it, but be careful! I'm delicate."
"You, delicate? Maybe a rose, more like," he snickered, positioning himself beneath her.
"Are you insinuating I'm not delicate or ladylike? How could you!" she squeaked playfully. She let go of the cliff to fall onto him, and to their surprise, he nearly fell over. "Whoa there, careful. What'd you mean by rose, anyway?"
"I thought that'd be a popular analogy," he replied. Just like that, his voice was strained and his feet became shaky. She made sure to hug him tight from behind so that he could climb, but she could feel his paws wiggling below her to steady himself.
"Go on, I'm listening," she said.
"You've really never heard it? It refers to something considered beautiful that stings anyone that gets too close. You know, because the rose is a really pretty plant, but it has thorns that can sting if you touch it," he explained.
"I'm learning something new every day," she commented.
"You should spend more time away from the castle. Or me," he suggested. He finally removed his paws and jumped up to begin the climb. It didn't look or sound easy from the way he grunted, but he managed.
"But if I'm a rose, then that means… you think I'm pretty?" she squeaked. She couldn't help but blush at that, so thank goodness he couldn't see her face right now. He didn't reply either, focusing on climbing. But that also means I sting him pretty hard. I wonder if I can learn what he dislikes about me?
"You're allowed to answer, you know," she said. He still didn't say anything, but it did sound like one of his grunts was a grumble. "What was that? I wanna hear it, for real! What you think of me."
Still no response.
"… Please don't tell me the only reason you keep me around is because you think I'm hot."
"No!" he finally squeaked.
"So I'm pretty enough that you'd keep me around and go out with me, but you don't trust me enough to tell me what you think of me? The suspense is killing me," she said with a giggle. He stayed quiet again, though. "Hmpf. Meanie."
They soon reached the top of the cliff, so she made it easy for him by fluttering up the rest of the way. After pulling him up, he caught his breath on all fours and had to wipe off sweat, too. "You okay?"
"I… yeah. For an explorer, climbing's not my forte," he admitted, accepting her hand to stand up. "What is this place?"
They were on a plateau directly in the middle of the forest. Higher up than the trees, but just low enough that they could still see the treetops all around them in the distance. Comfy sun warmed everything here, while a pleasant wind washed across row after row of healthy flowers. There was a small lake that glistened too, and even a giant fruit bush.
"This is Blessed Peak, the true identity of this place. It's a hidden grotto of this mystery dungeon that only peaceful Pokémon can find. It's my secret spot for when I get a little too stressed. Come on, that water's drinkable," she revealed, walking him over to the lake.
"Is this what Hundred was looking for?" he wondered. That adorable look he had when he was exploring came right back.
"It's likely. In this place… it's said that Shaymin are born," she continued. His paw squeezed hers. "I don't think he or any villains will ever find this place. But you're familiar with Shaymin, aren't you? Maybe he wanted you so that you could lead him here."
"Legendary Pokémon," he mumbled. "Wait. Was this what you wanted to show me in the first place?"
"Believe it or not, yes! I was going to give you a proper load off. Take in the sights, have a nap, maybe take you for a dance on the water," she admitted, and turned to him. "Look how well that turned out, huh?"
"The curse of being royalty. But this is unbelievable. I can't believe something like this existed this close to home the whole time," he whispered. He wandered ahead a few paces and looked up and around at everything. "It's beautiful."
"Right? And the best part is, we're closed off from the outside world by mysterious powers. Wonder Orbs don't even work here. If you ever wanted to have a proper night's sleep, you won't find a more peaceful area," she explained. She held a palm forward, and out came a light pink wave of energy. The energy sunk into Leos harmlessly, but it did make him shiver and look at her. After a few moments, his little scratches and marks began to fade away. "We're all alone too, you know."
"I… figured. Thanks," he shuddered.
"Alone. We can say and do anything we want to here, and nobody will ever know," she said with bedroom eyes.
"I don't think we should do anything that could kick us out, though," he replied with a little groan. She kept staring at him. "U-um, what's with that look?"
"Are you really not going to tell me?" she asked. He blinked slowly. "What you think of me, silly! You don't have to hold back."
"There's nothing really to say, to be completely honest," he rubbed his face.
"Yes there is. The whole world's dying to know, I'm dying to know. Our future together depends on this, Leos!"
He hesitated.
"Don't you trust me enough? You'd lowkey call me pretty, go on a date with me, and consider marrying me, but then you can't tell me how you honestly feel? That's a weird combination, Mister," she teased him with a few pokes.
"The same could be said for you. You hate my habits, you're iffy with Griselle, and you're always fighting with me. Yet you continue to serve me as a retainer, and now you want to push a relationship. I've not been able to make sense of you through all the two years I've known you," he recalled, paws on his hips. "If we're going to do this now, you know what they say: ladies first."
"Oh you smart little- we're really going to play that way, huh? Fine, but you owe me," she replied, going closer. And he's STILL thinking about that blasted Griselle.
They sat by the water and let everything go quiet after a moment. The way the light made the water sparkle, it was almost like the pretty patterns of distant stars were on the surface. It wasn't completely silent either, as an erratic rhythm of waves washing up on the shore mimicked the ocean. It was an unusual thing to feel, but this was her favourite spot of water in the whole world as it always looked like this.
"This is kind of embarrassing. Or silly for me, I guess," she began.
"We're alone, and it's our little secret, like you said," he replied.
"… I'm with you because… well, initially, when I heard about you, and what you'd done for Etheria, it was all on Constellar wishes. We Constellars believe in the power and alignment of the stars, and that they're connected to legendary Pokémon. But in all my years of serving the religion, I've never come to see even one legendary. Not even the Tapu, and they were supposed to be publicly open," she admitted. "So when I heard of your feats, I just thought. I just thought that if I got to stick with you, I'd maybe fulfil that dream and meet a legendary Pokémon for the first time. I didn't even plan to do anything, I just needed to meet one."
"That's… unexpectedly juvenile of you," he raised an eyebrow.
"Oh. Thanks," she turned away.
"I mean, we were fighting the legendary Pokémon in a war, you know. If you did meet one, it wouldn't be pretty," he assured.
"I know. But we're all children on the inside, you know? Surely you must've been amazed when you met one for the first time. Gods and deities that literally shaped and created the laws of our world and nature… I just wanted to see that kind of being for once in my life. The being I looked up to for guidance all my life," she said, and then stood up.
She couldn't help herself. Whenever she thought about this prospect, her heart fluttered to a very happy place. She laughed and skipped forward a few paces, lightly tapping off the water of the lake. She began to dance with twirls, bows, and other ballet movements, drawing a trail with her feet as she skated across the water. She didn't pay attention to Leos until she stopped in front of him, meeting his adoring eyes with a warm smile and a giggle.
"And then I got the opportunity of a lifetime. Queen Ariala enlisting for a Constellar willing to serve, and I got to know the real you," she continued, and held out a hand. "You look excited. Want to join me?"
"O-oh, er, I don't think I could, I'm too heavy for the water," he snickered as he leaned back.
"Your loss. Or you could teach me how to swim," she giggled. He laughed awkwardly at that. "I really do like you, you know. I'm stiff because I want to make sure I do my job properly. But what you're seeing now is the real me. I'm like that with everyone I've ever known. Strict until I'm sure I can trust them. I feel like if we got together, not only would I achieve my dreams, but I'd be able to be the real me all the time. You'd accept me for who I am! E-er, you would accept me, wouldn't you?"
"Kristen?" he seemed surprised. "Is that seriously it?"
She froze. "… Please don't tell me I just embarrassed myself completely."
"What? No, I just—" He shook his head. "I wish you could have told me something like that sooner. Or I wish you felt like you could have admitted that sooner. You should know I don't discriminate. I'd rather everyone be their real selves around me, regardless of hierarchy, or what some silly royalty think. I'm like that, too. Why do you think I don't wear any robes or crowns or any of that fancy stuff?"
"I know, and still. I was new, I was a Constellar, and originally it was all about my dream and nothing else. I just had to be stiff and perfect, you know?" she admitted. Her face fell in her hands, and her whole body felt hotter than a Torkoal. Gods, what's coming over me? This is so whiney and embarrassing. Pull yourself together, Kristen! You're not a little girl!
"You do feel it. I can't believe you just said it," he said.
"Huh?"
He had a smile on his face. "You felt under pressure because you're a Constellar. You knew that by coming here and serving me, you'd be under judgement from every Pokémon around. That you'd be unequal."
Wait what that's not what I- oh my gods do not make this not romantic I swear to gods—
"We're more similar than I thought, though. You really like exploration and legends and mystery and things too, right?" he rambled, tucking his hands behind his head. She nodded blankly, and he snickered with a child-like cheekiness. "The original reason I kept you around was to get your input on any legends I came across."
It took a moment for her to realise what he meant. "Wait a minute. You put up with me because I was a tool?"
"That's the rudest way to put it, but yes. A seasoned Constellar like you has all sorts of knowledge on Etheria and its legendary Pokémon. I knew your input would be invaluable to my research. But now I know you're a lot like me, I wish you'd act like that all the time. This 'real you' is exactly the kind of Pokémon I want around me all the time, honest," he said.
"Leos," she whispered, facing him even though she was still blushing. He turned away and rubbed his face at that.
"And, I guess it's the Clefairy in me talking, but yeah. I do find you really pretty," he added.
Oh my gods, he actually said it. He really could… just maybe… she shuddered and gulped. Okay. This is it, Kristen. Go in for the kill!
"Well… you know… that can happen. We'll just, take our time with it. I'll be the real me from now on, and we can just, make each other happy. Exploring and seeking the legendary Pokémon," she suggested, coming closer. She held his hands up. "Should we give it a try? You and me, together. Just doing our thing."
"Kristen," he muttered.
His grip grew tight, and she gulped. Her heart raced, and her head was an unfathomable storm of angsty thoughts.
"I'm sorry. You know I can't answer that properly right now."
"Yes you can. Just tell me what you're feeling. I want this, you want this, and the Cosmog will awaken."
He finally turned away and detached from her. "It's not a yes or no, Kristen. It's just a 'not yet'."