As the train continued to plow over the tracks to their destination Amelia was reading a magazine. Amelia's aid Alfonzo would join them later in Kiloude City so it left just the two youngsters opposite each other in the wagon with other people who went about their own issues. Featuring Diantha's latest movie on the cover he wondered how the Champion and Gardevoir were doing. It had been quite some time since he battled her and with the progress he made in getting stronger during Alola and his PWC exploits wondered how he would compare to her now.

"Have you been in Kiloude City before? There's no Gym there and there isn't a Showcase often." Amelia closed her magazine wondering if he ever went there since it is quite a detour on a normal journey.

"It's a new place for me."

"Let me show you around after your introduction. I can move there freely unlike home." Amelia's status not as powerful in the rest of Kalos as her hometown has a bit more movement.

After leaving Amelia's hometown and getting on the train that left for Kiloude City Ash was a bit tired as he sat back while looking out the window as the train moved along. On the way onto the train they were stopped by a lot of people wishing Amelia the best of luck in her next Showcase and to make her hometown proud. It reminded him just how popular she is back home. Sure he got a hint of it when he saw her the first time while still travelling with Serena, Clemont and Bonnie but he didn't realize how bad Fluerrh City wanted her to succeed.

"A lot of people are counting on you huh?"

"It's the hometown support that comes automatic." In her case it was a little worse due to her heritage.

"I know. I don't go home a lot but when I do I always have people telling me they're proud of me putting Pallet Town on the map next to Professor Oak's lab."

"Must be nice to be remembered of your own achievements and not those before you." Amelia looking out the window said away from him. He came to understand it's quite a sour topic for her. She wouldn't be working as hard as a Performer as she did if she was content riding her parents coattails.

"Sorry. I didn't mean…"

"It's not your fault." She interrupted him.

"I don't care what your family did in the past. I just care about how you're going to do in your next Showcase and I'm here to support you in person. To me you're just Amelia."

"Just Amelia." That actually had a nice ring to it. Everyone but him so far judged her on her last name. It was a thing she can get used to.

"I'm surprised Alfonzo isn't with you." The aid stayed behind in Fluerrh City. Ash expected him to follow Amelia like a shadow.

"When I go to another town for a Showcase he usually comes with me. But since we're going to Kiloude City and a bit of the staff is already there with my parents my father said he can stay behind."

Arriving in Kiloude City station they got their luggage and got off the train. Ash looked around him at first glance in the new spot. The roads were paved with broken stones creating a mosaic pattern. Next to it were clean green grass and houses which matched the houses in smaller towns he's been in.

From the train station he could see in the middle of town was a large building decorated in mostly gold.

"That's the Battle Maison. But it's closed for now since the Showcase will be held there." Amelia told Ash as she would like to show him more.

But for now she was locked into seeing her parents. She and Ash walked through the town until they came at the building they went to see Amelia's parents. It was a relatively large house bigger than Ash's own. A well kept garden in the front while he can see a large fence work at the back for the garden there.

"This is yours too?"

"It is. It's a bit of a home if we need retreat to away from Fluerrh City." They moved to the front door.

"You ready?" Amelia asked him as Ash nodded.

Heading to the front door they rang the doorbell as it quickly opened. A bald man twice in width and three heads larger than Ash himself looked down at him. Dressed in a black suit and red tie he mumbled and grimaced at seeing him.

"Hi Olivier." Amelia greeted him.

"That's him!?" Ash relatively took back by the size of him. Alfonzo undersold his presence cause to Ash it looked like he wrestled Pangoro for fun. The bodyguard kept staring him down. Ash understood he did his job but he did feel a little nervous. The large man growled as he let them in but still a real close eye on Ash and Pikachu.

Moving through the house they soon came out at the backyard which was filled with flowers. Sitting on a table he saw two people sitting on it enjoying a cup of tea. Ash looked at the two as apart from a minor few changes that came with age they still looked similar as in the painting in the factory. The father dressed in white with a deep stare while the mother smiled kindly in her green dress.

"Hello dear. Nice to see you again." The woman said.

"Amelia." The father nodded while keeping a strict face while also looking at her requested guest. "How have you been?"

"I'm well. I've been working hard for my next performance and I'm ready."

"Let's see if your first attempt at your third key succeeds this time." The father said one of her failures leaving Ash a little sour but didn't speak out of line for a bad first impression.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your guest?" The mother asked more kind, Ash began to understand their dynamic a little more. Charles the father is strict and demanding while Louise the mother took a more classic role as the supporting parent.

"Father, mother, this is Ash Ketchum. The guest I told you about together with his Pikachu. Ash, this is Charles Valuer, my father. And this is Louise Valuer, my mother."

"It's nice to meet you Ash." The mother smiled.

"Thank you. It's nice to meet you too."

"Let's sit down and discuss matters over some refreshments." The father stoic pointed to a seat as he was still hard to read. Ash went to sit down on it as he then took a cup of tea that was poured by one of the few servants. Amelia went to sit next to him taking her hat off and setting it on the table.

"It's not often Amelia invites a guest over herself. You're quite the special one." Louise told him.

"I'm not that special. Just someone who follows his dreams like everyone." He brushed it off. The woman thinking he's humble and didn't know as much as he should about her daughter which can play to the Valuer's advantage getting to know him.

"We looked up your credentials. For your age you're quite successful." Charles having gathered a profile of his accomplishments knew the talent in Ash. As the father didn't battle himself but he could appreciate the skill the boy showed at his age, especially his placing at the last PWC.

"It's hard work. And if I were successful I'd be a Pokémon Master now."

"There's no shame not being one yet. It shows you're hard working and determined enough to reach your goal. Keep this up and you might make a valuable ally to our family in the future."

The compliments headed towards his way did make him feel weird. Even without saying something he could feel Amelia's aura shift next to him. Clutching the rim of her dress tightly she kept up her façade but he knows something is bothering her. The mother sipped her and put her cup down with a bit of force drawing attention telling her husband to stop it.

"Charles, you're doing it again. Don't bother him with propositions of a job. He's a guest and so we should treat him as one."

"Just grasping the opportunity if it presents itself. You won't be successful without seizing the moment."

"We don't have to bother the children with how we met." Louise saying out loud it doesn't matter now. Amelia knew the story of course but Ash shouldn't have to intrude on their private life as Charles is doing now.

"An interesting choice of words. Tell me Ash, how did you get to know my daughter?" Charles asked while he already knew. Alfonzo already told him about how the young people came into contact on the SS Shimmer but there still was a part missing. Charles his daughter never showed much interest in Pokémon battles before and Ash being a strong trainer and not that special outside of it there were still some gaps to fill in the tale which Ash explained the same way as he did to the personal aid.

"I also want to see her perform in person again. She's great at it and I enjoy what I see from her. I give Amelia a good chance to win the Showcase here."

Amelia feeling a bit better released the grip on her skirt. Ash not being one to lie he genuinely liked her Showcases even going as far to look them up on Pokevision. In him she had a genuine fan and not just because she was related to the two people across her like she felt with most people in her hometown.

"It's nice to hear someone appreciates her work." The mother drew attention to her again.

"I think we bothered you enough for now. We'll give you some time to look around the house and where you will be staying. We can talk later over dinner. Olivier? Show him his sleeping quarters please."

"Yes ma'am." The large bodyguard put a large hand on Ash's shoulder which actually covered up the whole of it.

"You, follow me."

"Ok." Not protesting in the slightest Ash got up as the bodyguard led him back inside the house. Amelia looking after them worried for Ash a little. It left her alone with her parents though and she knew what was coming.

"Alfonzo told me about your appointment with Viktor. Were you interested in seeing him again?"

"No. I don't believe he's capable. Good chess player but that's about it. I don't see myself with him." Charles wanting to go in deeper and lecture his daughter again Louise stopped him giving Amelia a break.

"Why don't you go to Ash? I'm sure Olivier is a little rough with him and you should make him feel welcome here."

"Thank you mother." Amelia left the table in a rush to get to Ash. The parents by themselves again had different opinions about their meeting.

"He's after something." Charles said not fully confident.

"Your paranoia is acting up. He's nice, polite, well spoken. I like him."

Louise being raised as an ordinary woman who worked at a jewelry store with knowledge about rare gems she came into contact with Charles Valuer during a routine job when she went digging for them. Blown away by her beauty the Valuer took an interest in her. Occasional visits to the shop were then made under disguise of the Valuer family until he finally gathered the courage to ask her out but it wasn't why she fell in love with him and raised a beautiful daughter.

"Isn't Amelia old enough to make her own choices? You should stop trying to get her into arranged marriage. We did it without one so why doesn't she get that choice?" It was the one thing Louise didn't understand. Her Charles was suffering of something she named Daddy's little girl syndrome but when it came to a bit of independence like her Showcases he was more a prison warden than a father.

"This Performing thing is a fad. It won't last her forever."

"We've been over this and I'm not repeating the conversation."

Amelia quickly joined Ash in his room. Compared to the one in Fluerrh City it was modest but still larger then his own in Pallet Town.

"I hope Olivier didn't rough you up too bad." Worried the bodyguard did something to him distrusting of visitors and outsiders

"It's not too bad. Didn't get the chance to ask him about that battle." Amelia softly smiled and relaxed. Ash didn't take it personal if he was treated roughly. The first conversation with her parents went as expected.

"So…what's your opinion on my parents?"

"They seem nice. They're exactly as you told me they were. Your dad's compliments seemed to bother you." Ash receptive enough to feel when she was feeling uncomfortable. Amelia didn't get a single word in in the conversation with her parents.

"He doesn't give praise easy. He only did it a few times after my best Performances." It bothered her he was so easy with praise for others yet when it came to her he always held back. She didn't know if he held her to higher standards but she expected it by this point.

"Just enjoy yourself tomorrow. You're doing this for you and your Pokémon, not them or anyone else."

"You nervous for your Showcase now?" He asked.

"A little. But I've been working hard so I should be ready. You want to go around town now or…?" Ash shook no. She didn't notice him laying his hand on her shoulder. He smiled gently as Amelia glanced sideways into his smile.

"You just focus on getting your third key. I can wait a little before you show me around. You show the crowd what you can do!"

"I needed that. Thank you."

Feeling a lot more confident now Amelia's focus was fully on her Showcase. Her little post talk with Ash did miracles for her and he was right. Not getting distracted with other affairs but the one that mattered to her she did a smile of her own.

She thanked him again for being here and after refining her Performance and having dinner with her parents which were went by without any noticeable complications the raven haired Performer went to bed early to get her beauty sleep and to be fully rested to win another Princess Key.

Next up Amelia's Showcase.

Will she win or will an unexpected challenger come?

Later.