"You wanted to see me Mrs. Valuer?"

Ash got called up by the staff of the house to go and see the main woman of the house. Stopping his training for a moment he went to her room where she was studying the pieces that got delivered and contain the purple impurities. Ash seeing the setup and the work she was putting in waited patiently for her to respond.

Seeing the boy in question Louise was happy to see him. And to test him at the same time if he really can be trusted.

"Yes. Can I make a request of you? It's an errand that needs to be run and you're qualified to do so." Though she would understand if he did not want to do it as he was a guest but what she's seen from him so far he'd do so anyway

"Of course. What is it?" Ash glad to be able to pay back for her hospitality so far and eager to help.

"I called an old friend of mine in the museum here that set aside a piece of their exhibit for pickup for me to study. Can I ask you to retrieve it for me and keep it safe from others?" He wouldn't have to go far on foot to get there as it was only a few blocks away from the Valuer estate. She gave Ash a card with her name, the family symbol and if there were any questions they should call her.

"What is it Mrs. Valuer?" Ash wanted to have a clue what he'd be picking up for her if it was so valuable. Not every day you can walk into a museum and just take something from there.

"I prefer to keep it a secret. The less people know you have it the better." Not spoiling much she'd let her old friend explain the object later. Only him being here with her he was missing someone he liked a lot.

"Why isn't Amelia here? Won't she join me?" He figured she would be here as well as it related to the mines and him. Whenever there was a job they worked together and he really enjoyed seeing Amelia at work. Apart from their training they did a lot together and he secretly hoped it would continue.

"I rather keep her Performance practice going. Don't you agree?"

Ash nodded yes. He wanted her to do well in her next Showcase.

"Can I wait to go and tell Amelia at least I'm leaving for a bit?"

Even if he knew where Amelia's own dance studio was in the house he hasn't even peeked in it to see what it looked like or how she was doing. He wanted to see her practice but it was just the way she always worked out not wanting any spectators that can spoil it to others.

"I'll tell her for you. A car is waiting for you outside which will take you to the place you need to be." Even if it was only a short walk a driver in a black car would transport him to the museum. With not much else to say Ash would like to get moving to get what she needed.

"And Ash?" Before Ash left her Louise had a few warnings for him.

"Please be polite to the man. I don't want my name attached to any bad behavior that might come from you."

"I won't let you down Mrs. Valuer."

Ash left the house to get what she needed. Charles busy with business Louise took a break of her own and headed to a special room in the house. Coming in front of the door she already heard the music playing inside. Shaking her head she turned the doorknob and opened it seeing a familiar sight.

Her daughter was dancing on roller-skates to emulate the ice on where her next Performance would be held on. Espeon had tiny pads underneath her feet making sure she could slide over the wooden boards as if she was on an ice patch. Her Oricorio floated through the air doing her own dancing tricks as Louise closed the door behind her. The giant wall mirror reflecting her image Amelia was startled. Loosing her footing Espeon just managed to catch her with Psychic. Amelia now on both her feet again looked annoyed.

"Mother! You know I don't like it when others interrupt me!"

"I'm your mother young lady. I always have the right to interrupt you." Louise looking stern at Amelia she bowed her head as she knew she was right.

"Sorry. Forgive me." Apologizing for her little outburst Amelia looked normal again at her mother before Louise did her announcement.

"I just want to inform you I've send Ash away for a small errand on my behalf."

"You did what?" Her eyes widened as her head shot up.

"Couldn't you get someone else? Why him?" Annoyed that her mother bothered Ash she pouted. Louise seeing her face held back a chuckle. Amelia has gotten a lot more rebellious lately.

"It's hard to talk to you these days without him around or you locking yourself in here for your practice. Plus I want to speak to you about him a bit more."

Amelia told her Pokémon to take a break. Espeon and Oricorio moved away from the humans to either groom themselves or a quick power nap. A bench placed in the room. Amelia took a bottle of water from a mini fridge and opened it taking a sip.

"So Ash. I know when you get to meet him but not how. Care to explain?"

"I told you that. We met on the SS Shimmer. We talked, we explored the ship and became friends."

Amelia told her. It was the exact same story she told shortened down on when she had to explain why she wanted to invite him to her home to stay over. Louise didn't believe her due to a few reasons after getting to know the aspiring Pokémon Master himself. He was unlike what she grew up with.

"What changed? You'd never given someone like him a second thought before. He's strong and successful but so were many others your father introduced you too. Why him?"

To Louise he seemed…normal. Not in a bad way but how she used to be before being integrated in the family by marriage. Her daughter stayed silent. Amelia not willing to speak about her true intentions before and after Louise pressed on.

"Don't lie to me young lady. There will be consequences."

Even if her punishments were not as big as Charles Amelia gave in cause she already knew what it probably would be. Disallowing her to compete in future Showcases much against her will until she tells it.

"He knows one of my rivals. I tried to get some of her methods from him so I could become a better Performer by using them against her."

Spoiling it explained a lot about how Amelia and Ash got together.

"So that's why. It backfired on her and she has gotten a friend out of it." It told Louise Ash also was forgiving. Normally after a scheme like that the victim would never want to talk to that person again but the boy gave her another change. Amelia holding on to the edge of her dress looked at her mother.

"Does that make me a bad person? To use him for my own gain?"

Still feeling regret at what she tried to pull she started their friendship the wrong way. Louise hearing she felt guilty was surprised but defended her actions.

"You were raised as heir to one of the biggest fortunes in Kalos. Your ancestors did not bring us to this place without stepping on a few toes or hurting a few people. It's natural for you to do the same to others."

"But is it really the norm?"

"The norm is what you make of it. You're not your ancestors, not your father and not me. None of us wanted to be a Performer like you. You're your own person, not what Charles wants you to be."

Amelia experiencing how light hearted Ash is and how demanding her father is, was there really a way to combine the two? They were on opposite ends. The heir wishing they can settle their differences because they started off well until her Showcase failure.

"Any way get used to seeing him run an errand a few times. I tried but your father has booked another date for you with a boy." Louise told her that despite her best attempts her father insisted on another date with a potential suitor. Amelia gnarled her teeth at another date that would cut into her training time and free time with Ash.

"No. I refuse."

Incredibly perceptive of her response the mother smiled. Amelia never had turned down an appointment even though it was clear she disliked them. Maybe it's because she could care less about them or found the one she cared for more than the others combined.

"I get it. You're interested in him."

"Preposterous. He's a friend, nothing more than that." Amelia huffing away the suggestion she liked him more than just a friend the mother knew her daughter was denying it pretty bad.

"You may look like me but you have your fathers expressions. I remember vividly when he first laid eyes on me in the jewelry store. And how he denied to your grandparents that he liked me when they went shopping. You like him don't you?"

Amelia slowly began to blush as she was getting pressured even more. She can stop all the pointless dates for a bit if she admitted she had her eye on Ash. Amelia weighed her options while her mother continued.

"More than any boy we ever introduced you too?"

"That's not a high benchmark."

This stunned Louise.

"My my. You made a joke. You never make jokes."

Usually pretty serious about things Amelia was not really a joker. Seems Ash has more of an influence on her then the mother at first thought. The attempt at humor vague she couldn't help her little girl too much. If Ash was her chosen one she can at least nudge Amelia in the right direction.

"Emulate your father. Take initiative. Don't wait for the other to make a move."

"I told you, I'm not…"

"A little wink here, a little fluttering of your eyelashes there and don't forget your smile. You're a pretty girl, you've made boys swoon before." Giving her looks praise it was a confidence booster. Amelia thinking back to all the times he called her pretty he was not that different in her case and she can throw him in that pool.

"For the last time I'm not…" Amelia denying her crush the mother only pushed her in the right direction.

"Just do what you you've been doing. If it doesn't work out bad luck but don't waste time pondering what could be cause if it works out you'll rue the time you missed." Wishing she found her husband sooner so they can be together longer Amelia was luckily in the prime of her youth. She got a shot at getting her man and still travel while they were young.

Amelia deep in thought about what she said the mother got up from the spot. She disturbed her girls hobby long enough for her liking.

"Think about what I said but do what you want to do yourself. I'm not the boss but your mother."

At the end of the day Ash came back with Louise's package. The contents a secret all that mattered was getting it to her.

"Here you are Mrs Valuer." He presented the box as she took it.

"Thank you Ash."

"You still haven't told me what's in it." He was still kept out of the loop and hoped she tell him what was so important.

"In due time." The mother smiled. Ash thinking better of it not to go in deeper into the situation Amelia came up to him. She looked kind of nervous.

"Uhm Ash?"

"Yes?" He waited for her to speak.

"Would you like to come into my dance studio and watch me practice? I'd appreciate the company."

"I thought you always wanted to practice without anyone around?"

"True. But you already saw me at the ice rink so it won't do any harm since I know you can keep a secret. And I want to show you my dance studio."

Giving him a privilege not many had Ash followed her to her dance studio. The mother seeing her little girl guide the boy things certainly were lively here with him around. Looking at the package in her hands she moved it towards her study room where she'd analyze it's contents tomorrow and hoped for a breakthrough in what was plaguing her husband's mines.

Louise Valuer: I'm respecting your privacy by knocking but using my authority as your parent by coming in anyway.

Not much to say.

Later.