The Bonds of Mega Evolution
Alec's POV
The group had arrived at Pomace Mountain and Alec lead them to the house. "This is it," Alec told them. Korrina then headed up to the front door.
"Hello there? I'm Korrina from Shalour City. My grandfather told me to come see you," Korrina said. The door then opened and a Mawile with a Mawileite attached between were its extra jaw meets its head stepped into the open. "So, where's your trainer?" Korrina asked it.
"Here I am. Over here," a voice said from behind the group. Alec turned to see Mabel, a small elderly woman with a keystone in her staff, coming up on her hover scooter with a trailer full of flowers.
[I see she'll never change,] Ethan said upon seeing the flowers. Alec merely glared at him and Ethan did a mock zipping on his mouth. Meanwhile, Mawile ran up to her trainer.
"Thank you for watching the house Mawile," Mabel told her partner.
[No problem,] Mawile responded. The group then headed up to Mabel and she saw them.
"Oh, my stars. Well, how do you do? I'm Mabel," she introduced. The group quickly introduce themselves.
"It's good to see you again Mabel," Alec said to her.
"Alec, it's good to see you too. How's Light doing?" Mabel asked.
"She's doing quite well. Thanks for asking," Alec answered.
"Well, that's good to hear," Mabel said before turning to Korrina. "So, I was told you were coming. Why don't you two demonstrate how strong you are?"
"Sure," Korrina says with a confident smile. The two trainers then get ready to battle in a nearby field. Korrina, of course, was using Lucario while Mabel was using Mawile.
"Alright, let's begin," Mabel told Korrina.
"Ready Lucario? Mega Evolve!" Korrina shouted and touched her keystone and Mega Lucario revealed itself while releasing a small aura wave.
"Such a fine aura. Now Mawile, Mega Evolve," Mabel said and Mawile also Mega Evolved.
"So that's a Mega Mawile! I can't wait to see how this battle turns out!" Ash said with excitement as Pikachu and Dedenne cheered for Lucario. Alec just looked at Ethan with a knowing smirk before looking back at the battle. Lucario started the battle with a Power-Up Punch, but Mawile just jumped and dodged. Lucario, annoyed, made a Bone Rush and went in for the attack. Mawile just kept dodging now matter how hard Lucario tried to hit her.
"Yeah, at'em!" Korrina encouraged.
"Korrina," Alec said. She looked at him and realized her mistake.
"Right, can't battle this way," she said. While she was distracted, Mawile hit Lucario with Iron Head and threw Lucario back. That's when Lucario's aura took hold. Korrina tried to call out to Lucario, but he didn't listen as he charged in with Power-Up Punch. Mawile counters with Fairy Wind and Lucario slams into the ground before reverting back to his normal form. Korrina then runs up to Lucario and helps him up. "Don't worry, you'll be able to control your powers in no time. Remember, that's what we came here for," Korrina tells Lucario before turning to Mabel. "We promise to do our best. Please, Mabel," Korrina tells her. Mabel then takes the group to a familiar room for Alec and Ethan.
"Pretty flowers," Bonnie says, admiring the room.
"Thanks, I picked them earlier, and since they're so beautiful I thought I'd have Korrina and Lucario make an arrangement for me," Mabel explains. While Korrina and Lucario dawn looks of surprise, Alec feels a sense of dread coming and slowly tries to slip out of the room.
"I'm sorry but, I think our time would be much better spent doing some training," Korrina says.
"No need to be so hasty. Would you all like to make some flower arrangements too?" Mabel asks the group. Everyone but Alec agrees. "And Alec, as good as you may try to slip away I'd like you to make one as well," Mabel said turning to him and Alec and Ethan stopped cold in their tracks.
"Dang it, I really was hoping to avoid this," Alec thought to himself as he responded with "Yes Mabel" with little enthusiasm. As the group got to work, Serena went with flowers that correspond with her Fennekin, Ash and Pikachu went for the biggest, Bonnie and Dedenne were trying to use the most, Korrina and Lucario were going for the best, while Alec and Ethan just went with whatever seemed to work.
"Chespin, the future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic Gear On!" Clemont shouted while revealing a device with multiple gardening tools on it. "Data from every work of art since the beginning of time has been imputed, this device has the ultimate artistic touch. Its name, Flower Arranger 1," Clemont says proudly.
"Flower Arranger 1?" Serena asks.
[Seriously, who comes up with a name like that?] Ethan questions.
"You're real good at coming up with obvious names," Bonnie points out to Clemont.
"I want you to witness the future of flower arrangement," Clemont tells them and activates the device and it expertly cuts the flower stems and places them in exact spots.
[Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being not too bad, 10 being explosive bad, how will this end?] Ethan asked. As if on cue, Clemont's device starts to speed up at a rapid pace and starts sparking before blowing up in everyone's faces.
"I'm going with '10,'" Alec says to Ethan, both covered in soot. Looking around, everyone was covered in soot as well.
"Oh no, and I just finished," Serena complained.
"I'm sorry big brother, but that was just horrible," Bonnie tells Clemont.
"I'm sorry too," Clement replied. After cleaning themselves off the group fixed up their arrangements just as Mabel returned at sunset.
"Well done everyone. Your arrangements are a reflection of your personalities," Mabel tells them. She then starts to describe what she sees in each arrangement, starting with Ash's. "From this arrangement, I can see as a trainer and Pokémon, Ash and Pikachu's hearts have become one. This is a very powerful piece," Mabel says before she turns to Korrina's. "It looks like you and Lucario have made two arrangements in one," Mable points out.
"That's right. It's pretty, huh," Korrina says.
"Yes, from this arrangement I can see that you have similar personalities and understand each other deeply," Mabel says.
"Yep, we've been together since we were little, so we're connected. We have such a strong bond," Korrina tells her. Mabel then turns to leave and tells the group that they will be making more arrangements tomorrow.
Three Days Later
On the fourth day since the group's arrival to Pomace Mountain, they once again set off into the wilderness to find more flowers. While Alec and Ethan were looking around, they found themselves by a creek bed and stopped to get some water. "Man, I really did not miss this," Alec remarked.
[Yeah, I know that this is how Mabel helps with Mega Evolution, but still. We did this so much with Light that it's really getting boring,] Ethan replies.
"Yeah, but still. I remember when we first came here. Light's electrical discharges when she Mega Evolved were just too much, even for me," Alec remembered. He then reached to his belt and pulled out a Premier Ball, Ethan's ball. "We've all come such a long way since that day."
[Yeah, and I wouldn't change a single day,] Ethan reminisced.
"Well, that's enough of all this reminiscing, we'd better get moving," Alec said while standing up and stretching.
[Before we go, do we want to get those flowers?] Ethan asked, looking across the creek. Alec followed his gaze and noticed the black flowers blooming on the other side.
"Good eye," Alec said.
Later at Mabel's
The group had just finished the day's arrangements and some of them were taking it all better than others. Serena was slouched on the table in their room. Bonnie was looking pleased. While Clemont and Ash were sitting on their beds while Alec was laying on his. "I'm getting kind of bored. If I have to arrange one more flower, I'm going to scream. I know they're pretty and everything, but still," Serena complained.
"I like it, I'm having so much fun," Bonnie said.
[Well someone has to,] Ethan said with the same attitude toward flower arranging that Alec was feeling.
"I wonder why Mabel keeps having us arrange flowers day after day?" Ash asks.
"You've been here before Alec, any ideas?" Clemont asked him.
"It's Mabel's way of training. As weird as it seems, it does work. Mabel's trying to link Korrina's and Lucario's hearts and minds. The rest of us just happen to be here with her so she's having us do the same," Alec explained
"I guess that makes sense," Ash responded. Mawile then came in with some drinks for the group, but before she could set the tray on the table, something that was too fast for Alec to track crashed through the window and grabbed Pikachu, Mawile, and Ethan. The group ran outside to try to find whatever took their Pokémon and found Mabel, Korrina and her Lucario outside asking what happened.
"I think something crashed through our window" Serena explained.
"Whatever it was took Pikachu, Ethan, and Mawile!" Bonnie added. That's when the group hears an all to familiar laugh as Team Rocket's balloon comes into view, and under the balloon is a glass box was their Pokémon. Team Rocket then gives off their motto before firing a hook to try to grab Lucario, who dodges it. Alec, however, wasn't so lucky as a second hook appeared and grabbed Alec before dragging him up to the balloon.
"What do you want with me?!" Alec demanded.
"After much discussion, we've realized that you will be a valuable asset to Team Rocket," Meowth explained.
"I'll kiss a Garbodor before I ever join you!" Alec shouted back.
"That can be arranged," Jessie commented. She pressed a button on a remote and Alec felt a bunch of electricity surge threw him which caused him to scream in pain.
[ALEC!] Ethan shouted, but he barely heard him.
"Lucario, let's free our friends," Korrina said.
"Please, that sounds like a second rate song lyric. Pumpkaboo, let's go," Jessie said as she threw it's Poké Ball. Lucario then jumps into the air and Mega Evolves before going for a Power-Up Punch.
"Not today. Okay, Inkay, Psybeam!" James commanded. Inkay then fired the attack, stopping Lucario. Pumpkaboo then uses Shadow ball and Inkay uses Psybeam. Lucario dodged both attacks but stumbled on the landing and its aura took hold again. Lucario then ran straight at the balloon and Pumpkaboo tries to stop him with Shadow Ball. Lucario destroys the Shadow Ball with his paws and tries to use Power-Up Punch but Inkay hits him with Tackle before it lands. Lucario then tries to attack again but Korrina steps in front of him, much to Alec's surprise.
"Korrina! What are you doing!?" Alec asked worriedly. Lucario then bites down on Korrina's wrist and she says something to him.
"Save the mushy stuff for later. Pumpkaboo, use Dark Pulse!" Jessie commands. Pumpkaboo then fires the attack at Korrina. Suddenly, Lucario used Bone Rush and deflected the move. Inkay then fires off another Psybeam while Pumpkaboo uses Shadow Ball. Lucario hits the Shadow Ball away harmlessly and Inkay's Psybeam hits Pumpkaboo. Lucario then lands a barrage of Bone Rushes on Pumpkaboo before sending it toward the balloon. It hits the cage and frees the Pokémon and Alec. However, Alec was still pretty high up in the air. Before he could hit the ground Ethan used Psychic lessen the impact.
"Thank's Ethan," Alec said.
[No prob,] Ethan responded.
"We're not going to take that lying down," Meowth says.
"That's a coincidence, neither are we. Now Mawile, Mega Evolve," Mabel says and Mega Mawile appears next to Mega Lucario. Ethan and Pikachu also get ready to fight. Pumpkaboo uses Dark Pulse and Mega Mawile counters with Fairy Wind, taking out the Dark Pulse and sending Pumpkaboo into the balloon. Inkay tries to go for Psybeam, but Pikachu hits it with Thunderbolt before the attack could be used. Lucario then surprises everyone as it started to form a sphere in its paws.
"Lucario, you learned a new move!" Korrina says excitedly. Lucario fires off Aura Sphere and Ethan combines it with his Dark Pulse and the combination attack sends Team Rocket into another blastoff.
"That was some Aura Sphere," Alec commented.
"Lucario, we did it!" Korrina said excitedly as she high fived Lucario.
Morning
"Thank you for everything. We're really glad we came here to see you," Korrina told Mabel as the group was about to set off.
"You're most welcome. Remember, although you're now able to control Lucario's aura, you must continue to work hard and improve," Mabel told Korrina.
"Right, we sure will," Korrina promises.
"Korrina, guess this is goodbye," Ash tells Korrina, which confused the group.
"Why? Aren't we all going to the same place?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah, we're all going to the Shalour Gym so you can challenge Korrina," Serena pointed out.
"Korrina and Lucario can control its aura, so we need to train even harder. We'll get stronger and stronger so we can win that badge," Ash explained. "We'll do our very best to win."
"I understand. Then we'll see you there," Korrina said as she pressed a button on her shoes to bring up her skating wheels and skated off with Lucario running right behind her. The group waved her goodbye and she returned the gesture before vanishing from sight.
"Well, I'd better get going as well. It has been fun though," Alec told the group.
"Alec," Mabel said and he turned to look at her. "Maybe you should go along with Ash and his friends. I know that you prefer to travel alone, but there is only so much you can accomplish by yourself and you know that. Maybe it's time for you to accept it." Alec then thought back at his journey, Mabel was right, he was almost always alone. He would meet someone else here and there but it was never for a long time.
"Yeah, we'd love to have you continue to travel with us," Ash said, braking Alec's thoughts.
"Maybe it is time. Ethan?" Alec asked him.
[Yeah, maybe it is,] Ethan responded.
"In that case. I'll take you up on that offer. Besides, I can help you train for your battle with Korrina" Alec told the group. They then set off for Shalour City, but taking a longer route.