A/N: As of 5/18/17 Chapter 4 has been re edited and re uploaded
This chapter was actually one of the ones I worked a on for awhile. I took out some stuff and added an extended ending after Alex's outburst in the Pokemon Center. Reading the story again, I never gave a good reason as to why Alex hates/dislikes Aria. But now I hope I gave enough of a reason. He's actually feeling resentment toward her, for how happy she seems preforming. When Alex meets Ariana this will be more apparent...but that won't be for awhile. Hope you all enjoy the extended ending!
Pokemon XY
Legends of Kalos
Chapter 4
Santalune City
After two days of training, Alex and Yvonne finally made it to Santalune City. The city was known around the region as the most artistic, since it was filled with amateur artists. The cobble stone paths made the city feel like a city from the Renaissance era. The large fountain in the center square was by far the most beautiful part of the city. It was of a Roselia, the Rose pokemon had been carved out of pure granite, and the attention to detail was spot on. The water was coming out of the roses, landing in the larger part of the fountain.
Alex had snapped a few pictures of it on his PokeGear as they passed by it. Yvonne had taken it upon herself to show him all of the hot spots in the city.
"Now that we're in Santalune city, we can talk about your final preparations. We've done all we could in the training department, but there's always room for improvement. There's always time for the little things." She said.
"Is that why you took me to that boutique?" he asked, gesturing to all the bags in his hands.
Part of the time they had spent walking around in Santalune was her buying crap. When he asked what she needed all the clothes and accessories, she just smiled and giggled, in a typical girl fashion. He sighed, his arms feeling like noodles.
"Sheesh, if she and Nancy ever met I don't think I would survive!" he mentally exclaimed. The thought of Yvonne shopping with his fellow idol made him grow pale. Thankfully, Yvonne didn't even noticed. She turned to face him, a bright smile on her face.
"That's part of the reason, the second part of the reason is well...I needed an extra pair of hands. I got everything I needed, so lets just sit down and talk." She said, gesturing toward one of the nearby benches.
The plaza they were in was small compared to the main town square. The gym could be seen in the distance, the large red roof being the most noticeable of all the buildings. The shining blue sky was slowly filling with puffy white clouds, and some Pidgey and Fletchling were flying around the city.
"Finally." he said, setting the bags down. Yvonne rolled her eyes.
"He'll never develop muscles if he doesn't lift things up." she thought to herself.
She took a look around the plaza, noticing the other trainers and Pokemon currently enjoying the sunny day. She figured most of them were there for their first gym battle, as they all looked like newbie trainers, though few of them looked experienced. She shook her head, glancing at her friend.
"Anyway, lets talk about the Gym battle, who will you be using?" she asked.
"I was thinking of going with Taillow and Staryu. Vixen isn't ready for a gym battle yet. She hasn't gotten over her shyness for battling yet."
"Yes, that is a very worrying thing. Like I said, battling might not be her forte." the young woman replied. Alex nodded, glancing at the ground.
"She can battle...we were able to battle Taillow. She was also able to battle another friend of mine back in Lumiose city, and she did really well too."
"Really? What Pokemon did you end up battling?"
"An Electrike. She did pretty well against it, but when we battled you, she locked up." he said sadly.
"Don't worry, she'll come around. So, Taillow and Staryu are your choices, not a bad match up against Sirskit and Vivillon." she said.
"I have an overall strategy for both Pokemon, but I might end up relying on Taillow a lot more, seeing as he's the only one with the type advantage."
"That's true, but you shouldn't put the burden of an entire battle on one Pokemon's shoulders. However, I think a pre-battle warm up will do you guys good..now if only there was a trainer willing to battle you." she said, looking around the area.
Her eyes locked onto a young girl, with long brown hair tied into ponytails with red ribbons. She was wearing an orange dress, with a tan halter. She had orange sleeves, with rolled up cuffs. She wore black tights with matching brown boots. By her feet was a Charmander, wearing a blue scarf around its neck. The most interesting thing about this Charmander was its distinct golden color. She smirked and looked at Alex.
"I found the perfect trainer for you to battle." she said, a proud look on her face.
"Who you? I'm sure I would kick your ass." he said, glancing up from the ground. She narrowed her eyes, huffing a bit.
"No, it isn't me. It's someone else...hey you...cutie with the Charmander!" Yvonne called out, getting the girl's attention. She rose her hand high above her head, waving it like a maniac. Alex cringed, glaring at the girl.
"Yvonne what the hell are you doing?" he hissed. The girl ignored him, still grinning like mad.
"My friend here wants to battle you. He says your hot!" She cried out, teasing her friend, who's blush darkened. The girl's hazel eyes brightened a bit and she stood up, walking over to them, her Charmander hot on her heels. She didn't seem to care about what the girl had said, mostly interested in the battle.
"So, you want to battle?" she asked, glancing at Alex.
He stood up, giving her a firm nod. He noticed that he stood a few inches taller than her, but even then, the fiery look in her eye didn't waver. He could tell she was experienced in battle, and the two badges she was wearing was proof of that. He swallowed his nervousness putting on a confident look.
"I'm training for my gym battle later on, my team needs a little warm up." He said.
"A gym battle huh, we just won ours not that long ago. Viola was super easy, well...we did have the advantage. If you want to battle, then I wouldn't mind accepting it. My name is Zera by the way, and this is my partner Carla."
"Char char." the Pokemon greeted, waving its tiny arms.
"I'm Alex, it's nice to meet you Zera." he said with a smile. Yvonne stood up from the bench, wrapping her arms around both trainers, giving them a smile.
"Okay then, I'll ref the match. This will be a two on two pokemon battle between the trainers Alex and Zera. The battle is over when either side can't battle...is that okay?" she asked. Zera nodded, giving a thumbs up.
"Fine by me. Carla, you're up first." She said, her starter eagerly jumped into the field, letting out a small flame from its mouth. Yvonne stood near the fountain, glancing at both ends of the makeshift field.
"Okay then, I'll go with a type advantage, Staryu I choose you." Alex called out, tossing his Pokeball into the air, it snapped open, and the star shape Pokemon came out, giving a firm Keh in greeting.
"Battle begin." Yvonne said enthusiastically. Secretly, she was rooting for her friend, but Zera showed the confidence of having battled many times. She caught the glint of her gym badges, which were attached to her satchel's strap.
"The Coumarine Plant Badge and the Santalune Bug badge. So she's already been there? But why doesn't she have the Cliff badge or the Rumble badge?" she thought, eyes narrowed.
"You can attack first Zera, ladies first." Alex said, putting his hand on his glasses. The girl smiled, surprised at his politeness.
"You'll regret that, Carla use Roar." she cried.
"CHAR." Carla roared, large sound waves flew at Staryu.
The Pokemon grew startled going back into its Pokeball. A second Pokeball snapped open, releasing Vixen into the field. The eevee looked around the field, letting out a sharp scream before running behind Alex's feet.
"Shit." he swore, under his breath of course. He glanced at his pokemon, seeing her shivering behind his legs.
"Well, I wasn't expecting this." Zera said, clearly amused.
Alex had a look of defeat on his face. He hadn't been expecting such an upset this early in the battle. Then again, stuff like this was bound to happen, so he had to think on his feet.
"Well, Vixen has been called out, and switching her with Taillow is a no-go. I gotta go with what I got."
"Vixen, please can you battle for me? I want you to get strong, and you'll never grow over your shyness if you don't battle." he said softly.
"Vee vee vee." she cried, though it was muffled by her paws.
"Remember our battle with Mui? You did great in that battle, if you believe in yourself, you'll do fine..so come on, we can do it." he said with a smile. Vixen looked at her trainer, seeing the fire in his eyes. She got up and runs into the field, pawing the ground, a firm look on her face.
"Vee." she said confidently.
"Start us off with Swift, and add a spin to it." he called out.
"Vee Eevee." Vixen cried, she spun rapidly on her paw, swinging her tail to and fro. Glowing stars flew outward, turning almost into a funnel as they grew closer and closer to the fire lizard.
"Carla use Dragon Tail." Zera called out, not expecting Alex's tactic She was hoping to cancel it out before it hit.
Carla ran forward, her tail being bathed in blue energy, the flame at the tip of its tail increasing in size. Carla swung her tail hard, breaking apart all of the stars, kicking up dust around herself.
"Damn, that's one strong Dragon Tail. Okay Vixen, go for a Tackle." Alex cried.
"Counter it with Slash." Zera called out.
Carla raced forward, arm raised up with elongated claws. She met Vixen's tackle with a powerful slash. Vixen howled in pain, skidding across the ground. She easily righted herself, landing on her feet. She shook the sand off her fur, ignoring the pain.
"Vixen, are you alright?" Alex called out, concerned about his partner.
"Vee."
"Alright then, go ahead and attack with Sand Attack." he cried out. Vixen ran forward, scraping its paw against the ground, kicking up a bunch of dirt and dust. Carla coughed loudly, using its tail to blow away the sand.
"Way to go Vixen. Follow up with a Tackle." he called out.
"Carla, Thunder Punch." Zera cried.
"What?!" Alex cried, not expecting that move at all.
Carla ran forward, pulling her fist back as it crackled with glowing electrical energy. She slammed her crackling fist into Vixen's face, sending her flying back into the ground. She rolled around for a few feet, electricity crackled over its body.
"Vixen!" Alex cried. The Pokemon struggled to stand, its legs buckled uncontrollably and it fell forward, dropping into unconsciousness.
"Vixen is unable to battle, the winner is Carla." Yvonne said.
"Yes! Nice job Carla, you totally rocked out there." Zera said, high fiving her partner.
"Char char." she cried happily. Alex returned his fallen friend, a frown on his face.
"Well, you did great girl...we still have a lot to work on, but you tried and that's what counts." he said, glancing at the Pokeball in his hand.
"Shake it off Alex, I know you can win this." Yvonne cheered loudly. He smiled a bit and placed the ball on his belt, drawing Staryu's ball.
"Lets go Staryu." he cried. The star shape pokemon returned to the field, glancing at his opponent.
"How about you sit this one out Carla, I have a nice Pokemon for him to battle against." Zera said.
Carla nodded, sitting down next to her feet. She opened the flap of her satchel and pulled out a dark ball from its confines.
"Time for your first battle, lets go Litleo." she cried, throwing the ball upward. It snapped open, releasing a small black and tan cub into the field. It gave a firm roar, wiggling its ears and tail.
"Leo." it roared, though it sounded like a cute howl instead. Yvonne cooed a bit, glancing at the clearly adorable pokemon. Alex looked on curiously, pulling his Pokedex from his vest pocket.
"Litleo the Lion Cub Pokemon. These Pokemon set off from their prides to live on their own and become stronger. Often times, the require a gentle push from their Pyroar leaders. If they refuse to leave, the are often left behind."
"Another fire type. I'm getting a vibe that she's a fire trainer...no matter, Staryu, are you ready for this?" He asked.
"Keh."
"Okay then, lets start by raising our physical defense. Use Barrier." he said.
"Keh." the pokemon cried, its gem glowed brightly as a diamond shaped box appeared around its body. It remained for a few more seconds before disappearing entirely.
"An interesting start. Litleo use Noble Roar to lower their power." Zera cried out.
Litleo planted its paws firmly on the ground, unleashing a loud roar. Alex was expecting it to return his Pokemon to its ball, but instead he was greeted with an orange glow, which enveloped Staryu's form.
"What he hell?" he asked, unable to understand what had just happened.
"I can tell you are new to the region, so I'll fill you in. Noble Roar is an attack that only Litleo and Pyroar, its evolution can learn. It lowers the opponents Attack and Special Attack. Where you stand now, all of your attacks have been lowered, meaning any water type attacks will do less than normal damage to Litleo." Zera said, a smug look on her face.
Alex narrowed his eyes in thought. It was a rookie mistake to confuse two moves, and in his defense it was the first time he had heard about Noble Roar. Now that his attacks were lowered, he'd have to think of another strategy. He noticed the puffy white clouds above them, a smile wormed its way onto his face.
"Staryu, lets try that new attack we worked on yesterday. Use Rain Dance." he said.
"Keh." Staryu cried, forming a large gray orb in its top point. It launched it into the air, creating a swirling mass of clouds.
The wind picked up and a steady rain begun to fall. Yvonne reached into her pack, pulling out a bright pink umbrella, almost as if she had been prepared for something like that. Zera on the other hand seemed a little mad that he had summoned a rain storm, evident by the fact that she kept sweeping her bangs out of her eyes. Carla also decided it would be best to take shelter under a nearby bench, tucking her tail to its body.
"We're at a disadvantage here Litleo, so make sure your attacks hit home. Go in for the Tackle." she said.
"Staryu, Water Gun."
Litleo broke into a sprint, its body glowing a bit as it went in for the attack. Staryu waited for the cub to be close before unleashing its water gun. It hit Litleo dead in the chest, causing it to cry in pain. It skid to a halt, steam rising off its body. Litleo shook his himself, getting some of the water of its body.
"Litleo quick, use Headbutt." Zera countered.
Litleo sprung forward, slamming his head into Staryu's gem, the barrier appeared before it, reducing the damage a bit. Litleo cried in pain, rubbing his forehead with a paw.
"Snap, I forgot the Barrier was still active. Are you alright Litleo?" Zera asked, sweeping her hair out of her eyes.
"Leo Lit." the lion cub yipped happily.
"Rapid Spin, Staryu!" Alex cried out.
Staryu jumped into the air, spinning around as fast as it could. It slammed into Litleo's side, sending it flying back. The cub pokemon ended sliding through the mud, landing in a rather large puddle. It yipped in pain, trying and failing to stand up.
"Now Staryu, finish it off with Water Pulse." Alex cried out.
"Litleo, dodge it." Zera called out. Litleo however was still struggling to stand up. Being unable to move in time, it took the Water Pulse dead on. It gave a firm howl before passing out from the attack. Thunder crackled above them, as the rain intensified a bit. Yvonne rose her hand up, a smile on her face.
"Litleo is unable to battle, Staryu is the winner. Will you continue the battle or end it in a tie?" She asked.
"I can keep going, but I can tell Zera is a little annoyed because of the rain. Besides, I can't waste anymore time...I have to head to the Gym for my battle." he said.
"Alright, this match is a tie then. Good job to both sides, Alex I saw tons of improvement. I also saw things we can work on, but right now we should get out of this rain." she said.
He nodded and returned his Staryu, thanking it for a job well done. He grabbed his backpack from the bench, along with all of Yvonne's things, which had somehow remained dry through the rain dance.
"The Pokemon center is this way...come on." Yvonne said, leading him down a side street. Zera picked up Carla and followed after them.
"Hey Alex, that was a great battle...I'm sure you'll win the badge."
"Thanks Zera. Your Charmander is very well trained...I didn't expect her to take Vixen out so quickly." he said.
"Well, me and Carla have been training together for a long time. Since I was twelve actually. It's been a long four years since then, but we give it our all. Litleo is a Pokemon I caught here in Kalos." she said.
"So you aren't from the region huh? I could tell by your attire. It's more for a summer climate, though the tights...those are a little iffy." Yvonne said.
"Says the girl wearing the high waisted skirt and stockings combo. Anyone can see up your skirt at any time." Zera countered. Yvonne gave her a grin, licking her glossy lips.
"They can try all the want, but I'm wearing spats." She said proudly.
"What the hell are spats?" Alex asked, getting an odd look from the two girls.
"You've never heard of spats before?" Zera asked.
"I'm not a woman so no I don't know what spats are. You know what, I've lost interest. Tell me more about your home region." he asked, glossing over the previous topic.
"Eh, I got a few minutes to kill. I come from a region south of here. It's called La Guardia, I'm from one of the northern most cities, Summerville, the city of perpetual season change."
"Why is it called that?" Yvonne asked curiously. She smiled, remembering the legend revolving her home town.
"It's quite the story. Long ago, when the city was just a small village, an Articuno and a Moltres got into an argument about who would have what season. Articuno wanted it to be winter, while Moltres wanted it to be summer. They couldn't settle their differences so they went in search of people who could help them. Articuno allied itself with a beautiful woman, a princess of ice and snow named Elise, while Moltres allied itself with a fiery young man named August." She said, a smile on her face.
"Hmm...this story seems familiar for some reason." Alex muttered, stroking his chin in thought. Zera shrugged, deciding to continue.
"They told the two about their woes and through some persuasion, both agreed to help out. When the two met each other again, they jumped into battle, without even thinking up a plan. Elise's graceful control of Articuno proved to be no match for Moltres and August's fiery attitude, so they lost the first battle, and thus the city was named Winterville."
"Uh...didn't you say it was called Summerville a few minutes ago?" Alex asked. Zera glared at him, clearly annoyed for being interrupted.
"Ahem, as I was saying...August and Moltres vowed to return in three years time, when the tides of battle would be in his favor. Elise agreed and he left, the premise of battle on the forefront of his mind.
True to his word, August returned three years later. He spent his time training Moltres and countless fire pokemon, in order to beat Elise and her Ice types. The ice princess didn't waver in strength either..they had another showdown on the hill that overlooked the city, with the citizens watching on. The battle raged on for hours, but it turned to August's favor, and he ended up beating the Ice Princess, earning him three years of Summer."
"Hehe, Fire beats ice any day." Yvonne said, chuckling to herself. Alex looked at her curiously, wondering where her comment had even come from.
"Continue, please."
"Alright then, after that initial battle, the two would battle every three years, in order to change the seasons. The first time this had happened, Elise and August had only been six years old, but by the twenty first year, both of them were in their early twenties. Elise had grown into a beautiful young woman, and August into a very handsome man. The two had been battling for years, but never took the chance to get to know each other, so instead of their usual battle over the seasonal change, August asked her on a date. Elise was taken aback by this, but decided to humor him.
She found the fiery young man to be rather charming. Under all of that cockiness was a kindhearted person, who cared and loved for his Pokemon dearly. August on the other hand found Elise to be rather beautiful in her own way, not just on the outside but on the inside as well. From that moment on, the two had fallen in love, and had decided to stop the needless battles. But, on the day of their wedding, they decided on a final showdown, one that would decide which season would be the one who would reign supreme." she said.
"Leave it to the princess to fall in love with the hot guy, this time literally as he's a fire pokemon trainer." Yvonne said.
The three trainers entered the Pokemon center, by now the rain had stopped, but they were still soaking wet. Alex shivered a bit from the air conditioning. He turned to the young brunette, still interested in the story.
"What happened after that Zera?" he asked. She giggled and shook her finger.
"Not telling, we need to heal our Pokemon first." she said. He deflated a bit, giving her a nod.
"Fair enough." he said. Yvonne chuckled.
"Man, she has you on that story hook line and sinker doesn't she?" she said.
"Well of course, it mentions Legendary Pokemon. You know I dabble in myths and legends. What? You think its a fake story, with so much detail added in?" Alex asked.
"I'm not saying its not fake. It's a legend, of course its suppose to sound like that. What I mean is, she has you enthralled with her story..I should have worded it better. Here, I'll take those bags from you know, hopefully nothing inside was ruined. By the way, I took the liberty of telling Viola that you were coming by for a battle.
"What? When?" he asked.
"At the boutique...she was there buying some fancy clothes for some gathering she has in a few weeks. I'm surprised you didn't see her...then again you had your face glued onto your PokeGear, watching the news of all things." She said.
"Well, I like to be informed, so don't blame me for watching them." he said, glancing around nervously. Zera giggled a bit, her new friends seemed to have chemistry between them, she was a bit curious of how they acted when they were alone.
Nurse Joy greeted them with a bright smile, her Wigglytuff was busy taking care of a few other things. The three handed over their Pokemon to have them checked, and then moved to one of the comfy benches near the entrance, facing one of the large flat screens that was mounted from the ceiling. Alex had been nice enough to lend Zera his towel so that she could dry her hair. Thankfully, Kalos region Pokemon centers had changing rooms, so she was able to change her clothes in there without having to rent a room. Yvonne was next to them, checking over her accessories and placing them in her bag, which had a lot of space for some reason or another.
Alex glanced at Zera's satchel, seeing the two glittering badges. He leaned in to look at them closer, prompting the girl to blush a bright crimson.
"W-what are you doing?" she asked.
"Nothing...just trying to see those gym badges." he said.
"Well don't do that, a girl might thing you are looking at something else." she said.
"What the hell else would I be staring at?" he asked, glancing into her hazel eyes.
Yvonne coughed a bit, not expecting to hear that from her male companion. If she wanted too, Zera would have taken it as an insult, but he was clearly talking about something else entirely. She shook it off and brought the badges closer so that he could see them.
"I won this one in Coumarine City a few weeks ago. It is called the Plant Badge. The one below it is the Bug Badge, the one you get when you defeat Viola." she said.
Alex stared at the two badges closely, seeing them glitter in the light. He caught his reflection on the glass dew drop of the Plant badge, he frowned a bit. He still wasn't used to his current look. He missed his black hair, and his ruby red eyes. He now had to wear blue contacts and fake eye glasses, just so he wasn't recognizable to anyone who actually might figure him out. Zera caught his look and placed a hand over his own.
"Are you okay? You seem sorta down."
"I'm uh...I'm fine." he said, pulling his hand out from under hers. Yvonne shook her head and went back to counting her accessories, placing them all in a pink and blue box.
"So anyway can you finish the story? Who won the battle? Elise or August?" he asked.
"Oh right...Elise and August ended up tying when they fought on their wedding day. It was then that the two decided, on every third year, the season would switch, if it was Summer, it would become Winter, and if it was Winter, it would become Summer. Later on, their kids were the ones that took care of Articuno and Moltres, who eventually had babies of their own. On the tallest hill in Summerville, where the two always battled, a Statue was erected in their honor, carved out of pure granite. The legend lives on, through the ancient words detailed on the plaque. The town used to be called Hiberna-Aestate Town, but was later changed to Summerville, as every third year, the season would change to summer." she said with a smile.
Her face turned into a pout and she looked away, angrily rubbing her hair with the towel. Alex wondered why she had suddenly gotten angry, as she was forcefully drying her hair.
"However, modern science has proved that due to the geographical location of Summerville and the positioning of La Guardia, the season changes every third year, due to the climate and what not. They pretty much said that the story of Elise and August was nothing more than an old wives tale. That's also part of the reason the Mayor of Summerville doesn't want any scientists in the city, with the exception of the Pokemon Researchers. The Legend was told by the statue that was carved there, and that's what we're all sticking to. That's for sure." she said.
"I gotta say, that is a really cool story. Legendary Pokemon changing the seasons...their trainers falling in love, its so romantic." Yvonne said.
"Well, I certainly believe it. I haven't done research on La Guardia at all, but if two people were aligned with Moltres and Articuno then it must have been true. After all, Legendary Pokemon don't just willingly join a person's team. This something I'll have to research." Alex said, pulling out a notebook, jotting the story down.
"Uh...does he do that often?" Zera asked curiously. Yvonne shrugged, glancing at the teen who was muttering things under his breath.
"I'm not sure, he loves Pokemon Myths though and has even expressed some knowledgeable stuff." she said.
"Has he? That's quite interesting." the brunette said, glancing at her new acquaintance.
"So, you have any other things to share with us Miss Zera?" Alex asked, closing his little notebook. He hoped she had more interesting legends to share with him. Alas that wasn't the case.
"Hmm...well I can share this. You've been wondering why my Charmander is gold, I can see it in your eyes. To answer the question, I used to be the Gym leader of Summerville's Pokemon Gym."
"You're a Gym leader? Honey I don't see that in you." Yvonne said, giving her a once over.
Zera rose a brow in amusement, handing the towel back to Alex who started to fold it up. She took out a brown hair brush and started brushing her long hair.
"Not a lot of people do. I was the leader there for four long years. The old Gym leader was retiring, so everyone who was capable entered their name in a ballot to see who would get the spot. In the end, my older sister Winter ended up becoming the leader."
"Huh...what happened then?" Alex asked curiously. The girl huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.
"She wanted to leave desperately, so she was throwing all of her battles, the gym became a laughingstock. I got pissed one day and decided to show her how to battle. I took out three rookie trainers with Carla alone. Little did I know, it was all a ploy to dump me with the responsibility." she said.
She set down her brush and pulled out two red ribbons, quickly pulling her hair into its usual pigtails.
"I decided to take over the Gym, not just because she was irresponsible, but because I wanted to give our city some rep. I was actually supposed to go on my own journey, since my older brother Natsuno gave me Carla. She was hatched from an egg his Charizard had way before I was the gym leader. He thought his cute little sister deserved it and gave her to me as a birthday gift."
"Then what got you to quit? Finally get fed up?" Yvonne asked curiously. Zera gave her a nod, a frown on her face.
"After four years of training and beating rookie trainers every once and a while, my brother came back and took over. He was honestly really pissed that Winter left such a burden on me. But I grew strong so it was a benefit in the end." she said proudly.
She finished tying her hair back an started brushing her bangs, using an orange compact mirror to look at her reflection.
"Sounds like another person who's having sister problems." Yvonne said, looking at Alex who huffed and looked away.
"First off, my sister didn't dump a gym on me, and second she and I haven't spoken in forever. I'm sure Winter and Zera have spoken to each other." he said.
"We have, and she's still insufferable. She's currently the Hoenn Region, Lavaridge Town to be precise. Something about some hot spring get away she won. What about you Alex, where are you from?" Zera asked.
"Aspertia city...well if you want to get technical, I was born and raised in Ecruteak city"
"So you waited this long to become a trainer?" she asked, looking him over. He couldn't be much older than her, sixteen at most. He gave her a nod, taking a deep breath.
"You wouldn't understand. It's been rather hard for me these past few years...it's something I can't really talk about at this moment." he said firmly. Zera gave him a firm nod.
"Okay, if you don't feel like talking about it, it's completely fine. It is your life after all."
"Attention! Attention! Calling all Mademoiselles of the Kalos Region!" a man called out, in a thick Kalosian accent. It was actually a rather familiar voice, to Alex and Yvonne at least. Zera just looked at the television screen with curiosity.
All three of them looked up at the television, seeing a sharply dressed blond man on screen. He was wearing a snazzy blue suit, with a bolo tie around his neck, which held a very large key. He was wearing matching blue pants and formal shoes, along with a blue top hat. He had a cane in his hands, and atop it was a weird key shaped Pokemon.
"Wow, look Klefki, it looks bigger than last time!" Yvonne said, clearly impressed by the Pokemon. Alex was quick to look up its data.
"Klefki, the Key ring Pokemon. This Pokemon loves to collect old keys. It will not hand over a key once its been placed in its personal collection. Only its trainers can use or even touch the keys in their collection."
"A Steel/Fairy Type an interesting combination." he muttered. He had seen various Fairy Type pokemon since arriving at Kalos. He was honestly growing more and more curious about the type and what they could do. It was an odd thing for him to think, especially with the rumors about said type.
"My name is Monsieur Pierre, and I am here today because it is once again time for the Pokemon Showcase."
The man disappeared in a flash of light, only to reappear on a grand looking stage. Confetti burst behind him, the rainbow colored paper falling gracefully around his form.
"Ah yes, it has been far too long since we saw each other mes amie. But it is finally time for us to search for the new Kalos Queen, the one who will take the lovely Aria's place as the next Queen of Kalos." he said excitedly.
The camera shifted behind him, where a beautiful young woman was making her way down as set of stairs. She was wearing a pressed white sleeveless shirt, with a matching yellow and blue stripped skirt. She wore matching blue stripped stockings and pink heels. Her red hair was tied into a ponytail with a blue ribbon, and she was wearing a very beautiful diamond tiara. Beside her stood a Braixen, wearing a tiara of its own.
"Hello everyone! My name is Aria and this is my partner Braixen...the Kalos Pokemon Showcase is underway, with our first showcase being in a weeks time in the capital of Kalos, the beautiful Lumiose City. The grand stage will be in Centrico Plaza, with Prism Tower as your backdrop. I encourage you ladies to sign up, I shall be an honorary judge for the evening. One lucky winner may get a chance to meet me and Braixen in person. So please, sign up as quick as you can, spots are first come first serve, so good luck." she said with a wink.
Pierre stood next to her, before the two gave a bow. The commercial ended with Kelfki showing off what looked to be a golden key, with an emerald as the center gem, and a yellow bow wrapped around the frame of the key.
"Well, they sure spent a lot of money making that flashy commercial. How can anyone want to participate in one of those?" Zera asked.
"Hell if I know, that was a cool Klefki...and Braixen was pretty well groomed too." he said. He decided to go ahead and search its information as well.
"I gotta admit, Monsieur Pierre is pretty handsome." she added. Alex looked away from her, a weird look on his face.
"Well, might as well add being Pierre's nephew to the list of secrets I am not sharing with anyone ever. Though I wonder what he's doing here in Kalos...I wasn't aware he even lived here."
"What's wrong Alex? Nervous because you fell in love with the Kalos Queen?" she asked.
"What?!" he asked, making several trainers, even the nurse to look at him curiously. He blushed, pushing his glasses up his nose so that the glare would block his eyes.
"Jeez, loud much? It's no secret that everyone, man, woman, and child is totally in love with Aria. She has everything a good Queen needs, and she's won every Master Showcase for the past two years, making that title even more valuable." Yvonne said, matter of factly.
"Oh really? Then why is this the first time I'm hearing of her? She can't be very good if she isn't going international." he said, a firm look on his face. The two girls shared a look, unable to comprehend what he was getting at. Zera shrugged, a smile on her face.
"I heard of her back in La Guardia, while I was still in Summerville. She's what every girl growing in Kalos dreams of being...sadly I don't share that dream. I want to collect all the badges in existence and win the Masters Tournament. That's my dream."
"That's a pretty big dream. I on the other hand am just a simple man. I just want to travel..to see the world. I don't really care about being the best, just as long as I can travel with my Pokemon." he said, a smile on his face.
"Now that just makes me even more curious about what you used to do before. Come on, give me a hint?" Zera asked.
"Nope. Not telling." he said, giving her a wink. He glanced at the television, his smile instantly turning into a scowl.
"Punk Rocker Charlie Livewire is still missing. The Teenage star has remained off all social media, and his manager is absolutely livid. Though he was very professional in his interviews, one could still see the anger in his eyes and speech. Leila Gutierrez still won't accept interviews and the other members of the Psychics have decided to take a break and go back home."
"Yes, they decided to follow in their leaders footsteps and take a break as well. No one knows where he is, but you can bet we'll be there when he is found. So if you have any tips on his location, please don't hesitate to call."
"Heh, fucking dirt bags...can't they respect a persons choices? Instead of being one step behind them?" Alex said rather angrily.
"I don't agree with the paparazzi either. They're little leeches searching for information on anyone, just to make a quick buck. But other than that, it's a shame that Charlie is gone...I miss his music so much..I have all his CDs." Zera said.
"You do?" Alex asked, looking at her curiously.
Even Yvonne shared a surprised look. Sure she knew who the singer was but she wasn't that devoted to him. She liked pop music better anyway.
"Yes, I hate to admit it but I am a total groupie. I just love his music, it's what I used to listen to when I trained my pokemon. I sort of forgot my PokeNav when I was packing so I don't have any of his music. My mom is taking Arceus long to send it here. I only went to one of his concerts, the one he did in Virbank City a few weeks back. It was one where he shared a stage with Roxie and the Toxics, they even signed my CDs. I wanted to take a picture but his manager was a real dick."
"I'll bet." he said, swallowing the lump in his throat.
"I'm kind of annoyed he left though...what could have just driven him to leave? Just to train Pokemon? What about his fans?"
"Maybe he was just tired of the limelight and wanted to be away from it. Maybe he wanted to train Pokemon because it was his true calling and not singing. Maybe he did it just to piss some people off, who cares? As long as he is doing what he loves, it shouldn't matter..his choices shouldn't matter to anyone. If his fans can't accept that, then they don't deserve to be his fans." he said.
He stood up, grabbing his pack and slinging it over his shoulder. He headed toward the front desk, wanting to get his Pokemon back. Zera and Yvonne shared a look of confusion. The older girl shrugged and stood up, grabbing her empty bags, which she started crumpling and tossing.
"Wonder what that was about?" she muttered.
She payed it no mind however, as Alex's gym battle was on the forefront of her mind. She was interested in this trainer, and she wanted to see his first ever gym battle. Maybe he'd let her travel with them, so she could learn more about him and his secret as well.
Xxx
"I'm such an idiot. Another outburst like that and I'll be found out, that's the last damn thing I need." Alex thought to himself as he stepped into the single person bathroom. Thankfully the Pokemon center was empty so he doubted anyone could show up. He sat down on the sink, pulling out his PokeGear. He quickly typed in his friend's number, hitting the call button. He pressed the device to his ear, making sure the device remained on Phone mode.
"Hello?" a peppy voice said. He smiled a bit, leaning back against the mirror.
"Yancy, it's so good to hear your voice." he said. He heard something fall on the other end of the line, and figured the girl had been leaning back in her chair like she often did. A groan filled his ears, followed by shuffling. He chuckled quietly before hearing a bit of panting.
"You scared the hell out of me Charlie, jeez."
"Sorry sweetheart, I didn't mean to, I promised. I was watching that live stream a few days back and decided to give you a call."
"Oh good, a lot of people were wondering why I kept looking at my Xtranciver all night. Can we video chat? I wanna see you."
"Sorry Yancy, but I'm not really in the mood too. Besides the bathroom I'm hiding in is really gross looking. A beautiful idol like you doesn't need to see that." he said. He heard a snort on the other end of the line.
"Did you forget, we shared a stage in Black City. The bathrooms there are horrible...but if you don't want to video chat that's fine. Charlie, do you know how much trouble your in?"
"I'm guessing a lot. Also call me Alex, I changed my name and really don't want to he called that anymore." he said firmly. The young woman sighed, and he could almost see her nod at his request.
"Fine, but honestly speaking. You're father has come to everyone, asking about you. He threatened to expose my secret identity if I didn't tell him where you were. He also said that your under contract so you could get arrested for breaching it."
"He can kiss my ass. I'm turning seventeen in a few weeks, so he can't force me to sign a new one. Besides the place where I'm at has a legal adult age of 17, and I already worked on getting my residency papers in order." he said.
"Oh, and where would that be, hmm?"
"Sorry, I can't say. Just in case he returns or this call is tapped. Listen, I just wanted to let you know that I'm fine. You're my best friend and I wanted you to know."
"Aw, I'm flattered sweetie...but I want you to be safe okay? I know exactly what you are doing. Trust me, I did the same thing not long ago and it was the best choice I made. Just have fun."
"Thanks, I don't know when I'll call again...I'm going in for my first badge today. Guess I'll text you when I can." he said.
"Alright, tell me all about your battles then. Talk to you soon?"
"Yeah, bye Yancy." he said softly ending the call. He closed his PokeGear, pushing himself off the counter. He looked at his reflection, fixing his beanie.
"Right, it's time to battle. I'll win this one for Yancy and my other friends." he said firmly. With that he left the bathroom, looking forward to his first Gym battle in the Kalos Region.