(A/N: After so much waiting, I figured I owed you guys a new chapter. Enjoy! Warning: This chapter contains a cliffhanger. R&R, constructive criticism welcome, but flames will be fed to Booster the Flareon!)
"Why are we here, again?" I roll my eyes at her.
"Because, Valerie, I'm trying to get Serena back. You know, for setting us up."
"Wait, for what?"
"Didn't I tell you about this already?"
"I don't believe you did." I barely need to say a thing, considering I had kind of just explained it. "So that's why Serena was talking to an Eevee, before she leveled it up by that Moss Rock."
"Why were you even there, and how did you hear her talking?" I ask, a bit stressed and slightly scared.
"I have my ways," she says, like before. That seriously creeps me out sometimes. It's weird how weird everything is in this weird place. Why am I thinking 'weird' so much? I have no idea.
"So, the ideas?" I ask in a desperate attempt to change the subject back.
"Oh, yes. Maybe you could manipulate Leafeon back?" I shake my head.
"I already tried that with Sylveon. That's what made her do this, actually."
"Well, why don't you replace every contact on her Holo Caster with anime characters?"
"Please explain to me how I would do that." I say sarcastically. It's quite obvious that this is an aspect she has not considered.
"The same way I manage to watch every person's every move. By being sneaky," she says.
"I'm not too good at that, though!" I complain loudly. "I'm good at socializing, and cheering people up, and manipulating, but not being sneaky!" I flop my head down on the table in front of me. It's painful. Why does the stupid table have to be made of such hard stupid wood and stupid stupid stupid-
Stahp.
"Well, you said you're good at manipulating," Valerie ponders. "So, if you can think of something related to that, you can get your revenge."
"I've gotten mine, she just got hers back," I explain. "So, if I get revenge now, I'm just not being a good person!"
"So, why are we plotting, then?" Valerie asks. I brood over that for a while, before finally answering.
"I guess it's because of her. I honestly just don't like her," I say. "She's bossy, obnoxious, and-"
"Hold on, Shauna. Aren't you supposed to be the polite one?" Valerie says. "At least, that's what Serena said when we battled." I shake my head furiously, annoyed that even Valerie, my long-time friend and recent crush, thinks that about me.
"No, no, no! That's not it at all!" I stamp my foot angrily on to the ground, despite the fact that it makes next to no noise. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that it didn't. It was probably because logic.
"Then what is it?" Before I get the chance to answer, Leafeon's Poké Ball starts talking, as it always seems to at the most annoying/convenient times.
"So, wait, at Prism Tower, you say?" Serena? This is why I changed my opinion to convenient that quickly.
"Yeah, so I can keep being Gym Leader, and we can still discuss. I'll show you the hidden room so you and Calem can work on your plan."
"How did you even come up with such a complicated-as-frick plan?" Calem asks.
"Ways," Serena answers. "And stop saying frick, it's fricking annoying."
"Hypocrite," he mutters. I almost laugh, but stop when I remember that they can hear me. Being a friend of Clemont's, but with him also being aquainted with them, does have its advantages. I feel like he made it possible to hear both ways just so I could help. That guy is a genius!
"So, where is this hidden room of which you speak?" Serena asks. "And why the heck am I talking all fancy?"
"It's up here. Just go to the top floor, enter the door." I hear the noise of an elevator.
"Shauna, what exactly is the point-"
"Valerie, shush! I want to hear this."
"What door?" Calem's voice says from the Poké Ball.
"It's hidden. It's in the wall right behind the elevator you came up in." There are footsteps softer than a mute Pichu walking on a Cotton Guard, a click, and then the noise of a door opening. "Sorry for the size, but it's the best there is."
"Oh, no. This works just fine." I hear the door close, and then the Poké Ball clicks off. There's probably a control panel or something in the room.
"Valerie, did you hear that?" I ask excitedly. "We now know exactly where they are in Prism Tower!" I begin thinking about possible revenge plots. Valerie apparently has the same idea.
"Well, how are we going to get in?" she asks, a slightly sadistic smile on her face.
"Oh Arceus, that's creepy." I say. "But, maybe we could say you're trying to challenge the Gym!"
"One, I'm also a Gym Leader. Two, I only have Fairy Types. How am I going to get in? Even if I do, how can I beat him?"
"Well, I can't challenge him. I already have the Voltage Badge! Plus, I visit there so often that the Gym guide would get that something's up if I said I was a challenger."
"You visit there a lot? Why don't you just say you're visiting again?" I freeze. I never thought of that. Now I feel like a total idiot.
"Oh, yeah! I never thought of that!" Way to repeat my own thoughts. I feel like even more of an idiot now.
"Well, should we go there?" Valerie asks, interrupting my train of self-deprecating thought.
"Of course," I respond, standing up from my seat in the department of redundancy department. My brain is so brilliant for deciding to think that. Valerie stands up as well, and (for whatever reason) takes my hand. I run as fast as I freaking feel like running to the tower, dragging her along.
"Stop running so fast, Shauna!"
"But I'm being the best broccoli I can be!" I yell, not slowing down in the slightest. We reach the tower in about two minutes, made faster by my running and slower by Valerie's protesting to aforementioned running. I nod a quick hello to the Gym guide before jumping in to the elevator. It goes up to the next floor, and then the next, and then all the other floors. Brilliant thought process, because I'm cool like that.
"Hey, Clemont!" I say as I walk out of the elevator. "I'll just be entering the 'secret' room, now." I turn around. Valerie is still half-walking, half-being-dragged.
"How did you know about that?" In answer, I hold out Leafeon's Poké Ball. "How did that- Okay, I programmed that intentionally."
"Don't worry, I won't tell the lovebirds." I smile, and step in to the secret room. I'm prepared to do this. Completely, 100% prepared.
"Serena, what the heck!"
"Shauna, what the frick?!" We yell this at the same time. "And also, Valerie, what the frick?" Calem's reaction is slightly more intelligent.
"Wait, wait, wait. How did you two know about this room, and why are you guys not-" At this moment, he gets punched in the face.
"Idiot!" Serena yells.
"Ow! That actually kind of hurt!"
"Wait, really? I'm sorry."
"Not." He got punched again for no reason.
"Calm down, tsundere. Use Calm Mind on yourself," I say. "Better yet, have Calem's Delphox use Calm Mind on you. I'm sure he would do anything for you!" I dodge yet another punch. She's a violent, reckless idiot.
"All right, cut the crap. Why are you even in here?" Serena asks, aiming said question at either Valerie or me.
"Because, you traded me that Leafeon to set me up with her!" I say, unintentionally imitating her usual angry tone. Valerie stands there, about to watch us fight, and Calem looks on as well.
"So what?" she says sarcastically. "It's pretty obvious you like her, anyway."
"N-no I so freaking don't!" I say, half worriedly and half angrily.
"Now who's the tsundere?"
"I believe that would still be you," Calem says.
"Nobody asked for your opinion, you stupid idiot!" Serena yells. Then, with a tone even icier than usual, she turns back to me. "Well then, Shauna. I'm actually surprised you found this place. Only problem: It wasn't really a good idea."
"You want to go, Serena? I'll take you on any day!"
"Oh, it is on." And then, before I know it, I'm battling the Kalos Champion, the one who defeated Team Flare, and the greatest battler I know. She sends out her lead, an Espeon, and I counter with Mawile.
"Ready?" I smile, forgetting for a moment that I'm supposed to be violent and not hold back in the slightest.
"Game on. Amethyst, Calm Mind." The green Pokémon raises her head and calms her body and spirit.
"Mawile, Iron Head!" I take a significantly more offensive path. Mawile slams her jaws in to Amethyst's head. With her awesome Defense stat, though, it barely makes her flinch. Well, actually, she does flinch.
"Amethyst. Use Psychic." Amethyst does nothing in response but simply duck her head.
"Mawile, Payback!"
"Amethyst, Protect!" It fails, and Amethyst is knocked out. "H-how... how did you do that...?" Serena says in disappointment.
"I have no clue!" I reply.
"Well, no matter. Come on out, Icy!" A Lapras jumps out of the Poké Ball, as Valerie and Calem stare at our battle awkwardly.
"Icy, use Sheer Cold!" A blast of the purest cold comes rushing at insane speed at Mawile, which instantly makes her faint.
"Your Mawile was strong, but now what?" Serena taunts.
"I win," I reply. "Go, Sylveon!"
"Icy, use Hydro Pump." Serena commands. Her words are completely devoid of any emotion. Why doesn't she train with friendship in her team?
"Sylveon, Skill Swap!" I cry out, speaking as fast as humanly possible. "Thanks for the health." Hydro Pump hits Sylveon at full force, and does absolutely nothing.
"Amazing, Shauna!" Valerie calls from the side of the room.
"Calem, why don't you ever support me like that? I mean, they're not even dating, and you're my so-called boy-"
"I knew it!" I yell. "I ship it!"
"Damn you, Shauna. Icy, use Sheer Cold." The move misses completely.
"Sylveon, use Moonblast!" It hits, but Icy doesn't faint. Why does he have to have such fabulous Sp. Def?
"Now, use Sheer Cold again." It misses again, but by much less. I feel uneasy at the pain that would have caused to Sylveon.
"Sylveon, try a Dazzle Frazzle!" Sylveon emits a sparkling gleam, which slaps Icy in the face. Icy faints, and Serena gives me a surprised look.
"Who knew you could fight so well?" Calem raises his hand, and Serena gives him a 'shut-up-or-I-kill-you' look. He instantly puts his hand down.
"All right, then. Continue on," Valerie said. "I want to see the outcome."
"Gladly." I grin.
"I ship it!" Calem yells. Serena raises her hand up to slap him, but then realizes he's right in her opinion. Definitely not in real life.
Serena sends out her Sylveon, which she made me name Dragon Slayer.
"Dragon Slayer, use Moonblast!" I'm tempted to laugh at her, because both Dragon Slayer and Sylveon are Fairies, but the move is still normal effectiveness. What? This is how logic works. The battle passes on, with us on completely uneven terms throughout the entire thing. How am I actually good at this? Near the end of the battle, where I have taken out her Flareon and Yveltal, she sends out her Wobbuffet. Calem warned me about how that Wobbuffet took out his entire team. She has swept all but my Goodra so far.
Game freaking on.
"Goodra, use Earthquake!"
"Wobbuffet, Counter."
"Goodra, Double Team!"
"Wobbuffet, Safeguard."
"Goodra, Dragon Pulse!"
"Wobbuffet, Destiny Bond."
"Goodra, do it again!"
"Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat." I hold my breath. If this works right, Goodra will faint, and I'll be out of Pokémon. The Dragon Pulse hits Goodra back.
It almost makes it faint, but not quite.
"Goodra, Dragon Pulse a third time!"
"Wobbuffet, Destiny Bond again."
Both Pokémon faint at the exact same time.
"So, wait-" Calem begins his sentence, but Valerie interrupts it.
"The battle is a draw."
Serena and I both glare at each other. I'm better than her, anyway. But, yet, her plan, which was the whole reason that I confronted her here...
I may even want it to succeed.
