(A/N: Oh Arceus, thank you guys so much for the follows and favorites! It means a whole lot to me. Rate and review, please! I'm out of creative threats for flamers, so just don't do it, okay?)

"So, this battle..." Serena says coldly. She's breathing heavily, as if she was just tired from the roughest fight she's ever had to face. Of course, I'm nowhere near that. Nobody compares to the great Champion of the Kalos region. I just got lucky with my win, that's all. "You're better than I thought, Shauna." Wait, what? Did she just say I didn't suck?

"Well, I'm not holding back in case we battle again!" I say, about 9,001 times more confidently than I feel. Actually, 9,001 times more is an understatement.

"Tell me why you came here," Serena demands. "Tell me and I won't do anything." She is freaking scary. "Now, Shauna."

"I, uh, I wanted to, uh, uh-"

"Don't hesitate."

"I wanted to get vengeance. I guess I got it the wrong way." I'm worse than she is, I think, as I harshly say those words. I'm her friend! I feel like something needs to go and blow up. If someone would come in, set everything on fire, or maybe blow it up, it wouldn't be like this.

"Shauna, don't be the low one here." Even Valerie's delicate voice manages to sound threatening in such a situation. "It's her way of dealing with things, not yours, and this is not a level you should sink to." I look to her, then to Serena, and then back again. The cycle repeats itself for multiple times. I don't even bother counting them.

"All right, you're right." I say "Serena, Calem... peace off!"

"What do you- get back here, Shauna!"

"No chance!" I call back, dashing away. Valerie follows, running slightly slower than me, as the two of us run into the elevator back down. It goes down one floor, and then stops completely.

"Huh?!" I yell, but a bit softer than a normal yell. Serena's voice once again comes up in the Poké Ball, but more threatening this time.

"Shauna," she says, in a teasing, almost sadistic tone. "Admit it. Admit it or this elevator doesn't move." I still play the clueless one, despite how well I know what she means. I am in love with Valerie, the Fairy-type Gym Leader of the Kalos region. Serena, the friend I thought I had, wanted me to say that.

"Admit what?" I say, imitating her tone.

"You know exactly what," she replies. She's calmer this time.

I take a moment to wonder what the frick is going on.

After I have completed my task of wondering what the frick is going on, I look at Valerie. She seems to be wondering the exact same thing.

When she seems to have completed this process, I let Leafeon out. The Poké Ball doesn't talk when Leafeon isn't in it, so I figure that also stops Serena from hearing Valerie and me.

"Screw it," I instantly say. Leafeon sits down, expecting a punishment, but I would never do that to a friend. Yes, a friend. It's cheesy and cliché, but Leafeon helped me get my courage up.

"What exactly are you referring to?" The warm look in her eyes tells me that she knows perfectly well, but wants me to spit it out. I never thought I'd have to do that! Naive, naive, naive, I call myself repeatedly.

Instead of answering, I touch Valerie's shoulder. A look of shock and slight happiness appears on her face. I turn to face her. It all comes down to this.

I kiss her.

"Je t'aime."

Oh Arceus what the heck am I thinking and doing and potato-

"Je t'aime aussi." And, just like that, our confessions are over with.

How the frick nuggets did I work up the courage to do that?

Leafeon walks up to the two of us. He scratches my knee softly, ignoring my soft "Ow..." and begging to come up on to my shoulder. I sigh and let him, and he cuddles me.

Aw, he's so cute, I think. Then, looking back up to Valerie, I confidently say, "We're going to make Leafeon be the greatest Pokémon ever!" She smiles widely at me.

"I haven't trained Grass Pokémon before, but knowing you, this will be great." We continue to make small talk, not caring as the time ticks by. Eventually, the elevator comes back to normal.

"Oh, thank Arceus!" I sigh. "I was getting sick of that cramped space." We finally step out, only to see Tierno standing in front of us. "Oh, Tierno. Where's Trevor?"

"He went off somewhere. Said he had to go study."

"He always does," I point out.

"Oh, Trevor. Didn't you tell me that he liked you?" Valerie asked.

"I'd love to awkwardly chat about this, but I have some dancing to work on."

"You always do."

"I need to get really good, though!" As he walks off, probably feeling tempted to practice right there in the Gym, my mind wanders to what one would call, "sensitive subjects".

How soon will it take for the others to find out about Valerie and me?

Why did I take Ninetales off my team for Sylveon, anyway?

Why is the sky blue?

Wait, what?

Clemont comes down, probably to grill me over the secret-ish-not-really room. Then again, he was probably the one who tried to make its location and existence known by me. I take a moment to decide just how screwed over I am.

"How did you get Serena to start the elevator back?" I ask, before he has a chance to yell at me. Stalling for the win. Surprisingly enough, he is completely calm in his quick response.

"I challenged her to a Pokémon match."

"And you won?" I say, shocked. I know Clemont is really good, but not nearly as good as Serena!

"No, I just stalled for time until I could get to the button." Well, that works, I guess. I didn't say that, though, because it would sound kind of mean. I've definitely been too mean today. It seriously sucks being a terrible person.

"Well, anyway, I guess Valerie and I will be going now."

"All right, then."

"I can tell you what happened tomor-"

"No, you will not," Valerie says, dragging me along by the left arm. My life resembles an anime right now! And plus, my arm hurts from being dragged by Valerie. She is freaking strong. Now the rest of me hurts as well, from being dragged across the ground. She takes me in to the café we met in before, and practically forces me to sit down. It's then I realize how late it is. It's almost 8:00, and I have to get to the next town!

"Valerie, thanks for having me. It's been, uh…" I struggle for lack of a good word. "-interesting."

"You were the one that invited me, don't forget," she responds. "Also, before you go, here." She passes me a Badge, which I recognize as the Fairy Badge. "You beat me, so you deserve it."

"Valerie, I'm not after badges! I'm after memories! And, I think I made one today." I smile for what seems like the first time in an eternity.

"Well, think of it as more a gift, then. A gift you earned, but a gift." She walks away before I can answer, or acknowledge the fact that she used the same line on Serena with the Dazzle Frazzle TM. Still though, I'm completely and totally amused.

Maybe a bit more than I should be.