New chapter :) Please review!

Chapter 3

"Woah!" I exclaim, looking at Route 4.

"It's so pretty!" Route 4 is filled with bright yellow and blood-red flower patches cut into geometric shapes. Hedge mazes lie on either side of the small path cutting through, and

I can see gardeners patrolling at the side. Up at front, Perle Fountain sprays a cool mist into the air and is surrounded with other roller skaters.

"I agree, it's really pretty!" Rinka says. "Can we go to Perle Fountain?"

"Sure! Come on!" We run to the fountain. S

Suddenly, a flock of wild Pidgeys flies down and settles on the stone bench where other skaters are taking a break.

"Hm... I don't think Pidgeys can be found here naturally... maybe they're migrating north for summer?" Rinka muses.

"Hey, Rinka, why don't you catch one? It would be great to get a new Pokémon!" I say.

"Uh... Sure, I guess. How about that one?" Rinka asks, pointing to a healthy-looking one.

"Up to you."

"That one it it! Go, Zigzagoon!" Rinka cries, starting the battle.

"Ziggy, Quick Attack! Wait, first use Tail Whip!" Ziggy wags his tail cutely, then flashes over to the Pidgey and knocks it to the"ground. The Pidgey then uses a Gust, squacking.

"Tackle!" Ziggy hits the Pidgey once more.

"Now, go Pokéball!" Rinka cries, tossing the Pokéball.

It shakes once...

twice...

and the Pidgey is caught!

The Pokédex shows us that it is female, and Rinka puts it away with a satisfied smile.

"Great job!" I congratulate Rink.

"Thanks. Let's keep going; I want to train her."

"Wait... Is that a shiny Pidgey over there?! It's yellow!" I exclaim. Sure enough, there is a yellow blob on the fountain.

"Let's find out!"

We run back to check it out.

"Wait... It's not a shiny... It's an injured Pikachu!" Rinka cries out in alarm.

"I think the Pidgeys brought it here from Santalune Forest or something. We need to take it to the Pokémon Center!"

"I nod, and we run back to Santalune City.

"My, my, what's the hurry?" the pleasant-faced Nurse Joy asks.

"We found this Pikachu all alone on Route 4! Please help it!" I cry.

"Sure, I'll do what I can. Wigglytuff, take it in," she replies. A bright pink Wigglytuff runs in, pushing a white stretcher.

"Wiggly! Wigglytuff!" Rinka gently puts the Pikachu on it and the Wigglytuff pushes it away to the hospital room.

"I hope it'll be okay..." Rinka murmurs.

"Your Pikachu is doing just fine!" Nurse Joy calls as she returns from its room. "She was just a bit roughed up, that's all!"

"Actually, it's- I mean, she's- a wild one," Rinka explains. "We found her and brought her back."

"Ah, then I'll give you her basic information: female, curious nature, and she likes to eat."

"Cool! Can we visit it now?" I ask.

"Of course, step right in!" Nurse Joy says. We do so, and she closes the door behind us quietly. Pikachu stares up at us, looking fine but a bit tired.

"Pikachu, these girls saved you and brought you here. Say thank you!" Nurse Joy says.

"Pikachu!" she blinks up at us.

"Aw, she's sooo cute!" Rinka exclaims. "Hey, Pikachu, want to come with us and explore the Kalos region?" she suddenly asks.

"Pika... Pikachu!"

"Hm, I thinks she's saying she wants to!" Nurse Joy says.

"Great! Rinka, you should catch him. I think she would be a good addition to your team," I say. Rinka also seems to like it more than me, but I don't say so aloud.

"Are you sure?" Rinka asks me for politeness' sake, knowing the answer already.

"Of course!"

"Thanks! Rinka says, hugging Pikachu. Pikachu jumps up, runs around her shoulders and neck a few times, and settles on her head.

"Thanks to you too, Nurse Joy!" I say. "Now back to Route 4!"

"Hi gardener, bye gardener, hi Pidgeys, bye Pidgeys!" I call as Rinka and I run off to the gate to Lumiose City, our next stop.

"Stop right there! Who are you?" a random guy in a lab coat standing in front of the gate asks us.

"Dexio, shut up! This is obviously Soso. Hi, Soso, I'm Sina. I work for Professor Sycamore. He wants to meet you. Who is your partner here?" a purple haired girl- Sina- asks me.

"Soso!" I turn around to see my neighbors/friends run up to me.

"Hi guys. This is Rinka, my new friend and travel partner!" I introduce her. "Rinka, this is Calem, Shauna, Trevor, and Tierno. They're my neighbors."

"Cool. Here, each of you, grab a TM. It's Return, with grows more powerful the more your Pokémon likes you." Sina hands us each a disk-shaped TM.

"How do they work?" the ever-curious Trevor asks.

"For TMs and HMs, stick the Pokéball into the round hole in the middle. Press the buttons on the side, let it sit for an hour, and voila! TM will be taught!" Sina says quickly and monotonously, like the speech was memorized.

"Uh... great..." Trevor mutters, looking at Sina. Suddenly, I start. A red glow is spreading over his cheeks. Is he... blushing? Calm, serious Trevor is blushing? I smile to myself. It's none of my business though, so I leave him alone.

"Rinka, let's go ahead!" I say. We say our good-byes and run off. Rinka thens says that she wants to check out some skating café and skates off to look for it.

Finally, I spot the majestic white Pokémon Lab. I collect myself and walk in. The receptionist points me to the third floor.

"Hello, hello! Welcome to my Lab!" The raven- haired Professor Sycamore booms.

"Hi! I heard you wanted to meet us?" I ask just as my friends arrive.

"Yes, I want to talk to you about Mega Evolution! Settle yourself for a long, long lecture!" At least he's honest... I think and prepare to listen.

Half an hour later, Professor Sycamore finally finishes. Looking around, I see that only Trevor, Calem and I were actually paying attention. We are dismissed with a, "Go to Camphrier Town for the Mega Evolution guru! Oh, and Ambrette Town can help too!"

I exit the building, head full of the information we have just received. I see Rinka skate up to me.

"Heyyyyy. What's up? Found the café?" I ask.

"Yup. Listen, I learned that the electricity up on the North side of Lumiose is out. Ironic, this city is home to the electric gym!"

"Mhm. Do you want to explore the South side then?"

"Sure!"

"Great! I heard that there's an herboriste! and a Stone Emporium! Let's check it out!" We run off to explore Lumiose City further.

"Jeez, Soso, I didn't know you loved to shop this much!" Rinka says to me breathlessly. I have just taken her on one of my "shopping expeditions". I guess I do love to shop a lot, but shopping gives me energy! Am I making much sense here?

"Sorry, Rinka..." I smile at her and give her a huge hug. Seeing how she is already carrying all ten of my bags, she stumbles and falls.

"Okay, that's it! Where are you going to keep this?"

"Uh..."

"Ya' know what? We're selling it!" Rinka exclaims. My blood runs cold. Sell my beautiful things?

"NOOOOO!"

"YEEESSSS!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

"Will you give up?"

"NO!"

"HA! YOU SAID NO!"

"... What?"

"Never mind... I guess we can sell them for more money..."

"Soso!" someone calls from behind me.

"What now? Oh, Tierno?" I say. The big guy is trying to catch up to me.

"Hey! Who's your friend?"

"This is Rinka. She's my travel partner. Say hi, Rinka!" I say, picking up her arm and waving it at Tierno.

"Uh... Hi?" Rinka says, snatching her arm back.

"I challenge you to a battle!" Tierno screams out of the blue. "Go, Corphish!"

"You want to battle?" I turn to Rinka.

"Sure, Pikachu, go! Electro Ball!" The super-effective attack hits the crab straight-on. And it faints. Immediately.

"NO! I guess I spent too much time dancing than training..." Tierno grins.

"Uh... I will not even call that a battle..." Rinka says.

"Be nice!" Tierno pouts. "Gotta go, bye!" he runs off.

"... Friend of yours?" Rinka asks me.

"I guess... Let's just get to Camphrier now," I sigh.

"So this is Camphrier Town!" I say, looking around the city. After meeting Tierno yesterday, Rinka forced me into selling my stuff, and that took up the rest of the day, so we couldn't get here. Anyways, the city has cute cobbled streets and dainty old cottages. From the Route 5 entrance, there is a quaint old castle to the right as well.

"Pretty cute, I gue- Whoah!" some old man bowls into Rinka and sends them both sprawling on the floor.

"Oh dear, oh dear..." the old man starts muttering. I help him up.

"What's wrong?" I ask him.

"Ah, nothing, nothing. Wait, are you two Pokémon trainers?" he asks, looking at us up and down.

"Yup!" Rinka smiles at him.

"Then you may be able to help me! See, every June, this huge Snorlax comes in from the Pokémon Village and falls asleep on the bridge right after this town. It's terrible for tourism! Only the Pokémon Flute can wake it up, but it's all the way back in the Parfum Palace. Could you bring it back for me, please?"

"I guess... I mean, if we don't, we can't get past, right?" I turn to Rinka.

"Sure..."

"Great, great! Parfum Palace is a bit up front. Hurry on!" the man beams at us.

"We'll be back!" I call back to him. Rinka and I start to run. We find the exit to the city soon, and the Route that leads to the castle in an hour. After racing each other down the path (Rinka wins), we reach the castle.

We gasp. Parfum Palace is huge, and absolutely beautiful! The entrance is an intricate golden gate, with walls made from marble surrounding the actual palace. The palace has a white-and-blue color scheme, white walls and blue roofs and windows. We start stepping in through the gates, but then-

Poof!

"AHHH!" Rinka and I yell.

"Hello, welcome to the Parfum Palace. Entrance fee is 1,000 Poké, pay up, it goes to restoration... probably," says a man who just popped out of nowhere in a monotonous tone.

"What do you mean, 'probably'?" I ask suspiciously.

"Uh, none of your Beedril-wax," he says hurriedly. "Pay up."

We do so, and he lets us in. We walk straight down the path to the entrance of the castle, where yet another portly old man knocks into us.

"What are you doing here?" he asks us.

"Are you the owner here?" Rinka asks.

"Yes..."

"So you have the Pokémon Flute?"

"Yes..."

"GIVE IT TO US!"

"Meep..."

"NOW!"

"IT'S IN A GLASS CABINET ON THE SECOND FLOOR DON'T EAT ME PLEASEEEE!"

"Let's go, Soso." We let the poor man be and run up into the castle, which is filled with golden Milotic statues, and go up the fancy stairs to the second floor. We see the cabinet and grab the flute, run back down the stairs, and out the door. We continue to jog out of the castle and back to the bridge.

"Well, you girls are awfully quick!" the man says to us. "Let me play this for you girls. Are you ready to battle the Snorlax? It will be grumpy."

"Yes!" I say. Rinka already told me to battle it. "Go, Fennekin!" I call, releasing my Pokémon. Fennekin gets ready into a battle stance. The man starts to play.

A series of clear, musical notes fill the air. We see the Snorlax turn, and then wake up.

"SNORLAX!" it calls, enraged. It towers over us, looking down on Fennekin.

"Uh-oh..."

hehe...hehe...CLIFFHANGER-ish!