TWELVE
In the middle of November, walls went up around Centrico Plaza. These walls, erected in a single day thanks to the efforts of construction workers and their various bulky Fighting-types, surrounded the entire plaza, and there was talk among the workers of starting work on the domed roof the following day.
Having finished her business in the small shop on Hibernal Avenue she was visiting, Serena and Eevee walked a little closer to the walls; she felt the eyes of a nearby police officer on her. For a moment, she wondered if the police knew why they were being ordered to keep a close eye on her, or if that officer in particular was secretly Team Flare just like Renshaw was.
One worker, after being flown over the wall onto Hibernal Avenue by his Fletchinder, posted a sign that read "Centrico Plaza has been CLOSED by Executive Order." When asked by a tourist why the Plaza was closed, the worker said that there was a construction project planned – one that would in no way compromise Prism Tower, he added, in hopes of placating the tourist's frustration. The tourist, still irate that she couldn't go take a picture of herself at the Tower, turned and walked away, grumbling something in her native tongue.
Serena sat down on a park bench, hoisted Eevee into her lap, and spent the next couple of hours watching people go by. During that time, several people stopped by to ask for autographs or pictures with her, all of which she obliged. Yet nobody she deemed to be of interest had gone to or from the walls in that span of time, so she got up to leave, taking a detour through Rouge Plaza.
With the sun setting and casting ethereal oranges and pinks on the Lumiose skyline, Serena found the alley by the Looker Bureau and walked through it slowly, cradling Eevee close to her chest. She found it odd that there was nobody in this alley, not even Team Flare grunts or police or street-prowling hooligans.
The manhole was there, with its cover in place as usual. She returned Eevee to his Pokeball, lifted one end of the cover and began dragging it out of the way, only to see that underneath the cover, a foot down into the ground, was nothing but solid concrete. Disappointed, she let out a huff and put the cover back in place. Almost immediately after she stood back up, her Holo Caster beeped.
"We're still on for dinner, right?" Augustine asked her.
"Oh - yeah! Of course! I was doing some shopping, and then I ran into some fans, and – yeah. I'm on my way. Please don't let dinner get cold."
"Serena, chérie, I just put it in the oven. It should be ready by the time you get here. See you soon."
When Augustine ended the call, Serena gazed at the manhole cover one last time. "Well played, Teleurac," she murmured.
On his way to sit down on the couch, Augustine grabbed a box of matches out of the kitchen. He used them to light candles he had positioned on the coffee table, relying on them to illuminate the area while the electric lights were turned off for the evening.
"Nice mood lighting," Serena commented once she emerged from the bathroom.
Augustine reached out to her, the palm of his hand open. She placed her hand in his, and he gently pulled her closer as she sat next to him.
"You think so?" he said, letting go of her hand so his arm could snake its way around her waist.
"Oui. C'est très romantique."
"Someone's been practicing," said Augustine as he leaned over to give her a kiss. Serena giggled in response, pleased that her work on pronouncing Kalosian words had not gone unnoticed.
She grabbed her Holo Caster off the table and opened a web browser to a blog providing coverage for a Pokemon battle tournament.
"Checking the progress on the Kanto tournament?" asked Augustine.
"Yeah." Serena said as she started reading the latest blog post. "The guy I'm pulling for has an . . . unconventional style. I don't think I've ever seen anyone try to use a ticket for a cruise liner in a battle before. But he's got a huge following and everyone loves his Pokemon . . . his Omastar has even been raised to god-like status . . . Gosh, I wish this tournament was being broadcast here in Kalos – he won! His Venomoth took down the opponent's last Dragonite! And I missed it! Look at this, Augustine." She shoved her Holo Caster into his face and gave him a moment to read the blog post.
"Impressive," he said.
"That was the last battle of the day, so . . . ." Serena closed the web browser and stuck her Holo Caster in her pocket. Her eyes caught the flame of one of the candles; this one in particular was shaped like Prism Tower, and her mind started to wander.
"You know, I saw something peculiar today while I was out. Centrico Plaza's been walled off, by executive order apparently. Do you know anything about that?" she inquired innocently, twirling a lock of his hair between her fingers.
"I might," said Augustine. He pointed to her pocket. She pulled her Holo Caster back out and placed it in his outstretched hand.
"A park is going to be built around Prism Tower," said Augustine, taking care to clearly enunciate every word. On the Holo Caster, he created a new text message and typed something into it before handing it back to Serena.
He's building a device inside Prism Tower.
"What kind of park?" asked Serena. She took her Holo Caster back and typed her own sentence: What kind of device?
"Nothing spectacular. Flowers, fountains, playgrounds for children and small Pokemon, that kind of thing. Construction won't begin until he figures out a name for it." Augustine took the Holo Caster back, read what she had typed, and then typed something else into the next line.
Need-to-know basis. Right now I don't know.
"He could just call it the 'Look-at-me-I'm-a-Gogoat's-ass' Garden."
Her comment earned a brief laugh from Augustine.
I learn of his plan piece-by-piece. The only perk of this job. Augustine typed into the Holo Caster.
Know his endgame? Serena added.
Also need-to-know basis.
She huffed. Gonna keep digging?
That's the plan. I'll let you know if I learn anything else.
"You look beautiful tonight, Serena," he said as he typed out that sentence. "I could wile away countless hours just gazing upon your face." Again, he was careful to speak clearly, but maintain a smooth, enamoring tone.
"Oh!" Serena's cheeks flushed. She watched him point to his chest, at the spot where the microphone was taped. "You flatter me, Augustine, you handsome devil." She typed: I thought you weren't going to tell me anything!
"I only speak the truth, ma belle," he added while taking the Holo Caster from her and typing: Changed my mind.
She took the device back and added: Any places where I can snoop around and 'stumble' on a new entrance into their facility?
Augustine shook his head before inputting his response: We teleport in and out using Abra. New place to meet it each day. He calls me and tells me where it will be that morning. Can't tell you since everything I send and receive on the Holo Caster is being monitored. Yours is too.
"Anyway . . . um . . ." Serena searched her mind for thing to talk about while Augustine typed. "My Dragon-type Physiology instructor hated your title for the paper. She said it didn't sound like something I would come up with."
"Really?" he said.
"Yeah. I guess I'll just have to stick with 'Charizard the Mega-Pseudo-Dragon,' scientific propriety be damned." She leaned in to see what he had typed.
"If you go with that, I will break up with you." Augustine joked.
Serena sighed in disappointment, and she wished that whoever was listening on the other end of Augustine's wire thought her sigh was in response to his threat to dump her.
"Fine. I'll keep your boring proper-sounding title if it'll spare your feelings."
After deleting the text message they had been using to nonverbally communicate, Augustine found a website that streamed TV shows, and he and Serena watched a few episodes of a sitcom starring a talking Espurr and its long-suffering Trainer. Sitcom episodes turned into a movie, followed by another movie, during which they fell asleep together on the couch.
November transitioned easily into December, which brought colder weather, the occasional snowfall, and the holiday season. Lumiose City went all-out when it came to decorating for Christmas: street lamps were wrapped with garlands, storefront windows boasted paper cutouts of snowflakes, holiday music played everywhere, and Delibird would roam the streets, giving out small gifts of candy to passerby. However, one noticeable decoration was missing this year.
"It's just not the same without the lights!" Shauna complained. She, Serena, and the three boys were standing in front of Hotel Richissme, which in years past had hosted a spectacular display of Christmas lights. This year, though, there were only garlands and barely decorated Christmas trees in front of the hotel.
"I know, but think of how much energy we waste on frivolous things like Christmas lights! Who needs to make memories with your friends when there's a world that needs saving?" Serena replied in a mockingly pompous tone.
"Wouldn't it have been a great picture, Shauna? You and me in front of the Richissme in all its lit up splendor, commemorating our first Christmas as a couple," said Calem wistfully as he wrapped an arm around Shauna's shoulders.
Serena looked away from Calem and Shauna, establishing eye contact with Tierno. She smiled congenially at her friend.
"So, when's your show again?" she asked him; she remembered, but she was fishing for conversation starters.
"Christmas Eve, at Restaurant Le Yeah! You'll be there, right?" Tierno replied.
"You bet! And I'll personally make sure that Aug- I mean, Professor Sycamore comes. I won't let him cancel on you like he did on all of us tonight." Serena said, unsure of whether or not her other friends were on a first-name basis with the Professor.
"His government job really eats up his time," commented Trevor. "He barely has time to oversee my group's projects anymore."
Serena's Holo Caster beeped. It was a text message from Emma.
Serena, you'll never believe what I saw yesterday. Three guys in red Team Flare suits were in the alleyway behind Café Triste! I followed them to see where they were going, but they just disappeared without a trace. No sign of them anywhere, and no place where I think they could have vanished. I called Mr. Looker and told him, so maybe he'll come back here once he's done in Unova to help us out. Maybe the three of us can investigate what's happening together!
This sighting by Emma was the first Serena had seen or heard about any Team Flare activity in Lumiose since the walls went up around Centrico Plaza. She personally had not seen anybody in red suits roaming around alleyways, or even encountered an Abra anywhere in the city since she learned that they were how people now got to and from the underground facility. At least while her attempts at snooping around had been unsuccessful, someone else had picked up on what was happening.
"Who was that from?" asked Shauna.
"It was from Emma," answered Serena as she stashed her Holo Caster. "She may want my help on a developing case."
"She's the cute detective girl, right?" Tierno inquired.
Before Serena could answer, her Holo Caster beeped again. Her expression soured when she saw Teleurac's holographic image pop out of the device.
"Greetings, Citizens of Kalos," Teleurac began, "You will notice that this message is only coming to select people. Receivers have been selected at random, and we are doing this to conserve power and money that would be spent sending it to every device. If you are receiving this broadcast, please invite others to come closer to you, because what I have to say is for everyone. I will give you one minute to do so."
"You heard the man. Gather around, everyone." Serena ordered her friends. Her mind raced with possibilities of what Teleurac could possibly want to discuss.
"Thank you. My fellow Kalosians, I would like to thank you very much for your efforts in protecting the environment. According to data that was just now compiled by the esteemed Professor Sycamore and his team of scientists, emissions of harmful gases into the atmosphere have decreased significantly over the past month, our water supply has less toxic chemicals in it, and we project that our food and water supplies can adequately sustain Kalos for another three generations. In addition, progress on exploring renewable energy sources is coming along. We are doing well, Kalos. And soon, more resources and effort will be put into bolstering our defenses."
"I wonder what they're looking into," Trevor mused. Serena opened her mouth, considering answering, but out of the corner of her eye she saw two police officers standing in front of the hotel.
"I know many of you have been curious about the walls that have gone up around Centrico Plaza. Those walls are there as a construction project is currently underway. Hopefully in time to ring in the New Year, work on the Prism Park of Lumiose City will have been completed. It will be a place for all people and Pokemon to come together in harmony. In addition, solar panels will be installed in this park, and on Prism Tower. The solar energy captured here will afford us enough energy to be able to enjoy the light of Prism Tower in the evenings again.
"It has been a great privilege and honor to serve as your Governor, Kalos. And it saddens me that malicious, untrue rumors about myself and my administration are spreading among you, as well as reaching foreign ears! Fellow Kalosians, our strength comes from our unity and striving for common goals. We cannot wholly tap into that strength if some of us believe any false murmurings they hear. Please pay no heed to any unfounded accusations directed towards the government, and if you are spreading such rumors, I ask you to cease and desist. Put your own selfish needs aside and think about how your fearmongering affects your peers. Thank you, Kalos, and good night."
Teleurac's holographic image disappeared.
"Wow," said Calem. "I haven't heard any rumors going around."
Serena shrugged. "Well, I heard that he and lots of his people are the next generation of Team Flare," she said, keeping her voice low.
Tierno gasped. Shauna squeaked in surprise. Trevor whispered "No way." Calem just stared at her, dumbfounded.
"It's ridiculous, though," added Serena. "I'm not going to worry until another weapon of mass destruction pops out of the ground."
A glance over towards the hotel confirmed that the police officers there were paying no attention to her. She fought back the urge to smile in satisfaction once she surveyed her friends' expressions; they still looked as if they were flabbergasted by the idea, but perhaps the wheels in their heads were now turning. Her friends had a tendency to question and investigate, which had served Kalos and the world well three years ago and would hopefully do so again.