Yeaaaaah... Sorry about that later chapter. I've gotten slight writer's block for this fic. So I re-posted the prequel, The beauty in her eyes, and worked on that for a bit. Now I've FINALLY came up with something for this chapter.
X.X
Furfrou was curled up near one of the hedges outside of Parfum Palace. Once having been neglected and abandoned by the original owner, it's been restored to it's natural state and is now a popular attraction for wealthy tourists. The current owner's prized garden, which is outback, is truly a sight to see. The palace stood under the blue sky of the early Autumn morning. Furfrou's right ear suddenly perked up and he rose his head. "Woof! Woof!" the dog barked happily as he ran over and circled Aiden excitedly.
"Nice to see you again too, boy." Aiden chuckled as gently patted the dog on the head. Scratching behind his ear. "Where's your Trainer? Is he inside?"
"Woof! Woof!"
"Yeah." Aiden smiled, "I wouldn't blame him."
Aiden followed the Pokemon towards the gate entrance of the Palace, where a man stood guard. "Um... Excuse me?" he asked, "Is this Parfum Palace?"
"Yes, young man, it is." the guard replied, "Are you here for a visit?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well you're going to pay a 1,000 poke fee if you wish to enter."
Aiden suddenly jumped back in surprise. "1,000 poke!? You've to be joking!" he exclaimed.
"Nope. Those are the rules, kid." the guard replied monotonously.
Aiden looked down at Furfrou, who looked up at him, before looking back at the guard in unison. Sighing in defeat, Aiden reached into his pocket. "Fine. Here." he said as he handed him the money.
"Thank you, young man." the guard replied, "Please enjoy your visit. And be sure not to break anything."
"I won't." Aiden replied before following Furfrou in. 1,000 poke just to get in? Why such a big entrance fee? Mew of Arceus, Aiden thought. Furfrou sat in front of a pair of large old double wooden doors patiently as he waited for Aiden to come. Aiden pushed one of the doors and it opened with a low groan. "Hello?" he called as he poked his head in, opening the door wider. Furfrou ran by him and sat by a large, elegant staircase. Aiden closed the door behind him before taking in his new surroundings.
All around him were old artifacts and furniture that had been well preserved or restored to it's original state. Walls were painted a cream color with a light yelled tinge. A fancy looking carpet ran down the stairs and towards the door. The carpet he was currently standing on. On the walls hung old paintings landscapes, people, and-or-Pokemon. Above him was a large chandler suspended by a thick golden chain. He couldn't help but swallow nervously. Feeling an urge to step to the side.
"Woof! Woof!" Furfrou barked.
"What is it Furfrou?" Aiden asked.
"Woof! Woof!" the dog stood up and pointed his snout down the direction of a corridor. Aiden walked up and stood beside the dog.
"Is there something you want me to see?"
"Woof! Woof!"
Furfrou suddenly trotted down the corridor before stopping. He looked over his shoulder and barked for Aiden to come. Aiden blinked before walking into the corridor and follow Furfrou. As the dog led him through him through he took the time to observe all the decor of the place. Lovely patterns were literally carved into the walls themselves. Patterns like vines stretching or curling out with leaves. Furfrou suddenly stopped in front of a door and sat in front of it.
Aiden stopped in front of the door. It was then that he managed to pick up faint voices coming from behind the hard oak door. He looked down at Furfrou, who started to wag his tail excitedly. Blinking, Aiden bent down and peeked through the keyhole under the doorkncouldn't
"I don't want to do this..." the voice sounded like the man he met yesterday. Furfrou's Trainer.
"Humph! Like someone like you would want to give up this palace to us." a much younger voice snapped. Judging by what Aiden could see, he appeared to be wearing a red blazer. But that's all he could see.
"This palace is important to me. I've worked really hard the put it back to together. I'm not willing to just give it up! Especially to the likes of someone like you." the owner snapped back.
Aiden pulled away and stood straight. He looked back down at Furfrou with an upset glare. "Furfrou!" he whispered, "This is eavesdropping! I'm not going to listen in on someone else's business! That's rude!" he whispered angrily. Furfrou whimpered and looked at the keyhole. Aiden blinked and looked through the keyhole again.
"This meeting is DONE! You hear? DONE! Now get out of my office before I call the police!"
Aiden yanked away sharply. Judging by the tone in his voice, he wasn't in a good mood. "Carp!" he whispered, "I gotta get outta here! I don't want him to find me standing out here!" Furfrou nudged his hand before running down the direction they originally came from. Aiden quickly followed the dog down the hall. Before he knew it, they were back in the lobby. Aiden had been running so fast that he accidentally bumped into someone. Both of them fell to the floor.
"Damn it! Not again!" Aiden cursed as he propped himself up on both wrists. Furfrou walked over to his side and licked his face.
"LARVITAR! LARVITAR!"
"Waaah!" Aiden scooted back in surprise when he saw a rather angry looking Larvitar snapping at him. Furfrou immediately stood in front of Aiden and growled at the Larvitar.
"Hey! You tell your Furfrou to leave my Larvitar alone!" a voice snapped.
Aiden looked up to see that the peach colored boy he had accidentally bumped into was already on his feet. He appeared to be around his age; sixteen like Vivienne. His hair was a sandy blond color and was in a very short hairstyle. His eyes were an unforgiving amber color and currently held a look of annoyance. He was dressed in a aqua colored hoddie with black cargo short pants and yellow sneakers. Around him was a white strap, meaning he had a backpack on.
"He's...not my Furfrou." Aiden grunted as he stood up.
"Then why were you running down the hall with him like a idiot?" the boy crossed his arms.
Aiden's gray eyes flashed. "Hey! You don't have to be so rude! It was an accident and I'm sorry for bumping into you!" he snapped.
"Whatever." the boy replied as Larvitar climbed up his shoulder, "What's your name by the way?"
"Aiden." Aiden replied.
"Aiden, huh? Well watch where you're running, Aiden!" the boy snapped.
"Hey! Listen, you!"
"I've got a name, you know. I'm Eli."
"Well maybe if you've introduced yourself sooner then I would've known by now!" Aiden growled.
"I wasn't the one who got bumped by an idiot!" Eli growled back.
"What is Arceus's name is going on out here!?" the owner suddenly entered the lobby.
Aiden opened his mouth to answer, but was immediately cut-off by Eli. "I'll tell what's the problem." he said while pointing a finger at Aiden, "This moron here bumped into me!"
"It was an accident, sir, I swear!" Aiden protested, "I even apologized!"
"Is this true?" the man asked his Pokemon.
"Woof! Woof!" Furfrou bobbed his head.
"WHAT!?" Eli screamed in dismay. "You let a Pokemon decide for you? You rather believe a Pokemon then a human? Unbelievable!"
"Young man." the owner spoke sternly as he approached him, "I do not tolerate this kind of attitude in my palace. I suggest that you leave and return only when you learn to show some respect towards your elders!"
"Hmp!" Eli crossed his arms, "Fine! I didn't want to be in this damn place anyway! Let's go Larvitar!"
"Tar!"
The Trainer angrily stomped his way over to the door. Just as he grabbed the doorknob, he spun around and glared daggers at Aiden. "You! Before I leave here, I challenge you to a Pokemon Battle!"
Aiden glared back at Eli and nodded. "You're on, then!" he shouted, "Three against three!"
"If you're both going to battle, please take it outside the Palace entrance. I don't want anything to be damaged." the owner said.
...
Aiden and Eli stood across from each other. Both with clenched hands and burning looks in their eyes. They ignored the small group of people that were beginning to surround them to watch the on coming battle. Eli was the one who went first.
"Gligar, come on out!" he roared as he tossed the Pokeball out.
"Gligar!" the purple Pokemon hissed.
"Zorua! Let's go!" Aiden yelled as he threw the Pokeball out.
"Zorua!" Zorua yipped.
"Gligar, use Quick Attack!"
Gligar glided at lightning speed before ramming into Zorua. Zorua flew back before landing on all four paws after regaining his composer.
"Use Fury Swipes!"
Gligar screeched in alarm and pain as the smaller Pokemon lashed out at him repeatedly. "Use Poison Sting!" Gligar suddenly shot out a needle directly at Zorua. Zorua let out a howl once he was struck and felt himself weaken.
Shoot, he's poisoned! Aiden thought with gritted teeth. He felt his palms begin to sweat as he tried to come up with a battle strategy. This was, after all, his first time using Zorua in battle. Perhaps he should've sent out Froakie instead. As if reading his mind, Zorua suddenly stood tall and firm. His blues started to glow before he suddenly jumped into the air as a pink veil of light surrounded him.
"What's that?" one of the onlookers asked.
"That's Zorua's special ability: Illusion." a man replied without taking his eyes off the scene, "It allows the Pokemon to change themselves into a human or Pokemon. Sometimes the environment around them." The environment around suddenly changed. Making it appear as though they were in a beach instead. Gligar suddenly recoiled back in alarm. Zorua landed with a smirk on his face.
"Of course! Gligar is a ground type as well!" Aiden said as he snapped his fingers.
Eli growled. "Gligar! Snap the hell out of it and use Fury Cutter!" Gligar looked a bit hesitant, but reluctantly preformed the move.
"Zorua! Dodge and use Pursuit!" Zorua swiftly jumped out of the way before knocking Gligar to the ground. Tricking Gligar into thinking he was in a beach is what helped defeat him since the Pokemon has a fear of large bodies of water.
"DAMN IT!" Eli cursed as he returned his Pokemon. "Phantump, you're next!" The capsule opened to reveal a hover misty looking Pokemon with a solid tree stump covering her head.
"Good job, Zorua. Return." Aiden said before returning his Pokemon to his Pokeball. Just as he did so the illusion then vanished, surprising a few people. "I've never seen that Pokemon before." Aiden said as he brought out his Pokedex.
'Phantump: the stump Pokemon. These Pokemon are created when spirits possess rotten tree stumps. They prefer to live in abandoned forests.'
"So it's a spirit, then." Aiden muttered to himself.
"Just send out your second Pokemon already!" Eli snapped. Phantump flinched slightly before looking over her shoulder. Giving her Trainer a worried look.
Aiden frowned at the other Trainer's lack of patients before throwing out the Pokeball that contained Torchic. Torchic ruffled his feathers a bit before standing in a battle stance.
"Phantump, use Tackle!" The ghost Pokemon charged at Torchic before using her solid head and rammed against Torchic.
"Torchic! Are you alright?" Aiden asked worriedly. Torchic immediately shot up and nodded at his partner. Aiden breathed a sigh of relief before turning his attention back to the battle. "Quick! Use peck!" Phantump let out an eerie wail as her head was getting hit repeatedly.
"Phantump, use Confuse Ray!"
Phantump's eyes then glowed as a ball of light materialized in her hands. Using all her mental strength, she tossed it at Torchic. Torchic was struck by the ball and soon saw miniature versions of himself circling his head.
"Now finish him with Astonish!"
"Torchic! Try to dodge and counterattack with Ember!"
Torchic managed to jump out of the way before striking Phantump from behind. The Pokemon let out an even louder wail before fainting. Eli cursed as he returned his Pokemon to her Pokeball.
"YES!" Aiden whooped, "Good job Torchic!" Torchic chirped happily before being returned to his Pokeball.
"All right, Larvitar, don't fail me!" Eli said before throwing out the Pokeball.
"Larvitar!" Larvitar stood tall and fierce.
"Froakie! Let's go!" Aiden threw the Pokeball and the blue frog appeared.
"Larvitar, use Bite!" Eli roared.
"Froakie, use Water Pulse!" Aiden roared as well.
Larvitar's eyes then widened when a large pulse of water was suddenly shot at him, instantly defeating him with one hit. Eli angrily stomped his foot on the ground and screamed every curse word he could think of. Actually surprising a few people and Aiden. Eli returned his partner to his Pokeball before walking up to Aiden until they were inches from each other.
"You win. Congratulations. Go get yourself a gold star or something." Eli said before shoving by him and leaving the courtyard.
Aiden and Froakie looked at one another. "What's his problem?" Aiden asked. Froakie shrugged.
"Marvelous!"
Aiden and Froakie looked over to see the owner and Furfrou walk over to them. "That was truly a battle to behold! You showed that Trainer who's boss! Perhaps you are like your cousin."
Aiden smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I wouldn't say that. It's my Pokemon who deserve most of the credit after all."
"Froakie! Froakie!" Froakie happily hopped on his Trainer's shoulder.
"This cause for a celebration! Please, why not stay to watch some fireworks."
"That would be great." Aiden replied with a smile.
X.X
Meet the new guy, Eli. He may look like a jerk, but he'll change once we get farther into the story.