A/N: Here's the next chapter. I kinda rushed the ending though, 'cause this chapter's just been floating around on my USB three-quarters done. Enjoy. Perhaps I'll bother myself enough to finish this story. I mean, I've already written the ending out. I just gotta fill in the gaps.

Chapter 6: Castle and a Palace

"So this is Camphrier Town..." I muttered, as I walked into the town. Compared to Lumiose City, this town was real tiny. Carla trilled happily and looked around.

"Oh wow Trainer! It's so small!"

"It's only a town, Carla."

"But that other town we were in was HUGE!"

"That's because it was a city."

"So, a larger town is a city? That's strange."

"Yeah, I guess so. Have you seen the Pokemon Centre? I want to call my mum, and I don't want to waste my Holo-Caster's battery."

"Over there Trainer Taylor! Turn left!" To drive home the point, she slammed her beak into the left side of my head repeatedly. I couldn't stop her since Albert was still in my arms.

"OUCH! Stop that! I get it, go left!"

I typed my mother's number into one of the large, and old, video phones in the Centre, and waited for her to pick up. I shifted my arms a little. Not enough to wake the sleeping Pokemon in them, but enough so that I was comfortable.

"Hello?" My mother's face appeared on the screen.

"Mum? It's me."

"My Baby! It's been so long! How are you?"

"I'm fine. I've seen the Professor in Lumiose and I'm in Camphrier town already."

"Oh, you've gone so far in just a few days!" I smiled.

"Yeah. I've got a full team too! And an extra..." I lifted Albert up, and she gasped.

"Oh my! An Abra! And who's that on your head?"

"Yep, this is Albert. He doesn't do much, though. This up here is Carla."

"And you just carry Albert and Carla around?"

"Err, well, I haven't had a chance to ask Albert if he likes being inside a Pokeball. Carla just likes to sit on my head."

"...ask?"

"Ah, um, that's... uh, that's something you've got to ask the Professor about, okay?" Because I really did not want to discuss that in public.

"I will later."

"Mum? Do you think you can take one of my Pokemon? I know it's illegal to carry more than six, but I currently have seven, and I don't want to put them in the PC..."

"Sure thing hun! Which one will you send me?" I grabbed Scotty's Pokeball.

"I'm going to send you Scotty, my Skiddo. Just for now. He really wants to try your Cinnamon Buns."

"Now I get to bake more often!"

"Mum! I don't want him to get fat! I'm going to switch him out eventually!"

"Oh alright. When can I expect Scotty?"

"In about ten minutes. I'm going to send him through now."

"Alright baby! Call me again once you get to Ambrette Town, okay?"

"I will mum. Goodbye."

"Bye!" I terminated the call, and looked around for the Pokemon Transfer machine. I spotted it by the front desk. I might as well heal up my other Pokemon as I transfer Scotty. I nodded to myself as I walked up to the front desk.

"Welcome! Would you like to heal your Pokemon?"

"Yeah, here..." I recalled Albert and Carla into their respective balls, and placed all my Pokeballs on the desk, aside from Scotty's.

"Seven Pokemon? Are you breaking the law Trainer?"

"No, no! I'm transferring my Skiddo to my mum right now."

"Oh, alright! Your Pokemon will be healed in a few!" She disappeared into the back with my Pokemon. I shook my head and made my way to the Transfer machine. I placed Scotty's Pokeball onto the holder, and then froze.

"...I don't know my mum's Trainer Number..." Sure, she was a Rhyhorn Racer, but she still needed a number to legally keep her Rhyhorn. Before I could fret and worry myself anymore, my Holo-Caster beeped, and my mother popped up.

"Hun, it's me! I thought that it was strange you didn't ask about my Trainer Number. I never did tell you, did I? Well, it's..." My mum said, eventually rambling off her number. I sighed, relieved, and typed the number in.

"Transfer in Progress... Transfer Complete!" The process took less than a minute. Scotty's Pokeball was there one moment, and gone the next. I felt a twinge of sadness.

"Trainer Taylor? Your Pokemon are all healed up!" I hooked the Pokeballs to my belt and quickly got out of there.

"Hey! Lady Taylor!" Shauna called, drawing my attention. What did she want now? I wanted to head out to Route 7 and see that Pokemon Day-Care thing Tierno and Trevor talked about.

"Hi Shauna." I waved as she ran closer.

"Lady Taylor! Come see Shabboneau Castle with me!"

"Um, didn't you go to see it with Calem earlier?"

"No, it was closed and Calem ran off to Route 7." She pouted. "Will you please come with me?"

"...fine." I relented, allowing her to grab my hand and drag me towards the castle. Said castle was much closer than I thought it was, as we were in front of it less than a minute later.

"Yay, it's open!" Shauna cheered, letting my hand go. She skipped merrily towards the giant double doors. I rolled my eyes, but followed in after her at a much more sedated pace. The doors opened into a large, beautiful main hall. It was rather dusty though. A man stood in the middle of the hall, looking at a painting. He turned towards us after a second.

"Oh! Guests?" He cleared his throat and composed himself. "Welcome to Shabboneau Castle, Camphrier town's main attraction!"

"Wow! It's so cool!"

"Indeed it is. If you'll follow me down this hallway, I can start the tour-" An older man burst through the front doors.

"S-Sir! On Route 7! It's back once again!"

"Again? Darn. I'm sorry ladies, but I must go. Please, come back at a later time." Both men bowed before running out of the Castle.

"Lady Taylor! Let's go as well!" I nodded.

"Yes. You go on ahead Shauna. I need to heal my Pokemon first." It was a lie, but honestly I don't think she'd notice. And she didn't. She smiled and saluted.

"Sure thing!" She took off out of the Castle. I shook my head, and left as well.

Well. I had discovered that the only way to the Day-Care centre was via Route 7. I also discovered that a wealthy lord had built a Palace nearby. So I decided to go see it. Currently, I was standing in front of a pair of large golden gates.

"I'm sorry, but there's a fee of 1'000 P to enter." The Guard said, and I frowned.

"...that's stupid."

"I know." But I really wanted to see the inside of the Palace... I started to dig through my bag.

"WAIT!" Someone shouted. The Guard jumped to attention. I raised a brow, as the guy who shouted was a pudgy man. "You, are you a Pokemon Trainer?"

"Yeah."

"Phew! Look, I need some help!" He must have noticed how I was going to refuse. "It'll get you into the Palace for free!" He bargained. I shrugged.

"Why not."

"Open the gates, Guard!"

"Yes sir!" The gates creaked open slowly. I walked onto the Palace Gardens.

"So, what's your problem?"

"My beloved Furfrou has run off and I can't find him!" I nodded.

"Alright. I'll find him. May I use my Pokemon?"

"Sure!" I grabbed Friar's Pokeball. Foxes could smell out things really good, right?

"Friar!" He came from the Pokeball with a happy yip.

"Trainer Taylor! Where's the opponent!"

"Sorry Friar, no opponents this time. I need help finding a lost Pokemon, a Furfrou."

"Whaaaaaaaaat!" He whined. "But I wanna battle!"

"Look, Friar. After we find this Furfrou, we can head out and battle some people on Route 7."

"Alright!" Friar lowered his nose to the ground and ran off. I ran after him, if only to make sure I didn't lose him.

"I. Hate. This. Furfrou." I grumbled, dragging said dog Pokemon towards the Palace by the snazzy looking collar it had. I had multiple scratches from both the small shrubs in the back and this stupid Pokemon. The Furfrou growled and snapped at me. "Oh shut up!" Friar, who was trailing behind us, snickered. I sighed in relief as I approached the palace.

"Lady Taylor!" I turned at the call, and saw Shauna running up to me. "Wow Taylor, how did you know that we needed the PokeFlute that the owner of the palace has?" I blinked in confusion. PokeFlute? What was a PokeFlute? I had heard the term before, but I couldn't remember where.

"Uh... I'm awesome like that?" Shauna grinned and grabbed my arms.

"So cool! Say, who's Furfrou is this?"

"The palace owner's. I found it for him in exchange for the... uh, the PokeFlute."

"FURFROU!" An excited voice called, as the owner of the palace came running towards us.

"That's the owner?" Shauna asked, a disgusted look on her face. I nodded.

"Yeah."

"My darling Furfrou, I've missed you! Oh, my baby, are you okay?" The dog Pokemon yipped and bounded towards his owner. "Daddy missed you! Oh, thank you thank you thank you, young trainer! I don't know what I would have done if something happened to my beloved Furfrou!"

"It was nothing." I mumbled, before recalling Friar into his Pokeball.

"Tell me, Trainer, what is it you want for a reward?" I started to respond, before he cut in, "100'000 P! That's it!" I choked and stared at him wide-eyed for a few seconds before nodding vigorously.

"I'll take it!"

"But Lady Taylor! We need the PokeFlute!" Shauna protested. The guy tilted his head to the side and shrugged.

"Sure, you can have that with the money." He raised his hand and a servant came running with a rather large wallet. He whispered to the her as she handed him his wallet and she nodded and rushed off. The man dug through his wallet and pulled out a large wad of cash. He handed it to me with a smile, just as his servant came dashing back, PokeFlute in hand. "Here we go! There, a perfectly fine reward! Perhaps, if my Furfrou becomes lost once again, you could come back and find it once again?"

"Why not." I muttered, pocketing my loot. Shauna cheered and grabbed me by the arm.

"Come on Lady Taylor! We gotta go now!"