I'll work out as many chapters as I can before starting up my final year as an undergrad the end of August. I've probably said this before that some chapters will be short compared to my norm, though battle chapters will always be close to ten thousand or more words. That's just how it works under my style. Thanks for bearing with me as always.

Anabel wasn't sure how to further react at the moment. This was the last scenario she would want to be in or expect to happen right now. Here she was waiting outside of the Pokémon Center to catch up with Ash following his victory from Elite Four Bruno, but instead another Elite Four had appeared before her.

An Elite Four member of Sinnoh to be exact who happened to be a prodigy of her older brother.

"Hello, Lucian," Anabel responded to her brother's greeting, maintaining a neutral face. "I certainly wasn't expecting you at this hour."

"Ah, but you must always expect the unexpected," Lucian answered. "You must excuse me for the worn-out saying, by the way. It just seemed fitting to use for the moment."

"You're excused," Anabel replied rather curtly, to which her brother picked up quickly.

"I take it I arrived at a bad time?" Lucian questioned.

"I will say I was expecting someone else," Anabel clarified.

"Then I don't suppose you don't mind if I get to see who this 'someone' is," Lucian proposed. "Is it one of your Frontier Brain colleagues? I would very much enjoy seeing them again."

"It's not any of them," Anabel said, still looking around. "He's more of a roaming Trainer that's also competing in the Champions League."

"So he made it this far, eh?" Lucian mused. "I'm always glad to hear you making more friends, and powerful ones at that."

"Status just has to be the basis of everything, doesn't it?" Anabel remarked wryly.

"It's only natural for the weak to be drawn to the strong and the strong to the stronger," Lucian added. "It's nothing personal, really. I found that quote from my most recent read."

"Fascinating," Anabel commented with a furtive roll of her eyes.

The Salon Maiden opted not to continue conversing with her brother and instead focus on finding Ash. Lucian kept a cool gaze on her in spite of her avoidance. He already knew something was up with her without having to take into account her offhanded manners. It was time to get down to business. He had already played the kind brother part. If she was not going to respond to it, a different approach would have to be taken.

"I get the idea that you don't want me around," Lucian stated. "Do you not want to introduce me to your new friend?"

"I never said for you to leave, but I will say that you are getting in my business and that's what's bugging me," Anabel elucidated.

"So I suppose your next match against Bugsy is not 'bugging' you at all?" Lucian jested.

"Do you have to get involved in everything I do?" Anabel shot back, eyes glaring crossly. "You should know the story by now how I barely have anything for myself because you, the great Lucian of the Elite Four, winds up taking everything else."

"Anabel, let's not start this now," Lucian warned with a stern frown. "You don't understand what's really going on."

"What I understand is that it's all about you," Anabel rebutted, bearing a rare look of anger upon her normally delicate face. "Sometimes I question why I still do what I do if I don't even get the recognition for it. Do you have any idea what that's like? Of course you don't. No one can hold a candle to you."

"That's enough, sister," Lucian rebuked, effectively stopping her tirade. "I am only recognized for my feats alone as you should be for yours. If you continue heeding to those voices that measure you against others, myself included, it's only going to eat away at you until you fall into madness."

"I suppose that's also from your latest book as well?" Anabel questioned sardonically.

Stubborn girl, when she gets like this, it's almost impossible to talk to her until she cools down, Lucian thought lamentingly. She wasn't always like this. It's sad.

"You keep telling me not to pay attention to what other people say," Anabel continued. "You really think I'm that dense not to know that by now? I don't care what other people say about me. What still bothers me this day is how you think I'm always helpless because I'm your 'baby sister' and have that annoying need to hold my hand through everything."

"I'm only doing what a responsible older sibling does," Lucian affirmed, the sharpness of his voice actually jarring Anabel. "By the way, I still need to see Ash for myself before I can decide if he's worth your time."

"You knew?!" Anabel nearly shrieked.

"It's hard not to pick up on how much you want to spend time in his company," Lucian explained. "I met the young man during his journey in the Sinnoh region and he had much potential to go far in his career, evident with his current performance in the Champions League. However, his recent change in attitude and character has made him a bit questionable in my eyes."

"Oh, so now you're judging him? Is that it? Weren't you the one who was proud of me befriending strong Trainers?"

"They would also need to be of good, trustworthy character. With Ash behaving the way he did when he first came to the Champions League, it made me wonder−."

"Get off your high chair and leave! Who do you think you are to decide who I can or can't be with?! You're not my father!"

"Father would still want me to watch out for you as he and Mother are still back in Hoenn and I'm right here standing next to you."

"Just leave me alone, Lucian! Leave!"

Anabel was breathing heavily after unleashing all those raging emotions at once. A few bystanders had watched the emotional spectacle awkwardly before walking away and attempting to resume their activities. Lucian's expression didn't change, merely glancing about to see the onlookers take their exit.

"You know I will never leave you unless I die," Lucian replied softly, surprising Anabel with his choice of words. "But even then, I'm still your older brother. Even if you do truly hate me, I will always love you, Anabel."

With a heavy nod of his head, Lucian fulfilled his sister's request to depart and went on his way. Anabel was left staring as he left into the distance. His last set of words continued to ring in her ears. It was only then that she realized how out of control she was behaving.

The Salon Maiden looked around, seeing a couple of people that still remained from watching her little scene with looks of disgust. As she had mentioned to Lucian, she didn't let the opinions of others bother her. However, she still couldn't help feel self-conscious over the way she had just treated her own brother just now.

She heard the Pokémon Center automatic doors open along with a new set of footsteps that were approaching her before stopping shortly. She found the one person she was waiting for staring at her with an even look. He probably knew what had just transpired recently. Not exactly her proudest moment in history, to say the least.

"… Ash," Anabel mumbled meekly.

A little while later…

It was convenient for the forest area on New Island to have a large peaceful lake nearby. It was the kind of place Anabel wanted to be when it came to contemplate over certain things. Any place in nature would have worked for her, but she was feeling the lake to be an appropriate setting at this time.

Sitting at the edge and removing her shoes and socks, she dipped her pale bare feet into the water as it was the standard girl action to do. The coolness of the lake also helped her relax a bit.

"… Feeling better?" Ash asked.

He sat cross-legged next to her as per her request to join her. Pikachu and her Espeon were playfully chasing each other around the lake. Aside from a few wild Pokémon that took up residence around them on land and in water, they were the only people so far.

"I am, thanks," Anabel said, casually kicking up splashes of water. "… I take that you saw what happened between me and… him."

"… Yeah."

"… I really am sorry about that. I don't know what got into me. I really do love my brother, but he can be too much sometimes."

"… Hm."

"I'm normally level-headed when it comes to handling Lucian, but when he brought you up, I just lost it."

"… …"

Ash had a look of curiosity when she mentioned her brother being aware of them being together time to time. The Pallet Town Trainer knew that she and the Psychic-type Specialist of the Sinnoh Elite Four were siblings. He just was not aware if Anabel had mentioned to Lucian about their current friendship prior.

In addition, what about their friendship that made her flip out when Lucian brought it up?

"He told me back there how he met you in Sinnoh," Anabel continued, spreading her toes along the lake's surface. "He thought you had potential to become a strong Trainer."

She seemed to have stopped there as she continued to stare at her rippling reflection upon the water. The only sounds heard at that point were the lively yells of the Pokémon.

"… Go on," Ash urged.

"The thing is that he was… doubting you," Anabel explained, much to his confusion. "Not in the sense that you aren't strong, but the fact that your personality has completely changed from when anyone last saw you. It's nothing personal, but I honestly do miss the old you. I know that you've been through a lot the past year, so I don't blame you and neither should anyone else that knows your story."

Ash looked up to the sky pensively. Up until now, his change in behavior did not cause much interest in anyone outside of his former traveling friends and for good reason. He was still working on self-loathing issues regarding his own perceived abandoning of his friends despite Anabel's reassurance that they will welcome him back with open arms.

He certainly did not foresee someone from Anabel's spectrum of associates to be paying attention to him like that to the point that they were defensive for her. The last thing he would want them to think of him would be in mistreating her, something he'd never do.

"… Should I talk to him?" Ash suggested.

"No, I need to be the one to straighten things out with Lucian," Anabel answered. "Thanks though. This isn't your fault, just so you know."

"… But you had a falling-out with your brother because of me," Ash reminded.

"You did nothing wrong," Anabel refuted. "He was jumping to conclusions again."

"… He was only trying to protect you."

"Protect me from what? You? I know you'd never hurt me, on purpose anyway."

"… He just does what a big brother does."

"How can you say that as if you know from experience? I don't mean to be rude, but you don't have any siblings."

"… Because I was in both ends… I had an older brother figure and acted as an older brother to others…"

Before Anabel could continue inquiring further, she realized that Ash was referring to his past friends. Calling upon how much she knew of the individuals that journeyed alongside him, she quickly assigned the older brother figure to Brock. In addition, she pieced together that Ash had been a mentor for May and Max. Those three were the first to come to mind, considering they were with him when they came by the Battle Tower years ago.

It made sense to her now that Ash really knew what he was talking about in regards to sibling dynamics.

So then, what was Lucian really to her?

"… I'm still your older brother. Even if you do truly hate me, I will always love you, Anabel."

The Salon Maiden felt a small, swift tap upon her lap before another one followed it seconds later. She did not realize that tears had been shed from the corners of her lilac eyes while she thought about Lucian's last words today. The realization caused her to subtly shake as she struggled to breathe in a regular pace.

"… What have I done?" Anabel whispered, tightening a hand over where her heart was. "… Why do I push him away?"

Ash had never seen her in such a sorrowful state. It was worse off than when she first confessed her problem dealing with the expectations of other people in comparison with Lucian. He lowered his cap over his eyes. Their Pokémon seemed to have caught on what was going on with them and ceased their frolicking to return to their side.

The Pallet Town Trainer also couldn't help but think that Anabel reminded him of himself in the aftermath of Team Rocket's disbandment. He wasn't as sensitive or overemotional, but he did feel the impacts of his careless mistakes. From giving a false promise to Pidgeot to not being able to stay in contact with his friends during his battle against Team Rocket, Ash was not sure what to do at that point aside from getting stronger in order to prevent another mess like that from happening again.

He didn't know why, but he placed a hand on Anabel's shoulder, pulling her out of her distraught weeping. There was that strange feeling once again, becoming more palpable around his chest and abdominal area. Anabel looked back at him with tearful, expectant eyes.

"… He's still your brother no matter what," Ash began, pausing a bit. "… He'll understand."

Anabel continued staring at him, blinking a few times as the message sunk in. A small smile had gradually formed upon her face, magically reversing the mood she was previously in.

"What an ironic echo," Anabel commented as she calmed down to wipe away her tears. "Those words have the same meaning."

"… Hm?" Ash grunted in confusion.

"They are close to what I told you in regards to your friends," Anabel clarified, taking Ash's hand from her shoulder into her own hands. "Back when you still believe that your 'betrayal' was what isolated you from them. I told you that they won't care about that as long as you're safe and back with them again."

The Salon Maiden pulled her feet out of the water and wiped them on the grass to quickly dry them up. Upon doing so a few times, she pulled her legs closer and knelt closer to Ash while still holding onto his hand. Pikachu and Espeon arrived in and sat by their respective Trainers.

"… What are you doing?" Ash asked.

"I know what we both must do, Ash," Anabel stated, holding his hand close to her bosom in earnest. "When it really gets down to it, you and I are not so different after all. I have my brother and you have your friends. Let's work hard together to repair these relationships. It'll be difficult at first and we'll need to explain ourselves before anything, but I know it'll work out."

"… What makes you certain?" Ash continued, already knowing Anabel was sincere in her desire, but wanted her to express it anyway.

"The fact that you're here with me is more than enough," Anabel admitted, slightly turning her head away as a futile attempt to hide her blush.

There goes that feeling again, Ash thought, lowering his head for his cap to mask his face.

"Ash, I'm really happy that I got to reconnect with you," Anabel resumed, looking back at him with her blush still intact. "You have no idea."

Ash listed his head back up to meet Anabel's gaze, noticing the redness glowing upon her fair cheeks. At first, the first thought that came to mind was that she might be catching a fever and the cause was having her bare feet exposed in the cold lake water for too long.

But then he remembered that she didn't keep her feet in there for too long, so the cause had to be something else.

"… Me too," Ash responded as to share his gratefulness in Anabel's help of getting him to open back up.

Before long, Anabel practically tackled him into the ground for a hug, much to the amusement to their observing Pokémon. Ash blinked a few times while in a confused stupor until he felt the same strange feeling from his chest manifest into warmth upon his face. This just felt surreal to him.

Would this phenomenon happen when two people like each other possibly more than just friends?

Not wanting to deal with something so new and intense right now, he attempted to sit back up by holding up Anabel by her sides. The adjustment in their body positions somehow caused Anabel to pull her legs out to her front and lightly tapping against his shins on reflex. Ash felt a bit of moisture on his pants legs as a result of Anabel's feet still being a bit damp from the lake water.

"Sorry about that," Anabel mumbled sheepishly, retracting her legs after seeing what they did to his pants. "I guess I was just really eager."

"… It's no trouble," Ash replied, actually reaching to grab one of her legs.

"A-Ash?"

He went on to take a foot and worked on drying it himself with his red shirt. Anabel said nothing due to the initial shock, major embarrassment, and touched heart she harbored for Ash performing such a humbling deed. He then took her other foot to wipe it dry, sliding it up her sole and between her toes.

"… My shirt dries quickly," Ash shared as to ease her anxiety, finishing up and taking a glance at the sky above.

Night was starting to approach. The Pallet Town Trainer stood and helped Anabel up as their time was growing short. He has some more matters to take care with his Pokémon and didn't want to hold back Anabel from going about her way. Anabel had put on her socks and shoes right as her Espeon curled to her side.

"I really enjoy being in your company, Ash," Anabel admitted, not attempting to hide her shy blush. "From having this little heart-to-heart and you wiping my feet, how can anyone not see how awesome you are? You were already awesome to begin with after seeing how much you care about Pokémon and how hard you battle."

"… Yeah," Ash grunted, looking down. "… Will you be alright?"

Anabel could have sworn she saw a bit of redness on his face prior to hiding himself behind his cap, but she didn't want to press on the matter now.

"I will," Anabel affirmed with a modest bow, stepping closer to Ash to give him another hug. "I really hope you don't mind this. Hugs from people close to me always make me feel better, and you're just super huggable."

Ash had no hesitation in returning her hug, but her offhanded comment caught him off guard. From all the hugs he gave and received, he did not receive a description of being huggable from much of anyone outside from his mother. Then again, he never really paid much attention to such things in the past as hugs were hugs.

What made Anabel's hug special then?

"… I got to pick up my Pokémon," Ash announced, breaking out of the hug and preparing to head his way. "… I'll see you around, Anabel."

Anabel simply smiled and waved him and Pikachu off for the night. Espeon approached her, mewling some lingering concerns that she want answered.

"I know I was acting like a complete prat to him, but Ash helped me gain a better perspective of it all," Anabel explained. "I'm still human and I'm proud of who I am and what I stand for."

"Fyie?" Espeon inquired.

"Yeah, the message takes a while to sink in," Anabel answered. "I guess I really am just as stubborn as he is. We'd make quite a pair, huh?"

The next set of thoughts Espeon conveyed over to her Trainer caused the Salon Maiden to blush and freak out like any other regular adolescent girl. Anabel took a deep breath to disregard it and move on with her life, all the while Espeon carried on a teasing grin as they went back to their hotel room.

So the story was due for an AbilityShipping-centered chapter. I hope this turned out to your liking. Not very long, but not too short either, measuring past three-thousand five hundred words, which may also include the author's notes. Regardless…

This story still has an estimated range of twenty chapters left until the end, possibly less. Thank you to those that still support it since the beginning and/or since you first discovered it.

Time to measure up my writing skills! Please review!

L-ater!