Chapter Twenty Three - Regroup
Rena darted straight into the air with Harvey sitting securely on her back. Hayden, Lily, Keenan and Cheryl stood outside the Castelia Art gallery as they waved at the fleeing Dragonite until she disappeared from sight. Hayden sighed as he turned his attention to his wife and son.
"Is it really possible for Pokémon to endure the Super Training programmes for so long?" he asked worriedly.
"I don't know, sweetheart, I've never put my Pokémon through one before," Lily said worriedly, Cheryl shaking her head to confirm Lily's claim.
"Alex has; do you think she'd know?" Keenan questioned.
"It's possible, but let's wait for her to return, okay? Right now, though, how about we get back to the hotel?"
"Good idea, Hayden," Lily smiled. "Today's been hectic to say the least."
Robbie galloped through Nacrene City until he suddenly skidded to a halt in front of the Nacrene Museum as Keith carefully tugged the scruff of his neck. Robbie, Reese and Ava looked at the large white building in confusion, but Keith looked at it in thought; he looked as though he was thinking of an idea. He climbed off of Robbie's back and made his way inside, further confusing his Pokémon.
"What?! That's awful! Is she going to be okay?" Alexa asked worriedly as she received a steaming hot mug of creamy cocoa from Troy. She and Phoenix sat on a soft sofa in a very tidy lounge, with a glass coffee table placed in the centre of the room, surrounded by an armchair and a second sofa identical to the one Alexa and Phoenix sat on. Chutney and Jollie sat on the sofa next to Alexa while Xavier sat on the sofa opposite her, close to the armchair Troy proceeded to sit in.
"Yeah, she's going to be just fine," Troy said reassuringly. "She just needs rest mostly, but we both know Peggy will take good care of her."
"I'm not disputing that, but it's worrying that such a young and inexperienced Pokémon was assaulted," Alexa sighed.
"Uh, hey, how did your meeting with Keith go?" Troy asked anxiously.
"Way to keep the subject change subtle, dude," Xavier said sardonically. Troy glared spitefully at the disguised Zoroark.
"It was nice," Alexa smiled. Phoenix looked at her in wonderment as she continued her regalement. "It started rocky, but we decided to spend the rest of the time getting to know each other...I'm actually a little jealous that he found a Flabébé in his garden, but I'm happy about how lunch went."
"I take it that went well, going by that little peck we saw outside?" Troy asked slyly.
"Y-Yeah, it was really nice," Alexa replied, blushing a little.
"So, how do you feel about him now?" Troy asked curiously. Alexa's smile waned a little.
"I...I-I guess..."
"Y'know, babe, it's okay to LIKE the guy," Xavier said teasingly.
"Xavier, please. So, how do you feel?" Troy asked curiously.
"To be honest...I'm a little more comfortable around him now, so that's something, I guess..."
"Hey, the whole point of your meetings is to improve how you feel about him," Troy smiled. "Implying you want to save your relationship anyway."
"So far, things are looking hopeful," Alexa smiled. She suddenly realised what she just said and felt slightly awkward.
"What? What's wrong?" Troy asked worriedly.
"N-Nothing... I just remembered Keith saying the exact same thing once a while back," Alexa replied timidly.
"To you?" Xavier asked with intrigue.
"Not exactly; he was...sticking up for me."
"Sounds like he was a solid guy," Troy grinned.
"He is! ...uh, was...I-I mean is! ...y-yeah, he is..."
Rena landed in front of Colin and Hailey as they approached the Nacrene City Museum. Robbie trotted closer to the building to avoid the Dragonite's landing, though she was oblivious to the Sawsbuck's presence. Harvey dismounted from Rena's back as he approached Colin and Hailey.
"Harvey! What's the rush?" Colin asked in puzzlement. "Piper's going to be fine, we know that now."
"It's not about Piper," Harvey said as Keith exited the museum with a white carrier bag in one hand. "It's about something Hayden and I found out from another Co-Ordinator."
"So, why didn't you just call us?" Hailey asked suspiciously as Keith suddenly observed the conversation from a distance, recognising Hailey's voice.
"I wanted to tell you in person," Harvey said seriously. "There's apparently a rumour that was floating around six years ago that Adelina put her Pokémon through the Super Training programmes."
"Holy Mew; those things are strenuous," Colin said in shock.
"Yeah, but you can't argue with the results; Phoenix is a clear example of that," Hailey said calmly. "So Adelina took her Pokémon through the programmes once, it's not exactly-"
"No. It wasn't just once; she took her Pokémon through the programmes for six years running," Harvey said gravely. Keith was left utterly perplexed as he watched Hailey and Colin reacting in complete shock and slight disgust.
"Who told you that?!"
"Some not-actually-a-goth Goth kid called Toby," Harvey replied.
"Aww, Toby! I haven't seen him and Benji since the Opelucid City Contest last year!" Hailey said with delight. "But, gosh...it's no wonder Vergil had a rough time against Dolores..."
"So, what now?" Colin asked as Keith climbed back onto Robbie's back. While Robbie galloped out of the city, Harvey returned Rena to her Poké Ball.
"For one thing, I'm going to tell Troy what I just told you," he replied. "In the meantime, you get home and try not to worry about a thing," he concluded as he sprinted passed Hailey and Colin. They watched as he raced out of the city, looking relatively disturbed.
"Easy for him to say," Colin said quietly.
Keenan lay on the bed of his hotel bedroom with a large Pokémon History book directly in front of him and a pen in his right hand, which was looming over a book of lined paper with neatly written informative notes taking up the top half of the page. Iara watched as Keenan shifted his focus from the history book, which focused on the Unovan legend of Reshiram, Zekrom and Kyurem, and wrote some more key information down in the book near his right hand.
Hayden and Lily were in the main lounge of the hotel room, looking relatively anxious; Lily sat on the sofa, but Hayden paced around the room quietly.
"Hayden, I know this is a bad time, but, to be honest, I don't think we'll be able to put this off for much longer," Lily said worriedly.
"Yeah, you're right," Hayden agreed hesitantly. "So, then, when DO we tell her?" he asked openly.
"I don't know, but, the sooner we do, the better."
"I just don't want to put any more stress on her shoulders," Hayden said with concern. "I mean, she's already focusing on Keith while trying to ignore Adelina right now, I don't really want to add the prospect of travelling again to her worries."
"Maybe if we can talk her into waiting until she sorts out her relationship with Keith before making a proper decision, we could tell her later today."
"That's a bit too soon. Besides, she's meeting Keith for the first time since their fight today; don't you think that telling her now would be a bit much?"
"Y-Yes, you're right...but if we don't tell her soon, we may not be able to find the right time to do so." Hayden sighed.
"To be perfectly honest, Lily, I don't think we'll ever find the right time to tell her," he said reluctantly. "I say we sit down with her tomorrow and tell her."
"Yes, that's probably the best thing we can do at the moment..."
Keenan looked at the closed bedroom door in bewilderment before he looked down at his history book, trying to move on from what he overheard from his parents. He quickly wrote down a trivial piece of information in his notebook until he stopped mid-sentence; for some reason he couldn't fathom, his mind shifted to Adelina and the rumour he heard from his father and uncle. Iara suddenly appeared concerned for her Trainer.
Troy entered the lounge with Harvey following behind him. Alexa and Phoenix looked up at the pair as they entered, unintentionally startling Harvey with their presence.
"Alexa! I didn't expect to see you here," he said nervously.
"It's okay, we're almost ready to leave," Alexa said as she placed her empty mug on the coffee table in front of her. "I was just asking Phoenix to take me straight to Castelite after we're done here; I'm beat."
"Well, seeing as you're here, you should hear this, too," Harvey said worriedly, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously.
"What's up, Harv?" Xavier asked curiously as a magenta wave coursed down his figure, quickly shifting it into his natural Zoroark form.
"It's something Hayden and I heard from another Co-Ordinator," Harvey began. "There was a rumour that Adelina's been taking her Pokémon through the Super Training programmes for six years running."
"What?!" Alexa gasped in horror.
"No wonder Vergil had it rough," Troy said worriedly.
"I don't get what the big deal is," Xavier said naively.
"You don't know what the Super Training programmes are," Harvey sighed. "They're a series of intense exercises designed to strengthen every area of a Pokémon's battling ability."
"Phoenix went through a combination of two of said programmes to lose weight," Alexa explained, hinting her Charizard's slender physique. Xavier observed Phoenix's figure and whistled in awe.
"I thought you went on a diet."
"Rhrgh, rhrr-rr-rrgh," Phoenix said casually.
"Anyway, one session per programme is enough to make a Pokémon significantly stronger in one attribute. But...any more than that can cause health risks; why would Adelina be so willing to put her Pokémon through that kind of pressure?"
"Settle down, Alexa, you just focus on your own problems," Troy said quickly.
"How are you getting on with that anyway?" Harvey asked with intrigue.
"So far, we're just getting to know each other," Alexa replied.
"She means 'all over again'," Xavier jested.
"Good idea," Harvey smiled.
Pinwheel Forest was peaceful and quiet, with hardly anyone walking through the serene scenery. A gentle breeze blew through the trees, causing a heavily light shower of leaves to fall and flow in the wind. Keith sat in front of one of the larger trees in the forest, rummaging through the white carrier bag he received at the Nacrene City Museum. Robbie lay next to Keith, with Reese and Ava resting on the Sawsbuck's back. Keith smiled as he pulled out the contents of the carrier bag; a stunningly crafted and expertly painted ceramic figurine of a Floette with a white, blue and red colour scheme holding a pointed red and black flower. He smiled endearingly as he admired the figurine from every angle; the sunlight that seeped through the above canopy shone on the figurine as he twisted it around. He was so busy admiring the beauty of the figurine that he didn't notice six pairs of feet approaching him.
"My...what an adorable figurine!" Adelina said admiringly.
"Thanks, but it's not for me," Keith stated, entranced by the perfectly sculpted Pokémon figure.
"Oh? Well, I do hope the recipient likes it as much as I do," Adelina said wishfully, lowering her chest to give Keith a clear view of her cleavage as she leaned towards him suggestively. Robbie was impressed to see Keith ignoring the temptation.
"I dunno. I'll have to find out when they get it," Keith said ambiguously. Adelina stood up properly again; she rubbed her back briefly before she folded her arms.
"I don't know why you don't just return to the Daycare Centre and give it to her right now." Keith finally looked up at Adelina, a look of extreme bewilderment plastered on his face.
"...excuse me?" Adelina smirked at the puzzled boy.
"Aw, c'mon, darling...I saw that sneaky little kiss you gave her; you've got a thing for her." Keith stood up and looked directly at Adelina's face; after a few seconds of silence, his eyes widened.
"...hang on...you're Adelina Cross! From the Nimbasa Contest!" Adelina giggled as she stroked her Delcatty's head.
"Very astute. And who might you be, sweetiekins?" she asked innocently. Keith placed the Floette figurine back into its carrier bag as he glared at the attempted seductress cautiously.
"I don't think I should answer that; from what I've heard about you, your reputation is questionable at best."
"Pardon me?"
"I wouldn't bother feigning innocence; I heard things about you from the girl you saw me kiss," Keith said nastily.
"Alexa," Adelina sighed. Keith panicked a little. "I know her as Hailey's niece, darling. What, do you honestly believe I'd hurt her?"
"I'm not prepared to take that risk," Keith said spitefully.
"Aw, c'mon, honey, you can trust me," Adelina said sweetly as she walked slightly closer to Keith. Robbie stood up as Keith moved away from her.
"You're old enough to be my Aunt!" he said with disgust. Adelina blinked in genuine confusion.
"Aunt? Isn't the expression 'old enough to be my mother'?" she asked. Keith looked away from her nervously before he suddenly climbed onto Robbie's back, Reese and Ava moving to Robbie's head as the boy mounted the Sawsbuck.
"C'mon, Robbie, let's go," he said unenthusiastically.
"Saws!" Robbie nodded as he galloped away from Adelina, heading straight for the Skyarrow Bridge. Adelina watched Keith disappearing in bewilderment.
"Huh; did I touch a raw nerve?" she asked as she stroked the concerned Delcatty. Huey's concern changed to perplexity as he saw a sinister grin on Adelina's face. "Maybe I can do that again..." Huey grinned cunningly.
"Reow...!"
Phoenix flew straight into the sky with Alexa, Jollie and Chutney sitting on his back; Xavier followed closely, the magenta energy wave swiftly transforming his body to that of a Hawlucha. Troy and Harvey waved at the departing Pokémon until they appeared to be nothing more than particles in the sky.
"How was she when she arrived?" Harvey asked with concern.
"She was fine," Troy smiled as he looked towards his father. "She and Keith arranged another meeting tomorrow!"
"Sounds good to me. You will keep an eye out for her, won't you?"
"Of course! Just try and stop me!"
"Nah, I don't think so," Harvey chuckled.
"How's Aunt Hailey doing anyway?" Troy asked. Harvey sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair.
"Maybe we should go inside; this could take a while."
Phoenix and Xavier cruised steadily through the clear blue sky. Jollie and Chutney sat near Phoenix's neck as they felt the wind blowing through their fur, but Alexa took the time to appreciate the Skyarrow Bridge from a bird's eye view. Along the way, she spotted what looked like a person riding on a Pokémon; from her altitude, the person and Pokémon looked like a blurry brown and crimson blotch. She soon looked ahead as Phoenix and Xavier approached one of Castelia City's many tall buildings.
Phoenix and Xavier approached and hovered in front of the window to Alexa and Keenan's hotel bedroom; Keenan was still lying on his bed with the two books in front of him. Alexa lifted Jollie with both hands and held her up to the window, where the little Buneary proceeded to knock gently on the glass with her right ear, attracting Keenan's attention. Keenan smiled happily as he rolled off of the bed and quickly approached the window to open it. He then moved aside as Alexa moved her legs in front of her, allowing her to almost slide into the room.
"You look happy; everything go okay?" Keenan asked as Alexa hoisted Jollie onto her shoulders.
"A rocky start, but it turned out well in the end," Alexa replied as Chutney leapt into the room. She took out two identical Poké Balls and returned Phoenix and Xavier to their respective capsules. "How are things on your end?"
"To be honest, they're not great," Keenan sighed as he closed the window behind Alexa. "Then again, you already know what's going on."
"Yeah, I recently heard about Piper and the Super Training rumour from Troy and Uncle Harvey," Alexa said grimly as she sat on her bed.
"What do you think?"
"To be honest, I don't know what to think anymore; the Super Training thing might be plausible because of how badly Vergil got hurt, but I'm not sure how or why she'd attack Piper, implying that she didn't merely find her..."
"Daniel briefly accused Lucy of the attack," Keenan said glumly.
"Bun?"
"Troy's Zebstrika," Alexa explained to the bewildered Buneary. "Anyhow, Lucy has no reason to attack anyone, why would he think she did it?"
"Adelina said a Zebstrika did it," Keenan replied.
"Hmm...I don't know...to be honest, I shouldn't even be thinking about her; I have enough on my mind as it is."
"All rocky starts aside, how did the rest of your meeting go anyway?" Keenan asked curiously. He was even more intrigued when he saw a smile from his blushing sister.
To be continued...