Welcome to chapter two! After some consideration, I'll slightly distinguish pokemon dialogue from human dialogue in mixed scenes. Just with 'These' rather than "These"
With the decisions made, however reluctant some members may have been, progress started up at an alarming rate. Clothes were washed, bags were packed, pokémon were hugged, parents were as well, and within a couple of days, Angie and Gabriel were ready to join Felix on his journey back to Kalos.
Angie trembled with excitement on the bus ride to Hearthome City, waiting in line for the plane, on the plane, and even in her sleep.
Gabriel was far more subdued. He made no complaints or negative comments, he carried most of the bags and made sure everyone had the papers they needed.
He had a small situation during the package check when it turned out his belongings were utterly stuffed with pokéball's. The checkers were more perturbed than suspicious, and Gabriel had no answer to give besides his companions playing a joke on him.
He was still pat down because of the oddity of the situation. Gabriel remained as still as he could as a stranger patted him all over. "Looking to catch some Kalosian pokémon are you?" the guy doing so asked.
Gabriel forced a smile. "That or my little brother is playing a joke."
Angie and Felix giggled to themselves as Gabriel chewed them out for all the pokéball's. "Where did you even get so many?" he demanded. "Did you empty out the pokémart or something?"
"Yes, actually," Felix answered. He and Angie shared a grin.
He resolved not to speak to them on the plane ride over, putting in headphones to listen to music. Felix and Angie gave him his peace, sensing they may have started out too strongly but used his musical distraction to plot further schemes.
Angie fell asleep on the twenty-hour trip, having exhausted herself with excitement, but Felix found it a lot harder to sleep.
Each time he closed his eyes, his mind would fly out of the plane and back to Unova. His fingers itched and left frost on the sides of the chair.
As he had been seated in the middle, both of his companions stirred when the temperature dropped.
"You okay?" Gabriel mumbled, blinking sleep out of his eyes. He could feel the cold flowing off Felix, and it began to wake him up.
All at once, the cold receded. "I'm fine," Felix replied, his casual manner of speaking perfectly verbalising that he was not fine. Gabriel mumbled something and grabbed his hand.
Felix wanted to pull away, his hand was going to freeze Gabriel's, but his brother was already falling back asleep and was now leaning on him. Pulling away would wake him up.
He began to relax. He might not have a pile of pokémon to soothe him, but his big brother was an adequate replacement. He drifted off to an uneasy slumber, leaning his head on Angie's shoulder.
She would make many passive-aggressive statements while rubbing her shoulder the next day.
Sinnoh was left behind. Unova had to be left behind as well. Kalos was here, and Felix had a job to do.
"Good morning Kalos!" Angie cheered as she stepped off the plane, barrelling down to the checkers. Felix and Gabriel could barely keep up with her speed.
People only stared a little bit, so that was okay.
"I feel like that's something Ash would do," Felix pointed out once they were through the checking stations and were on their way to acquiring their luggage.
"Good," Angie replied.
"I would know," Felix continued, a superior look on his face. Angie's eyes narrowed and Gabriel left them to it, or really Angie to grab Felix in a headlock, while he found their luggage.
As they were now on an adventure, none of them had packed anything too heavy or bulky. Mostly just clothes and outdoor gear.
Gabriel would miss his cast-iron cookware, but Felix had insisted he only bring the shoddy pan. He snuck the good silverware along anyway.
Stepping awkwardly as his head was being held by Angie's arm, Felix tapped Gabriel on the shoulder. "Help."
"You got yourself into that," Gabriel replied, not even turning around, "you can get yourself out."
"She's choking me."
"You got yourself into that."
Felix made a choking noise and Angie found mercy in her cold, dead, heart and released him.
With their gear acquired and pokémon re-equipped, some of them at least, Felix and Angie were ready to begin.
They had differing views on where to start.
"Gym first," Angie insisted, pulling out her phone to get a map.
"You don't need a map," Felix said, pointing up at the big tower jutting above the buildings. "THAT is the gym."
"Sweet," Angie replied, turning to take a selfie instead.
Bout to start the journey. Look out Kalos!
She posted that to her social media swiftly.
"We need to go to the Sycamore Laboratory, first," Felix said, pulling his own digital map up. "I need to go around there, and I can't have you two running off without me."
"I'm a big girl," Angie replied, rolling her eyes.
"I think it'd be for the best," Gabriel said, once he had fastened everything to him. "Don't you need to register first anyway?"
"Yes," Felix said, giving a thumbs up.
Angie shrugged and came along as Felix began to navigate the path.
"Why do you want to go to this place, anyway?" she asked.
Felix grimaced. "Well… there aren't that many places you can get fennekin and one of them is the lab. I don't remember how I got Delphim, but he said that one day he was with a nice-smelling man in a white coat and the next day he was with me. I'm… kinda worried I might have stolen him while under the aegislash's control."
"Ah," Angie said. She glanced to Gabriel who raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, that's shitty. What if he takes him back and gets you arrested or something?"
"It's hard to imagine you stealing a pokémon," Gabriel added. "But if you did I may have to cut your allowance."
"It's not like I can avoid it forever," Felix said, closing his pokégear. He smiled a little at Gabriel's joke, that helped. There wasn't much further until they reached the lab, he was confident he could make it without step-by-step directions. "And I won't get arrested."
"Confident."
"I have friends in some interesting places. You've SEEN Lilith right?"
Angie snorted. But she saw what he meant. "She's a psycho, you know?"
"She literally drinks blood," Felix pointed out, shaking a scarred finger.
"A vampire psycho, then."
"Pretty much. Keeps her happy, so whatever."
"You're a freak."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
They continued to chat, avoiding the city's citizens and staring at all the pokémon around until the lab fell into view.
At the south boulevard of Lumiose City laid the modest lab. A pair of trees curtained the entrance to a cream-coloured building with blue windows and marble outcroppings.
Angie and Gabriel stopped to stare up at the building for a moment, but Felix wasn't stopping. He passed the gate to the building and headed straight for the steps. "Hey, wait up!" Angie said, jogging to catch up. "Can't wait? Or…?"
"Or," Felix replied, taking a breath. They climbed the short steps to the entrance of the lab, Gabriel joining them as Felix slowed down, almost hesitating.
He swallowed nervously and pushed the door open, entering Sycamore's Lab for hopefully the first time.
They entered into a wide, multi-levelled room that was mostly empty. Only a small desk where a woman sat, working on a computer was there to greet them.
Sophie, one of Professor Sycamore's assistants, looked up as they approached. "Yes?" she asked, once Felix stepped up close enough.
"I'm here to speak to Professor Sycamore," Felix replied, standing stiffly. "If he's around. I'm fine to wait."
"Waiting?" Angie moaned, looking left and right. There wasn't even a place for her to sit.
"Professor Sycamore is in," Sophie replied, glancing at her timetable. "He's meeting with a trio of new trainers to start them on their journeys."
"Perfect." Angie clapped her hands once. "Where is he?"
Sophie blinked before adjusting her red-rimmed glasses. "If you would wait for a few minutes, I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."
Gabriel put a hand on Angie's shoulder, and she sighed. "Yeah, alright."
"Whatever it is," a new, masculine, voice announced, "I'm sure you won't have to wait too long." From the corridor to the right, four figures approached. Three short individuals and one much taller man.
"Holy shit he's hot," Angie said, Gabriel nudged her. "Oh come on, I know you agree."
Felix swallowed, ignored the sounds from behind him, and stepped forward, palming a pokéball.
"P-Professor Sycamore," he said, standing straight and uncomfortable again. Sycamore reached the desk and handed something to his assistant.
"They're all ready," he said, she took the paper and nodded. "Hello, young man," he said, turning to properly greet Felix. "I apologise for overhearing, but you wished to speak to me?"
"Yes." Felix nodded, taking a breath. He almost pulled the ball out then and there but reconsidered. "Is it possible we could speak privately?" he asked.
Sycamore nodded and gave a glance to Felix's companions. Angie had greeted the three and gotten their names.
The girl was apparently Shauna. The bowl-cut was Trevor. And the chubby guy who seemed filled with energy was Tierno.
Somehow, someway, in the time it took for Felix to awkwardly ask Sycamore for privacy, Angie had picked a fight with all three of them.
"Relax," Gabriel said, putting both hands on Angie's shoulders to both relax her and hold her back just in case.
"Squirtle and I could dance you down the street," Tierno declared, doing an impressive spin.
"I can totally do that!" Angie said, struggling in Gabriel's grip in an attempt to dance as well. "If this psycho would let go!"
Shauna was just laughing.
Trevor fumbled with his camera, debating whether this was important enough to memorise.
Felix cast a worried look back, but Sycamore noticed some tension leaving his shoulders when he glanced back at his friends. "How did you pick a fight already?" he asked exasperated but fond.
"It's what you do!" Angie said, staring holes into Tierno. "Trainers eyes meet, instant battle and rivals forever."
"Stop playing simulation games!"
"Make me!"
"You…." Felix trailed off, shook his head, and sighed. "My apologies. Can we speak somewhere else? I think Gabriel can control her. She's just starting out herself and I think is a bit excited."
"Let me at 'em!"
Sycamore laughed good-naturedly and Angie caught it. "Picking a fight?" she asked eagerly, as a garchomp wandered out. "Next time," she added quickly, spotting the huge beast.
"Well, come along then," Sycamore said, gesturing Felix to follow. Felix smiled thinly and stepped into place with Sycamore. "I presume you're not only here for the spirited young woman?" he asked as they walked. Garchomp remained behind to watch over the situation.
"I'm not here for Angie at all," Felix replied as they entered a smaller room. It may have been smaller, but it was far livelier than the previous one. Having equipment running and beeping all over the place.
"Just in here, Felix," Sycamore said, gesturing for Felix to enter a much smaller room. This one was more akin to a sitting room with some comfortable chairs and enough space for a few pokémon. "That is you, correct?" Felix nodded, surprised. "Old Man Rowan mentioned you would be coming by. Take a seat."
Felix gathered this was the room Sycamore showed starters off in. He was more confident in that thought when he sat down, feeling residual warmth seep into his back.
Sycamore took a seat of his own and clasped his hands, smiling. "So, I don't believe we've been properly introduced," he said, before extending a hand. "I am Augustine Sycamore."
Felix took it. "Felix. Just Felix, I have my registration…" he pulled his somewhat wonky pokédex out. Riddled with dents, scratches, and parts of it dulled and old. It was clearly a pokédex that had seen many adventures, even if its condition was somewhat wanting in quality.
He handed it over and Sycamore took it, somewhat puzzled that his guest felt the need to prove his identity. There it was, Sycamore noticed, Felix of Solaceon Town.
No last name was somewhat odd, but he could see where the exception for this came from. An orphan with no legal last name, raised but not adopted by a foster carer, in documents he simply used 'of Solaceon Town' as an identifier when needed.
"Well it is nice to meet you, Felix," Sycamore said, passing the pokédex back. "What can I do for you today?"
Felix, Sycamore noticed, looked greatly uncomfortable. Without speaking, he pulled out a pokéball and activated it, enlarging it before expelling whatever was inside.
The flash of light materialised into the bipedal, fluffy-eared, visage that he knew was a braixen before the occupant was fully there.
Delphim blinked a few times before noticing where he was. 'Professor!' he said, beaming. Of course, Sycamore didn't know the exact word the braixen had used.
Felix lowered his arm, hanging the other one out as Delphim sensed him and attached himself to the offered arm.
"You haven't met me, right?" Felix asked.
Sycamore frowned and shook his head. "I can't say I perfectly remember every trainer I meet, but with a reminder I often wise recall. I don't recall you, however."
Felix nodded, heart lurching. Delphim had called Sycamore professor, so it was the case then.
He had stolen a pokémon.
"Well… I suppose I have to explain everything then. About three months ago I… suffered a huge loss and a pokémon, a honedge, took advantage of me. It brought me here to Kalos and took control of me."
Felix took a breath. He didn't like recounting stories like this. "I don't really remember much of anything in the two months it had me. But recently my pokémon saved me and returned me to normal. I… well, I have a braixen here and there aren't many places you can find one of those. Did… did you lose a fennekin in the last couple of months?"
Sycamore was quiet for a moment, staring at Felix and Delphim. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes. My male fennekin disappeared without any sign about… two months ago."
Felix's expression crumpled and he bowed his head. Delphim looked up at him, greatly concerned. 'Master?'
"I'm so sorry," Felix said, to either of them.
Sycamore watched him for a moment before standing. "May I speak to Braixen for a moment outside?" he asked. Felix nodded, but Delphim didn't go.
"Go with Professor Sycamore," he said, gently trying to shake Delphim off. He simply hung on tighter.
"It's alright, Braixen," Sycamore said, extending his hand. "I remember you well. Always up first, always incredibly friendly to the new trainers, waiting patiently for your turn. Do you remember me?"
'You won't let him take me, will you?' Delphim asked, hesitating between Felix and Sycamore.
"I stole you," Felix replied.
Delphim shook his head and clung on tighter. 'No! You might not remember it, but you didn't steal me. You asked me to come with you and I agreed.'
He turned to Sycamore to say the same thing, but all the professor heard was. "Brai xen aix xen ai aix aixen."
Sycamore paused and lowered his hand. "Well… I simply wanted to ask to see how he thought of you without you around, but I believe that makes it quite clear." He sat back down and rubbed his chin and Delphim nuzzled up to a surprised Felix.
"Well… young man, stealing is serious, but I feel inclined to believe you didn't have control of yourself." Sycamore nodded to Felix's stunned expression. "You may not be familiar to me personally, but I do remember you from the news, and Old Man Rowan spoke highly of you…."
"Professor Rowan talked about me?" Felix asked, quietly but with almost a smile on his face.
Sycamore nodded. "Right. I thought the call was a little out of the blue, but he stated you were a reliable and good trainer." Sycamore smiled slightly at the pink tinge on Felix's cheeks. "Doesn't give out praise much, I know that from experience, but he did say you were one of the kindest trainers he's met. He's a gruff old man, but kindness means a lot to him."
Sycamore leaned back, relaxed, as he looked over Felix again. "Braixen clearly views you as his trainer. Tell you what? You can keep him, but I expect updates from you. I can get Sophie to give you my number for you to ring, I can't remember the silly long thing."
"You… you're serious?" Felix asked, continuing to be stunned. "I expected you'd take him away from me, take my trainer licence, I was going to beg for anything but that."
Sycamore gave a hearty laugh. "I do wish things had been done the proper way, but I cannot argue against results. To have evolved so quickly, and so attached to you, tells me a great deal more than a simple one-sided conversation would. Braixen, are you happy?"
Delphim nodded immediately. 'The happiest!'
Felix couldn't help but smile a little at that. Delphim's happy response was more than enough here and Sycamore nodded. "I will expect some updates, but otherwise there is no harm done here. Professor Rowan seemed quite keen that I meet you, I believe I can see why. I hope you are doing better since your loss and possession."
"Not the first Ghost-type to try that," Felix replied, smiling with relief down at Delphim. "And, well, I can handle it."
Sycamore smiled and stood, extending a hand for Felix. With no more business to attend to, he walked them back to the lobby where Angie was furiously typing something into her phone.
"List of grievances," she muttered when Felix gave her a Look. "Item twenty-seven smelled like sweat and it's too early for that."
Gabriel stepped forward since he didn't need to restrain Angie any longer. "How did it go?" he asked, glancing between Felix, Sycamore, and Delphim who now clung to Felix's leg. Felix was smiling slightly, far more relaxed, and didn't look like he was going to be sick.
Gabriel could gather it went well, but he wanted to hear it to be certain.
"Young Felix here is not in any trouble," Sycamore laughed, clapping Felix on the back. "Sophie, could you write my number down? I'm just requesting the occasional update on Braixen and his other pokémon here."
"Delphim," Felix said, realising he hadn't said so already. The braixen in question preened at being mentioned.
Sycamore didn't hesitate. "Delphim then."
Sophie quickly wrote it out, she'd done it so many times she could write it with eyes closed and passed it to Felix. The trainer typed it into his pokégear immediately.
"Well, as much as I would love to keep you here to chat till the miltank crow, I imagine you want to get a head start on finding your other pokémon?"
Felix nodded. On the way back he had given a brief explanation on the status of his missing pokémon. Sycamore promised to keep an eye and ear out for any incidents and Felix was set to give Sycamore a list of all his pokémon and what groups they should be in.
With no other reason to linger, they left the lab. Felix relaxed and happier, Angie brimming with energy after making three rivals, or as she called them targets, in her first hour in Kalos, and Gabriel simply happy that the other two were happy.
Delphim remained outside of his pokéball but stopped clinging to Felix's leg as it was slowing them all down too much.
"What's stick-butt doing?" Angie asked when Delphim darted off into a group of grappling pokémon.
"I… DELPHIM!" Felix squawked in alarm, the braixen came barrelling out quickly. In his paws, he had the apple the pokémon were fighting over. With pieces torn out and oozing juice.
Delphim offered it out proudly, as the pokémon noticed they had been robbed.
"I suggest we run," Felix suggested, returning Delphim and sprinting for cover as the bird and rodent pokémon surged after them. Gabriel was able to kick a few away and Angie grabbed one and threw it at a lady wearing a gigantic hat shaped like a wedding cake.
"Take that alcremie lady!" Angie laughed, but couldn't revel in her cruel actions for long as Felix dragged her off.
The patrat had been uncaringly deflected by the woman's parasol anyway.
There were immediately differing ideas regarding first choice of destination. Felix wanted to head to Santalune City to meet up with Tania and the pokémon she had miraculously kept with her. Felix expected a call from Alice or Minerva for directions to his next set of pokémon soon, but for now, he had a direct goal in mind.
Angie, on the other hand, wanted to challenge the gym immediately.
"It's a big tower!" she said, pulling Felix even when he tried to root his feet to the ground. Even covering his feet in ice and connecting to the ground couldn't halt Angie. "I have to fight it!"
"We will be coming back here eventually," Felix grunted, surprised at his surprise at how strong Angie was. She tussled with day care pokémon, of course she had to be stronger than he was.
"It'll take, like, ten minutes," Angie protested, still dragging Felix without much trouble. "Back me up here, Gabe!"
"Take my side," Felix begged. "I'm your brother and I want to see my pokémon again."
"We won't be getting to the town today either way," Angie continued, "it will literally take us no longer."
"It really shouldn't take long," Gabriel said, appeasing Angie. Felix gave a rough sigh and released Angie. Causing her to overcorrect and fall onto her face.
"Oh, sorry," Felix muttered, he didn't feel that bad. Okay, a little.
Angie quietly stood back up, rubbing her lip. "Bloody," she said, before licking it off her thumb. "Just like what I'll leave this gym!"
Watching Angie running off laughing maniacally, Felix shared a concerned look with Gabriel. "What have I unleashed upon Kalos?" he asked.
Gabriel shrugged. "The better question is what have you unleashed upon the world?"
They simultaneously looked back to Angie, doing kickflips in the air and falling over again.
"I think the world is safe for now," Felix said, before running to catch up with Angie.
Gabriel smiled lightly and shook his head. "Heh, optimistic," he said, only for his ears as Felix was too far away now. Gabriel ran after them.
Gabriel caught up to the pair as they stared up at the large, bright, building. A symbol of a stylised lightning bolt was featured like a crest and Angie was gripping Luxio's pokéball extremely hard.
"You know," Felix began, "if you're too nervous we can come back another time?"
Angie subjected Felix to a withering expression – eyes wide and almost bulging in offence at the challenge – before she scoffed and raced ahead. "I'll beat the Gym Leader before you two can even get in!"
Felix and Gabriel followed her at a more sedate pace, watching as Angie tore the door open and darted in. A few residents of the city watched on in concern and Gabriel noticed the wide berth the people were giving the gym.
"Something is off," he said, Felix, making a sound to note he was listening. "Why is the place being avoided like that?"
Felix glanced left and right, realising Gabriel was right. "Huh." He decided to approach someone and ask what was up, turning left rather than going for the door. "Excuse me?"
"Yes?" the man asked, impatiently but not particularly rudely.
"What's going on with the gym?"
"You don't know? The Gym Leader disappeared, and some robot is heading it now. It doesn't accept people with less than four gym badges though, it ejects them without hesitation."
"Ah," Felix began as an audible discharge echoed from inside the gym and a shout of pain.
"SHIT!"
A shoot opened in the side of the gym and Angie came tumbling out, somewhat fried by electricity and stunned for the moment as she fell like a sack of potatoes.
"ADRIEN!" Felix yelped, hand automatically going to where he always held the aerodactyl. "CATCH HER!"
He tossed the pokéball and Adrien came bursting out with a cry. He heard Felix's order and narrowed right on the now flailing Angie, swooping down and catching her without incident.
Felix and Gabriel came running to the pair as Adrien came to a stop without crashing. Angie groaned and rolled off, somewhat charred by the electrical blast she had endured.
"Holy… what… are you okay?" Felix asked, unable to focus on what he wanted to say the most.
Angie coughed pitifully, a small cloud of steam escaping her mouth. Gabriel helped her up and Angie shook it off.
"What cheek!?" she spat, spinning on the building itself as if its existence offended her. "I'll burn that fucking building to the ground." She ran off, headless of Felix's yells for her to stop. "Not enough gym badges? I'll show you enough gym badges! You've made an enemy for LIFE!"
The same event happened.
"Okay, new plan," Felix said, steadying Angie as she sang a confused lullaby under her breath. "Let's just… Gabriel?" he asked, noticing his older brother getting on Adrien's back. "What are you doing?"
Gabriel patted Adrien and the pokémon sent Felix a questioning look. Apparently, there was not enough confusion on his face as Adrien seemed to accept this as permission.
"I'm going to have a… word with this 'robot' now," Gabriel said, perfectly calmly and far more intimidating than Angie's nursery rhymes of pain and death.
Adrien took a run before taking flight as Felix continued to splutter for words, circling the building once or twice before Gabriel vaulted off Adrien's back and onto a balcony far up. The vague shape of Gabriel disappeared as he forced his way in.
"Bitch, he's not doing this without me!" Angie scoffed, tugging Felix over as she pulled herself to her feet. She gave a sharp whistle and Adrien swooped down. She raised her hands and let Adrien grab her in his talons and flew her up as well. "THROW ME IN!" Angie yelled and Adrien obeyed, tossing Angie threw a window.
"That's… not… safe," Felix managed, staring up at the building as new sounds began to happen. A distant alarm was ringing and the discharges of electricity and rattling shing of metal clashing on metal began to emanate from the building.
Adrien landed and gave Felix a Look. Felix stared back. Adrien continued to stare. He didn't need to say anything.
"Fine," Felix sighed, and Adrien ran for him, snatching him up in his talons and lifting him into the air. "Keep circling around until we come out," Felix grumbled as Adrien lifted him higher and higher. People were staring, pointing, and a few were even recording the event now.
Felix really hoped this wouldn't look bad on himself and make both Rowan and Sycamore disappointed in him.
"C'est la vie," he muttered before Adrien tossed him at the building. Felix braced both arms vertically in front of him and pulled at the Power that was contained within him.
His body grew rapidly chilly and ice formed around him like a thin plate of armour as Adrien tossed him at a window, shattering it so he wouldn't have to shatter it with his bare body.
Felix felt like he'd shattered enough things with just his body at this point.
He landed running and managed to wave his arms adequate to maintain balance long enough to prevent his fall from landing him in all the shattered glass.
It took him a moment to get up, still feeling the missing figure of the one who always caught him, and another moment to begin brushing and plucking glass off him.
'BZZT! Intruder! BZZT!' Something buzzed, and Felix glanced up in alarm, a magneton observed him, rattling and vibrating as it repeated itself. 'BZZT! Intruder! Intruder! Intruders must be ejected! BZZT!'
"Shove off," Felix snapped. In response, the magneton zapped him.
Felix jumped, jolted for a moment, and then shook his head. "ABSOL-lutely NOT!" he yelled, throwing two pokémon that were not absol out to play.
Delphim the braixen, immediately furious at the frazzled state Felix was in, started flinging fire with little thought at the magneton. It split into three bodies for a moment to dodge the shots of flame.
The second pokemon, the scizor named Tyson, had also been sent out and was more focused and he lashed out, a pincer shining as he clobbered one of the bodies. The magnetic bond pulled the other two back and the magneton hit the wall.
'Now,' the scizor said, gesturing at the easily-targeted magneton but Delphim turned his pointed nose up.
'I don't take orders from you!' he replied, snottily.
"Delphim," Felix snapped, pointing. "NOW!"
'Yes, Master!' Delphim chirped and immolated the magneton until it fell unconscious. 'Did I do good?'
"Very good," Felix said, distractedly giving Delphim a brief pat, which the braixen preened at. "We've got to continue. Who knows where Angie and Gabriel are, and they don't have the same ability to defend themselves that I do."
Up above, Angie was catapulted out of a window and she screeched in defiance. Adrien, who was circling for this very reason, swooped in and gave her enough of a surface to leap back in. "REEEEE!" she howled a battle cry, smashing back in.
"Who knows if they're okay?" Felix continued, running the oddly-lighted corridors with Delphim and Tyson straining to keep up.
Further down, Gabriel was also launched out of a window while Adrien was on the other side and couldn't reach him in time. He held a simple metal pole and was able to hook that on the guardrail as he flew over it.
The pole began to slide along the metal rail, allowing Gabriel to fling himself back into the building through a lower window.
'I did so much more than you, there,' Delphim snapped to Tyson as they tried to keep pace with Felix.
'Uh-huh,' Tyson replied, not really focusing on that. There were more magnemite and magneton coming for them now and he began taking shots at them.
Three of them shocked Felix and then two more launched Flash Cannon's at their hapless trainer, lighting him up.
Felix hit the wall and slid down for a moment, groaning.
'MASTER!' Delphim squealed and physically erupted into flames. 'BURN!' He began waving his stick and blasts of flame began to nearly melt the walls.
Tyson, who did not like fire, edged closer to Felix and took a Thunderbolt meant for Felix. His wings quivered and the magneton began charging another shot.
A jet of ice lanced it and encased it in ice, causing it to fall to the ground. The magneton broke out immediately, but it was enough time to get Tyson in and a hefty Brick Break sent it the way they had come.
"Delphim stop burning everything," Felix commanded, holding onto Tyson to brace himself for a moment as his finger stung blue, mist seeping from it.
The braixen immediately stopped. 'Of course, Master,' he chirped, a visible halo of fire above his head as the rest of the hallway slowly burned itself out.
"You're a little devil, stop calling me master, come on," Felix coughed, half amused half disturbed. He was able to walk without Tyson's guidance. Didn't stop Delphim from glaring threateningly at the scizor as they walked, pointing to his own eyes and then at Tyson.
He got an eye roll in response.
They suffered six more magneton attacks and Felix suffered thirteen extra shocks, a very loud Screech, and a Flash Cannon to the ankle.
"THAT'S IT!" Felix yelled, finding his wits end quite intensely met. "EVERYTHING STOPS!"
Tyson grabbed Delphim, ignoring the braixen's furious spitting, and legged it before Felix began spraying ice everywhere.
'Let me go you heathen!' Delphim yelled, writhing in Tyson's pincers. 'You may be so heartless as to abandon my trainer, but I will not! Let! Me! GO!'
A wave of cold hit them from behind, a mere puff of air from Felix's episode. It still covered the two, mostly Tyson's back, in a thin sheet of snow.
Felix came after them a moment later, letting the magnemite slowly break out of the ice cocoons he had plastered the walls with. They were tapped by Tyson to ensure they stayed down.
'Feel better?' Tyson asked.
"I'm hungry and mad. I'm hangry."
'You're like a morpeko,' Tyson replied, still holding Delphim. The fox was still spitting at him, but he was warm.
'Release me!'
"Release him."
Tyson let the angry fluffball go and Delphim immediately jumped into Felix's arms. 'He's cold. I shall warm him.'
'He can hear you,' Tyson reminded.
"He is also always cold," Felix replied. "HE is used to it by now."
'So brave. So noble.' Delphim did not extract himself, simply buried in deeper.
Tyson sent the braixen a judgemental look, but Felix was more amused than anything else. "Oh come on?" he laughed, spotting Tyson's expression. "It's not any worse than your fedora collection."
'Those have a time and a place!' Tyson shot back, red carapace feeling awfully hot now.
"Like a bike inside a store," Felix replied, rolling his eyes. Sure, he was used to the cold. But he enjoyed the warmth.
The trio weren't accosted any further and Felix exited the bizarrely long hallway, he was sure the building wasn't even this tall let alone long and found himself entering the main battlefield. Through the back entrance to the side.
"Hm," he hummed, glancing around. It was stock-standard for a gym battlefield. Except for the robot. That was a little weird. And he had been in Wattson's gym once.
"Challenger detected!" the robot said, rotating its head around to stare at him. Felix paused, it was just lifelike enough to be creepy. "Welcome." It made a truly horrific buzzing sound, clicking and jerking its head as a few sparks popped. "To your fifth/sixth/seventh/eighth gym battle."
"The who now?" Felix replied, he moved forward carefully, placing Delphim down and the braixen lit his stick threateningly. Tyson bared his pincers.
"Th aa aaa a aat t ttt t lle ee e e ee e e deleelelelwWHHOOOP!"
The robot began to spark and jerk worse now. "Intruder! Intruder! Intruders! Gym badges! How many do you have young sir, madam, or other?"
Felix stared, now itching to grab another pokéball. "…Two?"
"TWO?" the robot gasped, flailing out erratically. "TWO? TWO? T W O? T W O? T W U? U W U? U W U? O W O?"
"Who the hell designed you?" Felix asked, he couldn't help but think of the rocket's robots. Even those functioned better than this thing did.
"Clemont," the robot replied. It was still twitching and sparking, but its voice became even. "Gym Leader of Lumiose City. Creator of Lumiose Tower, many inventions, and myself. I am designated Clembot and shall act as gym leader in his stead."
"And what… happened to Clemont?" Felix asked, edging around the battlefield. Clembot followed his every movement.
"Clemont has – data not found – and shall be back – date not found – you shall battle Clembot in his stead. Prepare yourself, this will be a three on three battle with no substitutions for either side. Gym leader chooses first. Goodbye."
It tossed a pokéball with impressive dexterity and out popped a heliolisk. It gave a warbly battle cry. Clembot then waited for Felix's choice.
Felix, however, was somewhat flat-footed. Before he could begin to speak against this, Delphim raced out. 'I shall battle for the badge!' he yelled, waving his stick erratically.
'Very well,' Heliolisk said, frill popping out and charging a strong voltage.
"First pokémon detected. Thunderbolt," Clembot ordered and Heliolisk didn't hesitate, blasting Delphim before the braixen could react. The exceptionally strong blast knocked Delphim out instantly.
"Delphim!" Felix shouted, almost running out to the battlefield.
'I've got it,' Tyson replied, running out.
"Second pokémon detected. Thunderbolt," Clembot said, monotone and filled with nothing. Heliolisk wasted no time, but Tyson was a lot more powerful than Delphim and tanked the first blow without going down.
"Brick Break!" Felix yelled and Tyson swiped out, but Clembot was already responding.
"Jump, legs up." Heliolisk leapt out of the range of the swipe but was right in the surprised scizor's face. "Thunderbolt."
"Other pincer," Felix countered, and Tyson received a face full of electricity, but he was able to clobber Heliolisk with a Brick Break.
Staggering back from the electricity in his eyes, Tyson was not able to prepare for the next blow. "Parabolic Charge," Clembot ordered and Tyson gasped as he was not only stunned with a discharge, but he could feel his vitality draining.
Heliolisk's extended his frill and sighed as he glowed green, the bruise forming from Tyson's blow faded away.
"It can heal," Felix said, dumbly. "Of course. Tyson use-"
"Thunderbolt," Clembot ordered and Tyson was blasted off his feet.
"Oh, go to hell!" Felix snapped.
"Thunderbolt," Clembot ordered, continuing to be completely unphased with any sort of banter.
The last electrical blast left visible crackles of electricity over Tyson, and the scizor groaned. He could barely move when they were active, he felt as if he had muscle stimulants all over when the crackles were going.
"Paralysis," Felix growled, grabbing another pokéball. "Enough of this, Lilith, Shadow, end this!"
"Alert!" Clembot started, shaking violently. "Challenger may only call one more pokémon and not two at a time!"
"I am NOT having a gym battle with you!" Felix yelled as his pokémon emerged. "I came in after my friends because you kicked one of them out and she is crazy, apparently," he added, still a little concerned about that.
Clembot was silent for a moment. "Intruders detected. Magneton and magnemite defences deployed… intruders unchecked. Intruders unchecked. Diversion tactics, intruders detected… three. Three. Three. THREE!"
The robot spazzed out again before pointing a shaky finger at Felix. It was almost coming off with smoke pouring. Felix leaned back slightly, he was far away but that collapsing appearance was unsettling to look at.
"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder! All intruders must be removed! Removed! REH-moved!"
It activated another pokéball and then a third one. A magnemite and magneton emerged coming to back Heliolisk up as Clembot shook and shook.
"Break through them!" Felix yelled as Lilith and Shadow rushed forward. Shadow, the kind soul he was, came to Tyson's side to block a double Thunderbolt from the pair of floating pokémon and shook it off as Lilith slashed right through Heliolisk and caused him to collapse with one hit.
"That's one!" Felix cheered, as Lilith turned her gaze to the magnet pokémon. They also turned to her, detecting her as a much bigger threat.
Lilith's blade shone and she fired her ranged Night Slash's at the pair before leaping up to do some PG-13 ultraviolence.
Felix yelled out in warning, but Lilith had already jumped up. Heliolisk was bleeding, but not down yet and he had formed a Focus Blast in the cup of his hands.
The magnet pokémon screeched Metal Sound's at Lilith and Heliolisk tossed the Focus Blast like a softball.
It exploded, but not on its intended target.
Shadow leaped in front of the blow and weathered the force far better than Lilith would have. But the sheer force of the impact knocked him into Lilith's back and tossed them both through the air.
The magnemite and magneton turned to discharge on them as Heliolisk fell back, but Tyson had also found his feet and managed to punt one of them out of the air.
The remaining magnemite stalled in confusion of who to target and Clembot was not giving understandable orders, they suffered a wipe out by a second blow from Tyson.
His back was unprotected, however, and didn't seem to have learned the lesson of not taking his eyes off Heliolisk. A Parabolic Charge came from behind and the damage was too much, and he collapsed.
Heliolisk got up with a shout as his wound mostly closed. 'I will not have you despoil this gym! My trainer left it to me to protect!'
'Good job there,' Lilith sneered as she and Shadow got up. The magneton also got up, however, and they had to split up.
'I'm going for him,' Shadow panted, running forward. Lilith didn't protest, she wasn't sure how well she could withstand a Focus Blast here when the Thunderbolt from the magneton was nearly sending her to lala land.
The magneton split into three bodies constantly as Lilith tried to slash it to pieces, frustrating her. 'Stop! I'm supposed to do that to you, it's not fair if you do it to yourself! STOP!'
Felix began to build up another jet of cold. He doubted he could do much after his cold eruption from earlier, but his pokémon genuinely needed help. It saddened him, they'd gotten out of practise due to his own negligence.
Shadow tackled Heliolisk head-on, glowing purple with a Payback.
'Stop fighting us,' Shadow demanded, pushing against Heliolisk who slammed him with a Focus Blast to the spine and retreated.
'This is what I am ordered to do,' Heliolisk replied, panting for breath. It tried to build up a Parabolic Charge, but despite a point-blank Focus Blast, Shadow was not slowed down and tackled him again. 'The last order from my trainer.'
'Think for yourself!'
'Fine. This is MY gym, I will defend it!'
"Shadow," Felix called, spotting the grapple. "Headbutt him, get some space, then Work Up!"
Shadow complied, happy to follow his trainer. Heliolisk reeled back from the headbutt and rubbed his nose, blinking a few tears out of his eyes.
The umbreon began to build up power, glowing violet for a moment. Heliolisk used to pause to charge up some electricity, but Shadow was coming for him again.
He unleashed the Parabolic Charge a little too early and it barely phased Shadow, who slammed into him with twice the strength.
Felix lifted his hand and closed his right eye. His fingertip was glowing blue and he knew he had one good shot. He aimed for the magneton and waited until it recombined to fire his beam of ice.
It hit the troublesome Steel-type from behind and glued it together for a moment. It melted the ice with a discharge of electricity, but it was more than enough time for Lilith to capitalise and slash through it with a scythe of darkness.
Magneton fell, clattering to the ground.
Heliolisk hissed and tried to aim for Lilith with a Focus Blast, but Shadow bit the hand that was generating it and it exploded prematurely in his mouth. The umbreon was nearly knocked out from the shock to his skull and wobbled for a moment before crashing to the ground.
Heliolisk cursed and tried again, but Lilith was already upon him. He'd withstood her first attack; he did not withstand the second.
With the pokémon down, Felix turned to Clembot who was almost shaking itself to pieces now. He ran forward, hands cooling the air around them and freezing. He punched the robot in the face with a hand covered in ice and knocked it down.
"I will pull you apart!" Felix growled, reaching down with his other hand to do something. Help the robot up? Tear its face off? One of the two and even he wasn't sure of which.
All at once, everyone arrived.
It was alarming how immediately it happened, right as he was about to commit some PG-13 ultraviolence of his own.
Angie came barrelling in from one door, covered in ash, scratched, and filled with murderous joy with Luxio barking at her side. Gabriel calmly exited from another door, not a dent or dint to be seen on his body, although the metal bar he was sporting was all sorts of twisted now.
From the main entrance, four other figures came running through.
"CLEMBOT!" the bespectacled one cried and rushed forward with speed unusual for him. Not that Felix knew that.
"Oh my gosh, big brother!" the smallest of the four cried, most surprised with her brother's speed.
The other two were a little calmer, but only slightly.
"Felix?" Ash called, spotting his old rival.
"Ash?" Felix replied, blinking and releasing the faceplate of the robot he was ready to tear. "Oh…." He immediately tried to lean on a wall with a cool look. "Watcha doing?" But there was no wall and so he fell over.
"Ash?" the girl behind Ash said and Felix immediately homed in on her. Pink hat. Brown hair. Red skirt. He didn't know her, but he was sure she was the enemy. "You know this person?"
Felix's eyes met Angie and they nodded in understanding.
"This is Felix!" Ash beamed as Clemont reached his wayward creation, Felix stepping out of the way. Clemont wept over Clembot for a moment, but then got to work repairing the damage. An aipom-like arm extended from a backpack to help him and Felix found himself flat-footed for a moment. Ash ran over and helped Felix up, lifting him with strength that didn't surprise Felix anymore.
He really wasn't sure what to say. He glanced to Shadow and Lilith, but neither were helpful at the moment both glancing away at interesting walls. He quietly returned Tyson to his pokéball, realising he should have done that sooner.
"Uh… hello," he decided upon, giving an awkward wave. Ash was still smiling, so that made him feel better. What didn't make him feel better was when a little girl kicked him in the back of the knee.
Felix fell face-first onto the battlefield with Bonnie standing furiously behind him. "That's what you get for hurting Clembot, you big meanie!"
"The robot," Felix snapped, pushing himself up. He took Gabriel's hand, his own big brother coming to his side. "Was trying to kill me. And it took over this gym."
"I know," Bonnie said, still furious, "and I hate it! But Clemont's sad now."
Felix snapped a glare behind the vicious child and at the inventor. "You?" he growled, Clemont stiffened feeling the murderous gaze at the back of his neck. "You created that monstrosity?"
"Uh-huh," Bonnie answered, nodding smugly. "My big brother is the best inventor in the whole world."
Felix's eyes narrowed. "Well my big brother is the best cook in the whole world."
Bonnie gasped. "Take that back!"
"Why should I?"
"Because that's Clemont and you're not me!"
"Well Clemont if Clemont is as good of a cook as he is an inventor, I'm not worried."
It took a moment for Bonnie to process that but she immediately went to kick Felix again once it clicked. The aipom-arm caught her before she could and pulled her back struggling. "Let me go he's being mean!"
Angie reached Felix next and gave Clembot a look over. She returned Luxio to his ball after a moment. "Nice work," she said, approvingly as Bonnie gasped, noticing her. "I would have taken its face off at least, though."
"I was in the middle of that when you all arrived," Felix grumbled.
Bonnie fell down to one knee, stretching a hand out to Angie. "Please miss," she said and Clemont stiffened in horror for a whole new reason. "Take care of my big brother. I can't do it forever and he needs a good woman to-"
"Bonnie I asked you to stop this a million times," Clemont cried, picking Bonnie up with his aipom-arm and dragging her off to deliver her to the other girl in the group. "I'm so sorry."
Angie shrugged. "Nice for someone to realise I'm a girl for once," she commented, shooting Ash a most casual look. He had the vaguest of decency to look ashamed. "Sup."
"Who are you?" the girl behind Ash asked. Angie narrowed her eyes slightly on her.
"This is Angie, a friend from Sinnoh," Ash replied, and Angie went all giggly for a moment. "That's Felix, my long-running rival. That's… uh… I dunno."
"Gabriel," Gabriel answered, striding forward to give Ash a nice, firm, handshake. "You must be Ash. I've heard… a lot about you from my brother and co-worker."
"Brother?" Ash asked. "Co-worker?"
Angie sighed. "That's me."
Ash gave her a puzzled look. "Did I get it backwards aga-"
"Don't," Angie snapped, seeing where this was going. Ash paused. "You dare. Finish. That."
Ash closed his mouth, wisely. He had learned.
She jerked a thumb at Felix, who waved. "His brother. Gabriel is my co-worker. Also friend. Did you miss THAT part, Gabriel?"
"I thought co-worker was more explanative."
"More HURTFUL is what you mean?"
"I'm sorry," the other girl said, cutting in. She stepped forward and shook Angie's hand, staring right into them. Angie stared back and shook hard. "I am Serena. Ash's travel companion."
"Angie," Angie replied curtly. "Ash's friend."
"I met him at summer camp," Serena said for... no explicit reason.
Angie snorted. Genuinely amused for a moment. "So did I, actually."
Serena didn't really know what to say to that. "I… don't recognise you?"
"Different summer camps, I'm sure." Angie nodded. "Did you nearly get sent to the ghost world by an evil ghost girl?"
"...what?"
"Point to Angie," she said.
"I met Ash before he was a trainer," Serena said. "Point, Serena."
"I'm Bonnie by the way!" Bonnie said cheerfully, still being held by Serena as if she was a wriggling fennekin.
They shared a moment of understanding, then it was back on. Angie stepped back and Felix came forward to shake her hand as well.
"Good luck," he advised, simultaneously pleasant and threatening. "Around him, you will need it. Take it from me. Been running into him for how many years now? Five, going on six?"
"Thanks…" Serena replied, not sure what to make of that.
"I'm not that bad," Ash defended, crossing his arms. Felix gave him his own Look. "I'm not! We have fun!"
"I still haven't let go of that maractus moment," Felix replied, dully.
"The what?
"Don't remind me." He looked back to Angie and Gabriel as Clemont finished tinkering with Clembot.
"Um… thank you?" Clemont said, stepping forward nervously. "I'm sorry Clembot was such a nuisance. I inputted the wrong commands and then lost the overwrite code to fix him. We were actually back here to break in and turn him back to normal, thanks for… distracting everything. I imagine breaking in would have been a lot harder. Haha, lucky breaks I guess?"
He swallowed as the charred Felix, burned Angie, and impossibly clean Gabriel stared back.
Angie laughed. "I like you."
"Much better than the robot," Felix agreed.
The two shared a laugh and stepped forward to clap Clemont on the shoulders. He laughed along, a little confused, their words were friendly, yet he was profoundly terrified.
"Um… I know it's not routine, but I AM the gym leader and you did… do this. So." Clemont pulled out a badge and glanced between the three. He only had the one on him. He ended up passing it to Gabriel, who appeared the most composed of the three.
Gabriel passed it to Felix the moment Clemont looked away. Felix glanced at Angie, an idea shining in his eyes. She nodded back.
"So, these the new crew?" Felix asked, turning back to Ash.
"New crew?" Bonnie sniffed, offended at every word Felix said. "Who else?"
"Hm. This isn't Hoenn v2 is it?" Felix asked Ash who laughed.
"I ran into Bonnie and Clemont outside the gym a while back, and Serena a little while later battling-"
"Let me guess."
"Team Rocket," they said together.
Felix shook his head. "I would ask 'They're still following you?' but I won't. There is no answer."
"You've come to Kalos too!?" Ash said, thrilled. "Are you sure you're not following me too?"
"You ask me that every region since Hoenn."
"And?"
"The answer is one I will not give you."
Ash grinned goofily. "It's cool to see you, Felix! I hope you've been okay...?"
Felix's smile turned sad but didn't disappear. "I've been okay," he said, turning his head to Angie who was trying to look cool but only looked nervous and Gabriel who appeared to be zoning out. "Ah. Since you tend to run into every problem around, I might as well mention. My pokemon area all scattered across the region and I'm looking for them."
Ash gasped. "All of them!?"
"Most of them. I've got a few and I know where some are. But, uh, if you see any you've got my number." Ash gave him a thumbs up.
Seeing her chance to join the conversation, Angie crossed her arms. "Better get ready, Ash. I'm a full-on serious trainer now. The Angie you knew is gone."
"Aww, you were really cool."
Angie went crimson. "I-I-I. Shut up. I'm still literally the coolest person you'll ever meet. And I'm going to beat you in every battle, to every gym, and to the league!"
Ash grinned the same kind of manic crazy that Angie did. "YES! I can't wait to battle you! Can we battle now?"
Angie looked itching to say yes, but paused. "...no, not now. The challenge has to wait, you gotta be ready for me." I've got to be ready for you, went unsaid.
"So, you're a battler?" Serena asked, setting Bonnie down.
"Sure am! I grew up around pokemon as well, so I know a lot. I'm already getting ready to kick Felix's butt, then I'm coming for Ash."
"That's nice."
Felix tilted his head at Serena, not noticing as Gabriel drifted off to chat with Clemont over Clembot. "You don't sound so sure?"
"Oh! Well it's amazing to watch Ash battle."
"You don't like it?" Angie asked, fighting a scoff. Point Angie.
Serena's eyes narrowed just slightly for a moment. "No, but I've got to get my footing," she said with confidence she didn't feel. "I'm not quite on... this level yet." She looked Felix and Angie up and down, dirty and still sparking a little.
"Miss Angie?" Bonnie asked. "Why are you on fire?"
"Because your brother's guard pokemon are really dedicated to their jobs." Angie smiled, cracking a knuckle. "Not dedicated enough I think."
"So cool."
"Wait? It's okay for her to beat up your brother's pokemon and not me?" Felix asked, outraged at the hypocrisy before him.
"Yes."
Felix narrowed his eyes at her. She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Well... not to leave you with the mess but… we're gonna leave you with the mess," Angie said before waving. "We gotta be off. See ya, Ash. And… you other people too, I guess. Bonnie is cool."
Surprised themselves at Angie's decision to go, Felix bade his own goodbyes and Gabriel nodded and the three left the gym in shambles.
"What's with the decision to go?" Felix asked, curiously. "I thought you were going to challenge the gym leader then and there."
"This experience has taught me something," Angie replied, "I need more creatures of destruction to accomplish my goals."
"You mean pokémon?" Felix asked, half kidding, half-serious.
"That's the one."
"So, then, where are we going?" Gabriel asked, pulling his phone out to check the map. Angie grinned to him.
"We'd better get to Santalune City before Felix has a stroke."
"Wise," Felix said, smiling. "The stroke might not be mine."
Gabriel nodded and typed it in. "Follow me," he advised, stepping into the lead. "Closely. I know how one of you can get lost and the other can wander."
The pair of Felix and Angie laughed, viewing the other as the one who gets lost.
"Hey, why are you completely clean?" Angie asked as they began to make their way to the cities exit. "Felix and I look like we've gone through the World's Deadliest Game with Lasers Included for Five Hundred Poké Extra Charge."
Gabriel smiled mysteriously as the Lumiose Gym smoked with numerous damaged parts sparking behind them. Something crashed and something else boomed from behind them.
Far away, standing on top of a building stoically and dramatically, a masked figure observed the three strolling away with a frown.
"Hmm…" Blaziken Man hummed, rubbing his chin. Blaziken himself stood at the ready beside him. Something clanked as more of the gym broke down.
Those three would be worthy of being watched, but he could not leave the city. Blaziken Man turned to leave, he had a call or three to make.
Chapter 2!
Chapter 1 might have been a bit depressing. Chapter 2 is a better view of the tone of the story we've got running here. First gym encounter and they've already left in burns and scratches with the gym half-ruined behind them!
Hahahaha. This was so much fun to write. The humans are as crazy as the pokemon here.