A/N: Hey, everyone! Welcome back to the fic! I hope I didn't keep you all waiting long enough. I know over four months isn't an ideal waiting period, especially if it hasn't been officially announced. However, some of it wasn't entirely my fault. See, in case you guys and gals haven't noticed, starting on Halloween, the site was hit with a major bug that affected the visibility of new updates to fics and accounts, as well as newly-posted stories. During that time, I quickly decided to hold off on writing altogether and instead devote my energy to cross-posting my existing stories to my Archive Of Our Own (AO3) account, as well as creating backups for my documents on Microsoft Word, because I've been a dummy by using the Doc Manager and only the Doc Manager to hold onto my fanfiction materials.
Now, it looks like the site's starting to get its act together again, which will allow me to carry on with writing. HOWEVER, I just wanted to let you all know that, if this site goes down for good, it is NOT the end for me. Not by a long shot. I am and WILL remain active elsewhere. I have my alternate accounts listed at my profile, and the usernames are 100 percent accurate. It should NOT be hard to find me there. Go over to my profile, and make sure you have the usernames and the websites memorized. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
Alrighty then, enough explanations! Let's get on with this overdue chapter! ENJOY!
P.S.: Due to the ever-worsening situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I'm going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:
-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:
-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)
If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.
Laurier Maison
Northern Kiloude City
Selene ran as fast as her little legs could carry her, with Celebi still safely tucked in her arms. Following right behind her were Bonnie, Dedenne, Clemont, Shauna, Calem, and Summer. But the seven-year-old girl from the future never heard their concerned cries for her to stop and let them catch up with her. Instead, her mind was completely clouded by a great terror.
"A-Aria's fine, Clemont, b-but... I-It's Ash, Clemont... S-Something bad happened to him..."
As soon as she heard her mother say those words on the phone, Selene had started sprinting. She ignored the calls and cries of her future aunts and uncles, instead keeping her mind on Ash and his well-being.
"No!" she thought, shaking her head. "No, no, no, nothing bad happens to Daddy! Nothing! Daddy is the bestest Trainer in the whole world, and the strongest too! He'd never let anyone or anything get past him!"
Though Selene didn't know where exactly to go, it was as if her legs knew all along, for she ran where she felt she had to go. Every time her heart beat faster with each step down the halls and through the doors, the little girl knew that it was the right step to take, and the right direction for her to follow.
Before she knew it, Selene was back in the lobby, just in time to see a crowd of spectators and tourists parting to make way for someone.
"Excuse me!" she squeaked while diving headfirst into the crowd, trying to push her way through. "Excuse me, sorry, ex-excuse me!"
"Whoa!" a middle-aged man cried.
"Careful, young lady!" a cultured-looking woman remarked.
"Hey!" a young boy snapped. "Mommy!"
In just a few moments, Selene got to the other end of the crowd. There, she saw what she had been dreading the most: Ash Ketchum on a stretcher, being carried out of the lobby by a pair of Wigglytuff. To make matters worse, following the Wigglytuff was another pair of Wigglytuff, carrying a stretcher that held a visibly battered Greninja.
"DADDY!"
Ignoring the confused comments and remarks from the crowd members within earshot, she pushed into the clearing and ran up to Ash's side, prompting the Wigglytuff to stop. She could see that his blue-and-white shirt had been zipped open, and his black undershirt flipped open, revealing a chest adorned with dark bruises.
"Selene?"
Selene's sapphire-blue eyes met Ash's auburn ones. The teenage boy smiled gently at her.
"Heeeeey, there you are," he greeted. "I see Clemont and Shauna saved you."
"That bad man was a wimp!" Selene replied with a huff. Then, she looked at his bruised body again, and then Greninja's. "What happened to you and Greninja, Da-?"
"I'm-I'm fine, Selene. I swear..." Ash cleared his throat. "I just came across a bad man of my own..." Then, he eyed the Wigglytuff carrying him. "Some think I need to be looked at-"
"That's because you do, Ash!"
Selene's heart jumped with joy. Looking up, she saw Serena approaching them, with Pikachu and Pichu perched on each of her shoulders, and her three Pokémon flanking her. The honey-blonde was closely accompanied by Aria, a teenage boy she barely recognized, and...
"Evelyn!" she squeaked.
"Selene!" The blue-haired girl knelt, allowing the younger girl to run up and hug her tightly. "Ohhhhh, thank Arceus you are okay!" Evelyn parted from Selene and began checking her from head to toe. "How are you?! Are you hurt?! Y-You're not hurt, are you?!"
"I'm fine, Evelyn." Selene stared into Evelyn's watering eyes. "What about you? Are you okay?"
"Nooooo, not really!" Evelyn hugged the little girl again, tears of happiness cascading down her cheeks as she struggled to not break down. "But I'm just so, so glad to see you again!"
"I'm glad to see you too!" Then, Selene looked up at Serena and beamed happily. "Pichu!"
"Pichu-pi!"
The Tiny Mouse Pokémon hopped off Serena's left shoulder, its cheeks sparkling with static electricity, and into Selene's arms. The little girl caught her with ease, and she was now embracing both Pichu and Celebi. At the sight, Serena knelt down and hugged Selene, which she returned in kind.
"I'm so glad we're all together again, Mommy!" Selene exclaimed.
"I'm so glad too!" a sniffling Serena replied. "I'm...I'm so, so, so glad!"
"Oh, my Arceus!" a voice suddenly cried, causing Serena's skin to crawl. She feared if the onlookers had overheard what Selene just said.
"Is that who I think it is?!" another voice exclaimed.
"It IS!" a third voice shrieked with glee. "It's Aria!"
Serena glanced towards Aria, who had just remembered, once again, that her Ariana disguise had fallen off during all of the commotion. The honey-blonde couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the Kalos Queen as she reluctantly but expertly became receptive to the adoration of her fans.
"Sign my shirt, Aria! Please!"
"Could you please pose for a photo, Aria?! For the folks at home!"
"Marry me, Aria! Marry MEEEEE!"
"Calm down, everyone!" Aria replied, trying her best to be accommodating and respectful. "Calm down! There's so many of you and so little time!"
Serena suddenly felt a tug at her shirt, and she turned to stare at her future daughter.
"I'm fine, by the way, Mommy." Selene smiled brightly at her. "Auntie Bonnie, Auntie Shauna, and Uncle Clemont helped me out!"
Serena blinked, impressed. "Oh, did they now?"
As if on a cue, Bonnie, Clemont, Shauna, Calem, and Summer ran up to the scene, with Clemont panting and holding his legs as soon as he stopped.
"Ah, there you are!" Summer cried.
"Don't...run off...like...that...Selene!" Clemont wheezed pathetically between pants. "Can't...Can't you...see...I'm not...a good...runner?"
Selene and Serena heard a weak, almost grainy chuckle, and they both glanced toward Ash's direction. He was still lying on the stretcher, but he was wearing his bright, youthful smile as always.
"Glad to see you're alright too, Clemont..." the Pallet Town native remarked.
"Tuff!" one of the Wigglytuff snapped, puffing out its cheeks with exasperation.
At the sound of the Balloon Pokémon, Ash raised his head by an inch. "No, no, no, I swear I'm fine-"
"Ash Ketchum," Serena interrupted suddenly, her voice so stern that it caused Ash's and Selene's skins to crawl. "You say you're alright, but I can see that you aren't. It's as clear as day. Now, just lay down there and let the Wigglytuff do their job, or so help me, Arceus-"
Ash's head collapsed back onto the stretcher. "Al-Alright, alright, I'm lying down, I'm lying down! Jeez, Serena! You sure are- Ack!" The boy winced momentarily while his stomach recoiled. "You sure are scary whenever you're angry, Serena... Gosh..."
"Just hang in there, Ash," Aria commented, momentarily ignoring all of the tourists that were rapidly snapping photos at her. Then, she glanced toward the Wigglytuff carrying Ash and Greninja and gave them a slight nod, allowing the Balloon Pokémon to continue on their way.
"Bye, bye, Daddy!" Selene said as she watched her future father being carried out of the lobby. "I hope you get better!"
Serena's face quickly turned as scarlet as a Tamato Berry. At the corners of her eyes, the Performer could see more than a few onlookers within earshot looking at one another and whispering to themselves in confusion.
"Y-Ye-Yea-Yeah!" she stammered, hoping no one got the wrong idea from Selene's words. "I-I-I h-ho-hope you g-ge-get be-be-better too!"
Everyone else in Serena's group watched as the four Wigglytuff expertly carted Ash and Greninja out of sight. Once they were gone, Evelyn collapsed to her knees and pitifully looked down at the floor.
"I'm...I'm sorry, Auntie Serena..." she said, her eyes watering up with tears. "It's...It's all my fault-"
"Wait, what?!" Serena looked down at her with shock. "H-How is it your fault?!" She knelt beside the blue-haired girl and patted her shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong, Evelyn, I promise."
"B-But I..." Evelyn hiccupped as she was on the verge of crying. "I slowed you down, a-and I s-should've p-protected U-Uncle Ash better, a-and I-"
"Oh, no, no, no!" Serena promptly hugged the girl as she finally started to weep. "It's okay; it's not your fault. You did all that you could! I'm not angry at you, Evelyn; I'm angry at the guy that hurt Ash. Everything that's happened to Ash is all his fault and no one else's. Do you understand?"
Evelyn let out another hiccup, but Serena could feel her nodding against her shoulder. With that, the Performer broke the hug and stared into the girl's shiny blue eyes.
"Hey, keep up your strength up, Evelyn. Just because we lost that guy, it doesn't mean that it's all over yet. Remember, never give up till the end, okay?"
Serena did not know why she said that last sentence, but she assumed it was something her future self would repeat to her children and their friends. After all, those six words had a great impact on her life from the moment she first heard them. Therefore, it was only fair that she repeat the mantra to those who needed to hear it, all the way into the future.
To her relief, though, Evelyn nodded and gave her a small smile. This allowed Aria to speak up.
"Okaaay," the Kalos Queen said awkwardly. "Well, um...w-wow. C-Can't beat those words, huh?"
"Of course not!" Selene suddenly squeaked. "Never give till the very, very end! 'Cause the only person who says it's the end is you!"
"Pichu, pichu-pi!" Pichu squeaked while nodding its head in agreement.
"Bi!" Celebi cried happily.
"That's true," Evelyn replied. Then, with a soft smile, she hugged Selene again. "I'm really, really glad I found you. I...I don't know what I would've done if I couldn't find you! O-Or Nate! O-O-Or-"
"Evelyn?" a voice asked incredulously.
Evelyn gasped in shock and looked over her shoulder, just in time to see two familiar people running up to her. The two people she desperately wanted to see the most.
"Yancy!" she cried, her eyes literally gushing out tears like fountains. "Nate! Oh, my Arceus! You guys are here too!"
"Evelyn!" Yancy wailed. Within seconds, the pink-haired girl ran up to her friend and fellow Performer, and hugged her so tightly that her bones might've as well become broken. "Oh, thank Arceus you're here!"
"Thank Arceus we're all here now," Nate remarked once he caught up to the others. "What are the odds of this? One in a million fluke? Given how we ended up here, we were more likely to end up in different time per-"
"Hush down, Nate!" Serena snapped while gesturing to the crowd of onlookers.
"For the love of Arceus, Nate!" Yancy snapped as well, her voice sounding just like Serena's in that moment. "What're ya trying to do, scare Evelyn off?!"
"S-So-Sorry, you two." Then, Nate's eyes lit up in remembrance. "B-By the way, we thought we saw some Wigglytuff! D-Do you think you could get them back here?"
"Why?" Serena asked, before she felt her heart drop to the pit of her stomach. "Oh, no! Is someone else hurt?!"
"N-N-No! B-Be-Be-Better, in fact!" Then, Nate sheepishly scratched his cheek as he struggled to find the correct words to say. "O-Or worse, d-depending on how you look at it-"
"Auntie Layla's in labor, Mo- I-I mean, Se-Serena!" Yancy interrupted.
"I know, Yancy," Serena replied, "but I was simply asking why..." Her voice trailed off for a moment, before her sapphire-blue eyes grew as large as saucers. "Wait, WHAT?!"
"What in the world happened here?!"
"W-We-We're tr-tr-trying t-to find out, M-Ms. Palermo, b-bu-but w-we're still-"
Palermo silenced the Laurier Maison assistant with a raised hand as she entered the mezzanine overlooking the lobby. An unsatisfied look filled her face once she set her sights on the crowd that had gathered beneath her, watching and taking photos as a pair of Wigglytuff carried what appeared to be a pregnant woman out of the area.
But Palermo knew the commotion was about more than just some woman whose water had just broken. She had been in the Pokémon Showcase business for Arceus knows how long, and she knew all the tricks and tropes of every event and every performance like the back of her hand. And one thing was for sure: if there was some sort of outside disturbance, a disturbance of any kind, she HAD to get to the bottom of it, no matter what the degree of impact it would have on the proceedings themselves. After all, as a Showcase producer, it was her job to seek out the best of the best, and she could not have any disturbances throwing any and all candidates vying for her interest off their game.
"Tell me what you do know," she said without even looking at the sweaty middle-aged woman.
"U-Um..." The poor woman struggled to find the right words to say. "W-W-We re-received reports of a, ahem, a series of, uh, l-loud noises being overheard in multiple parts of the Laurier Maison."
"Loud noises, you say...?"
But by now, Palermo had only kept half of her attention on the woman's explanation. The other half was now occupied by a peculiar sight: Aria, who was standing before the crowd, no longer wearing her disguise. Not unexpectedly, this put her at the center of everyone's attention, and she was handling it fairly well...keyword being "fairly".
Palermo couldn't absolutely fathom what had made her prized pupil abandon her Ariana disguise like that. After all, she had instructed her many times before to put it on every time she went out in public, in order to avoid the inevitability of unwanted attention. And it was clear to her that Aria had recently become unable to handle unwanted attention.
Not that Palermo didn't know the root cause of Aria's insecurities as of late. She just...didn't expect her pupil to not take it in stride as she was expected to.
"This is quite worrisome," the Showcase producer thought. "If Aria cannot hold it together long enough for the Exhibition Showcase to end, then this could mark a tumultuous and controversial end to the season."
Then, Palermo noticed the people Aria was mingling with, more specifically a certain girl with honey-blonde hair. Serena. She was currently hugging a smaller girl who Palermo could only guess was her younger sister. A Pichu hopped from the younger girl's shoulder onto Serena's, while a Pokémon that Palermo assumed was a Sewaddle remained tucked safely in the younger girl's arms. Standing beside the girls was two more girls; one of them had pink hair, fair skin, and sapphire-blue eyes; while the other had blue hair, matching eyes, and a shy disposition. Both of the newcomers were dressed like Performers, and yet, Palermo didn't recognize either of them...
And all of a sudden, that gave her pause.
"M-Ms. Palermo?" a voice asked nervously. "Uh, m-ma'am?"
Palermo quickly realized the assistant was still standing there. The older woman shot her a cold look in response, causing the other woman's skin to crawl.
"Yes?" the producer asked.
"I-I-I was w-wo-wondering if y-you h-heard me-"
"Yes, I heard you." Palermo refocused on Serena and Aria's group, all the while feeling an uncomfortable feeling tugging at her gut. "See those girls down there?"
The assistant followed Palermo's sights, and her own eyes widened in surprise. "W-Why, yes I do!" the woman exclaimed with delight. "That's the Kalos Queen!"
"Yes, yes." Palermo narrowed her eyes at the girls surrounding Serena and Aria. "You see those two girls near Aria? The ones with the pink and blue hair?"
"Y-Yes, I see them. Why? What's-?"
"I need you to find out everything you can on them."
The assistant sweat-dropped nervously. "E-E-Everything?"
"Yes." Palermo glared at her again. "Why? Is there a problem with that?"
"N-No-Not at all! I-It's just that, um...a-access to the Exhibition Showcase is free of charge. A-And if it's free of charge-"
"There's no identification, yes, yes, I know. But we're not talking about public access."
The woman arched an eyebrow. "I...I beg your pardon?"
"I want you to look through the roster of Performers that are competing in this Showcase. They should have their photos taken and their names registered. Compare them to the rosters of all the other Showcases held this past season."
"Look through the roster...and compare them...to the rosters of...all the other Showcases...th-th-this past season?" The woman's eyes widened with horror. "B-But Palermo, m-ma'am, th-th-that'll take a while-"
"Oh, don't be foolish," Palermo interrupted with an icy tone. "You are only checking if those girls had competed in other Showcases this year or not."
"Th-Th-That's still a lotta names and photos to sift through! W-W-Why are you even interested in those girls? Y-You think they're crashing? I-I mean, look at 'em, Palermo ma'am! They look more like tourists than Showcase crashers-"
"Eh, call it the intuition of a producer who's been working in the Pokémon Showcase business since you were in diapers." Palermo stared the hapless woman down with a heavy, intense, piercing gaze that could rattle anything, even the fiercest Seviper, to the bone. "And if these girls are crashers, during the first Showcase competition in Kiloude City in years, then how do you think it'll reflect on the Laurier Maison's reputation to the public?"
...
The assistant pulled out her phone and snapped a few pictures of Serena and Aria's group.
"I'm-I'm on it," she said bashfully.
"Good." Palermo watched as the woman retreated, her shoulders slumped in submission. "And don't forget to update me on the situation with the loud noises!"
The woman didn't respond, but Palermo didn't mind. Whenever she asked for something, it was always done for her, no matter who was doing and what reservations they might have with her commands. And now that she was left alone on the mezzanine, the producer refocused on Serena and Aria's group again.
"W-W-Why are you even interested in those girls? Y-You think they're crashing? I-I mean, look at 'em, Palermo ma'am! They look more like tourists than Showcase crashers-"
"She's right..." Palermo thought. "For all I know, they could just be tourists associated with Serena. Perhaps members of her family. But...I know an active Performer when I see one. Active Performers always have this certain...aura radiating from them. And I can sense that aura coming from those two girls. It's as clear as daylight." She narrowed her eyes with suspicion. "Something strange is going on here, and I am going to get to the bottom of it, for the sake of this Showcase and all of the participating Performers."
Palermo continued to observe Yancy and Evelyn as they conversed with the others. All the while, the producer remained blissfully unaware of the true context behind the situation...
"Alright, thank you very much."
Aria hung up on her phone and glanced at the others. Several minutes had passed since Serena and Yancy reunited with Selene and Evelyn found her way back to Yancy, and by that point, everyone in their group had reconvened.
"Okay, everyone," she announced. "The Exhibition Showcase will be postponed for a few more minutes while the Laurier Maison staff process the area."
"What?!" Clemont, Bonnie, Miette, and Nini cried at the same time.
"For a few more minutes?!" repeated a dismayed Blanche, Kazalie, and Shulin.
Aria nodded. "Yep. I'm sorry, but as I'm sure you all can tell, that was a pretty major disturbance. As much as we would all like to be back onstage, performing with our Pokémon and thrilling the audience, the Pokémon Showcase Committee wants to make sure it's a safe and sound environment we're performing in." She stared at the Performers in particular. "I mean, how're we gonna bring smiles to everyone if we all know this place isn't safe and secure?"
"You've got a good point there," Serena replied.
"That's the Kalos Queen for you," remarked an impressed Shauna. "Always able to make clear, sound arguments- Ow!"
Serena had elbowed her in the shoulder. "Shauna!" The honey-blonde shot her rival a wide-eyed look of incredulity. "Not so loud! And...h-how'd you-?!"
"Clarice told us." Shauna shrugged. "Plus, there's no way Ariana would have access to maps of the Laurier Maison and be in touch with insiders in the Exhibition Showcase, let alone know what the Pokémon Showcase Committee thinks."
Serena felt her shoulders sag slightly. It was one thing to see a badly injured Ash off on a stretcher, but it was another to know Aria's cover identity was blown off the lid quicker than a swarm of Combee congregating around a Honey-slathered tree trunk. Speaking of which, Miette, Nini, Blanche, Kazalie, Shulin, and Clarice were swarming around a rather stunned and barely-composed Aria with just as much enthusiasm; all of the Performers were already bristling with questions.
"Aria!" squeaked a flustered Clarice. "Can you teach me how to become a Kalos Queen just like you?!"
"Can I please see your Pokémon?!" Shulin squealed.
"Could you teach me some of your performing tricks?!" asked a blushing Kazalie. "Pretty please?!"
"Tell me all about yourself, Aria!" Blanche exclaimed. "Your childhood's been a point of speculation for many!"
"Please gimme an autograph, Aria!" cried a gushing Nini.
"NO!" Miette snapped with worry. "Give ME an autograph! I even have the perfect notebook for you to sign!"
"W-We-Well, I..." Aria stammered, trying to divide her attention between all six eager Performers. "I, uh... I-I..."
Serena and Yancy watched the scene unfold with sympathy. They could see Aria's face turning as red as her hair, and her entire frame was starting to shake on compulsion. It was a total far cry from the Aria they knew, the Aria they had seen on the stage.
As for Evelyn, she looked beside herself. In that moment, she was just as red-faced and shaky as her mother, but for an entirely different reason. She wanted to step in on her mother's behalf and protect her from the unexpected onslaught of attention, but something was holding her back, like a chain attached to her neck...
"Alright, that's enough!" a voice called out. To everyone else's surprise, Foster pulled an increasingly flustered Aria away from the six girls, then he stood protectively in front of her. "Can't you see she doesn't have the time to attend to every last one of your needs?! Give her a break, alright! She just helped you guys find..." Foster's voice trailed off, and the boy glanced at Serena and Selene. "Who's that girl again?"
"She's my dau- er, sh-she's my little sister," Serena replied.
"Ah, alright." Foster pointed at Selene. "She just helped you guys find your friend's little sister! And now she's gotta deal with another postponement to the Exhibition Showcase! Can't you see she needs some time to think things over?!"
"B-But..." Nini said.
"It's Aria!" Shulin squealed, glancing back at the Kalos Queen with a red face.
"Of course it's Aria!" replied Foster as he rolled his eyes.
"What, are you saying you don't care?" Miette asked suspiciously.
"Of course I care!" Then, Foster caught himself in his outburst and cleared his throat, while a red tinge appeared on the farmhand's cheeks. "I just... I'm just not a big fan of showing it, that's all. Celebrities are people too, you know..." Then, he noticed Jessilee and her companions off to the side, whispering amongst each other. "See, look at your friend Jessilee over there! She knows that's Aria, but you don't see her acting like Arceus materialized before her."
Serena and Yancy glanced at Jessilee and her comrades too, and they noticed their fellow Performer quietly admonishing the others about something. Whatever it was they were talking about, it sounded a bit suspicious...
"Now then..." Foster looked back at the other Performers, all of whom looked humbled by the scolding he gave. "Will you be respectful and give Aria some space now?"
"B-But..." Nini said bashfully.
"It's Aria..." Shulin said morosely.
However, Blanche sighed in defeat. "He's got a point, girls." She looked at Aria and bowed her head respectfully. "I want to apologize for my friends, Aria. We were all caught up in the heat of our excitement, and we weren't all that mindful of what you were thinking."
"It's alright, Blanche," Aria replied, just as the redness started to recede from her face. Then, she gave her a sweet grin. "I forgive you."
"Awwwww..." Kazalie moaned to herself. "And I wanted to learn some moves from the Kalos Queen herself..."
As for Shulin, she was looking at Foster, and her expression was etched with suspicion. With pursed lips, she crossed her arms and jutted out her right hip.
"You sure seem defensive of Aria," she said. "And yet, you don't look like the type who hangs out with her. What is she to you, exactly?"
Foster's face turned red in an instant. "Wh-Wh-What is she t-to me? W-We-Well, I, uh... I..."
As he continued to stammer and blubber, Aria cast him a sympathetic glance, her ruby-red eyes gleaming with emotion. As she watched her childhood friend, a certain exchange returned to the forefront of her mind.
"...I said I didn't have an answer for you yet."
"Re-Really...? So...is that girl talk for yes, or for no...?"
"It means I don't know yet."
"So... When will you know...?"
"Hopefully after the Exhibition Showcase."
"Oh. I see..."
"Look, if it's any comfort to you, Foster, it doesn't matter what I will say to you, or what happens leading up to that moment. Know this: you'll always be my friend. No matter what."
Aria took a deep breath and looked away from the scene.
"I wish I had an answer for you, Foster," she thought. "I really wish I did...but you know as well as I do how difficult that would be..."
"Hey, M- Er, Aria?"
Aria blinked back to reality, and she found herself staring into the meek, sapphire-blue eyes of Evelyn. She was looking at her like a curious, concerned child, and such a comparison warmed the Kalos Queen's heart for some reason...
No, there was a reason.
"I don't believe it. Mom?!"
"I...I can't believe it. I-I almost didn't recognize you..."
"I-I'm sorry, b-but...wh-what'd you just call me?!"
"M-Mom, what else?!"
"Are you alright?" Evelyn asked hesitantly.
Aria blinked twice, then she shook her head and gave the blue-haired girl the brightest smile she could possibly muster.
"Yeah, I'm alright, Evelyn," she replied. "You don't have to worry about me! Not at all!"
However, her thoughts told her a different story. "Great. I just lied to my future daughter. If anyone knows I'm lying, it'd have to be her..." Then, she paused and resisted the urge to slap herself in the cheeks. "Wait, hold on! Wh-Why would I believe she's my daughter?! I know her kind; she's one of those crazy fans who's convinced they're my parent or sibling or friend or-or something! Her claiming she's my daughter is just nothing more than the product of an overzealous fan's wishful thinking, right?!"
However, Aria continued to look at Evelyn, and she noticed how absolutely unconvinced the blue-haired teenager was of her assertion.
"Right?"
Just then, Aria's thoughts were interrupted by someone clearing their throat. The teenagers all glanced in the direction of Meyer, who was casually resting his head against his raised arms.
"I don't know about you kids," he said, "but all this battling's left me bushed." He glanced over at Grace and Moose, both of whom were pacing around the lobby with great apprehension. "While we wait for any updates on Ash and Layla, or the Exhibition Showcase, I suggest that we chillax in the Showcase Theater. After all that we've been through these past few minutes, I think we deserve a rest."
Then, Aria noticed Meyer giving Foster a glance, followed by a subtle wink.
"Don'tcha guys think?"
"Yeah," Tierno replied while stretching his arms. "I think I've had enough saving for one day."
"Same here," added Trevor, who had begun flexing his leg in exhaustion. "There is no way this Parker guy's coming back for Selene now. I guess relaxing is the best way to go for now."
"Alrighty, then!" Meyer bellowed at the top of his lungs, startling the others. "Let's get moving then, shall we?!"
With that, Meyer began walking back towards the auditorium, followed closely by Calem, Tierno, and Trevor. Miette, Nini, Blanche, Kazalie, Shulin, and Clarice watched them go for a moment before looking at one another.
"Should we relax, girls?" Blanche asked.
"Definitely," replied Kazalie.
Miette shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, I could use some Zs after what I've been through..."
"Same here," Nini added.
With that, the four Performers began following the boys. However, Shulin remained behind to give Foster one last look of warning, which brought chills down his spine.
"Don't you think I've forgotten about you, mister!" she cried. "I will get an answer to my question one way or another, so don't ya count your blessings just yet!" Then, she gave Nate a sly glance and batted her eyelashes at him. "See ya soon, Natey..."
Nate simply tilted his head with confusion, but Yancy's face turned as crimson as a Tamato Berry in response. However, before she could admonish her fellow Performer, the girl had already begun skipping after her friends as they made their way to the auditorium. Once they were gone, Foster heaved out a heavy sigh.
"Phew!" he cried. "That girl sure was determined to get an answer out of me. It's a good thing that guy stepped in when he did." Then, he glanced at those that remained in the group and noticed them staring at him in suspicion. "Wh-What?"
"You sure do seem very familiar with Aria if you're gonna defend her like that," remarked Shauna.
Foster began sweating again. "W-We-Well, I... I, uh-"
"If you don't wanna tell us, that's alright," Clemont interrupted, giving the farmhand a gentle smile. "But we are not like Shulin over there. We're not gonna judge you for whatever explanation you give."
"Or fangirl like crazy and ask you a whole bunch of questions," Serena added flatly.
"O-Oh..." Foster replied hesitantly.
He gave Aria a glance and noticed the pink tinge on her face, as well as her aversion to staring at him. Realizing she was uncomfortable with what he might have to say, the farmhand looked back at Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and Shauna.
"L-Let's just say she's someone special to me. Th-That's all."
Serena blinked in surprise. She felt tempted to ask Foster for further clarification, but she too noticed Aria's suddenly shy expression and promptly held her feelings of curiosity back. At that moment, a voice rang out in the lobby.
"Yo! Yo, Foster! There you are!"
Foster looked over his shoulder and saw someone approaching him, stomps punctuating his steps. Upon recognizing who it was, his face fell, and his lips curled into a nasty frown.
"Ah, great..." he grumbled.
"For the love of Arceus, Foster!" snapped Jaime. "Where the heck were you?! You dare run off without warning and leave me and my buddy in that disgusting bathroom?!"
"Please tell me you did your jobs and actually cleaned it." The farmhand crossed his arms. "You know the boss won't like it if he knew you used my bail as an excuse to skip out on cleaning duty, Jaime."
"Oh, you're darn right we cleaned it! It's all spick and span, no thanks to you!" Then, Jaime crossed his arms as well and gave Foster a smirk. "You're one to talk, seeing as you just admitted to bailing on us while in the middle of an important duty. For that, we reported you to the boss."
Foster rolled his eyes disparagingly at this. "Great. What else is new?"
"What else is new? What else is new?! What's new is that the boss wants to see you!" The older boy bared his teeth in a triumphant grin. "He's got the perfect punishment planned out for you-"
"Excuse me, what's this I'm hearing about a punishment?"
Aria immediately stepped in, and Jaime's eyes widened with a mixture of shock and recognition. But the Kalos Queen did not waste any time, for she crossed her arms and scowled at the older boy. Jaime's face paled slightly at the expression, and he began twiddling his fingers with sheepish embarrassment.
"I assume you know who I am, is that right?" Aria asked.
"Y-Ye-Yeah-" Jaime began.
"Then I'd like to speak with your supervisor. Foster, quote unquote, bailed on you and your friend because he had a very big emergency to attend to. And I would appreciate it if your employer gave him some slack."
Jaime was sweating bullets, much to the shock of Serena and the others. "O-O-Okay. I-I-I'll let th-the boss know-"
"No," Aria interrupted forcefully. "I'll let your boss know myself. In person. Take me to him."
"T-T-Ta-Take you?"
"Yes, take me." The redhead gave him a small but sly smile. "What's the problem, Jaime? Scared?"
"N-N-No, n-no-not at all!" Jaime bowed his head unnecessarily. "I-I'll take you to him right away, M-M-Ms. Aria! R-Right away!"
"Good." With that, Aria glanced at Serena and the others, her smile now one of friendliness. "I'm afraid I'm gonna have to leave you guys here. Serena, Yancy, the Showcase will start back up in about ten minutes or so, so tell the others that they should get back to the dressing room when they're ready."
"G-Got it, Aria," Serena replied, still stunned and flabbergasted by the amount of influence Aria had as the Kalos Queen, and especially in the Laurier Maison.
"I wish the rest of you the best of luck!"
Then, Aria turned and began walking out of the lobby, with a nervous, jittery Jaime following close behind her. The rest of the group watched them depart from the lobby, before Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Selene, and Shauna turned to Foster.
"She's someone special to you, huh...?" Shauna asked.
"Pr-Pr-Pretty much," Foster replied, his cheeks florid with embarrassment. Then, he began following Aria and Jaime. "I-I, uh, I'll just follow them too... I'll, uh, I'll see you guys later...i-if at all..."
With that, Foster disappeared into the crowd with Aria and Jaime, leaving behind the others.
"Well..." Clemont said, "that sure was...interesting..."
"Yep, it's official," commented Shauna. "There's officially something going on between the two of them."
Selene and Bonnie were only smiling cheekily at Foster's direction.
As for Serena, she saw an opportunity and looked at Yancy. "Yancy, um, I hope you don't mind me asking, but-"
"They're married in the future," Yancy completed, before her mother could even have a chance to speak.
"Ah-HA!" Bonnie cried with triumph. "I KNEW it! Aria and Foster sittin' on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-"
"Bonnie, be nice!" Clemont interrupted with exasperation. "Just because we know what's gonna happen between them, it doesn't mean we should rub it in their faces! Especially when they're not looking!"
"Yeah, Auntie Bonnie," Selene added. "That's not nice at all!" Then, she smirked. "They are so much in love, though."
"I know, right?!" replied Bonnie; the girl looked uncharacteristically talkative in Selene's presence. "It's just as obvious as Serena's crush on Ash!"
"Bonnie!" moaned a pink-faced Serena.
"Or Auntie Shauna's crush on Uncle Calem!" Selene added.
"Selene!" Shauna squeaked. The tan-skinned girl began looking around frantically, as if she expected Calem to still be in the lobby with her.
Both girls simply giggled together, with Dedenne and Celebi soon joining in while Squishy rested idly in Bonnie's satchel. As they did, Clemont raised an eyebrow and adjusted his glasses with curiosity.
"You sure are getting along with Selene now, aren't you, Bonnie?" he asked.
"Well, yeah," the little girl replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "Since when have I not?"
"S-Since-"
But then, Clemont paused and noticed Bonnie bumping Selene's shoulder with her own as a friendly gesture, which was quickly reciprocated by the other girl. Thus, he calmed down, sighed, and shrugged dismissively.
"Never mind..." he said.
Meanwhile, Nate looked at Serena, Yancy, Shauna, and Evelyn.
"Well then," Nate said, "now that we're all back together, and all by ourselves, we gotta talk. Now."
Kiloude Forest
Near Laurier Maison
"You're a coward! Using dirty tactics and going after who you think are the weakest links?!"
"You should be ashamed of yourself!"
"And you wanna what I think, bully?! You're just a big meanie and a loser who cries in a corner at night and likes picking on people and Pokémon so you can make yourself feel better!"
"What in Arceus's name do these kids think they know about Pokémon?"
With gnashed teeth, Parker dismounted his Chesnaught's arms and looked towards the direction of Laurier Maison, which was several miles in the distance. Once he was sure the Pokémon Ranger was no longer following him, he began pacing around, impatience ebbing away his normally composed demeanor. All the while, Chesnaught, Sceptile, and Trevenant all observed his movements warily.
"Once again those kids have proven to be thorns in my side," he thought hatefully. "Again... Again, and again, and again and again and AGAIN! They just don't know when to take a break!"
Without warning, Parker shot his right arm outward, and he felt his clenched knuckles strike the bare wooden frame of a nearby tree trunk. However, he ignored the terrible stabbing sensation that spread through his fist like a raging fire, and he simply, obliviously continued grounding his knuckles further into the splintered wood. Nothing could faze him at this moment; all that was on his mind was pure, unadulterated hatred for the close-knit group of Trainers that always found a way to thwart his organization's plans.
"Friendship..." Parker barely suppressed a condescending scoff. "What do they know about friendship? It's nothing more than the weak link, the chained boulder that threatens to drag a human and their Pokémon down into the depths of loss, disappointment, and misery. Silly, childish, naïve emotions like that are the root cause of dysfunction in society. And yet, these children always find a way to prevail over my transactions... Always..."
Parker then withdrew his fist from the tree trunk, and in that moment, he finally felt the pain catch up to him. He gazed at his unfurled fist and saw the scraped, bleeding wounds adorning his knuckles and fingers, along with the splinters that protruded from said wounds.
"Great," he muttered. "Just great..."
With that, the poacher used his uninjured left hand to press down on his wristwatch. Almost immediately, it opened up, revealing a container filled with tiny pills. Parker took out three of the pills, crushed them in his hand, and plastered the granulated substance all over his wounds, being forced to suppress a pained wince in the process. Once he was sure the substance had completely covered his injuries, Parker withdrew his other hand and analyzed his wounds; already were they healing, at an unnatural rate, minuscule strings of a glowing light-blue aura binding the torn skin together with the speed and grace of a seamstress.
Once his wounds were half-healed, Parker scowled and looked up at the blue sky.
"Ah, well. I suppose this extra labor is what I get for being so weak..."
Just then, Parker overheard several familiar voices, all of them snapping, whining, and squabbling amongst one another. His Pokémon went into offensive positions, ready to attack whoever was approaching, but the poacher motioned them to stand down.
"This is all your fault."
"Me?! How is it my fault?! You're the one who decided to spill the beans on everything!"
"And you're the one who decided to go along with it, instead of being the responsible older brother and stopping me from doing anything stupid!"
"Oh, at least you admit your stupidity! And by the way, you're the older brother, so you're still stupid!"
"WILL YOU TWO BE QUIET FOR ONCE?!"
Sid, Nick, Floyd, Lloyd, and Cecile stepped out of the brush and vegetation, looking visibly bruised and beaten. With the sole exception of Sid, the members of this ragtag group looked rather miserable and ashamed of themselves, as if they had failed in a lifelong task. With a roll of his eyes and a quick, exasperated sigh, Parker faced them, with his uninjured left hand on his hip.
"Let me guess," Parker said, "you five failed miserably at distracting those kids."
"And then some," Cecile replied. Then, she perked her head up in surprise. "Wait, h-how'd you-?"
"Ohhh, trust me," the poacher interrupted with a dismissive wave of his hand, "you people are as predictable as a Chatot reciting its Trainer's phrases nonstop."
"I don't get that analogy, but okay..."
"W-Well, y-you know," Nick piped up defensively, "i-it wasn't a total loss! You managed to get away with that Celebi, an-and that's all that matters, r-right?! ...Right?"
Parker merely stared flatly at him, while the others looked around eagerly in search of Celebi. But once it was clear that their new employer was unable to escape with his bounty, Floyd, Lloyd, and Cecile all slumped their shoulders in defeat, while Sid glanced at the ever-oblivious Nick.
"Yes, that's correct, Nick," Sid said flatly. "But the thing is, I don't see a Celebi anywhere in sight. At all."
"Oh." Then, Nick looked around himself and saw his colleague's point. "Oh..."
Sid simply shook his head and muttered to himself, "Idiot."
"W-We-Well!" Nick raised an index finger, trying his best to look bright and optimistic. "I-I mean, th-thhere's always next time, right?!"
However, to the surprise of everyone else, Parker's lips finally curled into a satisfied grin.
All of a sudden, Parker's train of thought was interrupted by a high-pitched beeping noise. He glanced at his wristwatch, which was blinking a green light. His eyes widened, for he realized this could only mean one thing.
"Looks like the probabilities have shifted in my favor once again..." he thought.
"Indeed, my friend," the poacher replied, an unnoticeable tinge of condescending sardonicism laced in his voice. "There's always next time. And this time..."
Parker looked at his wristwatch, which was still beeping and blinking a green light. By this point, the injuries on his hand were almost fully healed.
"We'll be prepared."
As he prepared to make the necessary adjustments to his wristwatch, a single thought crossed Parker's mind. The mere thought, which promised a newfound chance of victory, brought a vengeful joy to the man's heart.
"It's a pleasure to have you back with us...boss..."
A/N: And that concludes this chapter! Yeah, I know it's a bit shorter compared to the previous ones, but now that we're freshly out of this action sequence and getting back to the Exhibition Showcase, I thought I'd write this chapter more as a filler and as a transition back into the subplot. And keep your fingers crossed for the next couple of chapters, everyone, because a certain character is about to find her time to shine there! :D :D :D
And of course, there'll be AmourShipping hints galore in those next couple of chapters, and beyond! ;D
Also, it looks like Palermo's being a little Performer-savvy and is starting to catch on to these new so-called "Performers" that have joined the roster. Whatever will come out of that tiny development? Stay tuned to find out!
Now then, I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:
-littledipper06: Thanks! I'm especially glad that you like my descriptions of Bonnie! She truly is an endearing character, especially with Dedenne and Squishy by her side.
-Amourshipper35:
1) Well, it's Ash we're talking about. Of course he's gonna be okay, if not with a few nicks and scratches. :P
2) Don't worry. Selene and the others will be able to find their way back home in the future. It's a bit of a guarantee. ;)
-bankerrtx01: You did it again. Can you please, please, please be more specific in your review?! And while you're at it, could you PLEASE focus at least most of your review on the chapter at hand?! I'm sorry, but off-topic reviews are a huge thorn in my side.
-Dragon King Ryouga:
1) Yep. It goes without saying Team Rocket is such an old act that they unconsciously reuse old lines of theirs. XD XD XD
2) Well, what else do you expect from Team Rocket?! Their motto isn't something to be trampled on like that. XP
-MythGirl Writes:
1) Thanks! I'm glad you're being patient with me as I go along with my writing process. :)
2) Floyd and Lloyd are incompetence incarnate. In fact, they're so incompetent that they bring Jessie and James to tears and then some. XD
2) Thanks again! I sure am a stickler for cliffhangers, am I? But hey, if they work, then why fix it?
-kirbykid13: Let's just say Parker's finally found his "secret weapon"... ;D
-AmourshippingSatoSereCanon:
1) Yeah, pretty much. XD
2) Well, it'll take a bit of a while for Ash to recover from those injuries. But don't you worry. He'll have a certain honey-blonde Performer by his side all the way. :D :D :D
3) Just when you thought the Team Rocket trio would be the champions of bumbling criminal incompetency, I present to you twin brothers Floyd and Lloyd!
4) That, she did. :)
5) Heh heh heh. Yeah, it's clear Yancy inherited her mother's genes when it comes to romance and falling in love. She's in for a whole world of hurt. XP
6) Yeah, I wonder why Shauna refrained from using those Pokémon. I wouldn't have known about them had I not done the mandatory Bulbapedia search.
7) Oh, okay. Thanks for the clarification. And no, I have no plans of making Trevor and Miette an item.
-Cobb (guest reviewer): Thank you for your review! I personally think I'm having a bit of trouble balancing all of these characters and their screentime, but it's good to see reassurances such as yours! :D :D :D
-Ander Arias:
1) Thank you so much for your review! I am very glad that you were unable to stop reading from beginning to end. That means a lot to me. :D
2) Well, what did you expect from Selene? She's just a little girl. She barely has a grasp on complex things like timelines and all that. :P
3) Well, I couldn't resist letting everyone in on the secret. I was originally on keeping it a little more contained, but then, I couldn't stop world-building the future Selene was from, and I couldn't help myself then. XD
4) Yeah, Sawyer was never really in the cards anyway. I wanted to save him for an unrelated project that I had planned.
5) Well, what can I say? I'm a sucker for overlooked/underrated/background characters! So of course I had to capitalize on the rogues gallery of Performers that Serena had to compete with! :D :D :D
6) Oh, I'm not sure if I said Clarice didn't participate in the Master Class. If I did, that was an error on my part. My bad.
-Rajiv A. Rajaram:
1) And don't you worry. We'll be inching closer and closer to that inevitable confession as we go along...
2) Thanks! Ash and Selene make a great father-and-daughter duo, don't they?
3) I'm glad you think I'm juggling all these characters effectively. Even now, I'm still feeling the fatigue. :P
4) Yep, Ash truly got a beating. But good things always come in the most surprising packages... ;D
-Ann1amour:
1) Hey, don't you worry about the late review. Take all the time that you need! I'm already taking all the time I need for these chapters anyway. XP
2) I meant exactly what I said. Aria has a lot of exposition she needs to hear out...which didn't even happen here. XP
3) Hey, if you're booing Adam, then that means I'm doing a great job at writing him! XD
4) Where exactly is this "Pallet Town" error, if I may ask?
5) I don't know how I write my battles so good. I just visualize them in my head and then write it all out as I go along.
6) Yep, Shulin has transformed into Miette 2.0. I should give those two a scene of interaction. It would be an epic tease for the ages. XD
7) Thanks! I love turning Serena into a full-fledged mother. 3
8) Oh, don't worry. There'll be lots more to come for Shauna and Calem as we proceed through the next few chapters. ;)
-KHfan98:
1) Congratulations on your first review! Here, have a cyber-cookie. 3
2) Well, Lily was written and designed before the Sun and Moon games were released, so I doubt there's any intentional similarities between them.
-Shadowfire18:
1) Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying this as much as I do writing it! :D
2) Yeah, I hope the anime goes down this kind of route when it comes to properly implementing romance into the plot.
3) Sorry about the repetitive descriptions. I'll do my best to tone it down and keep everything varied from here on out.
4) I'm very glad you're enjoying the backstory I gave to Aria! I feel like we didn't get to know Aria as a person, rather as a Kalos Queen, and it sort of bogged her characterization down in the anime. So, I decided to give her a backstory of my own design, so she could shine even more. ;D ;D ;D
-Ooobserver:
1) Well, if the ending is any indication, it looks like Parker is starting to become done with all this s**t. XD XD XD
2) Oh, I'm sure it'll be a memorable recovery for Ash... ;)
-stellar014: Yes, as this very chapter could testify to. Now then, is there anything that you liked about the story so far? Anything you disliked? Any questions or comments? I prefer specific reviews, so I know what I can improve on and what I can do to keep up the quality of this fic.
-Guest reviewer: Ohhhhh, they're great parents. I'm just saving their physical appearances for something very special. ;D
-SuperHeroTimeFan:
1) Thanks! I'm so glad you're enjoying the story so far! :D :D :D
2) This fic has a companion piece that is set in the same continuity, titled "Serena's Family Reunion". Check it out if you want to know more about the timeline, even if it's just a tidbit of information.
3) That depends... ;)
4) Ohhhhh, Ash and Serena will be getting their sweet revenge down the line...and it's going to be EPIC. ;D ;D ;D
5) Hey, don't give up on Squishy just yet! We've got a dozen or so more chapters left till the end! ;)
6) I won't be revealing anything on their futures, for the sake of this story's length. However, I do plan to write at least a couple more companion fics set in the same timeline. I'm hoping I can flesh this universe out as a multi-fic series. ;D
7) I loved the "Detective Pikachu" movie as well. Now that you mentioned it, I'll try to include a reference to that movie somewhere, but I doubt it'll be major. I don't want it bogging down the story at large.
8) Thanks again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much I enjoyed writing it!
Well, hope you enjoyed this long-awaited chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!