Chapter 8
As we prepare to leave the cinema and head back home, I gather my courage and approach Alice with a request. "Alice, if it's alright with you, could we go somewhere alone for a moment?"
Alice's eyes widen in surprise. "Alone? Why?"
I share a meaningful glance with Mark, who quickly catches on and says, "I think Brother wants to have a private conversation with Alice. Let's give them some space."
"Are you sure about this?" Eve asks, concern flickering in her eyes as Mark and Insey gently lead her and Flora away, giving Alice and me some privacy.
"Where do you want to go then?" Alice asks, her curiosity piqued.
"Perhaps the park? The same place where I first saw you dance," I suggest, and Alice nods in agreement.
As we settle onto a weathered wooden bench nestled among the vibrant foliage of the park, Alice's curiosity sparks a conversation. She shifts slightly, her gaze fixed on me as she asks, "So... what's on your mind?"
Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself for a difficult discussion, knowing that honesty is crucial. "Alice, do you remember when I had that serious conversation with your parents at your place?"
A shadow of concern flits across Alice's features, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Yeah, I remember. Is everything okay?"
"I need you to be completely honest with me," I say, my voice steady yet filled with a gentle urgency. "Is it true that you've been facing bullying at the university I'm planning to transfer to?"
Initially, Alice's response is guarded, her smile strained as she tries to deflect the seriousness of the topic. "No, everything's been going well at the university. Reisa and Elline have been really supportive."
"Alice, please," I implore, my tone firm but infused with concern. "I need to know the truth, no matter how difficult it may be."
Tears stream down Alice's cheeks as she finally releases the weight of her struggles. "Yes..." she admits through sobs, "you're right... my school life has been unbearable without the Pokemon Club... those people... they've been relentless in trying to tear me down whenever they get the chance... they even threaten my friends if they dare to stand up for me... I... I just can't bear the thought of them suffering because of me... I felt so powerless, which is why I've been striving to become stronger... I don't want to keep depending on others to fix my problems..."
I wrap my arms around Alice, offering comfort and reassurance. "Alice, you're not weak. In fact, you're one of the strongest people I've met since arriving in this world. And Serena, she's just as resilient. I promise you, I won't let you face this alone. Those bullies will have to go through me first before they even touch you."
"No! You can't!" Alice suddenly protests, her voice rising in desperation. "I don't want you to suffer like I have... it's not fair."
"Life isn't always fair, but I want to be fair to both of us," I reply, trying to steady my nerves.
"Why? Why would you go this far? Is it because you promised my parents?" Alice's voice carries a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Well, yes, your parents did ask me to look out for you," I admit, feeling a rush of vulnerability. "But more than that, I..." I stumble over my words, struggling to voice what's in my heart. Why is it so difficult to say something as simple as 'I love you' to someone I have feelings for, whether it's Serena or Alice?
"Ash?" Alice's gentle inquiry pulls me from my thoughts. Without another word, I pull her into a hug, seeking solace in the embrace while my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I can sense Alice's warmth and understanding, her own face flushing with emotion.
Breaking the silence, I gather my courage and confess, "Even though I have a family here, I still miss the people and Pokémon from the other world... you're the closest connection I have to everything I left behind. I don't want to let go... I know it sounds strange, but I..." My words trail off as I struggle to articulate the depth of my feelings.
Searching for a way to lighten the mood, I recall a memory from when I was ill. "I-iron Tail?" I chuckle, hoping to ease the tension with a shared moment of levity.
As Alice processes my confession, a wave of disbelief and joy washes over her. "A-Ash... do you really mean it?" she stammers, her eyes wide with astonishment.
I smile reassuringly. "I do mean it," I confirm, my heart racing with a mix of nervousness and excitement. "A Kalos Queen deserves a knight in shining armor, and I want to be that knight to protect you."
Alice's expression shifts from shock to overwhelming happiness. In a sudden surge of emotion, she leans forward, and before I realize what's happening, our lips meet in a tender, unexpected kiss. It's a fleeting moment, yet it feels like time stands still as we share this unspoken connection, a moment neither of us wants to end.
"No way!" As our lips part, we're startled by familiar voices and realize we're not as secluded as we thought.
"You didn't need to hide," I sigh, feeling a mix of embarrassment and annoyance at being caught in such an intimate moment. Mark, Insey, Eve, and Flora emerge from their hiding spot behind the bushes, their expressions a mix of surprise and amusement.
Alice's eyes widen in disbelief. "How long have you guys been there?"
"Since the beginning," Flora admits sheepishly. "We couldn't resist witnessing such a significant moment."
"Congratulations!" Eve chimes in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "You've just fulfilled the dreams of every Amourshipper out there."
Our cheeks flush with renewed embarrassment as the attention shifts to us once more. "And you all had to ruin the moment..." I mutter, though there's a hint of amusement in my tone.
"Sorry, but it was too magical to stay quiet," Mark adds with a shrug, unable to contain his grin.
"So, you two are officially a couple now?" Insey's curiosity laces her question as she looks between Alice and me.
"I suppose you could say that," I reply, though a hint of uncertainty lingers in my tone. "But I do wonder how we're going to break the news to our parents..."
"Don't worry, they'll come around," Mark reassures us with a grin. "Besides, my parents have been subtly hinting about arranging a marriage with someone from Alice's family for me or Trenor. I'm actually relieved it's you, Ash."
Eve's expression shifts, her eyes narrowing slightly. "So, you're saying you don't like us?" she asks, a hint of accusation in her voice.
Mark quickly clarifies, "No, that's not what I meant at all. We're best friends, but it's not that kind of relationship between us."
"Right," Flora agrees with a sigh, understanding the dynamics of their friendship.
I gaze at the picture of Serena and me, memories of our time at the Summer Camp flooding back. It's surreal to think that there are pictures of us circulating on the internet, likely from clips of the anime or fan art. A smile tugs at my lips as I reflect on the journey that led me to confessing to Alice.
"I think I've finally fulfilled our promise," I murmur to myself, a sense of contentment washing over me.
The sound of a knock interrupts my thoughts, and I open the door to find Golly standing there, curiosity written all over his face. "Is it true? You and Alice are officially dating?" he asks eagerly.
I let out a small sigh, realizing how quickly news travels, especially among friends like Mark and Insey. "Did Mark and Insey spill the beans?" I inquire, slightly surprised at how fast the information spread.
"Yep, we were having an online meeting," Golly confirms with a grin. "We were in the middle of battling each other in online Pokémon battles when Mark decided to share the big news."
"I see," I reply with a nod, a hint of amusement in my voice. "I'm guessing Alice wasn't part of the initial discussion?"
"Mark wanted to keep it a secret between us for a bit," Golly explains, his smile widening.
As I listen to Golly's explanations about Mythical Pokémon and the movies associated with them, I nod along, intrigued by the details.
"Well, I don't mind as long as it doesn't harm Alice's reputation or hurt her," I remark, recalling the struggles Alice has faced with bullies. "I've already heard from Mr. and Ms. Chiu that Alice has been dealing with bullies at school."
"That's a tough situation. We wanted to help her, but it's tricky," Golly comments, his expression reflecting concern. "So, you're planning to help her? How?"
I smirk confidently. "I have my methods. Can't divulge the details, though. It's confidential."
Switching topics, I bring up another point of curiosity. "Speaking of Pokémon, whose idea was it to make Mythical Pokémon unavailable in the games? I mean, completing the Pokédex feels incomplete without them, right?"
Golly nods in agreement. "Yeah, getting Mythical Pokémon usually involves watching movies and getting special event tickets, which can be quite tricky since they're often sold out."
Curious about the movies associated with Mythical Pokémon, I ask, "What kind of movies are there?"
Golly starts listing them off, providing brief descriptions:
"For Mew, it's 'Mewtwo Strikes Back,' where Mewtwo tries to conquer the world using clones."
"Celebi is featured in 'Voice of the Forest,' where you meet a character named Sam."
"Jirachi stars in 'Wish Maker,' where Max befriends a Jirachi and deals with a man named Butler trying to revive Groudon."
"And Deoxys is in the LaRousse City movie. It's interesting how its forms change in different generations, especially with the introduction of the Meteorite in Generation Four," Golly explains, sharing details about each movie and its corresponding Mythical Pokémon.
As I scroll through the list of Pokémon movies, I point out, "I'm guessing 'Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea' is where Manaphy comes into play? I remember that part being near the end of my Battle Frontier journey..."
Golly nods in agreement. "Exactly. And then there are 'The Rise of Darkrai,' 'Giratina and the Sky Warrior,' and 'Arceus and the Jewel of Life' for Darkrai, Shaymin, and Arceus. Those Sinnoh adventures must have been quite challenging for you, dealing with being trapped in space, stopping a madman from taking over the Distortion World, and traveling through time to prevent Arceus' rage."
"Definitely," I reply, recalling the intense moments from those adventures. As I continue scrolling, I notice something peculiar. "Why are there two movies for Victini?"
Golly explains, "That's because of the different versions of the games. But which one do you think is the 'true' version? I mean, was it in Eindork Town where you summoned Reshiram or Zekrom?"
"It should be Zekrom," I confirm with a nod. "Its ideals resonate more with mine. And then there's the Kyurem movie, likely for Keldeo, and the Genesect movie... but what about Meloetta?"
"The Meloetta storyline is actually part of the anime rather than a movie. You had that intense battle with Team Rocket to prevent them from using Meloetta to summon the trio of Legendary Pokémon," Golly explains, clarifying the whereabouts of Meloetta in the Pokémon universe.
It's fascinating to delve into the world of Pokémon movies and Mythical Pokémon, but as Golly and I discuss further, a few questions arise.
"Now, about Diancie, Hoopa, and Volcanion... I recall there being two Mythical Pokémon in the Volcanion movie. Were both of them released, or just one?" I inquire.
"Only Volcanion was officially released. But don't worry, if you're interested in Magearna, you can simply scan the QR Code to obtain one in the Generation 7 games," Golly assures me.
"That's convenient," I remark with a nod. However, as we move on to discussing the more recent movies, I admit, "After the Volcanion movies, I'm not familiar with any of the newer ones. 'I Choose You?', 'The Power of Us?', 'The Secrets of the Jungle?' What are those about?"
Golly explains, "Oh, those are from alternate universes, featuring Marshadow, Zeraora, and Zarude respectively. The Marshadow movie is a twist on your initial encounter with Ho-Oh on the first day of your journey. 'The Power of Us' takes you to Fula City for the Wind Festival, and 'The Secret of the Jungle' introduces you to a boy named Coco and involves helping him in his journey."
"I had no idea about those," I admit, feeling a bit out of the loop with the latest Pokémon adventures. "But are the Mythical Pokémon from these movies still obtainable? Or have they expired?"
Golly suggests, "You could ask Alice for help. She's quite the Pokémon enthusiast and probably has plenty of spare Mythical Pokémon since she enjoys collecting them."
"Good point," I chuckle, realizing that Alice's passion for Pokémon could be a valuable resource for completing my collection. Our conversation continues, delving deeper into the intricacies of the Pokémon games and movies.
I'll end the chapter right here, and as you can see, Ash and Alice finally confess with each other. I hope you like this chapter and the next one is going to be the opening of the school.