During the best of times, during the worst of times, through a clouded mind and back, through near heartbreak and back. The power of a deep connection is eternal, the bond between longtime friends a force to be reckoned with.
So when Melanie asks Valen to come over to her bungalow, he's absolutely coming over. How can a gentleman like him say no to such an amazing lady, much less one who played a key role in who he became?
He relaxes on Melanie's double bed, a simple but neat piece made of walnut. The quaint, somber melody of Beethoven's Darkrai Sonata fills up her bedroom. Her giant posters of Lance and Clair are literally staring at him but both are badasses so it's cool. Melanie's on her computer but she's sneaking a glance in his direction. Her eyes have an inner glow, one that shows up whenever they hang out. It always beams how much she adores him. The air around them filling up with her prideful aura. It's got him thinking about earlier in the day—she won ten battles against ten different trainers with her Scizor alone. He expected nothing less but it was still an awesome sight.
Bungalows are a nice and compact living space, this one being built in the 1920s. It's a suitable place for somebody like her, especially when she can turn the living room into a lounge and study. The living room is where her gigantic library is and he loves to browse it whenever he's at her place.
For as long as he can remember, her top three books have been Pride and Pokémon, A Tale of Wyndon and Lumiose, and The Light That Pokémon See. Her father's a renowned expert on Galarian literature and her mother's a reputable book conservator and archivist and got her into even older literary masterpieces. These career paths led to them being scouted by Angel City's prestigious Gilbert Center for Historical Literature.
The written arts brought Melanie and him together before they even met. Name any classic and she's got it, name a good romance and/or historical fiction book and it's there. She's the one who got him into historical fiction, whereas he got her more into the visual arts. Rosa got both of them into the performing arts, something that they all bonded with Hilda over. Heh, classical literature even got Silver to open up more.
Speaking of Silver, the text messages he received indicate that Silver's Aggron is on one heck of a win streak. And speaking of books, next to him is a book on Ancient Alola that was written and illustrated by Professor Kukui's grandfather. Dr. Anakoni Kukui. Melanie had another story idea so he brought the famed painter and historian's concise work for research.
"Hey, you're welcome to borrow it for as long as you need it."
"Oh come on," Melanie responds, faintly chuckling. "You know I'm not that type of person." She tilts her head towards prints of Dr. Kukui's paintings. "Visual inspiration is a thing too, doofus."
"Eh, fair enough."
Arthur's sent him a few texts—he hopes to see the squad again one day. Him, Melanie, the crazy wholesome minds met up with Arthur in Galar not that long ago. Everybody had a blast visiting The Regional Gallery in Wyndon and Arthur got to meet cousin Loïc. While there, Melanie got two prints of Jorgel van Eyck's The Arnolfini Trainers. She always gets one for him and if he tries to pay for it, she'll yank him backwards.
In addition to that beautiful and iconic painting, she's gotten around to add an assortment of prints to her walls. They came from the gift shops of various other museums, some big and some small.
Elroy Landseer's A Romance Between Gyarados and Milotic is his other favorite among them. Landseer started painting it in late 1840 and finished in early 1841. The original's in the Lauren Art Museum in Iccirus City, one of the best "small" museums in the world. The exposed sun basks the peaceful ocean in a cloak of warmth, illuminating the majestic Milotic and ferocious Gyarados that are central to the vivid painting's motif. The two Pokémon have locked their serpentine bodies around each other, their eyes glowing with longing and adoration like two people who just confessed to each other.
"I don't even know how I can pick a favorite or two among all of these," he admits while shaking his head. "Vermeer, David, Renoir, Degas, Courbet, your taste is stupendous."
"Don't tell me obvious things I already know and I can the same about you." Melanie moves the rolling chair closer to tap his forehead. "Everything in here is in my head too." she winks. "When I look back again, I better see you being all mysterious and cool and analytical."
She rolls back towards the monitor and he just shrugs. guess he can't praise her fashion sense out loud. Fashion is also among the arts and her bazillion outfits are always on point like a precise painter at work. Great taste and great style on top of a great personality.
"I'm prouder of you than you are of me," Valen declares with a fist on his chest. "You know, the whole platonic life partner thing."
"Ha." Melanie glances back with an adoring gleam and playful smile. "Don't put yourself between a rock and a hard place."
"That's what she said."
"Shut up," Melanie quips while laughing. "I'm going to get you."
Melanie directs an aerial forehead flick his way, then she returns to the e-mails sent by a contact in publishing. Her Absol brushes up against her leg and receives pets
She's a great historical fiction writer, he thinks. She always makes sure she does proper research before even crafting an outline. Self-publishing was her initial goal but a big name publisher is a better option for an undiscovered author. This firm is run by art historian Cameron Wood, author of her favorite historical fiction series.
Rosa and Melanie turned him into an outgoing teen and young adult, enabling him to hit it off with Hilda, Skyla, and other great people from the start. In turn, all of them helped Silver to fit in better while still retaining what makes him his own unique person.
"Hey doofus, don't forget that you turned me into the sass boss."
Valen's face burns up and he faintly yelps. "How'd you—"
"I'm among the four fantastic ladies that can read your mind without actually reading your mind." Melanie leaps onto the bed and throws an arm around Valen. "I know you're going to downplay it but I won't let you."
"I was merely stating the truth." Valen shrugs. "You were already sassy so I guess I kinda spoiled you."
"Like that's a bad thing." Melanie flicks his forehead. "You were a boss at charming." she laughs. "You made two of Rosa's guy friends shout 'DAAAAAAAAAAAAMN' while they nearly fell with the chairs."
"Heh, what did you expect from Team Skull's Valen?" He smirks and points to himself. "I'm just that damn good."
"That's the confidence I know and love." Melanie kisses his forehead. "Be right back."
…Huh, saying that felt good. He can get worried about coming off as pretentious or arrogant but so far, it hasn't happened. It reminds him of his first encounter with self-doubt, right after Shelgon evolved into Salamence. He doubted whether he was worthy to be Salamence's trainer but Salamence went out of his way to debunk that folly concern.
Hold up, did her smile just turn upside down? Why does she look like she's about to use Dragon Rage on the computer? Or is it Outrage she wants to use? Regardless, that escalated from zero to a hundred real quick.
"Something wrong?"
"Majorly wrong!" She nearly smacks the desk. "This fanfiction site just went down for the fifth time this month!"
She's trying to post another Shakespearean fic but why do people still use this prehistoric age website? No offense to the prehistoric age intended, especially not Roaring Moon. All the offense to the website because her latest Roland and Justine fic has them marrying into the Medici and Borgia families respectively.
"I only post on this website because its get more traffic," she admits while leaning on her left elbow. "Even though it's more annoying than the time a ship I like didn't become canon."
"Which ship?" Valen lost count of her fandom count approximately three to five years ago.
"All of them, duh." Melanie crosses her arms and looks away. "But especially that Grovyle and Tsareena one from Beyond Time and Darkness and Into the Sky." She closes her eyes. "Hmph, they're together in my mind and I'm not sorry about it."
"Serena said that the Celebi and Grovyle belong together."
"It's the only one where Serena's wrong," she remarks. "But we reached an agreement on poly so we both win."
Melanie begins yet another fandom tangent about the PMDCU and he understands none of it. He never understands it beyond the fandoms surrounding Dante Abiate, Whitelaw Shakespeare, Carl Dickens, Juliet Austen, and so on. Nevertheless, a gentleman like himself must let a lady speak.
He does understand why Melanie's Absol is nudging him with her head and he's more than happy to give pets. He also found a way to make Melanie extra happy Time to retrieve the good ol' smartphone. Heh heh heh, what Melanie doesn't know is that he's already read the first chapter. Like he said earlier, he's just that good.
"You're not listening."
Melanie's got her hands on her hips and she's got an expression that means business. Usually, this would mean that somebody's about to be reprobated. He's usually spared that but…she looks concerned. Absol looks concerned too. Now that he thinks about it, it really hasn't been that long since he was at his lowest point.
"Don't worry, I'm fine." Valen's a little taken aback by this but he keeps it together. "All I did was leave you a comment on the cooler website."
Melanie's eyes slightly widen and she hops on over to her favorite platform, the moment having made Absol laugh. After a few moments, she stands up and spins around. She's got a relieved smile and she inches her face closer.
"Doofus." She lets out an adoring sigh. "You just posted a bunch of happy and posh emojis, plus you already left a gushing comment here."
"Bad boys leave two comments instead of one," he retorts. "Especially when it's a beautiful work written by a beautiful woman whom I have the honor of calling 'friend.'"
"Ha, guess I have to flex." Melanie throws an arm around Valen and presses record. "Down you go!" She yanks him to kiss the top of his head. "I'm a s-i-n-g-l-e l-a-d-y so I don't have to worry about loving my bestie anytime!"
"And even when we rarely say it, there's something that the two of us both knoooow~." He's amused by her wide-eyed expression. "Friendship forever, no matter now looong. From now until the end of timeeee.~"
Melanie nearly squeals but slaps her mouth shut just in time. She'll hit duplicate before editing that part out…but she kinda wants to leave it in. Her fangirl blunder aside, why hide the fact that she loves hearing him demonstrate his voice?
"Can I use this as an excuse for a hug?"
"Excuse me?" She flicks his forehead. "You're not supposed to ask me for permission, doofus."
"Good point."
Valen sweeps Melanie into his arms, rubbing her back and her long, black hair. She wastes no time in throwing her other arm around his neck., Gardevoir and Alakazam observe from the living room, the two Pokémon directing proud expressions at their respective trainers before resuming their chat. Absol decides to join them, looking back one more time with a gleam in her eyes.
"Better?" Valen turns it into a side hug. "Can I evolve into an Ursaring now?"
"Better and nope." Melanie chuckles at his fake grumpy expression. "You aren't allowed to evolve."
Earlier today, Melanie overheard a guy telling his friend that she's the finest girl he's ever seen. She won't deny that she's stunning but her bestie tops all—his romantic ventures never caused her to feel neglected by him.
He may dress like a bad boy when rocking casual but the black Team Skull jacket and gray shirt shouldn't fool anyone. He's never treated her in any way but the sweetest, even after she admitted that she would rather remain friends. He was confused but her intuition said that he'd get with Rosa soon enough. Hilda was a surprise at first but Rosa and Hilda were always meant to be his romantic soulmates.
Other guys she declined weren't so chill about rejection but they were already mega lame compared to her lifelong bestie. Give her the most sappy romance story and she'll eat it up like fettuccine but bestie over boyfriend is how this lady boss rolls.
"Remember when you looked like I used Confuse Ray—"
"Shut up." Melanie laughs and flicks his forehead. "You literally shrugged off me declining a date and moved on to your latest book."
"Would you prefer this?" Valen fakes a pouty face. "Or this?" His fake angry face sucks but whatever. "Or do I need to remind you that—"
"Oh no, you won't get me—"
Uh oh, she's too late! Now she has to endure his tickle of doom! He's such a doofus but she adores it!
Once he stops, she pulls him back in and holds him tighter. She caresses the back of his head, making him rest it against her right shoulder. He's been such a good friend, she's glad that he approached her way back then.
"There's still a part of me that wants to glue my arms around you," she teases. "As per Rosa and Hilda's decree and my own choice, you'll be platonically loved and you'll like it."
"I'm cool with that." He pats her back several times. "By the way, you look great in that black blazer."
"Mhm, keep stating how good I look." She kisses the top of his head. "And I want to drop by your place too."
"I'm sorry about—"
"Shut up when I'm showering you with friend love," she interjects with a laugh. "You know you don't need to apologize."
"But—"
A forehead flick cuts him off. Yep, she means business.
The tighter and longer the hug, the better it becomes. He's glad that Rosa and Hilda are okay with this level of intimacy, that's why trust and honesty is invaluable.
Back in his teen years as a single guy, there were times that he ended up having passionate kissing sessions with Melanie. Not exactly something platonic partners would do. That being said, even if they weren't fully platonic back then, they've been that way for a long while now. In their defense, it never went beyond that and they were never romantically together. They simply couldn't contain their affection for one another. They still can't but he's taken now. Even if Rosa and Hilda said they're okay with it upon being asked, it wouldn't feel right to go beyond the usual ways they show it.
It's almost the same story with Skyla—it did go beyond that with her. These were the first big signs that he wasn't mono but it was a confusing time for him. Thus, he didn't pick up on it at first. He won't deny that the separate escalations in his relationships with Rosa and Hilda took him by surprise, but the clouds have since cleared. Whether it's friendship or romance, he ended those boys' careers.
He knows he can't make the world a better place by himself. What he can do is make somebody's day a happier one.
It's quiet in Valen, Rosa, and Hilda's house. Too quiet. Perfect for a certain scheming Ghost-type Pokémon, said schemer having just landed on his back next to woodcuts of Ho-oh and Lugia. He gets up and lets out a casual cry. At the same time, Luxray's deep in brooding as he strolls down the hallway.
Valen and Melanie are in the living room but Gengar wishes they were upstairs to see what mischief he can do with just a red laser pointer and a bucket of yarn. Gengar silently cackles as he watches Luxray, the former hiding behind a shelf decorated with images of his fellow specimen. Luxray won't see this coming, he never sees it coming. Red light, go!
Luxray stops in his tracks and sharply opens his eyes. His senses have been activated. There's an enemy lurking nearby but he can't see it. He looks to the left, then to the right. Looks behind, then looks forward, still nothing. There's no enemy in sight.
Where is it? Where is the-IT'S YOU! You, the evil red light! Muk off, he'll take you on! Muk off, he'll take on anyone! He's going to defeat that stupid red light! He'll be as cool as the protagonist in Valen's favorite Johtoian novel! Said character defeated fifty enemy trainers with a single Zapdos and he'll defeat the red light fifty times!
..No...this is more than just desiring a victory. The stupid red light and the even stupider yarn have done immense damage to his feline pride. They've made people think he's a cute kitten when he's an edgelord feline. The red light and the yarn will pay for sending his pride into a void of darkness. Who cares if he's being overdramatic when he's an edgelord?
He's also an avenger!
He pounces on the light but it escapes, weaving around additional capture attempts. Undeterred, he continues to gives chase and ends up spinning himself into a dizzy state. Oh no, the red light outsmarted him and it just threw a bucket of yarn at him! Noooooooooooo, he can't stop kicking and nibbling at the yarn!
Help, somebody help! His kitty instincts made him fall and he can't get up! Crawling in the yarn, his pride will never heal!
Luxray's too busy to realize that Gengar's rolling around in hysterics in the master bedroom. He also doesn't notice Hilda, Rosa, and Lisia walking up the stairs…at least not until he realizes they're laughing. Stupid kitty instincts, always making him look like a fool.
Upon hearing that Rosa and Hilda won several battles with their Aerodactyl and Starmie respectively, Luxray smiles. Both of them, plus Lisia, seem to want to pet him. Fine, he'll allow it.
He lies down and stretches, silently purring as his back gets stroked. Rosa and Hilda are a given but Luxray has seen Lisia become a good friend of Valen, joining in to encourage him in expressing himself. Her presence makes Valen happy and Valen fully trusts her.
Thus, Lisia's has earned the privilege to pet him. He's not a cute kitten anymore but Valen will always be more important that his pride. If he has to let the kitty instincts take over to show his gratitude to those around Valen, so be it.
"Sooooooooo, what's new with the agency situation?" Rosa asks Hilda, her hands clasped behind her back. "Will you step down?"
"Still unsure but Lisia and I have been discussing a certain idea." Hilda's right hand is in front of her grin. "Hehe, maybe she should tell you."
"Gladly!" Lisia twirls and stands back to back with Hilda. "If Hilda decide to step down, she can join me on the idol stage!"
"Oooooh, that's awesomeeeee!"
Lisia and Hilda gush while Rosa ponders about Hilda's outfit. Same black waistcoat and white top, or will she wear something tailored made for her? She doesn't want Hilda nor Lisia to tell her because it's more fun to try and guess it. Alsooooo, Hilda's become more smug like a silly person, seemingly issuing a challenge she'll lose. Her pride's visible all over her face and while it's amazing to see her so satisficed, the true queen's standing right in front of her.
"You went quiet because you wish you were in my shoes." Hilda winks and wags a finger. "Thee shall never touch this."
Rosa closes her eyes and giggles. "Alas, poor Hilda." She waves her right hand while confidently smiling. "Thee shall never understand mine own excellent acting arts."
"Eeeek, I've got to join in this time!" Lisia lifts a foot up and a makes a sideways peace sign. "Thee shall never match mine own dizzying and dazzling moves!"
"Nooooo way!" Rosa happily gasps and folds her hands near her right cheek. "You're a Shakespeare buff too?!"
"That's right, I dominate the stage just like Whitelaw Shakespeare dominated the Wyndon Theatre!" Lisia places her left hand on her hip, using her other hand to make a peace sign. "Every idol needs a little fun!~"
Rosa, Hilda, and Lisia exchange a triple high five and aren't looking in Luxray's direction, much to his relief. He's now covered in yarn because he slipped on a few. Whatever, he'll just brood like this. Why is Gengar laughing? Why is Umbreon laughing? Why is Umbreon's laughter so cute?
"Come on, let's go watch a film adaptation of Mordred V!" Hilda jumps with her palms folded. "The one where Lance had a starring role!"
Oops, Hilda thinks. Silly her just realized that they can't gush over Shakespeare without Melanie. Why Melanie and her Absol came upstairs but Valen didn't is quickly answered when they hear his banter battle with Skyla via video chat. But knowing him, there's a second reason.
Hilda leads them into her gaming and action figure room, for she has also turned it into a private movie theater. An ebony shelf that was in storage was brought out to house the movie DVDs owned by Rosa and her. Surrounding them are all of her graphic novels and comic books, raging from Eevee Rangers to Draconic Man.
"Hiiiiii, come and join us!" Rosa gestures towards Valen's Gengar, Melanie's Absol and Hilda's Umbreon. "Everybody who wants to watch is invited!"
Umbreon happily runs into the room, followed by her friends. Having recovered from being attacked by yarn, her boo strides into the room behind her. What he doesn't know is that she knew Gengar was going to prank him but she adores his kitty behavior.
Huh?
Did Luxray just purr "baby girl" at her?
Umbreon blushes as tucks head in between her front legs, those words ringing inside of her mind. Why must Luxray be so handsome and dreamy? It's like he came from one of these plays that this Shakespeare human wrote!
Relax, you silly Umbreon. Just sit down like Hilda's going to give you a yummy treat and enjoy the movie.
The movie opens inside one of those cool buildings called a castle, why don't the humans build them everywhere they can? That Lance human is playing the title character, King Mordred V. Leaf's Espeon has mentioned that her trainer is a big fan of Lance, a strong trainer who's achieved great success in movies and fashion design. She's guessing that the real king never wore a cape but does Lance design for beautiful Umbreon such as herself? She'd be able to amaze Luxray in a cape...right?
Focus, stay focused. She's here for the movie and she's far from ready for a movie date with Luxray. After seeing Hilda on dates with Valen, she further studied the human art of dating through various romantic movies. Her fur needs to be washed at least four times and look absolutely perfect, plus she needs to experiment with Hilda's eyeliner and lipstick.
"This shall not do," the king says to his advisors. "Our most wondrous trainers and our bravest warriors hath been falling behind those from Kalos and Paldea."
"We shall unmask those who claim to has't mastery and those who can demonstrate their mastery," Montgomery Werrington, Duke of Gloucenshire, affirms. "But all shall hath a chance to achieve the glory of mastery."
"Our most wondrous and bravest shall become their equal," Thomas Albon, Duke of Hammerlocke, adds. "All shall tremble at the feet of Galar and its king."
"Your words art most welcome but this shall not about me," the king gestures towards his Dragapult. "It is about the region I has't cherished since I was but a mere child from Gloucenshire, practicing the way of mastery in the Valley of the Dragons. "
Eeeek, Luxray just put his paw over hers! She isn't ready for a movie date with her boo! Why does this always happen when she's not ready?
With Hilda and Lisia dragging Valen out of the house to hang out, that leaves Rosa, herself, and a bunch of books. Of course, their Pokémon are having fun in the backyard. She knows that Valen's having fun too, even though he had a somewhat perplexed expression while being yanked towards the door. Like she told him earlier today, she knows what he's thinking.
Her favorite part about the adorable trio's house? The library in the master bedroom, of course! She has full access to these antique bookshelves! Johto, Taizhou, Uttara Pushya, Ancient Siscia, Ancient Osiris, the Borgias, the Medici, the Tudors, Holbein, Caravaggio, Galarian cathedrals, Unovan painting of the 1800s, the non-fiction section has so many interesting and varied subjects!
She can't forget about all the painting prints and other examples of antique furniture! The reproductions of antique deserves a shoutout too! And the figurines, those cute little figurines! This room is so amazing, this house is so amazing!
"Sooooooooooooooooooooooo, what should we read?" Rosa asks with a faint giggle. "I know you want to read them all."
"I do." Melanie somehow manages to avoid a bubbly leak. "We'll have to take our time to decide, won't we?"
"Tee-hee, yeeeeep!"
Rosa and her call this the "historical inception" section and for good reason—crucially important non-fiction works like Historia by Herocedes, Thrasius' History of the Pelennessian War, Aristotus' On Politics and The Mannerisms of Pokémon by Professor Claus Golter are stored here.
"I bet you forgot Claus Golter's impact, Rosa."
"Please." Rosa playfully waves a hand. "The modern concept of a Pokémon Professor and Pokéology was pioneered by him," she states with bold authority. "His work even influenced Leonardo da Vinti, take that."
Melanie laughs. "Good to see you aren't rusty."
"Tee-hee, I bet yoooooou can't tell me where the name came from!" Rosa points to said book. "Or can you, hmmmmmm?"
"Poussin's painting of the same name." Melanie runs a hand through her hair. "Take that."
"Woo-hoo, good job!" Rosa high fives Melanie. "I knew you'd get it right!"
Melanie eagerly browses the newly designated historical fiction section. She's been waiting for the trio to get around to this—it's as global as she knew it'd be.
Her gleaming eyes veer towards The Passion and the Artisan, the Michelangelo biographical novel she got Valen as a gift. That led to his venture in novels and fiction and one day, he showed her copies of Pillars in Postwick, The Shōgun of Enju: A Novel of Johto and The Jahan Empire: A Novel of Uttara Pushya. He couldn't decide, something that hasn't changed.
Alright, now she must make sure her top five favorite classics are in order within this library. Pride & Pokémon and A Tale of Wyndon and Lumiose? Check. Il Viaggio Divino, The Achiliad, and The Pilgrimage? Check.
"Ten out of ten," Melanie remarks. "Ha, I expected nothing less from you three."
"I looooooove to browse these shelves!" Rosa closes her eyes as leans back, her palms under her chin. "Our combined book collection is so awesomeeeeeee!"
"It's all thanks to how awesome I am." Melanie's arms are crossed and her smile oozes pride. "Don't forget that." she laughs. "Kidding, kidding."
Many years ago, Rosa was equally elated to learn that both Valen and her were fans of Shakespeare, Molière, and Beaumarchais. A good portion of the novels are from her literature collection, as are a majority of the plays. A few of the Shakespearean plays are from Valen's collection—Mordred V and Psychic Master Lear were his introductions to the greatest playwright to ever live.
A Salamence bookmark has been inserted in his mom's book on seventeenth-century Kalosian painting, which rests on the desk. Said painting book was her first work published after Valen's "proper" introduction to art and history at age six. Every book she's written shouts out Valen and his dad but the following is written across from this book's table of contents: For Valen, my little art historian.
Oh? It seems Valen's used his Roaring Moon bookmark for Dante's Il Drago dal Cuore Puro. Time for her to be sneaky and see what part he's on. Just kidding, everybody close to him has full access to this library.
"O Madonna Xerneas, I hath waiteth for wings to manifest but my ascent remains to be seen! Please let me fly into the heavens, I beseech thee!"
A motherly smile showed Madonna Xerneas hath seen Shelgon's heart. Her soothing light cloaked him and banished his pain into the dark. "Thou are the purest Pokémon that hath come unto me. Reveal yourself Salamence, I command thee!"
The light released the mighty dragon, his flames bright and his roar savage. Thou should not be fooled by his appearance as his heart remained among the purest. All the Talonflame sang the night away as the dragon and human feasted in delight.
The Maestro Yveltal sliced through the sky but all were expecting him to appear. A kiss to his beloved Xerneas and he drew forth his own light. "I hath seen her grant thee the power to flight, the land and the sea shall tremble over thy might."
Such a beautiful work this is, one that even made Silver and Gladion tear up. They'll never admit to it but she was there when it happened.
"Hellooooooooo, wake up so we can read these!"
Rosa's holding up one of the most evocative works of non-fiction she's ever read. Written by Rosa's mother and grandfather, it connects the natural world with human psychology and culture. The second work is a landmark publication on the Ragulian Renaissance from 1860, the author being the renowned historian Johannes Burckhardt.
As they take a seat at the desk, Rosa and Melanie high five each other because they know they rock.
Valen's just gotten off phone with his parents, having learned of their upcoming trip to Paldea. A researcher requested mom's assistance in studying Paradox Pokémon. One of those Paradox Pokémon kinda damaged a lab—dad might as well take the restoration job.
As for him, he's gotta change up his reading environment so he's chilling on one of the white sofas in the living room, directly across from the 1/4th scale replica of Gianluigi Bernini's The Anguish of King AZ that Jacques made for him.
Valen's eyes follow line after line in the eleventh biography within The Twelve Servius Emperors by Suetinian, circa 150 CE. This one has stood out the most since his childhood—he was named after Valentinus I, who reigned for fifty seven years. Ancient Siscia's most famous example of architecture, the Pokémon Colosseum, was constructed under his keen eye.
The emperor's friendship with classical antiquity's greatest trainer, Volturnus the Conquering, is well documented and has been the subject of many great works of literature. One moment that this Siscian historian wrote about has cemented itself in popular culture. It was a exchange between Volturnus and Valentinus that took place during the early construction of the Pokémon Colosseum.
Volturnus requested the forgiveness of Valentinus I, for he was flattered by the emperor's praise but believed that he shall not be remembered as a champion. He raised his sword, the signal for Salamence and Hydreigon to make the ground quake in fear with their mighty roars. He shouted that "for the glory of Siscia, I shall be remembered as Volturnus the Conquering!" The emperor was impressed by his determination to achieve eternal glory and his ability to ignite passion among the crowd.
The structure's name is also significant because it's due to the Ancient Siscians that the term "Pokémon" began its journey to become a universally used word. The history of the term "Pokémon" is a subject that he finds fascinating because nobody really knows where the term came from—the most common theory lies with King Pu-Kunam of Urukia. It makes sense to him because the Urukians believed their kings to be of divine origin. The Ancient Osirians used the term "Hekau" so it couldn't have been them. The earliest known usage of the term as it's known today hails from Ancient Paldea, around the time when the Archaic period of Ancient Kasmenestias began.
A peck to the top of his head signals the presence of his Gardevoir. She plays around with his slightly messy black hair. Luxray enters the living room from the kitchen and nudges his head up against Valen's right leg. He lies down and stretches, purring once the pets are given.
Text messages from Hilda and Lisia, eh? They've been struggling to find somebody to take over that big project but they've handled it like champ. He still isn't sure why they dragged him along earlier but he also doesn't mind when it's guaranteed to be blast.
Lisia's mentioned two women around his age named May and Dawn have been keenly following his coordinator ventures. He's heard of them before and had seen their performances on television—both are excellent coordinators and trainers in their own right. Rosa and Hilda are friends with them on Glaliebook and they've met them before.
"I'd like to meet them one day," he says to Gardevoir and Luxray. "I think we'd get along great."
In order to make sure his mood remains in high spirits, Typhlosion plops the squeaky Pidgey toy from her Cyndaquil days onto his lap. She happily pants, confident that it will work.
"Once a puppy, always a puppy." Valen pets her head and she tries to lick his hand. "Good girl."
He's also been notified about Hilda's potential future as an idol. Lisia and Hilda two would make a great idol duo but he would prefer a trio with Rosa-
"It's Valey time!"
Uh oh, here comes the absolutely terrifying Rosa and her wholesomeness of doom. Her trotting echoes from the hallway and once she appears in his line of slight, he catches himself falling in love all over again. Her dazzling, long hair flows down to the middle of her back. The texts he just received from Hilda include selfies with her hair down. He's know Rosa for sixteen years and Hilda for nine years but he can't help but wonder what he did to deserve these goddesses.
Oh that's right, he talked to girls instead of talking about girls. It's almost as if being charming, caring, and confident goes a long way. He can't help it when his game's that damn good.
"Hellooooooooo, ground control to Valey sweetie!" Rosa waves a hand in his face. "Wake up, sleepyhead!"
"But I don't wanna wake up." Valen makes a faux pouty face. "I wanna be lazy."
"Roar, Wake-Up Slap!" She giggles and taps his cheek. "Roar, I win!"
Her cuteness drove him into a shy frenzy and it still happens in an inconsistent sequence. It's part of what makes Hilda and her beautiful because true beauty is achieved when the mind and heart are just as, if not more, attractive than appearance.
"Roar, Tackle attack!" Her attempt to bring Valen down onto the bed with her ends with his arms around her midsection. "Oooooooooh, you're being a bad booooooooy!"
"I'm a classy bad boy." Valen kisses Rosa's right hand. "I saw a gorgeous angel and I was awestruck."
"Oh hush." Rosa giggles and blushes. "I know I'm amazing so save your breath for me to take it away."
"You did that already." He gestures towards her latest painting. "You captured Poussin's style so beautifully that I mistook it for you."
"Oh?" Rosa leans forward and caresses his right cheek. "I mistook you for a real Poussin due to the classical style." she winks. "What are the chances, hmmmm?"
Rosa hops onto Valen's lap and pulls him closer for a kissing session. He hands rest on the middle of her back uses his other had to stroke her hair. He kisses her with such strong passion hard that she pushes him down onto the bed. Time hits a red traffic light whenever this occurs. Each pressing of the lips must be savored to the fullest extent, its calming effect never easing to make his body feel as light as a feather.
Rosa prefers little to no words when kissing, whereas Hilda loves a good teasing battle weaved into a session. No surprise there, for their first kissing session was during a quaint ride on the Ferris wheel in Nimbasa City. Hilda and him literally started off what would become a deep, affectionate bond through a teasing battle.
Even after stopping, Rosa and him still hold onto each other in a tight embrace. He's using her right shoulder as a pillow, making her giggle. Gardevoir, Luxray, and Typhlosion have already left but the squeaky toy's still present. It's now on the round walnut table behind him, courtesy of the puppy who handed it to him.
"Nooooooow, let's read Shakespeare because you didn't join us for the movie!"
"I didn't join in because it would be rude to intrude on a ladies' movie afternoon."
"Tee-hee, I knew you had another reason!" Rosa raises a fist above her head. "I win again!"
There have been a number of boys who showed interest in her and tried to impress her—she soon realized that it was mainly because of her looks and popularity. She's proud of both but there's more to her and that what truly makes her Rosa.
The overall majority genuinely did like her personality but the superficial attraction clouded her judgement and she was tricked. That guy was seeing multiple girls and told all of them they were "the one." Valen was worried that she'd be mad at him for being suspicious of that guy—she could tell he was hurting inside by his attempts to remain happy. She felt horrible for nearly breaking his heart but he remained fiercely loyal to her as her friend.
He understood the circumstances and refused to leave her side. He even wanted to wait for her but that wasn't an option anymore. She had to listen to her heart and do what's right for the both of them. It wasn't left unappreciated—putting his crush on her aside to help her out of that void is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for her.
Valen clears his throat and pretends to hold a microphone. "You're the painting princess, I'm the knight and patron.~"
"Oh noooooooo, not your amazing voice!" Rosa fakes a shocked expression with her elbows bended near her midsection. "That's a weakness of mine!"
"I can woo you with a song, I wanna dance all night long!~"
"Tee-hee, you win!"
"Heh, don't forget what my motto was as a teenage casual flirt." Valen smirks and rubs his hands together. "'I'm about to end this dude's whole career.'"
Valen made both Hilda and her laugh when he declared that for the first time—that rich guy tried so hard to impress Hilda with his less than great violin skills. All Valen did was plop an action figure on her lap and stroll off. It was the new Crobatman figure and she was eager to get one. As for herself, the cutest contemporary painter…hahahahahaha! That guy couldn't even get the era right! He called Caravaggio a Renaissance painter when he was Baroque!
It wasn't just due to their close friendship—he really wants to make a difference in people's lives. She's never been worried about his intimacy with Melanie and Skyla. Same story with Hilda, who developed romantic feelings over how sweet he was to her even before their relationship bloomed into a lovely friendship.
Rosa can sense a similar connection between Rui and Wes. They've got to do what's right for their relationship. They'll have the squad rooting for them and offering a hand when they fall down.
"Now you're the one who needs to wake up."
"Shut up, sweetie."
Rosa pulls out her phone and presses record, them she gives him a wink. He knows what to do and her fans have been asking for another video like the one from outside that old and cool contest hall. He seems a little hesitant so she places her right hand atop his right hand.
"I'll see you as Rosa regardless of your fame, I'll take care of you whenever you're in pain, yeeeeah.~" His melodious voice fills the room once more. "Girl my love for you is never gonna change and I know that you feel the same.~"
In celebration of this double victory, Rosa forms a V with her hands. Before they read Shakespeare, she's going to break the tie. She brings Valen down onto the bed again and they began kissing again.
To quote the great philosopher Critias: "The heart can vanquish the darkness but the darkness can never vanquish the heart."
Thoughts on this chapter?
As you probably have already guessed, real books are referenced in this chapter.
Il Drago dal Cuore Puro=The Pure Heart Dragon (Loosely inspired by both La Vita Nuova and The Divine Comedy)