Chapter 6: Adventure's Calling

Professor Clavell stood in front of a TV in the director's room, which showed Professor Sada and Turo.

"That is why we would like you to have Aeon stay with Arven," Turo said.

"It is necessary," Sada said. "Very much so."

Professor Clavell slowly nodded. "I understand. Arven has been looking to be rather lonely. Allowing Aeon to join the school seems to be in his best interest."

"Thank you so much," Sada said.

"This means a lot." Turo said.

Cavell nodded. "Of course."

The TV went off.

"I suppose now is the time that I have that speech…" Clavell said.

"All right!" Nemona pumped her fists as she and Kai walked out of the school together. Director Clavell had just finished his speech and told every student that they were allowed to venture forth and find their treasure. "You heard the director," Nemona continued, "'it's time to find your treasure!' You know what that means! It's-"

"If you say, 'fight all of the gym leaders and become a champion-ranked trainer,' I'm personally sending you to the moon."

Nemona grinned and scratched the back of her head. "Whaaat? I-I wasn't gonna say that! I was gonna say…. Uh…"

"You were going to say exactly what I thought you would say."

"No!"

Kai narrowed his eyes.

"Okay, fine, you got me." Nemona said. "BUT- Do you know how exciting it would be if you and I fought against each other, Champion-ranked trainer versus champion ranked trainer...? Everyone in the school watching our battle…"

"That does sound kinda cool."

"RIGHT!? That means you've GOTTA do it!"

"I'll think about it."

"Yes!" Nemona jumped for joy.

"Sometimes I wonder who the younger one between us is…" Kai said with a sigh.

"That's easy- it's you!" Nemona said.

"I- That-... you…" Kai pinched the bridge of his nose. "Whatever. Yeah. You're right. It's me."

"AAANYWAY! It's about time that you started going for the gym challenges! I'll be off to rechallenge the gyms myself along with you with a whole new set of Pokémon! Byyyye!"

Nemona ran off with a giant smile on her face.

"Thank goodness, she's gone," Kai said.

"I know, right?" Arven's voice reached Kai from behind, and Kai spun around to see him walking alone out of the school front doors. "Can I talk to you for a second? It's about… the sandwich thing."

"Oh, right. What's up? Oh, and, how's Aeon?"

Arven sighed. He took off his backpack and put it down in front of him before opening it. Out of it came Aeon, who looked at Kai with a blank expression. Kai backed away in shock.

"Wh-What?!" Kai exclaimed. Why is he-"

"Well," Arven said, "He wanted to come to school with me today. So I told him, 'sure, but you have to wear the school uniform so no one would notice you'. Aeon refused to wear the outfit, because he said, and I quote, 'I refuse to wear something that ugly'. So… I decided to carry him around in my backpack instead. He's actually pretty light."

"Wow…R-Really?" Kai said.

Kai had no idea what Arven had just said, because he was too busy staring at Aeon, who was looking around the place.

"Yeah, he's lighter than any Pokémon or thing I've ever held."

Aeon turned his attention to Kai, who flinched and blushed the moment the two held eye contact.

Kai just stared at Aeon's eyes at that moment. His arms became stiff, and his heart began racing. His face became redder and redder by the second as Aeon kept looking at him.

"Kai!" Arven said, snapping Kai out of his gaze and alarming him. Kai lightly yelled and swung his head to Arven.

"Ye-Yeah?" Kai said.

Arven put his hands on his hips and gave a confused look. He shook his head and sighed. "...Anyway…" He muttered. "Never mind Aeon, this is more important! My… uh, sandwiches, need to be top notch!"

"Uh-huh…Riiiiight," Kai said, tilting his head in confusion.

"Right. And in order to get the best ingredients, we need to fight against Titan Pokémon and get em' from those beasts!"

"Titan Pokémon?"

"Bigger-than-average Pokemon. We're talking Big- BIIIIIIIG boy Pokémon."

"Ahhh.. So you want me to beat up those Titan Pokemon."

"Well, it wouldn't be just you, of course. I'll be helping you out whenever you reach the-"

"Wait- will Aeon be with you, too?"

Arven turned to Aeon. "Well, that kid's gonna stay on me like a leech, so-"

Kai's eyes lit up with interest. "Okay! You got a deal!"

Arven turned back to Kai with a smile. "Great! Thanks! If you give me your phone, you can-"

Kai whipped his phone out in excitement. "Stop talking, give me the coordinates! Now!"

Arven's eyebrows rose. "O-Okay. Sure."

Arven fiddled with Kai's phone, and the coordinates were set onto his phone.

"All right. I'm going to go head on home with Aeon." Arven crouched and picked up his backpack with a huff of exertion. Aeon just stared at Arven the entire time as they left.

"God, Aeon's so cute…" Kai said with a sigh.

"Who's cute?" A feminine voice rang in Kai's phone suddenly, and it made the young boy gasp.

"Wh-What?" Kai said. "Wh-Who said that?"

"Hello." The phone said, lifting itself off of Kai's hand and floating in front of him. The voice "My name is Cassiopeia."

"Oh, thank god, it's not a ghost or something, it's just a phone talking to me."

"Huh?" Cassiopia said. "Do you not like ghosts?"

"Ghosts give me the creeps…" Kai said.

"Oh, You'd better hope that a Greavard never finds you."

"WHAT? WHERE!?" Kai spun his head about in fear.

Cassiopia sighed.

"Enough of that. Anyway, I need you to do something for me. You remember Team star? The guys that you fought against yesterday?"

"What?" Kai said. "How do you know about that?"

"...I need you to work together with me in an operation. It's called… Operation Starfall."

"Not answering my question, okay, cool. Anyway… Operation Starfall? What's that about?"

"It's about taking down Team Star. Hense the name, 'Starfall.'"

"You have a grudge against them or something?"

"Can you do it, or not?"

"Not answering my question again, huh? Awesome. Y'know, how do I know I can trust you if you don't answer my questions? You're pretty suspicious. Besides, Team star's not any of my business and I've got a cute boy to see, so..."

"...Fine. I guess I'll have to tell you what's really going on. Your name is Kai, yes?"

"Yes..?"

"I have something to admit. I'm actually a ghost."

"Oh, you're a ghost…" Kai said. "Makes sens- WAIT- WHAT?!"

"Yes. And I have decided to haunt you. And if you don't participate in Operation starfall, I'll send all of my ghost friends to haunt you."

"NO!" Kai cried. "Okay- okay, okay! You win! I'll participate!"

"Good. I'll send the coordinates of every Team Star member's base. All you need to do is defeat them in battle, and they'll step down from their leadership role. One by one, you have to take them down, and then defeat the leader of Team star."

"O-Okay…" Kai said. "What does a ghost like you have against Team Star?"

"Ask that question again, and I'm sending ghosts to haunt you."

"OKAY OKAY!" Kai cried.

"...But if you really must know… I just think that it's time for Team Star to stop what they're doing. That's all I'll say."

"Huh." Kai said, nodding. "Okay… I guess."

"I've finished giving you the coordinates of every Team star base. I'll check on you soon. And don't worry, I'll repay you for this."

"Uh-...okay. Not sure how you'd do that." Kai said.

"I have my ghostly ways. Goodbye."

Kai's phone flung itself back into his pocket. He sighed deeply.

"Well… first thing's first…" He groaned. "It's time to-"

"KAAAAAAAI!" Nemona started sprinting over to Kai hurriedly.

"Oh goodness- what is it now?" Kai asked.

"I TOTALLY forgot to give you the coordinates for all of the gym battles!"

Kai facepalmed.

"Can I have your phone?" Nemona asked. Kai, who still had his hand on his face, pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Nemona, who happily put in the coordinates of the Pokémon Gyms.

"Hey-" Arven's voice reached both Nemona and Kai, and the two of them turned to him.

"Whoa!" Nemona said. "You're holding Aeon in your backpack! How strong are you?!"

Arven narrowed his eyes. "The question you were supposed to ask was, 'how light is he?'" He moaned. "Anyway- Kai!" Arven approached Kai, took off his backpack, and flipped it over so Aeon would flop onto the ground. Aeon landed on his back and stared at the sky with a blank expression, then sat up and turned to Kai, who flinched immediately.

"I want you to travel alongside Aeon." Arven said. "He's going to learn nothing about the outside world if he's-"

"YES!" Kai cried. "DEAL!"

"No deal," Aeon said, turning to Arven.

"What?"

"WHY?" Kai cried before suddenly realizing he was sounding too sad about it- so he cleared his throat in an attempt to calm himself down. "W-Why not?" Kai asked.

"I refuse to leave Arven." Aeon answered.

"Are- Are you kidding me- I need to be alone sometimes, too you know! I've got things to take care of..."

"Then take me with you."

"NO!"

"You have said I was like a leech. I am quite comfortable being a leech."

"YOU SHOULDN'T BE!"

Nemona turned her head to Kai. "Heh, they're fighting like siblings, isn't that cute?"

"Uh-huh," Kai replied despite not knowing what Nemona said, he was too busy staring at Aeon.

"Ugh- You're impossible!" Arven cried. "Fine- Jeez! Kai! Can we travel with you? Me and Aeon?"

Kai looked like he was in a trance. Arven approached Kai and clapped his hands in front of the boy's face, which startled him.

"AH! Wh-What is it?!"

"Kai, I asked if Aeon and I can travel with you, under the condition that we go for the Titan Pokémon first?"

"DEAL! DEAL, DEAL, DEAL, DEAL, DEAL!" Kai roared.

"Hey!" Nemona cried. "But Kai's going to challenge the gym and-"

Kai pulled his Pokeball out, and out of it came Quaxly.

"Quaxly! Send Nemona to the moon!"

Quaxly nodded and fired a giant torrent of water at Nemona.

"WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!" Nemona cried in excitement as was sent flying away like a rocket toward the sky until she was out of sight.

"Deserved," Aeon said.

"Eh, not sure about that," Arven said. "Then again, it's Nemona. So, you're right, deserved."

Kai spun to Arven and started hopping with excitement. "Let's go get those Titan Pokémon!" He roared. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"