Chapter 3

A Campus Reunion

As my friends and I continue our Kalosian tour, en route to Coumarine City, we arrived in yet another town for a bit of rest. And it was a good thing too, since most of us were rather tired… particularly Ash and Pikachu, who for some reason looked under the weather.

Fortunately, Clemont knew something was up. He directed us a couple of blocks and explained what was going on. "You see," he began, "the local environment has a bit of a unique effect on Electric-type Pokémon. For whatever reason, it seems to nullify electricity buildup within them, resulting in a fatigue-like behavior." Shortly after he finished explaining this, he turned our attention to what looked like a futuristic teleport capsule.

"What are these?" Cocoa asked.

"You'll find out in a minute," he then carefully placed Pikachu and Dedenne in the capsules.

A robotic voice spoke up from within. "Clemontic Showers: Activated. Humans and Non-Electric-type Pokémon, please stand clear." Clemont quickly stepped away. "Initiating electric charge in 3… 2… 1…" A form of electricity poured in from all sides of the capsule. As the two Mouse Pokémon absorbed the surrounding electricity, they soon began to dance around from within.

"Wow," Serena commented. "It's like an electric shower!"

Brock turned to Clemont. "Clemontic Showers, huh? Does that mean you invented this?"

The Lumiose Gym Leader nodded. "It was my first real invention. The one that started my life's work, and completed my studies at a local academy." He looked around at the local scenery. "This place hasn't changed a bit since then. I bet the old pizza place is still in business..."

Suddenly, a voice called him by name. We all turned around fast to see a woman standing in the distance. She had blue straight hair, and wore a lab coat. The woman smiled as her assumption was confirmed.

Clemont smiled back. "Miss Éclairisse! It's been so long!"

"Who's that…?" I muttered out of curiosity.

The blonde inventor turned to introduce us. "Everyone, this is Miss Éclairisse. She's an old teacher of mine from the Kalos Academy."

"Please, just call me Amy." She giggled as she shifted her eyes down. "Is that Bonnie? Oh my goodness! I haven't seen you since you were a baby."

Bonnie smiled. "My big brother has told me a lot about you! Always saying how pretty and how nice you are!"

"And that's good enough for me!" Brock stepped over and took her hand into his own. "I'm Brock Harrison, and I'm an aspiring Pokémon Doctor! It was all for this moment! Meeting you…!"

"Hey! No fair!" Bonnie cried. "Clemont saw her first! She should become his wife, not you!"

"What?!" gasped Amy.

Before another world could be said, Misty grabbed them both by the ears and started to painfully drag them away. "Honestly, it was bad enough with just one of you!"

One painful lecture later, Amy agreed to show us around the aforementioned academy. It was actually a lot closer to our previous location than I expected. After a brief tour, we arrived in the food court for lunch. "So, Clemont was a student at your school?" Squishy asked.

"He was an honor student at our school!" Amy replied. "Close to if not a 4.0 student."

"4.0 student?" Cocoa asked.

"It means he got A's in all of his classes," Brock explained.

"That's right," Amy began. "Here at the Kalos Academy, Trainers come from all over to learn everything they can about Electric-type Pokémon. Our students specialize in researching the biology and behavior thereof. Their studies extend to Pokémon of all other types. As part of this research, they learn all about how humans and Pokémon can and should coexist in harmony.

"Many great Trainers have gone on to become very successful after leaving this school. But Clemont is one of the most notable graduates of all."

The one in question blushed. "Come on, I think you're exaggerating a bit..."

"Not at all. In fact, there's only one student you did not manage to surpass… Lysandre LaFleur."

I nearly stood up upon hearing that. "No way! The Lysandre was an honor student here?!"

Those from Kanto were confused. "Who's Lysandre?" one of them asked.

The rest of us nearly fell over in shock. "How can you guys not know who he is?!" Serena exclaimed.

"Lysandre LaFleur is one of the most successful men in Kalos!" I told them. "He's one of my all-time heroes! His business, Lysandre Labs, creates inventions designed to bring life in Kalos closer together in harmony! Truly a great man!"

"Really?" Ash asked in wonder.

"Look up there!" And I wove my hand toward a nearby food court television.

There, on the news network, was Malva with her latest scoop: this one about Lysandre and his business. "The recent attack on Shalour City has shook the Kalos region to its core. Nobody outside of Team Flare is certain where they will strike next or when. In response to this crisis, Lysandre Labs has recently begun to assemble countermeasures such as smart security to alert local authorities for preparation.

"In related news, Lysandre himself announced today that he is donating cutting-edge medical equipment and a grant for researching Pokémon health maintenance to a Pokémon Center he has long supported." The screen shifted to show Lysandre standing in front of said Center with Nurse Joy. He was dressed mostly in smoke-grey with orange-red lining, and he had a hairstyle and beard that were shaped vaguely like a Pyroar's mane.

A reporter approached him with a microphone. "Lysandre, this is one of your largest donations on record. Can you tell us why?"

"This is no more than giving back to society what he gained from the Holo Caster," he replied. "The health and happiness of Pokémon is important to that of humanity as well."

Clemont turned our attention back to us. "Believe it or not, it was Lysandre who persuaded me to go to this school. When I saw him on television one time, he said the key to success was to broaden your horizon and open your mind to the possibilities. It took some persuasion, but after that, I was finally able to enroll, with the promise to study hard and make lots of friends."

'So how did that go?' Diancie asked. 'Did you do as your father requested?'

Clemont nodded. "I made plenty of friends and other students and many Pokémon. But all that research and study kept me busy."

"The curriculum here is quite rigorous," his former teacher commented. "It's a challenge to do all the work and graduate."

"Yes, and my senior project was particularly tough."

"Senior project?" Misty asked.

"My major focus was on how the power of science could build the future, I had trouble determining what my final project should be. I couldn't create a decent topic for some strange reason. At the time, I would usually go for long walks through town to clear my mind. That was when I met Lucky..."

*Clemont's POV*

One day, long ago, I was passing through the center of campus, trying to think of a topic for my project. I had tried many different ideas, but none of them seemed to work. I was beginning to feel like I was in a rut.

Then, just as I was about to give up in hopeless frustration, I met… him. Some rustling in the bushed caught my attention as a Shinx appeared. He looked weak and exhausted as he suddenly collapsed. Quickly thinking, I scooped him into my arms and carried him to the Pokémon Center. It took an exceptional amount of time, but the Shinx finally recovered.

I laughed as he hopped into my arms. "What a relief."

"I've seen this too many times," Nurse Joy moned sadly. "It seems to have something to do with the natural environment. If only there were some way the Electric-type Pokémon around here could collect more electric energy without chewing on any important equipment."

Upon hearing that, I had an epiphany. I began designing the schematics that evening. The first step was to store the electricity generated by the school's Pokémon into a battery. Next was to send the energy throughout town by a network of cables, where it would be fed to the other Electric-type Pokémon through the Clemontic Shower. As I was finishing the blueprints, I heard a tapping from behind. I turned around fast to find my Shinx friend at my window, who I quickly let in. "See this, little fella?" I asked. "With my new project, you'll be able to absorb all the energy you need. I wanna make a town where Electric-type Pokémon can live happily…. No. A whole world where all Pokémon can live happily! You'd live there, wouldn't you?"

"Shinx Shinx!" He turned around in my arms and proceeded to lick my face.

I laughed happily. "I'm so lucky we met each other…" I then had another idea, this one not quite a large scale. "I'm gonna call you that from now on… Lucky…"

*Brianna's POV*

"The electrical transmission system Clemont designed was well-received not only by the school, but the entire town," Amy smiled. "It was such a success that Lysandre hosted a celebration to honor Clemont."

"Such a great story!" Bonnie looked to her brother. "I didn't know you caught a Shinx!"

As soon as she said that, however, Clemont's smile disappeared. "Actually, I never-!"

Suddenly, a nearby alarm went off. One that especially caught Clemont's attention as it was coming from his generator. We hurried over there and into the system control room. One of the maintainers greeted us, especially Clemont, with worry. "Clemont! Thank Arceus you're here!"

"What's going on here?!" the inventor asked.

"There's a problem with the transmission cables… near the transformer!" Another stated.

The first one groaned. "It had to be there…"

"Is something wrong?" Bonnie asked.

"Well, uh, the thing is there's a wild Pokémon that made its home there. It attacks anything that comes close to its self-declared territory, so we're kind of at a loss."

"Please, let us help." Clemont offered. "My friends can help defend us from this wild Pokémon."

"Since you're the designer, we'd value your opinion. Follow me." He directed us down a hallway, with Bonnie and Amy waiting back at the control room. Fortunately, the transformer was not far at all.

We rounded a corner, and there ahead was a man dressed in and orange. Upon seeing us, he took off. But we were able to recognize him as a member of… "Team Flare! After him!" I shouted.

We were cut short, however, when another we heard a growling from behind. The said wild Pokémon was right behind us, and it looked angry.

Ash was quick to recognize it. "A Luxio!" As he spoke, Serena pulled out her Pokédex.

Luxio
The Spark Pokémon and the evolved form of Shinx
Luxio's sharp claws conduct electricity. The slightest scratch can unleash 1,000,000 volts.

The Luxio leaped up and waved its tail at us, sending a series of stars our way. I believe it was the move Swift.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted. The Mouse Pokémon executed the attack and countered the oncoming Swift.

"Wait! We're not your enemies!" The employee pointed down the hall. "The real culprit went that way!" Luxio nodded in understanding and ran between us.

Clemont gasped as it ran by. "Could it be...?" It stopped and looked back at us. It also gasped in surprise before it grew more furious and ran off.

Later that same evening, we were telling the others what we found. "You mean that group who attacked Shalour City?" Amy asked as we reached the end of our explanation.

Brock nodded. "They're annoyingly stubborn. I'm sure they'll be back."

"We can't leave if your town is in trouble. Right, Clemont?" But as I looked back, Clemont seemed to be deep in thought.

I snapped my fingers in front of him to make him come to his senses. "Huh? Wha… oh, right. We need to come up with a plan for when they strike next."

"We'll inform Officer Jenny of the situation," said the associate.

*Clemont's POV*

It was a quarter till dusk, and still no other sign of Team Flare. So the rest of us were resting our feet for an oncoming battle. But I could not sit down at all. All I could think about was what happened down below. That Luxio we saw in the generator plant…

"Is something wrong?" Bonnie asked in concern. "You seem upset."

"You've been acting like that since we were underground," Squishy added.

I sighed as I looked at them. "Well… I was actually thinking about Lucky."

"You mean your Shinx friend you made when you were a student here?" Brock asked. "What about him?"

"Well," I replied, "I never finished my story about him. The day before my graduation, something bad happened that messed up our friendship..."

As Lucky was still a wild Pokémon, he had no definite home. He freely roamed the streets. But we did have a special meeting spot where we would meet every so often.

The day before my graduation, I was on my way to meet Lucky and thank him for helping me find my idea for my senior project. I bought a cake for us to share, decorated with Berries I knew he loved. I was also dreaming of a wonderful new idea: to take Lucky home with me, back to Lumiose City. 'Lucky and I are gonna be best friends forever,' I thought to myself.

But I never made it. Shortly before I arrived, a limousine pulled up next to me. One of the doors opened to reveal a tall man with orange hair. "Clemont Liscio, I presume?" he asked with pride.

I was surprised to see who it was speaking to me. "Mr. LaFleur!"

He chuckled as he clambered out of the vehicle. "Mr. LaFleur is my father. Please, call me Lysandre."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. LaFl-! I mean, Lysandre. I'm such a big fan of yours."

"And I've been looking all over town for you. I have been asked to escort you to a special dinner party, to celebrate your success this school year." He then gestured to the door of the limo. "This way, please."

I was surprised, though not in a good way. "But Lysandre-!"

He was quick to interrupt. "I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer. Everyone's already waiting for you." He then calmly brought me into the car and gave the driver the signal. "Restaurant Le Wow, Jeeves."

As the car pulled away from the block, I looked out the window to see Lucky at the meeting spot. He was looking around eagerly for me, not knowing I was unwillingly being taken away. "Lucky..."

"You're right," Lysandre said, as though he were not listening. "I am quite lucky to have met you."

"...by the time I could finally get away," I concluded, "Lucky was already gone. I never saw him again."

"Oh, Clemont," Serena said, in a slightly sad tone. "I'm really sorry."

Thinking back on what happened today, Ash realized something. "Heyyyy, you think…?"

"I do," I replied. "I looked into that Luxio's eyes as it passed, and I was almost certain… That Luxio was my friend Lucky after he evolved. The way he looked at me, he must still feel bitter that I never met him that day like I promised. That must have really broken his heart..."

Suddenly, all the lights went out, and not just the ones in our room. I looked outside to see that all of the lights in the city were dying.

"This is terrible," Amy cried as she entered the room. "A huge amount of electricity has been drained from the system."

"I'll bet it's Team Flare again!" Misty added. She looked out and pointed out the window. In the distance, she could see large sparks flying from Clemont's generator. "Let's go!"

*Lucky's POV*

It was a quiet night in the streets. I had just recently recharged in the Showers, ready to defend the city once again. I began searching the streets for the perpetrators who invaded my territory.

But a part of me was distracted. Earlier that same day, I saw someone who I thought was my former friend Clemont. It had been years since I saw him, back when I was a mere Shinx. Seeing him again… brought back some unwanted memories.

Then the lights that illuminated the city went dark. I was not sure where the cause was at first, but then I saw another light in the distance. It was no doubt from the generator. Upon arrival, I found the one in orange had returned, along with two more. They were draining the power from the city once again. As they did so, I could barely hear them talking about something called the "Light of Hope," though I was not sure what that was.

But I was in no mood to find out. They were harassing my home, and I would not allow that. I charged at the ones in orange, my Electric Fang at the ready, but they were able to evade. (Get out! Leave this place!) I warned them, though I was certain that they did not comprehend or care.

"You again!" one of them growled. "I've had about enough of you! Go, Camerupt!"

"Swampert, go!" They released the ones in question to stand against me. "Use Mud Bomb!" The Swampert formed a wad of mud in each fin and fired them at me with full force. Luckily I was able to dodge.

"Flash Cannon!" the other demanded. The Camerupt fired a beam from its mouth that I was not able to evade. I rolled across the pavement in agony.

Shortly after that, others had appeared behind me, including one one I saw from before and the local police officer. "Oh, no! Are you alright?" he knelt down to comfort me.

"Team Flare! There you are!" Brianna shouted.

"I knew this would lure you out!" one of them cried. He and the other pulled out two weird stones, and waved their fingers in front of them. "Nega Wave!" The Camerupt and Swampert winced in pain as they transformed. I had seen Mega Evolution before, but this did not look like what I had hoped.

"Rest up, Lucky. We'll cover you," said the Lopunny. She nodded to her Trainer, and the two grabbed their own stones from around their necks.

"Key Stone/Mega Stone, grant us the power we need! Beyond evolution… Mega Evolve!" Before my eyes, they transformed in a bright light.
The human smiled, clasping her hands as though in prayer. "The sincere love in a Trainer's heart, Mega Brianna!"
The Lopunny smiled and rested a paw upon her chest. "The innocent love in a Pokémon's heart, Mega Cocoa!"
Finally, the two briefly hug one another before making their final pose. "Our hearts are one! Mega Evolution!"

The one named Brianna turned to her partner. "Cocoa, you go for-!" Before she could finish, I rose up to attack once more.

"What're you doing?!" Cocoa shouted. Using my Swift move, that was what. It was the only move I had that was not an Electric-type.

"Camerupt! Counter with Flamethrower!" Two fiery bursts erupted from the pores on its back. One of them neutralized my attack, and the other struck me down.

"Swampert! Another Mud Bomb!" Two more projectiles were fired at me.

"Pikachu! Counter with Electro Ball!" The one on the cap declared.

"You too, Fennekin! Flamethrower!" The two in question fired their respective attacks and defended me.

The others returned to shield me. "Don't worry, Luxio! Just stay down, and we'll handle this!"

But I nudged them away. (No!)

"Why are you so insistent on battling Team Flare?" Serena asked.

(Because they are harming my home!) I told them, as the Lopunny translated for me. (Like my old friend, I want a place where all Pokémon can live happily! This town that my friend helped change is the start of that!)

The eyes of one in particular widened. "It is you..."

"How noble…" said one of the enemies in a mocking tone. "Finish him off with Ancient Power!" The Camerupt fired another projectile from its mouth at me. Before anyone could do anything, the boy in the glasses stepped in front of me, back facing them, and took the projectile himself.

"Big Brother, no!" The young one screamed.

He lay on top of me, clearly injured. He slowly pushed himself off of me, smiling a weak smile. "Thank Arceus you're alright… Lucky..."

My eyes widened right then. Lucky… that was a name I had not heard since… (It's you… Clemont!) Looking into his eyes I saw so many memories reflected therein. Many of them were full of joy and peace… we crawled to a somewhat upright position, and I then proceeded to lick the injuries of my old friend.

I missed you so much…but I suppose now was not the time for a heartfelt reunion. "King's Shield!" Brianna summoned a barrier to defend herself from the oncoming attacks.

"Lucky, may I battle with you?" Clemont pleaded.

I smiled with confidence. (I thought you'd never ask.)

As Cocoa and Brianna charged to their opponents, the Swampert and Camerupt fired an Ice Ball and a Fire Blast, respectively. "Counter with Discharge!" Clemont told me. I released a surge of electricity and neutralized the attack. This bought the other two enough time to strike and crash their opponents into one another.

"Brianna!" Cocoa shouted.

Brianna nodded and began her final attack. "LIGHT OF HOPE!" A grand Beam shot from the heart towards the two Pokémon and reverted them to their original forms. When the attack settled, Pinsir and Heracross looked around frantically, free from the darkness that held them.

"Fall back! Retreat!" they shouted and ran off. The battle was won.

As light returned to the settlement, I decided to return underground. If there were more of those Team Flare fellows about, I would sniff them out.

Before I did though, Clemont stopped me. "Lucky, wait." he began. "I'm sorry I never came to meet you like I promised. I was forced away by someone else, and I tried so hard to find you. I wanted to take you home with me."

(Clemont...) I could see the truth in his eyes, but there was still a part of me that hurt.

"I would still really like you to come with me. If you want to come with me, meet me at our old meeting place at noon… this time, I'll be waiting for you."

I sighed to myself. (I'll… think about it...) I growled silently as I crawled into the manhole...

*Brianna's POV*

It was a quarter past noon the next day. We all had high hopes for Clemont's sake. Even Amy appeared, hoping for the best.

But Lucky was nowhere to be seen. We were beginning to think he was still mad at Clemont.

Brock looked at his watch. "Let's wait five more minutes..."

"That's what you said five minutes ago," Clemont began. "I guess Lucky still hasn't forgiven me, which is more than I deserve."

"But Clemont-!" his former teacher began, but to no avail.

"If we wait any longer, it won't be fair to any of you guys. Let's get back on the road."

However, before Clemont could take his first step, a sound caught our attention. From the nearby bushes, a familiar shape appeared. It looked at us and seemed to smile.

I could see tears forming from behind those big round glasses. "You came back… Lucky!"

The Luxio leaped onto his old friend, knocking him down, and proceeded to playfully lick his face. The rest of us were laughing or swooning at this heartfelt reunion. After a moment, Clemont pulled a Poké Ball from his pocket and gave it a toss. The Luxio connected with a jump and was immediately pulled in. Clemont had caught his newest partner, Lucky the Luxio.

"Thank you, Lucky," the boy genius said with a smile. "I won't let you down ever again..."

And so, two old friends reunite as Lucky became the newest member of our little family. He and Clemont had a lot of lost time to make up for as the journey continues...