Estimated Reading Time: 23 Minutes

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Lucky Clover

Ness stepped onto the stage, his heart pounding when he heard the thundering applause. The blinding lights washed over him, making it impossible to see past the glaring brightness. The sound of cheers echoed through the auditorium, rising to a fevered pitch as the crowd caught sight of him.

Squinting, he slowly began to make out the sheer size of the audience, far larger than anything he had ever faced before. A wave of unease swept over him. He had never been in a situation like this, and the unfamiliar attention only deepened his anxiety.

His gaze shifted to the judges, who sat calmly in their chairs, their expressions unreadable under the soft glow of the stage lights. This was the moment he had been waiting for. His heart quickened with a mix of excitement and nerves. This was it. Finally, his and Lucky's chance to prove themselves, to show the world what they were truly capable of. The weight of anticipation hung in the air, yet a flicker of determination sparked within him.

An assistant hurried onto the stage, quickly setting up the weave poles while Ness watched. They then handed him a massive log, a sparkler, and a brightly-colored hula hoop. Items he had specifically requested. Ness felt their weight in his hands and smiled to himself, imagining what was to come.

He thanked the assistant and turned toward Lucky. With a wink, he signaled his readiness, and Lucky, sensing the excitement in the air, smiled back with a nod of approval, ready to take on the challenge.

Ness: "Are you ready, Lucky?"

Lucky: "Espii!" (Born ready!)

Ness with the sparkler in hand tossed it in the air and used his PK fire to set it off. Lucky leaped in the air and caught it with his mouth.

"Use Quick Attack!" Ness commanded, his finger pointing sharply at the weave poles.

In an instant, Lucky sprang into action, darting toward the poles with lightning speed, weaving effortlessly from side to side. The crowd watched in awe, their eyes wide as they saw what looked like a streak of light, a miniature firework, blazing across the stage in a flawless zigzag pattern. Each swift movement left a trail of excitement in its wake, captivating the audience.

As Lucky reached the final pole, Ness dashed ahead with his own incredible speed, racing to position himself just in time. With a swift motion, he tossed the hula hoop into the air. Lucky leapt gracefully, spinning mid-jump as the sparkler in his mouth traced a shimmering twirl of light around his body.

Ness: "Lucky, use swift!"

Lucky, still in mid-air summoned a burst of gleaming stars that began to hover around him, glowing like mini disco balls. Ness hurled the gigantic log high into the sky. Without hesitation, Lucky launched the stars toward it, each one slicing through the air like a dazzling shuriken. They lodged into the log with precision, sticking into the wood.

Ness clenched his fists and took a deep breath. This was the part of the routine he wasn't fully confident about. Doubts crept in, but he quickly pushed them aside. He had faith in his loyal companion. They had trained for this, and no matter what happened, they would give it everything they had. If things didn't go exactly as planned, well, at least they tried and that was what mattered most.

The crowd went silent. Ness glanced at the audience, feeling the weight of their stares, but his expression shifted. He now had a confident aura. With a bold stance, he raised his hand high into the air, his voice booming across the stage, "LUCKY, USE STORED POWER!" His command echoed like thunder, electrifying the air as the audience waited for something magical to happen.

Lucky dropped the sparkler on the floor. His eyes glowed blue, and suddenly a faint purple disc of light hovered over the log. The light started getting brighter and brighter each second. The crowd got up from their seats and made an audible gasp.

Ness: "RELEASE!"

Lucky: "ESPIII!"

The light was now this moonlight purple. A beam filled with sparkles started to fall from the disc of light, however, Lucky struggled to stand tall. He was sweating and he couldn't handle the pressure. He lost focus and the light faded away. The poor Espeon fell on his side breathing heavily.

Ness: "Lucky!"

Ness ran over and scooped Lucky up on his arms.

Ness: "Oh no, Lucky, are you ok?"

Lucky: "E-espii…"

The Espeon struggled to crawl out of Ness's grip.

Ness: "Don't push yourself. It's ok. You did great."

Lucky: "Espi!"

Lucky staggered to his feet, his legs trembling with effort. Yet, despite his exhaustion, his eyes locked onto Ness. His owner looked shocked when he saw his Espeon's determination.

Ness: "Lucky?"

The cat Pokémon knew he couldn't rely on Stored Power this time. Instead, his sharp eyes caught the sparkler lying abandoned on the ground. With a flick of his paw, he scooped it up and clenched it between his teeth. He used quick attack racing around the log in dizzying circles, the sparkler trailing behind him like a comet, leaving a slow, glowing ring of light in his wake. After several graceful laps, he sprang onto the log with feline agility, striking a confident, almost defiant pose, the sparkler still flickering in his mouth.

The crowd erupted into applause, but fell silent when Lucky suddenly leaped into the air. He hurled the sparkler toward the log. For a heartbeat, everything was still. Then, with a burst of energy, he summoned a cascade of stars, their light shimmering like diamonds.

As the stars collided with the log, it exploded in a dazzling shower of stardust that filled the stage. It looked like like ten million fireflies gliding in the soft glow of moonlight.

Ness's jaw dropped. Lucky ran back to his owner, and the brunet gave his Pokemon a big squeeze.

Ness: "LUCKY, THAT WAS INCREDIBLE! H-HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!"

Lucky: "Espii~"

Ness: "YOU'RE A GENIUS!"

Lucky: "Espii. Espeon." (Aww, shucks.)

Ness: "That was truly exceptional!"

The crowd went crazy. They were screaming and cheering their name.

Crowd: "NESSPEON! NESSPEON!"

Ness with a huge grin on his face, waved at the audience and bowed. "THANK YOU!" he bellowed. After that, he walked out of the stage, feeling accomplished.

As soon as he stepped into the lobby, Leaf darted toward him. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace, and a subtle flush of color crept up his cheeks, catching him off guard.

"You did amazing!" She said, pulling away, her voice brimming with excitement.

"It was all Lucky, not me," he said, looking away and scratching the back of his head.

Leaf: "It was both you! You both did great~!"

Ness: "T-thank you!"

Lucky: "Espii!"

Announcer: "All contestants please step onto the stage."

With a collective sense of anticipation, the contestants made their way through the door that led them directly onto the stage, where the lights and audience awaited.

Judges: "The winner of the contest goes to…"

The room fell silent. Everyone was nervous as to who won first place. The anticipation was killing them.

Judges: "LEAF AND HER UMBREON FATE!"

Leaf gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. A judge walked up to her and handed her the first place ribbon. She had a huge smile on her face and the crowd erupted in cheers.

Ness beamed with a wide, heartfelt smile and joined in with the cheers, his voice rising above the crowd in support. This was her moment; one she had worked so hard for. Tears of joy flowed freely down her face, glistening under the stage lights as she expressed her gratitude, her voice trembling with emotion as she thanked everyone who made this dream possible.

Once the event was over, Ness and Leaf met up with Lucas at the front door of the place that held the contest.

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Leafstorm & Shy Blonde

Lucas: "You guys both did great!"

Ness: "Thanks."

Leaf: "Thank you."

Ness: "Guess I didn't win haha!"

Lucas: "You did amazing though."

Leaf: "You really did. I wasn't confident that I would win first place."

Ness: "Really?"

Leaf: "You did better than I expected."

Lucas: "It was beautiful."

Ness: "Praise Lucky for that."

Lucky: "Espii!"

Leaf's Umbreon gracefully trotted over to Lucky, her eyes soft as she gave him a warm smile. Lucky felt his breath catch in his throat. His face flushed with a rosy hue as he stared at her, utterly captivated by her beauty.

Leaf: "Aww, look, Fate is congratulating Lucky."

Ness: "Huh? Oh! Aww, that's so cute."

Fate walked back over to Leaf and sat by her side. The two eeveelutions continued to stare at each other while, their owners chatted.

Leaf: "So, are you two doing anything after this?"

Lucas: "Um…"

Ness: "No."

Leaf: "Great! Then, did you guys wanna head downtown?"

Ness: "Sure!"

Leaf: "We could fly there."

Lucas: "Fly?"

Leaf: "Yeah, with my Charizard."

Lucas: "Oh! Uh—I-I…"

Leaf: "What's wrong?"

Ness: "Oh—Lucas is afraid of heights."

Leaf: "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I didn't know. We could go there by train instead."

Lucas: "You don't have to apologize. I should be the one apologizing. I'm slowing you two down."

Ness: "No no no, not at all. You're ok, Lucas."

Leaf: "It's not your fault! I like trains anyway."

A faint smile creased Lucas's lips as he walked alongside them. The trio made their way to the transit station, where they patiently waited for the train to arrive. Once it pulled in, they boarded, and the blonde remained quiet throughout the journey. He focused on Ness and Leaf, listening intently as they chatted about how fun the contest was.

Once they arrived at their destination, they began meandering. Lucas looked around and saw the city. The lights weren't lit yet due to it still being day.

He pictured him and Ness strolling through the urban city, meandering and gazing at the beautiful neon lights that lit up the night sky. He pictured them going to a nice restaurant and eating at a bistro table watching other people walk by as they chatted about whatever was on their minds.

"That would be a dream," Lucas thought, though a tinge of disappointment washed over him. Unfortunately, Ness was straight, and even if they did choose to hang out downtown at midnight, it wouldn't hold any romantic significance in Ness's eyes. It saddened the blonde thinking it that way, but that's the reality.

Ness: "What do you think, Lucas?"

"Huh? Oh! Sorry can you repeat that?" Lucas snapped back to reality (oh! There goes gravity).

Ness: "Is pie better than cake?"

Lucas: "Uh—I think pie is better."

Leaf: "What!"

Ness: "I told you. Pie is objectively better."

Leaf: "You two are both wrong."

Lucas: "You guys are talking about food?"

Leaf: "Yep!"

Ness: "Lucas, are you daydreaming again?"

Lucas: "Y-yes, sorry."

Ness: "Oh you."

Leaf: "Does he do that often?"

Ness: "Oh yeah. Too often."

Lucas: "Hey! No I don't!"

Ness: "Yes you do, especially if we're in a group."

Leaf: "Oh."

Ness: "Unless it's Sonic."

Leaf: "Sonic?"

Lucas: "Yeah, what?"

Ness: "I've noticed that you seem more engaged when it's just the two of us, or when Sonic is around."

Lucas: "O-oh, uh…"

Leaf: "Sonic seems like the type of guy anyone can get along with."

Ness: "He's a nuisance."

Lucas: *Snickers*

Leaf: "Are you two like rivals or something?"

Lucas: "They're definitely something."

Ness: "He's not good enough to be my rival."

Lucas: *Snickers* "Yup. That's why you always argue with him, right?"

Ness: "I don't argue with him, he argues with me."

Leaf: "Aww, Ness got a little rival~"

Lucas: "Hahaha~!"

Ness: "He's not my rival; he's merely an irritating hedgehog who deliberately provokes me."

Leaf: "What does deliberately mean?"

Ness: "Oh! It means to do something on purpose."

Leaf: "You use big words a lot."

Lucas: "He loves doing that."

Ness: "I do?"

Leaf: "Yes. I've noticed that about you."

Lucas: "He used to be worse about it. Almost every sentence, he always used such complex vocab."

Ness: "Really?"

Lucas: "Yeaaaah. I've noticed you talk more casually ever since the calamity."

Ness: "Sonic and Kawasaki dumbed me down."

Lucas: "That's hilarious."

Leaf: "I'm not really smart, so I don't know a lot words…"

Ness: "That's not true, you're intelligent."

Leaf: "I dunno…"

Ness: "You won a big contest today. The way you commanded your Umbreon was brilliant. Of course you're smart!"

Leaf: "You think so?"

Ness: "Everyone did. That's why you won."

Leaf: "Hmph! I told ya I would beat you~"

Ness rolled his eyes playfully, a smile creeping onto his face. "Sure, sure."

Leaf: "You were so cocky about it too."

Ness: "You sparked my competitive spirit."

Leaf: "I always thought of you as shy."

Lucas: *Snickers* "Him? Shy? Once he gets used to you, he never shuts up."

Ness: "No, that's you."

Lucas: "You're shy too!"

Ness: "I'm not shy. I just like to keep to myself. I can hold up a conversation."

Lucas: "I mean I guess now you can, but back then, you were a mess when it came to people."

Ness: "What? How so?"

Lucas: "First of all, you were extremely blunt. Second, you constantly pushed people away by making up an over the top excuse. Third, when you did talk to people, you'd go on about league."

Ness: "Wow…"

Lucas: "I know you~"

Leaf: "Really?"

Ness: "I never realized…"

Lucas: "Yep! But now you're sort of outgoing."

Leaf: "Which I'm glad. That means we all get to hang out and be friends."

Ness: "I'm also glad. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what motivated me to act that way."

Leaf: "Nerves?"

Ness: "S-something like that. ANYWAY, uh…"

Ness glanced around in a slight panic, eager to change the subject. He felt uneasy discussing his past feelings, viewing his former self as cringeworthy.

With a bit more looking around he spotted a pet store and pointed enthusiastically in that direction. "Look! A pet shop!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with nervous excitement.

The trio stepped inside, and their eyes lit up at the sight of the adorable animals around them. Leaf couldn't contain her excitement and rushed over to the enclosures. Spotting a tiny mouse, she pointed enthusiastically, her voice rising in a delighted squeal.

Leaf: "Oh my god! Look at this one!"

Lucas: "Aww, what a cute mouse."

Leaf: "Mouse?"

Ness: "Yes, it's a mouse. Its scientific name is Mus musculus."

Leaf: "Eww."

Ness: "Yeaaah, the name has a slightly unpleasant ring to it."

Lucas: "It does sound kinda gross."

Ness: "I mean people find mice disgusting in general. It kind of fits."

Leaf: "Whaaaat! It's so cute though."

Ness: "They are cute. It's a shame they're pests."

Lucas: "Leaf, do you have pests in the Pokemon world?"

Leaf: "Um—Yeaaah. Bird and rodent types are considered pests. I thought your guys' world would be different."

Lucas: "Sadly no."

Leaf: "So do you guys kill them?"

Ness: "Yeaaah."

Leaf: "That's so sad. We don't kill Pokemon. We usually capture and then relocate them."

Ness: "Our world is brutal."

Lucas: "But hey, at least these guys are kept as pets. They get to go home to a happy family."

Leaf: "I've never had a regular animal before."

Ness: "Are you planning on buying one?"

Leaf: "I'm not sure. Should I?"

Ness: "Owning a pet can be tricky."

Lucas: "I think it's nothing compared to a Pokemon."

Ness: "They're both difficult."

Leaf: "How so?"

Ness: "Well Pokemon are more intelligent and for the most part, always listen. Regular animals kind of do their own thing. They're also a lot simpler, so you might find them boring pretty quick."

Leaf: "I don't think I would."

Ness: "They're also not as tough as Pokemon; especially mice. If you don't provide them the proper care, they'll die."

Leaf: *Gasps*

Lucas: "Stop scaring her."

Ness: "I'm saving her from trauma. Trust me, I would know."

Leaf: "What?"

Ness: "I used to own a hamster. It uh—it died by somehow hanging itself with its own entrails."

Leaf: "Oh my god!"

Lucas: "Nessss, we're sensitive!"

Ness: "How do you think I felt?! I woke up to that when I was six!"

Leaf: "I don't want a regular animal anymore."

Lucas: "Ness, you ruined it."

Ness: "Oh come on."

Leaf: "Meanie."

Ness: "Hey, I saved that mouse."

Lucas: "Hahaha!"

Leaf: "Hey!"

Ness: *Snickers*

Leaf: "You both are assholes."

Ness and Lucas exchanged amused glances before bursting into laughter, unable to resist teasing her. Leaf feigned a pout, crossing her arms as if annoyed, but deep down, she relished the playful attention, her eyes betraying the enjoyment behind her act.

After window shopping some more, the trio realized how late it was. They all collectively agreed to go back home. When they returned to the mansion, they ate dinner and then parted ways.

As Ness returned back to his abode, he immediately went on his phone and ordered an electric guitar online. It was expensive, but it'll all be worth it when he impresses Tina.

Ding!

[- Leaf

Leaf: You and Lucky did great today

Ness: Thank you! Things didn't go exactly as planned, but hey, it turned out wonderfully in the end.

Ness: Congratulations on the win by the way.

Leaf: Thx UwU

Ness: Hanging out with you and Lucas was fun!

Leaf: It was until you ruined pets for me -.-

Ness: Hahaha! You have to admit, it was funny.

Leaf: Hmph! }:(

Ness: Aww, why the angry face? It was hilarious!

Leaf: Not wehn you told me hw your pet hamster died

Ness: I may have gotten carried away.

Leaf: Did you not care about your hamster?

Ness: I loved my hamster, but it was years ago. I'm over it now.

Leaf: I could nvr

Ness: I wasn't really close to him.

Leaf: Still though :(

…

Ding!

[- Lucas

Lucas: I loved the show you and Lucky put on today

Ness: Thank you! Although it didn't go as planned sadly.

Lucas: Lucky seemed to know exactly what to do

Ness: I was shocked when Lucky pulled that last stunt!

Lucas: He's more creative than you

Ness: Hey!

Lucas: Lol! Your original ideaa was great tooooo

Ness: If only it worked…

Lucas: But maybe Lucky's was better

Ness: Hey! It would have been even better if Lucky had managed to execute it successfully.

Lucas: Ruuude! Are you saying Lucky's stunt wasn't as good?

Ness: Duh.

Lucas: I know you can't hear me Lucky but your creative play was better than Ness could ever dream of

Ness: Fuck off.

Lucas: Lmao!

Ness: You're right though. Lucky is amazing for doing that on the spot. He's smarter than I give him credit for.

Lucas: You both are smart! Anyway I'm tired. I didn't expect to socialize with Leaf today so I'm drained

Ness: I totally get it. I'm also exhausted.

Lucas: Goodnight

Ness: Wait, before you go…

Lucas: Yes?

Ness: Did you have a good time?

Lucas: Yeah

Ness: I mean hanging out with Leaf and I.

Lucas: Yeah it was fun

Ness: Are you sure?

Lucas: Yes Ness

Ness: You were a little quiet…

Lucas: I'm always quiet

Ness: But you're not quiet when it's you, Sonic, and I.

Lucas: I dunno I just feel more comfortable when Sonic is around

Ness: Why? That hedgehog is annoying.

Lucas: He's funny

Ness: Incorrect but ok.

Lucas: Lmao

Ness: Well, goodnight I'll see you tomorrow.

Lucas: Night

…

Lucas's thoughts drifted back to the day Ness hung out with Tina. That nagging feeling of being overlooked crept in again, making his chest tighten. He vividly remembered how unimportant he felt at that moment. When Ness bought Tina the same bread plushie he had once given him, it shattered the illusion he held onto; that the plushie was something special, something unique that Ness had chosen specifically for him. But it wasn't. He realized then that he wasn't as special as he thought.

He no longer cuddled with the bread plushie. What was once a cherished keepsake now felt like a symbol of betrayal.

He had thought about talking to Ness, about explaining how crushed he'd felt, but fear always held him back. What if it only made things worse?

He didn't feel safe enough to share those feelings, so he swallowed them, keeping the pain locked away. It hurt, deeply, but he convinced himself that protecting Ness from the fallout was more important than his own pain. As long as Ness wasn't hurting, Lucas could endure his own quiet suffering.