Chapter Five
In the distance, Alain could see the outskirts of the next town. Finally, he thought to himself."Alright, that's Coumarine. I'll take Charizard to the Pokémon centre, and once he's at full strength, we can fly straight to Lumiose City."
"Aww, come on, I keep telling you I wanna do some sightseeing. What's so wrong with walking?" Dawn said, almost pleading.
"If you want to walk through the desert, be my guest."
"A WHAT?!" she exclaimed.
"The next route goes through the desert. If you want to go look at a pile of sand, don't let me stop you."
It didn't take Dawn very long to weigh up her options before she threw her fist up in the air, shouting, "Flying it is!"
The pair continued walking toward Coumarine, the town growing closer with every step. The salty sea breeze brushed past them as they made their way through the winding, cobblestone streets. Boats bobbed lazily in the nearby harbour, and the faint cries of Wingull could be heard overhead. Alain glanced at the lively market stalls that lined the main street, but his mind was fixed on getting to the Pokémon centre.
Dawn, however, couldn't help but slow her pace, taking in the quaint seaside charm of the town. She stopped momentarily to admire a collection of seashells arranged in a vendor's display. "I could stay here forever," she said dreamily, but Alain's focus remained steady.
"Let's just get Charizard healed first," he said, giving her a sidelong glance.
Before long, they reached their destination. The familiar red roof of the Pokémon centre came into view, and Alain quickened his steps. Without further delay, he handed over his Pokéball to Nurse Joy.
"I'll take good care of your Charizard. He should be fully healed within the hour," she smiled.
Alain thanked her and walked to the exit to look for Dawn, who had wandered off. Knowing the region all too well, he had a fair idea of what likely caught her attention.
Walking round to the back of the Pokémon centre he found what he was looking for. Being a seaside town, the centre had a pool out the back for anyone to use while waiting for their Pokémon to be healed. Dawn had wasted no time releasing her Pokémon and jumping in.
Dawn had spotted Alain "Hey I can't believe you have pools at your Pokémon centres, I wonder who I have to talk to back home to get this to happen in Sinnoh"
"Don't get too used to this, this is the only centre to have a pool."
"All the more reason to enjoy ourselves now then," She said with a burst of excitement. All her Pokémon joined in her excitement with their own burst of loud noises. This was the first time Alain had seen all her Pokémon and quickly began analysing them. Her Piplup stayed close to her, swimming gleefully with her. A very energetic Pachirisu was running laps round the pool. Lying on an inflatable pool lounge, looking relaxed was Lopunny. Ambipom was using its two tails to swing between the branches of the trees surrounding the area. Lastly, he spotted a Togekiss lying in the shade seeming to be keeping an eye on the rest.
Dawn whistled to get the attention of all her Pokémon "Everyone, this is Alain he's taking us to the professor". Pachirisu was the first to react by running over to him and climbing up to his shoulder. After jumping from shoulder to shoulder she eventually settled and nuzzled into him.
Alain initially shocked by its forwardness, quickly smiled and stroked its head. "You're sweet" he whispered to the tiny Pokémon.
Dawn gushed "Aww how sweet"
Alain sat down on the edge of a nearby sun lounger, looking as relaxed as someone like him could be, as Dawn and her Pokémon splashed around. Her Pachirisu had made itself comfortable on his shoulder, nuzzling against him as if it had found a new perch. Alain had a tiny smile plastered on his face, enjoying the sight of Pokémon playing.
"Come on, Alain! Why don't you join us?" Dawn called, floating on her back in the pool, her Piplup paddling happily beside her.
Alain shook his head. "I'll pass. I don't need to swim."
Dawn sighed, drifting closer to the pool's edge, water glistening on her skin as she stood up. "You're such a killjoy," she teased, stepping out of the pool completely. Pachirisu perked up, chirping as if it agreed with her.
Still perched on Alain's shoulder, the little electric Pokémon nudged him playfully, urging him to reconsider. Alain raised an eyebrow at the small Pokémon. "Don't get any ideas," he muttered.
Dawn, towel-drying her hair as she walked toward him, flashed him a mischievous smile. "You know, it's not gonna hurt you to have a little fun. The water's perfect."
Alain's eyes flickered for a moment as she stood there in front of him, clad in a simple blue bikini, her skin glistening from the water. He looked away quickly, focusing back on the playful Pachirisu on his shoulder, trying to suppress the brief flicker of surprise and something else he wasn't going to acknowledge.
"Like I said, I'm fine," he replied, his tone steady as ever.
Dawn smirked, clearly noticing his attempt to stay composed. "Fine, suit yourself. But at least let your Pokémon out, I'm sure they could do with some fun, right?"
Alain hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of Pachirisu still comfortably settled on his shoulder. "Alright," he finally said with a sigh, standing up. "But I'm not getting in."
"Deal!" Dawn said triumphantly. With a grin, she tossed the towel aside and jumped back into the pool, creating a playful splash as her Pokémon cheered her on.
Alain stood back from the edge, pulling out his Pokéballs. First, he released Greninja, who appeared with a swift, silent movement, its expression calm and focused as always. It surveyed the scene before leaping into a nearby tree, preferring to stay above the action.
Next, Gallade materialized, its noble figure standing tall as it calmly assessed its surroundings. It wasn't one for games, but it offered a respectful nod toward the pool. Bisharp followed, standing at attention, its sharp gaze sweeping over the area, clearly not one to get involved in casual fun either.
Finally, Absol appeared, landing gracefully next to Alain with its quiet, mysterious presence, while Charcadet—ever the smallest and most excitable—popped out, immediately taking in the lively atmosphere with wide, curious eyes.
Dawn, now floating with her Piplup, watched Alain's team assemble. "Oh wow" she giggled. Alain raised an eyebrow confused. "That's quite the team you got there, quite the mix of noble and edgy. Except for this little guy," she said starting at Charcadet. She swam to the edge of the pool to get a closer look. "You're adorable" she gushed while stroking its head.
Greninja remained perched in the tree, watching everything from above, while Gallade stood tall and stoic by the water's edge. Bisharp, ever vigilant, kept a close watch on the pool, but it was Absol who surprised Alain by settling down beside the water, its normally serious demeanour softening for a moment as it observed the playful Pokémon nearby. Charcadet, on the other hand, darted around excitedly, clearly eager to explore its surroundings.
Pachirisu, now back on the ground, hopped over to Charcadet, chirping happily. The small fire-type blinked at the tiny electric Pokémon curiously, then waved back, its fiery spirit already winning over the lively Pachirisu.
Dawn laughed as she watched them. "Your Charcadet's pretty cute. Seems like it's fitting right in."
Alain allowed himself a small smile. "Charcadet's still learning, but it's got potential."
Dawn splashed around, watching as her Pokémon interacted with Alain's. "You sure none of them want to get in on the fun?"
Alain crossed his arms. "They're fine watching. We don't need to get in the pool to enjoy ourselves."
As if on cue, Charcadet wandered closer to the water, staring at it curiously before dipping a tiny hand into the pool, causing Dawn to giggle. "Looks like someone's thinking about it!"
Absol put its paw in the pool and splashed a bit of water at Charcadet, causing it to stumble back with a surprised chirp. Dawn burst out laughing while Charcadet blinked in confusion before puffing out its chest, trying to act brave.
Greninja had clearly caught the attention of Ambipom due to it's impressive leap into the trees. True to her mischievous nature, she tried to sneak up on the Pokémon believing it was resting, unaware of its aura abilities. About to swing her two tails, Greninja leapt from the tree. The pair began leaping all around the area appearing to be in a game of tag.
Alain watched the scene unfold, and though his outward expression remained calm, there was a small flicker of warmth inside him. It was rare for him to let his guard down, but seeing his Pokémon—especially the younger Charcadet—beginning to bond with Dawn's team was oddly comforting.
"See?" Dawn said, resting her arms on the pool's edge. "Even your Pokémon can relax when they need to."
Alain gave a quiet hum, his eyes following Greninja, now chasing Ambipom, while Gallade stood like a sentinel by the water with Bisharp. Lopunny tried her best to snuggle herself between the two. After saying goodbye to Pikachu, she decided to find herself a new crush but couldn't make her mind up. While Absol, still lying near the water, seemed at peace.
Charcadet, for all its energy, had settled beside Pachirisu, the two smaller Pokémon exchanging curious glances as they shared the space.
Dawn floated on her back, watching Alain with a smirk. "You sure you don't wanna come in for a swim."
Alain, his gaze now scanning the sunset reflecting on the pool, remained quiet, but internally, he noted the rare calm of the moment. The sound of laughter, the sight of his normally serious team enjoying a brief reprieve, and the unexpected warmth of the day had a subtle effect on him.
But outwardly, he stayed as composed as ever. "I'll leave the fun to you," he said, his tone cool and steady.
Dawn laughed "All right suit yourself", diving back under the water, her Pokémon splashing happily around her. For a brief moment, everything felt simple and light.
When the hour was up a Chansey appeared with Charizard's Pokéball, Alain thanked the Pokémon and stared at Pokéball. As glad as he was that Charizard was back to full health, he felt a slight hint of disappointment at the thought of having to stop everyone's enjoyment.
Dawn saw Alain staring intensely at his Pokéball and had a good idea why he was so lost in thought. So she decided to help out. She jumped out of the pool again and gently grasped Alain's wrist trying to pull him up.
Caught off guard he spluttered "What.. hey"
Sensing he couldn't admit he wanted to stay a bit longer Dawn leaned in and whispered into his ear so the Pokémon couldn't hear him. "You're not fooling me, I can tell you want to stay a while longer"
Alain wanted to argue back but as she pulled her head back and their eyes met he was lost for words. She was right, he did want to stay, he couldn't remember the last time he enjoyed himself like this. "Alright you win" he chuckled. He stood up and released Charizard "I'll message the Professor and let him know where staying at the Pokémon centre tonight and we'll reach him tomorrow, how does that sound"
Dawn's eyes lit up "Sounds good to me. How about this, we race to Lumiose City tomorrow. You and Charizard versus me and Togekiss"
"You're on" he replied with determination.
Time passed easily, the sky gradually shifting from pale orange to deep indigo. As dusk set in, Alain's Pokémon began to settle down. Gallade sat cross-legged in meditation, while Bisharp remained on watch. Absol, ever the silent guardian, lay by Alain's side, content to simply observe the scene. Charcadet finally slowed down, sitting beside Pachirisu, the two smaller Pokémon exchanging quiet moments as the day gently drew to a close.
The air was cool now, a soft breeze rustling the trees as the stars began to appear overhead. Dawn climbed out of the pool, the water streaming off her as she wrapped a towel around herself. "Alright, alright," she said with a playful yawn, "I think I'm officially ready to call it a day."
Alain gave a small nod of agreement, his eyes following her as she began recalling her Pokémon. Togekiss fluttered back gracefully to her Pokéball, but not before locking eyes with Charizard, who had been watching silently from his place beside Alain. The two powerful Pokémon seemed to size each other up, their unspoken rivalry building in the stillness of the evening.
Dawn chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Alright, you two. It's only for fun tomorrow. Don't go getting all worked up tonight."
Alain smirked, catching Charizard's intense gaze. "Come on, Charizard, no need to get into the competitive spirit just yet. It's hardly going to be a challenge, right?" He said the last part teasingly, his tone light.
Dawn rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. "Yeah, yeah. Just wait till Togekiss leaves you both in the dust."
Alain's grin widened, enjoying the playful back-and-forth. It was rare for him to engage in such light-hearted banter, but with Dawn, it felt easy. "We'll see about that."
As they finished recalling their teams, the night grew quieter. The peaceful atmosphere settled in once more, only punctuated by the occasional splash from the pool and the distant call of Wingull over the harbour. Dawn stretched, stifling another yawn as she turned toward the Pokémon Centre. "Well, I'll see you in the morning, Alain," she said, her voice softer now, the excitement of the day giving way to a comfortable drowsiness.
Alain gave a nod, his usual stoic expression softening as he glanced at her. "Goodnight, Dawn."
She smiled at him, then turned to walk inside, her towel draped over her shoulders, her wet hair catching the faint light from the stars above. Alain lingered for a moment longer, his gaze following her retreating figure. He wasn't sure what it was about today, but it had felt… different. Lighter, maybe. The tension he usually carried had eased just a little.
"Come on, Charizard," he murmured, giving his companion a small pat on the side. "Let's get some rest."
As they both made their way back to their rooms, the light-hearted banter from earlier left a faint smile on Alain's face. Tomorrow would bring its own challenges, but for tonight, there was a rare sense of peace between them.
With thoughts of the playful rivalry lingering in the back of his mind, Alain lay down, ready to face the day ahead—with just a bit more anticipation than usual.