Author's note: Finals are done, and so is this chapter! Hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 92: Some Alone Time

Penny was already feeling extremely embarrassed, because she had to share a seat with Arven while riding on top of his Koraidon. Riding alongside them was Aeon and Kai, who were sitting on Miraidon. Aeon looked content with a wide smile on his face while rubbing his head against Kai's back. Kai was blushing as the wind blew against his hair.

"Those boys can't get enough of each other, huh?" Arven asked.

Penny looked on and sighed, knowing for certain that she wouldn't have the guts to do that to Arven. So, she awkwardly just stared at his back as Koraidon crawled along.

"So why don't you tell me more about yourself?" Arven asked.

Penny tilted her head. The moment she was asked that question, her mind completely blanked. It was as though every memory of everything she had ever done in her life had been erased from her brain.

"Uh…" Penny didn't say anything.

"Okay, bad question," Arven said. "Whenever I'm asked that, my brain just erases everything I've ever done in my life."

Penny sighed in relief. "You too?" She asked.

"Yeah. It stinks."

The two of them were quiet for a while. Penny's eyes slowly moved toward the floor. She watched Koraidon's feet moving.

"Hey-.." Arven said. "I want to show you something when we're alone."

"What?" Penny said. "What is it?"

"Well, I-"

"Hey guys!" Kai turned his head over to Arven and Penny. "Wanna take camp here!? Miraidon wants to rest! And I think we should eat, anyway!"

"Uh… Sure!" Arven shouted. "That's fine!"

It didn't take long for them to set up camp. In less than an hour, a tent was put up, a bonfire was lit, and blankets were placed around as places to sit.

The group circled the bonfire. Beside them were Miraidon and Koraidon, lying on the ground and resting. Kai had his arm around Aeon, and Aeon leaned into his embrace.

"Hey- so…" Arven said, "I'm going to go into my backpack and prepare food. Kai, Aeon, why don't you two go on a walk or something?"

Penny tilted her head in confusion, and so did Kai.

"Why?" Kai said. "I don't mind just watching you cook."

"But watching food cook before eating is the worst," Arven said. "I just wanted to spare you the trouble-"

"Nah, it's fine," Kai said, smiling.

"I-...see," Arven said. "Hey, uh… Aeon?"

"Yeah?" Aeon said, looking up to his older sibling.

"I gotta ask you something.. It's private. Can we…" Arven motioned with his head for them to move.

"Okay., sure…" Aeon said. Kai moved his arm off of Aeon, and Aeon stood up before he and his brother walked off.

"What do you need, Arven?" Aeon asked once the two brothers were far enough away from the campsite.

"Yeah," Arven said. "Could you…work your magic and take Kai for a walk or something?"

"Why?"

"I've got to show Penny something. It's private. Can you ju-"

Aeon's eyes widened. A mischievous grin went to his lips. "Ohhhhhh….. I get it."

"Wha-" Arven's eyes widened. "I don't like that look on your face."

"I get it…" Aeon smirked. "You wanna make a move, don't you? Ohohoho- the tables have turned."

"N-No- It's not like that!" Arven put his open hands out and shook them. " Nothing like that at all-"

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiight," Aeon wiggled his eyebrows and Arven glared. "You want some aloooooone time."

" Listen- I just want to talk to her alone for a bit, okay?! There's nothing romantic going on here! I know you can get Kai to walk with you, so could you do me a solid and do that?"

"Hehehehehehehe…Okay. I'll let you two soon-to-be love birds-"

"We're not lovebirds! I told you- nothing is going on!"

Aeon kept chuckling and Arven began to pout.

"Well- are you going to do it?" Arven asked.

"Give me a second, I just wanna take all of this in." Aeon said. "Ohohoho- I'm going to tease you so much."

"Aeon!"

"Okay- okay." Aeon said. "I'll 'work my magic'. Good luck with your seduction-"

"I'm not trying to seduce her!" Arven shouted.

"Uh-huh." Aeon giggled again.

Penny and Kai were silent as they sat around the campfire.

"Wonder what they're talking about," Kai said. "Arven's acting a little strange. You know what's going on?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Penny said. She figured that whatever Arven wanted to show her, it was private, so hinting that Arven was going to show her something was probably not the right move.

The two of them remained silent for a bit.

"Soo…" Kai said. "What do you do for fun?"

"Oh- uh, I like playing video games," Penny said. "And…watching…anime."

"Anime?" Kai said. "Really?"

"Yeah. There's a ton of them that I watch." Penny said.

"Really… you should show me sometime."

"Sure." Penny said.

More silence.

"Kaaaaaaaaaai!" Aeon cried out, and Kai spun his head and stood up. Immediately, Aeon hugged Kai.

"Huh? What's up?" Kai said, reflexively hugging Aeon back.

"I wanna go for a waaaalk and have alone tiiime~…" Aeon talked like a child who wanted to go home as he rubbed his head against Kai's chest.

"Wait- wha- why?" Kai asked.

"Because…it's been so long since we had alone time…" Aeon moaned.

"I mean- yeah, you're right," Kai said, standing up.

"Pleaaaaaase?" Aeon said, looking up. The puppy-dog face that Aeon put on cut through all the possible defense that Kai could ever put up, and he began blushing.

"Y-Yeah- sure," He said. "Anything for you."

"Yaaay! I love you!" Aeon said.

"I- I love you too," Kai said.

Aeon held Kai's hand, and Arven watched the two of them leave. Then, Aeon turned his head to Arven and winked with a mischievous smile. Arven shot a quick glare.

"What's going on- why are you acting weird-" Kai asked.

"Oh, I'll tell you everything but promise you won't tell.…" Aeon muttered. The two lovers walked far away as Aeon began whispering in Kai's ear.

Arven sighed. Penny stared at Arven, attempting to well up the courage to ask him what it was he wanted to show her.

"Now we're finally alone," Arven said, walking to the other side of the bonfire and sitting down. Penny could see the light emitting from the flames make Arven's face look brighter in the afternoon sky. "I wanted to thank you again, for helping me with getting that Herba Mystica, back at school," Arven said. "I felt like I owed you for helping me, so I want to show you something."

Arven pulled out a Pokeball from his pocket. "This Pokeball belongs to my best friend, my Mabostiff." He said. "For the longest time, he was sick with an incurable virus. Before I met Aeon, he was… all I had."

"All you had? What about your parents?"

Arven chuckled sadly. "What parents?" He asked. "I was on my own for the longest time. My Mom disappeared, and my Dad never really paid me any mind. I had to learn how to cook and live on my own. Mabostiff made things easier for me." Arven sighed. "Sorry about the sob story," He said.

"No, no-" Penny said, waving both hands at Arven. "I asked. If anything, I should apologi-"

"You don't have to apologize for anything."

"...Right," Penny lowered her head instinctively before forcing herself to look at Arven. The moment she did, she began blushing, so she looked back down again. "So what was it that you wanted to show me?"

Arven wordlessly dropped his Pokeball on the floor, and Mabostiff came out, brimming with life and moving toward Arven. Mabostiff wagged its tail as it rubbed its head against Arven's side. Arven patted the Dog Pokémon's head.

"I wanted you to see how lively Mabostiff is because this is partly thanks to you," Arven said. "I wanted to show Kai, too, but having everyone here while I talk about it is just… embarrassing. I'll reveal it to him later, but I felt like I just…had to show you. I'm very grateful."

Penny blushed even more. "I mean- it was nothing."

"That's part of the reason why I wanted to invite you to our group, to thank you properly," Arven said. "I also wanted to say that if there's anything, absolutely anything that you need me to help you with, let me know."

"O-Okay…" Penny said. She felt like she didn't deserve this level of thanks, but it was nice for someone to have your back. "Uh…you said that…you thanking me was part of the reason why you wanted to invite me."

"Well, honestly, the other reason why I wanted to invite you was because I kind of saw how sad you looked when we first met."

"Huh?"

"Remember? Way back when Kai beat that Atticus guy and we were in the hospital waiting for Kai? That's when we first met. I noticed how sad you were when you left, and so I thought that it was because you wanted to join us."

"Huh..?" Penny said.

"I mean, it was just a hunch, and there was a chance I was wrong about it. But I just wanted to turn your frown upside-down. As cheesy as it sounds." Arven chuckled and scratched the back of his neck. He even blushed a bit. Penny smiled.

"I appreciate it." Penny said.

"Anyway- that's all I wanted to show you," Arven said. "Again, I'm dead serious about what I said earlier- if there's anything-"

"You don't have to repay me-"

"If there's anything," Arven said again, "that you want from me, just say the word, okay?"

"Okay," Penny said. "I want you to answer a question for me,"

"Okay. Shoot."

"Did yo-"

The sound of leaves moving made both Arven and Penny twitch. Almost immediately, Arven stood up and spun around.

"Who's there!?" Arven shouted.

"It's us, silly," Aeon said. Out from the shadows came Kai and Aeon, holding hands. Both of them had mischievous smiles on their faces.

"I don't like the looks on your faces," Arven said.

"Don't worry about it," Kai said. "We just decided to come back."

"Uh-huh," Arven said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. Aeon walked over to Arven and began whispering in his ear.

"We're rooting for you, Arven," Aeon whispered.

"ROOTING FOR WHAT?!" Arven shouted. Both Kai and Aeon started snickering, and Penny tilted her head in confusion.

Author's note: Yeah, this one was short. Sorry about that.

Fun fact: As of this posting of this chapter, It has almost been a FULL YEAR since I've started this fanfiction. Wow- time flies...