Double Bubble Disco Queen

5

"What. Is that?"

Exx was awake by the time Harlan and Ember returned. The first thing he noticed was the dark bundle of fur in Harlan's arms.

"We don't know. We found it outside the Gym," Harlan said. "I don't want to try to catch it, should I succeed and then have to train it. I don't even know what it is." She set it down on the floor. Immediately, it rushed under the couch and hid. "Fine. Be that way," Harlan snarked. "What's for breakfast?" she asked Exx.

"I was just on my way out," Exx replied.

"It's 4:30?" Ember inquired.

"I was required to come earlier. Apologies for my sudden departure, friends, but I must make my earnings." Exx picked up his briefcase at his side from the floor, and hurriedly left the apartment without saying goodbye. Harlan stared at the door, curious as to why he was in such a rush. He didn't normally say goodbye, but it wasn't like him to be in a hurry.

"Weirdo," Ember said affectionately. "I guess it's just you and me now, huh?" he teased Harlan, nudging her in the ribs.

Harlan recoiled from the stab of pain, but rolled her eyes and quickly recomposed herself. "It's me and the dog-thing. You can do something else besides me."

"Ouch, my feelings," Ember joked, heading over to the coffee maker. "Do you want some?" he asked as Harlan retired to the couch, snuggling into Ember's blanket.

"No. I'm gonna close my eyes for a bit." Harlan peeked under the couch - two red, blank glowing eyes stared back at her, terrified. "It's OK, buddy. You can come out," she said gently. When it didn't respond, Harlan sighed and rolled over, shutting her eyes and dozing off.

-

Harlan awoke around noon with the unknown Pokémon curled up in the crook of her arm. She rubbed her eyes with one hand, looking down at it. Half of it was on the floor.

"It came out while you were sleeping. It wants nothing to do with me," Ember said, noticing she was up. He was in the kitchen again. "You want a sandwich?"

"I'll make what I want in a sec." Harlan was mesmerized by this beautiful, innocent creature. It looked up at her, its eyes curious and nose twitching, taking in her scent. "Hey, little buddy... smell?" she offered her hand to it, letting it smell. "I wonder where it came from. My Adale Dex is full, and it's definitely not anything I've ever seen before," she said, mostly to herself.

"Who knows. Maybe it was created in a lab?" Ember asked, sitting down on the couch with his sandwich on a plate. "Some typa Aether shit maybe?"

"There are no Aethers in Adale. The Foundation and its associates are outlawed here."

"Could be someone else." Ember shrugged. "All I ever knew was the team, so I don't know. Is there any team here?"

"Ugh. Yes."

"Oh, yeah?" Ember asked, now interested.

"My brother runs it. He's an embarrassment to my entire family," Harlan muttered. "I feel like we should pay him a visit."

"Sure," Ember said, getting up to put away his plate.

"Don't get too excited - Thunders is kind of a dick." Harlan got up. "I also want to eat first." The creature sat on its haunches, a whine emitting from its jaws as it did. "What?" Harlan asked it. "Don't cry."

"Maybe it's injured." Ember approached them, but kept his distance.

"I'll check after I've eaten." Harlan opened the fridge to get out some shredded cheese, a slice of turkey, and one slice of bread. Ember watched her curiously. Harlan layered the food items on each other, and put the completed concoction into the oven, preheating it.

"What's that?" Ember asked.

"My mom used to call it a melt. I loved them as a kid." Harlan stood in the kitchen, her eyes on Ember. "Looks like our Pokémon really like each other," she said, trying to ease the awkwardness. She gestured to Raiju and Selene, curled up together in Raiju's doggy bed.

"You could almost call them a couple." Ember winked at her and Harlan immediately knew what he was implying.

"Let me talk things over with Blaise first, at least." Harlan took the melt out of the oven without burning herself and put it on a plate as she closed the oven door. "Then maybe we'll have our own discussion."

"Fine... fair enough. You got me." Ember was lighthearted but Harlan could hear the slight disappointment in his voice. She put her food down and wiped the crumbs from her mouth, coming up to him. She took his hands.

"No one would care if it was just one little kiss though, right?" she asked softly.

"No... not like it'd be perceived as romantic."

"Shut up, you sound like Exx." She giggled and reached up on her toes to kiss him on the lips. Ember kissed her back and suddenly it was just them, the mystery of the unknown Pokémon and the two canids in the bed together forgotten. He started to guide her to the couch, but she stopped him. He stumbled.

"No," she said gently.

"Right.. keep forgetting. Sorry." A blush dusted his cheeks.

"You're a doof," Harlan said affectionately. She kissed him on the cheek once more and then went to go finish her food.

-

Harlan and Ember went down a different path this time as they left the apartment. Harlan was holding the mystery Pokémon - she'd dubbed it Shadow - as Raiju followed at her side while Selene walked beside Ember. "Where are we headed?" Ember asked.

"Rush Town - where Team Charge stays," Harlan explained. "Shadow doesn't look like an Electric-type but it just ... It can't hurt to ask. Plus, they all know who I am. I dated half of the boys on this team when I was a kid."

"Wow," Ember said, impressed.

"Thanks for coming with me. I wouldn't've felt comfortable coming into Rush Town without someone," Harlan said, rather quietly.

"Of course," Ember said, surprised. "It helps me to get to know the region better. I plan to live here full-time."

"Oh yeah? I'd forgotten," Harlan said, delighted. "We'd be happy to have you."

"Thanks." Ember smiled at her.

Harlan approached a gate. "Don't touch the fence - it's electric," she warned Ember. "The gate's safe though. Thunders!" she shouted, rattling the gate. "He also might call me something different," she said to Ember.

"Thunders?!" Harlan called again.

A team Admin, Spark, appeared at the gate. "What do you want?" he demanded.

"I want to see my brother, Spark. We found a Pokémon."

"Thunders isn't here." Spark shook his head. "Sorry."

"What do you mean, not here? I want to see Thunders, and I want to see him now," Harlan snarled.

"He and your dad went missing a while ago." Spark shrugged and walked off without providing explanation.

"Missing? Spark! Let me in!" Harlan shouted. "Can't we talk?"

Spark let out a long guttural sigh, then unlocked the gate and allowed Harlan in. "Who's this?" he asked, eyeing Ember. "Wait, I know you. You're a Team Magma member."

"I was," Ember said.

"What, so Maxie's broken up the team? Typical. Let's hope he never comes back. Come in." He beckoned the man inside, and locked the gate after him. "Relax, I don't want you here long either. If you're with Nicole, you're not a threat."

"Harlan," Harlan corrected him.

"Sorry. Harlan." Spark led them into the base and sat down at the long table that Harlan knew so well. "Let me explain," he said as the duo sat down, their respective Pokémon at their sides.