Mega Love

Chapter Nineteen

    The next day, we decide to take it easy. We eat breakfast and spend some quality time with our Pokémon. New additions to our teams get to spend time with our other Pokémon for the first time, and Shauna's Pikachu gets another chance to mess with Serena.
    Afterwards, Serena and I begin to train our Pokémon to prepare for the Cyllage City Gym. Once we finish and eat lunch, Shauna, Serena, and I walk over to the Ambrette Aquarium.
    I step up to the reception desk and say, "Three please."
    Serena grabs my jacket from behind. "Calem, you can't keep paying for me!"
    "Yeah! I can pay for myself too," says Shauna.
    "Girls, it's fine. It's no big deal. There's nothing else I'd rather spend my money on," I reply.
    The girls caveat my sweet words, and I purchase our entry into the aquarium. We roam the corridors, marveling at the magnificent water Pokémon that fill them.
    A school of Luvdisc swim by us, and Shauna says, "Awe, they're so adorable. They remind me of you guys!" She laughs.
    "We aren't like that!" yells Serena, but Shauna just continues to laugh.
    "We're also not fish," I say.
    "Calem," says Serena. She turns to me and gives me a blank face.
    "We're also not Pokém-"
    "Shoosh!" says Serena, covering my mouth with her hand and laughing. I lift my eyebrows at her. She quickly takes her hand away. "Don't you dare lick me again!"
    "AGAIN?!" shouts Shauna. Shauna begins to march over to Serena.
    "Uh... It- It was nothing! Nothing weird happened!" stutters Serena, but it was too late. Shauna grabs her by the wrist and starts to pull her off to a different part of the aquarium. Serena looks back at me and mouths the words, 'Save me!'
    I make a skeptical look, but since Serena asked, I also grab Serena's wrist. "Sorry Shauna, but I licked this one, so she's mine."
    Both girls faces immediately burst into a deep red.
    "Oh- um- um- I didn't- I didn't know you two were actually that close... I'm so sorry," says Shauna, releasing Serena.
    "Wait! No! We're not! At least I thought we weren't! Calem!" she yells, hitting me.
    "What did you want from me?!" I frantically reply.
    "Not that!" yells Serena before grabbing Shauna and stomping off.
    Whoops, I've made her angry. I should've just let Shauna drag her off in the first place. At most, Serena would of had to explain what happened in the café.
    I roam the aquarium on my own for a few minutes until the girls come back. They seem to have calmed down a bit.
    "Didn't know you could be so bold, Calem," says Shauna.
    "It's your fault," I reply.
    "Moooving on... " says Serena, trying to hide her embarrassment. "This should be the exit out towards Cyllage City," says Serena.
    We exit the aquarium and make our way to Cyllage City. Once in Cyllage City, we check in to the Pokémon Center for the night. The next day, Serena and I take on and defeat the Cyllage City Gym, and Shauna decides to go ahead on her own. Before long, Serena and I also start down Route 10 to Geosenge Town. The Route is lined with large rocks mysteriously arranged in rows. While on Route 10, I notice an abundance of orange in the distance. "These guys again," I say.
    "Shh!" says Serena. "Hide!" We jump behind one of the giant rocks.
    These are definitely the same guys from earlier, but why are they here? There's nothing valuable here, just lots of stones. They seem to be scanning the area as they move towards us. Suddenly they stop, turning their attention to a Holo Caster call, but we can't hear what is being said. They then turn around and head into Geosenge Town.
    "Let's try and follow them," I whisper.
    "Okay," Serena whispers back. I take a step forward but almost trip over something. I look down to see two Eevee sitting at my feet. "So cute!" says Serena. Serena can't resist the urge to reach down and start petting them.
    "But what about the bad guys?" I ask.
    "Erm..." says Serena. She seems to be having trouble tearing herself from the Eevees.
    "I'll go. You stay here. I just want to see what direction they are heading," I say before running off into town. I take an extensive look around, but don't see any sign of them. It's not like I could miss them, they're walking oranges. Dang it! We lost them. I walk back to Serena just outside of town.
    Serena is laying on the ground laughing with both Eevees on top of her. This is probably the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life. I walk up and crouch down next to her. "What do you two think you're doing," I say with a smile. One of the Eevees proceeds to tackle me onto the ground and begins to cuddle my face.
    We sit and play with the Eevee for a while before Serena even remembers about Team Flare. "Oh yeah! Did you see where they went Calem?" she asks.
    "Nope. There was no sign of 'em," I reply.
    Serena and I take the Eevees with us into the town. The town is very small, with three pointed rocks in the center. We walk up to the only other apparent exit out of the town.
    "They must of gone this way," I say.
    Suddenly we hear a familiar voice yell, "Lucario! What are you doing?"
    We turn around, and a Lucario runs up to me. This feels weirdly familiar... Could this be! I look behind Lucario to see the blonde haired Gym Leader roll up to us, another Lucario by her side.
    "Hey! You're those trainers from Route 5!" says Korrina. Lucario then lets out a cry and then turns to face Korrina. "I'm not exactly sure... But I think Lucario is saying it wants to battle you. Would you battle with us?"
    This is kind of sudden, but then Serena whispers into my ear, "Calem. You have to do this! She's a Gym Leader after all. This will be great practice!"
    I laugh. Serena's whispering was tickling my ear. I look at the Lucario. I already knew that I have to accept this challenge. This Lucario is determined.
    "I'll accept your challenge," I say.
    I unhook a Pokéball from my belt and toss it into the air. In a flash, my Drifloon appears and floats down to join me. We both take our positions.
    "A Ghost-Type, huh? Don't plan on making this easy for me do you?" says Korrina.
    "Nope," I reply with a smirk.
    "Then I'll start things off then! Lucario, Bone Rush!" Korrina yells. Lucario dashes towards Drifloon, a blue bone staff materializing in its hands.
    I snap my fingers. "Up," I say. Drifloon floats higher into the air. Lucario jumps and swings at him in the air, but the sky is Drifloon's territory. Drifloon easily blows Lucario onto the ground hard with Ominous Wind.
    "Tsk," says Korrina.
    "Drifloon is a perfect counter to a Pokémon like Lucario, because if they don't know any ranged moves that can hit a Ghost-Type, the battle is basically over," I announce. "Drifloon, Will-O-Wisp!"
    A circle of light blue fireballs surround Drifloon. Drifloon then sends them hurling at Lucario, who takes them out one after another with his bone staff. Once the final fireball is gone, a silence envelops the battlefield. Neither trainer ordering their Pokémon to make a move.
    "Welp, I guess that's it for this battle then," says Korrina. Lucario turns to her angrily. "Don't look at me like that! I can't do anything about it!"
    "I was about to say... This battle may be a long one if we kept going," I say. Drifloon isn't super strong yet, but Lucario can't hit Drifloon at all. The battle would go on forever. Drifloon floats down to me, and I give it a hug.
    "Ok! I get it! I see why Lucario likes you so much!" says Korrina.
    "Really?!" says Serena.
    "So! Do you remember that I'm the Gym Leader in Shalour City? Once you get past the cave just beyond here, you'll be there, so stop by and say hello!" she says with a wink.
    "You got it," I reply.
    "Come on you two," says Korrina. Her and her Lucarios then pass us and head off towards Shalour City.
    "Well that was anticlimactic Calem. Couldn't you have used a different Pokémon? I mean... You still would have had an advantage with Braixen," says Serena with a pouty face.
    "I just did what I would have done in my Gym battle," I reply.
    "I know, I know," Serena replies with a smile.
    The Eevees who had been sitting with Serena seemed to really like the battle, and are now trying to battle against each other. Serena and I laugh at their struggle before attempting to help them. Eventually, Serena and I make the obvious choice to catch the Eevees.
    We decide to call it a day rather than try and make it to Shalour City today. We'll have to pass through Reflection Cave tomorrow, according to Serena.