Ace

Chapter 40

  "I'm happy to tell you all that Team Flare will be disbanded soon and Kalos is safe once more," I listened to Diantha's region-wide announcement while dragging away pieces of rubble in Lumiose City. 

  I had, like most of the other Ace Trainers, offered to help with restoring Lumiose City. The Champion League was to take place the next day and the stadium was already fully restored, but the rest of the city... not so much.

  A pair of Pokemon performers had set up a stage in the city square to entertain the citizens and let them have a little fun while we cleaned up, and even while listening to the laughter and music from the city square I couldn't help feeling worried. I hadn't seen my parents since I left them in the Pokemon Centre to fight off the vines. At least I would get to see them once I was done with work and went back home.

  Or so I thought.

  I pushed open the door, expecting to see my parents in the living room, or to hear them upstairs in the study. Instead, I was greeted with a silent, empty house.

  "Mom?" I called, walking inside and taking my boots off. "Dad? Are you two home?" 

  No response.

  I started getting a bit worried when I found out that none of the rooms were occupied and everything looked untouched. I managed to convince myself that perhaps they were busy with work and were at Lumiose City. So, as the sun started to set in the sky, I mounted Honchkrow and flew back to Lumiose City.

  "What do you mean, they've never dropped by?"  I asked incredulously. Professor Sycamore had greeted me at the door to his laboratory and told me that my parents had never even passed by his laboratory in the past day.

  "Well, I haven't seen them anywhere," Sycamore told me apologetically. "I know you're worried, but you should go back home and get a good night's rest. Perhaps they found Laverre City too dangerous when they arrived and are now hiding somewhere else. You should try giving them a call."

  I did. But static buzzed from my Pokegear, followed by a mechanical voice that said, "I'm sorry, but the number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."

  When I got home, I found a young, pink-haired woman standing in front of my parents' house. Dressed in red, she reminded me uncomfortably of a member of Team Flare.

  "Good evening," she said, facing me. "Do you happen to be Diana and Michael Foncé's daughter?"

  "Yes," I replied. "Do you know where they are? My parents don't happen to be in the house right now."

  "Unfortunately not," the woman fished out a small red parcel from her bag. "My name is Malva and I used to be one of the administrators of Team Flare. I've disbanded the team already and I'm going back to the Elite Four after all of this is sorted out. But when I returned to the Flare headquarters, I found this parcel addressed to you." She handed it to me. "I don't know what's inside it, but you have the right to open it."

  "Thank you," I took the parcel. "Thanks for disbanding Team Flare. You've saved Diantha a lot of work and made Kalos even better."

  Malva turned away. "I guess I'll be going, then."

  I walked inside and set the parcel down on the kitchen table, then walked upstairs. After finding out that my parents still weren't home yet, I got ready for bed.

  Hearing Absol's loud barks, I jolted up from my bed and looked at my clock. It read 6:30.

  Shoot, I thought. I had to get to the city square and meet the new Kalos Champion, then go on my first day as Valerie's personal guard by 7. Throwing on my clothes and brushing my teeth at the same time, I dashed out of the house while throwing out Honchkrow's Pokeball. The parcel can wait.

  Diantha stood at the front of all the Ace Trainers, slightly misty-eyed. Beside her stood... was that Alain?

  We had missed the Champion League, which, due to some important government stuff, had taken place after we all had left, in the evening. Alain must've won while I was off looking for my parents.

  "Ace Trainers, today will be my last day as your Champion," Diantha announced. "Alain has rightfully defeated the Elite Four and myself and will be the next leader of Kalos from tomorrow onwards. Today he'll be joining us to learn about the Champion's work."

  My breathing grew shallow. This trainer... barely 14, with a Pokemon that can Mega Evolve, and one... one that I was crushing on... he would be the one to lead us for the next year, and even longer than that.

  Alain Protegor was the new Champion of Kalos.