Love in the Time of Tropics

Chapter 18: A Storm

Here we go with the second trial! Also, a Happy Easter to all! Now, Chapter 18 time!

Chapter 18

A Storm

"Me? Ash, are you sure?" Clemont practically stammered out. He genuinely couldn't believe that out of all the people his best friend could have picked, it would actually be him. Ash turned to him with a bemused expression.

"Well, yeah. Why not?" Ash asked him. On the boy's shoulder, Pikachu nodded. Clemont pressed his glasses up, somewhat unable to see through the fog that was resulting in the cool downpour.

"Because I'm sure someone like Serena is a much better option for this sort of thing," Clemont pointed out, looking over to his other friend. The honey blonde appeared to frown at Clemont's underestimation of himself, but he knew it to be true. Out of all of them, he was the least athletic, the least predisposed to deal with danger, and was quickly showing himself to become the weakest when looking strength-wise of their group (if one didn't count Lillie and Bonnie, at least). "Why don't you take Serena along? I'm sure she'll help you clear the trial much faster than I will."

"Nope, I want you," Ash said, throwing his arm around Clemont. Water flew in the air from off their rain jackets. Oddly enough, Lana didn't seem to mind at all, standing there in the rain like the sun was still shining brightly. "Come on, Clemont, don't sell yourself short!"

"Ash...I'm not...I won't..." Clemont struggled to get out of Ash's grip, but suddenly froze. Ash did as well, and both boys looked over to Lana, staring at them in the rain. The two swallowed, feeling the palpable aura of...well, it wasn't quite bloodlust, but whatever it was chilled them more than the rain ever could.

"Just choose already," Lana said in a low voice, reminding Clemont of how the girl had been outside the Pokémon Center just yesterday. She was certainly a scary one, but Clemont still had his misgivings over Ash's choice. He pushed his friend away.

"Look, Ash, I like helping you, but I just can't see myself helping during a trial."

"Clemont, don't be ridiculous," Bonnie snapped. She was clearly still miffed at Rotom from earlier that morning. "You have lotsa stuff to offer! Inventions, Pokémon, you're a Gym Leader from Kalos, and you're my big brother, so that has to count for something."

"She's right, Clemont," Serena spoke up. He turned to look at her almost in exasperation, but she simply smiled at him with her egg safely in her arms for a second before she placed it gingerly in her bag, Lillie right next to her. Nebby looked to be poking out of the bag before retreating right back in from the rain. "You're a wonderful trainer. Far better than I am, and I'm sure Ash would have chosen me in seconds if I was the better choice. That he picked you simply proves you'd be the best."

"But we don't even know what this trial is!" Clemont snapped. Suddenly, he blinked, as if hearing how he sounded. Gritting his teeth a little, Clemont felt like he could have beaten himself up. Since when had he started sounding so negative again? After all the work he'd put in through Kalos, following after Ash, gaining courage, it felt like he was chasing after the boy's back again. All it had taken was one person to feel like he was back to before everything. Finally, he shook his head.

"That's the point!" Ash told him. Clemont finally looked up at him, evening his breathing, putting a smile back on his face. "You're really smart, and because we don't know what we need to do, I can rely on you to help me figure things out. Plus, there's all this rain."

"All right, I understand," Clemont finally said, putting his hands in front of him. He smiled and formed a fist with both hands. He couldn't let Ash down by continuing to argue this. "I'll make sure to see you through this trial until the very end!"