𝒯 𝒽 𝑒 𝒲 𝒶 𝓎 𝒲 𝑒 𝒲 𝒾 𝓁 𝓁 𝐵 𝑒

Chapter 19: Shop Till You Flop

"I see," Aria replied with interest. "It's very nice to meet you all." Then, she turned her face to Grace, Calem, Layla, and Moose. "So I guess you're Serena's family."

"That's right," Grace replied. "The name is Grace." She suddenly smiled kindly and passionately at the redheaded Kalos Queen. "Oh, I'm so glad that I could meet even more of my daughter's friends. I can't thank you enough for helping my little jockey out when she needs it."

"MOM!" Serena squeaked, her voice cracking comically. "S-STOP CALLING ME THAT!"

"I'm Calem, Serena's cousin," Calem interjected, before Serena's embarrassment at her nickname could escalate. "It's so nice to meet you, Aria."

"And I'm Layla, Serena's aunt," added Layla before she gestured to Moose, who simply waved. "And this is my husband Moose. We traveled all the way from Sinnoh to watch Serena compete, and I must say, Kalos is such a nice place. You're quite lucky to live here, Ariana."

"Thank you very much," Aria replied humbly. She scanned the entire group one-by-one, and Serena could've sworn she saw a glimmer of emotion pass through the Kalos Queen's eyes. "Anyway...I hear you want to do something while you're all waiting for the break to end?"

"You bet!" Ash exclaimed, his fists raised with excitement.

"Pika!" Pikachu added.

"You had a suggestion, Aria...na," Serena said, her sapphire-blue eyes sparkling inquisitively. "Or rather, you knew what Shauna was gonna suggest. So what is it?"

Aria's eyes merely twinkled, and she gave the group a sly, knowing wink, prompting all the other Performers to gasp with overjoyed understanding. As for the boys, they instantly knew what fate awaited them. Even Pikachu was left paralyzed on his Trainer's shoulder.

"No," Ash moaned with a horrified realization. "No, no, no, no, no..."

"Pika-pika!" squeaked Pikachu.

"Yes!" Selene suddenly exclaimed with excitement. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"Pichu-pichu!" Pichu chirped, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon smiling from ear to ear.

Several minutes later

"This place has stores too?!" Tierno exclaimed with dismay as the entire group emerged from a small boutique. The girls were shoulder to shoulder, talking a mile a minute about all of the impressive clothing and accessories that they spotted in the store, while the boys were all carrying almost a dozen shopping bags each.

"Of course!" Aria replied, winking at the rotund Trainer. "As a landmark of southern Kalos and an ideal Showcase Theater, the Laurier Maison is a center for everything fashion-related. It'd be bad for tourism if everyone had to leave the Maison and shop at the nearest store about a mile away!"

"But why'd you have to make us carry all of the bags?!" Ash cried, his voice wheezing from exhaustion.

"Well, Ash," Serena replied, giving him a wink, "as the guys of the group, it's your shared duty to be the gentlemen and help the ladies out."

"You say that, but we're the only ones busting our backs here!" snapped Trevor.

"Oh, come on, Trevor," replied Shauna, twirling around to look at her friend. "The ladies are doing a whole bunch of work too. You know, it takes a lot of knowledge and precision to pick the best clothes and accessories for Showcase outfits!"

"I call shenanigans on that logic!"

"Why am I getting a sense of déjà vu...?" Calem asked flatly, addressing Nate, who merely shrugged his shoulders.