Kyra and Lucario stuck close together whilst in the Strange House. Something felt strange for sure, it was as if the house was haunted. Or at least, it would be if Kyra's believed in hauntings. She was sure this was just the trainer's Psychic Type pokémon trying to protect them.
Kyra stayed on guard whilst Lucario used her aura to try and find the trainer. It was difficult considering Lucario had very little to work on, but she did eventually find a trace.
"Next floor up, first from the left," Lucario said, leading the way up the staircase to their left in the hopes of finding the trainer quickly.
The door was locked when Kyra and Lucario got there, which wasn't a total surprise. Kyra knocked on the door so the trainer knew she was there, waiting for a response before she spoke.
"Go away! You're not controlling Espeon again!" The trainer snapped, worried that Kyra was working alongside Aldith and Colress.
Kyra wasn't surprised by the accusations considering how stressed the trainer must be, she had to reassure them she wasn't there to cause harm. "It's OK, I'm not with them. I was the one who got them to stop controlling Espeon. I would never do that sort of thing to a pokémon, it's cruel."
"How do I know you're not lying?" the trainer asked, still weary about trusting Kyra.
"Because you're hurt. I wouldn't have come to help you if I wanted to harm you more. I know you have no reason to trust me, but please, I need to know you're alright for my own peace of mind," Kyra replied.
The trainer had his Espeon stop using Psychic to lock the door and let Kyra and Lucario come in to the dark room. They looked to be about the same age as Kyra and were sat in the furthest corner of the room with a Kadabra rummaging around in some cabinets most likely looking for plasters and bandages. The Espeon had certainly been aggressive whilst under the machine's control. Espeon walked over to his trainer and whimpered, apologising for having hurt him.
"Is that a Lucario? I hear they're super strong and pretty rare too," the trainer asked, curious about Kyra's Lucario.
Kyra nodded, "Yup, she's my partner and best friend, I wouldn't give her up for the world. My name's Kyra by the way."
"Konrad, these are my partners Espeon and Kadabra. Who were those guys, you seemed pretty mad at them?" Konrad asked.
Kyra gave Konrad a quick run down of who Aldith and Colress were and what they'd done. Konrad was relieved Kyra had stepped in when she had done, beginning to trust her now he knew she had been through a similar situation.
"I know Espeon didn't mean to hurt me, but since he was an Eevee up until just before he was controlled, he still knew Bite. It was the most common attack we used, so he used it on me too whilst he was controlled. My arms aren't too bad, but he bit my neck too just before the machine was destroyed. It didn't cut too deep or anything, then again I suppose it's best it's checked just in case," Konrad explained, hoping Kyra would be willing to help him.
Kyra agreed to check the wound from Bite and she got out what she needed from her bag. Since Lucario had the bag on her bag, it was much quicker and easier to find what she was looking for. When it came to first aid, she could do the basics on someone else...just not on herself.
"Do you mind moving your hair please? Just so I can get a better look," Kyra asked.
Konrad nodded and tied his long blonde hair back, "Kadabra, do you mind turning the light on too please?"
Kadabra turned the light on as his trainer had asked. Now the light was on, it was much easier to see the wound.
Rather than focussing his attention on his wound being seen too, Konrad asked about what Kyra was planning next on her journey.
"I'm hoping to go to Kalos next. Depending on how long I'm there for, it'll probably be my last journey through a Region before I'm eighteen. From there I'll probably travel to Hoenn with my two friends, then after that probably start looking for a job," Kyra explained.
Konrad was desperate to go to Kalos, but he knew his chances of going were slim. Now that Espeon had evolved maybe he could convince them, but he wasn't optimistic. "Kalos sounds amazing, there's so many cool Psychic Types there. What do you want to do for a job?"
"My ultimate goal is to be an Elite Four Member, most likely specialising with Fighting Types."
"That's the same as me but with Psychic Types. Who knows, perhaps we'll be working in the same League someday."
Kyra smiled at the thought, considering how closed off Konrad had been before, it was now as if they'd been friends for a long time. She didn't mind though, this new found company was much appreciated.
"Maybe, stranger things have happened. Your neck is all good now by the way, a couple of plasters was all it took. Luckily there's no sign of infection, so you should be just fine," Kyra replied.
Konrad breathed a sigh of relief, "See Espeon, I told you you hadn't done any last damage."
Espeon nuzzled into Konrad chest and purred, much happier now he knew his trainer was going to be OK.
"If it's no trouble, do you and Lucario mind walking me back to Lentimas Town please?" Konrad asked once he had fully reassured Espeon he was alright.
Kyra nodded, "Of course, Lucario and I are headed there anyway."
"Thank you, I really appreicate it. Although can we stay here for a little bit longer please, I...don't want to go home yet?"
Kyra was happy to stay for as long as Konrad felt he needed to. The two got to know each other a bit more whilst Espeon and Kadabra got to know Lucario.
Konrad had a younger brother called Avery who was three years younger, his parents were the typical traditional parents you'd expect from Lentimas Town. To Konrad it seemed he had been born into the completely wrong family, he didn't get on all that well with them and hence he spent a lot of time here in the Strange House with Kadabra.
"Do you get on with your parents? I'm sorry this conversation has been a lot of me complaining," Konrad asked, apologising for having come across as self-centred.
"No need to apologise, I'm glad that you trust me a bit more now. As for your question, I get on really well with my Mum, she's always there for me. As for my Father...I've not seem him for coming on ten years now, I really miss him, but no one in my family has any trace on him," Kyra explained.
"Well, I hope you find him at some point," Konrad replied, making Kyra smile. "I think I'm ready to head back now, it's getting kinda late."
Espeon happily walked over to Konrad's side and rubbed his head against his trainer's leg whilst Lucario put the backpack back over her shoulders. Kadabra on the other hand, he stayed sat on the floor and didn't even make an attempt to move.
"Still nervous to leave huh? No one's going to know you're the one behind the tricks we pull," Konrad reminded, hoping to coax Kadabra outside.
Kadabra went to stand up, but decided against his decision. He was the reason the town believed his home to be haunted and hence few people came in. He was fine with Konrad since they had known each other a long time now, but he just couldn't trust the outside world.
"I can't force you, although you've got to come out some day if you want to evolve. You see, Kadabra haunts this place since his last trainer neglected to trian him as an Abra and now he has a lot of distrust in humans. He got really lonely and Espeon, as an Eevee, befriended him and brought me along to meet him too. We never do anything harmful, just play pranks on people to stop them coming here most of the time. Lentimas Town is full of superstitious people, and it's really fun...but I get why Kadabra doesn't want to leave."
Kadabra nodded to agree with what Konrad had said.
"This is where Kadabra is most comfortable, it's important he stays here till he's ready. There'll be be a time Kadabra will be ready," Kyra replied, she knew just how important it was not to push oneself out of their comfort zone too soon.
Kadabra thanked Kyra for what she had said and he slunk back into the corner of the room. He had gone outside earlier when he sensed Konrad was in danger, plus Kyra and Lucario had come to check on Konrad, he had done more than enough socialising for one day.
Konrad led the way back to Lentimas Towm, to his relief not being ambushed again. Kyra and Lucario were both glad that Konrad was safe now, there was trace of Aldith or Colress anywhere.
Lentimas Town was just as Kyra had expected it to be, it had a very similar feel to it as Solaceon Town. A fairly quite town with very little going on. Although Lentimas Town did have an airport which Solaceon Town didn't.
"Thanks again for saving me, and Espeon too. I dread to think what would have happened if it weren't for you," Konrad thanked as they got to his house.
Kyra smiled, "I'm glad Lucario and I could help. Catch you round, I hope to see you in a League at some point, whether that be as a fellow Elite Four Member or in a match between my League and yours."
"You're on, Epseon, Kadabra, and I will win for sure," Konrad replied determinedly.
Kyra laughed, "In your dreams, you may have the advantage, but Lucario will surprise you."
Konrad laughed too and thanked Kyra again before going inside, Espeon following close behind him.
Kyra and Lucario walked to the pokémon centre where N had told them to meet. N and Zoroark had saved a table in the furthest corner possible, Kyra definitely appreciated it.
"Everything alright? You two were gone for quite a while," N asked.
Kyra gave N a brief run down of what had happened whilst they waited for their food. N was just as glad that Konrad was safe, likewise he was pleased Kyra had made a new friend and rival.
The two took a walk to the airport after food, mostly so they could book their tickets tomorrow since the phone service in Lentimas Town was to say the least awful. Most of the Town just used the pokémon centre's WiFi, so Kyra and N had virtually no way of getting online before next summer came.
Kyra was excited to go to Virbank City tomorrow, there she could go to Pokéstar Studios and get herself some more Brycen merchandise. Was it needed? Not necessarily. But was it a pretty much once in a life-time opportunity? Very much so.