"And that will be all for today class." In class, the group was finishing up their lesson for the day. As Ash was packing up his backpack, Lillie approached him.
"Are you going to be coming over again Ash?" she asked
"Ah, sorry, but I promised Kiawe I'd help him on the farm today. Once that, we're going to do some training!" He answered, as everyone grouped up, with their Pokemon running out and having fun.
"Yeah, but I've noticed that you and Ash and been spending a lot of time lately." said Kiawe. "What have you been doing?" Before either could answer, Togedemaru in her excitement bounced around, landing on Lillie's hat. This caused her to yelp and completely freeze up.
"We're working on that." Ash said with a laugh. "Too bad that no matter what I think of seems to be making any progress." Everyone else joined in the laughing except Lillie.
"I too can touch Pokemon, if I put my mind to it!"
"Of course you can." Mallow responded. "Look at you and Shiron. The two of you are so close." The alolan Vulpix purred at Lillie and was picked up by her trainer.
"Yes, you're right." She gave it a pet. "And I promise that I'll be able to touch every Pokemon in the whole world!"
"That's the spirit Lillie!" Ash said with much enthusiasm.
"That's great" Kiawe joined in. "But Ash, we should get going. More time we spend here, the longer it'll take to finish the round and the less time we'll have to train."
"Of course! See you guy later!" They bid their farewells and headed out the door.
"I guess I'll be going home then too." Before she was able to leave on her own, Mallow grabbed her arm.
"Wait, Lillie, I have a little time before I need to help out at the restaurant." By this time, Lana and Sophocles had already left. Lillie and Mallow were the only two in the classroom with their Pokemon. "You should come with me to do some shopping. I heard there's new stock at the store."
"Really? Well ok then, just let me tell the driver that I'll have them pick me up later." After Lillie had taken care of her affairs. The pair went on their way to the town. It was bustling with people as they were doing their usual activities. As they past the marketplace, they could smell the wonderful aromas fill their noses. This also lead Mallow's Steenee to let off it's own scent. "Your Steenee really has such a wonderful smell." Lillie complemented her. "I read that the better the smell, the closer the bond between the Pokemon and its trainer."
"Aw!" Mallow blushed, "The two of us have been together for so long, I don't even know how long its been."
"Ste~!" Her Pokemon sounded out to her, pleased.
"Of course this comes as no surprise. Isn't that right?"
"Steenee~!"
"It looks like you've gotten really close to Vulpix as well! You haven't even put her down since we've gotten here." She was right. Lillie almost always carried her Vulpix any time she was out. "But shouldn't you let it walk around sometime? I believe you're the one that told me Pokemon need to be able to get exercise fairly often."
"Of course, you're right." She put Vulpix down. "Sorry it's just that I want to make sure it's safe every time we go out."
"It's no problem. Look! There's the store." They walked through the door and went straight to the new section. It was mostly stocked with necklaces, Pokemon plushies, and some books. "I guess there less cool stuff than I was expecting." Mallow sighed.
"I think some of it is nice" Lillie scanned over some of the books, as some of it had facts and info on Pokemon that were not native to the region. Over at the necklaces, she noticed one with a Z.
"Going to get that for you're boyfriend?" Mallow coyly came up from behind when she noticed where Lillie's attention had been placed.
"B-b-boyfriend!?" She recoiled back, "I-I don't what you're talking about!"
"Oh please! I'm obviously talking about Ash!" Mallow teased her. "You've spent more time with him than me ever since he's joined the Pokemon school. Don't think I haven't noticed."
"W-well he's just been really nice a-a offering to help me, but of course he's not my boyfriend!" Lillie, flustered and her face burning redder than the sun, tried to maintain her composer." I'm mean he's my friend, and he happens to be a boy. But that's not how it works!"
"Really then? Then I guess that necklace you've been staring at is for you then." Knowing Lillie for as long as she had, Mallow enjoyed teasing her over small things. But this time, she felt that there might have been a hint of truth to those statements.
"Well..." Lillie paused, trying to choose her next words carefully. "I mean do you think he might like it?"
"Gee, you sure are worried about getting a gift for your 'not-boyfriend'." She responded with a sarcastic tone. "But if you want my opinion, I'm sure he'd love it!"
"I'm only getting it because he's been trying so hard to help me. I should repay him somehow." She picked up the necklace from the stand and took a closer look at it. The golden necklace glimmered from the blazing sunlight, giving off an entrancing glow. "Yeah, I think I get this for him."
"Yeah an-Oh no! I just lost track of the time! I need to hurry to the restaurant or I'm going to be late." Mallow started running out of the store, with barely any time to bid farewell to her friend. "I see you in class!"
"I see you then as well!" Lillie shouted back. She took another look at the necklace and went to the register to go and purchase it. Once she had it gift wrapped, she made her way outside and seeing as she still had some time. She decided to mall and grab something to eat.
By the time she had gotten there, the lunch rush had just ended and the food court appear largely empty with the people remaining about to finish and leave. Lillie was fine with this, she preferred it when there were less people. It's not because she had any issue with people, but as a child, she always loved learning about Pokemon that she never gained that many social skills. It also did not help that she lived on the estate for as long as she did. But before she found a place to sit, she saw her teacher walking with some bags. "Professor!" She called out.
"Oh hey!" He saw here and began to make his way to her. "I wasn't expecting to see you here. Any special occasions?"
"No." She shook her head, "I was just shopping a little earlier with Mallow."
"Ah I see. I remember when you first came here. She was the first person to proclaim that the two of you were friends."
"Yes, I was too shy to talk to anyone. It was so embarrassing when she did that." Lillie remembered her first day at Pokemon school. She wasn't quite sure how to fit in with everyone else. She was so frightened when Mallow essentially forced them to be friend, but she was very grateful for it. If she hadn't done that, then Lillie wouldn't have met Lana, Sophocles, or Kiawe.
"I've noticed that you've spent a lot of time with Ash as well" Kukui added. "Even to the point he didn't even get back home for dinner." He noticed something else that Lillie was holding that she did not usually have. "Lillie, what in the bag?"
"Hmm? Oh! This is a gift that I got for Ash. As a sign of thanks for what's he's done." Lillie did not feel as shy about this as she did when Mallow was talking to her.
"Really, well then. Why don't you come over and have dinner with us then."
"Huh?
"I'm trying out a new recipe and it's the least I can do for you after you treated Ash to some dinner as well. According to him it was some of the finest food he's ever had, and well I can't just be out staged like that. You can even give him his gift then."
"Well ok, but then I need to call the Hobbs that I'll be late then."
"It's not problem, you can use my phone here. I have all of your families numbers in case some thing bad happens to one of you guys."
"Thanks you." Lillie took the phone and called the residence. Once she explained her plans to them and was granted permission, she returned the phone.
"Great! Now let's head over now, Ash should be about almost home by now." Lillie nodded and followed the professor as they made their way to his place.