Shorter chapter, and a little quieter compared to the last one, but I hope you enjoy it all the same. Time for Chapter 18!
Chapter 18
An Insecurity
"Yo! You're gonna regret this!"
"When the boss comes back, we're totally gettin' out of here, yo!"
The cries of the captured Team Skull grunts hurt Clemont's pounding head. Why ARC had insisted on keeping them in the Pokémon Center until Officer Jenny and her officers arrived was completely beyond him. They were rude, obnoxious, foul-mouthed (from time to time) and were even louder captured than they were free. This was only from a few of them, too. Most had managed to escape.
"Yeah, you're getting out of here, all right," Lionel drawled, though his rather sardonic tone indicated that he meant "out of here in cuffs". Thankfully, Clemont had the ample distraction of waiting and worrying...if that was something to be grateful for. If anyone really had the right to be worried, though, it was Ash. His best friend was pacing outside of the emergency room with his Pokémon waiting quietly. Well, Lycanroc was growling angrily, like she wanted to rip Team Skull a new one.
Clemont couldn't blame her. He had thought something like Iki Town was a completely isolated event, but the crazed Guzma quickly proved it wasn't. Ash clearly didn't take it well either, constantly clenching his fists angrily. To Clemont's eyes, the leader of Team Skull had gotten into his head. Sure, they had won, just like in Iki Town, but once again, it didn't feel like a victory. Clemont, himself, felt utterly ineffectual until Hapu had arrived with her Mudsdale, beating aside the Skull hooligans like nothing. Even now, she was sitting calmly on a couch in the Center, as if it had been like a warm-up.
Sighing, the inventor stood as the doors to the Pokémon Center opened. Leading the parade of police officers were Samson Oak and Kahili, the latter still looking furious from the earlier confrontation. Samson moved to speak with Lionel, but Clemont wasn't paying much attention to his words. He was more worried about Ash.
"Everything will be fine," he reassured his friend. Ash stopped for a moment to nod. There was something on his mind, Clemont could tell, and it was more than Pikachu and Decidueye's injuries. Even Rotom had picked up on it, given its silence through the whole thing. Only now was it perking up again, going to meet with Samson.
"I know," Ash replied. The light over the door suddenly went out and both of them looked towards it. Ash's restless Pokémon were the same. Behind them, Officer Jenny had grabbed the long string tied around their previous foes and was corralling the Skull grunts, dragging them all out with their all too verbal complaints.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu called the second the gurney rolled out from the emergency room. He was on top of Decidueye's lap, the newly evolved Pokémon smiling. Once they were within range, the two leapt off the gurney to fling themselves upon their trainer. Pikachu wasn't a problem for Ash, but Decidueye proved to be much heavier, sending them to the floor.
"Both Pikachu and Decidueye are fine, but make sure that they rest so they don't injure anything," Nurse Joy instructed Ash. He sat up and nodded to her as the rest of his team gathered around. For that moment, Ash looked content. Clemont was grateful and turned towards those that had gathered in the Center.
"So, Pikachu is okay then?" Samson was asking as he walked over with the rest. On top of his head was Rotom, seemingly circling through a catalog of Z-Crystals on its screen, as though it had gotten a small upgrade to view them. Ash looked up and nodded with a grin. "Good to know."
"Decidueye looks healthy as well," Kahili commented. Her body had shifted, leaning against the counter in the middle of the Center, though she still held some of the rigid fury from earlier. Any other patrons of the Center seemed to be outright avoiding her, given her attitude, few though there were. "Considering that Golisopod could have done quite the bit of damage to Toucannon had it hit, I'm surprised the two are still standing."
"But your Toucannon didn't get hit," Ash reminded her. His voice sounded bitter, almost like it would when he would lose a big battle. This wasn't the same thing, Clemont knew, but it certainly reminded him of it.
"I would call it luck, but it was really thanks to your support," Kahili insisted to Ash. Her fury finally fell away in order for a smile to break through. Clemont had to admit that with the smile, Kahili was a strikingly beautiful woman, especially with her golf cap removed. Not as beautiful as Korrina of course (and he would never admit he thought anyone else was), but still beautiful nonetheless.
"She's right," Lionel said. Clemont looked over to see the older man kneel down to where Ash was on the floor and reach over to help him up. "You did great. And without you holding Guzma off, we never would have wrapped up as many Skull grunts as we did."
It didn't escape Clemont, from both of their facial expressions and individual body languages, that neither he nor Ash felt they had contributed much. It did, however, bring a question into Clemont's mind. "Uh, Mr. Lionel, if I can ask, though...what were you doing in Malie City?"
Lionel didn't answer immediately, pulling Ash to his feet as Pikachu rested on his shoulder. Once he had, and his Pokémon were all putting their attentions on the same thing as their trainer, the dark-skinned man finally answered. "Come now, Clemont, I know you're aware of that."
It seemed cryptic, almost, like he didn't want to really share in the company present. Then, Kahili scoffed.
"You can drop the act," she said brusquely. Hapu's gaze slid over to her friend, but she still said nothing. "You were in the library studying the history of Alola. I saw you. And you can't hide your connection to the Pokémon League."
"How is it you are aware of that?" Aidan asked. Clemont took a quick look around, noticing the Pokémon Center was now void of all except their party. Most had seemingly cleared out with the presence of the captive Team Skull while he'd turned his focus elsewhere. Aidan walked forward, as if to confront Kahili, showcasing his usual adherence to the rules. Lionel headed it off, holding a hand out.
"They're going to be members of the League themselves, or am I wrong?" he asked, keeping his eyes on Ash. No one else was moving, unless one counted Samson's head as he observed the whole deal with slight fascination.
"We've been invited," Kahili said simply. "Myself, as Island Champion, and Hapu as a Kahuna."
"Kahuna? !" Ash and Clemont yelled simultaneously. Clemont, in particular, wheeled around to look at the shorter woman, still relatively calm; almost deceptively so. It was suddenly so obvious! He should have seen it, the blond realized, given how strong Hapu had shown herself. His inability to recognize it made him grit his teeth.
"You didn't tell them," was Kahili's response to the shorter woman.
"Didn't bring it up," Hapu answered. She quickly bowed to the two boys. "I'm sorry for not telling you."
"Then you're the Kahuna of Poni Island," Clemont confirmed, running through all the Kahunas in his head. Nanu seemed to have already left the city for wherever, but he was certainly the Kahuna of Ula'ula, which left her as the single one, same as her island.
"In name," was Hapu's laconic answer. "However, yes, the Pokémon League, under Professor Kukui, has extended an invitation to myself and Kahili to become members of its Elite Four. Whether we take it or not..."
"I see," Aidan commented. He pushed up on his glasses, choosing to look unperturbed by it all, despite his near outburst. "Then you'll be heading to the meeting on Mount Lanakila."
"That was our planned destination before all this happened," Kahili said, waving her hand with boredom. Clemont looked over to Ash, sharing the briefest of glances with him. This all seemed so far above each of their heads, though the fact that the Kahunas were meeting in the first place intrigued him. Had it been announced after Guzma's latest stunt, it would make sense, but beforehand...Clemont's musings were interrupted by Hapu's own question.
"Am I to presume, then, that you are not going to the meeting?"
"We have more important things to do," Aidan told them curtly. Lionel seemed to roll his eyes at the man's response and shook his head a little. As the blond remained reticent at informing them further, Lionel picked up the thread.
"We were staying in Malie City for a reason, after all. For the moment, research on our particular brand of expertise is what we're focusing on," Lionel informed the both of them. To this, Samson seemed to scratch his head, looking almost as lost as Ash was. Thinking of the raven-haired trainer, Clemont noticed that he was simply blinking, as though not registering what was going on. Lionel clearly became aware of that fact. "Don't worry about it, Ash. I hope you remember what I told you, Clemont: let us handle things, and you focus on your journey."
"Easy to say when you don't have people like Guzma after you..." Ash grumbled out. Clemont had no problems agreeing with that particular notion. "But I don't really get what's going on with you guys in the first place, and that's fine. I...I have to get back to Serena, anyway."
"Then we'll leave you to that!" Lionel barked out with a laugh. "Where is that girl, anyhow?"
"Uh, Blush Mountain," Ash answered, rubbing the back of his head. It wasn't hard for Clemont to notice that Ash had refused to mention the fact they had fought. It wasn't one of his proudest moments, either, and he felt ashamed that Bonnie had had to see them in that state. "We, er, didn't have time for me and Clemont to get to Mount Hokulani for our stuff and then get to Blush Mountain in such a big group, but I still hope we can get there in time with just the two of us to worry about, so we can see Serena perform."
"Fat chance of that," Kahili scoffed out. Ash snapped a glare to her. "Hey, have you ever traveled to Blush Mountain? It's like hell on a cracker if you aren't prepared...or even if you go around."
"Around?" Clemont asked. Kahili opened her mouth, but it was clear that Hapu was done with her somewhat barbed comments.
"There are two paths you can take to reach Blush Mountain, in the same way that there are two paths to reach what lies beyond," Hapu answered. Lionel seemed to take less interest in this matter, jerking his head to Aidan. The bespectacled man bowed and seemed to take his leave. Clemont imagined that he would be meeting up with the rest of ARC (including the obvious Tau and Theta which made the inventor wonder where Chi was), likely where they were cleaning things up in Malie Garden. "On the one hand, you've got the shorter route that could get likely get you there tomorrow, considering the small group, but it's not an easy stretch."
"Unless you fly across it," snickered Kahili. Clemont looked over to Ash's team. Perhaps before Dartrix had evolved, he could have done it, but with his evolution it didn't look like he'd be able to do that long-term. Nor did Trumbeak, for that matter. Not for the both of them.
"Or you take the easier, but far longer, path," Hapu concluded, ignoring the other trainer with her. "And with the Blush Mountain Ceremony tomorrow, you'd have to have a fast flier or Pokémon that can cover that terrain in order to get there in time."
"Like Mudsdale?" Kahili suggested, a small smirk on her fast. Her eyes were narrowed teasingly as she pointed a finger at Hapu. "I know what you're trying to say, Hapu. And sure, Mudsdale could cover that distance quickly, but it's got nothing on my Skarmory."
"I didn't say it did," Hapu dismissed. Clemont watched the two women, almost sharing this rivalry between each other. Regardless of Hapu's modesty, there was challenge in the statement, one that Kahili was no doubt returning. It was only reined in by Ash deflating slightly.
"Aw, man!" he cried out. Pikachu looked equally depressed on his shoulder, and the rest of the team was emulating him. "I was really hoping we could get to Serena..."
"You miss your girlfriend, huh?" Kahili teased the boy. To Clemont's surprise, Ash actually blushed. The inventor had to wonder just what he was thinking about to make him blush like so; that was usually in Serena's purview. "Hey, nothing to be ashamed of. I've never had a relationship myself, but I can understand the urges."
"Kahili..." Hapu said warningly. The golfer just wore a little grin on her face.
"Well, of course I miss her!" Ash stated defiantly, fighting down the lingering blush on his cheeks. "And I want to support her, as much as I can."
"You could always give her a call," Samson suggested, speaking up for the first time in a while. Rotom perked up as well, stopping its perusal of whatever it was going through for a moment. "As I understand it, you installed the IRCS, am I right?"
"Ah, that's true, Ash," Clemont said. He didn't make any moves to dig into his bag to pull out their communications device, though. His instincts in that regard were spot on, thanks to earlier conversations, because Ash shook his head.
"No. If I'm going to support Serena, we'll be together. I'm pretty sure that's what she would want. A phone call wouldn't cut it," he stated, as though it was the definitive answer. Kahili and Hapu shared a gaze with each other before smiling. Clemont observed them, attempting to discern what was going through their heads.
"That's a fine way to look at a relationship," Samson said, stroking at his chin. The inventor wasn't sure whether it was a good idea to take advice from a lifelong bachelor, but the two boys still listened to him. "I'm sure you two must long to be together. Not that I've experienced it myself, being more interested in research than anything else."
"Then why are you acting like you're giving advice...?" Kahili stated. Lionel, back from whatever he had put his attention to, now took the opportunity to approach Ash and put a hand on his shoulder.
"I agree," he said kindly. "You never know when you won't be apart again. It's best to spend that time together while you can." Ash nodded at that one, considering it the best piece of advice they had all given to him; Lionel knew every bit of that most of all. Kahili stopped leaning against the counter, considering Ash for a moment before she sighed.
"All right!" she groaned out in exasperation, tossing her hands in the air. "We'll take you to Blush Mountain! We were heading that way for the meeting, anyway."
"Um, what?" Ash chuckled out, and even Lionel was chuckling with him. Clemont was just swiveling his head back and forth, finally deciding to settle on Kahili, who was rubbing the back of her head as she fluffed her hair. Kahili looked away, trying to act like she wasn't going to repeat it, but Hapu, who was as kind a soul as her friend (but softer around the edges), took up that torch for her.
"The two of us were planning on heading that way for the meeting on Mount Lanakila. It's no problem for us if you want to ride with us. It'll be a shorter trip, if a little rough, and I'm sure you could use a guide through the deserts and wastelands beyond," Hapu said, her eyes twinkling as she made the offer. Once again, Clemont and Ash locked eyes. It was a very kind offer, and one Clemont wanted to take. He'd been away from Bonnie too long. Thankfully, Ash also looked to appreciate the offer.
Before either could formulate their responses, Samson was speaking. "That's right...Kukui mentioned something about heading to Lanakila when I sent him that package a while back!"
"Package?" Clemont now asked, an inkling itching at his brain, but he wasn't the only one considering the professor with question. To this, Samson's eyes sparkled. Rotom got the answer.
"Samson Oak found new Z-Crystals, didn't he?" Rotom asked. "Then Rotom can add them to the collection! Where did Samson find them? What Pokémon are they for?"
"Maybe you'll find out," Samson answered with a wink. Clemont rolled his eyes, knowing that this little conversation was ultimately getting them nowhere fast. Samson Oak seemed a little more of the trickster than his cousin was.
"We accept," Clemont said, making sure there would be no more interruptions to answering the offer. "When do you plan to leave."
"Guess we should leave pretty much right away," Kahili said. She raised her arm up to look at her thin wristwatch, telling her the time. It was a fruitless action, given the large clock in the Center that read mid-afternoon. "If we speed through thanks to the small group and take a single break...what do you think? Less than a day?"
"I think so," Hapu commented. Ash pumped his fist, his Pokémon all cheering about continuing on their adventure, and Clemont could feel himself psyching himself for continuing on his adventure. He turned away from the group, towards his bag against the wall, as Samson Oak seemed to tell Ash to be on the lookout for Kukui if he could. Meanwhile, Rotom registered the location of a town outside Mount Lanakila where they could meet up, if possible.
"Rotom has to! Rotom is now interested in Z-Crystals! Why did Samson Oak not mention this before? !"
"Hadn't I? Could have sworn I did when we first met, Rotom. Oh well, could have just slipped my mind, ha ha!" the man chuckled out. Clemont shook his head, grabbing his bag with Charjabug atop it before he moved to join the others. Clearly both of the cousins were spotty when it came to remembering certain details, though he imagined Samson was a little more so.
"Speaking of Z-Crystals, professor," Lionel spoke, "I was wondering if we could talk about the potential of their various uses. Just a small discussion, if you would."
"Not a problem. If you'd like, we can talk right away."
"Yes, that would be pref..." The sound of the doors sliding opened seemed to have caught Lionel's attention. As a result, Clemont's was caught as well, drawing him to the space of the door where a newcomer was striding through, instantly recognizable.
"Gladion!" Ash called, sounding thoroughly surprised. Clemont was surprised, too, but not for the reason that Ash had been. He was surprised because it only took a few seconds for Lionel to brush past Oak, walk up to Gladion and suddenly pin him against the wall near the doors.
"Oh dear! What is the meaning of this? !" Samson asked in surprise. Clemont wanted to know much the same thing, and it seemed like Gladion, scrabbling against the wall, desired to know as well.
"Hey, let go of me! Let go!" he roared, face turning purple. Ash and his Pokémon were running forward, alarm in their eyes. "Ash! Do you-"
"Shut up!" Lionel hissed under his breath, face close to Gladion's.
"Lionel! Stop it!" Ash snapped, but the older man didn't back down. He did loosen his grip, but only enough for Gladion to regain his ability to breathe. Clemont just wasn't sure what to do, his body freezing at a sudden and new confrontation. "Gladion is a friend."
"Gladion..." Lionel snarled out. "Gladion, your 'friend', is the reason this just happened in Malie City. Aren't you? AREN'T YOU? !" Still unable to move, Clemont, at least, regained the use of his mouth.
"What are you talking about?" Gladion's eyes were wide, and his hand was moving to his pokeball until Lionel pinned that against the wall. No one answered, the tension ratcheting back up again. Ash, however, watched Gladion a moment.
"Gladion...what is he talking about?"
"I have no idea," the blond spat. "I've just been training and reporting for work. Came here to get a checkup on my Pokémon." Lionel pressed closer.
"Reporting to who?" he demanded, the snarl on his lips not going away. "Team Skull? Or am I mistaken?"
"Lionel, what is going on? !" Ash yelled. That seemed to cause everyone to snap back into reality from Gladion's sudden appearance and Lionel's sudden action. The older man said no words, continuing to glare vehemently at Gladion, his breath in huffs. Said blond reached up, moving Lionel's hands away from him.
Then, he answered for him. "So, what? Sometimes my work has me reporting on all my interactions. It-It's only a freelance job. I don't always have a choice on who I get to work with, or what I have to tell them. And I certainly have no idea who you are, or what you're talking about, so back off!"
Lionel did just that, even if his harsh expression never faded. Meanwhile, Ash's mouth was parted, registering a sense of shock. Clemont couldn't blame him; it was like Gladion had just admitted to working with Team Skull of all people, even if he hadn't said it outright. Gladion dusted off his tattered clothing, but Lionel refused to simply let him walk on. "Are you stupid?"
"No, I just-"
"Team Skull attacked Malie City," Ash said, finally letting his words out. Now it was Gladion's turn. His green eyes widened, and he seemed to shake a little bit, his head doing it most of all.
"No..." he said. His frame seemed to now be shaking with an almost righteous fury as he deliberately began to explain things. "I...I had nothing to do with that! It doesn't matter who I'm reporting to or doing a job for! I wouldn't...be complicit in that..."
Ash exhaled in relief at the boy's words, and Clemont, too, found himself grateful at the fervor that Gladion was speaking with. However, it did seem to bring up a most vital question. "Then, why do you think he does?"
"Because I saw him speaking with Guzma," Lionel snapped. Ash now began swiveling his head between Gladion and Lionel. He obviously didn't know what to think, and Clemont knew he'd pretty much be of no help to his friend. "Before the Battle Royal, you were talking with him. I thought nothing of it, until now. The chances that you and Ash would show up in the same place as Guzma strains credulity at best."
"He was a fellow competitor," Gladion answered, throwing a scowl at Lionel. The dark-skinned man finally seemed to pause, though he nevertheless remained wary. "What? You've never seen a competition where competitors try to psych each other out."
"It's true," Ash pointed out. "Guzma did the same to me. Besides, we've encountered Team Skull a lot. I'm sure Guzma could figure out where we were going."
"Likely thanks to Plumeria," Clemont pointed out. Every word seemed to relax Lionel, almost making the leader of ARC look ashamed for jumping to conclusions. The job couldn't have been easy, stepping into Jack Ketchum's shoes, and Lionel could always make mistakes. Just like they all could. Clemont swallowed some of his pride to continue on about the woman they'd met so many times. "She's very shrewd, so I'm sure she figured we'd be coming to Malie City eventually."
"See, Lionel? It's just a coincidence. Besides, how could Gladion have known when we'd be getting back to Malie City enough to inform Guzma to time it at his meeting with Nanu?" Ash, himself, looked confused by the notion he was presenting, but the words and meaning were clear enough. Lionel huffed out a sigh and closed his eyes.
"You're right. Sorry," he stated. When he opened his eyes, he was looking straight at Gladion once more. There was still the shred of suspicion, but also the open apology. "Heh, this whole Team Skull business just put me on edge, and I suppose I jumped to conclusions."
"It's fine," Gladion said, the scowl slowly sliding off his face. His fists, however, remained clenched. "I'd have thought the same thing if I were you. But I'd never allow something like that to happen, no matter what..."
"Glad to hear it," Samson chortled out, now inserting himself into the conversation once again. Rotom was off of his head and floated back over towards Clemont, as Oak's cousin slapped Lionel on his back. "We all make mistakes, but you've got more important things to think about than who said what to whom, am I right?"
"Yes," Lionel chuckled. He reached up to run a hand through his hair and exhaled deeply. "Yes, you're right. My apologies for causing a scene. You have a good friend, Ash."
"An excellent one," Samson confirmed. "Now, come on, let's go somewhere to talk Z-Crystals. I think if we do so here, Rotom will never want to leave me."
"Rotom will discover all there is to know about Pokémon!" Rotom proclaimed loudly, earning amused gazes from Kahili and Hapu. "Rotom will discover Samson's secret delivery!"
"I'm sure you will, Rotom!" Samson cried, beginning to push Lionel out of the Pokémon Center before any other scuffles could happen. "Be sure to tell me if you unravel them."
"Aye aye, sir!" With that final cry, the two older men had departed from the Center. Gladion remained standing there, though Clemont realized that his gaze was flung far away, staring out the window towards the garden. Perhaps hearing about what had occurred actually hit him more than he had thought. Lionel's actions hadn't helped that, though Clemont remembered something about Lionel's unfortunate trait of doing whatever it took to get the job done. No doubt that was what had led to the whole confrontation, as uncalled for as it was.
"Well, that was a scene," Kahili laughed, now approaching the boys with Hapu. She reached Clemont and Ash first, flinging her arms around them with a little grin. "But it looks like everything's worked out, so what do you say we get going? Can't let little lady Hapu here beat me to Blush Mountain."
"I'll take that bet, Kahili," Hapu said challengingly. Kahili threw her head back and laughed, beginning to drag the boys out of the Center without any more consideration. Ash seemed to briefly throw his look back, nodding to Gladion, but before long they'd left the blond standing there, staring after their retreating backs, his eyes narrowed with a sliver of confusion.
It was a feeling Clemont could understand, even if he couldn't vocalize it: despite standing side by side with Ash, Malie Garden had proved his back was only moving further and further away, and he hadn't yet figured out if he could close the gap.
X X X
Just as Kahili stated, the road that they were taking to Blush Mountain was certainly rugged terrain, moreso when one considered that they were traveling at such a fast pace. It really was a bit of an adventure to Ash, especially taking the route of traveling with Kahili and Hapu instead of just calling Latias for no good reason (and he didn't want to miss some of the sights). To Clemont, though, it seemed like there was no way to enjoy the trip.
It was either flying high up in the air, or riding over the truly horrid terrain on the back of Hapu's Mudsdale. Ash was certain his friend liked neither of those options.
"I can't ride!" Clemont stated, the mere thought clearly making him want to hurl, indicated thanks to the color of his face. Ash happened to laugh at it and nudged his friend.
"Just think of it as riding a Skiddo."
"Ash...I can't ride Skiddo!" he reminded him, forcing Ash to laugh sheepishly. Hapu shook her head and dusted her gloves off.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you're safe and comfortable the whole way. Mudsdale is an expert at that," Hapu assured him. Then, showing a strength that was completely disproportionate with her stature, she lifted Clemont up and placed him on Mudsdale, who whinnied loudly.
"Which leaves us for the sky!" Kahili said, cracking her knuckles as she swung a golf club over her back and hooked it into her bag. "Ready to go, Ash?"
"You bet," Ash told her enthusiastically. He did realize that part of it hid some of the inadequacy he felt to the Island Champion next to him, but he was genuinely excited to be spending time with someone of such a stature. To that end, he rode upon her Pelipper while she rode Skarmory. Next to them flew their Trumbeak and Toucannon, as if to get practice in. Decidueye seemed a little disappointed that he could no longer do long-range flying, but quickly accepted it when tossed a berry.
By the end of their rough travels through the terrain, or at least by the time they took their break on a roughly even patch of terrain late at night, Clemont was not the least bit enthusiastic. He was dead exhausted and wanted to do nothing but sleep, by Ash's estimations.
"I'm sure tomorrow will be better, right...?" the inventor asked, though his tone indicated that he didn't believe it. Kahili arched an eyebrow, stirring a pot of soup that Clemont had set over a flame.
"You can always fly with me, and Ash can ride down below."
"Thanks, I think I'll stick with the riding," Clemont groaned out, turning over and staring up at the stars. Ash followed his gaze, noticing his Pokémon all resting comfortably in the shadow of a relatively withered tree. It was amazing how barren Ula'ula was compared to all the other islands.
"Suit yourself," Kahili chuckled, only to have the ladle swiped from her by Hapu. Ash almost laughed, thinking he found a chink in the woman's armor: she couldn't cook. It really fascinated Ash, making him feel just the tiniest bit closer to her. The thought made his hands tremble a little, and he rose to his feet.
"Since dinner isn't ready, Kahili, I was wondering if you could help me and Trumbeak master some awesome moves!" he called, pumping his fists. Kahili seemed taken aback by the request, but soon smiled.
"Sure, but don't think I'll hold back for a second. I don't pull my punches unless I have to."
"I wouldn't want you to," Ash said. Stepping away to make sure they wouldn't disturb the campsite and the sleeping Mudsdale, the two trainers found a good place to have a skirmish. Trumbeak flapped in front of Ash, eager to battle and facing her evolved form at an even altitude as they seemed to square off. "Okay, use Feather Dance!"
"Turum!" Trumbeak cried, flapping her wings and sending feathers raining down. Kahili and Toucannon didn't move, watching comfortably. It seemed like she was really just gauging his skill level.
"Now, Flame Charge!"
"Brave Bird." Her command had been so simple and precise. Trumbeak was the faster one thanks to Flame Charge, but Toucannon's Brave Bird hardly required any build up. It just shot forward with a blistering blue blaze to cut right through the flames and collide with Trumbeak, driving her backwards. "Bullet Seed."
"Blast it back with Echoed Voice!" Like with Brave Bird, Toucannon didn't even miss a beat. It swiftly circled around, opening its immensely large beak and beginning to fire all manner of green seeds. Trumbeak opened her own beak, sending out the yellow soundwaves that blew the seeds backwards...or some of them. The rest simply struck Trumbeak and forced her down towards the ground, panting from the two hits she'd already taken.
"Not bad..." Kahili stated, stamping her golf club on the ground. "I mean, you're not great. But not bad. You've compensated for her loss of speed with Flame Charge, but what you lack is the ability to strike powerfully right from the beginning. Ever consider Trumbeak learning Hyper Voice?"
"Hyper Voice?" Ash asked, trying to forget the fact that Kahili hadn't minced words whatsoever. "No, I hadn't given thought to it."
"Might be something worth considering. Echoed Voice doesn't provide enough immediate power to decide a battle." Ash looked down to Trumbeak on the ground, the avian looking far too exhausted to truly continue on. It was something to consider, even if he didn't quite know how to turn an Echoed Voice into something that powerful. "Ah, well, you'll have time before the League, I'm sure. For now, let's eat. I'm starving...haven't gone this long without eating since the Sinnoh Open, last year."
It was the exact same way Hapu had acted after facing Serena and he back on Akala. Ash felt it was no wonder the two were friends, though he also felt that Kahili was the more helpful of the two. Battling was so much simpler, and connecting that to his dream, instead of thinking about everything else that surrounded it, was much easier as well.
What wasn't easy was falling asleep that night, and to Ash, it really seemed that Clemont was having a hard time as well. It was that night before the departure to Alola all over again...only so different. Somehow, he could no longer remain silent and let things bottle up inside.
"Clemont..." Ash finally spoke into the silence of the tent, even knowing that Kahili and Hapu were sleeping just outside in the firelight. His friend shifted, sitting up. "I...Do you think I can reach my dream?"
"Being a Pokémon Master?" the boy asked, putting his glasses back on to his face. Ash now sat up, himself, nodding. "If I'm honest, I've always thought you were one since Kalos."
You've become a wonderful Pokémon Master.
"I guess..." Ash responded, but he simply couldn't believe the words that Clemont was saying. He hated it. He hated this sort of self-doubt in his own dreams and purpose; doubt he hadn't truly felt since all those times Paul had beaten him. His hands were shaking again. "But I don't know."
Why do you want to be a Pokémon Master?
"Ash, don't second guess yourself," Clemont told him sharply. "You're an amazing trainer, one that I could only aspire to be. I mean, I could never reach your heights."
What is a Pokémon Master?
"Is that all there is to it, though?" Ash asked. He felt like he was exposing these fears to Clemont, someone he knew wouldn't judge him, but would instead listen. Serena would do the same, but at the same time, he felt that Clemont would understand a little more. "Like, yeah, I'm winning battles and all but...it's not like I ever get there. I still lost to Alain and Hala and..."
"Ash, you were invited to challenge the Elite Four!" Clemont argued. "That is an amazingly high honor. To anyone, that would be the end of their dream!"
"You're right," Ash said, and he folded his hands, listening to Pikachu snore lightly. "I'm just worried it's not enough. Like I can't really call myself a Pokémon Master." He insisted on ignoring the fact that he could barely even define what that was in the first place.
"I see," Clemont stated before giving a sigh. "Not enough...I know I'm not enough." Ash snapped a look to him, ready to defy the statement and tell him that wasn't true, but it was clear from Clemont's tone that he just wanted to say what he needed to. "Can't catch up to you and Serena; then, I see people like Lillie moving forward so fast and I'm...I'm useless."
"That's not true," Ash whispered. "There are lots of things you've done that I could never do. I wouldn't be where I am, who I am, without you, Clemont."
"Maybe." It was a word that showed there was no resolution between them. Ash still doubted himself. Clemont still felt like he was failing. The only thing that had truly changed was that they both knew and understood what the other was going through. They weren't alone. "Thank you, Ash."
That was enough to tell them both to get to sleep, as disturbed as those dreams were. Dreams of flames and cackling, and that cold Serena, walking away. Daylight ended up bringing relief when the two awoke to the sounds of battle outside, where Kahili and Hapu were training against one another in a match between Toucannon and Mudsdale. As Clemont cooked breakfast, Ash watched, enthralled. Kahili exhibited so much perfection in her movements on the battlefield, so sure of every single thing she did. Every command held the precision he had been working on with Passimian and the others. No hesitation, but a constant grasp of the battlefield. It wasn't like Hapu wasn't giving her a challenge either, since Toucannon was roughed up more than its fair share. She was just good enough to take stock of the moment and figure out a way to turn the situation around. There was no wonder that she could levy the question she had at him back in the library.
Could he ever catch up to someone like her?
That question was the sole one that lingered on his mind, hanging there as he got on Pelipper once again, ready to finally make his way to Blush Mountain and Serena. It was a long morning's journey over the barren landscape, broken up only by a few Pokémon and what seemed to be a floating shape behind them. Nothing else interfered; only their mind. And their quartet was silent the whole entire way.
X X X
Serena couldn't help but admit how odd it was to be sitting in the audience, instead of going up on the stage. All but the first Showcase she had attended (which, of course, had been interrupted) she had participated in, and it had been the same for the Ceremonies, for the most part. So, to be sitting with the crowd of those that had visited Blush Mountain made her feel almost awkward.
At the same time, however, she felt invisible. She wasn't up on the stage, so people couldn't see her or notice her. Whether that mattered or not remained to be seen, but for the moment, she just allowed herself a chance to sit with her friends and watch. After a day of avoiding Keoni and touring the museum, she was wondering just how Keoni would act without her to compete against.
"Ladies and gentlemen, alola! It's time for the Blush Mountain Ceremony!" Maika's voice called to everyone there. The crowd was a little smaller than it usually was, except for places like Pua Town, but that made them no less lively. In fact, Acerola was even up on her feet to clap and cheer wildly. Serena just gripped at her seat, her hat resting upon her lap as she watched the stage. Maika was speaking, but the words weren't heard.
She did notice all of the participants coming on to the stage, however. To her surprise, there were a few familiar faces here and there from earlier Ceremonies, but she couldn't remember all their names. It made a pit form in her stomach. Instead of letting it gnaw at her, though, she pushed away the unfortunate detail to watch the Ceremony. Her eyes fell upon Keoni, the boy looking just as smug as ever. Clearly her participation had no effect on his general demeanor. Bonnie was next to Serena, muttering curses with Dedenne in Keoni's general direction. That earned the little girl a look of amusement from Lillie.
"Well, without further ado it's time for the Course Portion!" Maika called. Serena swallowed; she felt like her attention span was weaving in and out of reality for this moment. Her heart yearned, longed, to stand on the stage, but there was a fear inside her that she wasn't good enough to stand there. "For this Ceremony, we have the Maze Course! Each trainer will choose a partner to make it through to the center of the maze of twists and turns!"
Serena could see that, able to catch a glimpse of the labyrinth that looked like it was made with materials from the Power Plant; a rather interesting construct, all things considered. Maika's words were explaining the basic principles of the race, and hitting different checkpoints, but Serena wasn't thinking about her. She was focusing on Keoni, wondering what he'd pull out this time in order to obtain victory.
She needn't have waited long, especially once he'd chosen a strange looking, floating fish.
"A Bruxish!" Acerola pointed out, though Serena had no idea what that even meant. All she knew was that its strange colorations, combined with rather large lips and teeth, made it an odd choice for Keoni, of all people. The boy always seemed to value some semblance of elegance over all else. "It's a Psychic type, you know. Can be pretty cute, though...but not as cute as Palossand."
"I think it's ugly," Bonnie snapped out. Serena shook her head at that one; she never thought she'd hear Bonnie not call a Pokémon cute. Likely had to do with the trainer commanding it.
Regardless of its "cute" or "elegant" status, Serena was not surprised by Keoni's choice of it. The second it entered the maze, she noticed that it had complete, and smug, control. She wanted to scoff at that; perhaps it wasn't about looking cute or elegant at all, but about exuding the same amount of narcissism as the rest of his team. That wasn't to say Bruxish couldn't be elegant. The way it took the turns of the maze and seemed to sense where to go proved it to be a worthy member of Keoni's team, perfectly built for this particular task.
"I have a feeling that Keoni has a rather skewed vision of what looks...beautiful," Lillie laughed out, though she seemed apprehensive about it. Serena merely shrugged, unable to find use with her vocal chords. Beautiful was simply a matter of opinion, though it did confuse her as to how Keoni could think one thing of her and not the same thing of those she surrounded herself with.
Or maybe he just didn't think beauty was a necessity for something like the Course Portion, considering that wasn't what ended up helping him to snatch an absolute victory from amongst his peers. Bonnie groaned while Lillie pouted. An oblivious Acerola simply cheered. Still, Serena didn't react at all. The part that was most important to her was coming up.
Instead of watching Keoni doing a dual performance with Ninetales and Lord Meowth, Serena kept her eyes on the judges and the rest of the crowd watching the performance. That wasn't to say that she didn't catch parts of Keoni's performance. His Ninetales, despite her willingness to admit it, was absolutely stunning on the stage. Her ice crystals were a glittering diamond dust and her moves all seemed to have been updated upon evolving. Aurora Beam remained the same, creating a rainbow within the ice crystals that Lord Meowth sliced apart, adding a Dark Pulse to the mix. Then there was her Dazzling Gleam, shining off of her fur and turning the whole stage into a frozen garland show that Keoni had danced through gracefully.
The judges absolutely loved it. It wasn't hard to see why. Keoni was the one to beat at the Hope Leilani, at least from where she was now, and she knew it. More than that, she finally knew something that had been niggling at her since the Hano Ceremony.
The Battle Portion only hammered it in further, watching Keoni breeze through the first round. Bruxish had made its reappearance, proving once again that it was a good match for Keoni. Serena split her attention between Keoni and the judges now, determined to find out what was making them and the crowd so excited. For the life of her, though, she couldn't grasp it, even as Bruxish made use of a Water and Psychic move together that swirled around like a cyclone to destroy the opponent.
"I guess he's going to win, isn't he?" Bonnie complained once more and Serena could only nod, sitting back in her seat with a slight huff. Her breath blew her bangs upward, and she listened to the muted chattering of the crowd.
She wasn't on stage, but they were smiling.
Even when she was on stage, it hardly seemed like it mattered. Closing her eyes at her realization, she held back whatever pinpricks of tears were forming. Her hands gripped at her skirt yet again, feeling like she'd tear the fabric. The second round had yet to start for the battles, but Serena stood. Lillie and Bonnie both looked alarmed, though Acerola only cast her a second of glances.
"Need to use the restroom," she uttered, bowing her head to each of them briefly. Then she shimmied away from the crowd and made her way into the lobby of the Ceremony Hall. True to her word, she did head for the restroom, listening to the sounds emanating from televisions in the lobby, talking about the Battle Portion. Much to her discontent, the sound pierced even into the bathroom, where Serena gripped at a sink and stared at herself in the mirror.
"Ha..." she choked out, though she no longer felt like crying. She just felt like breaking a little. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Serena?" Lillie's voice called to her. She stopped her mirthless laughing, sliding down a little on to her knees, staring up at the fluorescent lighting overhead. The door opened, depositing Lillie inside the room as she placed her bag down. Nebby hopped out instantly, bounding over to Serena with a smile.
"I really can't..." Serena answered, her head tipped back. Lillie stared at her in confusion. "I can't make a difference..."
"That's not true..." Lillie expressed, going down on to her knees to sit with Serena. The honey blonde lowered her head to look at her companion, one that had grown so much alongside her.
"I kept trying so hard to make everyone smile on my own, like winning the Leilani Ceremony was proof that I could," she said as she shook her head, "but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I'm there. They still smiled without me. Others still made them smile."
"Of course," Lillie confirmed. It didn't drive anything harmful to her, but pushed the conclusion that she had come to. "I mean, you're not the only one that makes me smile. So does Ash, and Bonnie, Clemont...Hau."
"I know," Serena responded, breathing out slowly. "I got so lost, though. My promise became something I believed only I could accomplish, because I was the one that made it. I felt so determined to prove it, to make it happen, that it started to become so selfish of me. I wanted to make people smile...but I forgot the most important thing: there's more than one way to make someone smile."
"Yeah," Lillie said. The two girls sat there in relative silence, broken only by the cheers and announcement that Keoni had won the battle. "I mean, maybe not everyone can be happy...but, yeah."
"You don't think everyone can?"
"I don't know," was Lillie's admission. "I just know that for the longest time, I wasn't happy. Nor was my mother...not after my father and my...I don't know."
"Sounds like you had it rough," Serena said. She shifted her body and leaned the back of her head against the sink, hearing the chattering sounds of the crowd outside in the lobby. No doubt someone would be entering the restroom soon. "But maybe you're right, and I think that scares me. It tells me that my dream is impossible."
Lillie had nothing to say. She just sighed, the two girls sharing what felt like a rather sisterly moment of bonding. Serena enjoyed the peace of it, even if she was thinking about what they had just discussed. Maybe not everyone could be happy; Lusamine had insisted upon the same thing, but Serena wanted to try. She wanted to prove Zinnia's words, from all those months ago, wrong. Maybe achieving one's dreams would trample over others', but she had to believe there was a way to turn it all around; the same way she had made her own dream into something positive for her mother.
"Sometimes," Lillie started softly, "I used to wonder if I could ever be happy." Serena stared blankly ahead to the stalls, listening to Lillie's story. "My mother would get so angry if I didn't have a smile on my face, so I kept it up for her. Tried to be happy for her. We had both lost a lot, but I didn't want to see her sad, so I kept smiling, even when I hated it. I couldn't ruin her happiness. I wonder how she's doing sometimes...and sometimes I wish I could talk to her and share..."
Lillie sighed again. Her words were such a sobering fact. Akela's words, spoken from the heart, came to Serena. She needed to make sure she was happy, too. Otherwise, all of it would be pointless. She could share her happiness, even with those who had none, like Lillie had tried to do, or wanted to. Her pieces were stitched together again, even if she was still unsure of her own path. At least there was a path. Serena could make people smile...she just couldn't make everyone smile, and certainly not on her own.
But she wanted to make them smile.
"Serena? Lillie? The Ceremony's over," Bonnie spoke through the door, her voice slightly quieted by those outside and the light rapping of knuckles that she was producing against it. "Acerola's waiting outside."
"Dene."
"All right, Bonnie," Serena called. She stood, patting Nebby on the head before she helped Lillie up. Before they exited, she took Lillie into a grateful hug, thanking her for the talk. It wasn't much, but to both of them, it seemed like enough. Breathing in, Serena led the way outside of the door, where she met up with Bonnie. Said lemon blonde spun around and began leading the way out of the Ceremony Hall as it was glutted with people. There was no sign of the boys amidst the crowd, though Serena felt she should have figured that, given how long it had taken themselves to get there.
The late afternoon dust on Blush Mountain blew around them as they stepped outside to where the sun was beating down. People swirled around, chattering excitedly with giddy expressions as they walked out. Acerola was also there, sitting atop Palossand lazily as she hummed and swung her legs back and forth. She waved to them with a grin the moment she saw them, and Serena led the way over.
"That was fun, wasn't it?" she asked cheerfully. It was just the kind of thing Serena needed to hear as she smiled with a nod. "So, you're waiting, right? Any idea where to head next?"
"Well, assuming when Ash gets here that he completed his last trial, wherever the next one is. Then, I'll head for Oricorio Town. I have a friend heading there now, and I'd love to compete against her," Serena assured Acerola. The younger girl seemed enthralled by this notion, bouncing on to her feet as she held a hand up. She was clearly about to say something, but lost the chance.
"So, you intend to earn your final Lei away from me? That sounds disappointing." Keoni's voice broke whatever spell was over the area. He had come up like a snake, draping his arm lazily across her shoulders. She grimaced. "I was hoping to see you earn it alongside me, in a sense."
"Yes, well, I have promises to keep," Serena said in a measured tone. She slowly dipped herself away from his hold, throwing off his arm and facing the boy properly. "Congratulations on winning your own final Lei, though."
"It was simple," Keoni said dismissively, ever-smirking. "Most that take part in the Ceremonies don't even care, and those that do just lack talent; it's just another hobby for them or something. It's the complete opposite with you, of course. Granted, we can always use a little bit of polishing. I was planning on taking the time to practice and train at my father's estate. You're more than welcome to join me there, just the two of us. I can assure you that it would be worth your while. A driver could take you anywhere, including your Ceremony, and my father is a very accommodating man. He'd adore you, even on his business trips. We could even accompany him to be together; I'm hoping to learn some of his practices and how the company works, all for a grander lifestyle. You could be a part of that, too."
"I'm really not interested, Keoni," Serena made sure to explain to him, shifting her position slightly so she was standing with her friends, facing the two exits from Blush Mountain. The boy seemed to scowl at the notion. It was like he thought he'd been laying the charm and his own accolades on thickly.
"Really? You're not tempted at all?" he snapped, the veneer of his even remotely attractive attitude dropping. "Honestly, Serena, what does a guy have to do to win your affections here? I'm rich, attractive, have a brilliant future ahead in a life of luxury without struggles, and an excellent Performer. I'm far better suited to you than that oaf."
"You're also conceited," Lillie spoke. She seemed shocked to have said it and covered her mouth while Keoni sneered at her a moment.
"And a meanie," Bonnie confirmed. Acerola didn't jump in with her own jab, but just watched them all. "If you really want Serena to like you, you have to be Ash. You're not even close."
"I'm not close?" Keoni scoffed out. He ran a hand through his hair and began laughing. "You're funny. Really. If a little stupid."
"Hey!"
"I had one of my father's men look up your boyfriend after I watched him battle Kiawe," Keoni said, talking like he factually knew everything there was to know about Ash. Serena swallowed a little. "Been a trainer for six years. Six Leagues. Not a single win. He's a joke! I mean, I can understand you thinking he's something special, but when you meet someone who is clearly superior, it baffles me that you wouldn't go for it. Look, Serena, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but you keep going that way, your performance work is going to suffer from hanging around such a loser!"
Slap!
Keoni's face suddenly jerked to the side, Serena's hand striking against it. She hadn't even felt herself initiating the action, yet there was no denying it was her, especially with the indignation in her veins. His eyes widened, shutting his mouth. Behind her, the others gasped. Worst of all, though, was that she could see Ash and Clemont, newly arrived...but having seen the entire scene.
Author's Note: Yes. Serena slapped Keoni. It was really a long time coming, wasn't it? Guy's a prick...Anyway, despite the heavy dialogue this chapter, there were quite a few things revealed, though they were pretty small in nature. A lot of it was building up these characters and their relationships, but most of all laying all the insecurities on the table. Ash feels like he doesn't know why he's doing what he is, Clemont can't catch up, and Serena is struggling with the fact that she can't make everyone smile. They're slightly put together for now, since they've shared these issues with others, but how will it go in the end? I just hope you all think that despite their development, they're still them.
So, before I hop off this time, I'm going to thank everyone that's been a part of this: XDiamondX90 for favoriting; FrivMasterAnthony2 for following; and that really big thanks to Armorshippingfan, Tenzalucard123, FantasyLover88, ChE clarinetist, Gehatik, Cottonmouth25, Leaflame, Omegaz, AdvancedAlto, The Wind God of the Leaf, ultimateCCC, Nega Mewtwo, SinVallie, PokeGirlPG21, aliensinnoh, curioustomjerry, Vivian Gray, jlogan2748, potat lasaro, David Wilsberg and 1 guest for reviewing. We have roughly two phases left of Trials at the moment, so please stick with me! Until the next chapter, Review and Dare to Be Silly.