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The day before they arrive in Lilycove City is the day they see the Absol.
It’s morning. The sun has barely risen when Manon awakes to Alan talking on his Holo-Caster. He’s corresponding with his boss - a man known as Lysandre - and his words sound urgent. Manon recognizes the tense lilt in his voice and she frowns, peering at him with her fingers digging into the sheets. His back is to her, shoulders hunched, and she can see the way his form is slumping from exhaustion. Likely , she thinks, from waking up too early .
Alan wasn’t a morning person and Manon knew this for a fact. No matter how much she pestered him to wake at the crack of dawn, he’d whine, push her away and then slink down into his covers. Sleep seemed to be a luxury for him, one he greedily partook in without restraint, and it took much convincing to lure him out of a bed.
“...I see. Yes. I’ll do that. Yes. Thank you.”
Alan clicks a button on his Holo-Caster, tucking the device into the pocket of his fanny pack. He fumbles with the zippers, opening various pockets before he gives the sigh and Manon is instantly on alert.
“Are you going to just watch or what?”
She peels off her covers and hops over to Alan’s side at the sound of his voice, crawling on the bed to sit beside him. Alan doesn’t even complain when she wedges herself between him and his fanny pack. Instead, he raises his eyebrows as she pouts.
“How could you tell I was awake?” She asks.
“You weren’t snoring.”
She scoffs. “I don’t snore .”
“Yeah, you do.” Alan cracks a smile. “Very loudly, I might add.”
She elbows him roughly and the boy laughs. Manon laughs in return, hands falling to the bed sheets beneath her as she kicks out her legs over the edge of the bed and runs them back and forth. “So,” she asks, “what was that call about anyways?”
“Our next destination,” Alan says.
“Are we going somewhere cool?” She asks, leaning forward. “I mean, this is Hoenn, isn’t it? There’s gotta be so many cool places around we can go to!”
Alan nods, standing to his feet. “First, we’re going to head to the Department Store here in Lilycove. I have a package that my employer wants me to pick up and deliver.”
She thinks of the wide expanses of city stretching outside their hotel room and finds herself wondering which building, out of all of them, would be the Department Store. It would have to be big and tall, of that she was sure. It would probably loom over the city with its grandiose size, decorations strewn across its exterior in the hopes of attracting foreign eyes. Maybe they’d even have people performing live shows while they were at! Manon certainly hoped they did. She found that kind of stuff beyond entertaining.
“What kind of package are you getting?”
Alan shrugs. “It’s probably some important stuff,” he says. “It’s not really my concern.”
She nods, though she admits she only does so because she wants to show support. She’s not really aware of Alan and what he does, but she knows that he does his missions out of loyalty for his boss. He made it quite clear several times that, as long as “Lysandre requested it”, Alan would do as told. Even if the task was to deliver Pokemon or to beat a trainer with his Charizard, Alan did so without question. It made Manon a little jealous, if she was honest. After all, Alan never looked at her with such feverish respect in his eyes the way he did Lysandre.
Alan shifts through his nightstand and pulls out his traditional uniform of a gray jacket, purple and white shirt, and baggy gray pants. It’s a stark contrast to the Flaffy fleece pajamas he’s dressed in, the darker colors of his standard outfit contrasting with that of his light blue sleepwear.
She follows suit and hurries back to her own bedside, pulling open a drawer to extract her green poncho, hat, overalls and shirt. She gathers them into her arms and then races past Alan as he approaches the bathroom, slipping by him and shutting the door in his face. She can hear his sigh from outside the door and giggles to herself, slipping on her clothes. It takes her a few moments to get her standard outfit in place and, after a minute or two of brushing her hair, she exits with a smile on her face.
“All yours,” she says with a bow.
“Ha ha,” he responds with a roll of his eyes.
Alan moves past her and into the bathroom. She hears the door click behind her and then walks over to her bedside, grabbing two Pokeballs from the night stand. One of the Pokeballs holds her beloved partner, Chespie, while the other held her latest addition, Bebe.
Both of her Pokemon were special to her and each in different ways. Chespie was important because he was the first Pokemon she’d ever gotten. Bebe was important because she was the first Pokemon Manon had ever caught (with Alan’s help, of course). She couldn’t imagine ever going without either of them, especially not when she was going to be alongside them in her journey around the Hoenn region.
“Come on out!” She says without prompt, tossing their Pokeballs into the air. Two simultaneous clicks sound and Manon watches as her Pokemon manifest before her.
“Flaaaa,” her Flabebe murmurs, floating up to greet her warily.
Her Chespin jumps into her arms immediately, snuggling in to her chest. “Ches!” It gurgles.
“Hey you guys.” She grins at the both of them. “Guess what? We’re in the Hoenn region right now! Hoenn . Do you know how amazing this place is?”
Chespie puts its paws to its chin and tilts its head to the side. Bebe merely stares at her, not at all impressed by her words.
She stands at the tip of her feet and giggles. “The Hoenn region is famous for loads of stuff!” Manon tells them. “They’ve got the Space Center and new Pokemon Gyms and the broken Sky Pillar and a whole bunch of berries too! Oh, and that’s not to mention Pokemon Contests either! You should see those, they’re so awesome!”
Both of her Pokemon give blank looks and she sighs at them. “You guys,” she puts her hands on her hips and shakes her head. “Well, you’ll see. Hoenn’s gonna be an amazing place. I’ve only ever seen it on the TV before so this is going to be so exciting!”
The sound of a door opening catches her attention and she watches as Alan emerges. The boy nods his head at Chespie and Bebe, grabbing at his fanny pack upon the bed and strapping it to his waist.
“Ready to head out?” Alan asks her.
“Uh-huh,” she clips her Pokeballs to her overall straps and hurries after him.
Alan opens the door and she follows after him. Outside their hotel room, a wide stretch of hallway awaits them. A few of the local residents greet them as they pass by, gentleman tipping their hats and children peering at them with hushed whispers. Manon gives each of them a wave, keeping to Alan’s side as she does so.
“Are we going to ride on Charizard today?” She asks. “Lilycove’s a pretty big place.”
The black-haired boy glances at her. “Afraid of a little walking?”
“As if. It’s just cool to ride on her, that’s all.”
Plus - though it was better left unsaid - it was an added bonus that she’d be able to sit in front of Alan with his arms wrapped around her waist. She liked when he did that. When he got close to her, she could smell the scent of pine needles and dew drops on him. It was a pleasant aroma, one she had a strange fondness for.
“You can ride her later,” Alan promises, placing his hands in his pockets. “For now, however, it’s best to stick to the ground. Air control gets pretty tight once you’re in the city. They don’t like people flying in without written permission.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a safety precaution of sorts. It’s supposed to deter bad people from coming in uninvited. Only trainers who own the Hoenn version of the Fly HM are allowed to fly in and out of cities. The police here will make sure of that.”
“Oh. I see.” Manon watches as Bebe floats down to sit atop her shoulder and smiles at the creature. “So if I get a Pokemon that could fly, I need the Fly HM to show people that I have permission to enter into any city?”
Alan pauses in front of an elevator door and presses a button. An idle hum sounds in the air. “Basically, yes.”
“How do I get a Fly HM then?”
Her partner glances at her. “You need to have a certain number of region-specific badges to obtain it. For Hoenn, I believe you need at least six badges before you can be granted the HM.”
Manon thinks of the Ledyba-shaped item pinned to her backpack and frowns. “So my badge from the Santalune Gym doesn’t count?”
The elevator doors part and they enter into an empty space. Alan hits a button and the doors close behind them.
“It would in Kalos.” Alan says. “Here, however, it would not.”
“ Aww . That sucks.”
The boy chuckles. “You don’t have a flying Pokemon anyways.” he points out. “So it wouldn’t matter regardless.”
“Yeah I know. But that doesn’t mean I won’t have a flier one day!”
He huffs and then pats her head. “And what kind of Pokemon will you get, then?”
She swats his hand away and returns hers back around Chespie’s waist. “I’d love a Pidgeot,” she says, looking at her partner. Chespie looks back at her, twitching its nose as if to suggest its curiosity at the idea. “They’re really pretty and I’ve heard they’re easy to fly on. But I’d also like a Talonflame. Those Pokemon are pretty awesome, especially since they go really fast! But there’s other cool Pokemon to think about too. Honchkrow and Togekiss, for example.” She taps her foot on the ground and then pauses, turning her head to look at him with the face of an epiphany. “Oh! I know! I’d love a Charizard!”
“Charizard, huh? A good choice.” Alan nods in approval. She beams in return, pleased by his praise.
The elevator doors open again and they step out into a lobby full of trainers. Manon glances at the lot of them, her curious gaze shifting over the individuals milling about. Among them, Manon spots a few Nurses running about, checking on trainer’s Pokemon and carting around trays of items. Other trainers - ranging from a single girl with her six Whismurs to the group of kids her age discussing battle tactics - were participating in such freestyle ruckus, attending to their own lives with little caution to that of those around them.
Manon briefly pauses to watch the chaos of the world around her, so caught up in the hum of the hotel’s livelihood that she yelps when she feels a hand around her wrist.
The familiar voice of Alan soothes her worries instantly. “Hey, it’s alright. It’s just me.”
She nods up at him, catching the way his eyebrows suddenly furrow as she does so. Manon recognizes that expression. It’s the look he gets when he’s pondering over something he doesn’t quite understand. The girl tilts her head at him, curious for his sudden silence, when Alan shakes his head, releases her wrist, and beckons her forward.
“Don’t get lost in here,” he says, shifting his hands into his pockets. “Remember, this is a big city. Stay close to me. I don’t want to lose you here.”
Something warm heats her heart at the concern in his words. Manon squeezes Chespie close to her, unable to restrain the smile from her face as she nods.
Alan turns away and she follows him as they leave the depths of the hotel. Immediately, beams of sunlight cascade upon them. Manon holds up a hand to shield her eyes, squinting at the initial blinding of light before her gaze adjusts to the sight before her.
Thousands of people and Pokemon litter the streets of Lilycove, each moving freely and without thought across roads of cobble. Manon nearly gapes at the sight of such a crowd, remembering the peaceful streets of the city from the night before. When the moon had shone in the sky after their arrival to Hoenn, hardly a soul was to be seen on streets of melted silver. Yet, in the glimmering luminance of the sun, she sees a whole seething mass of individuals writhing before her.
“Lilycove is a big city,” Alan says, as if to remind her of such a fact. “And where we’re going will probably have even more people around.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
A girl atop a Manectric strides by. Manon watches as the electric hound dashes through the city, its speed nearly unmatched as it hurries past. She looks at Chespie and Bebe and then after the girl, imagining herself standing on top of a creature big and strong.
“Chespin and Flabebe don’t evolve into anything rideable,” Alan says, as if reading her thoughts. “Technically you can sit atop Chespin’s final form but it’s not recommended. Unlike a Manectric, there’s little room to comfortably sit without the fear of falling off.”
“Then I’ll just have to get a Pokemon that I can ride on,” she declares with a huff. “You’ll help me search for one, right?”
He gives her a look of mild surprise before his expression softens into a smile. “Sure,” he says. “But I won’t catch it for you.”
“I know. I can do that part myself.”
She hugs Chespie close to her, imagining the sorts of Pokemon she could get. She could settle for a Manectric, as their pre-evolved form was quite common in both Hoenn and Kalos. However, as much as she loved the blue and yellow hound with electricity in its fur, she knew there were other Pokemon to think about too. Pokemon like Rhyhorn or Gogoat or Ninetales or anything of the sort would work. She just had to find the one that was right for her. Eventually. She probably wasn’t there yet, not when she’d just barely become a Pokemon trainer.
“So, you want a Charizard and a Pokemon to ride on,” Alan stares off into the distance, rubbing his neck in thought. “But do you have any idea where to get them?”
“I was hoping Professor Sycamore would help me with that,” she says.
Alan stiffens, the muscles in his jaw tensing. He pauses and Manon stops alongside him, amber eyes blinking up at him. She doesn’t know why but whenever she mentions Professor Sycamore, Alan suddenly becomes very sad-looking. It wasn’t a look that fit him and, as he didn’t seem to appreciate it, she generally tried to bring the Professor up as little as possible. This time, however, she might’ve let his name slip on her tongue, too caught up in her personal fantasies to realize she’d be dragging up Alan’s pained expression again.
“Maybe he would,” Alan says, continuing walking as if he hadn’t stopped in the first place, “but I can always help you too, you know.”
She winces at the sudden coldness in his voice, distancing herself from him. Bebe chitters beside her, clutching at her flower tightly as if also upset by the boy’s words. “Oh,” she says, almost unable to keep the confusion from her voice, “alright.”
They walk in silence for a bit. Manon clutches Chespie close to her and the Pokemon nuzzles her arms. When Alan was upset, she had a habit of giving him space. He didn’t get upset often but, when he did, she knew it was best to let him have some peace of mind. He usually wasn’t fond of talking in moments like this and, despite the fact that Manon wanted to pepper him with questions, she knew better than to pursue touchy topics.
Keeping to his side, Manon peers at the crowd around her. Tons of trainers she doesn’t know or recognize shuffle about, crowds bustling on streets laden with stalls and Pokemon battles as she moves past. On several occasions, she’ll spot Pokemon she doesn’t recognize among the horde. Some of those Pokemon included: a red and blue dragon with steel plates on its chest, a red nine-tailed fox strolling through the streets, and a hovering sun-shaped creature that hums with an ominous power.
She wonders what it would be like to grow up in the tropical region of Hoenn. As a Kalosian, she hasn’t had much experience in the wonders of such a strange geographic location. She’s heard of the wonders of Hoenn but she’s never once imagined herself so lucky as to be able to visit it at the young age of 13.
Still, Manon considers herself fortunate to be visiting the region with so few Pokemon beside her. Though she’d only been in Hoenn for a total of one day (including last night, the night they had arrived), she had yet to find anything of disappointment within the region. Hoenn, as far as she had seen of it, was a nice place. The people acted kind and, with Alan by her side, she knew she had to little to fear of being in such a strange place.
But...speaking of her companion…
Manon glances at Alan. The boy doesn’t look at her, but she can tell he’s watching her from the corner of his eyes. He has his arms folded across his chest, gaze staring straight ahead with a dark expression on his face.
In the silence of his companionship, Manon wonders about his reaction and the connection between him and Professor Sycamore. She didn’t know much about the two in terms of their relationship - only that Alan had once worked under Sycamore - but it seemed they had left under bad terms. Alan generally disliked any mention of the man, shutting himself in his own mind whenever the man was brought up in conversation.
It scared her a little, if was honest with herself. The Alan she knew always spoke his mind and was frank to a fault about things he disliked. He only ever hid away his feelings when it came to Professor Sycamore, clamming up like a Clampearl whenever she tried to approach the subject. It hurt her to know he didn’t trust her enough to open up about things like his past. But, while she could say that with a straight face, she knew it would be utter hypocrisy to assume Alan would tell her his secrets when she herself was afraid to tell him hers.
“Manon?”
Alan peers at her, a curious expression replacing the dark one on his face. She blinks at him and then breaks into an immediate smile. “What?”
“You looked upset for a moment.”
She tilts her head and then presses close to him. “You’re imagining it.”
“Mm. Maybe.”
Alan places his hands in his pockets, shooting her a look as they pass through a narrow crowd of people. She sticks close to him, dodging shoulders and arms alike as she squeezes through to stay alongside her companion. It takes a bit of rough effort to keep up with him, especially when her small form is always being pushed back by others, but she manages to do so no matter how far she lags behind. Manon half-suspects it's because Alan is slowing his pace to match hers and the thought makes her feel a bit warm and fuzzy.
At last, however, they arrive in front of a towering white rectangular cube that hovers above the rest of the city. Glass doors and windows are slapped across its side while various banners and TV screens hang from its walls.
“This is...the Lilycove Department Mall?” She asks.
“It is,” Alan nods at her and then gestures towards a pair of glass doors. “Come on, this way.”
They enter the large building and Manon can’t help but notice just how huge the interior of the building is. Aisles upon aisles of merchandise flood the store, bright and colorful and catering to the naked eye. Manon finds herself pausing at some of the shelves, eyes big at the manifestation of various toys and beautifully colored furniture.
“Miss?”
Manon looks up to see a receptionist looking at her. The lady is staring at her with knitted eyebrows, glancing over her with a firm frown on her face.
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry to say but you’ll have to keep your Pokemon in their Pokeballs during your stay here.”
Alan looks at the receptionist with narrowed eyes. Manon’s gaze darts to Bebe and Chespie, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Why?” He asks.
“It’s a safety precaution, sir. All trainers within the limits of the Department Mall are to retain their Pokemon within their Pokeballs. We’ve had cases of burglary before with the use of Pokemon and we prefer not to give anyone the excuse to repeat such occurrences. As such, I would like to ask you to return your Pokemon.”
There’s a flicker of annoyance on Alan’s face and then he turns to her. Manon looks up to him, nodding, and pulls her Pokeballs off her overall straps. She apologizes to her Pokemon and then returns them. They go without complaint and the receptionist gives a nod of satisfaction.
“Thank you for your compliance. We hope your time here at the Lilycove Department Mall will be a wonderful experience.”
The woman walks off and Manon’s left with nothing to do but sigh. Alan gives her a sympathetic glance and then escorts her towards an escalator. They hop on it, and Manon marvels at the way gray steps move automatically towards the top.
“This place is pretty cool, huh?” Alan asks her as they pass through an aisle full of potions.
“Yeah, it’s cool so far,” she agrees.
Her gaze meanders past various stalls and shelves before her gaze fixes on the sight of something green. She rushes up to a doll in the precarious shape of a green gecko, golden eyes glimmering at her. Manon picks it up, noticing the words Treeko Doll carved onto the label at the base of its left leg. She shows it to Alan and he eyes it warily.
“Isn’t it cute?” She asks him.
The boy flushes, backing away. “Well...I wouldn’t consider it cute …”
She pouts and then looks at the doll again, staring at its features. She thinks it’s cute. Regardless of what Alan says, it’s the most adorable thing she’s ever seen.
Still ...she places it back on its rack, letting it settle in amongst its friends. Alan gives her a look, raising his eyebrows, and she gives as carefree a shrug as she can manage.
“It’s cute,” she says, “but I don’t have any money for it.”
There’s a long pause from her traveling partner before he asks: “Do you want me to buy it for you?”
Her heart jumps a step and she turns to him, raising her hands and shaking them in denial. “N-No, don’t do that! I don’t need it. Really, I don’t!”
He gives her a long, long look. She cringes under it.