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“Please don’t say that. It’ll just make this harder.”
Why did he say that? What level of jerk was he?
Urbain had done what his grandmother wanted. He’d be doing his part to make Lumiose City - maybe even all of Kalos - for people and Pokémon. He was doing a service. And he’d be getting closer to his grandmother, the only family he had left.
So why didn’t he feel good about it?
“Did you see the way she… looked at me?” he mumbled to himself. Manectric simply snuffed, not bothering to look up. It was basically saying to its Trainer: ‘you reap what you sow.’ And he did. And now he’d probably lost Furina forever.
The minute he saw her expression, he knew he’d done something so incredibly wrong. That was his first mistake. “Okay,” she said, her voice quivering (which it never did). “Fine. It’s your decision. Who am I to argue with that?” She looked absolutely crushed. But… it’s not like Urbain could just change his mind. Jett was his family. He owed her. “So…” said Emma, breaking the silence. “Can’t wait to see you on the Pokémon Showcase stage, Furina! Mimi and I will watch every show from home, I promise! And I’ll make sure everyone else does, too!” Wait, the what stage?! “Furina, you’re gonna compete in the Pokémon Showcase?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell me?” That was his second mistake. “I was TRYING to, Urbain!!!” she screamed, shaking the entire building. “I was trying to tell you all night, but you wouldn’t listen! I wanted to break it to you properly before I left this weekend!” She huffed, crossing her arms. He could see tears beading up in her eyes.
“And to think,” she continued. “I actually felt bad for leaving Lumiose City behind… when you would do the same in a heartbeat.” What? No, he wouldn’t! It wasn’t that simple! It was just… just… “Come on, Eris,” she said to her Absol. “I think we’ve imposed long enough. Floette, I’ll see you home.” She turned on her heel, heading for the door. Urbain knew he should’ve chased her, but he just wouldn’t pick his feet up. That was his third mistake. Furina stopped at the door, not turning around. “Goodbye, Urbain,” she said. “I hope you’re proud of yourself.” He wasn’t. He really wasn’t. Floette tugged on his sleeve, trying to pull him along with her. “Floette, I can’t,” he rasped. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” The look on her face was devastating. But reluctantly, she released him and floated over to the raventte. “Furina, please,” he begged. “Don’t make me do this. Don’t make me choose between you.” This time, Furina did look back. And she looked absolutely destroyed.
“I think you already have.”
He hated what he did. It was the wrong choice. Sure, Jett was his family. But he’d only known that for a few minutes at that point. Team MZ had been his family long before that. And now… he was just like Furina’s sister, whoever she was. Urbain didn’t need to know who she was. He knew what she was: a stone-cold, heartless primadonna who turned her back on her little sister the second she was promised something she only started caring about recently. Furina needed her, and nowadays, she only ever got radio silence. Urbain was no better than that sister. And he felt so slimy for it.
He leaned forward in the bed of his new room, rubbing his face as he groaned. Quasartico Inc. had a residential penthouse at the top of its headquarters. That was where he was living with Jett now (well, where he would be living once he went back to Hotel Z to get his stuff). But he really wasn’t looking forward to that. Furina had no doubt badmouthed him to Naveen and Lida by now. Oh, who was he kidding? Everyone in Lumiose knew by now. There was probably a bounty on his head. But even being assassinated wouldn’t be nearly as painful as this. Furina was the most wonderful girl. She was pragmatic and stern, but also kind and warm. She saw Pokémon as an extension of herself. She raised them rather than trained them, and she actually hated battling. So he really should’ve seen the whole Pokémon Showcase thing coming.
This was by no means what AZ wanted for him.
What an idiot he was.
After getting turned around five times, Vinnie finally directed him to Jett’s office. Once he was outside, he breathed deeply. This was going to be… interesting. Maybe even painful. But it didn’t matter. He owed this to Furina. So with a glare from Manectric, he knocked on the door. “Come in!” said Jett’s voice from inside. Well, it was now or never. He pushed the door open to see Jett shredding something. She looked up at her grandson, smiling. “Urbain, darling!” she chimed. “Have a seat! Skiddo, door.” Her Skiddo trotted over to the door, closing it behind Urbain. “Can I get you something?” she asked. “I have water in the fridge under my desk.” Who needs a minifridge? Maybe they were too different. “Nah, I’m good,” he mumbled. “I’m not staying long.”
She finally looked up at him, noticing his solemn expression. She set a few more documents aside to clear space on her desk. “Well, what did you need?” she asked. Ohhh, this was not gonna be fun. He ran a hand over the back of one of the chairs in front of her desk. It felt so… foreign. He was used to the fabric armchairs at Hotel Z. “Gram, I love you,” he began. “But I can’t be like you.” Her features wilted into a mixture of confusion and disappointment. “I… I don’t understand,” she said. Furina had taught him that sometimes, brutal honesty was the only way to make people understand. So that was what he did.
“All of this?” he said, gesturing to her office. “This isn’t who I am. I’m not a sedimentary person. I’m not meant to be cooped up in an office all day, only to have paparazzi blinding and suffocating me the minute I step out to get some breathing room!” He could see Jett rising to her feet, grasping the desk for some kind of stability. “W-Well, you won’t be here all the time,” she said. “I plan on bringing you with me for some business trips! You’ll get to see the sights and meet some people!” That just made it worse. The only ‘people’ he’d meet were either business executives or their spoiled, stuck-up kids. “I spoke too rashly the other day,” he continued. “I’m honored that you offered me this opportunity, but… I’m not the person you want running your company.” He wasn’t that sorry.
In fact, he wasn’t sorry at all.
What if she was making a huge mistake?
Furina stared at the mannequin, which held the dress she planned to wear onstage. Corbeau had gone with her to Laverre City to pick it out. She felt terrible about dragging him away from work, but let’s be honest: if she said that her rent was due, he’d probably have his grunts pin her down while he shoved ungodly amounts of money in her pockets. And they say chivalry is dead.
Anyway, the stores in Lumiose were nice, but they were not one-stop shops. And since Valerie had a reputation (and they’d met before), she was easy to trust. And she’d crafted Furina a beautiful dress that she was sure to ‘shine like a whole new sun in’. But she didn’t feel like a sun. She felt dull. Frigid. Maybe she’d been a little too hard on Urbain. But in her defense, he’d certainly strung her along. Did their kiss under Prism Tower mean nothing to him?
“URBAIN!!!”
Furina’s heart lurched as she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. Please be okay, please be okay, she mentally repeated to herself. She didn’t even stop to make sure Eris was following her (which she was). All that mattered was Urbain. And Floette. Floette was important, too. So naturally, she was just as relieved to see her in Urbain’s arms as he slid down the wreckage. Thank Arceus he was alright. “She’s okay,” he breathed as the tiny Pokémon sat upright. Good. That was good. Eris galloped over to them, her trainer’s hat in her jaws. Oh, it must’ve blown off while she was running. “Good girl,” said Furina as she took it back. Floette drifted towards the Absol, laying on her back and dropping her flower. Eris scooped that up as well, careful not to break the stem. Awww. Eris was always a very maternal creature.
“At least that pebble Zygarde gave me finally came in handy,” she said. She held the Zygardite up, staring at it through one open eye. Urbain gaped at the stone in awe. “Whoa,” he said. “I had no idea Zygarde could Mega Evolve! Then again, there’s tons of Pokémon whose Mega Evolutions we haven’t discovered until recently! Makes you wonder what other Legendary Pokémon can Mega Evolve that we don’t know about! Like Suicune or Cresselia or Lugia or--”
“Urbain?”
The blond immediately tensed, his eyes widening and his lips pursing. “Yes, ma’am?” he squeaked. Adorable. Relief and ardor coalesced into one audacious spot, and before she could stop herself, Furina grabbed him by that ridiculous t-shirt and pulled him in for a kiss. She was just about to pull away and apologize when she felt a hand on her cheek. Thank MORE than Arceus. It probably didn’t do shit. When they finally separated, she replaced her lips with her fingertips. “You know I love the sound of your voice,” she said. “But just… shhhh… for now.” He simply chuckled as the two’s foreheads met.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Oh, what was she thinking? Of course it didn’t mean anything. He probably saw it as a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. Because that was kind of what it was. Eris huffed at her the way Pokémon do, resting her head on Furina’s knee. The ravenette scratched her snowy fur, slipping off her bed and onto the floor. “Don’t you waste another moment thinking about it, beautiful,” she cooed. “We’re getting a fresh start, starting now. Oh, yes, we are!” She was so sure she’d thrive in the Pokémon Showcase. Maybe she could even become Kalos Queen.
But then what?
A cold, lonely existence surrounded by people who only care about you on a surface level? Apathetic managers and mentally unstable fans? No one who genuinely loved you? Of course, she’d always have her Eris. But as much as it killed her to say this, sometimes Eris… just wasn’t enough. Then again, Urbain had gone and done the exact same thing. She knew him. She knew that he’d hate that kind of life after less than a month. It wasn’t what he was born for. But what was he born for? Her? Don’t be ridiculous, Furina.
Knock, knock!
“Come in,” she droned. Was it Lida wanting her hair tie back? Or Naveen wanting his mannequin back? “Hey,” said a familiar voice. Neither, apparently. Furina stood up, not even looking at Urbain. “Hey,” she replied curtly. Ouch. That stung her. The boy was silent for a moment. He then tentatively approached her, holding a filled cup-and-saucer set with silhouettes of the Eeveelution line decorating it. “I made you some tea,” he offered. Oh. That was… nice. “Thank you,” she whispered, accepting the cup. She took a sip, and instantly, her muscles relaxed. Liligant Tea always had that effect on her. She was slightly less mad at him now. Slightly.
“Wow,” he breathed. “Is that your dress for the Showcase?” He stared at it, sitting where she once had on her bed. Against her better judgment, she sat next to him. “Uh-huh,” she replied. He should’ve been able to deduce that. “It’s beautiful,” he added before turning his head away from her. “You’re… beautiful.” Furina could feel her face burning from that. She scoffed, both at Urbain and herself; Urbain for resorting to such cheap flattery, and herself for having let her thick skin that she’d spent years building thin out. “Spit it out, Urbain,” she demanded. “before it fucking gags you.”
He was silent again for a while after that. The whole room was deafeningly silent. “I’m sorry,” he finally rasped, leaning forward. He was sorry? Sorry didn’t make up for everything. You can’t put a band-aid over a bullet wound. But… at least he bothered to get a band-aid. “I know,” she said. She could acknowledge that he was trying. That didn't mean she had to forgive him. “Alright,” she finally said, setting her cup aside. “I guess you’re here for your stuff. I can help you pack.” He stood as well, opening the door but not walking out. “I’d appreciate that,” he said. Eris followed Furina out of the room, growling at Urbain. He didn’t deserve that much, but Furina wouldn’t say that she shouldn’t have done it.
Urbain’s room was exactly how he left it. Of course it was. He’d only been gone three days. But it had felt like forever to Furina. “What’s the temperature like where you’re going?” he asked, making a beeline for his dresser. Why did that matter? Also, something was off. He was… different. “It’s gonna fluctuate,” she replied. “Where’s your jacket?” He didn’t answer. He just pulled a suitcase out from under his bed and began dropping random clothes inside. “And what’s the weather like?” he asked. “Sunny? Snowy? Rainy?” Why did he need to know these things? “Urbain, stop!” she said sternly. “What’s going on? Why do you need a parka to go to your grandmother’s?!” He finally stood back up, his expression laced with finality. “I’m not moving in with Gram,” he replied simply. Now Furina was just bewildered. “Well, that’ll make trying to find a work-life balance a nightmare,” she muttered. “But you do you, I guess.”
“No, Furina…” he continued. “I changed my mind. I don’t want to work for Quasartico. I wanna be with you!” He… He did? “But…” stuttered Furina, quieter than she’d like to admit. “But what about Jett? She’s your family.” The blond took both her hands, looking her right in the eyes. “You’re my family,” he said. “You were right, Furina. You were right all along. Blood isn’t always thicker than water. The only blood I care about from now on is the blood of your rivals splattered on your face.” He was quiet for a moment before turning pink as a Cherubi. “Not gonna lie,” he continued. “that mental picture is extremely hot.” Furina couldn’t help but burst out laughing at that comment. She wiped her eyes as she sighed in relent.
“Ohhh… we’re a bloody mess.”
“Emphasis on ‘bloody’.”
“Shut up!”
She lightly smacked his shoulder as she giggled. As soon as she calmed down, she realized the gravity of his decision. “But I’m gonna be running all over Kalos,” she said. “I don’t know when I’m gonna stop. You might get tired of following me.” Urbain cupped her hands together, kissing them oh so reverently. “After all you’ve done for me?” he countered. “I’d follow you to the end of the world.” Oh. Oh, my. Furina could feel her torso heating up from that. “And I know what you’re gonna say,” he continued. “I’m being too impulsive, I’m not thinking about the consequences… well, I have. I’ve thought long and hard about this. And besides, we’d be leaving Lumiose in capable hands.” She couldn’t argue with that. Lumiose was chock full of capable trainers who would rush to defend it at a moment’s notice. Not all of them would be chosen by Zygarde, but not even it dared to hold her back.
“Then you might want to hold off on that parka,” she said. “Our first stop is Anistar City. And it can get huuuu-mid!” Urbain snickered at her emphasis. “Yes, ma’am,” he crowed.
Furina woke up the next morning to a million missed calls. She didn’t have time to say goodbye to everyone before she left that afternoon, but she managed to hit the major few. Philippe cried genuine tears (whether or pride or woe, she couldn’t say), and Griselle wanted to go with her to ‘protect’ her. Canari had given her a lucky charm, and Lebanne made sure to offer them first-class train tickets. Emma gave her the biggest hug ever, and Ansha made them some special donuts for the journey. Now Furina was staring out the window, scratching Eris’s jaw and watching Prism Tower’s visage fade into the distance. She and Urbain promised to video call Lida and Naveen every night. Floette had decided to stay at the hotel, which, in Furina’s mind, was for the best.
“So absolute disaster, milady,” said Urbain, returning with Manectric to their conjoined seats with refreshments in hand. “They did not have a Pachirisu Float at the café two cars down. So I hope some Brionne Soda will be sufficient. They swore to me it was the same thing.” She chuckled softly to herself, accepting the glass and admiring its decoration. “That’s fine, darling,” she assured him with a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.” He giggled dopily as she sipped from the drink. It was actually really good. The difference was almost nonexistent. And she liked the Popplio line anyway. She wouldn’t have one of her own, but it was still a really cute and interesting Pokémon.
She leaned against her boyfriend’s (EEEEEEE!!!) shoulder, watching the scenery whiz past. Eris and Manectric were snuggled up on the floor together. Awww. With Urbain’s arm wrapped around her, she really couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a wonderful commute anywhere. But the skin of his arm against her neck reminded her of something. Something that was bugging her. “Okay, I have to ask, because it’s eating me alive,” she blurted. “What the hell happened to your jacket?” Urbain simply shrugged, taking a sip from his own drink. “I gave it to a friend,” he replied. That was frustratingly vague. Also…
“But wasn’t that jacket your mum’s?” she asked. “Why would you give it away just like that?” Urbain shrugged again, smiling as he watched Eris kick Manectric in her sleep.
“I think she needed it more than I did.”