Where did she go?! I ran around Petalburg City, freshly dropped off my my father's Salamence. I knew that I couldn't be much help to Flora, but I felt that I had to do something, and that I shouldn't let her wait any longer for the little sympathy I could give. I checked around the pokemon center, the gym, and main streets, but I was unable to find her anywhere. Think! Where would you go if you were her? Probably a place without many people, natural features...

I ran for one of the town's ponds. There she was sitting with her feet in the water.

"You know, if you do that the pokemon might bite," I said.

She laughed just a little, but didn't turn my way. "I guess that's something that a good trainer would know."

"You are a good trainer though."

"Yeah right... Look at me always losing... I can't do what a child can."

"You're right." I pulled a pokeball out and started tossing it up and down in my hand. "You can do so much more."

"How bad are you at this comforting thing anyways?!" She tossed a small rock in my direction, but missed me entirely.

"Quite bad actually. Say, Mari, come out of your pokeball."

The blue water mouse burst out of its capsule. Flora turned around surprised.

I waited a second. "Well what are you waiting for? Are we going to battle or what?"

She couldn't quite tell what was happening, but nodded and stood up out of the water.

I released my Bagon from his pokeball. "Come on Bagel, let's show them how strong we are!" The little two legged dragon growled and stomped its feet. "Headbutt!"

He charged forward at the opposing Marill, who dodged, sending Bagel plunging into the water. He came up a few seconds later gasping for air in a frantic dog paddle, the pokemon's short arms not letting it do hardly anything.

"Oh man, how nice it would be to have a water pokemon that could take use of the terrain right now!"

She got the hint. Finally smiling, she issued her first command. "Mari, Dive into the water and hit Bagle out, then pelt it with Water Guns using the pond as your cover!"

The mouse lept into its element and a moment later Bagel was sent flying out of the water. I kind of feel sorry for making him the punching bag. A few shots of water later and the poor guy was fainted on the ground. "Well, I guess I lost! Return Bagel." I smiled at Flora. "Looks like I'm the loser here!"

She withdrew Mari. She sighed, but I could tell that I had an impact on her, however small. "You just let me win. I'm still a huge loser."

"Not true! I'm the one who didn't even try to become anything for eight years! You tried, and I'm sure you gained lots of great experiences from it in the process. I have nothing to show for those eight lost years."

She covered up her mouth and tried not to laugh, but some leaked out. "For someone who claims he doesn't like pokemon you sure talk about them a lot!"

Wow, she's right. "Errr... quiet!"

We both smiled and laughed together.

Did I actually just cheer her up?

Standing got awkward quite quickly so I sat down next to the water, and she followed. I just looked out over the water's surface, watching the ripples distort the lowering sun's image. The wind blew lightly, and caused ripples in both the water and the sea of grass that we sat on. It really was a nice day outside.

Flora's stomach growled and her face immediately turned red.

"Don't tell me that you've been starving yourself?"

"I might have forgotten to eat lunch..."

I jokingly sighed. "Now what am I going to do with you not eating?" I figured my father's cooking techniques might surprise her, so I was prepared to whip something together.

"Well you lost, you should take me to eat as my reward!"

I didn't like that sound of that, especially after I had just gotten a fresh allowance from mom at home.

She stood up and took off her sash that held all of her pokeballs. "Come on, let's go!"

"Without our pokemon? You just took off your sash."

"Yes without them. They'll be fine for a little bit on their own," she said with a wink.

I felt my face get a little red and I diverted my eyes, but I nodded a little in agreement. I removed my backpack and she grabbed my arm, pulling me into running towards the nearest restaurant.

Soon as we were out of sight Aaron popped out of his pokeball. There was rage in his eyes. I had been the one to run off with Flora, not him. He stealthily pursued after us, ready to disrupt me in my first chance at success.

-----

This was it. My first date with Flora. Could I actually call it a date? Probably. I counted it at least. She sat across from me on a two person table with an umbrella going through the center. It was a pretty average outside restaurant, and had a wooden plank floor.

A waitress brought out two ice cream sundaes on a platter out of the building.

I started getting out of my chair. "I'm going to--"

There was a sound like something knocking on wood from below the floorboards and the waitress started to trip. The ice cream came flying off the tray and headed straight for Flora.

No! Not the food! I leapt in the way, wishing to catch the ice cream before it got ruined. Unfortunately, I am not that skilled, and instead the dessert got all over me. "--be taking this ice cream to go!"

From Flora's perspective, I bet it looked like I saw it coming and stood up to block it from hitting her. Really I was just getting up to use the restroom.

Nice accidental save!

Flora laughed hysterically, and I smiled, despite the freezing sensation coming over my body.

"I'm so sorry! It's all my fault! I'll bring out some towels and bring you another one!" The waitress fled inside.

I sat myself down. "Looks like we're going to have to wait a little longer for our ice cream."

"You sure don't, you already took all of it!"

I took a spoon and scooped some of the ice cream that was not yet dirty. I held it out to her. "Here, you can try some."

She leaned forward and ate off of the spoon.

Step 1: Feeding each other. Complete!

"Hm. It'll be nice to have more of that."

The waitress brought out a towel and I did my best to wipe it off. She then gave us a new set of sundaes.

It wasn't but a moment later that Flora had already finished hers.

"Good grief girl, just how long did you go without eating?"

She didn't answer, and instead got the waitress's attention. "We'd like to order now!"

Wait, why did you order sundaes first if we were going to have actual meals?!

"I'll have the steak meal."

I can already feel my wallet screaming out for help... "I suppose I'll have a cheeseburger."

The girl took our order and scurried off.

Flora's stomach growled again.

"You're still that hungry? Here, we can share mine to tide you over." I stuck two straws into my sundae and pushed it forward. Step 2: Share the same food. Complete!

We shared it to the best of our ability, but I got a few brain freezes from trying to keep up with her eating speed. I thought this was supposed to be a pleasant thing to do.

Our food took a while to cook this time, so we passed the time by talking. She told me all about her adventures before I had joined her, and I told her a little about my life at home. Let's just say I mainly listened because I didn't have much to say about that period of time.

A little bit later the waitress came out with our food. She was only a few steps away when there was another floorboard thudding sound and the girl tripped again. The food went all over the ground this time. The girl slumped to the floor and looked like she was about to cry. "I did it again! I'm way too clumsy today."

Someone called out from the kitchen. "Tell them I'll make some more and this time it's on the house!"

All right! Free food! Step 3: Handle the bill. Kind of complete!

The girl once again cleaned up the mess as soon as she could, bringing out our well waited for meals out when they were available. This time, she did not trip.

"Thanks," Flora said quietly.

"You're a little late for that, the waitress is already through the door."

"It wasn't for--oh well. Let's eat! I'm starving!"

"You did that to yourself..."

She ignored me and started shoving food into mouth.

Not very lady-like today are you?

We ate in silence. I don't know about her, but I was too busy savoring the food that I was a rare treat for me. I had forgotten how good restaurant food could be! Once we finished up, the sun was starting to set.

"We should probably get back to our pokemon," I said, implying the time.

She quickly stood up out of her chair. "Race ya!" She took off towards the pond with a big smile on her face.

"Hey! No fair!" I stood up as well, and broke out into a run behind her. "You got a head start!" It felt like I was being a kid again, especially since I had hardly ran at all in many years, but also because right now, I was with a friend. Though in my mind she was already more than that. Me and my delusional teenage mind...

When we got back we picked up our bags and headed out to find a camping spot. It was a great day, but it still had to end. Like usual, we picked a spot slightly outside of the city grounds with a clearing. I laid down my sleeping bag and Flora put hers closer to mine than usual. I expected Aaron to jump out and headbutt me, but he didn't do it. Maybe he's getting a little more mature or something.

Little did we know that Aaron was not in his pokeball and that he had no intention of coming back.

***

A/N: Sorry I'm late! I had a mixture of busyness and writer's block, so it was rather hard to finish this week's chapter. Oh how nice it'll be to have time after graduation :D