Pokemon X & Y Reimagined

Chapter 7: Clemont's Secret

Lumoise City beamed in the morning sunlight just as Ash remembered it. He and his friends entered through the southern boulevard and took the wonderous metropolis in.

"Ahh, Lumiose city, it's been too long." Serena clasped her hands together while her eyes glistened.

"Huh? Weren't you here a few days ago?" Ash asked.

"Oui, but I was in a hurry then. There's still so much that I want to do here. Visit the shops, boutiques, restaurants, and maybe some of the sights." Serena rubbed her hands together and glanced toward Ash with pink cheeks.

"Ahh, oui, well, Ash still can't challenge the gym leader here with just one badge. We should get a move on." Clemont shook a little and spoke faster than usual. Ash and Serena saw the anxiety in his eyes and looked at each other alongside Pikachu.

"Clemont, we just got here. There's no need to hurry-" Ash started, but soon Bonnie pushed him and Serena from behind. To their utter surprise, her expression mirrored Clemont's.

"Brother is right. We should get moving. Lumiose is boring."

"Boring!? Aren't you from here?" Serena muttered in disbelief.

"Oui, and it's boring." Clemont tried to help Bonnie push them along, but even their combined efforts could not move Ash.

"Guys, we have to visit Professor Sycamore while we're here."

"Oui, Ash is right. I want to say bonjour to him too." Serena walked with Ash toward the lab and left the siblings trembling. However, Ash found the door locked when they arrived at the lab.

"Professor, professor, it's us!"

"Pika, Pikachu!"

"Professor!" Serena joined in, but there was no reply.

"Hmm, he must not be home." Disappointment soured Ash's tone and expression.

"Ahh, that's too bad." Clemont sighed in clear relief despite his words.

"Hmm, well, we could always hit the boutiques!" Serena beamed, and Bonnie trembled with visible conflict on her face.

"We, we. Wait for Bonnie!" She cried and raced after Serena. Ash, Pikachu, and Clemont looked at each other. Ash traveled with enough girls to know where this was going. Clemont understood by the look of his exhausted expression. They sweatdropped with Pikachu. The morning soon disappeared into a series of boutiques, salons, and shops. Serena led them with Bonnie at her hip. Ash, Clemont, and Pikachu waited outside one clothing shop after Fennekin got groomed.

"Boy, Serena is having the time of her life." Ash said with a sheepish smile. However, he and Pikachu saw Clemont's nervous twitch as they waited. "Clemont, something is clearly bothering you since we got here. What's wrong?"

"I, I, I don't know what you're talking about." His voice cracked as he spoke, and Clemont avoided Ash's eyes. However, he refused to let the inventor evade him. Ash grabbed Clemont's shoulder and pulled him over.

"Clemont, I'm your friend. You can tell me-"

"Ta-da!" Serena emerged in a new outfit. New was not entirely correct, though. Serena wore a different variation of her usual attire, only with a white top, blue skirt, and black hat.

"Aren't we beautiful!" Bonnie emerged beside her, and Fennekin between them.

"Oui!" Clemont screamed in an apparent attempt to change the topic.

"Well, what do you think?" Serena rubbed her hands together and blushed a little when she asked Ash, avoiding his eyes.

"Uhh, it looks great." Ash sweatdropped. He never had a knack for fashion and the fact that Serena wore more or less the same outfit, just in different colors. However, he blinked at how well she took the compliment via her giggles and beaming expression.