Love in the Time of Tropics

Chapter 11: A Dancer

I suppose Lillie is ultimately really liked, ha ha. Well, hopefully you all continue to like her even into this chapter. Time for Chapter 11!

Chapter 11

A Dancer

"So, Lillie, tell us about yourself," Ash said to the girl as their group of six made their way through the remainder of the meadow. They had already been making good progress for the day, hindered only by the introductions of their Pokémon (which inevitably led to a hyperactive Chespin scaring Nebby and being reined in by Pikipek). So, really, it came as a surprise that Ash had finally chosen to ask this now, as they completed the final descent to the bay, the sun lowering ever so slowly on the horizon.

"Not too much to tell," Lillie answered, twiddling her fingers together. "I guess...I've been living with Professor Kukui in the Hau'oli Outskirts for the last six months. The people there are all really nice and have taken care of me."

"Hmm," Ash said, nodding a bit. Pikachu almost looked at him in concern for being so lost in thought. "Does that mean you know Hau?"

"H-Hau?" Lillie stammered in surprise. Serena turned to see the faintest of blushes settle into her cheeks. "Yes, I know Hau. He's a very energetic and nice person. We would spend time together, occasionally."

"Do you like him then?" Bonnie asked innocently. Serena's eyes slid backwards at the same time as her boyfriend's, the both of them no doubt suspecting Bonnie's intentions. Sure enough, her own eyes were glittering mischievously while Clemont sighed.

"I think Hau is very fun to hang around," Lillie answered, clutching her bag strap tighter. "He'd sometimes help me when Professor Kukui would get carried away with research. There was one time the Professor allowed himself to be hit by one of Hala's Tauros and he had to be taken to the Pokémon Center. Hau helped me out then and we went for malasadas afterwards. I never knew someone could eat so much!"

"Then you've never seen Ash eat," Serena laughed out. Ash turned and glared at her a little, though she swatted his arm to indicate it was all in good fun. "He can put food away like no one else. And Pikachu and Rowlet are the same."

"Good food leads to good sleep which leads to good training," Ash instructed Lillie, and Pikachu nodded, sharing agreement with his trainer.

"Sadly, I think Chespin has them all beat in that regard," Clemont said, shaking his head. "But at least we all eat well, and it's always nice to have friends that know other friends."

"Or maybe more than friends," Bonnie teased with a grin. Serena frowned at the girl, though she hardly seemed deterred by it. Part of that may have been because of the confused Rotom muttering "human interactions are foreign to Rotom". Lillie, on the other hand, seemed to have ignored Bonnie's little taunts entirely, her legs carrying her ahead of the group to a small outcropping before a dirt and wood path that sloped down. Serena looked back towards the girl, her white dress and hat swaying in the breeze and she made to join her on the outcropping.

"Oh, it's beautiful," Serena said. Next to her, Lillie nodded. Nebby popped his head out of the bag to look at the sight stretched before them. A bright and sparkling sea, contained by an arching beach, lay below the outcropping at the foot of the wooden steps. That beach also seemed to stretch in multiple directions, one back on the path to Iki Town and the other to the mountain Gladion had ascended earlier. Sitting on the piece of ocean that there was, seemed to be the Ceremony Hall, looking far more advanced than the one in Pua Town, glowing with the soon to be setting sun.

"We're almost there!" Ash announced and Serena looked to see that he had already put a foot on the stairs downward. "Just down these steps."

"Coming," Serena called to him. Lillie continued to stare at the bay with shining eyes, and the honey-blonde was forced to tug at her arm to divert her attention.