Wonderlocke - Chapter 31

Chapter 31

SMACK!

There was no more than three seconds of silence heralding Diantha’s departure before it was broken rather abruptly.

“Hey!” exclaimed Max as his hat sailed past David and landed in front of the Pokémon who had cleared a path for the actress’s exit. “What was that for?!”

SMACK!

“Blimey!” growled the boy as both his cheeks now sported the same red mark across them. “What did I ever do to you?!”

Bailey pursed her lips with her hands on her hips and her blue-green eyes glaring.

Max looked to David in an expression of pure gobsmacked bewilderment. The taller boy shrugged and shook his head before raising his hands up to ward off the girl’s glare when it had briefly turned to him.

“I don’t know,” stated Bailey. Her calm tone oozing sarcasm as the glare was brought back to Max. “It might be that you managed to both physically assault and verbally insult one of the most important people within the Kalos Region. I lost my chance to ask her about her Gardevoir!”

“Well excuse me if I’m not a fan of stupid actresses,” grumbled the boy while accepting his hat from his Luxio. “I have better things to do than fawn over famousy stuff.”

SMACK!

“You. Are. An. Idiot.” She enunciated every word as through she truly was talking to an idiot. She crossed her arms and turned her back to him with her nose in the air. “She’s more than just any old actress you know.”

“Leave Unova they said …” growled Max darkly. “Travel the world they said … It’ll be a good experience they said.”

“Can we keep her?” asked the Luxio once the hat was free from its mouth. He was addressing David directly. “Max needs some much needed sense beaten into him every now and again. She would make a lovely wife for him.”

David’s mouth dropped the same moment Max choked on a sharply inhaled breath. The shorter boy broke into a furious fit of coughing and gasping. Bailey turned back towards them with her eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed to the right side of her face.

If at all possible, Max’s glare darkened considerably. He pulled out a small white package from his bag and began opening it. “Are you feeling peckish at all?”

The Luxio’s Cheshire Purloin grin swiftly morphed into a dark scowl to match Max’s. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, but I would! Bon appetite!” With that, the boy withdrew a small yellow treat and stuffed the whole thing into his mouth.

“What are you on about?” snapped Bailey as her affronted expression did an unwilling change into concern.

“Mm’ve gwowm umph awoump evenkri twyes.” He took a moment to hastily gulp down what he could of the treat. “I kmow what dey are swaying.”

At the end of that garbled sentence, the boy lit up as an electric current coursed through his body. He managed to remain on his feet though.

“I’m sorry,” said Bailey with disgust clear in her stance. “I don’t speak Grumpig. Can you try again when your mouth is not full?”

“I think he was trying to say that he can understand what his Electric-type Pokémon are saying to him,” muttered David softly.

“Oh really?” asked the girl in a failed attempt to cover up interest.

“And,” said David with a sigh. “I can usually understand them word for word as well.”

Both Bailey and Max shared looks of intrigue before rounding on David.

“Really?” asked Max loudly. “That’s so cool! How did you learn how to do it?”

“Could you be any louder?” grumbled Bailey, but her irritation couldn’t swamp out her fascination.

David ducked his head and glanced at the ground. A yelp sounded as the Butterfree he’d forgotten was perched on top of his head slipped off. He caught Casper in his arms before the Pokémon had to use its wings to catch itself.

“I didn’t learn it from anywhere,” muttered David. “I was born with this ability to understand most of the Pokémon around me as though I’m talking to other people. I can still hear them speaking in their own names, but somewhere between the sounds reaching my ears and my brain it gets translated into something I can understand.”

There was a long moment of silence as he chewed on his lip and awaited their replies.

“THAT’S SO COOL!” exclaimed Max at the top of his voice. He quickly lowered his tone when Bailey’s hand twitched beside him. “Gulp, heh. It took me eight years to learn basic Electric-type speech. Pure Elecric types, like Luxio here, are easier to understand than a combined type like my Magnemite. I’m jealous, Bud. Looks like I’ve got myself a pretty cool rival!”

David’s mouth twitched as the corners started a hesitant and relieved smile. “Really?”

“I think understanding your Pokémon’s words will help you a lot on your travels,” said Bailey while beaming at him. “Since I’ve missed Diantha for now, I’d like to travel with you for a bit; if you don’t mind. I promised Professor Oak I’d travel around in search of Fairy-types so I’d like to travel the Kalos Region to find more of them. None of the other regions I’ve been to have nearly so many of them!”

“Thanks,” said David with warmth. “It means a lot to me.”

“I’ll come too!” exclaimed Max. “Where are you headed next?”

“Well,” replied David. “I was planning to head toward Camphrier Town on my way to battle the Cyllage City Gym. I would love the company.”

“Right then!” said Max with enthusiasm. “Meet you outside.”

With that, he dove out the window of which he’d previously used to make his grand entrance. Bailey raised an eyebrow towards David while the Luxio rolled its eyes and grumbled under its breath.

“What’s up with him?” asked the girl while absently stroking one of the cotton-like wings of the Swablu sitting on her shoulder.

David chuckled lightly while following the Luxio out the electronic door to the café. “Max doesn’t like technology. From what I gather, he seems to be very paranoid about it. I don’t think it started with Kalos. His Luxio seems to grumble about it happening before.”

“Hurry up Slowpokes!” shouted the boy as he took off running down the street with his electric cat at his heels. “See you in Camphrier Town!”