Chapter Text
“Okay, ready to record!” Urbain glances around the station plaza, eyes skirting over the train station plaza, watching the direction of the shadows cast by the many rushing by. “Now all we need is a tourist fresh off the train.” A smile pulls at the corners of his mouth as he watches the three bouncing Pokemon. “Hope you three are ready for the spotlight again!”
Chikorita, Tepig, and Totodile leave him grinning as they make happy noises. Urbain isn’t sure if they just really like the camera or the praise and treats that come with the postproduction, but who is he to complain? As long as his partners are happy to participate, then that’s all he can ask for. Well, almost all he can ask for.
“If we’re gonna protect Lumiose, we’ll need a bigger team! So let’s keep spreading the word about how great Hotel Z is. And once we get a guest who has what it takes, we’ll recruit ‘em to the cause! Now,” his eyes skirt the area once more, watching the dozens of people leaving the station, “we need someone with a real ‘I’m a tourist’ look.”
It isn’t long before he finds the perfect match to his description. And she’s just standing there, looking completely lost. Which only makes her an even more perfect target for Urbain; what screams tourist more than a big ol’ bag and a lost and overwhelmed look?
“Hey! You there!” The girl turns to the voice, looking unsure whether he’s talking to her or someone else. “Just pulled into Gare de Lumiose, am I right?” Her eyes narrow, now certain he’s speaking to her, but still unsure as to why. “And judging by that big old travel bag… I’ve got a hunch you’re here to see some sights!”
She’s staring at him blankly, though she is also slowly nodding. Maybe cornering tired people getting off the train, possibly having come straight from the airport, isn’t the best idea Urbain has had. But, in his defense, he doesn’t have the money to hire actors to play in his ads. And, anyway, a real person will always be more genuine than anything an actor will say.
“You’re just the type I’m looking for! And,” Urbain glances the girl up and down, though he quickly regrets it, seeing how she takes a step back and scrunches her eyebrows together, “you’re about my height. We’ll look natural standing side by side.”
So that wasn’t as smooth a save as Urbain had hoped for. The girl still looks uncomfortable. She’s also probably thinking she’s run into the biggest weirdo in all of Lumiose City and would be better off getting back on the train and heading to some other place, wherever is furthest from Urbain. And he can’t blame her; he did just sound like an absolute creep.
“Listen, please, could you do me a small favor? For real, it’ll be so small.” She doesn’t move, though her gray eyes do quickly flicker around, most probably looking for a way out of this uncomfortable situation. “I just need you to look into my camera and say ‘Hotel Z’s the best stay in in Lumiose!’ Easy, right?” No answer. “No worries if you’re staying somewhere else! I just need a hand advertising the hotel. Sound good?”
Finally, finally the girl speaks, agreeing to his terms. And though her voice does come out a little hoarse, Urbain knows this will be a hit. She’s got a pretty face and she totally looks the part of a tourist visiting Lumiose for the first time. He really hit the jackpot with this one!
“Good! Okay,” quickly, Urbain fumbles with his phone and points it at the girl, “lights, camera…”
A blaring sound resounds, causing him to nearly drop his phone as he covers an ear with his hand. He had forgotten about the risk that came with being on the train station grounds: ads played off the jumbo screen right ahead, welcoming the newcomers to the city and directing them around or advertising the new attractions that might interest curious minds.
“Ah, shoot. We can’t film with that ad blaring in the background.”
Realistically, Urbain expected the girl to just walk away just about now. There’s no reason for her to stick around – this is the perfect opportunity for her to head off to wherever it is she’s staying. And it’s not like anyone actually listens to any of the advertisement that the city or Quasatico Inc. put out. It just blends into the sounds of the city. But as Urbain turns away from the bright screen, the girl is still there; she’s still waiting for him.
“Well?” Now it’s her turn to look him up and down, and he can feel the blood rush to his face; he’ll know better than to do that to someone next time. “Are you gonna film your thing or not?”
“Right! Yeah! Let’s get this thing filmed!”
More fumbling with his phone gives the girl just enough time to stretch, her arms reaching for the sky before falling perfectly in line with her body. She looks effortlessly camera ready despite being on the train for who knows how long. At this point, he’s wondering if he didn’t randomly stop some world-renown actress or model or something, keeping her from her important life and business.
“Okay, so I just want you to look into the camera as you hold your bag and say—”
Both the girl and him glance down at the same time, both their gazes falling to her feet. Her bag, it’s gone.
“Where’s…?”
And that’s when the panic sets in, and Urbain can’t blame the girl. Her bag has fully disappeared, despite having been at her feet only a few moments prior. Everything she brought with her, it’s gone, and neither one of them knows where it has gone. But also, neither one of them had noticed someone picking it up and leaving. No one had come between them.
“Oh no. Oh no, no, no, no, no. My bag, where… Where’s my bag? I really need—”
It’s even sadder seeing the tears well up at the corners of her eyes. Urbain has rarely felt this bad for someone. And the moment the girl starts swiping the tears away, he feels his heart clench. While it’s not entirely his fault her bag has disappeared, he can’t help but feel at least partially responsible. Had he not intercepted her, then she would have gone on her merry way, never leaving her bag out of her sight. If it weren’t for his interference, then she wouldn’t be panicking as she is now.
“I’ll help you find it! I promise, we’ll find it. It can’t be that—”
“You!”
Urbain shoots up, his back straightening. There’s power in that voice that had once been hoarse or coated in anxiety. There’s something so imposing, an authority he hadn’t expected from the unassuming girl. She now radiates power, so much so that it takes him a moment to realize she’s not yelling at him. No, instead she’s locked eyes with a Pancham, the little creature frozen in place, her large travel bag resting on the top of its head.
“Give that back!”
Urbain almost stumbles back as the girl takes off after the little thief. Though he doesn’t stay stunned for too long, quickly following her pace as they make their way through the Lumiose City alleyways. She’s in this situation because of him; the least he can do is help her get her belongings back.
She’s barking orders that do nothing, but that doesn’t stop her from commanding the Pokemon to return her bag. And every once in awhile, the Pancham turns back to her, almost as if it were mocking her, which only fires her up more. Urbain almost has a hard time keeping up with the two, but his burning lungs will not stop him from coming to this girl’s aid.
“Slow down! You’re gonna get hurt at this—”
It’s too late for that. It’s too late as Urbain crashes his shoulder into a brick wall, the building stopping him from skidding any further. And it’s too late to prevent any other sort of trouble: the train station girl is already standing before two trainers, most probably the owners of the little thief.
“Give me back my bag!”
“What? This ugly thing?” The owner of the Pancham laughs as she holds up the tattered bag. “Sure, you can have it back. If you’re strong enough.”
The girl lunges at the one holding her bag, but the Pancham is quick to stop her, screaming until she stumbles back. What these people want is a Pokemon battle, but it doesn’t take a genius to know that this girl isn’t a trainer. And if she is, if she does have any Pokemon with her, they’re in the bag that was taken from her.
“Hey!” Urbain’s shoulder aches as he peels himself off the wall. That crash will leave a bruise, but that’s a problem for a later time. “Catch!”
Everything is going so fast; he can’t even rationalize any of his movements. All he knows is that he’s reaching for a pokeball in his bag and throwing with all his force towards the girl. And she doesn’t hesitate for a second; the catch is flawless and her smile is wicked.
“Let’s do this.”
It’s almost scary to see how comfortable she is. Any normal person would have hesitated for a moment, maybe even fumble with the pokeball. She didn’t even know what was in there! And yet, this seemed second nature to her. It seemed like releasing the Pokemon was intrinsic to her, something she had done a million times before.
“Chikorita, let’s go!”
It’s fascinating to watch this girl in battle. Even though she’s using one of Urbain’s partners, the pair work in perfect unison. Chikorita barely has a scratch on it by the time Pancham is seeing stars, lying flat on its back after a particularly brutal tackle. And while Urbain would normally be laughing or celebrating as the two trainers slowly back away from the bag, ready to bolt to the nearest Pokemon Center or anywhere else for that matter, he’s too fixated on the way the girl immediately crouched down to congratulate her new companion. He’s too fixated on the way Chikorita is circling her, letting out happy little cries as it nudges her from all around.
“She’s normally so shy.”
The girl hums as she looks up at Urbain without stopping the pets she’s been giving Chikorita. And looking down at her from this angle, Urbain wonders if she knows how scary she seemed just moments ago. Because looking at her now, there is no sign of the merciless battler that had just come out moments prior.
“She typically doesn’t want anything to do with new people. Even less with battles. She’s normally more than happy to just soak up the sun in her little corner near the hotel, and not really go out unless I’m around.”
“She’s a really strong Pokemon though.”
There’s no denying that. It barely took 5 minutes for Chikorita to knock that Pancham out. But how much of that could be solely attributed to Chikorita’s strength? Because either Chikorita is ridiculously strong and Urbain is just a terrible trainer, or this girl is a wicked trainer that pulled out all of Chikorita’s potential, making her an exceptionally strong fighter. And if Urbain is being honest, he really hopes it’s the latter.
“But how did you—? You have to be— Are you a—?”
He has so many questions, but none want to roll off his tongue. Every word feels difficult to get out. And it’s not like the girl is helping him out here. She’s just looking up at him, occasionally going back to Chikorita who is still demanding pets and snuggles from basically a stranger. Because that is what this girl is: a stranger whose name Urbain hasn’t even gotten yet.
And of course, he doesn’t have time to ask any more questions. Of course everything has to get just that much more difficult for him. His blood runs cold as red holographic barriers shoot up the walls.
“Oh sh—”
The girl must have noticed something is off; her eyes glance around, worry bleeding through her expression as she presses her bag to her chest.
“What are those?”
“It’s weird and complicated but here’s the super-short version of it: we’re in a battle zone and if we cross paths with anyone, they will want to battle. And the trainers are merciless here, so we need to get out of here asap.”
The switch between half-lost and locked-in is, once again, almost intimidating. Her fingers grip around the pokeball Urbain had tossed to her a little earlier, and if they weren’t in such a dire position, he might have taken in a little more how it seemed made for her hand. If the conditions in which they find themselves in wasn’t so risky, he might not have grabbed the bag from the girl, would not have extended his hand to her to pull her off the ground; or at least, perhaps, he would have thought about the way her hand fits in his a little more in the moment rather than as soon as his head will hit the pillow.
“Follow me! I know how to get out of here quickly!”
They’re on the move again, the girl following closely behind Urbain. They don’t talk much as they run, though he isn’t quite sure if it’s to keep a low profile, to keep his lungs from burning too much, or if it’s because his heart is doing this stupid thing where it’s beating too quickly for no reason. He can hear his own heartbeat hammering in his ears, but if he wasn’t absolutely certain the sound of his shoes against the pavement is louder than the beat in his chest, then he might have been self-conscious about whether or not others could it or not. There really isn’t a single reason why his heart should be doing summersaults in his chest like it currently is.
“What have we got here?”
Dread pools in the pit of Urbain’s stomach, leaving him frozen in place. He doesn’t dare look back, not yet at least. Not until the last bit of warmth finally slides out of his hand, leaving him bare and cold. It’s only then he manages to turn around to face the voice.
“Hey, we’re not—”
“Let’s go, Chikorita!”
Another happy sound erupts from Chikorita as it bounces to the girl’s side. It’s already weaving through her legs as they both adopt a battle stance, something that pulls a smile from Urbain as he stands on the sidelines. To think those two met a solid 15 minutes ago and now act like they’ve been partners for years and years. It must be the magic of partnership; a Pokemon just knows when its rightful trainer has been found.
“Chikorita, hit that Bunnelby with leafage!”
Again, it’s impressive to see how few hits Chikorita succumbs to. By the time the Bunnelby was charging at it with a tackle, Chikorita was already smacking it with the leaf on its head before pelting little leaves at it. It’s almost as if both the girl and Chikorita share a mind, already so in sync that there’s no need for the attack to be verbally shouted for the creature to know what’s to come. If anything, the command is just confirmation; Chikorita is already prepared to hit, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
The woman returns the injured Bunnelby to its home, disappointment dripping from her frown. And that disappointment only increases when she realizes her loss is not only embarrassing for her, but it’s also a big waste of time.
“What do you mean you’re not even competing in the Royale? You just—!”
Her groans fade into the distance as Urbain ushers the girl further down the alleyway. As much as he would love to gloat in the challenger’s frustration, which was completely of her own making, there’s no time to waste. They still need to get out of here before they come face to face with someone actually challenging. They need to—
“Shit.”
The exit glows in the distance, but there’s no use in fantasizing about stepping back into the calm streets of Lumiose City. There’s no relief as three trainers stand before the exit, their Pokemon raring to go. What awaits is not victory: it’s a concussion at best.
“Look,” Urbain takes a step forward, but quickly return to his spot as the three trainers adopt a battle stance, “we’re not here to battle. We’re just… I’m just trying to get my guest to the hotel. Safely. So if you could please—”
“Guest or not, everyone’s a target in the battle zone. So you better shape up, loser!”
So there really is no getting through to these people. But then again, what was he expecting? It wasn’t like he didn’t know the dangers of the battle zones.
“Fine!” One tentative step forward. “If you want a target, I’m right—!”
Urbain stumbles back, a hand firmly gripping his arm and yanking him back.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m getting us out of here.”
“You’re only gonna—”
“Another lovers quarrel.” A man – one of the three trainers blocking the path – rolls his eyes and scoffs before readjusting his glasses. “We don’t have time for this. We just want the points and whatever medals you might have collected.”
“Yeah!” The woman standing next to him sways from side to side, her hands clasped together as she beams. “And I wanna see the pain in your eyes as you go down!”
“These people are absolutely insane.” It’s barely a whisper but Urbain catches it. The girl is closer than she’s been all night, still digging her fingers into the sleeve of his jacket, presumably to keep him from jumping head first into danger. “Like, crazy-crazy.”
“I warned you. But please,” the word only causes her to tighten her grip that Urbain has not yet managed to shake off, “let me handle this. I can get us out of—”
“Kyururu!”
Everyone’s heads snap upwards towards the chirp. Everyone’s eyes follow the downwards motion of the floating Pokemon. Everyone watches as a Floette twirls around, happily spinning around Urbain’s head. Everyone remains bolted in place, except the woman who had been swaying just moments prior.
“Oh. My. Isn’t that just the cutest and most unique little Floette! I wanna take it down. Right now.”
Another happy chirp erupts from Floette as she lands on Urbain’s head. Her little hands pat around before floating right back up, putting on a show of how many times she can spin without getting dizzy. And that’s when Urbain feels his whole body stiffen. His eyes go wide as he reaches out to Floette, yelling as her flower points towards the three trainers.
“Floette, don’t!”
Perhaps the shriek startled her. And if it did, then that is for the best. Her flower tips upwards as she glances back at the boy, her glowing attack already in motion. And it just barely misses the challengers’ heads, a bolt of energy blasting the man backwards, causing him to hit the ground.
The silence is deafening as the alleyway falls back to near pitch darkness. Silence reigns, everyone glancing at each other. Silence is king until it’s ruptured by the sound of shoes hitting the ground at a running pace. All three challengers have disappeared before Urbain even gets his vision back completely.
Floette is chirping once more as she snuggles against Urbain’s chest, trying her best to find a way into his jacket. Her dangerously powerful flower rests delicately against his neck as he supports her weight, light as she may be. She’s tuckered herself out, now ready for a nice warm nap.
“What was that?”
Urbain hums, cradling the Pokemon in his arms. “What was what?”
“That! The whole—” The girl gestures vaguely towards where the troublemakers had once been before pointing at Floette. “That!”
“Oh.” Perhaps the girl is entitled to an explanation; she has been subjected to quite a bit of weirdness in a very short amount of time, after all. “Well, this is Floette. She’s a special Floette, actually. She’s apparently three thousand years old. And that beam of light was her Light of Ruin, which is, as you saw, insanely powerful.”
It’s instinctual, the scratching at his neck. He doesn’t really like talking about Floette’s origins or having her display that attack of hers; it always brings in a load of questions that he doesn’t have the answers to because he’s not this Pokemon’s trainer. And by the wildly confused and concerned look in the girl’s eyes, she obviously has all those questions on the tip of her tongue.
“That… She’s… That was wild. And awesome!”
The girl’s eyes glow as she leans in closer to inspect the Pokemon. She’s very close now, so close that Urbain feels heat creep into his cheeks. Why he’s blushing, he’s not sure. Maybe he’s embarrassed about the whole situation. Or maybe it’s that he’s never had a girl this close to him before, other than maybe Lida. But Lida doesn’t count; she’s his friend and she doesn’t know the concept of personal space.
“We should probably get out of here before someone else spots us.”
The girl nods as she makes her way towards the exit of the battle zone. And as soon as Urbain steps back into the city streets, a weight feels like it has lifted from his shoulders. Dim lights illuminate the old cobblestone streets of the Vert District. It’s the oldest district of the city, and its rusticity has something so charming to Urbain. It kind of reminds him of home, wherever that might be.
“Here’s your Chikorita back.”
Urbain blinks at the girl as she holds a pokeball out to him. And for the first time since the beginning of the evening, he actually looks at her. He looks at her kind gray eyes, at the slight curve of a smile that hangs from her lips, at the loose locks of hair that have fallen out of her ponytail. She’s just another tourist, but there’s something different about this one. This girl, Urbain actually wants to get to know her.
He pushes her hand away, forcing her fingers closed over the pokeball as he smiles at her. “Keep her. She really likes you. I couldn’t possibly take her away from you.”
“But she’s yours?”
“She’s yours now.”
The girl smiles as she holds the pokeball to her chest. She seems so happy with her new friend. And Urbain knows that she will be taking better care of the Chikorita than he ever could. Chikorita did choose the girl, after all. He can’t break that bond.
“By the way,” Urbain looks up at the girl who has stepped closer to him as a pair of bikes whoosh passed them, “the name is Harmony. I don’t think we ever actually introduced ourselves.”
“Urbain.”
He kinda feels dumb holding his hand out for a handshake, but before he can pull away and bury it deep into his pockets, Harmony takes it. She smiles at him a smile that’s so different from the wicked grin she was shooting at whoever it was that dared challenge her. Her smile is kind and bright; it most definitely will not have a lasting effect on Urbain. Absolutely not.
“So,” he pulls his hand back, stuffing it into his pocket as his eyes drift off towards the few people still strolling through the night, “did you have somewhere to stay tonight? Or did you need a place to stay?”
“How about that Hotel Z I’m supposed to help promote?”
Hotel Z? She actually wants to stay at Hotel Z? It’s probably because she hasn’t seen the place, but she is asking about it! And Urbain can’t mess this up. Someone actually wants to stay at the hotel. Someone wants to stay at the hotel, and he is going to make sure it’s the best stay ever.
“Unless it’s already completely booked out for the night. I can find somewhere else if—”
“I’m gonna get you the best room!” Urbain bites the inside of his cheeks as the girl furrows her brow. “I mean, you just had a rough start in the city because of me. It’s only fair that I make sure your accommodations make up for everything I put you through, right? And you can stay for free. I won’t— It’s the least I can do for you.”
“I can pay, really. It’s really okay, I promise.”
“Please let me do this. As a thank you, at least.”
Harmony nods as she falls in step next to Urbain. The hotel isn’t very far, but it’s still a bit of a walk from where they ended up. It’s a few minutes, but the silence makes the moment stretch on. And every once in a while, he’ll glance at her, make sure she’s still there, that she hasn’t run from him, but every time, she’s still there, clinging onto Chikorita’s pokeball. She’s clinging onto her new friend just as Floette is clinging onto him, fast asleep against the warm spot of his neck. She’s gripping the pokeball just as he’s gripping the handle of her bag.
“Oh!” Harmony turns to him, her hand reaching for the travel bag he’s holding for her. “I’m sorry. Let me take care of—”
“It’s okay!” Maybe pulling the bag back, shaking her grip away, isn’t the best idea Urbain has had all night. Then again, he’s been making bad decisions all day. “Please, let me carry it. You have Chikorita.”
“She’s in a pokeball. And you have Floette. I promise, I can carry my own bag. I don’t want to ask too much of you.”
He’s not sure what exactly changes, but as soon as the words leave the girl’s lips, she turns away. It’s too dark to really make out her expression, but she pulls her hand back, leaving his alone.
“But if you insist,” a whisper lost in the night, “I’ll let you. Just don’t lose it or leave with it, please.”
Of course, Urbain would never do either of those things. But just to be certain, he makes sure he’s holding onto it extra tightly. Again, it’s the least he can do for Harmony. If it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t have had to deal with getting her bag stolen in the first place, nor would she have had to deal with the battlezone. She would have just gone on her merry way, getting to visit the city just as she probably intended to.
Hotel Z is a particularly large building, but it looks quite run down compared to the other hotels in the area. Urbain calls it rustic charm, but really, it’s just lack of upkeeping. The grass is overgrown, weeds growing between the cracks of the cobblestone. Vines line the building, climbing higher and higher. It looks almost abandoned; maybe that’s why no one wants to stay here.
“Welcome to our humble establishment.”
It’s not wrong to call it a humble establishment. The place looks like it might be thousands of years old and never restored. But at least it’s quiet! It’s quiet because there’s basically no one else around. At least, there are no guest staying at the hotel. There hasn’t been in quite some time.
Harmony glances around but quickly follows Urbain in. Her eyes keep bouncing from side to side, taking in absolutely everything, from the greenery of the secluded hotel to the simple interior. She looks around until her gaze falls onto the tall man who has gotten up at the sound of the door creaking open.
“AZ! I’m finally back!” Urbain motions Harmony forward as he makes his way towards the counter, setting her bag down on the luggage rack in the lobby. “And I brought a guest!”
The tall man smiles weakly as he holds his hand out. And without any time lost, Floette jumps up, chirping as she spins around before landing in his colossally large hand. She seems so small against his palm, but she’s never been happier than when she’s back with her trainer.
“I see that.” AZ’s whole body turns towards the girl who is slowly, almost shyly making her way towards the counter. “How are you, young lady?”
Harmony really is a mystery. She’s able to so easily trash-talk trainers who challenge her, she can jump head first into battle without any fear, but the moment the gentle giant known as AZ is speaking, she clams up. Her eyes fall to her feet as she fiddles with her fingers, barely able to mumble out a response. But that’s okay. Urbain is really good at talking.
“AZ, meet Harmony! I might have gotten her roped into a bunch of trouble, but she’s really cool! And Chikorita adores her! They just clicked, like it was meant to be!”
AZ nods, another smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I see. Well, people and Pokemon meet when fate dictates it should be so. I’m glad you got to meet.”
“Yeah! And they’re so cool together, they even managed to beat a trainer in the battlezone! Which we got stuck and was completely my fault, but Harmony did amazing!”
“So that’s where you were. I got worried when I saw the sun come down and you were nowhere to be seen. Usually you let me know when you’ll be out late, and I had gotten no news from you. Even Lida and Naveen had no idea where you were, so I sent Floette out to find you.” AZ gives Floette a pat on her little head, pulling out more happy chirps from the Pokemon. “I’m glad you got back to the hotel safely.”
“Floette really saved us out there! Her light of ruin is one wickedly cool move. She totally saved our butts out there!”
“I’m glad, Urbain. Now,” the man slowly lowers his body into the large armchair behind the counter, “it’s getting late, and I need to sit. Feel free to show your new friend to room 202. It should be the least dusty of the rooms, but feel free to check it over before getting her set up in there.”
Urbain nods as he goes to grab the travel bag, but as he turns, the bag is already gone. It’s gone and panic starts to swell in his chest, because he’s certain he had put down right there. It can’t be lost. Impossible. It can’t have just disappeared. No one has walked in other than—
“Urbain?”
Harmony stands by the well-worn elevator, her bag resting against her thighs. So she got to the bag before he could. She’s gripping it like it’s a lifeline, and as Urbain reaches out to take it from her, she moves it away from him. She holds it just out of his reach as she leans against the wall, waiting for the elevator doors to open. She holds it just of his reach, refusing to let him carry her bag up for her. And he can hear AZ chuckling on the side, but there’s nothing funny about this. If Urbain doesn’t carry her bag up for her, then what kind of host does that make him? Not a very good one, in his opinion.
Finally, the old doors open. They’re slow and they creak, the sound of metal scraping leaving no one too confident in the abilities of the elevator, but still, Harmony steps in. She steps in and watches Urbain expectantly. She even holds her foot in the door until he steps in with her. And as the doors close behind him, trapping them in the little enclosure, he suddenly feels very nervous. There’s a tightness in his chest as he stands next to Harmony. Their shoulders are practically touching from how small the space is, but it’s not the first time he’s been in this situation. He’s had times where it was him, Lida, and Naveen in the elevator, cramped together and laughing as they head to their rooms after a long day of doing their thing, but none of those instances have left him with sweaty palms and a pounding heart. And it’s not like he’s typically a shy or nervous guy. He’s actually pretty extraverted; talking to strangers is, like, his whole thing. He loves talking to people.
“So, AZ. Is he the owner of this hotel?”
Urbain nods, but he doesn’t dare look at Harmony. Instead, he keeps his eyes peeled on the metal door as the elevator slowly makes its way up.
“Yeah. And he’s Floette’s trainer. Don’t mind him too much when he says he’s three thousand years old, though. I think that’s just his weird way of saying he’s old and that you should believe him. But he’s really kind. He took me in when… yeah. He’s a kind man. I owe a lot to him.”
Silence falls between the two. Maybe Urbain said too much. Every word that he’s said, they’re all incredibly weird. At this point, it just kinda sounds like he’s talking to talk. He’s not saying anything that anyone really cares to listen to. But thankfully the elevator comes to a stop, the door struggling to open to reveal the second floor of the building.
Rooms line the hallway. Urbain leads Harmony to room 202, unlocking the door for her before leaving the key with her. He wishes her a good night, reminds her to rest as much as she can. He tries his best to be a good host and not a guy who is just talking her ear off. And she seems relieved to finally get rid of him. She simply wishes him good night as he proceeds to close the door behind himself.
A sigh breaks from his lips as the door clicks shut. He doesn’t quite like the tight feeling in his chest; the whole night comes rushing back to him. He can pinpoint every single stupid decision he’s made. He knows every little thing he will over think for the next forever if he doesn’t do something about it right now. He probably shouldn’t, they don’t know each other, but he can’t walk away. If he walks away, he’ll hate himself in the morning, when Harmony checks herself out and disappears in the streets of Lumiose City.
“Hey, sorry. I know I told you to rest up, but do you have a minute to talk?”
Urbain barely has the time to lower his fist from the wooden door that it’s opening up again. If he was delusional, he’d almost think Harmony was about to open the door to call out to him. If he was delusional, he’d question if she might also feel that tightness in her chest, the flip in her stomach. If he was delusional, he’d ask.
“Again, sorry. I really don’t mean to bother you, but this is your first time in the city, right?”
Harmony smiles as she nods. Her fingers are clasped together and she has that same shy look as when she met AZ. Her eyes don’t quite meet Urbain’s, though they do glance around. Maybe it’s just a side effect of being in a new, strange place.
“If you’re not too tired…” Oh, now is not the time to start getting nervous. Urbain needs to get a grip on himself; he’s already started this, he can’t turn away now. “I know that Prism Tower is closed off to the public for the foreseeable future due to renovation, but the hotel’s roof has a really nice view of it, and I was wondering if you’d like to see it? It looks really nice at night.”
Alright, so he managed to get his sentence out! He managed to not stumble on his words or stutter so badly that he has to restart entirely. He sounded normal. Completely normal and totally chill despite the flips his heart and stomach are doing for no reason at all. Because why would be they be doing that? There’s no reason for that to be happening.
“Sure!”
Harmony smiles as she steps out of the room, finding her place next to Urbain. She’s careful to not make too much noise as she closes the door, locking it with her new temporary possession. She’s careful with her steps, almost as if she’s sneaking around, trying her best to avoid being caught as she sticks close to him. She tiptoes all the way to the elevator, only letting out a breath once the old door trap the two together for the duration of the jangly ride.
Urbain wants to ask about it, ask why she seemed so fixated on the silent steps given that there is quite literally no one else around, but he can’t find the courage. No, he’s a little preoccupied by his once again sweaty palms. He’s preoccupied by the pounding in his head, the flipping in his chest. He’s very preoccupied by the nausea that hits him as the elevator lights shows the 6th floor; there’s only one more floor before they reach the roof. There’s only one floor before he has to say something. There’s only one floor before he has to make sure that he doesn’t mess this up completely.
The elevator comes to a wobbly stop, the faint light flickering to show they’ve safely made it to their destination. A smile pulls at the corners of Urbain’s mouth as he motions Harmony towards the door leading outside. And she smiles back. She really does smile back, waiting for him to lead the way.
The cool night air is refreshing against Urbain’s face. It calms his nerves ever so slightly, but his pulse quickly quickens as his eyes fall on the mess he and his friends had left the last time they had hung out on the roof. Soda cans and alcohol litter the little wooden table, a reminder of the bad decisions he’s made time and time again. This is absolutely not the first impression he wants Harmony to have of his daily life.
“Sorry, gimme just—”
The tin cans clatter against the tiles as Urbain tries his best to grab everything at once. Everything is going wrong; everything is slipping from his fingers. Everything is going wrong; he’s making even more of a mess. Everything is going wrong; Harmony is holding a bottle out to him.
“Don’t worry about it.” Another one of her smiles. “I’m guessing there are other people staying here?”
It’s embarrassing, the clutter Urbain is now clinging to. It’s embarrassing watching Harmony toss the trash into the makeshift bin. It’s embarrassing, but she doesn’t seem to mind too much, helping Urbain out.
“Yeah,” the last can and bottle are tossed away, “I’ve got two friends who are also staying here. I’m surprised they’re actually not back by now, though Naveen might just be locked in his room. He’s just not really… social.”
“He doesn’t talk to strangers coming off the train, prompting them to promote a hotel they’ve never heard of?”
Heat rushes to Urbain’s cheeks as Harmony giggles at him. She isn’t wrong; Naveen would absolutely never do that, but then again, nobody sane would do it either. It’s just Urbain that would have the guts to call out to a complete stranger and ask that of them. And when she’s putting it that way, it makes him sounds like a complete weirdo.
“Anyway!” He needs to change the subject. And fast. “I know it’s a little bit late, but welcome to Lumiose! City of light!”
Both of their gazes turn to the bright tower glowing in the distance. It lights up the night sky, beautiful and bright. It really is a shame that it’s been closed off to the public; it’s such a beautiful structure.
“You know, a few years ago, the tower used to be a gym. But with the renovations, they closed it off and I’ve heard that the gym leader retired. He turned away from battles and really focused on his passion of invention or something like that. I actually think he’s the guy who created the Rotom pokedex, but don’t quote me on that. I’m not really up to date with that kind of thing.”
Harmony hums as she makes her way towards the edge of the balcony. Her knees sink into the well-worn couch, her chin resting in the palm of her hand as she leans over the railing. She watches the shapes of the city, watches the shadows go by. She seems enthralled by the livelihood of a city in the dead of the night; she barely notices Urbain sitting next to her.
“If you’re not too busy tomorrow, I’d be more than happy to show you around?”
Harmony remains silent. Maybe she already plans. Maybe she’s busy. Really, Urbain knows nothing about this girl. She might be meeting someone tomorrow and will stay with them for the remainders of her stay. Maybe she’s actually moving in with someone here and that’s why she came to Lumiose. She might already have all her vacation planned, and Urbain is just getting in the way of things.
“But only if you’re not busy and don’t know where to start! I know the city pretty well, so I can show you the must-see places! Like, I highly suggest the Lumiose Museum if you’re interested in any of the history of Kalos! But I also don’t want to take up all your time or anything! You probably already know what you want to do, right? I don’t want to bother you or anything.”
He’s talking. He’s talking so much. The words are just tumbling out and he can’t stop them. He needs to stop talking but every time he tries to close his mouth, more nonsense comes out. Please, if there is something out there that might save him, do so now.
“And there’s also a lot of little cafés that I highly suggest you try. My personal favorite is café Pokemon-Amie because they have the flakiest galettes, but the Nouveau Café trucks serve really good drinks as well. But if you like a galette that’s a little less buttery and a little more crispy, I know Café Gallant is really good at those. But again, you don’t have to if—”
“Urbain.”
He bites the inside of his cheeks. He messed up, didn’t he? He talked to much and Harmony is going to tell him to shut up. She going to get up and head down to her room. She’s never going to talk to him again and she’s going to disappear forever and he’ll have blown his shot. Not that he was trying to shoot his shot! They just met. Urbain knows nothing about this girl, just as she knows nothing about him. All he knows is that there’s something about her that makes him stupid. Because he really is stupid. He sounds so stupid right now, with his stupid voice crack.
“Yeah?”
“If you’re not too busy, do you think you could show me around Aymlis park? Or that one other park, the bigger one in… I think it’s in Vert Sector? I’m not really sure where it is. But I’d really like to explore that sector or Centrico Plaza. Even if the tower is closed, I’d like to see the tower up close.”
“Yeah! Yeah, I can totally show you around! I’ll show you the absolute best spots!”
“Thank you.”
Another smile. This one is softer than the others she’s sported throughout the day. This one, it’s almost comforting. It pairs well with the silence as Urbain rests his head against the railing, staring at the tower. It pairs well with the cool night air.
“You know, despite having its weird parts, I really like it here. It’s a good place to look for a new start. You don’t have to worry about who you were before.”
Harmony doesn’t answer. Urbain doesn’t even think she looks at him, not that it really matters. The words are maybe more for him than for her. Why she’s come to the city, he doesn’t know. All he knows is why he’s here. All he knows is that he wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the kindness he found in Lumiose. All he knows is that he’s a completely different person from the lost kid he once was.