Pokemon: Mega Tactics - Chapter 5.1

Once you got your breath back, you and Serena decided it was time to get a move on, so you big your uncle goodbye and left the lab behind. Though, you did ask him to run Ralts through some of the basic training you did with Gible once she was recovered. She wasn't that strong, but even if she sparred with Garchomp, the kind dragon would take it easy and be gentle on her.

"So, where do you want to go from here?" Serena asked as you both walked along the streets of Lumiose City, "You're doing the gym challenge right?" she asked.

"I am." you nodded.

She pulled a pink Pokenav from her pocket, a navigation tool, and popped it open, "Hmm, from the looks of it, the closest gyms are here in Lumiose City, Santalune City, and then there's one in Cyllage City and one in Coumarine City."

Well, from what you heard, there was a new rule that said you needed four badges before you could challenge the gym here in Lumiose City. And you already had the badge from Santalune City. 'Cyllage City and Coumarine City huh? I think the gym in Cyllage City is a rock type gym, and the one in Coumarine is a grass type gym.' you mused. It didn't really matter what one you headed to first. Since you could loop right around through Shallour City where you knew there was another gym, and then to Cyllage City before heading back here to Lumiose City for your fifth badge.

"Well before any of that, there's a couple places I want to check out first," You replied. You wanted to grab a Dawn Stone from the Evolution Stone Emporium. You didn't want two Gardevoir, so you wanted to evolve your male Ralts straight into a Gallade as soon as he became a Kirlie and not risk it. Plus, you needed to stock up on some pokeballs and maybe check out the local store for what TM's were in stock. "And you said you wanted to check out some of the boutique's here right and some of the famous cafe's? You're in luck, a friend of my uncle's owns this really nice cafe and we've got an outstanding invitation for the VIP booths there."

"Really! that's awesome!" Serena pumped the fist holding the pokenav into the air, "What are we waiting for, let's go!" she stowed it away in her skirt pocket, then grabbed your hand and pulled you along as she started running.

You have to admit, after dropping over thirty thousand pokedollars, you did feel a bit listless. And it was on three rather small items too. Enough money to buy a house, just gone like that.

Your hands felt itchy.

"Oh wow, Lysandre Cafe!" Serena gushed as you reached your destination, a massive red cafe that had more in common with a five star restaurant than a simple cafe, "I didn't expect it was here you were talking about! you usually have to book weeks in advance just to get a normal table here it's so popular! This is the kind of place movie stars come to hang out at."

You chuckled lightly, "The perks of being my uncle's nephew." you shrugged. to be honest, while it was a nice place and the food, drinks and atmosphere were really nice, you didn't think it was that impressive, it was just a cafe at the end of the day.

When you both reached the entrance, Serena hesitated in front of it, looking unsure. Chuckling again, you grabbed her hand, "C'mon, don't be shy." you said.

"Wait, Cobalt, I'm not dressed for this type of place! all these really famous, beautiful and really well dressed people will be here!" Serena panicked.

"You look great, don't worry, you put most of the fops I see around here to shame." you assured her. Her face went pink, and she stopped resisting, following your guiding hand into the cafe.

The dark crimson colouring that made up the inside gave the place a warm, retro feel. There was a massive serving area that took up the side of the inside, while the first half was made up of normal, if expensive looking tables and chairs. While at the bac, at the walls, there were booths sectioned off, with lovely and incredibly expensive looking velvet red couches.

To your surprise, just as you entered, a familiar face made his way out of the back into the serving area. He was a massive, Ursaring of a man, easily over six feet tall with a build that put body builders to shame. With flaming red hair that reminded you of the mane of a Pyroar and clad in an incredibly expensive looking, designer fur collared shiny black suit.

"Why, if it isn't my young friend Cobalt!" Lysandre, of Lysandre Labs, Billionaire, genis, business tycoon and philanthropist all in one greeted you with a wide smile, "I heard from Augustine that you started your journey just yesterday, how are things going so far?"

"Hello Mr. Lysandre," you greeted him happily. This was the man who gifted your uncle his Key Stone and the two mega stones he was in possession of, one of which, you now had, "It's been going well, I've already got seven pokemon and earned my first gym badge."

Laughing boisterously, the huge man stepped out from behind the serving area and pat you on the shoulder with a massive hand, "Well done, well done!" he congratulated you, "I always knew I saw great potential in you and that feisty little Gible of yours, but I admit, you've exceeded my expectations this time."

He looked at Serena who's hand you were still holding, "And who's this then?" he asked, before grinning at you and nudging you with an elbow, "Why, have you got yourself a beautiful girlfriend already Cobalt?"

"H-hello, it's nice to meet you Mr. Lysandre, I'm Serena," Serena bowed politely, "I just recently became a trainer myself and I'm travelling with Cobalt."

"Yeah, sadly, I'm just not that lucky." you shrugged with a laugh. Serena's face blushed a bit and she looked away. 'Huh, is she embarrassed?' you wondered.

"Nonsense, any girl would be lucky to have you, you're a good looking, well built young man and you've got a great future ahead of you," Lysandre pat your shoulder again, "Still, what brings you here today? I'm well aware this isn't quite the type of place you like to relax at."

"Serena wanted to visit some nice cafe's, and this one is the best," you shrugged and answered easily, "But actually, it's good that I ran into you, there's something I wanted to show you privately."

"Oh?" Lysandre raised a finely groomed orange eyebrow, "Consider my interest peaked. Come, let us retire to a private booth for now, out of the way of everyone else."

____________

Whatever he was expecting, it definitely wasn't for young Cobalt to show him a mega stone of all things, 'Heracrossite if I'm correct.' Lysandre hummed, looking over the small spherical stone the boy held out to him. Many of them looked quite like.

"I was looking into a theory my uncle had about mega stones," Cobalt explained, with a bright smile, "And deep in the Santalune Forest, with my new Pidgeotto's help, I was able to find a massive swarm of Heracross. The strongest of the swarm had it, and after I battled it, it agreed to be my pokemon and gave me the mega stone."

"Fascinating." Lysandre hummed in interest as he handed the mega stone back. And he was not telling tall tales. Young Cobalt was a very talented and intuitive boy. Why, he had just as much potential, if not more than Alain.

It was too bad that it seemed Augustine was too caught up in his research with the Garchompite and the Key Stone he'd given him. He had hoped for the man to pass them onto young Cobalt. His Gible, once it was fully grown may just surpass Alain's mighty Charizard, and then he could possibly recruit the boy out of gratitude for the mega stones.

Then, not only would he be able to harness the boys mega energy from when he mega evolved his future Garchomp, he would have an enforcer on Alain's level, for when the time came to defeat and capture Zygarde. unfortunately, he knew where his own talents lay, and while his own Mega Gyarados was incredibly powerful, it couldn't measure up to Alain's Mega Charizard X.

It was why when that plan fell through, and he heard of young Cobalt's desire to become a trainer who raised only pokemon that could mega evolve, he made sure to gift the Charizardite Y to Augustine, since he knew the man would have little use of it without a Charizard of his own, and Cobalt would pick the Charmander since he would be the most eligible candidate for Augustine to give the Charizardite Y to.

'It's too bad I gave the only Key Stone I had in stock to Malva.' Lysandre withheld the urge to frown. As strong as Malva's Mega Houndoom was, it had been defeated in the end by Alain's Mega Charizard X, whom wasn't damaged all that badly even after fighting nine mega evolved pokemon before that battle.

Sadly, it seemed that a Champion stood on a tier above even an Elite Four member. And Malva was not a champion. But Alain might be. And Cobalt could be too.

'Gible, Charmander, Pidgeotto, Heracross, Beedrill and two Ralts, both a male and female.' Lysandre mused internally. When they were fully trained and capable of mega evolving, that would be quite the line up. Alain, for all the strength of his Charizard, only focused on Charizard. It was why he only might have the potential of a champion. Cobalt had a greater vision than Alain. 'I can't just give him more than one, that would seem too convenient.'

For that reason as well, it may be suspicious if he conveniently gave him a Garchompite, the mega stone needed to mega evolve his first and strongest pokemon. But, there were ways around that.

He thought on it a minute, before deciding on one of his newest pokemon, "You know, you're quite in luck Cobalt," Lysandre reached into his suit jacket, to one of the many pockets installed within and pulled out a small jewelry box, "One of my workers came across this not long ago during the construction of some new homeless shelters." he opened the jewelry box, to reveal a beautiful clear stone, with a red and green pattern within. Galladite.

He never let the mega stones he had in his possession out of his sight. Which was why he had the pockets designed into his favorite jackets so he could keep them on him at all times. This was one of the rarer mega stones, and he only had one of them. But, alas, as much as he disliked the notion of parting with it, needs are must, and saving the world came before his petty desires.

"Oh wow, a mega stone." The girl, Serena gasped. Hmm, she was easy on the eyes, he could see why a boy as young as Cobalt was interested in her. She was beautiful, on the outside at the very least. So far, he could tell, there wasn't much substance to her...yet. He dared say she'd find some in the future as long as she traveled with Cobalt. That, or she'd end up warming the boys bed for a while before he got tired of her. As kind as he was, he wouldn't permit a hanger on for too long.

There was potential there though. Fenniken, Vespiquen, Budew. All female. All very elegant species of pokemon. She apparently caught Vespiquen before gaining her starter pokemon due to Cobalt defeating it, but then managed to catch the Budew on her own with it, after earning its trust in the span of a day.

'I may have to keep an eye on her as well, if she could earn the trust of a skittish pokemon like Vespiquen in a day, she may become a potential powerful mega evolution user in the future as well.'

"It's a Galladite," Lysandre revealed as Cobalt eyed the stone with awe, that was something he liked about the boy. Despite how much the boy wanted to gain Mega Stones, he could see no greed in those pure eyes of his. He like himself, like his uncle, like Diantha, was a beautiful person to the core, far beyond his youthful handsome features. "I sadly do not have a Gallade, so I can't make use of it. I'd love to see what you could do with it in the future."

"..Are you sure?" Cobalt asked, he hesitated. He showed again just why he was unlike those greedy fools who just demanded more and more and lashed out when they didn't get enough, no matter how hard he tried to help, "These are really rare, just one of them would be enough to have a person set for life if they sold it."

"Eh?" Serena's eyes widened. Lysandre withheld a chuckle. It seemed he hadn't told her just quite how desired mega stones were for those in the know. That filthy royal brat from Camphrier Town had offered him enough to build a castle for one of them. He'd never felt the urge to actually hurt a child until he'd met her. Her selfishness and greed were beyond measure.

"I insist," Lysandre smiled genuinely at the boy, "I'd like it in fact, if you could use it and show me a powerful Mega Gallade in the future."

"That, I can do," Cobalt finally smiled back at him and took the mega stone from him, "I won't let you down Mr. Lysandre."

"I believe you," Lysandre chuckled, reaching out to ruffle the boys hair, despite how much it annoyed the boy, Cobalt let him do it, he was a tolerant lad like that.  And one day, soon in the future, that strength of his would help him save the world, "Now, I'm sorry to say, but as much as I'd love to stick around and enjoy lunch with you, I sadly don't have the time. But, feel free to order whatever and as much as you like, it's on the house."

Alain should be contacting him soon after all.

"I'll call you to let you know when Ralts is a Gallade!" Cobalt called out to him after he bid him goodbye.

"I'll look forward to it then." he tossed the boy and girl a wave as he entered into the back of the cafe, and into the hidden base of Team Flare, his ever loyal subordinates and team.

'Now, I should set up an area with a Garchomp guarding a Garchompite and send Cobalt a message about it, perhaps of rumors I 'heard' about the area?' Lysandre mused.