A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. I haven't played Legends ZA, nor will I be able to soon since I spent my extra money on the Switch 2 and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. I'll have to do more research on how ZA has changed Lumiose City, so I'll probably post once a week for a while. If anyone would like to send me important information about ZA I should include, message me on discord: https://discord.gg/KagFQE3cfJ
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The Prism Tower stood out like a lighthouse on a stormy day. The day's light reflected off the glass and blinded me if I walked on certain spots of Route 4. It was bullshit, given how bright it already was. But it was nice to see we were almost there. I returned Nova and Tetsu after we finished lunch. I wasn't sure how different Lumiose would be.
I'd read that the Prism Tower had been taken over by some rogue mega Pokémon, but there wasn't much information about it. Most people didn't know what happened, and the League was suspiciously avoidant of the event. But that didn't matter to me.
The closer I got to the Route 4 gate, the more I heard the city's hustle. The sounds of horns honking, crowds chattering, and Pokémon prattling welcomed me to Lumiose City as I walked into another world.
It was nothing like the games. No, that wasn't entirely accurate. There were many boutiques and cafes, with taxis and Pokémon taking passengers to their next stop. Every other building had some sort of ad, with large screens at the corner of each avenue displaying important news and events. The scent of coffee and pastries filled my breaths, warm and inviting. This was what I was expecting from Lumiose.
But the buildings weren't rustic like I imagined. Despite the Kalosian feel, the city's modern atmosphere distracted from the architecture. Many of the buildings looked much older than the technology suggested, but I could tell they were modern. There was more glass and steel than brick. The cobblestone sidewalks surrounded smooth roads made of asphalt.
People dressed in pastel cottons and vibrant silks made up most of the clothing I saw. It was like stepping into a fashion catalogue. Most wore some type of hat, with the most common being berets, flat caps, and bucket hats. Every person I passed wore some type of accessory with a Pokémon theme. Most had a PokéBall on their person, ready to be released.
And the Pokémon in the city were…
"Fle?" A Fletchinder landed on my head as I walked. I froze, wondering what it wanted to do. It just stood there, as if my head were just another branch for it to perch. All around, Pokémon ran and played. There were more Pokémon than people, like way more. Scatterbug, Litleo, Fletchling, and all sorts of other wild Pokémon roamed the streets. As I walked, I encountered many species I hadn't seen in the forest.
Doduo, Buneary, Patrat, Hoothoot, Mareep, Budew, Slowpoke, and Machop were just a small portion of the Pokémon living in the city. It was truly incredible. Humans and wild Pokémon coexisted naturally, fully integrated as if it had always been that way. I saw a Machoke deliver a large crate to a tools shop and receive a bundle of berries as payment. A few construction workers called over a wandering Lairon to help with the foundation they were working on.
I was in awe of just how different Lumiose City was from Santalune. They truly felt like different worlds altogether. Walking through Santalune felt like exploring an amusement park. There were a lot of attractions, but eventually you learned where everything was and could direct others if needed. Lumiose was so large and busy, I almost got lost walking from the Route 4 entrance to the main boulevard.
"Damn, this is wild," I commented.
"New in town?" I heard a scratchy voice call out. I turned around and saw Mitchel.
"Hey, how are you?" I said as we dapped each other up.
"I'm good. I lost my voice cheering on Lida, the new Gym Leader, at her first public announcement," he said with a smile.
"Oh, a big fan?" I asked, raising my eyebrows. It was hard to tell with his darker skin color, but I noticed his cheeks blushed.
"No! Not like that," he blurted out. "My family is from here. Lida actually saved me from a rogue mega almost two years ago. When Professor Sycamore came back and announced today was her appointment to office, I thought it would be good to show my appreciation for saving me."
I nodded, but a million questions whirled in my head. Rogue megas? Sycamore left?
"I'm glad you decided to start your journey too! I saw your battle against Viola, and man," he said, his grin growing wider. "I can't believe she had to use Stag on you. And you beat him like he was only a workout!"
"Yeah, he's a tough one. I'm glad he chose to stick with me."
"Those are the best partners," Mitchel replied. "Are you planning on challenging Lida? I think you're ready for your second Gym Badge if you've improved a bit since Viola's battle."
"I hadn't thought about it, to be honest," I answered. "I think I want to stick to the traditional Gym route."
"Sweet, maybe I can travel with you if you stick around for a few days."
"Are you entering the tournament too?" I asked, smirking. His eyes widened.
"You signed up?!"
"Oh yeah. And I plan on winning."
Mitchel's face sharpened, evaluating me like I was a stranger. But it broke after a few seconds, his smile returning. "That's not what our last battle predicts."
"Ha! The kid's funny," I teased. "Nautilus is leagues better than before, and he has more tricks up his sleeve. I won't even need my other two Pokémon to beat your three."
"You know about my new Pokémon?"
"Just like you know about mine." We stared at each other. Sometimes it was easy to forget Trainers weren't adults. They definitely looked like children, but their behavior and demeanor rarely aligned with their age. Well, that was the case during battles and stressful scenarios. Many of the teenagers I saw traveling along Route 4 still cared about stupid crap and dealt with hormones. But when shit hit the fan, most of these kids could prove their mettle with action.
"Let's get some food, I actually just got here," I said. As if I asked it to answer, my stomach growled.
"Me too. I'm starving," Mitchel said as he scratched the back of his head. "I know a really good buffet that allows Pokémon to eat too. Let's go there."
"Oh hell yeah, Nautilus will love that. I'm sure Nova will too."