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Chapter 152 - Preparing To Meet The World

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Glad You're Here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e05D6MjVjlE Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

Sitting at the foot of the bed after stripping the sheets away with his pants back on, Chris looked at his hand once more, a thoughtful look in his expression before looking up at the stars and aurora wafting through he window above. Raising her head, Alicia remained in an aura of her own afterglow while looking at his back, a blush showing on her face as the nearby light from the lamp gently touched his body. Noticing his expression from the side of his face, the snake could pick up on the remaining sense of uncertainty in his mind, looking both calm and distant at the same time. "...It's unkind to leave a lady behind while you lose yourself." she point out, repositioning herself so she could rub her cheek against his. "Sorry about that..." Chris apologized, placing a hand on her cheek with a small smile. "You okay?" he asked. "I am... Though it was rude of you to keep going when I pleaded to stop." Alicia lectured with a slight scowl. "Well, you looked like you enjoyed it still." he teased, giving her a nudge making her cheeks puff. "Next time you'll be the one with a ridiculous look on your face." she affirmed. "Oh? Already planning on the next round huh...? Guess you really DID like it." Chris grinned, making Alicia growl before smirking and giving him a playful bite on his neck, nibbling in an almost feline manner as he squirmed and pushed her back. "G-Geez! Don't do that..." he blushed, rubbing his neck with a scowl. "Did it hurt?" the snake asked. "N-No, just tickles kinda weird." he assured, making Alicia grin and do it a second time despite his objection. "How's it feel to say no and still be tormented?" the snake asked with a smug looking smirk. "Oh ha ha. Like you said, next time." Chris warned, Alicia responding with a confident "challenge accepted" remark.

Repositioning herself behind him to rest, Alicia looked at his back once more, focusing on his scars before glancing toward her lower half and blushing again. "...Alicia?" Chris called, making her jolt and shake her head. "Y-Yes?" she replied as he faced down. "Thanks." he added, causing her to blink and tilt her head curiously. "Whatever for? Isn't this a bit of a strange time to thank me? I'd like to think I'm the one in that position." she affirmed as he looked at his hand again. "I dunno... I just feel like I should say it." Chris explained. "I wasn't too sure how to feel after all that. What he said, what I did..." he went on, taking a breath before looking toward the night sky again. "I'm... Glad..." he nodded. "Glad?" Alicia asked, repositioning herself once more as to sit up better. "What I'm about to say..." Chris paused, glancing back. "Don't get me wrong. Serenity and Rose, I love them more than I could ever put into words." he affirmed, the snake showing a scowl. "Uh huh..." she replied as he returned his focus to his hand. "But... I'm really glad I have you, more than anything right now." he revealed, causing her expression to change into one of surprise as her blush returned. "Serenity, she'd just praise me for stepping up to that guy, talk about power being great and all, probably get frustrated by how I'd respond. Rose, she'd try to understand but... Talking about fighting and all, I know it makes her uncomfortable." he point out before looking back at the snake. "You though... You're a lot like me, you know?" he smiled, causing her eyes to widen from having similar thoughts moments before. "It's like you said back on the porch... Moments like this, we get each other." he nodded.

"That's why I'm glad... I'm glad you're with me to kinda help me through this stuff, and I'm glad to be able to feel like this... It helps me understand you more too." Chris went on. "...I really do love you, Alicia." he affirmed, showing a wider smile that had the snakes heart fluttering once more. "F-Fool!!" she flushed, quickly facing away. "D-Don't go saying things like that! C-Certainly not right after what we just did!" she panicked, feeling herself react to his comments in various ways as she fidget. "Sorry... You know me, bad with timing." Chris apologized, giving himself a tap on the head. Seeing her flustered state, he couldn't help but surprise Alicia with a sudden hug, jumping into her and giving the snake an affectionate squeeze that had her stuttering with her mouth agape as she looked down at him and panicked, squirming and flailing as she shout for him to give her more space. Finally backing away, Chris took his place back at the foot of the bed as she faced away once more, looking red enough to glow with tears in her eyes from the emotions and hormones alike raging through her body. "Too much?" Chris grinned, suddenly getting a frustrated shout from Alicia in response before quickly hiding her face under the pillows, not wanting her expression seen. Leaving her be for a moment, Chris put his shirt back on before walking up and touching her near her neck, making Alicia grumble as he lift the pillow hiding her face, finding her large eye glancing at him. "...You really are beautiful." he praised with another smile before kissing her on the cheek and lowering the pillow again, leaving her reddened. "I'm gonna put the sheets in the machine... You wanna have some time alone?" he asked, getting no response save for a "shoo" type of wave from her tail.

Smirking, he nodded before taking the bedding in his arms and making his way toward the door, opening it before looking back. "...Love you." he affirmed, getting a muffled "You too." in response from the tsundere snake as he shut the door. Once she was certain he was gone, Alicia pulled her head out from the pillow and looked at the door, remaining silent for a moment before looking at herself in the nearby mirror, feeling proud of who she'd become before plopping her head on a pillow and giggling, burying her face into it with her tail waving excitedly as she thought about his words and their actions together. Making his way through the living room, Chris struggled with all the sheets in his arms, Rose hurrying toward him as he stumbled and nearly dropped it all only for Serenity to catch him and the blankets in her Psychic ability, her hand raised as she kept her back to him while watching TV on the couch, raising him back up and dropping the sheets in his arms before holding her knees up against her, resting her chin on them with a frustrated scowl on her face. "Th-Thanks for that." Chris smiled nervously, getting no response from the agitated Pokemon causing him to show a curious look. "You... Okay?" he asked, taking a step toward Serenity only to get a sharp "I fine!!" in response, causing him to jolt with a wary "o-okay" while stepping back. Giving his shirt a tug, Rose point toward where he was heading, coaxing him along to the laundry room. Looking at the rabbit, Chris had a confused expression while looking back at Serenity as she flipped through the channels. Once he was at the machines, he began loading the washer while Rose peeked around the corner at Serenity herself before returning to him.

"S-So what's going on...? What's she mad about? Why the silence?" Chris asked, looking at Rose again as she responded with a nervous "well..." and showed slight sweat, a wary smile on her face as she scratched her cheek and tried to plan out her response. Taking the time to explain everything that happened in front of the bedroom door between Serenity and Alicia, once she finished he raised up and started the washer with an "ah..." in response, crossing his arms while thinking the situation over himself. "There's a surprise for you..." he added. "I was kinda surprised too." Rose admit with a nod. "So they actually had a moment... I thought the whole thing with the tree was nice but..." Chris paused, looking toward the living room. "Guess those two really are growing up." he smirked. "Aren't they already grown?" Rose asked, tilting her head. "I-I mean inside. Emotionally. In their minds." Chris explained, getting a nod in response. "Wadaya gonna do? She hasn't stopped sulking since Alicia went in your room." the rabbit point out as he returned to the corner between the kitchen and living room, looking at Serenity as she continued clicking through the channels absentmindedly. "So she really let Alicia go past her..." Chris muttered, showing another smirk as Rose poked her head out next to him. Finally stepping out, Chris approached the frustrated Pokemon, leaning over from the side of the couch and smiling with a "hey there!" and waving, only to be ignored as Serenity scowled all the more. Inching around the couch, Chris sat next to her with a sigh, looking at the TV as well. "You know, you'll never find something to watch flipping through stuff like that." he point out, causing Serenity to pause and slowly lower the remote.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Pick-Me-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWJEEF8GVZw Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

"...What want?" Serenity asked, keeping her focus on the commercials she'd stopped on. "Just to talk a little." Chris replied, scooting closer making her inch further away. "Stink like snake." she point out, making him pause with an "eh?" and smell himself. "I'll uh... Take a bath in a minute." Chris assured, looking at her for a moment before looking at the TV as well. Leaving the atmosphere between them silent for a moment, he finally faced down and showed another smile. "...Thank you." he nodded. "What thank me for?" Serenity scowled. "Letting me have that time with Alicia, it really helped." Chris explained, making her eye twitch. "Not want to talk about." she affirmed before flipping through channels again. "Not thank for that." she added. Continuing to look at her, Chris faced down again before finally responding with an "I have to" and looking back at her. "Why? It annoying." Serenity replied, glancing at him in agitation. "Maybe it is, but that's only because you're not thinking about it the way you should." Chris explained, making her raise an eyebrow. "What say now?" she asked. "You and Alicia, the two of you are always going at it. Always fighting and poking at one another. But every once in a while, you put something more important above that, over how you feel about each other... You put me above it." Chris smiled. "I know it's hard to do, but you care about me more than whatever is going on between you... It means a lot to me, both because you do it for my sake, and because I know how hard it is to let go of your issues with one another. When it comes right down to it, how you feel about me is more important than how you feel about each other... Thank you, Serenity." Chris praised warmly, making the Pokemon blush slightly.

"What kind person not do that?" she asked, glancing away again. "You need help... So let snake help. That all." she added. Looking at her again, Chris faced the TV with a smirk. "You let Alicia help me, but you also helped her." he point out. "What say now?" Serenity replied, raising an eyebrow wondering if he somehow knew about the event in the alley. "When we were in the city, you helped her beat that guy. You supported her in a way I'd never seen before... Then you let her have time alone with me here, and it did more for both of us than you might be thinking." Chris affirmed, looking back at Serenity with a nod. "You're a good girl, you really are." he praised. "No matter how you feel about her, deep down you still help keep us together like a family. You're willing to put your differences aside when it's important... You girls know you're all I've got, it's one thing I say almost every day. And to see you be so willing to help keep us together, willing to come together, and give space when it's really needed... It makes me more proud of you than you could imagine." he grinned. "And not just as someone I love, but it makes me proud of you as a girl who's really maturing... You're growing up, inside and out. It's amazing." he affirmed, Rose listening from behind the couch where she sat as Serenity blinked at Chris before quickly looking away again. "I-I been mature. Not my fault you not notice before!" she affirmed, crossing her arms. "Maybe so... But tonight it really shows... You've done real good, Serenity, thank you." Chris praised, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I know it was hard, and I know it annoys you having to do it... But the fact is when push comes to shove, you girls know what's most important... I really, really love you for showing it." he smiled.

"Alicia and me, we're both feeling better right now, and you're the one who played a big part in all of it. Everything that happened tonight, everything you've done for us... I really look up to you for it. I'm always caught off guard and surprised by you girls, and what happened tonight, the way you came together, the way you put stuff aside... I won't forget it." Chris smiled, Serenity finally facing him properly as she looked at the earnest warmth in his expression. "You've done so much for us tonight... For this family... I love you, Serenity." he affirmed, finally making her blush from cheek to cheek as her eyes widened. "Don't you ever forget how much we need you... How much I need you to make it all work between us. Don't ever stop being our hero... My hero." he smiled again, giving her a soft bop on the arm with his fist turning her all the redder as tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. Remaining silent behind them, Rose nodded with a smile of her own, having crossed her arms herself in approval. Taking her hand in both of his, Chris kept a firm grasp as he looked at Serenity in her eyes. "You are an important part of this family, an important part of me... Tonight might have been about Alicia, but that doesn't mean you're getting pushed aside. In fact, it made you an even more amazing girl in my eyes... In my heart for how you helped make it her night. You're the best, I mean it." he assured. Looking at Chris in a flustered state, Serenity found herself slowly leaning toward him when he offered a kiss, with him leaning toward her in turn only for the Pokemon to pause when her nose twitched, picking up the mixture of scents from he and Alicia's romp even from his breath making her struggle to get closer before finally pulling back and shaking her head.

"Y-You take bath!! Brush teeth!! You stink!!" she insisted, waving her hand in a fanning manner making Chris pause and blink at her before apologizing. "You come here and make all lovey dovey when smell like dirty snake!! Then try to kiss when not clean mouth... That not right!!" Serenity complained, her frustration clear despite her flattered and flustered state as he received a lecture from trying to kiss someone after having his mouth in certain places, the change in the moment making Rose face palm herself and groan. Apologizing again, Chris quickly backed away with a nervous laugh, sweat showing as he stepped back with his hands up. Despite getting an earful from the Pokemon, he preferred her current state to the sulky atmosphere she had before as Serenity turned him around and pushed him toward the bathroom, warning him not to get close to her again until he was free of the scent clinging to him. Stumbling into the room as Serenity gave him a final push, Chris turned back and tried to apologize again, only for her to insist he bathe and brush with her hands sternly on her hips as though suddenly taking on a maternal role, giving instructions on how she wanted him to clean himself before closing the door with her psychic, nodding with a grunt as she maintained her strict looking stance. After a moment, she finally relaxed and let out an exhausted sigh, looking at the door and rubbing her head. "This night too much for me..." she muttered before making her way back to the couch, finding Rose standing with a wide smile. "...What your problem?" Serenity scowled. "You love him." the rabbit giggled, making Serenity flush. "Y-You know that!! I not say I don't!!" she snapped. "You were pretty pouty for a while though." Rose point out.

"I not pout, I annoyed." Serenity clarified, sitting on the couch with a plop. "You were pouting." Rose affirmed, holding her nose up as her smile remained. "You always push luck too much..." Serenity warned. "Admit it, he made you feel better!" Rose grinned as Serenity maintained her scowl, glancing away. "I feel fine in first place." she argued. "You feel even better now then!" the rabbit teased, poking Serenity on the cheek making her swat in response. "You quit that!!" Serenity snapped, a slight blush on her face as Rose repeat "you love him!" and skipped about. "Why you like to bug me so much?" Serenity asked, watching the rabbit as she sat on the table in front of her, continuing to grin. "...Creep me out." Serenity muttered, raising a curious eyebrow. "Don't we have a good life?" she asked. "It fine." Serenity nodded, Rose looking at her with a smirk. "Just fine...?" she asked, continuing to prod at Serenity making her eye twitch. "It fine! Good! Life okay!" she replied, putting her hands up. "You stop bugging." she added, motioning for the rabbit to move aside in a shooing manner so she could better watch TV, taking the remote in hand as Rose scoot aside. "...Pretty nice the way he held your hand, huh? He didn't wanna let go..." the rabbit continued, grinning slyly as Serenity blushed again. "You stop talking rabbit!" she warned. "The way he talked about how great you were... How you're such a big hero. Getting all into how he looks up to you, how important you are..." Rose egged on, leaning toward Serenity as the Pokemon flushed all the worse before finally snatching a pillow and throwing it at the rabbit, insisting she stop talking as she dodged. "You really liked it when he talked about how much he needs you!" Rose point out teasingly.

Letting out a frustrated shout, Serenity jumped at the rabbit, trying to grab her only to land on the table as Rose jumped away, giggling again. "You stop now!!" Serenity insisted, grabbing more pillows and trying to hit the rabbit as she jumped and skipped about. Still drained in her own way from the events in the city, it didn't take long for Serenity to slump back on the couch, groaning as Rose sat back on the table with pillows scattered around the room. "Wh-What with you? How have energy?" Serenity groaned, looking at the rabbit as she swayed playfully. "When you're happy, energy just kinda wells up inside. You managed to chase me around and throw stuff for a while, so that shows it's helping you too!" Rose explained before finally sitting still. "...Plus, it's because I really like you too." she admit, making Serenity raise an eyebrow. "Not make weird." she scowled. "I'm not trying to." Rose shook her head. "I think you're amazing just like he does! It's thanks to watching the two of you that I was able to jump into that fight the way I did... What he said is right. You do some pretty great stuff for us!" she affirmed. "You're really strong, and you've saved us lots of times!" the rabbit went on. "You've been the one that helped turn things in our favor in battles, then there's what you did on the ship, everything tonight and stuff... It makes you great." Rose praised. "Why you not just say that stuff instead of annoying me and making me waste energy?" Serenity asked in frustration. "Nothing wrong with playing with a friend!" the rabbit grinned, making Serenity pause and look at her for a moment before finally showing a smirk of her own. "You something else." she replied before sitting up with a sigh. "Guess you okay friend too." she nodded.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Surprise Surprise! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZeyNVms7jw&t= Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

After several minutes had passed, the girls thought they heard a strange chime coming through the walls, looking around curiously before Alicia suddenly appeared at the railing of the stairs. "Phone call!!" she shout, holding the Pokedex in her mouth as its lights flashed and more chimes rang from it. Meeting the snake at the bottom of the stairs, she gave it to Serenity as the group looked it over, trying to remember how to answer before they finally managed to make the device flip open, causing a hologram of the Mayor to pop up. "About time you ans..." she was about to lecture, only to pause and blink in surprise. "O-Oh... Hello there." she added, waving at the girls with a nervous smile. "I'm sorry it's late, but it's important I have a conversation with your... Er..." she paused again, showing slight sweat as she thought of the right word. "F-Friend? Ah... Chris, that is. I need to have a word with him." she nodded. "It's about his meeting with the press tomorrow. I know it's last minute, but its taken me until now to finally get everything set in order. I need to go over how we'll schedule everything and how he'll go about meeting with everyone." Holly explained, the girls looking at one another. Putting her finger up in a "hold on" manner, Serenity carried the device to the bathroom door and gave it a knock, the Pokemon holding the dex out for when Chris opened the door. Telling the girls to hold on, he finally rattled the knob before opening the door, standing in front of them still in the buff save for a towel he held before his crotch. In the middle of taking a sip of wine, seeing the Mayor's hologram made Chris freeze and turn pale as she lowered her glass and noticed him, causing Holly's eyes to shoot open as she spat out her alcohol, fumbling and dropping her glass by accident resulting in a shattering noise as she froze herself and got an eyeful.

Suddenly hearing her agents in the background, as they rushed in Holly panicked and turned around, holding her arms out in a position as though she were blocking something from their sight, likely the screen she was using on her side to communicate with the group as she assured her agents everything was fine. Taking the chance to hide, Chris quickly shut the door as Serenity blinked in surprise as well, Rose letting out an "oopsie daisy..." comment while Alicia let out a snarky "you idiot..." remark for Serenity doing such a thing. "I-It not MY fault he come out like that! Thought he be done and have stuff on by now!" she argued as Holly returned her attention to the group, looking toward the door before clearing her throat. "W-Well then..." she coughed. "I-I'm sorry!! I'm sorry!!" Chris could be heard panicking behind the door, the sound of him rushing about heard within the bathroom before they heard him slip and land with a shout. Panicking in response, Rose was about to open the door when he finally came back out, quickly opening it himself and clumsily adjusting his clothes. "You put on same stuff...?" Serenity scowled. "I can't help that right now!" Chris snapped before quickly apologizing again to the Mayor as she showed a nervous smile. "I-It's alright... I suppose I'm to blame for it really... It is a little late." she assured with a wave. "A-Am I in trouble or something?" Chris asked, taking the Pokedex as he made his way into the living room. "No, though we do have a certain fight you had to discuss tomorrow before the big event..." Holly scowled, waving her finger in a lecturing manner. "B-Big eve...?" Chris was about to respond, only to pause and smack his own forehead. "The press meeting! Gah!" he recollected.

"Forgot in all the action, did you?" Holly smirked. "I-I'm sorry ma'am..." Chris apologized. "No worries, between the festivities and what went on tonight it's no surprise. I thought this would be a good opportunity to give you a little reminder to play it safe and go over how we'll do things once you get here." the Mayor explained, getting a thanks and a slight bow from Chris in response as he sat in one of their recliners with the girls surrounding him curiously. Suddenly seeing someones back in the hologram, it turned out to be one of the janitors at the Yule House, having come into Holly's office and bending over to clean up the shards from her shattered glass on the floor. Looking down, she gave the man an apology, getting a response about it not being the first time which caused her to laugh nervously. "Frequent drinker?" Chris asked. "W-Work is tough at times..." Holly replied, letting out another cough to brush off the subject. Moving on, he and Holly began going over all the details about the press gathering, with Serenity twitching her nose again as Alicia leaned in closely next to her as a means of listening in. Glancing several times at the snake, eventually Serenity finally called her out on the stench, letting Alicia know she still reeked from her moment with Chris making the serpent flush and snap back, lecturing the Pokemon for pointing out such a thing among others. Reminding her that Holly couldn't understand them over the Pokedex, the two's bickering sounded like random noises to Holly as she watched the two snap at one another behind Chris, leaving him sitting with a nervous smile. "S-Sorry..." he apologized. "They get along well." Holly joked before he turned back and lectured the girls.

Making Serenity lower her head in a sulky manner, Alicia responded by sticking her nose up and making her way to the bathroom for her own bath as Chris returned his attention to the Mayor with another apology. "Don't worry about it! If anything speaking with you always seems to be refreshing for me." Holly waved with a chuckle. "At the very least it opens up a girls eyes to a few things." she added, teasing him for the incident at the door making Chris flush with a groan. After this, the tone of the conversation gradually turned focused and serious as Holly went over how things would work introducing him to the people and press that would be on site the following day, going over mannerisms and appearance while at the Yule House until the discussion finally came to a close, with Holly letting them know the time to arrive before bidding farewell.

With only a night remaining until the big event when the eyes of the world would be on them, Chris and the girls spent their time readying and resting themselves for what was to come...