Chapter 62: Meeting P.1

Ark left the Pokemon Center roughly an hour after his call with Jenny. He was dressed in smart casual clothes, something he was not used to as he had been working in a lab and journeying for his life.

Ark looked down at his clothes, an intrigued expression upon his face. He liked the change of pace, it seemed even a change of clothes could inspire new feelings in someone. Noting to himself that he should wear similar clothes more often, Ark continued on in the direction of the gym.

According to Jenny, Brocks house was only a road away from the gym. It seems that his family had decided to move as close as possible to the gym, after all it was their job and responsibility. While in the anime it seemed like a pretty solid job, Ark was forced to realise how strenuous balancing gym responsibilities and outside life, after all it's not as easy as battling whoever challenges and handing out badges. According to Arks research back at home, Gym Leaders had to maintain a certain Win:Loss ratio in order to retain their status as a gym leader. It seems like a very basic concept, however when watching from afar, the hidden parts of a gyms dynamic does not cross ones mind.

Arks ability 'Sage Mind' was in use as he recalled all of the relevant information pertaining to owning a gym and anything that may help him in this next interaction. Although he likely would not need to use most of it, he did not want to seem too ignorant on the subject. As Ark is young, it already sets him at a disadvantage when dealing with those older than him, thus if he wants to be taken seriously, he would need to use the knowledge he has gathered during his childhood to make the other party secure.

"Well, let's just give it a shot. Luckily I am not sealing a business deal, but it should be good practice at discussing with strangers"

Ark continued on refreshing himself with prior knowledge as he gradually made his way towards Brocks house.

Roughly ten minutes had passed and Ark found himself outside a welcoming looking house. It was large, not the size of a mansion but much larger than most of the houses he had passed by on the way. Additionally, it seemed there was quite a large area of land at the back of the house, likely a training area or just a backyard in general.

Walking up the path leading to the door, Ark straightened his appearance out.

"Here goes nothing..."

Ark murmured as he knocked on the door. His lean figure exuding a confidence ready to handle anything thrown at him.

He was not made to wait long before he heard a voice from behind the house, it was very quiet but since the area was quiet and Ark senses were improved, he caught it.

"I'm here, come around back"

Following the instructions, Ark took the path to behind the house and closed the gates behind him. He recalled Brock having many younger siblings, thus he took extra precautions when ensuring he did not leave any doors unlocked.

As Ark came to the back of the house, he heard the sound of children laughing and a heavy thudding from the distance. A natural smile grew upon Arks lips as he heard the sheer enjoyment in their voices, it made him thankful that he was reborn in such an amazing world.

Turning the corner, Ark was met with a figure he couldn't help but admire. An hourglass figure that gave off a mature feel, complimented by shoulder length brown hair that glowed in the sunlight.

During this life, Ark has met many beautiful women, however he was still mesmerised each time. Lolas charm immediately captivated Ark. Unlike Delias motherly charm and Jennys seductive charm, Lola had a charm that was overwhelmingly friendly.

Shaking his head to break his fascination, Ark spoke out in a friendly tone.

"Good Morning"

In response to Arks voice, Lola turned around, a bright smile on her face.

"Good Morning, I take it you're Jennys 'friend'?"

Ark was puzzled by the emphasis Lola placed on friend, but he maintained his smile and walked closer.

"I suppose I am, I was the one who asked for the meeting today. Thanks for meeting me on such short notice."

He merged casual words and formal language to produce a strange mix of informal formal sentences. Currently, Ark was trying to be as casual as possible, without seeming too rude. Alas, it seemed his efforts were for naught.

"That's enough of that formal tone, just speak like you would with Jenny. Also don't worry about the meeting, it's always nice to meet new people, especially those so close to Jenny"

Ark nodded and smiled slightly, his mind processing the information he had gathered. It seemed that Lola was very quick on the uptake despite her slightly ditzy appearance. She had managed to infer information about Ark and Jennys relationship just after speaking to Jenny. Either that or Jenny was awful at acting normal. They had not explicitly stated that they would keep their relationship under wraps, but Ark had asked Jenny to only introduce him as an associate since he originally thought the meeting was more formal.

"Alright, I will cut it out. My name is Ark, it is a pleasure to meet such a beautiful lady"

"Nice to meet you too, my name is Lola. It is always a pleasure to meet a handsome guy such as yourself. However, let's head to a better area."

Lola chuckled lightly and walked Ark to a slabbed section that had an outdoor table and chairs. On that table, a large jug filled with what seemed to be berry juice and two cups were laid out neatly. Arks heart was warmed by the display of hospitality. Despite never meeting before, Lola had gone out of her way to prepare beforehand in preparation even though it was so early.

They settled down and Lola poured Ark a drink.

"So, what makes you seek me out? I don't recall us having a connection except for Jenny maybe?"

Ark took a sip of the drink before replying.

"I have challenged the Pewter Gym and won. It seems that Brock has made friends with some of my friends too. From there I heard about a situation that saddens me."

Ark continued on, telling Lola about how Brock wishes to travel yet he can't as he is responsible for the gym, as well as why I felt it would be beneficial for both Brock and them if they all travelled together.

"I see... that is quite the situation"

Lolas mood sank. A deep melancholy started to set in as she thought about her sons dreams being held back by her situation.

"Now, now, there is no need to be so melancholy. I am here today to come up with some solutions with you. Are you willing to discuss this with me?"

Ark encouraged Lola with a warm and friendly tone. His sincerity warming Lolas very being.

"I would be very grateful if you do. I do not wish to restrict Brock so much... honestly he deserves to live"

Ark nodded in appreciation for the understanding Lola was showing. It was making it easier for Ark to get the atmosphere right.

"May I inquire to what type of Pokemon you have?"

Lola tilted her head in confusion but whistled nonetheless.

Ark patiently waited, assuming she was gathering them.

After a couple of seconds, the ground began to shake slightly as a clump of objects charged in their direction. Feeling this, Ark squinted his eyes and tried to make out the shapes of the objects.

As they got closer, Ark was certain he recognised all of them.

The Pokemon stopped a couple of meters away, their heads focused on Lola.

"Guys, line up for our guest here. He wants to meet you"

Following Lolas polite order, the Pokemon immediately lined up in an orderly fashion.

Ark was impressed by the quality of training these Pokemon has received. It made him even more confident in his idea.

In the line, there was currently 3 Pokemon lined up, A Marill, a Blastoise and a Poliwag.

They were all water types, unfortunately.

"These are my Pokemon. We have a few more Pokemon, but they're more the kids rather than mine."

Arks ears perked up when he heard that. His previously dying hopes were reignited.

"May I see those too?"

Lola nodded and whistled again, this time the whistle was in a higher pitch and lasted much longer.

After another short wait, Arks hopes burned brightly as he recognised the approaching silhouettes.