Chapter 18

Aizen was woken up by his sister in the evening. He was then asked and forced to get ready to watch the show at the Waterflower Theater by the two enthusiastic little girls.

He was literally dragged by Leaf and Anira there as they believed that if they waited another minute, they would get late.

Misty seemed to have forgotten what happened at Lunch earlier today. And she greeted all of them when they arrived at the Theater.

She still did not talk to him specifically, but she did smile at him, blushed a little under his gaze, and she even included him in conversations. Any dissatisfaction she seemed to have against him was gone.

He didn't know what Lily had done to her little sister, but he knew that it was for the best.

When the show started, everyone in the audience, including him and the girls, was enchanted. They were hooked from the beginning of the act, and lost count of time.

The thunderous applause at the end of the show still reverberated in the back of their minds.

And now, they were all having their dinner back in the Williams' Home.

"You three are brilliant!!!" Leaf couldn't stop gushing over the Waterflower sisters. She had been praising them non-stop since they left the Theater.

Anira simply nodded her head again. Even she was mesmerized by the performance they just witnessed. It was truly beautiful.

Misty smiled proudly at seeing her friends praise her sisters. She knew that they were brilliant at what they did. Her sisters worked really hard to make their dream come true.

"I would expect nothing less from the choreography of the former Kalos Queen. A coordinator who managed to win the Grand Festival in her first season. And someone who is preparing to follow in her older sister's footsteps." Aizen smiled at Daisy, Violet, and Lily. "It was beautiful! Your show is the success you deserve."

"Heh... Someone's been looking into us." Daisy crossed her arms on her chest and smiled brightly.

"I did after the show." He admitted. "And I must say that I am impressed. You three are born winners."

"Well, thank you!" Daisy and Violet said in unison, and Lily winked at him playfully, making him chuckle.

"Daisy, you are a former Kalos Queen?!" Leaf asked excitedly.

Aizen smiled at the renewed enthusiasm of Leaf.

Anira was surprised too at her brother's words and curiously looked at the three Waterflower sisters, eagerly waiting to hear what stories they had to share from their adventures.

"Yes, she is." Misty proudly said. "She won it 8 years ago, at the age of 14. She's still the youngest to ever be crowned the Kalos Queen."

"That's awesome!" Anira widened her eyes at hearing the feat Daisy achieved.

"You deserve the title of the Queen!" Leaf gushed at her.

Daisy was embarrassed at hearing the pride in Misty's words and the praises the two little girls showered on her.

"Thank you!" She nodded at them with a smile. And happily resumed her dinner.

Misty smiled brightly and turned to look at the second Waterflower sister, who was sitting on her right.

"And Violet won the Sinnoh Grand Festival 5 years ago. She won it on her first run! She was also the Runner-Up of the following year's Unova Grand Festival. She's the real genius." She informed Anira and Leaf.

Violet was not embarrassed when Misty proudly spoke about her feat. She wrapped her arm around her orange-haired sister and kissed her on the cheek.

"To win it on your first time. You really are a genius" Anira agreed with Misty's evaluation.

"Anira and Misty are right. Only a genius could win it on the first attempt." Leaf praised her as well.

"Thank you!" Violet had a little blush on her face now, and she seemed happier too.

Who wouldn't like to be appreciated for their hard-earned achievements?

Misty then turned to look at Lily, and the latter didn't give her any time to praise her as well.

"And I plan on winning the Hoenn Grand Festival next year," Lily spoke with confidence and her sisters nodded to her words.

"You will!" The three of them said in unison.

"She collected 5 Ribbons in Hoenn and 5 in Sinnoh over 2 years ago, and she hasn't taken part in a Grand Festival yet," Daisy informed Leaf and Anira, who were curiously looking at Lily.

"Why not?" Leaf raised her brow and asked.

"I needed time to prepare and calm my nerves. And since the Ribbons do not expire, why not take the time to prepare for a Grand Festival until you are satisfied?" Lily smiled. "I am not a genius like Violet who can fearlessly go for it and win it." She pouted and said.

"Shut up!" Violet lightly smacked the back of her younger sister's head. "You only did it so that you can help me and Daisy with the Theater and our show. Stop making excuses. And I have complete faith in your ability."

Lily sheepishly smiled at her words and nodded.

"Anything for you, Sis! And I am glad I made that decision." She sent a kiss to the bluenette and resumed eating her dinner.

Everyone couldn't help but smile at the red-haired Waterflower.

Aizen understood a lot about the Waterflower sisters within a day.

Daisy was responsible, steadfast, and the mother figure to her younger sisters. Violet was calm, calculative, and got the most smarts. Lily was the bold one, the kindest, and the most mischievous, making her the smile of her family.

He couldn't help but smile when he looked at Misty.

She was the youngest, quickest to temper, and perhaps a little spoiled. She threw tantrums without care since she knew that her family loved her dearly. And she too loved them more than anything in the world.

What was remarkable was that she didn't feel overwhelmed by the success of her sisters. She had her own dreams that she wanted to follow and achieve.

Their dinner conversation was all about Grand Festivals, Pokemon performances, and adventures of the Waterflower Sisters after that point.

Leaf and Anira even stayed with the sisters after Dinner to hear more of their stories.

Aizen was currently on the roof of the Cerulean Gym, overlooking the entire city. The ocean breeze was comforting, and the starry sky was serene. However, there were a myriad of thoughts running in his mind, mostly memories.

He felt happy at seeing such a close-knitted family today. And he couldn't help but remember his late parents, his Aunt, and his cousins.

Anira was only a baby when they lost them all within a month. And he made sure that she would never miss them. But he did. He remembered the time he spent with them. And sometimes, the memories hit hard.

He thought of making a call to his Grandma, but it was quite late in the night, and he didn't want to disturb her sleep.

Suddenly, Aizen felt a pair of arms wrap around him. And soon all the unease in his heart subsided.

"Lyla..." He whispered her name.

[Love] He heard her gentle voice in his mind. And soon they disappeared from the place.

The people of Cerulean City remembered that night as the night a dazzling Red Star shined brightly in the Sky. No one knew what the phenomenon was, and they would possibly never know the truth.