Acting on the brionne’s advice, Zach decides to give dating a try. He sticks with striking up conversations at the bar or setting up a nice dinner for a girl. However, it is not as hopeful and easy as he thought everything would be. Most of the women have rejected him before even starting a first date, while the few that have actually tried to get to know Zach have turned out to be horrible candidates for the riolu’s future love interest. In one first dinner date, a roserade reveals to anticipate high-expectations from Zach; requiring certain things from the riolu. This causes him to envision a bad future where he would be cranked into overdrive and burnt out from her demands. In another first date with a kirlia, she lightly rejects his comments and stays silent the whole night, making Zach imagine she would be a terrible mate as she wouldn’t satisfy his needs for attention. No matter how hard the riolu tries, he gets nowhere. At least, for right now…
Back at work, Betty talks with some of her coworkers when she notices the riolu pass by. “Well, if it isn’t the ladies’ man himself,” she jokes, causing him to freeze and look at her. The performers give a chuckle. “You catch some nice beauty yet?”
“The rambunctious riolu and a girl?” questions the chimchar. “Can’t really picture him in a room with one. She’d probably pass out at the sight of the riolu.” The others laugh. Zach remains silent and presses on with a frown on his face and his ears drooped down.
“I’ll be back, fellas. I need some coffee.” Betty traces the riolu’s path and finds him alone outside. “Hey, lighten up. We were only joking.”
“Course you were,” Zach responds sarcastically.
“Seriously though, how has dating been going? You manage to find a nice hot one yet?”
“No,” he answers. “In fact, it’s been terrible, to be completely honest. Every date I’ve been on has been horrible…”
“Really?! That bad?! Come on, Zach. You can’t just give up.”
“I’m not saying I’m giving up… I’m saying it’s more difficult than I thought…”
“What did you expect? You’d come back with a pretty girl in your arms like that? Nothing’s ever easy, you know.”
“I know it isn’t, but I’m having no success… A lot of women are not comfortable with me… And the few dates I do manage to get, end up in failure… None of the girls express much interest or compassion as I’d hoped… There’s just no ‘spark.’”
“You just need to keep trying, is all. You’ll find new love soon enough.”
“Are you kidding, Betty? With what I’ve experienced, there will never be another girl who can replace Cindy…”
“Betty!” Shouts a female voice. The two pokemon turn to the source and spot a shiny celebi approach.
Betty gasps. “Elle!” She opens her arms out, catching the celebi in a hug. “It’s so good to see you, again! How’ve you been?!”
Elle smiles as she steps out of the brionne’s grasps. “Been doing amazing! Theatre work has been pretty busy, but I’ve been managing. How’s the circus treating you? Ringmaster still pushing you too hard?”
“I’ve been jumping through hoops and shooting water; nothing spectacular. Yet, pokemon seem to love it a lot.”
“It’s because you perform like no other!” She then turns and notices the riolu, who remains silent and stares. “Oh, haven’t seen you before. You must be a new guy, right?”
“Elle, this is Zach, the Rambunctious Riolu, and he’s been drawing crowds from all over the region.”
“Oh, you’re the one my sister has talked about. And now you’re the newest sensation among the circus, huh? Well, congrats! Not many pokemon make it big in a short span of time.”
“I…” Zach tries to find the words to begin. “I’m… sorry… Who are you…?”
“This is Elle the shiny celebi,” Betty tells him. “She and her twin sister, Cindy, used to work here.”
“Cindy was a circus act?! I’ve never known that.”
“Say, are Manny and Richie still here?” The shiny celebi asks Betty.
“Yeah, they are,” Betty answers. “They’re in the mess hall tent if you want to say ‘hi.’”
“I intend to! Hey, when you’re done, we should go out and catch some lunch if you’re available. We can catch up on some things.”
“I’m free now, but you go say ‘hello’ to Manny and Richie, first. I’ll wait for you.”
“Will do!” Elle flies off.
“Ah, good old Elle! Friendly and always heartwarming.” She turns to Zach, who remains frozen. “Hey, you okay?” Zach doesn’t answer. “You look like you got hit by a lightning bolt. What’s the-” Betty traces his gaze to the shiny celebi as she meets with the mammoswine and manchamp. “Oh!” She perks a smile. “I know what’s going on; you developed a crush for her!”
Zach shakes his head, snapping out of his trance, and faces her. “W-what?! She’s out of my league!”
“Oh, nonsense!”
“She is… A pretty girl like her stands no chance with a guy like me… She’s also Cindy’s sister and what if she’s just like-”
“Don’t worry about all of that,” Betty interrupts. “You like her, don’t you?”
“I mean… She’s beautiful, and-”
“Then, you should ask her out! Just don’t think too much, and go for it!” She starts heading away.
Zach looks away and thinks to himself: “I… guess I can try…”
***
During lunch at the tavern, the brionne sits across from the shiny celebi, talking and enjoying their meals. They both laugh at jokes and recent funny events from their workplaces.
“Hey,” Betty begins. “I want to ask you something.”
“Go on,” Elle tells her. “What is it?”
“You looking for a lover, by any chance?” The shiny celebi asks her why. “I think that riolu may have a crush on you.”
Elle begins to blush. “H-he does…?”
“Couldn’t you tell from the way he was staring at you? Looked like he got hit by a lightning bolt.”
“I thought he had had a crush for my sister only… That’s what she told me, at least…”
“Oh, he did... However, Zach’s been trying to move on. He’s been dating other women.”
“Really?”
“Poor riolu couldn’t get his heart beating again… until you showed up. It’s up to you if you want to go out with him or not. He’s changed, and he’s doing what he can to push the past behind him.”
“Have you dated him before?”
“What? Hell no. He’s just another performer here who’s been here for half a year. I don’t have feelings for him.” She takes a drink from her cup.
***
Coming back to the circus after a good meal, the brionne parts ways with her old friend; retiring to her abode.
The shiny celebi turns and floats away. She stops suddenly as to not collide with the riolu, who appears from around the corner at the same time she approaches. “Oh! I’m sorry! I didn’t realize you were coming…”
“No, you’re okay,” Zach tells her. “I should be sorry. I should’ve realized you were coming… Um, hey… listen…” He rubs the back of his head. “I wanted to apologize about before.”
“W-what do you mean…?”
“I… didn’t really know what to say when I first met you… and I wasn’t sure how to approach it…”
“It’s fine. You don’t have anything to be ashamed of.”
“R-really…? I mean, thank you, yes… Say, um… is it okay to ask you something…?” Elle gives him a nod. “I… I was wondering… Are you…” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath in. “Are you available this evening?!”
“You want to ask me out, don’t you?”
Zach opens his eyes as his cheeks transition to pink. “W-what? I-I mean… Y-yeah, if you’re… And if not, then… I…”
“I would love to,” she tells him. Her answer causes him to freeze, rendering him speechless. “Where do you like to hang out?”
“Well… I usually go to the tavern… But, since you and Betty were there, we can go somewhere else if you’d like…”
“I’m fine with the tavern.” She gives him a smile. “I don’t usually go there too often. What time do you want to meet up?”
“I… Is nine okay…? Sorry if it’s late… The show usually ends around eight and a half, and it takes a bit to get ready.”
“Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll meet you at the tavern around nine. See you then!” She flies off and disappears.
Zach remains standing, having watched the celebi fly away. “I hope it goes all right…”
“It will be,” says the brionne, standing in her doorway. Zach turns around quickly to her. “Yeah, I was listening. Just be yourself and have a good time. No reason she will be disinterested in you.”
“How can you tell…?”
“She accepted your request for a date, right?” He nods. “Then don’t worry about it. Now, go on and get back to whatever you were doing. And, good luck on your date tonight.”
“Thank you…” The riolu turns and heads off. Betty smiles as she closes the door in front of her.
