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Chapter 147 - A Taste Of Yulema Culture

After having spent some time at the bazaar, eventually the group finally returned to their cabin, with plenty of food in their stomachs and all the decorations Chris had wanted in tow. Once he had Rapidash and the carriage safely in the garage, he and the girls worked together to take what he'd bought into the cabin, piling his bags on the table in their living room before plopping down on the furniture surrounding it. With Alicia taking the couch, the snake stretched and rest her chin on the arm while the others sat back in the chairs. "Now THAT was something." Chris sighed. "I so full..." Serenity groaned, rubbing her stomach. "We ate so much stuff there... I'm not too sure some of it was a very good combination though." Chris laughed nervously, rubbing his own stomach. Taking off her new scarf, Rose rubbed it against her cheek with a relaxed sigh of her own. "You really like that stuff, huh?" Chris asked, looking at the rabbit making her jolt and glance away with an embarrassed smile. "Y-Yeah... Thank you." she nodded as Serenity held her purse, Alicia taking her mirror off the table and looking at the flowers around her ear. "You get us lots... Not have to." Serenity point out. "Bah, don't worry about it... I love you girls, it made me happy getting to see you that way." Chris affirmed, causing them to look at one another before giving him a curious look. "In what way exactly?" Alicia asked. "Well... Shopping and stuff. It was nice seeing you blend in with people like that." he explained. "I know you're Pokemon, and maybe there is some stuff that makes us different... But getting to see you the way I did tonight, it really goes to show just how much you have in common with everyone else, even if we aren't exactly the same." he smiled.

"Sure we look different, think different and all, but deep down there's a part of you that's just like any other girl... It was nice getting to see that again the way I did tonight." he nodded. "You girls put up with a lot hanging around a goof like me, so I enjoyed doing it!" he grinned before looking at the banner and figures over the fireplace. "I got another good memory with you out of everything... That's all the reward I need." he affirmed before looking at the bags on the table. "Well, that and a bunch of stuff for the tree!" he laughed as the girls looked at one another and smiled. "Thanks for treating us way you do." Serenity replied. "Eh? You don't gotta thank me for that. It's a man's job to make sure his ladies have a great time!" he affirmed, patting his chest with his fist and his head up proudly. "Oh indeed... Such a man." Alicia added in a teasing tone with a smirk. "Hey... What's with the way you said it?" Chris scowled. Looking at her scarf and coat for a moment, Rose got up from her chair and approached, giving him a hug causing him to blink at the rabbit in surprise and blush slightly. "Wh-What's with this?" he asked, Rose looking up with a wide smile. "I love you." she affirmed before Serenity approached and gave him a hug around his neck. "I love too!" she grinned, causing him to turn all the redder while she poked his cheek. " I can't deny it... I do as well." Alicia smirked, slithering up behind his chair and patting him on the head with her vine. "I'm not a dog..." he scowled, only for her to surprise him by rubbing her snout against his cheek. "Better?" the snake asked as he glanced away embarrassed, nodding with an "mm" causing Alicia to chuckle. "You're so easy." she teased. Surrounded by their affection, Chris couldn't resist showing a small smile of his own. "...Appreciate it." he nodded, looking at their smiles as they nodded back.

Finally standing, the girls backed away as he started rummaging through the bags. "Alright, lets decorate!" he grinned, pulling out the stand he'd bought before having Serenity help lift the tree. Watching curiously, the girls tilt their heads as he adjusted the stand, positioning the bottom of the tree before having Serenity set it down, allowing him to lock it in place. "Alright..." he muttered, crawling his way back from under the branches. "It good?" Serenity asked. "Yeah, it's not going anywhere." Chris assured, taking the tree in hand and showing it wouldn't budge. "Kinda neat how that works." Rose point out. "Yep, just set it in the stand, twist the knob on the side there and done!" he grinned before returning to the table. "First thing's first..." he paused, getting the lights ready before instructing Serenity and Rose on how to help wrap the string around the tree, the rabbit handling the lower branches while he and Serenity took care of the top portion, Alicia given the task of keeping her vines out like arms with the string rolled around them to avoid tangles. "Needles itchy..." Serenity point out, scratching her wrists. "The lights are usually the trickiest." Chris replied. Once they were adjusted and finished, he moved on to the garland, letting the girls hold and feel it. "Fuzzy!!" Rose grinned. "This feel nice." Serenity added. "It's a tad odd..." Alicia point out as Chris tossed the garland around her neck playfully. "Looking good!" he praised. "Oh yes, quite a fashion statement." she scowled before shaking it off, the garland winding up on him instead causing her to smirk. "There now, that's more appropriate." she teased as he removed it and started working it around the tree with the group.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - The Jolly Saint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omm_vq6zX6g Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

"Ahh, now it's looking good!" Chris sighed, backing away once the garland was in place. "It look... Neat?" Serenity nodded. "It's all twirly." Rose smiled. "I've seen it plenty of times... Still not quite certain of the appeal." Alicia added. Looking at them, Chris crossed his arms while thinking as he looked at the tree himself. "...You girls wanna hear a story?" he asked, causing them to show curious looks. "Maybe the Aurora Festival isn't exactly Christmas, but it's close enough to be relevant I think..." he affirmed. "A long, long time ago... There was a man named Saint Nicholas..." he began while sitting back in one of the chairs, taking out his Pokedex and bringing up a hologram of the man. "He spent his entire life giving gifts to folks that were poor... They say there was even a time he gave a small fortune to three girls so they wouldn't have to sell their bodies for money." he revealed as the group gathered before him. "What mean sell bodies?" Serenity asked, his explanation making the girls sulk. "Anyway... The girls father was a poor man, and back when Nicholas was alive, a lot of men didn't want to marry girls who came from a poor family... It was hard for girls to find jobs back then too, so if they were born poor, they'd often stay poor." he point out. "A lot of the time, if a girl was poor, if she wasn't able to get married and couldn't find work, they would have to sell their bodies to people in order to live..." he went on. "So once Nicholas found out what they were about to do, they say he went to the house where the girls and their father lived. Under the cover of night, he started throwing small bags of money into their house through an open window so the man's daughters wouldn't have to sell their bodies." Chris smiled, showing them a picture called "The Dowry For The Three Virgins" before continuing.

"Thanks to him, they didn't have to resort to doing that to themselves, they didn't have to suffer or anything, and they were able to live better lives." he finished before fidgeting with his Pokedex, the girls looking at him silently until he felt their gazes. "...Sup'?" he asked, looking up. "Kinda sounds like..." Rose replied. "In way... Remind of what you do for humans little while ago." Serenity added. "Eh? You mean the nuns?" Chris asked, pointing at himself. "I think there's a pretty big difference between buying a tree and saving a family." he clarified with a nervous smile, waving his hand at the thought. "Perhaps what you and he did are for different reasons, but the importance of what you did doesn't feel that far apart." Alicia affirmed. "...Kind of reminds me of us too." Rose point out. Looking at the rabbit in a puzzled manner, Chris wasn't sure about the relation between them and the story as Serenity and Alicia gave Rose a curious look themselves before thinking it over. "...I suppose in some way there's a comparison." the snake nodded. "That human you tell us about save three human girls, and you save us! We three girls too!" Serenity smiled. "We were at rather low points in our lives... The lowest, really. In our own ways, we were desperate in some form or another... In dire need and all that." Alicia point out. "Yeah! You and that human aren't so different!" Rose giggled, causing Chris to sweat slightly. "Y-You girls keep trying to compare me to some pretty high people..." he smiled nervously. "Well... You're pretty high up there to us." the rabbit affirmed, causing him to show a surprised look as Serenity nodded in agreement, Alicia showing a small smirk. "A-Anyway, uh..." he replied, put in a shy position from the admiration.

"S-So over time..." he cleared his throat, continuing with his story while bringing up a hologram of Santa Claus making the girls show curious looks once more. "Ahh, the obese fellow..." Alicia point out. "I've seen him!" Rose added. "I'm not surprised, come Christmas he's everywhere." Chris nodded. "Over the years, Nicholas was turned into this guy, Santa Claus." he explained. "THAT'S the name." Alicia interrupted. "Yeah... I've heard it." Rose added. "People who were inspired by Nicholas, among other things, decided to make a character that would be a symbol of what he stood for, easily recognized by the world and stuff... Santa Claus is the result." Chris point out. "He's a man who's always jolly, and once a year, he travels the WHOLE world, giving presents to everybody that was good!" he revealed, Alicia letting out a "huh..." and nodding, Rose listening quietly while Serenity's eyes widened. "But if someone is bad, he only gives them rocks..." Chris warned, looking at Serenity with a smirk causing her to scowl. "...I good..." she muttered, crossing her arms as he stood and put his Pokedex away. "With that out of the way..." he added, taking several bags full of ornaments to the tree and setting them on the floor. "That story is one of the main reasons why humans put up these trees." he affirmed as they gathered at his sides. "When folks decorate them together like this, it makes them feel... Connected... They spend time together. It makes you feel even more like a family." he point out. "It reminds folks to take time out of their lives to bond with one another, to open up and enjoy life." he added before taking some ornaments from the bags and hanging them on several branches.

"It also..." he paused, taking out more ornaments and handing them to Serenity and Rose, letting Alicia take one by the hook in her mouth. "Reminds you to help one another, in its own way... Like how Serenity helped me set it up, and now you're all helping make it look nice!" he grinned, the girls looking at one another curiously before copying him and placing the ornaments on branches. Giving them more to hang, the fuller the tree began to look, the less focused on one another the girls were, instead trying to keep an eye on empty spaces as they started taking ornaments out of the bags on their own. Eventually, they started pointing out spaces for one another, allowing Chris to step back and watch them getting along despite being so close together, even getting to hear Serenity telling Alicia "thank you" when the snake point out a spot for a decoration, even if it was done subconsciously as neither reacted to it. Deciding to let them take charge, Chris sat on the table and enjoyed what he saw as the girls got along, busily making their way around the tree as they were pulled into the tradition more than he'd thought they'd be, quietly nodding with a smile on his face. After some time, the girls finally noticed he'd gone missing, spotting him at the table. "What doing?" Serenity asked. "Just... Admiring." he nodded. "Admiring? The tree?" Alicia asked. "Well... Kind of... But also something more important." he point out. "Wadaya mean?" Rose asked, all three looking confused. Standing up, Chris took an ornament Serenity held with a smirk, placing it on a branch. "Alright! I think that's all it can handle." he nodded, adding "well done!" with a thumbs up. "So... What did you mean?" Alicia asked, only to find the question ignored again as he returned to the table.

Bringing up the remaining bag, he took out packs of silver and gold colored tinsel, handing one to Serenity and Rose each. "Now we just toss this stuff all over the tree, like this!" Chris explained, opening his pack and stringing the tinsel on the tree. Looking at one another, Serenity and Rose opened their packs and held up some of their tinsel, looking at it curiously before tossing it on the tree in the same manner. With Serenity trying to ask the question a third time, it was ignored the same as before as he held up the package in his hands, instructing Alicia to use her mouth to place the tinsel on the tree. After doing so several times, the snake found tinsel stuck in her teeth, primarily around her fangs leaving her trying to clumsily remove it with her tongue causing Chris to laugh as the decorations dangled from her mouth. "Out, out!!" she ordered, leaning her face toward him allowing Chris to pick it out for her while snickering. "Come on, you gotta admit that was funny." he chuckled. "Indeed..." she scowled, running her tongue along her fangs, insuring they were clear before sighing. "All gone!" Serenity exclaimed, causing him to turn as she and Rose held out the empty packages. "Same here..." he nodded, his own now empty as well. Looking at the tree, it now glistened and sparkled from all the decor, the girls curiously circling it as Chris looked around, letting out an "ah!" when he spotted one of the bags on the floor still containing a decoration. Pulling it out, he held up a star, the girls watching as he approached the tree and tried to place it on top. Seeing him struggle, Alicia sighed with a "here" comment before taking it in her vine and setting it in place for him. "You're so tiny." she added. "Hey, you were shorter than me before!" he reminded.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Their First Tree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlknqmpdeaI Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

Connecting the star to the string of lights, Chris then crawled his way under the tree, pulling out the plug before finding the outlet nearby on the wall. Positioning himself, he instructed the girls to turn off the lights, and once the room was dark, he exclaimed "here we go!" before pushing the plug into the outlet, making the tree and its star flash to life. Startled for a moment, the girls approached the tree, looking at it wide eyed as the lights reflected in their eyes. Making his way between them, Chris looked at their expressions before admiring the decorations himself, showing a satisfied smirk as he crossed his arms and nodded. "Oohh..." Serenity muttered. "That's pretty..." Rose added. "It's a lot different when you look at a tree you decorated yourself, isn't it?" he asked, all three nodding in response before they started circling the tree, touching different ornaments. "The star is a nice touch." Alicia point out as they returned to his sides. "...I was admiring you girls." Chris finally answered, causing them to look at him curiously. "You've grown up is all." he added, showing a warm smile as they faced one another. "Obviously we're larger." Alicia replied. "Not like that." he chuckled. "Don't worry about it... I'm just proud of you girls... That's all. Proud that I get to be with you." Chris affirmed, causing them to tilt their heads before looking at the tree. After a moment, Chris looked at the girls again, taking notice of the clothes Serenity and Rose wore and the flowers still topped around Alicia's ear before reaching into his coat pocket, taking his bank card out and looking it over before returning his focus to the tree. "...Silver and gold..." he muttered, the girls looking at him curiously.

"Silver and gold..." he repeat, this time in a musical tone as he approached the tree. "Everyone wishes for it, you know?" he asked, looking back at the girls. "How do you measure its worth... Just by the pleasure it gives?" he added, holding up his card before pointing at what they had on while maintaining his musical tone. "It means so much more when I see..." he paused, looking back at the tree. "Silver and gold decorations... On every Christmas tree." he nodded, returning his focus to the girls with a grin. Motioning for them to come closer, the girls approached before he guided them through the song a second time, coaxing them to join in singing "Silver and Gold" in unison together as they looked at the lights and swayed to their song as they sang. Thinking abut the story he'd told them and how he revealed he'd admired them and was proud, the girls glanced at Chris as he looked up at the star, his meaning slowly starting to click in their minds as small smiles appeared on their faces. Feeling their focus on him, Chris looked at the girls curiously, only for them to return their attention to the tree as Serenity and Rose each held one of his hands, Alicia placing a vine atop his head before they went through the song again together. Once they were finished singing, the group sat and enjoyed the atmosphere under the light of their decorations until finally deciding to turn in for the night, leaving the tree glowing in its corner as they made their way up to bed. After they were ready, with Serenity and Rose setting their new clothes aside and Alicia placing her flowers atop the stand next to the bed, the group rest together in a relaxed and satisfied manner, with Serenity and Rose by his sides while Alicia relaxed on top of him, her head sticking out from the sheets.

"...You girls really having a good time?" he asked while looking at the aurora in the sky above them through the ceiling window. "I have fun. It nice..." Serenity assured, inching further against him while pulling his arm into her bosom. "Everything is really neat! All the crowds make me kinda nervous... But everything's really pretty!" Rose smiled, doing the same as she snuggled against his opposite side. "I'll admit... It's not bad." Alicia agreed. Looking at the snake, he rubbed her on the head while looking at the others. "...Thanks for trying all this for me." he nodded. "I know it's a little selfish dragging you girls all this way, tossing you head first into things you might not get too well, but I really wanted you to experience this stuff... I know some of it might seem a little confusing, but deep down... I think you can come to understand." he affirmed. "I think I starting to." Serenity smiled. "Me too." Rose agreed before the two gave him a kiss on his cheeks together. "I suppose it's not too complex... Even if the tree part is a tad odd, it has its charms." Alicia smirked, her eyes growing heavy from having her head rubbed. With Serenity and Rose further pressing themselves against him, the warmth from the girls was slowly lulling Chris to sleep as well, yawning with another "thanks" comment before shutting his eyes, the girls doing the same as they dozed off together. With the lights above wafting throughout the night, the group slept under the soft glow of natures artistic display. The following day, he and the girls spent the better part of the morning relaxing at home, letting themselves take their time heading into the new day as Chris offered to clean the new clothes Serenity and Rose had gotten the night before while they watched TV.

"It's really sparkly during the day too." the rabbit eventually point out, looking at their tree as rays of light poured in from the window next to it. "Nice, huh?" Chris smirked. "I get stuff out of machine." Serenity chimed in, walking up with their clothes in her arms and setting them on the table. "You girls gonna set it aside or you wanna wear it today too?" he asked. "I not mind wearing again... I like way sweater make you act." Serenity grinned. "O-Oy.." Chris scowled. "You did say it makes me cute." Rose giggled while taking her coat in hand. "Really like the scarf too." she affirmed, wrapping at around her neck and sniffing it with a sigh. Nodding, he let them put on their outfits, having to interrupt Serenity when she retracted her skirt and tried putting her pants on in front of him, quickly instructing her to do so in the bathroom with a flush on his face as the Pokemon complained, oblivious to the concept of modesty as he closed the door with sweat on his face. "Girls are gonna do me in..." he muttered, shaking the blush away while returning to the others in the living room. "What's wrong with her putting them on?" Rose asked. "I-It's hard to explain..." he answered. "P-Put it this way... Remember when we were on the ship and you were walking up the stairs in front of me?" he asked, the rabbit thinking back and showing a blush of her own. "Y-Yeah... It's kinda funny feeling being looked at in human clothes..." she nodded. "Well, it's embarrassing to see someone dress like she was too." Chris tried to explain. "...Why would THAT bother you? Pardon me for phrasing it this way, but you've already mated." Alicia point out, causing him to flush brightly. "Th-That's not the point!" he snapped. "E-Even if you've done things like that with someone, seeing somebody in certain ways can still be embarrassing..." he affirmed.

"Humans are hopeless." the snake replied. "Hey, aren't you the one all about modesty and stuff? That's what it comes down to!" Chris tried to point out as Serenity returned. "Look okay?" she asked, looking herself over before standing in front of him and turning, letting him look at her from front to back with the later portion causing his eyes to widen before quickly facing away. "Y-Yep, looks great." he nodded, the Pokemon looking back at him curiously. Seeing the redness returning to his face, Serenity looked toward her butt before grinning slyly. "What say?" she asked, backing up toward him causing Chris to gulp as her rear hovered in front of his face. Stuttering nervously, his face looked as if it were ready to burst with steam before she sat on his lap with a plop, making him let out a grunt as she leaned back and relaxed. "Like you say, I the best." Serenity reminded, looking back at Chris as he sat stiffened like stone beneath her, sweating as the Pokemon teasingly adjusted herself on his lap. "O-O-O-Okay!!" he panicked, quickly making his way out from the seat. "Aww... Was having fun." Serenity pout. "You're such a lecherous thing..." Alicia scowled. "I thought mine was best..." Rose pout, looking back at her own rear. "I-I'm just not used to seeing Serenity in pants is all! I-It's... Different..." Chris explained, scratching his cheek shyly. "Things stick out more in pants." he added. "Little bunny have competition." Serenity grinned smugly, causing Rose to scowl. "Nobody has competition." Chris affirmed, Rose glancing away and muttering while Serenity looked herself over again. "What is so appealing about one's rear end?" Alicia asked in agitation. "Snake just say that because she not have one." Serenity reminded with another smug grin on her face.

"E-Excuse me?!" Alicia snapped. "Snake not have LOTS of things!" Serenity added, lifting her bust proudly. "Y-You don't need them! It's just fat!" Alicia argued. "Who calling fat?!" Serenity snapped back while Chris slumped. "Nice while it lasted..." he muttered, thinking back on the girls decorating the tree together. "My body is perfectly slender! You're just a misshapen beast." Alicia scoffed. "Snake just big green noodle!" Serenity point out, the comment making Alicia's eyes widen before they started tossing insults back and forth at one another, Rose glancing at Serenity's butt and her own, silently comparing. "Alright, alright!!" Chris lectured, stepping up between the bickering women. "You've all got your positives so leave it at that." he affirmed, the two growling at one another. "You're arguing about body parts... Are you really gonna keep stooping that low?" he asked. "Not the kind of behavior your kind should condone, right?" he point out, looking up at Alicia making her jolt and glance away with slight sweat on her face. "And you... Come on. Don't go lifting your chest at others like that, it's not right." he ordered, causing Serenity to sulk with an agitated pout. "And stop staring!!" he added, looking at Rose causing the rabbit to jump in surprise, having been looking at Serenity's butt again and quickly apologizing, waving her hands as the others looked at her curiously, making Rose fidget embarrassed. "Seriously girls, come on..." he scowled. "Bickering like that is crazy... Especially over your bodies. You know it's wrong to shame each other for how you look, especially after everything you went through to be who you are now. You all have a right to be proud, so don't mess that up for each other and make yourselves self conscious for no reason." he ordered.

Looking at each other, Serenity and Alicia faced away before letting out a simultaneous "sorry" in an agitated tone. "...Guess that's better than nothing." Chris nodded, looking at Rose as she poked her fingers. "You forget about it too. There's no point in comparing yourself to anyone, no matter who it is. You're perfect as you are. If you don't believe that then you're insulting me too since that's how I feel about you." he insisted, causing the rabbit to let out an "eh?" and look at him with a slight blush. "It's true, and that goes for all of you." he continued, looking at the others. "You put yourselves down, put each other down, then you're putting me down too. Shaming one another is like saying I'm stupid for thinking all of you are fine as you are." he affirmed, nodding with a grunt on the subject before heading toward the door, taking his staff in hand that'd been against the wall beside it. "Now come on, there's a whole day waiting. Put this petty mess behind you." he finished, motioning them out first as they looked at one another in a guilty manner and went through the door. Instructing the girls to wait on the porch, Chris made his way to the garage and brought the carriage out, calling for them while opening the door for Alicia, letting the snake make her way in before joining the others in his seat. "Now... We're gonna have a god time again, right?" he asked, getting a nod before he guided them back into town. Thinking of stopping by the plaza, they found all the entrances blocked off, signs raised showing the hours of the festival and explaining the stall owners took time during the daylight to organize and restock. "...Guess it's an evening only thing." he muttered, looking at the plaza past the blockade before them, finding trucks and people busily moving about.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - Touring The City https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqZbR16Qs1o Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

"So what we do now?" Serenity asked. "Well... It's a big city... Couldn't hurt to spend a day checking out the sights." Chris smirked, backing the carriage and making his way down another street. "You still mad...?" Rose asked. "Eh...? Mad?" he replied, looking at the rabbit before shaking his head. "Nah, wasn't mad to start with really... A little annoyed I guess, but we're good. Just don't insult and get all jealous toward one another and every thing is fine." he smiled. "You girls all have great things about you, great things to offer. Just gotta remember that." he affirmed, Serenity and Alicia looking at him as well. "Now... Lets see if we can find some places to check out..." he muttered, pulling out his Pokedex and bringing up a map and landmarks in the city. "Say... How about checking this out first? It's not far off!" he point out, bringing up a hologram of a statue featuring a man sitting in a meditating pose, letting the girls look at it as he made his way along. Once they reached their destination, Chris halt the carriage as they looked around another open area, this time featuring the massive statue he'd shown them in the center. Looking up details on his Pokedex, he read "K?toku-in Square..." aloud. "Since its creation many years ago, K?toku-in square has undergone many changes revolving the statue of Amida, one of the Eastern regions most renowned Buddha figures, as a result of various natural disasters..." he went on. "Several temples have been raised around the statue to house it, with each falling due to powerful storms as time passed. In the end, the people of Yulema City took it as a sign from Amida to allow the statue to remain in the open air, with the statue itself withstanding the forces of nature whereas the temples that protect it could not." he explained.

"Sturdy creation..." Alicia muttered. "That's a big human..." Rose point out, referring to the chubby appearance of the Buddha before them. "Have squinty eyes." Serenity added, using her fingers to make her eyes look like the statue. "Oy oy, don't do that." Chris lectured before continuing. "K?toku-in Square is where many of the city's immigrants from Eastern regions gather for religious purposes, with both monks and average citizens alike paying respects. Many holidays and other festivities of Eastern origin are also held in the square throughout the year." he read aloud. "As a place of religious importance and cultural heritage, the motto of the plaza is-as follows." he paused. "Stranger, whosoever thou art and whatsoever be thy creed, when thou enterest this sanctuary remember thou treadest upon ground hallowed by the worship of ages. This is the Temple of Buddha and the gate of the eternal, and should therefore be entered with reverence." Chris read. "Ohh... I rather like the way that's worded." Alicia point out. "Words sound funny." Serenity added while Rose tried to repeat them, a confused look of her own showing. "It basically just means to respect the place, don't cause trouble or act bad." Chris explained, Serenity and Rose letting out an "oh" of their own and nodding in understanding. "K?toku-in Square is just one of many cultural landmarks in Yulema City, prized and heralded as a melting pot of people and heritage from around the world, a place that continues to turn the harsh and frigid land of the northern continent into one that's warm and welcoming toward all, a place of irrelevancy in regards to race or origin, in favor of the ideal of all being equal." Chris read with a smirk, nodding before looking up another location to see and continuing along.

"From the looks of it, Yulema City is split in different ways. Some parts have different cultures all mixed together, real diverse... Kinda like that Temple place. While other portions of the city focus on a specific kind of people. I guess it gives folks the option of how close they want to be with one another... Kinda like they're able to mingle regularly, but when they need to, folks can step back and be among their own, fill themselves back up with their own way of living, step back into their own lands, their own times... I like that a lot." Chris point out. "Yulema City gives folks the freedom to move toward the future together, but it doesn't shame them for wanting to step back sometimes and appreciate their own people, their own history, their own way... I think that's the best way people can learn to live with one another." he added, the girls looking at him curiously. "Well, think about it... The way the city has things laid out, people who come here from around the world can ease into this kind of existence with one another. Ease into each others culture, their ways of life... Take their time understanding one another. I think because of that, folks can warm up a lot better toward one another, kinda come to appreciate each other a little better since they're not forced to crowd together more than they want to... I think in the long run, that respect toward one another, that appreciation for boundaries, it kinda makes them wanna crowd together in the end, support each other and protect what they all love." he smiled as they continued along. "No matter what kind of history somebody has, no matter where they come from... Everybody likes to be respected, both as a person, and their space... A city that honors that, doesn't shame anyone for it... Makes all walks of life wanna support and protect it in turn, together." Chris nodded, the girls looking around and doing the same.

Picking another landmark to visit, the group traveled along various neighborhoods until reaching an open intersection called Kings Crossing where traffic circled a massive monument, the figure overlooking the people as they made their way about their lives. "He look serious." Serenity point out, copying the pose of the monument with her arms crossed. "Well, he wasn't a guy who fooled around." Chris replied. "It's really tall... Who is it?" Rose asked before Chris brought up a description of the monument as they circled the area. "Stone of Hope..." he began. "Sculpted in honor of Marvin Luror Jr., this is one of the newest additions to Yulema City, dedicated to the belief that all are created equal regardless of color." he went on. "A man who believed all races could find peace and love among one another, that all deserved the same power and respect as anyone, his was a dream of a world where everyone lived as one, a world in which those around you are judged by their way of life rather than the tone of their skin." Chris point out with a smirk. "Kings Crossing allows Marvin Luror to gaze down on the world of today, his stance proud as the community of Yulema City move on as one just as he'd always dreamed under his watchful eye, forever on the lookout for injustice in whatever manner it may present itself, his shoulders high and back straight as though ready to step up for the cause of peace at any moment." Chris went on, the girls looking at the monument with a collective "oohh" as they made another circle around it. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." he read. "That's something the guy said a long time ago." Chris point out, straightening himself up proudly. "I can relate to that one." he nodded.

"What else he say?" Serenity asked, looking at his device. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." he replied, looking at her. "...That's one you should pay attention to." he affirmed, causing the Pokemon to back away, letting out an "mm" in response. "Here's one that reminds me of you Rose!" he added with a grin, the rabbit letting out a curious "eh?" as he read. "I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality. This is why right, temporarily defeated, is stronger than evil triumphant." he point out. "...That one's kinda confusing." she replied. "You don't like violence, right? It basically means you don't have to hurt people yourself for justice to happen. Just believe in yourself, believe in others, and eventually folks that are bad will get what's coming to them... Kinda like how you and me helped each other!" he explained. "Ohh... I think I kinda get it!" she giggled. "...Don't suppose anything reminds you of me?" Alicia asked, glancing away as he looked through the quotes. "We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." Chris replied, the snake looking at him curiously. "It means that people might do bad things in their life, to themselves, toward you, their morals might be twisted, but eventually you'll come out alright as long as you steer yourself on the right path, have your own morals straight... There's lots of roads in life you can take." Chris point out, looking around. "You can give into the bad and hopeless trails, or pull yourself up and keep on the positive one's, the path that you know is right in your own eyes, one that will make you a better person, that will take you somewhere better." he affirmed, steering onto another street.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - The Yulema Louvre! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-i8tpLqVT8E Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

As the girls thought the quotes over, Chris led them along, looking at the buildings lining the streets. "How is it you can seem so insightful one moment, then be so immature the rest of the time?" Alicia asked. "What? You mean you don't like my quirky side?" he replied with a smirk. "It is kinda surprising... Sometimes you sound really smart." Rose agreed. "Just because I like goofing around doesn't mean I don't have a brain." Chris assured, tapping his forehead. "It make head hurt when sound too smart." Serenity replied, making him laugh and getting an apology from him as they traveled the city. Throughout the day, Chris decided to show off some of the smaller attractions to help pass the time, not wanting to spoil too many major places all in one day. Nonetheless, by the time he'd felt they'd seen enough, the sun having already traveled the sky and nearing its sunset phase, he decided to stop by a final go-to location, trotting them through various neighborhoods until they arrived at a plaza on par with that of the Temple, possibly larger as they looked around. "Bi--ig..." Serenity muttered in a drawn out manner. "This city has so many spacious areas..." Alicia added. "You can tell Yulema is a lot more about the community compared to Millennium, that was all about business. Here they've got tons of places for people to gather, hang out and enjoy the sights... Back in the other city it was just highways and hustle." Chris point out. Making their way along, the girls noticed a pyramid of glass in the distance ahead of them, the structure surrounded by smaller pyramids as well as fountains and a palace-like building, all of the structures growing several times fold the closer they got.

"Alright... Looks like we can stop over there..." he muttered, steering the carriage along toward an area where others were parked along with locals cars. "We getting off?" Serenity asked. "Yeah, we can hang around here for a while... Then decide if we wanna check out the bazaar again or not." he nodded, climbing down before offering a hand to the others and letting Alicia out, all three stretching. "Feel good." Serenity groaned with her arms up and lowering them with a sigh. "I'll admit, it's nice being in the open. That was quite a ride." Alicia added, tilting her neck back before looking around. "You'll be alright here, won't y...!!" Chris was about to ask, turning only to find Rapidash guzzling water from the fountain in front of him. "...N-Not sure that's allowed but, okay..." he muttered, the stalling pulling his head back with a sudden belch. "Guess that's better than a fart." Chris smiled nervously, the girls scowling from the crude behavior as he noticed other horses drinking as well. "They're letting the others do the same thing without a problem... No need to worry then?" he added before looking around himself with the others. "This place is called...?" Alicia asked. "Ah, one sec..." Chris ndded, taking out his Pokedex and bringing up the info. "The big glass building there is called the Louvre Pyramid, the building around us is called the Louvre Palace, or Palais du Louvre." he explained, the girls looking at him curiously. "S-Say last part again..." Serenity replied. "What? Palais du Louvre?" he asked, blinking at the Pokemon as she showed a blush. "A-Again?" she repeat, making him say the name a third time. "I dunno why, but the way that sounds kinda makes me a little tingly." Rose point out with a giggle and a blush as well.

"Well, I guess French kinda has that affect... Didn't think Pokemon were bothered by it." Chris point out. "Say again!" Serenity grinned eagerly. Repeating it as requested, the Pokemon bit her lip and let out a giggle of her own. "Like way tongue move." she point out, causing him to look at her before blushing himself. "H-Hey now." Chris scowled, softly giving her a pat on the head with his Pokedex and a "down girl" comment. "Doesn't seem to get to you thou..." he was about to point out, looking back at Alicia as she faced away, blushing the same as the others. "B-Be quiet." she scowled, making him smile nervously. "Pokemon get flustered by French, there's one for the dex!" he point out before laughing. "I don't speak it or understand, but I'm glad I can say it well enough to have that affect." he smirked. Leading them along, Chris and the girls walked around the Louvre Pyramid itself for some time, enjoying the fountains and the structure of the palace surrounding them. "You know there something inside pyramid thing?" Serenity point out. "Oh, yeah. You can go inside! There's a way to get into the palace underground." Chris explained, pointing out the entrance. "There's tons of people underneath us right now." he added, causing the girls to jolt before looking down. "Inside the palace is a museum that pretty much goes through most of the building... We'll have to take a look before we leave the city." he added. "You're not taking us inside now?" Alicia asked. "Nah... We've already done a lot today as it is. Plus we haven't decided about the bazaar yet either..." he reminded. "I'm not sure about all that walking." Rose laughed nervously while looking at the size of the palace around them. "I just wanted to see the outside." he assured, heading toward the pyramid entrance.

"I kinda do wanna see the inside of this though, you girls okay with that?" he asked. "Not mind. It look weird, kind of want to see too." Serenity nodded. "It's an oddity worth taking a peek at." Alicia agreed. "I'm okay with it." Rose smiled as they made their way along. Working their way through the crowds, they managed to step onto the deck within the pyramid overlooking a massive lobby area beneath them, with Chris noticing stairways at one side spiraling down while escalators waited on the opposite side of the deck for anyone wanting an easier way down. "Not sure how you'd do an an escalator." he laughed nervously, looking at Alicia only for she and the others to be distracted by all the glass above them. "How on Earth did they do it...?" the snake muttered, looking at the way the walls met at the sharp point above them. "Look easy to break..." Serenity added, suddenly showing a sneaky grin on her face. "Hey! Bad!" Chris lectured, the Pokemon chuckling while pushing back on his forehead when he approached. "I just kid, not do it." she assured, catching his neck under his arm. "Now look who stuck." she teased before releasing him. "It's all so shiny..." Rose point out. "Yeah, you bet your buns they keep this thing polished." Chris explained. "Bet... Buns...?" Serenity asked. "Just a saying. It means you better believe they do." he replied, getting an "oh" from her as they went to the edge and looked at the lobby below, watching all the locals and tourists moving about. Looking around, Alicia wound up drawn in by the escalators, curiously making her way across the deck for a closer look as people stood on the moving stairs making their way up and down without having to move.

Optional track to LWR - Listen While Reading - A Surprise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQ_MRcPtQx4 Recommended - Right Click On Video - Select Loop

After a moment, Alicia was about to turn and return to the group when something familiar caught her attention from the corner of her eye. Facing back toward the escalator, a figure in a red coat started rising before her, a young man with his attention on his Pokedex as he adjusted a pair of buds in his ears. The higher he rose, the wider Alicia's eyes slowly became, her body stiffening as he neared before stepping off the stop of the stairs. Pausing before her, he let out an "eh?" and raised an eyebrow as his Pokedex went off, picking up Alicia's presence. Seeing her species information pop up, his eyes widened the same as hers before he finally noticed her, spotting her lower body before him and slowly looking up until his eyes made contact with hers. With both remaining silent, after a moment he looked around before he began slowly circling Alicia, looking her body over. "Bet you already have a trainer..." he muttered, noticing the badge on her neck causing him to sigh with a "yeah..." of disappointment. "That figures." he added while looking around. "...You get left behind?" he asked before looking up at Alicia with a smirk, the statement causing her to jolt before tears welled up in her eyes. "...What's your problem?" he asked, scowling at the snake as she started trembling when he approached, making her pull herself back. "Yo! Alicia! We're ready to go!" Chris suddenly shout from nearby, he and the girls approaching. "I figured we'd at least get a bite to eat from the bazaar, they should be open by now." he smirked before noticing her behavior. "...You okay?" he asked, reaching out to touch her only for the contact to make Alicia jerk herself away from him, snapping at Chris with her fangs bared, Serenity and Rose quickly jerking him back.

"W-Woah!! Sorry!!" he panicked with his hands up, his eyes widened in shock from her attack while the girls showed the same startled looks. "Those things are feisty as hell... All that size and power. I'd give anything for one." the young man point out, catching Chris's attention. "Been trying to get one for a while now, haven't had any luck though... Any chance you'd be up for a trade?" he asked, holding his coat out to show off the Pokeball's within. "Sorry... I don't..." Chris replied, pausing as he looked up at Alicia, her unblinking eyes beginning to stream tears. "...Trade..." he finished. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked, reaching out again as the snake continued to tremble. Looking at her as well, the young man raised his eyebrow once more, silently judging her behavior as he fixed his coat. "...Nah, looking at it, don't think it's worth it anyway." he scowled. "Finally find another and it acts like a wimp. Story of my life." he added. "Excuse me?" Chris asked, raising his own eyebrow from the comment. "You've got a weak Pokemon dude. I walk up to the thing and it turns into a Skitty." the young man point out. "Not much of a Serperior if that's how it acts in public... You're lucky you got a badge out of it." he lectured. Reaching out, Rose tried to tug at Chris's pants, wanting to coax him into leaving as he continued looking at the person before him. "...What are you looking at?" the young man asked. "We met before...?" Chris replied, showing a suspicious look on his face. "I see a lot of people, lots of people see me, that's how it is when you're a trainer." the young man replied, crossing his arms until looking just as closely at Chris, both men gradually showing the same look of suspicion.

"...Now that you mention it..." the young man muttered before the two walked up to one another, circling each other closely. "Hey, aren't you that guy on the news?" the young man point out as Chris continued tracing his memory. "Wait a second..." he muttered before his eyes slowly widened. "Wait a second... You...!!" he added quietly. "...What about me?" the young man asked before Chris let out an enraged "YOU!!" and grabbed him by the coat, lifting him in the air with his teeth grit making people around them jolt and back away. "IT'S YOU!!!" he repeat. "H-Hey man!! Quit it!!" the young man struggled. "You're the one who...!!" Chris added, pausing when Alicia suddenly shot past, causing Chris to drop the young man as the snake rapidly made her way out of the pyramid in a terrified state. "H-Hey!!" Chris panicked. Quickly instructing Serenity to follow, the Pokemon hesitated before doing as told, darting up in the air before soaring over the crowd while Rose remained warily behind Chris.

"What's your problem?!" the young man snapped, raising up and adjusting his outfit before trying to walk past, only for Chris to block him with his arm. "You and me... We have some business to deal with..." he replied, giving the young man a glare that had Rose showing her own look of fear as the two men faced one another, both ready to throw down in the midst of the crowd around them...