Of course, there was something that happened between when the crowd was let in and the actual show...

Vincent was currently turned away from the crowd, speaking with Lucy, trying to persuade the Lucario that nothing had happened between him and a retreating pony figure. “I swear to you, nothing happened,” the psychic stressed, earning a sigh and a hug from the Lucario.

A purple form rushed up behind Vincent, and jumped straight up onto his back. “Vincent! I finally found you!”

Vincent blinked a few times as he finally placed that voice before looking at Lucy. “Is that?” he asked.

“Indeed it is,” Lucy agreed with a nod. Vincent sighed and rolled his eyes.

“Valerie, please tell me you have some Pecha berries if you’re going around hugging folks like that,” the psychic asked. “We left ours at home.”

The Poison-Type giggled. “I can do one better! I don’t need them anymore! I’m cured!”

Vincent blinked a few times before turning his head to barely get a glimpse of the Eevolution clinging to his back. “Cured?” he asked as his brain tried to wrap itself around the concept.

She nodded. “Second day here, right after Arceus’s big announcement me and my… friend at that point went and visited him in the Everfree. Mew managed to get a cure together in about a week and a half.” She rubbed her head some on the Kadabras back. “Can you tell how much softer my fur is now?”

“Mm, it is much better,” Vincent agreed. “Would you mind if I returned the hug, Val?”

The Veneon obliged, and climbed down, giving a friendly wave to Lucy as she came around. The psychic then picked her up and gave a her a light squeeze before setting her down again.

“Ah,” Vincent said as he looked at the entourage Valerie had accrued. “Care to introduce us to your friends?”

She nodded, “Sure, this is Tyler, he’s the Ampharos, and Queen. The others should be around soon too. Kenny is having one of his… episodes everyone calls them, and it’s taking the whole crew to calm him down.”

Tyler nodded, “We’d probably still be there, but we we’re hoping to meet Queens dad and my uncle while we’re here. They’re both famous contest stars so this would be the perfect place to find them.”

“Probably,” Vincent agreed with a nod. “We’re just here because we were asked to be by the guy running it. So you’ve been looking out for Val here?”

Tyler mocked shock, “Why of course! Are’st thou accusing me of… um… crap I’m not good at doing the voice. Yes we’re taking care of her. Especially my Umbreon, Shadow,” he winked to Valerie who blushed slightly.

“Ah, well, I’m not one to judge who falls in love with who,” Vincent said as Lucy hugged him from behind and looked over one of his shoulders.

Valerie smirked, “It’s about time too! Lots of us could see the signs for a while before we came here.”

“Give him a little slack,” Lucy said with a grin. “We did see each other as siblings first.”

“True, true. But still, I’m glad for you two. So who else is with you?”

“Well, Sam’s back in Las Pegasus with Mary,” Vincent replied. “Christine came along to help carry our things, and Bit-” Vincent’s eyes bulged as he recalled why he’d come along as well.

Valerie’s expression darkened. “Oh… he’s here. I would’ve thought he’d be left behind.”

Queen stepped forward, “Who’s Bit?”

Vincent sighed and looked directly at Valerie before he answered the Altaria. “Bit was a Porygon...and then like every story I have to share, the Doctor happened. When he was forced into becoming a Porygon2...he was fed both the Up-Grade and Dubious Disk his kind use to Evolve at the same time. It...broke him.”

Valerie continued. “It was his job to… contain us, and he ran a lot of the systems in the lab.” She glared at a wall, “Including the battle simulator. I was probably the most familiar with that room out of all the Pokemon there.”

Sensing the tension, Lucy looked for a change in subject, “So...how long until we meet the rest of your team, do you think?” the Lucario asked.

Tyler considered, “Well… Kenny only got ladies shampoo by mistake from one of the maids back at the mansion, so he’s probably cooling down by now, if he hasn’t broken too much stuff. So they should be around soon.”

Queen clarified, “Kenny is a Delphox with a… rather feminine appearance, and he gets upset when people mistake his gender.”

Valerie mumbled, “Upset is a total understatement. He’s almost like Christine when you talk about her stripe.”

“Duly noted,” Vincent said with a smirk. “Plus I wanna see this ‘friend’ of yours,” the Kadabra teased Valerie.

She huffed, “I don’t see a problem with that, as long as you don’t react like my brother did when he met him, my living brother who wasn’t captured, he decided Shadow wasn’t trustworthy and was almost ready to kill him before we separated them.”

“I would never!” Vincent said, quickly breaking from Lucy’s hug and stooping to give Valerie another one. “Scare him, maybe. But I wouldn’t hurt him,” the psychic whispered.

The Veneon smirked, “That’s the Vincent I know.” She then turned back out to the street where another group of Pokemon was approaching. She waved to them, and Shadow broke from the group to join her. “Shadow, I’d like for you to meet Vincent, I think I’ve already told you who he is.”

The Umbreon nodded, and held out a paw, “You sure did, it’s nice to finally meet you. Before you say anything, yes, I am taking good care of her and I always will.”

Vincent let go of Valerie and made to give Shadow a simple shake...before pulling him into a hug and whispering into his ear. “If I find out you hurt her in any way, typing won’t save you, I will hurt you back.” His threat delivered, Vincent was all smiles as he let go of the Umbreon. “Nice to meet you,” he said for everyone to hear.

Shadow backed up a little and grimaced. Tyler began introducing the others to the Kadabra and Lucario, “We’ve already mentioned Kenny,” he said gesturing to the Delphox who offered a half hearted wave, “The Klefki is BBK, she gets mad if anyone but her explains what it stands for, and the Scrafty is Damian.” He paused for a moment, “Where’s Sarah and Nick?”

BBK replied, “They stopped for some candy, I still can’t get over how cute that little guy is!”

Tyler sighed, “Well just so you know Sarah is a Serperior, and Nick is her son. He’s been getting pretty spoiled lately if you ask me though.”

“Charmed,” Vincent said, calling his top hat to his head and tipping it towards the group. “As you are probably aware, I am Vincent, and the lovely Lucario behind me is Lucy. Valerie and I know one another from...it isn’t important,” Vincent brushed off.

Kenny spoke up, “We get it, you’re both from that hellhole. No need to go dancing around the subject.”

“Yes, well, some of us are more tender about our pasts,” Vincent said, casting a quick look at Valerie to see if she was all right.

Seeing his look Valerie shook her head, “I’m fine. Christine helped give me a thicker skin back in the lab, if only she could do it for herself.”

“Truer words,” Lucy said with a snicker. “And we’ve helped one another get past it one day at a time after our initial...excitement.”

Damian nodded, “Only way to get over grief, like you said, one day at a time.”

BBK just glared at the Dark-Type. “Why can’t you act like some sort of sage all the time you moron?” The Klefki only received a shrug in reply.

“Well, thank you for taking care of Valerie where I couldn’t,” Vincent said, catching their attentions again. “And if you’re here for the show, I think it’ll be starting soon.”

The rest of the group mumbled in agreement and moved inside, Valerie stayed outside for a bit longer. “Hey Vincent, just so you know, we’re staying with a noble named Fancypants, he’s east of the castle, in the Cloud District. It isn’t that hard to find, since his name is engraved on his giant golden gate to the property.”

Just then a Serperior with a Snivy on her back, currently sucking on a lollipop came up. “Hi Miss Valerie!” The little Snivy greeted.

Valerie smiled, “Awww! Hey little guy! I see you have some goodies there. Mind if I have some?”

“Nuh uh!”

“Oh nuts, I guess I’ll just have to go without. Whatever shall I do.” The Poison-Type joked.

Lucy tried to restrain herself. She really did. She failed miserably though, and scooped the little Grass-type up into a hug. “You are too adorable for your own good,” the Lucario informed the Snivy.

“I’ll say” agreed Sarah, “He’s gonna rob me of every last bit with those eyes of his. I can only say no in the most extreme circumstances, like when he wanted a pony as a pet.”

Lucy blinked a few times before looking between the Serperior and the Snivy in her arms. “Is he…?” she started to ask.

“Yes he’s mine, I know I’m a little young. He’s the remnant of a past self, one I don’t plan on revisiting.” She sighed. “If it weren’t for him coming along I’d be in a much worse place.”

“Ah, well…” Lucy held the smaller ‘mon out towards his mother to return him. While on the one paw, it was good practice to cuddle a child, seeing as she was going to have one...she really shouldn’t be snatching other’s kids up.

Sarah took back Nick, and followed Valerie inside to the rest of the group.

Author's Notes:

Part one of a crossover with Snek's story A new world, a new identity.