A/N: Hi everyone! How's life? I hope good things are happening for you or are heading your way soon.

I'm taking on the "30 Days of Shipping Madness" challenge that I saw on tumblr, mostly because I want to write but inspiration has been low lately. So ... yeah. I'll post each ficlet/oneshot/drabble I write for the challenge as a new chapter, but I can't guarantee that I'll get them up on the dot every day since I'm busy in real life with family obligations and a new job. If you're interested in specifics about this fanfic challenge, PM me. As usual, constructive criticism is appreciated and I hope you enjoy!

ONE

The classic first meeting. Character A meets Character B—but, what is really going on in their minds that the initial story didn't tell us? And what happened right after, where we couldn't see?

Serena ordered her usual cup of coffee, as well as a lemon flavored Pokepuff. While she stood to the side and waited for her order to be filled, she looked out at the café around her, towards the table where she had told Eevee to stay. Café Soleil was practically empty on this particular early afternoon, currently occupied by herself and two teenagers who sat in a corner booth with their frappucinos and their Holo Casters. Eevee sat at the foot of one of the chairs at that small table, watching Serena eagerly for a little while before surveying the rest of his surroundings.

"Here you go, miss," the barista said as she placed a latte and the Pokepuff on the counter. Serena thanked the barista and picked up both items, carefully carrying them to the table so that her drink wouldn't slosh and spill. She noticed that the barista had used the foam in the latte to draw a Skitty. That was some genuine artistry right there, she thought.

She set the coffee and the Pokepuff down on the table, making sure to lay down a napkin on which to set the Pokepuff. Now that he had seen the Pokepuff, Eevee yapped in excitement, wagged his tail, and looked up at Serena with bright eyes. With a chuckle, Serena reached down to scoop up Eevee and set the small Pokemon in her lap.

"This is for you, since you've been such a good boy!" Serena said in a sappy sweet voice as she fed the Pokepuff to Eevee. Eevee gobbled it up happily, and then continued to look up at Serena in anticipation.

"That's it. I don't have another one. Sorry!" Serena informed him. She reached past Eevee to pick up her cup of coffee. Meanwhile, Eevee turned his head very dramatically to stare at the counter.

"If you want another one, go order and pay for it yourself," said Serena. True, she could get another Pokepuff for Eevee, but she didn't want to spoil him too much.

Someone else entered the café: a tall man with thick, wavy black hair, who wore a white lab coat over his slender frame. Serena noted that his pants were a little too short – short enough to give her a glimpse of his bright red socks. He had darted in so quickly that Serena didn't get a chance to see his face and estimate his age, but she didn't mind. She was too preoccupied with his hair and her fantasies of combing her fingers through it.

This man turned to the side after placing his order, and Serena noticed that he carried a Gible in his arms. She also saw his face at profile, and never had she thought gray eyes could be so beautiful. She was soon struck by how good-looking he was – but he also looked like he was in his late twenties or early thirties. Easily ten years older than her, possibly more.

But should age matter, she asked herself. She was nineteen after all, legally an adult and over the age of consent everywhere in the Six Regions. As a Pokemon Trainer, she had a source of income. And her mom had always commented about how mature she was for her age, so why wouldn't she be a good match for an older man? Then again, what were the odds of her actually communicating with this man, a stranger in a café? Wishful thinking, that's all it was.

The barista soon set out this man's order: some hot drink in a mug that was giving off lots of steam, and a large plate stacked high with Pokepuffs of ever flavor imaginable. Gible gargled in excitement when he saw the plate of Pokepuffs … and Eevee wriggled loose from Serena's grasp.

"Eevee!" Serena called out as she set down her coffee and prepared to pounce. It was too late, though: just as the man picked up the plate of Pokepuffs with one hand while holding Gible in the other arm, Eevee jumped at him, trying to get the Pokepuffs. Eevee wound up jumping high enough to accidentally headbutt the man in the stomach, sending him falling backwards into the counter and the Pokepuffs cascading through the air to the ground. The plate hit the floor and shattered to pieces, and Gible landed on top of its human.

Serena dashed forward towards the scene, watching as Eevee gobbled up a lemon Pokepuff. The man's Gible hissed at Eevee, displeased that one of its treats had been stolen from it. Right before Gible could try and bite Eevee, Serena lunged in and scooped up her Pokemon.

"Eevee NO!" she said sternly. Meanwhile, the man slowly sat upright while Gible kept hissing angrily at Eevee. Eevee barked back, and didn't stop until Serena pulled out a Pokeball and recalled him. She then crouched down to be eye-level with the man. "I am so sorry about that," she said, reaching for a nearby Pokepuff with the intent of gathering them all up. Gible hissed at her, so she withdrew her hand.

"Don't worry about it," he said, giving her a small crooked smile. Why he had to do that, Serena wondered. She wanted to faint on the spot, like women did in cheesy movies anytime they saw a particularly handsome man.

"I – um – uh – um …." Serena felt the need to say something, but she was at a loss for words. She probably sounded like an idiot to him.

"Young Pokemon are greedy when it comes to sweets, I know," he said, picking up a Pokepuff and offering it to Gible. "There's a Chespin at the lab who's always stealing my chocolate."

That's when Serena remembered: there was a laboratory in Lumiose City. Perhaps he worked there. Handsome and smart … he had to be perfect.

"Have you ever considered putting it up high where Chespin can't reach it?" suggested Serena jokingly.

"I did, and then Chespin learned Vine Whip."

Serena giggled, and then she felt her face warm up. Was she blushing? She better not be blushing.

"My name's Augustine, by the way. Professor Augustine Sycamore," he said, extending his hand for a handshake. Serena took his hand in her own and shook it firmly.

"Serena Carlyle," she said.

"Serena," he repeated softly, his eyes twinkling. "Un belle nom pour une belle femme."

"Sorry? I'm afraid my Kalosian's not that great."

"Ah! My apologies." Augustine cleared his throat, and Serena thought she saw his cheeks grow pink. "I mean, would you like to help me clean up this mess?"

Right on cue, the barista had arrived with a broom and dustpan to clean up the remains of the plate. Augustine insisted that Gible would eat the Pokepuffs even though they had been on the floor, so he and Serena gathered them all up and took them to the table where Serena sat. Augustine went back for his drink, then sat at the seat opposite of her. Serena noticed that he had pitch black coffee in that cup. The coffee gave off lots of steam as well as a pleasing aroma.

"So you work at the laboratory here in Lumiose?" asked Serena conversationally.

"That's correct. Mega Evolution is my main research focus, although other scientists at the laboratory work in other fields. Overall, we're dedicated to improving humanity's collective understanding of Pokemon, and how we can best coexist with them." Augustine explained, and then he took a sip of his coffee. "How about you, Serena? Are you in school right now?"

"I'm a Pokemon Trainer, actually," said Serena. "I have one Gym Badge so far."

"That's very good!" Augustine exclaimed.

"You really think so?" Serena didn't consider one out of eight badges very impressive, especially since her only companions thus far were her Froakie and her Pidgey.

"Oui. That's how many badges I have, to tell the truth," admitted Augustine.

"Decided that science would be a better option for you than being a Trainer?"

Augustine nodded pensively. "Technically, I still am a Trainer. I started out when I was about your age, but then I reached Shalour City and quickly realized I didn't have what it takes to be competitive. My three partners are still with me, though." He had another drink, and then patted Gible on the head. "Serena, would you like to come by my lab tomorrow? Since you're a Pokemon Trainer new to the Kalos Region, I would like to share what I know about Mega Evolution with you."

"I'd love to!" she said instantly. That next day was supposed to be for training and perhaps catching some more Pokemon, she then remembered. Regardless, she didn't want to say no to him.

"Très bien! Also, I would like to challenge you to a battle. Don't worry, I'm not that good. In fact, I may have to plead you to go easy on me. If you win, I'll let you take another Pokemon with you on your journey. I'll let you choose from Squirtle, Bulbasaur, and Charmander."

"I've always wanted a Charmander! You're on!" she said confidently. "But what if you win?"

"I will never ever let you leave my laboratory." Augustine said darkly. After a beat of silence, not long enough for Serena to decide how she felt about that statement, he said "Just kidding. If I win, I'll treat you to coffee."

"Seems fair," said Serena. Her Holo Caster then beeped, and she checked it to see that she had a text message. "It's my friend Shauna," she explained hastily. "She wants to meet up in ten minutes … I should probably get going."

"So soon? It feels as if the time has flown by," commented Augustine.

"It has," agreed Serena as she stood up and grabbed her purse. "And it was really nice to meet you, Augustine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"À bientôt!" Augustine called after her as she darted out the door of the café.

Unsure of whether or not she was going in the direction she needed to go to find Vernal Avenue (where Shauna waited for her) Serena thought of Augustine, his Gible, and those lovely gray eyes of his. The prospect of spending an afternoon shopping at Boutique Couture with Shauna sounded fun, but now she could not wait for tomorrow to come.