After the success of Max and Bonnie's project Laserblade, they get back to the task at hand. Namely, testing out Bonnie's Aura. However, Bonnie is too distracted by her success as a matchmaker to be able to focus enough on the task at hand, and as such she is unable to meditate for long enough to bring up her Aura. Eventually, Clemont has to return to the Lumiose Gym. But on the day before he's due to leave, Megan finally approaches him on the subject of working in the gym. The two of them talk for a while, and Megan even shows him some of the various designs she has made over the years. To say Clemont is impressed would be an understatement. Once Megan is finished showing him everything she made, he agrees to let her work in the Lumiose Gym.
Now, Max, Bonnie, Clemont, and Megan were all standing at the entrance to Shalour. Clemont and Megan were heading back to Lumiose because Clemont needs to resume his work as Gym Leader, and Megan needs to begin her work. Max and Bonnie are going with them because it's on the way to Coumarine, where Bonnie's next Gym Battle is. Korrina is with them, bidding them farewell while she doesn't have any challengers to her Gym. As they head to the next route, she and Clemont walk there holding hands. They had spent the past few days going out together every night when they weren't trying to see how Aura works. Now, it was time for that to end.
As the four begin their walk back to Lumiose, Korrina stops Clemont to kiss him one last time, which he returns happily. But, right as they four are about to leave, Gurkinn suddenly comes running up to them. "What is it grandpa?" Korrina asks. "I've come here to tell you that I think you should go with them," he replies. "I know you two have started seeing each other, and for Arceus sake I was getting sick of your pining! So, I've decided that I shall man the Gym for a while and allow you to spend time with your new boyfriend."
Korrina and Clemont's eyes widen at this. "You mean it?" they ask simultaneously. Gurkinn nods. "Yes, I mean it" he says, before grabbing Clemont by the shoulder so his ear can be close to his mouth. "Now, I'm warning you Citron!" he whispers. Max and Bonnie need to lean in closer to hear him. "I want my granddaughter back here in two months. And if she comes back here hurt in any way, I'll make damn sure that you can never use your hands again!" Clemont nods furiously, suddenly terrified. "Yes sir," he says. "I won't do anything to her!" Gurkinn smiles. "Good," he says, patting his back. "Also, you're both still a bit young, so I don't want-."
"Ok grandpa, I think I'm going to need some help packing for my trip!" Korrina shouts suddenly, interrupting his lecture and dragging him away. "I think the tide is in, so I'll need you to drive the boat!" Max notices that Korrina's face is bright red. Looking at the others, he sees that Megan is sniggering behind her hand, Clemont is just as red as Korrina and has his face buried in his hands, and Bonnie looks just as confused as he is. "What did Gurkinn mean by that?" he asks. Megan immediately bursts out laughing, while Clemont goes even redder. "It's not important," he says quickly. "Not important at all." Max and Bonnie look at each other, shrug, then just stand around waiting for Korrina.
Once she's ready, they say goodbye to Gurkinn and set off for Lumiose. They split the carrying of Clemont's equipment between the five of them so that it will take less time to reach the city. Korrina also spent the past few days she and Clemont have been dating practicing running with him so that he can get a bit faster. Now, their estimated time is roughly a week and a half. Max's stopping to stare at pokémon had been taken into consideration for this estimation. Because it doesn't take long for him to get distracted by some Caterpie. And it doesn't take long for Bonnie to end up staring at Max while he does this.
Clemont can't help but laugh at his sister while she does this, much to Korrina's annoyance. "What's wrong?" Clemont asks her. "How come you're able to tell your sister's feelings for her friend, but you could never notice mine?" she asks. Clemont blushes a bit at this. "Well," he says nervously. "Firstly, I did notice, but I wasn't 100 percent certain, because I kept thinking that such a strong, talented and pretty woman like you wouldn't want some scrawny nerd like me. So, I just assumed I was looking too much into it." Korrina hugs him here. "Oh, that's not true," she replies, hugging him. "I love how nerdy you can be!" Clemont smiles at that.
"Secondly," he goes on. "I guess you can call it an older brother's instinct. I can always tell whether or not my little sister feels something like that. And finally, you couldn't figure out my feelings for you until Bonnie pointed them out, so I don't know why you're complaining." Korrina shoves him as he begins to laugh. "Touché" she replies, before going back to watching Bonnie stare at Max instead of training for the Coumarine Gym.
Along their journey back to Lumiose, there are moments where the five of them are able to bond very well. Max, Clemont, and Megan are often discussing science stuff that doesn't make much sense to Bonnie and Korrina, so the two can often be seen training together. Sometimes Max watches their battles, taking notes on some of the moves for different entries. Bonnie often gets distracted by this, which leads to Korrina winning a few times. In fact, whenever Korrina feels like she's lost too much, she'll call Max over to analyse Bonnie's moves. Then, Bonnie inevitably ends up getting flustered and making all sorts of mistakes.
While the battles go on, Clemont likes to take the opportunity to test Megan's knowledge out. He'd give some of her tech a whirl while he makes notes. Luckily for them, Megan's gizmos have yet to explode. "Maybe Clemont should be learning from her," Max whispers to Bonnie after hearing him commend her work. Bonnie laughs at that, and even Korrina has to admit that was funny. In turn, Megan likes to check out Clemont's devices in order to get some inspiration. Luckily, Clemont's machines don't explode as much as they used to, but it still happens on occasion. Case and point, when Max had to save Bonnie from the machine that was supposed to be measuring her Aura.
Speaking of Aura, Bonnie continues to meditate in order figure out how to activate it. They decided not to try out anymore machines until she has fully managed to work out how to do it on command. It takes roughly half a week of her doing this for hours before she finally gets it. When she does, she notices something. She can finally make out other people's Aura within her vicinity, but she can't quite see the colour. But she notices a lot of Aura in the surrounding area, Aura that doesn't feel like friendly pokémon. She realises what it is when one of them makes a swift move towards Max.
"Look out!" she cries, running towards Max and cutting the Aura off. Max turns around in time to see an agent of Team Terra dive for his bag. He quickly dodges him, and Korrina comes running in, slamming her fist into the agent's face. Other agents come charge out of the bushes and surround them, followed by none other than Sub-Admin C. He looks around at the five of them with a sneer on his face.
"It seems like every time we come across each other, you travel with different people," he comments. "But that doesn't matter. If you just hand over the Jade Orb, none of you will be hurt." At this, Clemont and Korrina look at Max and Bonnie with confusion. Max swallows nervously. He and Bonnie hadn't actually explained to Clemont and Korrina why Sarah and Sam had attacked him the week before. They made up a story about them being pokémon thieves after the pokémon in his bag. But now it looks like they're going to have to explain it.
Fortunately for them, Megan seems to have come prepared. "Or, how about this," she says, holding up one of Clemont's devices. "You piss off and leave us alone for once, or I'll send you flying away with this!" laughs at that. She's holding up a small metal ball with several pins stuck inside it. "What the Mirror World could that possibly do to us?" he asks. Clemont smirks at this. "I don't know what you want," he says. "And I don't know how you seem familiar with my sister and her friend. They will be doing some explaining later. But what I do know is this, if you don't piss off, you'll be in deep trouble."
C raises an eyebrow. "Enlighten me," he comments. "What does it do?" he asks tauntingly. "Create a puff of smoke to allow you to escape?" Clemont adjusts his glasses and grins. "Not even close," he says. "It creates a sticky web that'll keep you stuck to whatever it clings to for 12 hours straight! So, unless you want that, I'd suggest you run!" No one moves, although some of the agents look apprehensive. "You're bluffing," C claims, although he sounds quite nervous now. "Grab the boy and get me the Jade Orb!" One of the agents makes a move towards Max. Bonnie instinctively steps in front of him.
But before the agent can get very far, Megan shouts, "Alright, you asked for this!" Then, she throws the ball. It lands in between all of the members of Team Terra and bursts open, launching a sticky substance everywhere. C and his subordinates are pinned to trees, stones, and the ground, unable to get free. The five use this as an opportunity to quickly get out of there. Megan realises she left some of her tech back where the agents are stuck and goes back to get it.
While she's gone, Clemont rounds on Max. "What the Giratina is a Jade Orb?" he demands. "And have you been putting my little sister in any danger!?" Max throws his hands up defensively. "I swear on my life I have not!" he says. Bonnie opens Max's bag and shows the Orb to Clemont. Max tries to stop her but resists the urge. "This is the Jade Orb," she explains. "A friend of ours says it has something to do with summoning Rayquaza, but we don't know why Team Terra wants it. But, for some unknown reason, it won't let Max explain what it is, so I have to do it every time."
Clemont looks at the Orb with confusion. "Is that a Primal Item?" he asks. Max nods, then explains how he found it. "So, this Team Terra really aren't hurting you?" he asks. Bonnie shakes her head. "They're about as dangerous as Team Rocket," she says. "Max and I always foil their plans, so they haven't done anything to us yet." Clemont looks relieved at this. "Alright then," he says. "But I don't understand why you still carry it around with you if it causes this much trouble." "It won't let me get rid of it," Max explains. "Every time I try to take it out of my bag and throw it away, or give it to one of Ash's old friends, it prevents me from doing so."
Before the conversation can continue, Megan returns with her stuff. She's caught up on the fact that Clemont and Korrina now know about the Orb, and she in turn explains that Team Terra are still caught in the trap, but it would probably be best to move on from here. Clemont agrees and they continue on their way to Lumiose.