Author's Notes
This is gameverse obviously, and also canonverse, or at least I tried. Yes, I did lift a few lines of dialogue from Iris's all too short appearances in B2W2, but tried to keep that to an minimum. The story as a whole is more Iris genfic than anything, sorry shippers, but I still have Iris/Bianca as an established couple.
To the Loser
Iris grinned as she waited for the opponent in front of her to send out the next pokemon. This battle was exhilarating. Iris hadn't had such a fight in quite a while. Even those to made it to this point, talented and ambitious though they were, ended up being no match for her. Often they lost when Iris had at least three pokemon who hadn't had a turn to fight. Now, Iris only had Haxorus, which stood in front of her, its red claws extended, ready for whatever their challenger might have in store.
It needed to be, even more than usual, as even Iris wasn't completely sure of the outcome yet. Her heart quickened, the seconds passing like an eternity even as the opponent just put away the pokeball of the recently knocked out pokemon and reached for another. Iris saw the flash of the pokeball as it flew through the air to finally reveal the last pokemon they'd be battling that day.
"Go, Samurott!"
Iris grinned widely as she saw the quadrupedal blue pokemon jump out of the pokeball. This had given her maybe a little bit too much of an advantage over trainers here in Unova. People tended to value their first pokemon most of all, and many of the trainers in Unova started out after Professor Juniper - junior or senior - had given them a pokemon. The pokemon given by those two were all fire, grass, or water type, which Iris's dragons could easily resist. It had led to some disappointing conclusions, when trainers sent out that beloved first pokemon which they'd been saving for last in a battle, giving her dragon type pokemon an easy win.
Even considering that, Iris didn't lax for a second. This trainer was already a proven as an above average challenge. Just being able to resist water type attacks wouldn't completely guarantee the outcome of the battle, especially against what was likely the most experienced pokemon of the team. However, Haxorus was also the pokemon the Iris had been with the longest, and wouldn't let Samurott easily win either.
"Haxorus, dragon dance!" Iris ordered, hoping the increased power and speed would help her land a quick knock out. Haxorus shouted as it followed the order. Iris could tell it was just as eager and excited as her to put in whatever it took to win. It reached to the sky during its move as their opponent shouted an order to Samurott.
"Samurott, razor shell!"
Iris almost flinched, knowing how much that Samurott's sharp arm cutting against Haxorus must hurt. She didn't though, because her powerful dragon type wouldn't either. Haxorus just wanted to fight on, and trusted Iris to make the best decision. Iris knew exactly what that was. The way to make sure to win this battle was with quickly applied strength. So there was no way to go other than Haxorus's most powerful attack. "Dragon rage!" Iris said.
Haxorus appeared to start the attack before Iris even completed the order, shouting as the red aura surrounded it and it rushed forward at Samurott, striking it in a near instant with its increased speed.
"Focus energy."
Iris was surprised that her opponent chose such a calm attack in the middle of Haxorus's impressive and frightening dragon rage attack. It reminded Iris of other times she'd met her now opponent and Samurott, Oshawott and Dewott before, having no clue that they'd all be having such a battle a relatively short time later. That trainer had seemed like such a clueless newbie then, but quickly grew and impressed Iris, even coolly dealing with and eventually stopping those Team Plasma throwbacks.
Would all those battles this trainer had had recently defending Unova be enough practice to defeat Iris? If nothing else, it had Iris on guard right from the start. Right now, Iris could only stand tall, having confidence in Haxorus. The rest of the battle was up to it.
"Samurott, now! Razor shell!"
Iris watched closely as the attack hit. As she'd predicted before it even landed, the well trained and cared for Samurott cushioned Haxorus's next dragon rage strike somewhat with the stream of water that went along with the razor shell attack. Also, this water type attack hadn't seemed to harm Haxorus much in its dragon rage mode. "Go for it, Haxorus!" Iris shouted in encouragement as Haxorus went to hit Samurott the third time.
"Samurott... Blizzard attack!"
Iris stifled a gasp as Samurott let loose with the powerful, super effective attack. She felt her heart sink for a moment as Haxorus cried. "No! Not yet! No! We can fight on!" Iris insisted. Haxorus seemed to agree, and stood up straight to show its strength just as Iris did the same. She wouldn't lose heart, not with a pokemon like Haxorus fighting with her. Haxorus was weary from the attacks and somewhat disoriented as an effect of using dragon rage, but still ready to push on. With their increased speed from the previous dragon dance, they could win. "One more time, Haxous. Dragon rage!" Iris shouted.
"Samurott, aqua jet!"
With her opponent's shout, Samurott sped forward in a stream of water, hitting Haxorus before it could attempt a renewed dragon rage attack. Haxorus flew back from the force of the high speed attack. When it landed, it lay in the prone position, not even able to open its eyes. Iris stood wordlessly as the battle was declared to be over, the challenger to the current champion the winner.
She wasn't very champion-like.
Such sentiments had been repeated about Iris herself since she'd earned the title. What about her wasn't up to their vision, Iris had often wondered. Well, they hadn't seen her battle with Alder. It hadn't been televised or anything, since most battles the champion had weren't. At the end of the battle, Iris had won by having her hydreigon easily thrash Alder's bouffalant with a flashy dragon pulse attack, then easily dodging the stone edge attack to finish it off with focus blast. She'd had one pokemon left in reserve, but even considering that and also that she'd had closer battles since, it was the most exhilarating win that Iris and her pokemon had ever had. Anyone who might have seen that battle would never have denied that she was champion-like at all.
But they still did, and it had bothered Iris to an extent. She heard it constantly. One day she'd even just been watching the weather with Drayden while having dinner and heard commentary about it. "This cold front could surprise us like that champion-unlike little girl!" the weatherman's voice had irritated Iris's ears.
She groaned. "Why's winning so unlike a champion," Iris commented dryly.
"Don't consider such things, Iris," Drayden advised.
"I just want to know how they think a champion ought to look," Iris said in response.
"Despite anyone's preconceptions about the topic, there's no way a champion 'should' look or act at all. The champion is one who had fulfills a certain set of qualifications. As of now, that's you. Therefore, you get to decide what a champion is like," Drayden concluded.
Iris had taken that sentiment to heart. To the winner, the spoils, including the ability to define whatever it was the winner should look like or even act like. Iris was the champion now, therefore anything she did was champion-like. As the winner, Iris didn't have to live up to anyone's expectations beyond that. She could just do what she liked!
So Iris filled the champion's battle arena with decorations, making it look the pokemon would be setting off their attacks in outer space. On top of that, Iris wore a fancy outfit during these battle occasions and pulled her hair up, imagining herself to look just like royalty. As champion, it was fitting. The amount of company in the room was also different than it had been with Alder. Many pokemon wandered Iris's area of the pokemon league during the off time. It wasn't just Iris's fully evolved powerful ones which would face the challengers, but the babies she was raising as 'starters' for her village back home. Iris even allowed random wild pokemon she'd befriended to join them often for meals and games. She was sure to have plenty for the pokemon to do, and left toys and treats just lying around.
Other could say it looked like a little girl's playroom instead of a champion's den, but Iris could completely ignore those sentiments. Only winners get to define such things, and Iris's declaration that everything around her was completely like a champion blew away anyone else's weak misconceptions. Iris could speak the way she normally did, use whatever pokemon she wanted, and that would also be completely like a champion. Though it had made her a little self-conscious at first, Iris had quickly become completely comfortable with the bright spotlight that came with this title. She embraced the idea that she was the champion, concentrating on her pokemon and all of the fun battles they had together.
That was what was important. As a victor, she had to give it her all, putting up the greatest challenge in the Unova region. It wasn't just Iris that wanted to continue to win, but all of her pokemon as well. Their hearts were merged in this objective, as together, they beat Alder, and then those who had defeated Alder before, including Hilda, and after that, everyone else in Unova who strived to be the 'best'. Iris would give the best direction she could for her pokemon, and her pokemon would power through all of their opponents. They'd have the most fun, but at the same time always give their best, never letting any challenger catch them off guard.
Iris and her pokemon done that this time as well. This battle as champion had been no different from the rest, save for the small detail that it was a loss, Iris considered. Now, Iris was sure to play the part of the gracious loser, but was left with the somewhat hypocritical sentiment that her victor wasn't very champion-like either.
Iris recalled meeting Rosa the first time, though it wasn't the first time Iris had heard of the trainer. Iris's girlfriend, Bianca, had skipped out on a date not once but twice in order to spend time with Rosa as a new trainer. The first time Bianca had insisted "I have to do this favor for Professor Juniper, she wants it done right away!" When it happened again Bianca's explanation was "I want to see how Cheren's first battle as a gym leader turns out. Rosa will give him a real challenge I bet."
Iris knew then and now that it wasn't the healthy sentiment, but had still been kind of jealous. Since Rosa had been with Bianca both times, Iris directed that sentiment toward the new trainer. Was this girl someone Bianca might be interested in, Iris had wondered?
When they'd actually met, it was in Castelia City, when Iris would finally have her long awaited date with Bianca... Hopefully. Iris had taken a look at the other girl who said she was looking for Burgh and guessed it was Rosa, on her way to her next gym challenge.
Confirming it was who Iris had thought as they both introduced themselves to each other, Rosa wasn't even interested in who Iris was. The then inexperienced trainer hadn't even asked about Burgh so much as ramble about Team Plasma, and wouldn't even listen to the fact that Team Plasma had disband two years prior.
Iris eventually decided to indulge Rosa's inquiries into where the creeps might be. Suspicious people would hang out in the sewer, right? Yes, they would, but not people like Bianca. If Rosa chased phantoms in that place, she wouldn't be anywhere in sight when Bianca showed up. Iris would then be sure to get all of the assistant pokemon professor's attention. As Iris led Rosa to the pier, the then champion could barely contain her giggles, observing, "Seems pretty suspicious, right?"
Rosa had gone right in the dark, nasty place with just that little bit of prodding. Iris felt guilty, seeing how naïve and trusting the other girl apparently was. Even when finally meeting with Bianca, Iris couldn't keep her mind off the inexperienced trainer, and went back to the sewers to see if anything had happened. First she'd seen Burgh, then met Rosa's grouchy friend, and finally found the girl herself.
Everything was fine, Iris noted with relief as Rosa gave thanks for Iris's previous tip to go there. Iris thought back on that time now, wondering if she could have guessed the new trainer's enormous potential. Well, her pokemon had seemed okay after the hours-long romp through the sewer. Also, Bianca had thought Rosa had potential, but Bianca was positive about all newbie trainers she helped, even if such doting had been reserved for Rosa. "She reminds me a little of Hilda... And also of you," Bianca had said at one point or another.
Even with that sort of regard from Bianca, even when Rosa had made it so far as to challenge and beat Drayden so quickly, Iris hadn't paid the other trainer any mind. It had been surprising to her even, to see Rosa as a challenger in the Pokemon League. But Iris had still given her all, not slacking in an underestimation of Rosa at any turn. A champion always had to give their best, after all. Still, Iris had lost.
Rosa really was something special, Iris admitted easily now, becoming more curious about the girl she'd previously ignored. So, why had Rosa decided to take the professor's random invitation to be a trainer? How did she train her pokemon, and what type of pokemon did she like best, if any? Did Rosa sense the feelings of her pokemon in battle as well, and adjust to that, the same as Iris did?
Iris suspected yes, just from the battle they'd just had. Just from this fight, she'd gotten to know Rosa and Rosa's pokemon better, if only that little bit. Other than that, Iris didn't know the other girl well at all. Rosa didn't seem like a champion at all, even looking at her now in the hall of fame, Iris considered with a laugh. Maybe Rosa could dress up like royalty for her battles as champion. Iris had thought it was a little awkward at first, but eventually felt all the more awesome as a champion in her nice outfit.
To the winner, the story goes. Rosa might decide to keep a more practical outfit, and tear down all of Iris's pretty decorations, chase out all of Iris's pokemon allies and friends. It was now Rosa's right to write the Unova championship role to look like whatever she wanted. Iris could only be the graceful loser rather than the villainous loser, and wish her successor well.
"I wish I could have been there!" Bianca gushed, sitting across from Iris at the tea house in Opelucid City.
"Yeah," Iris said tentatively. "I-" Iris stopped as their server and her petilil approached. Iris politely thanked her for the tea and snacks. As the waitress and petilil both bowed and left, Iris continued. "I can't believe Rosa was such a powerful trainer."
"But I told you! She was getting better and better every time I met her! It was just like when I first started training with Hilda, and everyone got so good so quickly. I bet it was an awesome battle. Rosa was-" Bianca suddenly stopped, noticing Iris's downward look and side glance. Her girlfriend was frowning now too, Bianca observed awkwardly. "Um, well, everyone knows you're the greatest challenge in Unova, Iris."
Iris forced a grin on her face. It wasn't true that everyone in Unova thought of Iris as the greatest challenger in Unova even before this loss, but Iris appreciated Bianca's sentiment. "Rosa is that challenge now though," Iris said with a shrug. "I don't think I'd be ready to beat her now even if I tried my best again."
"Well... Yeah," Bianca said, then quickly moved on. "That's part of what's fun about being a trainer, huh? There's always more challenges, even if you happened to- um, happened to get a chance to be the champion. You'll get better, Iris! We always do, right?"
"Yeah," Iris said with a sigh. "But then Rosa'll get better too, especially since she gets to keep battling all these awesome trainers as champion. Maybe I can't ever beat her." Iris paused, looking at Bianca, whose cheery expression had disappeared, though she still stared at Iris intently, listening. "Sorry," Iris said. She didn't want to bother her girlfriend with such pessimism, especially not during the treasured time they happened to be able to spare to get to visit with each other. "It's just really frustrating to lose... Knowing that she's so much better than me, you know?"
Bianca nodded silently, glancing away. Oh, Iris realized, that had been a mistake to say. Of course Bianca knew the feeling, since Bianca lost more often than won. It was too bad that Bianca made friends with trainers like Iris, Hilda, and even Cheren - because of constantly battling all these talents, the now assistant pokemon professor thought of herself as a bad trainer, Iris had gathered. But Bianca wasn't bad, just kind of low average when it came to battles. Her girlfriend had gotten a lot better over the past two years as well, especially after she'd gotten glasses, Iris knew.
But Bianca knew exactly what it was like to lose, much more so Iris, who won constantly and even went back and trounced trainers like Hilda who had previously won her badge in Opelucid gym. That sinking feeling Iris had, of possibly never being able to beat a certain trainer, Bianca had likely experienced it multitudes of times in the past. Yet here Iris was, whining about the idea like it was something brand new she'd discovered.
The former champion sighed. "I'm gonna get back to training. I'll figure out a regiment that will let me raise my pokemon to be super power and beat Rosa or whoever beat her in the meantime! Then I'll be back on my cute, awesome champion throne!" Iris said with a laugh.
Bianca smiled and nodded, apparently glad for the rush of optimism. With that, Iris felt happier too, and slumped back in her chair. "It is kind of annoying, though," Iris said flippantly. "I mean, having someone else sitting there in the meantime, changing things around."
"I wonder what kind of champion Rosa will be," Bianca said, looking up at the ceiling as she grabbed one of the eevee-shaped sandwiches. Chewing it and swallowing, she looked back at Iris and grabbed her hand. "There's still no way she'd be as cute a champion as you, Iris," Bianca declared.
Iris beamed at the compliment, then blushed. "Ah, thanks Bianca." Iris then shrugged. "Since Rosa's the winner now, she gets to pick to take down everything I put up, though. To the winner, the spoils."
Bianca nodded, then taking a sip of her tea.
"What about the loser though?"
Bianca looked up, blinking thoughtfully at Iris's words.
Iris sat back, looking sheepish, since Bianca seemed concerned at the question. "The winner gets everything, even to decide how things'll be from here on out. What about the loser? What do we get from losing?" Iris said, then paused for Bianca's inevitably encouraging response.
"Oh- Well- Nothing at all," Bianca said.
Iris was speechless a moment. It wasn't like her optimistic girlfriend to say something like this. What about experience? Humility? Strengthened bonds between allies and opponents? Iris almost wanted to suggest these things herself, just to have some sort of gain to think of. Bianca's response was pretty bleak, and Bianca herself looked melancholy as she stared at the ground. "Bianca-" Iris began.
"We don't get anything from losing, Iris," Bianca said. "It just hurts a lot."
Though Bianca now spoke with a smile on her face, Iris knew the pain behind that statement. The same as Iris's feelings synced with her pokemon during a battle, they were syncing with Bianca's too, from this mutual experience of defeat. "I guess that's right," Iris muttered.
"But Iris, wait," Bianca said. "Because it hurts so much - and because you get nothing for it - That's why you need to get up. Even with that pain, you've got to get up again. So you can try and get something out of it later, you know? I know you can, and you will!"
Iris nodded, finally understanding the reason for Bianca's statement. Losing really did feel bad, but there was nothing left to do but continue on from there. Bianca wasn't being bleak, just had a bit of frankness mixed in with her optimism.
"You're right Bianca, I can still get better and better from here," Iris said, leaning forward in her seat with determination. "And you can too! You're going to come with me on my next training journey!"
"You mean like the one where you spent all that time with Lapras, just floating and swimming in the middle of the ocean for days?" Bianca said hesitantly.
"Yeah! Or something even better. Water type pokemon in the ocean aren't that much of a challenge for my dragons, you know. Maybe we need to go up to the top of the mountains, challenging the ice types in all that snow! I'll have you there to keep me warm, right?" Iris said enthusiastically.
"Ah- Maybe," Bianca said. "Or maybe I could meet you after you're done with that, with some nice warm tea?" Bianca held up the cup with a smile.
Iris laughed and hugged her girlfriend. Even as the loser who'd lost it all, Iris still had plenty in her life to pick up.