Disclaimer
I do not own the Pokemon games, manga(s), anime or card game.
If I, (for any reason) say that I do, please disregard that fact.
However, I do own the Pokemon Skill Competition idea, but others are free to use that if they like.
Pokemon - Hoenn, Skill Extravaganza
My name is Takashi Sugimori. My partner, Kabutops and I have always strived to be the greatest Pokemon Skill Head in the world. Pokemon Skill Competitions are great tournaments held to showcase a trainer's technique and ability. They're sort of like a mix between Hoenn's contests, and Johto's PokeAthlon. Kabutops, we've known each other since I was 3 years old. When I was two, I lived in the Kanto region with my family. One day I was in Mt. Moon, even though I wasn't supposed to be. I found a rock deep within the caverns. One year later, while visiting Cinnabar island, I learned it was known as a Dome Fossil. A man told me it was an ancient artefact, and he had recently developed a machine that could revive the fossil. Low and behold, Kabuto was born. We soon became best friends, and when I was six, we moved to Slateport City in the Hoenn region. This is where I discovered the wonder that is Skill competitions.
"Kabutops!" I said. "Hit it with your Slash!" The brown-plated scythed beast clawed its sharp arm at a 4-meter-tall stone slab, slicing it in half. The Pokemon rejoiced and danced around. "Good job, boy!" I pointed my Pokeball toward Kabutops and a beam of red light enveloped him. Soon, he was gone. I walked down the path, towards Mauville City. That was where the registration for this years Pokemon Skill Competition was. When I reached the City, I went strait for the Pokemon Centre, and healed my pokemon. It was getting late, so I decided to stay the night there.
I was sitting on the couch in the corner of the building next to Kabutops, when a girl with short bright-green hair walked up to me. "Are you a Skill Coordinator?" She asked.
"As a matter of fact, I am."
"My name is Sakura Akihiko." She said. "I'm trying to become a Skill Trainer, but I always come last place in all of my Competitions."
"What Pokemon are you using?"
"I've tried with my Dratini, and my Roserade."
"Good choices. Actually, they are very good Skill Competition Pokemon. I've been beaten by them myself."
"Have you got any tips?"
"What rank contests do you participate in?"
"Rank 4"
"Rank 4!? That's the Master League Rank!"
"I thought Rank 1 would be the Master League rank..."
"No, no. Rank 1 is the easiest rank. That's why it's also known as the beginner rank. Anyway, in phase 1, I'd suggest using Roserade to weaken the dummy with its poison sting, then finish it off using Dratini's Dragon rage"
"What about phase 2?"
"Not sure. Neither of the two have really any physical strength to destroy stone slabs. I'm just trying to remember how those that beat me accomplished it..."
"How about I catch a new Pokemon?"
"That's a plan."
"I didn't catch your name."
"The names Takashi. But you can call me Sugimori. Sakura, right?"
"Yep!"
In the morning, Sakura and I headed to route 111 to catch her a Machop. "I heard there are families of Machop on the mountain." I said. "They have incredible physical strength."
"And when they evolve into Machamp, they will achieve two times faster than they already do at their simplest form."
"Exactly." We started climbing the mountain, using Kabutops to help us. After five minutes of searching, we found two Machops wandering around a cave. I signalled to Sakura to sneak around the sub-mountain, containing the cave. When she was behind the Machops, I jumped in front of them. The two readied into a battle stance and charged at Kabutops. "Brick Break!" Kabutops jumped into the air and spun down on them, knocking them to the side. "Sakura, now!" She grabbed a Pokeball from her bag, and threw it into the air. "Come on out, Roserade!"
The Flowered elder appeared in between the now standing Machops, it's thorns sharp and tipped with poison. "Poison sting!" She ordered. Purple needles shot out of Roseades thorns, crashing into the two Machop, injecting them with poison.
"Slash!" I ordered. Kabutops rammed his Scythe-Arm into a Machop, then threw it into the other.
Sakura took another Pokeball from her bag. "Pokeball! Go!" She threw the ball at a Machop, it's body enveloped in red light.
The ball shook. Again. And again. And again. The circle in the ball's centre shone a bright red, and stopped shaking. I looked over at Sakura, who was bursting with excitement. She jumped 3 meters into the air. "I caught a POKEMON!" She ran over and picked up her newly caught Pokemon and put it in her bag. "Kabutops!" I said. "Finish him off with a Night Slash!" His Scythe-Arm became eveloped in darkness, as he swung it at the Machop, knocking it down the mountain. "Sugimori?" Said Sakura. I looked over at her.
"Hmm?"
"Didn't you have the championships to apply for?" My eyes widened and I jumped onto the back of Kabutops. "Kabutops, Go!" Kabutops jumped off of the mountain, and ran back to Mauville.
I arrived at the registration building, my heart pounding wildly. I ran inside, hoping I still had enough time. "I- I'm here to register!" I said. A seventy year old man was running the reception. "Am I too late!?"
"There's three spots left." he said with a smile.
"Oh thank god." I breathed a sigh of relief, and took a small break to regain my energy.
"Takashi Sugimori." I said.
"Excuse me?"
"My name. It's Takashi Sugimori."
"I'll just find your name in the system." The old man searched on his computer for a while and frowned. "Have you competed in skill competitions before?"
"Of course."
"We'll, I'm sorry. Your name is not in the system."
"Wha-!"
"I'm sorry. You cannot compete." I fell to my knees, trembling. My eyes started watering as my head jerked down in disappointment. "I'm just kiddin'!" My head shot up.
"What?"
"Your name's right here. Takashi Sugimori. Unless you're telling me that's not your name." He laughed and typed a little more on his computer. "There we go. You are now fully registered for this years Hoenn Skill Competition Championships!" I jumped up in excitement, laughing with anticipation. "Ok, this is how this years Championship is going to work. There are six Skill Sites scattered around the region. You must place first or second in each to qualify for the final. I'd suggest starting with the Lavarige Site. Also, you'll be competing in the single event. Meaning you can only choose one Pokemon for the entire event."
The next day, I was out on Route 112 practicing my Skills with Kabutops. "Brick break!" Kabutops raised it's scythe and it crashed down and sliced through the tall pile of bricks standing in front of him. "Smack down!" Kabutops jumped up and crashed down onto the remaining bricks, applying his full weight upon them. By the time he got up, there was nothing there. "Good job!"
"Sugimori, wait up!" Sakura came running down the path towards me. When she caught up, she bent over and tried to catch her breath. "Can I come with you?"
"Yeah. Just one question."
"Of course."
"Why?"
"Because you helped me catch a new Pokemon, and win a Skill Competition! Oh, that reminds me! Because the Pokemon around here are mid-levelled, like 20-30, Machop evolved!" She held out her Pokeball, and a tall grey man-looking Pokemon.
"Wait... You won a competition?!"
"Yep! A rank 2 competition too!"
"Nice! Allright, then. You can come along."
"Where are we headed?"
"Lavarige Town. My first competition is held there."
"Watch out!" A skinny man with black hair came running down the mountain. He was chasing a green dog-like Pokemon. "Please catch Electrike!"
"Kabutops!" I threw my Pokeball into the air and Kabutops appeared. "Catch the Electrike!" Kabutops jumped into the air and landed in front of Electrike. "Smack down!" Kabutops released all of its weight on top of Electrike and picked him up. The skinny man bent over to catch his breath.
"Thank... You! My name is Genya Ito! That's my Electrike. Sorry about that."
"It's fine. I'm Takashi." I shook his hand. "Are you a trainer?"
"Yep! Got 3 badges! On my way to Flannery's gym!"
"I'm Sakura!" Said Sakura, holding out her hand to shake his. He looked over at her and Blushed. He grabbed her hand.
"Well hello there, fine lady!" Sakura tilted her head, blushed and let of a laugh. "So, Takashi. Care for a Pokemon Battle?"
"I am a Skill Coordinator, but I'm up for a battle any day!"
"This'll be a one on one battle, K?" Asked Genya.
"Fine by me!"
"Send out your Pokemon!" Said Sakura. Genya and I raised Pokeballs to the sky and threw them upwards.
"Kabutops!"
"Electrike!"
The two Pokemon glared at each other, standing still. "Start!" Said Sakura.
"Build up your Speed Kabutops! Agility!" Kabutops started running laps around Electrike, his figure blurring.
"Shockwave!" Electrike shot a beam of Electricity at the ground in front of it, a place where Kabutops was running. When Kabutops touched the Shockwave, it stumbled and fell onto its face. "Crunch!" Ordered Genya. Electrike charged at the injured Kabutops and bit into its scythe arm.
"Stealth Rock, Kabutops!" Kabutops tucked its limbs to its torso and a rain of boulders fell onto Electrike. It got up quickly and ran at Electrike to finish it off. "Brick Break!" Kabutops rammed it's scythe arm into Electrike without hesitation. It lunged back and disappeared inside of its Pokeball.
Kabutops danced around and ran over to me. "Great job, boy!" I looked over at Genya. "Good game!" He gave me a thumbs up.
Genya grabbed my hand and shook. "I'm off to Mauville before I beat Flannery, and you're going to Lavarige, so I guess we're going our separate ways!"
"I guess so! I look forward to seeing you again." He walked down Route 112, and onto Route 111. I stood, waving, until he was out of site.
"So, where we're we?" Said Sakura.
"I believe we were about to enter the Cable Car building to get to Lavarige Town."
We stepped onto a Cable car. There was another Trainer in there with us. We had a great view of Mt. Pyre from inside. The ride up the volcano took about 15 minutes.
We stepped out of the Cable car, now on top of Mt. Pyre. Sakura and I made our way south, into the Pyre Forest. "Look! A Spoink!" Said Sakura, pointing at the springed piglet. She tried to run over and battle it, but it bounced away in shock. For the rest of our time in the Forest, Sakura was disappointed that she missed her chance to catch the Spoink.
"Cheer up. Just think, there are also Rank 1 & 2 Competitions at the Lavarige site too!" I said, patting her on the head.
"But I want to watch you!" We emerged out of the Pyre Forest, back onto Route 111, but now at the top of the many steep ledges blocking the way. We made our way into Lavarige town, into the Pokemon Center. "Tomorrow is my event, so I better get some rest!" I proceeded into the hotel area of the Pokemon Center and slept until the next day.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head!" Sakura was standing over me, giggling. "Your Competition is today! Don't you want to get ready?"
"What time is it?"
"Six AM!"
"Crap! My competition is in half an hour!" I jumped out of bed and threw on my day clothes. I ran out the door, stuffed my breakfast down my throat and went running out of the Center.
"Wait! Wait for me!" Sakura came running after me, knowing that if she didn't follow, she wouldn't be able to find the site.
To be Continued...