'Participant 202 has been removed from the challenge.'
Anabel scrunched up a sheet of paper and threw it at the wall. She walked briskly to her desk and plonked down in the chair, hands on the back of her head.
'Darn. Another failure.'
It had been too long since Anabel had had a real challenge. In fact, her entire life had been one easy step to the top of the game; the best of the best.
She had always been adept with Pokémon battles, but soon she realised that wherever she went, she was the top. No matter how many jobs she took or how many challenges she made, she never lost. Not once. She was undefeated.
And she hated it.
At first it was glorious to always be on top. Anabel relished in it, as most people would. However, as time went by, she began to feel a certain feeling grow and sprout throughout her body.
Emptiness.
Her initial enthusiasm dampened, and soon vanished completely. As did many of her jobs, purely because she had become bored. Every job she took now had now become a search for someone to provide a challenge.
Eventually, she was found by Scott, with promises to reignite her lost motivation. Uninterested at first, it wasn't until Scott explained that he wanted her to be part of the Battle Frontier, a facility for world-class trainers, that she accepted his offer.
However, it became apparent that 'world-class' trainers offered little to make her break out into a sweat, let alone actually come close to defeating her. And now her hope in the Battle Frontier was beginning to deteriorate as well.
The loss of 'participant 202' wasn't helping either.
Challengers to her facility, the Battle Tower, had to complete thirty-four battles before they could challenge her for the thirty-fifth. Simple, right?
Except for the fact that all the promising trainers always seemed to be taken out by other, less experienced trainers, before they could challenge her.
Lifting her gaze slightly, she glared at the wrangled paper sitting at the far wall of her office.
'Twenty-four badges and he's a Pokémon League challenger? Yeah, right.'
'Participant 205 has proceeded to round thirty-three.'
Anabel pushed off the desk and leant back into her chair. She lazily raised an arm and thumped her fingers across a keyboard. She may as well check 'participant 205's' stats.
A click, a whir and a beep later, the monitor's screen popped up with several pictures and paragraphs, containing little to no interest for Anabel.
'He's nothing special…from Littleroot… eight badges. So that's how he became qualified to come here.' She was about to get up from her desk, when a certain emblem grabbed her attention; a single stamp beside his picture.
The Pokémon League Certification of Accomplishment.
She stared at it in disbelief and shock. She didn't know what to say. This boy, from tiny Littleroot, had surpassed the one of the greatest challenges known to trainers.
He was genuine.
Anabel's hands began to shake. She had to push herself far back into the seat in order to stop herself from getting too worked up.
Calm down, she thought. There have been other trainers with that stamp before. They never get to you because they can't use items. That's how they managed to defeat the Pokémon League.
Anabel let out a great breathe of air, her level-headedness returning to her.
'He just another one of them,' she said aloud. 'And besides, he's from Littleroot; he'll get knocked out next round.'
'Participant 205 has proceeded to round thirty-four.'
Anabel almost choked on her sandwich, spluttering ham and mayonnaise across the office floor. Red-faced, she began to clean up the gooey mess.
Ugh. I'm going to have to change uniform now.
But that wasn't the only thing on her mind. Subconsciously, she knew she was using the mess to keep her mind off of the spark of foreign emotion arising in the pit of her stomach.
Hope.
Anabel shook her head like a wet dog. She had to keep a clear mind for the upcoming battle.
'Participant 205 has proceeded to round thirty-five.'
Anabel stared at the speaker on the wall.
It was time.
Slowly, she made her way to the elevator in her office, making sure to pick up her Pokeballs along the way. For the first time in years, Anabel had butterflies in her stomach. She had never been challenged by a Pokémon League Champion before, but she doused these thoughts almost immediately.
He'll be just like the others, she thought. Impulsive and arrogant.
The descent of the elevator seemed painfully slow, and Anabel found herself shifting her weight from foot to foot. She frowned, annoyed at the fact that her body refused to be calm.
After an eternity, the familiar 'ding' of the elevator chimed and the doors slid smoothly open. Anabel stepped out, the battlefield doors in sight.
She allowed herself one last, deep breathe, before ceremoniously pushing open the double doors.
He wasn't what she expected. She swore he looked older in his profile; she guessed he was a teenager about her age.
He stood there, dead-pan, and watched as Anabel made her walk to the opposite side of the battlefield. It wasn't until she began her generic introduction that he began to show some emotion.
A huge, cheesy grin was plastered to his face and he began to bounce from toe to toe, eager for the battle to begin.
Wow. What an excitable guy, she thought, as her introduction fell out of her mouth. He reminds me of me when I first started. Withher introduction over, she reached for the first Pokeball in her pocket. I kinda feel bad for having to ruin his enthusiasm. Then: Have I really become that jaded?
Her Alakazam exploded out the Pokeball and glared menacingly at the Electrode that had appeared on his side of the field.
Okay, he's probably going to utilise Electrode's speed and try for a quick Thunderbolt. Several sparks began to emanate from the ball-shaped Pokémon. Thought so.
'Alakazam! Use Disable and follow up with Fire Punch!' Without acknowledgment of its orders, Alakazam's eyes flashed green and Electrode's Thunderbolt dissipated. And with fluidity to match liquid, Alakazam flew at Electrode with a crimson fist that exploded with such force, that Anabel had to bend her legs to withstand the shockwave.
As the dust cleared, Anabel let herself sigh.
Just as I planned.
It certainly was…except that Alakazam was lying at Anabel's feet, knocked out.
After what seemed like hours, Anabel's brain kicked in.
'Wh-what the…?' Her eyes flew to the other side of the field and, although severely burnt, Electrode was still standing, the last traces of Mirror Coat disappearing from its body.
'M-mirror C-coat…' she breathed. She pulled out Alakazam's Pokeball and zapped it back inside. Looking across at her challenger, he also zapped his Pokémon back into its Pokeball.
Anabel was shocked, to say the least.
I hadn't expected Mirror Coat, let alone Mirror Coat on an Electrode. I guess he is a good trainer. Then: This…is… Anabel let a small smile to creep onto her lips.
'Exciting.'
Two more explosions, two more Pokémon appeared on the field. Anabel stared up at her Pokémon, the epitome of laziness known as Snorlax, and chuckled lightly as it gave her a gentle wave.
I haven't felt like this for… She couldn't remember.
A loud roar brought her attention to a rather menacing looking dragon known as Salamence. She frowned.
That Intimidate is going to be a problem. She shook her head. I can do it. No sweat.
Salamence growled ferociously and took off to the skies, before somersaulting and dive-bombing back to Earth. With a blinding flash, it buried itself into Snorlax's large stomach. Anabel winced.
I hope that Fly didn't cause too much damage. Snorlax didn't move as Salamence flew up into the air again, preparing for another strike. Come on, Snorlax.
The huge Pokémon hoisted itself onto its feet and began to slap its stomach like a bass drum; faster and faster.
Yes! She exclaimed in her head. He pulled off a Belly Drum! She thrust a finger forward.
'Snorlax! Counter-attack with Body Slam!' In a seemingly effortless manoeuvre, Snorlax bounded upwards, snagged Salamence in mid-flight and, using the power boost from Belly Drum, flattened the dragon into the ground.
'Finish it off with Shadow Ball!' Leaping off of the dragon-cake, Snorlax summoned a massive orb of moving shadows and hurled it like a baseball. The shadows connected with a thunderous crash, leaving a battered dragon in an enormous crater. Snorlax returned to its trainer's side to lie down again, seemingly unaffected by the battle.
'Alright, back on top,' Anabel muttered to herself. She watched as her challenger zapped Salamence back into its Pokeball and proceeded to hurl another Pokeball into the arena.
Last Pokémon. What is it?
An explosion of light later, the battlefield seemed to increase in temperature dramatically, like the inside of an oven. Standing where the explosion was, was a very proud-looking Blaziken. Anabel grimaced; she wasn't happy.
Damn. I was hoping it wasn't a Fighting Type, but a Blaziken? Ugh. She smiled though. Last Pokémon; I got this in the bag.
'Snorlax! Body Sla-'
Before she could finish her sentence, Blaziken erupted from its position and threw a white-hot punch straight into Snorlax's face. For couple of seconds, the colossal Pokémon was airborne before crashing back down to Earth, groaning in pain. Anabel was gobsmacked.
Was that a Sky Uppercut? I've never seen one so quick! She saw Blaziken homing in for another attack. Ah! I need to think of something!
That was when she saw the gleam of Snorlax's foot. Or, rather, what was on the foot.
A Quick Claw. It had just became ready to activate. Anabel grinned.
'Shadow Ball!' With an explosion of speed, Snorlax's arms summoned a huge ball of shadows and shot it like a cannon, catching the fiery bird off-guard. Although the ball collided with the target, Blaziken managed to get in one final Sky Uppercut that sent Snorlax crashing down to Earth for the last time.
As Anabel zapped her Snorlax back into the safe confines of its Pokeball, she noted that Blaziken was breathing heavily. She also noted something else.
Hmm, that Blaziken has Leftovers attached to it. How annoying. I have to get rid of it in one more blow.
Anabel threw her last Pokeball into the arena. If any life form in the room felt as if the intense heat of an oven wasn't enough and that the surface of the Sun would be more appropriate, then their prayers had been inadvertently answered.
The Volcanic Pokémon, Entei, appeared in a brilliant burst of flames. Her challenger looked shocked; he had never seen one before. She wiped her brow with a grin.
Now it's over.
'Let's go!' She shouted. Entei, with an almighty roar, sprinted towards the exhausted bird.
There was large flash of light and Anabel closed her eyes.
I'm sad, now that it's over. It was the first time that I had worked so hard to win a battle. She opened her eyes, and looked glumly at the scene before her. I don't want it to end.
It was at this point that she discovered two things.
One: Her Entei had stopped in front of a charred Pokémon.
Two: The charred Pokémon was not Blaziken.
A very burnt, but a very conscious Electrode sat in the bird's place. Anabel's eyes widened as realisation dawned on her.
It never fainted. I was so distracted by the Mirror Coat that I-
Then she saw the third and final nail in the coffin. A Silk Scarf, hanging nonchalantly off the side of the Ball-Pokémon.
A Normal Type-Boosting item! That can only mean-
And then, to her horror, she watched the teenager-on-the-far end-of-the-room's mouth form the word:
'…explosion…'
A deafening shockwave swallowed almost the entirety of the arena. Both male and female were thrown against the walls of the room as the all-consuming attack continued.
After what seemed like days, the shockwave subsided, leaving not a single panel in the room attached. Emerging from the rubble, Anabel spared a glance towards the boy at the other end of the room, also emerging from the rubble. He reached into his pocket, zapped up the now jet-black Electrode and feebly chucked in a Pokeball, from which emerged a battered, but still conscious, Blaziken.
Anabel was breathing heavily, her chest rising in staggered breathes. Then:
'E-Entei…?' She looked around frantically and spotted, only just, a smidgen of brown fur, underneath a mountain of rubble. Anabel eyes opened wide as she began to shake all over, wobbly hands trying to grasp the Pokeball in her pocket.
It slipped, and clattered to the floor. She fell over trying to pick it up, somehow managing to zap her unconscious Pokémon back into it. She tried to stand up, but her body wouldn't allow it; her shivering arms and legs forcing her to her elbows and knees.
Salt.
She tasted salt.
Anabel huddled, crying on the destroyed floor, not because of her injuries or the irreparable damage done to her facility, but because:
'I lost.'
She was defeated. Her perfect record destroyed.
And she couldn't happier.
Anabel continued to cry, and cry and cry and cry. She had never been so joyous in her entire life.
'H-hey…um…are you okay?' asked a voice. Anabel, sniffling, looked up to see her challenger standing above her, his face contorted into one of concern.
The challenger that had finally defeated her; he was taken aback when Anabel leapt up and began squeezing the life out of him.
'Thankyouthankyouthankyouthan kyouthankyou!' Anabel cried, muffled into his shirt. The boy, a tad unsure, began to stroke her back.
'You're welcome…? But, you lost.' Anabel looked up.
'I know! Isn't it great?' she giggled, absolutely beaming. She released him.
'I guess…' She held him by the shoulders.
'You have no idea how much this means to me. For the first time, I feel normal.' She let go of him and wiped her eyes with her tattered uniform. The boy crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side.
'Normal...? Why's that?' Anabel glanced at him with watery eyes, her lilac irises shimmering.
'That's the first loss I've ever experienced.' The boy looked sceptical. Anabel chuckled, and then swallowed.
'My entire life was spent alone. I never had the chance to experience friends. I was always being ushered from tournament to tournament, town to town; I never knew my parents. I used to love battling, until people started to exploit my talent.' The boy raised his eyebrows.
'Exploited…?' Anabel nodded.
'Gambling, things like that; I managed to get away eventually. So I travelled around, I had plenty of winnings so money wasn't a problem. It's just that…'
'…what?'
'…I couldn't relate to anyone, because I had never lost anything in my life. So, I gave up trying to make friends. That's when I decided to prove to myself that no-one's perfect, and that I can lose. So that way I could r-relate to p-people a-and…' Tears began to flow down her cheeks. She hugged the boy close again.
'…so that you would not be alone. You've been alone your entire life?' Anabel nodded.
They stayed in this position for a while, and then the boy began to get uncomfortable.
'Um…' Anabel let go of him.
'O-oh yes, of course…sorry.' She blushed deep red and wiped her face. 'Alright; hand me your symbols case.' The boy looked bewildered. Anabel laughed. 'You beat me, didn't you?'
The beaming smile was back, and the boy reached into his shirt pocket. Surprisingly, the case was still intact.
'Right, here you are; one Ability Symbol.' A small 'snick' was heard as the symbol slotted into place. 'Congratulations! You got them all!' The boy fist pumped the air and hooted. Anabel laughed.
'Hey. I just realised, I never got your name.' The boy stopped his celebration mid-yell.
'Really…? Ha-ha. Well, it's Brendan.' He held out a hand to shake. Anabel moved past the hand and kissed him square on the lips.
After an eternity for the both of them, they broke the kiss. Anabel spoke first.
'I really don't know how to thank you Brendan, really, I don't.' He scratched the back of his head and smiled.
'Well, you could come back to my place, if you want? Are you doing anything at the moment?' Anabel surveyed the absolute train wreck of a room.
'No. Nothing. Nothing at all.'
Well, here we are again. Apologies to those waiting on the next chapter of Due Payment, I'm waiting for the english release of Black2 and White2, since I'm basing it in that world. So I'm going to hold off updating it until then. sorry :(
In the meantime, here's a oneshot for you all; a concept I came up with at 2:00am -_- As always R&R, and any criticism is welcome :)