What it takes to be the Top [Oneshot
"Excuse me miss, may I have this dance?"
The voice from behind her was smooth, melodious and rich. The British accent was light; unusual for one brought up in posh upper-class society. It was a voice well-known to anyone who considered him or herself a pokemon coordinator.
"Of course Robert, it'd be my pleasure."
She turned gracefully to meet the eyes of the inquirer, her flowing light red hair framing her petite face, accentuating her already piercing aquamarine eyes and resting softly on her bare shoulders. Her golden-yellow halter gown glittered faintly as she moved, as though radiating light from within. Raising her white-gloved arm to meet his outstretched one, she nodded, smiling.
"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine Solidad."
It was the last day of the cruise which would take all interested coordinators from the Kanto and Hoenn regions to the newly-opened contests in Johto. The ballroom of the S.S. Aquaria was resplendent in the warm glow of the intricate chandelier hanging from its center, and coordinators young and old were gathered there to share in the festive mood. The older coordinators had come in their evening best for the dinner and dance while the younger teenagers busied themselves with all-you-can-eat buffets and a disco off to the side of the ballroom.
Truth be told, Solidad had been anxious about coming to Johto. She knew that the best coordinators from every region would be gathered there, eager to prove themselves and to make it to the inaugural Johto Grand Festival. She had won the Kanto ribbon cup, but it had been far from easy – young up-and-coming talents like the teenage coordinating idol Drew and the pretty brunette with the erratic temper May, as well as veterans like Harley and Grace had all put up spectacular fights. Although she knew she was good, she also recognized that her victory did not come without a large amount of luck.
And now there was Robert, two-time winner of the Hoenn Grand Festival. She gazed at her dance partner, trying to read his thoughts, looking for a hint of anxiety or confidence, but his soft smile gave nothing away. She could tell that he too was reading her, sizing up the competition, but she kept her cool exterior and remained silent as they swayed to the soothing music, looking deceptively relaxed. If there was something the young ones had yet to learn, it was keeping their cool not just in battle, but also in the outside world. It was not that she was secretive – she was always willing to give good, honest advice to her juniors, even if they were her competitors – but she always knew when to bring her guard up so that her opponent would never know what was coming next.
The song soon came to an end, and Robert kissed her gloved hand lightly, thanking her for the dance before disappearing into the crowd. She weaved her way to the tables bordering the dance floor, still lost in thought about the year's journey ahead. A familiar voice brought her out of her reverie as she realized that she had reached the back of the still-crowded ballroom. Seated around one of the back tables were Drew, May and another teenager with shoulder-length ebony black hair.
"Hi Solidad, it's great to see you again! This is Caitlin, we met her at the pool this morning. She's from Dewford in Hoenn and finished in the top 16 in this year's Hoenn Grand Festival," May introduced her new friend, who smiled embarrassedly at being given such a glowing introduction. Solidad returned it with an encouraging smile, staying to chat with her younger friends to while the night away. After all, she had been asked for many dances that night before she had managed to find her target, leaving her slightly exhausted but duly satisfied. The conversation vacillated from contest speculations to training methods to traveling options, but it was clear that these teens knew what they were doing in Johto, and all of them had their hearts set on making it to the Grand Festival.
Close to midnight, Drew had excused himself without offering an explanation. If Solidad knew him as well as she thought she did, he'd be out on the deck getting some last minute training in before the ship docked the next morning. The boy was learning fast, which accounted for his many successes despite his youth. In the numerous contests which she had seen him in, he had never lost his poise – except in that final battle against Robert in Hoenn, and the last second of the battle against May in Kanto. Well, perhaps he still had a bit to work on.
The girls left soon after, when May had to prod Caitlin who had fallen asleep at the table. Presumably they left for their rooms to catch some shut-eye and gather enough energy to make the most of their first day in Johto. They had intelligently kept all their strongest pokemon, unlike the usual practice with gym-challenge trainers who would venture to a new region with only their single strongest pokemon, preferring to train a whole new team instead. After all, the grace and style required of contest pokemon are much harder to cultivate than the strength and endurance needed in gym battles.
The crowd in the ballroom had thinned considerably after midnight as tipsy couples and tired men and women made their way back to prepare for the imminent arrival at Johto. A few, like Solidad, remained in their seats alone, using the quiet, gentle music to calm their nerves and to contemplate their years as coordinators. She remembered the days when she had been just like May, all fired up and ready to take on any challenge before really thinking it through. She was strong, so she had had her victories, but in retrospect, she had merely stumbled through those formative years without a real strategy. She had developed many of her "dazzling moves" in her first few years as a coordinator, but she had come to realize that the strength of her pokemons' moves had a limit, and there came a point where her abilities as a coordinator were no longer measured by how well she could raise her pokemon.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us in the S.S. Aquaria Johto Dinner and Dance. We will be closing the ballroom soon as we prepare to dock at Olivine Harbor in a few hours' time. You are all invited to use our many other facilities aboard the S.S. Aquaria, or you may wish to rest in your cabins until we arrive. Have a pleasant evening."
Turning to survey the remaining coordinators in the ballroom, Solidad once again met the gaze of her strongest opponent, who was also seated alone a few tables away. Raising his half-empty wine glass in a good-natured silent greeting, Robert smiled as she returned his gesture. It was a toast to an exciting year of fierce battles. A silent acknowledgement, that may the best coordinator win.
She stood, walking away with renewed confidence after that small exchange. After all, it lights a fire in you when you find someone else who knows what it takes to be the Top.