Ffft! What's this? Another chapter? I think so!

I really shouldn't be starting up another story, but I am, so oh well :3 This chapter is long for me! I'm trying to write at least 3500 words for each chapter in this story, so they will all be longish. This chapter took a turn at the ending, which surprised me!

Anyways! I hope you enjoy. I liked writing this chapter! R&R, of course!

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon. Boo hoooo.

Chapter 2

"-And now, welcoming onto the stage, Champion Lyra Kotone!"

That was my cue, but my feet seemed glued to the floor, the painful high heels digging into my feet. The carefully pressed navy blue pencil skirt I had on felt too tight around my hips and my blouse was just a little too low cut for my taste. My hair hung around my face in carefully set ringlets and I knew that I looked professional and pretty, but at the moment I just felt awkward and childish.

It wasn't my choice whether I went out onto the stage or not, though. My agent, Wendy, gave me a forceful nudge on the back, pushing me into motion and out onto the stage. I stumbled a few steps forward, than fell into long strides, looking out into the crowd of people before me, camera's flashing and capturing the forced smile on my face.

I reached the two chairs in the middle of the stage, the host, Elliot MacArther, giving me one of his million watt smiles. I returned it with a one of my own, before turning back towards the lit up crowd, waving a hand in the air, which caused another explosion of camera flashes that blinded me temporarily.

When the cries from the crowd finally ebbed away, I turned back to my side, looking at Elliot. He smiled, always charismatic and handsome, with his spiked back hair, tanned skin and perfectly set green eyes.

"Welcome to Johto Now, Miss Kotone! It's a pleasure to have you grace our stage!"

I kept my smile carefully placed. Wendy and I had planned out every word that was supposed to come from my mouth for the last week, "Please, Elliot, call my Lyra. At it's my pleasure to be here. I always enjoy joining you all!"

Elliot laughed, the sound caught and magnified by the little microphones we had attached to our shirts, "Always so polite, Lyra, but let's not dally on introductions. The real reason we are here is because of the election."

I allowed my smile to look a little bit grave, as if I was truly worried for Johto, "Yes, the election. So suspenseful! It's been quite the month!" My own peal of laughter echoed over the crowd

Elliot grinned, leaning back in his plush chair and placing his hands behind his head, legs crossed, "Isn't it? Every time my television turns on automatically it scared the living venonats right out of me!"

I nodded in agreement, still smiling, always smiling, "I know what you mean! I'm soon going to have to move my television set out of my bedroom! My new sleep schedule isn't to my liking!"

A murmur of laughter rolled out of the crowd and I smiled, flipping my hair over my shoulder and crossing my legs, knowing I looked like a charming, young woman with a powerful past and an even more powerful team of pokemon.

Elliot let his arms fall to his sides, leaning towards me, "Anyway, Lyra. If I'd be so bold to ask, who do you plan on voting for in the coming election?"

I licked my lips, thinking through the many different manoeuvres Wendy and I had planned out, preparing for just this question. It wasn't time to let out this little tidbit of info and we weren't sure if we were going to let it out at all. We could always just leave it confidential, but there was a chance it would leak out.

Fiddling with my thumbs in my lap, I said, "Haven't quite decided yet, Elliot. All the candidates are such good choices for our country. The real question here... is who's the best?"

There, that made me seem like a neutral party and didn't give any of the candidate teams reason to harass me. Wendy had put so much pressure on me about how I had to make sure that I seemed open to all the teams. The last thing we needed was my email getting bombarded more than it was already was or some politician guy showing up on my doorstep.

"So true, Lyra, but you can't deny the evidence that you could very well choose Mr. Gold. You grew up in the same town, were friends through most of your adolescence and even, if my resources speak truly, dated for a while."

I'd already gotten faced with this question over three times this week, all at different meets or on different television shows. I held in a sigh, instead letting a contemplating look touch my face. All those days of practising in the mirror were paying off. At the time I'd thought Wendy was crazy for even suggesting it, but now I felt much more charismatic.

"That may be true, but the only reason I'd vote for Ethan is if he was who I actually thought was the best candidate. My sole purpose during this election is to try and make the best decisions for our country, and I plan on doing just that."

A mumble of agreement passed through the crowd, the camera flashing slowing as nothing interesting happened besides me repeating comments that they had all heard of before.

Wendy would be prompting me to say something interesting and witty right about now, but I was pulling a mental blank. Smiling blankly, I crossed my arms and leaned farther back into the cushioned chair. There was a lull in the conversation before Elliot cleared his throat.

"You can't deny it, Lyra, that you've been avoiding any the relationship, or lack of one, between you and Candidate Ethan. I can't say that it's confidential here, but won't you give a little depth into what's going on between you two?"

I licked my lips. Not once had a reporter or television host went beyond the initial dating question, yet Elliot seemed to want to delve right into where he wasn't wanted. I reached up a hand, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear before shrugging, trying to look nonchalant.

"I've known him since I was a kid. We come from the same town and I think I have the right to say that we are best friends, but there are absolutely no romantic feelings between us." I looked into the crowd, driving the statement home with narrowed eyes and a defiant tilt of my chin.

Elliot leaned forward, though, giving me an interested look, "Oh really, Lyra? Have you not read any of the magazines being released lately?"

I gave him an odd look. I avoided magazines as much as possible. They were just filled with rumours, "What do you mean?"

"Candidate Ethan bluntly announced to the world that it was true that he'd had a crush on you for as long as he could remember and he's hoping to get together with you after the election."

I gaped at Elliot, who glanced at the crowd as if to remind me that we were still being taped. I did my best to compose my expression, coughing light into my fist and letting my hair fall around my face before I muttered, "I can promise that I hadn't heard a word about this, or even knew that Ethan liked me." The words were magnified by my microphone, making them twice as loud.

Elliot leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and smirking. That sick bastard thought this was funny, "Well, Lyra, it's true. Ethan announced it on Pokemon Weekly just three days ago. He might have even used the word 'true love'."

My heart was beating wildly in my heart. This wasn't an interview, this was a fucking interrogation. I clutched my hands tightly around my knees. It was being kind to say that I had commitment problems. I just couldn't seem to let myself be tied down to one person. That didn't mean that I just went running off into the trees with any random guy, but long relationships weren't for me.

I swallowed twice, before giving a wobbly frown, "Well, whatever Ethan may be thinking, I don't see any future relationship for us."

Wrong thing to say. The crowded instantly booed and sighed. Obviously Ethan and I was a popular couple in peoples' minds. I could practically see my fame dropping. By tomorrow my face would be on every magazine across Johto and probably Kanto, about how 'Champion Lyra rejects Candidate Ethan!' I could have sobbed, right there and then.

"Is the reason that you are rejecting Candidate Ethan because there's another man in your life, Lyra?"

What was up with the questions about my personal life? "Of course not! I'm just not ready for that type of commitment yet!"

Elliot gave a sigh, as if he was disappointed in me or something, "You have to admit that you are twenty four now. Hasn't relationships... or children ever crossed your mind?"

Babies? Did he really just bring babies up? I could barely lift up Kris's newborn without dropping the squirming thing on its head! Babies were a big no-no. I swallowed multiple times, clenching and unclenching my fists.

"Of course not!" The words came off as harsher than I meant for them to. I could see Wendy frowning in my mind, "I mean... I'm just not ready for any of that! I'm sure the day will come when I am, but for now I'm living life the way I want to!"

I could have face palmed. Since when had I become such a dud with words? I was breathing heavily now, waiting for Elliot to spit out another personal question, but a loud bong rang out over the stage and crowd. Elliot sighed before rising to his feet and smiling.

"That's it with the interview, people! Join us next time for an exclusive view into the life of Candidate Tyler, not to mention we are bringing in the said to be protégée trainer, all the way from the Unova region, Touko! Oh, and give a hand for Champion Lyra Kotone!"

A roar of cheers and clapping assaulted my ears, the flashing picking up big time as the lights dimmed and the camera's stopped rolling. Turning, I began the walk off the stage, smiling into the crowd and waving my hand, trying to look charming, while all I felt was stupidity. I'd screwed up big time and I'd pay for it later.

I stepped off of the stage and into backstage, my arms instantly getting taken by Wendy, who led me farther down the hallway, shoving through the camera crews as if they weren't even there. I stumbled along behind, still a little wobbly in my much too high heels. Finally, we took a left and Wendy yanked open my private room, pulling me in after her.

Then, we just stood there and looked at each other.

Wendy was probably the prettiest person I knew. She put me to shame. With her perfectly straightened black hair, crisp blue eyes and perfectly tanned skin, she could have been a model. She was always dressed perfectly and wouldn't go out in public if a single hair was out of place. Right now she looked more scary than pretty, breathing hard and panic stirring in the depths of her eyes.

"This is not good, Lyra! You seriously screwed up and I can't see any way to fix this. I wasn't expecting it any more than you were, but didn't you at least have the sense to know that the crowd would love the idea of you and Ethan together? Please tell me what you were thinking?"

I swallowed dryly, turning around and walking up to a chair so I could hold it for support, "I don't know what I was thinking. The safest thing to say is that I wasn't! Ethan and me... we've known each other for so long and sure, we dated back when I was a teen, but I never figured that he liked me anymore! I was in shock! I just said the first thing that popped into my head!"

Wendy clutched her head, messing up her hair, "Any reputation that you had just went down the drain. You do know that, right? Now I'm going to have to spend the rest of the night thinking about how to fix this mess..."

I felt bad, simple as that. Wendy looked like an utter mess. I knew that she worked day and night to try and make me seem desirable and I just made it harder and harder for her. I really did try to be what she wanted me to be, but I just wasn't a very open and kind woman. I was too closed off to the public. As a kid, I'd been bubbly and happy, but as I matured... well, that just changed and I couldn't do anything about it.

Wendy shook her head violently, looking up at me with fire in her eyes, "Anyway, it doesn't matter. Let's get you out of here; you still have that meeting with the Elite Four."

I gave a crisp nod, "Yes, sir!" To my relief, Wendy cracked a smile. At least she wasn't permanently pissed at me. Grabbing my arm, she charged back out into the hall, barely giving me time to grab my oversized purse from where it hung on the door. The backstage had cleared out drastically already, and it was easier to manoeuvre our way outside.

The limo waited there like always, pristine white, the engine running smoothly and purring like a well groomed skitty. The crowd pressed onto the rope keeping them from entering the walkway, yelling out random questions that I didn't bother to answer. Ducking into the limo, I took a seat in the middle, Wendy walking around to the other side before stepping inside and sitting in front of the sliding window that led up to the driver.

Tapping a knuckle against it, the driver took the signal and the car lurched forward. I leaned back, crossing my arm and closing my eyes. This car would be as elusive as an Aerodactyl. There were barely any cars in Johto because they were so expensive. Only the most rich and famous people could afford them. I fell under that category.

I stared out the window, watching the buildings zoom by, my hands clenched together in my lap. We were just leaving Mahogany Town.

It was about a thirty minute drive to where we were going, so I tried my best to start up a conversation with Wendy, "So, how'd that date go last night?"

Wendy's face instantly lit up, a smile gracing her lips, "It was perfect, he's everything I'm look for in a guy!"

I leaned forward. I might not be much for romance myself, but I did like to give Wendy support, "Come on, spill! What was he like? What'd he look like? Wasn't it a blind date?"

Wendy nodded, her cheeks slowly flaming up as she stared at her hands in her lap, "Yeah, Marissa, you know Marissa, right? She hooked us up. He's great! Real sarcastic, but you know that I like that in a guy. Dry, but really polite when he wants to be. The prettiest red hair I'd ever seen and this amazing body! I… um… I invited him to the party next week! If that's okay with you?"

Red hair… it couldn't be? No, of course not. I nodded at Wendy, "Of course he can come! I'd love to meet him!" Yet another tradition I had to deal with. It turned out that every election the champion held a party for all candidates, their families, and anyone they wanted to invite. So far Wendy had planned the whole thing, but I had supervised… a little bit. Okay, pretty much I'd avoided the ballroom that we had rented for the party completely.

"Great, I know you'll love him! He seems like the kind of guy you'll get along with. Oh! We need to go dress shopping, don't we?"

I blinked, looking over to Wendy form the window again, "Dress shopping? For you? I'm not much use the-"

Wendy laughed, flipping her black hair over her shoulder, "Silly! Not for me! I already got my dress; I showed it to you on Wednesday!" Oh right, it was re- "This is for you!"

I gaped at Wendy, before shaking off my surprise, "What? I don't need a dress! I'll just wear one of my suits or something! They look fine!"

Wendy sighed, giving me an exasperated look, "Lyra, one of your suits isn't going to do this time. I've set this whole party up as a dance. As in girls in dresses, boys in tuxes kind of dance. You are getting a dress," Wendy cut me off as I opened my mouth, "No ifs. If you don't, I'll cancel your week long vacation next month and replace it with a series of radio interviews."

I glared viciously at Wendy, before turning to glare out the window, "Whatever, but nothing to extravagant. I don't plan on getting all dressed up just for a bunch of strangers."

"No problem! I'm thinking something white! Or black! Or maybe green! We want to try and bring out those pretty green speckles you have in your eyes; you always hide them with bland cloth-"I tuned my agent out, staring out the window tiredly. Wendy chattered on about what she thought I should do, but I barely heard any of it.

A dance. What had Wendy been thinking? I couldn't dance to save my life and you might as well have tied rope around my ankles, I was that much of a klutz. I reached up to mess around with my hair. Dances meant slow dances. Slow dances meant finding myself a partner to dance with. That partner would probably end up being Ethan, which would only strengthen the rumours that we had a fling going on behind the presses back.

I jerked back into my right mind just as we turned up to the Pokemon League, a large building that could take your breath away with its beauty. To our right was Victory Road, which was the only other way to get to the Elite Four and the Champion without a car. Trainers had to take that way or else they wouldn't be accepted for a challenge, since the Victory Road was considered the final step before the Elite Four.

Pulling up to the Pokemon Leagues doors, I carefully stepped out of the limo, a breeze catching my hair and blowing it into my mouth. Pulling it away, I walked up to the door and pulled it open, the hinges oiled so well that it barely gave an audible squeal. The first room of the Pokemon League was huge ever since it had been renovated and had this old time, Greek mythology feel to it.

The floors were cold marble, a misty gray that swirled and mixed with milky white and pillars reached high up into the sky to hold up the whole structure. The ceiling towered high above, decorated with all the different, known Legendaries, facing down in what was considered the 'match of a life time', a battle that would change the very shape of the universe. The whole roof was a big circle, an explosion of colors. Ho-oh and Lugia were in the very middle, wings coming together in a might crash, fire exploding out from Ho-ohs feathers and waves washing backwards around Lugia. From the water came a number of other Legendary pokemon, including Kyogre and Zekrom, the two of them rising up the face the pokemon emerging from Ho-Ohs fire, which were Groudon and Reshiram. Dialga, Palkia and Giratina circled this inner battle, each one letting loose a blast of their own, powerful attacks, as if to try and blow apart the other hostile fighters. Circling still around them was Entei, Suicine and Raikou, Zapdos, Articuno and Moltres meeting them in mid sprint, meeting up with their respectable type advantages. Mew, Celebi, Shaymin and Jirachi watched over the whole thing, the looks in their eyes so realistic that you could practically see their sorrow, while Latias and Latios remained free, using their extreme speed to stay ahead of the battle the whole time. Rayquaza watched from far above, twisting and turning in the clouds as he avoided ruthless attacked by Deoxys. Azelf, Mesprit and Uxie seemed in a form of mediation, each fading in the background as if they were trying their best to ignore the chaos. Darkrai, on the other hand, revelled in the destruction, while Cresselia mourned over the loss of peace. Other, less famous legendary pokemon remained faded into the mist on the edges, such as Victini, Cobalian, Tornadus, Manaphy and more. Finally, looking grand and grave, was Arceus, watching the battle and surrounded in mist, the look in his eyes conflicted as if he couldn't decide whether to stop the battle or not.

It was truly a gruesome depiction of the Legendaries, but at the same time breathtaking. I could remember times when I sat out against one of the pillars, just examining the mixture of pictures. I could still pick out new things that I hadn't noticed before, such as Meloetta, burying her face in her hands. The depiction was supposed to symbolize the mistakes we could all make and the journey ahead against the Elite Four.

I heard Wendy enter behind me, but I didn't wait for her, walking across the marbled floor, reaching the huge doors on the other side. They looked heavy, but slid open easily on their own once I gave them a little push. Walking up the steps that greeted me, I only went to the second level, before taking a turn and walking through a door that was hidden behind a curtain, Wendy huffing and puffing after me.

I stepped into a very well decorated meeting room, a round, oak table in the middle and surrounded by five chairs, along with a couch pushed into one corner and rose printed wall paper. Four out of five of the seats were occupied, each on inhabited by a different Elite Four, who all looked up at me as I entered.

There was Will, with the darkest violet hair I'd ever seen and a mask covering the upper half of his face, wearing his usual well pressed and colourful button up suit. Bruno grinned at me and I tried not to look at his shirtless and muscular chest, instead just letting my eyes skim over his black hair and moving on to Karen, who looked as fashionable and pretty as I had expected, with that to die for silver hair and nice body. Koga had dropped out when I'd become champion, saying he wanted to travel the world.

This left Lance. He was at least ten years older than me and my go to guy when I needed advice. His hair was only matched by Silver and he always, always, had on a cape. As I entered, he rose to his feet, his eyebrows narrowed over his eyes, giving him a dark and menacing look, before he said, which a tight voice, "We've got a problem, Team-"

Turns out he was right about that. Since the next thing I knew, a bang made my ears pop, the only window in the room blew out and a blooming pain exploded in my shoulder, sending my sprawling on the floor. I heard Wendy scream, high pitched and terrified. Lance gave an enraged cry, spinning towards the window and letting loose his dragonite. Will threw himself at me, sprawling across me and protecting me from any more shots, while Karen and Bruno both ducked beneath the window, out of the guns range.

Then I noticed the red.

There was red everywhere. I coughed violently, but all I could see was red. Slippery and warm, my fingers coated in the sticky stuff and I squeezed my eyes shut, nausea taking my breathe away.

That it! Did the ending surprise you? It surprised me I didn't think it was going to happen!

What did you think of the mural on the ceiling?

What bad Team should be centered in this book?

Any OC ideas you guys have? Cause I have none :3

Anyway, next chapter will be up in a while. I'm using this book for the 750 word a day thing, so I won't just drop it randomly!

Rate and review!