Luisa swung her javelin under Jake sliding under him, breaking the water currents he rode on. He landed on his feet and sent a water pulse in the direction Luisa went, and held the other behind his head. Luisa appeared behind him in air and swung at his head, but her javelin bounced off the water pulse destroying it and she was sent back.
"I've got to keep this prediction up. Just keep my head in the game and think what the psychopath is going to do next." Jake told himself.
Luisa came running again with a straightforward attack. Jake went in his shell and her strike bounced off, and he popped out with a water pulse sending her back again.
"I can only surprise her so many times. I've got to wear her energy down before it comes down to power." Jake noted.
Luisa came running again similarly, but she wore a smirk and her javelin was in her left paw this time.
"She's not going to change the option she's chosen no matter what I do. I have to watch and react accordingly with the possibilities in mind."
Luisa swung for Jake's legs, but he simply hopped over as she slid under him quickly. After sliding under him, Jake used his peripheral vision to see her going for a crude overhead smack downwards. He ducked his head and it bounced off his shell, and he sent a water pulse to send her back again. He turned and saw she was on her feet the entire time.
Luisa started to spin her javelin, which covered her from sight when spun so fast. With a brief small cloud of dust, she immediately disappeared.
"Luisa's speed is something to have your blood boil about," Blue explained, "She moves so fast, even if your eyes skim her she's out of sight before you can tell what direction she's moving in. Jake has to use his sharp eye and more tricks."
"It's been going well so far," Ray observed, "Luisa is falling for all of Jake's tricks, but she doesn't wear out easily."
"I feel something bad is about to happen." Hannah said.
"Hm, why?" Ray asked.
"Something's wrong with Jake, he's not using his emotions to help him how he should….."
Jake put the petrify orb in the water pulse behind his head and one in front of him with both ready to react. She wouldn't attack his shell from behind with anything but a jabbing motion, which would petrify her and make her javelin vulnerable to being destroyed. Jake simply had to bet he was fast enough in his front, which he most likely was due to how quickly he'd be able to see her.
Luisa ran up from behind a swung for his legs again. Although confused, Jake hopped over it again but the water pulse he held in his front claw was smacked away. Luisa went for a jabbing motion with the other end, but Jake turned around and held the disguised petrify orb in front of him. She paused as soon as she jabbed through it, and she dropped her javelin unable to move.
"I'd hate to break that thing if it was some sort of family heirloom, but good grief she has it coming."
Jake slammed down multiple times on the javelin's ends as hard as he could, but was left panting a little as it continued to glisten unfazed. He was suddenly kicked away and clawed at the ground to stop himself, ending on all four of his limbs.
"Hm, trying to break this was your idea? It's made from my uncle's shell, and he's a Shuckle. This is impossible to break by anyone normal," she boasted, "But thanks for letting me know you're afraid of it. I think I see why, too…"
Luisa faked going for a jabbing attack, and Jake reacted just slightly on his feet. She smiled at his reaction.
"She figured out she can pierce through his shell…" Ray said, "Now I just wish Jake would forfeit. It would be awful if that happened!"
"Hannah, what do you think?" Blue asked, "You seem to know what's going to happen quite a bit."
"Jake should have adrenaline to protect him, but he's still only thinking it out emotionlessly. His determination outweighs her own, but…." Hannah trailed off as she widened her eyes, "Blue, I think they might be close to…"
Jake and Luisa switched to a more usual battle. He didn't have time to set up traps and was constantly moving away in different directions to avoid her jabs. Jake still couldn't land many hits throughout, but was defending perfectly.
"Well well well!" Luisa giggled, "Today's the day…."
Jake payed not attention to her banter and whipped another water pulse at her. She leaned letting it sail past her while laughing uncontrollably.
"What's up with her? She seems overly excited suddenly." Jake observed.
"Can't you feel it too, fool? It's evolution day…."
Jake and Luisa were surrounded by a faint blue light.
"What?! How could you have predicted this Hannah?!" Ray gaped.
"There are the slightest personality and emotion changes before evolution. Jake just grew a bit daring in his attacks, and Luisa just suddenly had a burst of adrenaline…."
"If Jake's a wartortle now, and Luisa's a lopunny now, the entire paradigm just shifted. They don't know who is better at what now, so I think they might poke at each other trying to find out…." Blue predicted.
"No, Luisa has too much adrenaline right now to take that into account," Hannah replied, "She's going on the offensive because of her confidence…"
"Ooh, this weapon feels even lighter now. I've been waiting for the day I'd be able to carry this with such ease," Luisa spoke in a new and slightly deeper voice, "I guess that's how he was able to fight so well, if it seemed so light to him too."
Jake fired a water pulse to test her reactions and defenses. He received bad news when she looked up and smacked it away a second later.
"This evolution may have just widened the gap in our power. This isn't good, I'm blind…."
Jake used a quick hydro pump to see her reaction, and she stood there unfazed.
"Hmph, I felt nothing in that." Luisa sighed.
She dashed straight for Jake, avoiding his water pulses and hydro pumps with ease.
"How does she respond to something straightforward?"
Jake continued his ranged attack until she grew closer. He used a sudden punch, but was stopped cold by her arm. She kicked him back, making him lose his breath.
"I need to make distance right now! I'll-"
Luisa grabbed onto Jake by his neck and threw him even further back. The brick wall of the arena stopped him from rolling further.
"She's most likely coming again. To make distance up against a circular wall-"
Jake only reacted quickly enough to turn his back against her. With her javelin in hand, she jabbed straight into his shell.
"To escape I…." Jake's thoughts slowed with intense pain.
"Awwwww, your mind races till you stumble down with it….." Luisa lifted him by his neck from behind, "Why don't you take a good study session looking straight at that wall?"
Both Jake and Luisa's arm lit up with thunder, and she slammed his head into the wall.
"If you accept the power light offers, no one such as her will surpass you!" Hannah cheered.
"I should've thought of that….."
Hannah covered her mouth watching Jake fly back to the center of the arena unconscious. Ray looked away and Blue growled in his throat.
"The winner is Luisa….." The announcer sighed. His lack of enthusiasm fit in with the crowd's.
"Well, I know I'm not singing her spirit song…." the melleotta declared sourly.
"This tournament represents peace. She of all should not win, but I haven't seen anyone else with prowess to match hers." the serperior said.
"Hannah has a secret weapon, but without it she would find a small level trouble in defeating her." the Rhydon smiled, "So I'm going to give her the birthday present early."
"You're giving her a weapon for a present?" the Samurott questioned.
"It's an instruction passed down from her mother to her father and ending with me. It is for me to give her an evolution stone when she reaches about age fifteen and no earlier."
"I don't understand why it's so particular. Could age really matter so much in when you evolve?" the melloetta asked.
"Hannah's secret power is wild. She's only able to focus it at low power right now, and it will only get stronger with her after evolution. At this age, she should be able to stop uncontrolled released of it, but she'll still need a second thing if she has any hope of learning to focus it on her own. It's an item that sort of helps her focus it…. I think." she held up huge fan that had a noticeable black line in the middle and symbols at intervals, "It belonged to her mother."
"That's a strange silver fan. Also, do you mean her mother knows about her abilities?" the melleotta wondered.
"Knew about her abilities," the serperior corrected, "Both of her parents are dead, and for one of them we all prefer it that way."
"I ask to keep that truth to yourself. He was still my husband." she reminded.
"Hmph, I certainly hope you succeed in having Hannah defeat her. If someone like Luisa won this, there would be an uproar. Malevolence has no place here." the samurott said, "But I also have a secret weapon. Everyone besides the Veritan royalty and you, Ren," he gestured to Hannah's mother, "know about the identity of my child. I think we should have a pact that allows for each kingdom to have knowledge on each other's future heirs before they reach age eighteen."
"It would definitely be an act of trust uniting our kingdoms greatly. I agree." she smiled.
"Well, we'll discuss this pact some other time. We must continue to observe."
"I swear, she's going to pay for this…." Blue groaned.
"Blue, you have to calm down and win your next match for the singles tournament," Ray pleaded, "We'll deal with what you have bent up inside later. Luisa can't win….."
"I still don't get it, why Jake just suddenly started failing," he growled, "I just wish I knew."
"He was thinking too much. Sometimes in battle you just have to scream and let loose…." Hannah said.
"Jake plots out everything, but he needs to do it with his emotions to help. In his daydreaming he's just so distant." Ray sighed.
"The only thing I feel that's distant is my fist from her face!" he snapped.
"Get ahold of yourself, Blue!" Ray replied, "It's up to you two to show Valor and Verity peace between us can hold! If you lose it now, it'll just make them stereotype us even more as just hot-tempered!"
"Oh, don't worry." he snorted, "I'll probably find myself quite happy when I'm battling her."
The trio heard Blue's name called, but Hannah didn't react. She looked to the arena floor lost to thoughts. The pokemon surrounding them were all still whispering about the last battle.
"This still isn't a battle against Luisa. Don't lose it in this tournament, Blue." Ray told sternly.
"Hmph, I'll still use this next battle as warning cry." Blue huffed leaving.
"Hannah, are you alright?" he asked worriedly, "Jake will be alright, you know…."
"I'm worried about both of them…." she sighed.
"You don't seem worried about if you come up against Luisa, though. Now be honest, you would destroy her in battle, wouldn't you?"
Hannah looked around before making eye contact with him. He was smirking just a bit, as if expecting good news.
"I'm starting to think you're the watchful one of your group. Why do you ask that?"
"The only reaction you had just now was sadness for Jake, not anger towards Luisa. You also seem impartial as to whether you face her or not." he observed, "And in your battle, what you did to that mudkip was a normal attack to you, and I could see you quickly limiting your power severely to fit in with others in terms of power."
"To answer, Luisa would be some trouble, but I'm not too concerned…." she revealed.
"Someone taught you how to fight, didn't they? Someone strong."
"Uhhh….." Hannah's heartbeat rose, "I think I'm done giving out secrets for today…."
"I don't mean to pry. I just can't help but put puzzle pieces together when I see them." he giggled.
"My own bad for saying too much…." she relented.
"Well, it's a hard to keep secret that shows even in how you walk, although your cloak sort of hides that." Ray said.
"What do you mean in how I walk?"
"You walk with your arms behind your back like a general, and your back is almost too perfectly straight. Without that cloak, you would look very intimidating at a laid back place like this and I doubt that it wouldn't create rumors…." Ray explained, "Anyway, let's watch Blue's match. They're all on the floor now."
"Well, it is nearly midday here in Valor, and this is going much faster than anticipated! Luckily, I have a volunteer, a volunteer Valorian knight has offered to give his theory on the clock! Everyone, please welcome Valorian knight Damien!" the announcer began to roar before passing the cone to the greninja.
"Well, right to the point I feel these battles are going so quickly as a result of eagerness, correct?"
The crowd cheered in response.
"Well, eagerness is also what has had most contestants defeated as of yet. Waiting for a right moment to shine is not just in battle, it is a life lesson. Learn it."
The crowd was immediately silenced and whispering at his words.
"He eyed Blue, did you see?" Ray hurriedly asked.
"Yes, I saw. It was a warning not only to him though, to all of them. They mustn't follow Luisa's example."
"Ten! Nine!" the announcer began.
Blue just rolled his eyes at Damien's warning. Because of what happened to Jake, he wasn't the only eager one desiring to destroy Luisa in battle. However, he was powerful enough to be the one to face her, and he couldn't help but be eager.
"Begin!"
Blue backed away from the circle immediately along with the other contestants. There were only four including himself.
"I'm going to win and best that demon lopunny!" A maractus declared.
"Dude, pretty sure everyone here already signed a blood pact vowing to do that. Chill, the best will win and beat her." A gifarig sweat dropped.
"Bruh, I just don't wanna get stabbed today." A sneasel shrugged.
"I'm just going to start attacking now!" the gifarig said firing a psybeam.
The maractus avoided it and retaliated with a solarbeam that had been secretly prepared. The gifarig sighed before being defeated by the brunt of the attack.
"Ok, now I feel bad….." he relented.
"And I feel worse." the sneasel held up a small white flag.
"You're not going to put up a fight?" Blue questioned.
"Dude, I'll leave taking down insane ones to the other insane ones. Later."
The sneasel walked out of the fight with a nonchalant look on his face.
"Not exactly a huge battle of wills with trumpet sounds, but let's see how this turns out folks!" the announcer cheered.
Both Blue and the maractus nodded in agreement before formally taking a one on one battle position. They both faced each other straight on.
"Listen, I'm one of the most likely candidates for wrecking that cruel thing in the last match. If you step aside, I WILL do my best to silence her!" he promised.
"Then prove that you're the better choice to face her then." Blue replied blandly.
"Alright, that's what I'll fight for now!"
The maractus focused before sending a ball of light into the sky. High in the air, it exploded into a miniature sun.
"Blue ought to be careful. This maractus is known for fighting under his sunny day. His speed increases horribly, and his solarbeam becomes stronger and nearly instantaneous. Blue has to be lightning on his feet for this battle." Ray worried.
"If he doesn't make some improvements on his movement in this match, it will be very difficult," Hannah paused, "But I believe in him."
Blue easily avoided his solarbeams, but the maractus was sweeping his arms while using it to follow Blue's path after he dodged it. Blue was only able to slowly approach, in which the maractus backed up more and more quickly.
"Oh forget this, I'll wait."
Blue suddenly stopped approaching and simply stood ready to dodge. The great distance between them made it easy, and it only took a single jump for him to avoid his sweeping solarbeams.
"Looks like the tricky fox pokemon is waiting it out for him! The audience wants to see someone fly across stage, and close up is now Marth the maractus' only way to do it!" the announcer explained loudly.
"I'll show all aspects of my power! Luisa will look like an angel compared to me!" he declared.
"Which means you plan to be a demon. Hmph, it's one thing to have a problem but looking up to evil…." Blue growled to himself, "Hypocrites….. All of you….."
"He's about to evolve too?" Ray staggered, "I didn't think, it just didn't seem….."
"I sort of expected this. He was changing just a bit before he left, and I could feel his hunger for justice." Hannah watched as Blue was encased in a short lived blue light.
Marth used both of his feet as brakes to come to a screeching halt under the zoroark's shadow. Blue towered over him with his arms crossed and eyes thinned. With renewed nerves, Marth went for a lightning fast needle arm, but to his horror Blue grabbed his arm as if he felt no pain from the prickles.
"Holy crap, you're hardcore….." he whispered.
Blue tossed him up just slightly before using a flamethrower powered up by the fake sun. Marth was sent flying while brown, black, and steaming and tumbled before an abrupt stop. The crowd cheered praise for the both of them when the battle had become obviously finished.
"Hannah, I want to talk to him alone to cool him off. I really don't want to make you leave us alone, but I feel we need it….." Ray said, "Could you give us a while?"
"Yes, I want to find my mother anyways. I'll see you sometime, hopefully before the day is out." she grumbled.
"I'm so sorry…."
"Don't apologize. From what I saw he put a little extra into that last attack, and you clearly believe you can help him. I'll find you again afterwards." she replied more hopefully.
Ray saw her to the door of the classroom before she left. Having no clue where her mother could be she just lazily looked around classrooms she happened to pass by. Her mother stuck out among a crowd, usually standing firmly with a smile that commanded kindness.
"Hannah Grace! Lailah Waves!"
Hannah's ears perked up hearing her name called. She lightly jogged to the area to enter the stage, which was the same area as where they signed up. She jogged just a little behind the rest and took her position merely seconds later.
"Just like last time, we only have four contestants! Though attention demanding, it's not like the survival game of the chaos in previous rounds, how will our contestants react?" the announcer set the stage.
"Tis as simple as a change on a chessboard." A xatu claimed.
"Yeah, no pawn wall." A luxio murmured loudly.
"Ten! Nine!" the announcer began to countdown with his usual enthusiasm.
"Hannah's quite focused this time. I have a feeling this will be quick." the rhydon smiled.
"Yes, she does seem terribly ready. I'm willing to bet that she wouldn't be able to hear even if the entire crowd was calling out to her." the samurott observed.
"Hey, why do you two look so sour?" the luxio asked Hannah and a mienfoo.
"From what cruelty I saw, this is no longer to be taken lightly." the mienfoo said sorrowfully.
"I uhhh…. I normally fight like this." Hannah stuttered.
"Begin!"
"Alright, so here's how the game works," the luxio smirked, "You're all going to attack each other cause I say so."
The luxio glowed a very light red before sending small red blasts at all three, and Hannah was the only one able to avoid the attack in time. The mienfoo and xatu glowed a slight red before looking up crazed.
"There's the swagger move that bought him the last match. Crazing them up and buffing their attack, the chaos is under his control now!" the wobbuffet cheered.
The xatu rushed against the luxio to his annoyance, and the mienfoo ran for Hannah. Though confused, the mienfoo kept his battling style striking orderly. Hannah blocked the brunt of the attacks, but still felt no pain even with his increased power. After using a thunder fang to defeat the xatu by pinning his movements, the luxio observed the battle.
"HY-GYAH!"
Hannah suddenly pounced at an opening at full force, sending the mienfoo flying back similarly to the mudkip from her last battle. It was obvious he was defeated before his tumble came to a standstill.
"Pretty tough, aren't you?" he taunted.
"Sorry, you lost me at pretty!" Hannah winked using the move attract.
Hearts surrounded the luxio as he sighed and felt the effects of the move. He was frozen in place, but was quickly fending off the effects. Realizing this quickly, Hannah ran up to him quickly and punched him over his head. He fell down unconscious.
"Looks like Hannah's swagger was too much for him. She advances to the one on one tournament!" the announcer smirked.
Hannah calmed down at the news and quickly left the arena floor. She left to wait for her next round in her corner, but saw it occupied by a pokemon clearly waiting for her.
"Hey, Hannah!" Dan the machop greeted, "Your mom wanted to see you. She's waiting on the top floor, just go up."
"Oh, uh, thanks…" Hannah gave a small smile. Dan nodded before nonchalantly leaning against the wall again.
Hannah went up very quickly due to the hallways being empty. The classrooms were where the crowds were watching from, so she had no trouble moving higher upwards using the stairwells. She immediately saw her mother waiting on her left just as she reached the highest floor.
"Hannah, I have a few pokemon to introduce you too! Just remember to mind your manners!" she cheered, "And speak up so you're at least audible."
"Yes mother…."
Hannah followed without question and the slightest shiver. She had heard her mother lightly rant to herself occasionally about how quiet Hannah spoke. Her mother guided her to a classroom, suddenly leading her inside.
"Hannah, meet Mrs. Hillary and Mr. Matthew."
Hannah's blood froze.
"Mo-….. Mom?!" she whimpered and tugged at her own tail seeing the serperior.
"Steel yourself….." she whispered.
"Welcome. Care to watch the arena battles with us, Hannah?" the samurott asked politely.
"Yes, sir." Hannah took her mother's warning and blocked all of her emotions temporarily. She stood on the right of the samurott away from the serperior and glanced around the room. The pokemon with them were clearly guards based on their stances, positions, and eye movements.
"Starting off this one on one tournament is an electross against a cranidos. After a little of the battle has happened, I want to know what you think will happen in the battle next. Sound fun?" he offered.
"Yes sir."
The elektross was keeping a distance by using dangerous flash cannons, but the cranidos continued to approach using attacks like iron head to constantly slam away the attacks.
"What do you perceive to be happening?" he asked.
"Well," she started, "The cranidos is most likely going to win by intimidation. He's scaring the elctross with his physical strength, but upon approaching will most likely use his fear for a surprise and finish him very quickly up close."
"What surprise do you suspect?"
"Most likely him using a stone edge just shy of reaching him."
The cranidos paused as the elektross tensed, and fired a weak stone edge near him. The elektross nearly jumped in surprise, but was rushed as soon as he turned his head looking at the attack. He use a powerful head smash making a sound that left the audience cringing.
The samurott shivered for a moment before looking at Hannah surprised. She had predicted this based on just a few seconds.
"You're quite deductive. Have any experience with watching battles on a stage?"
"No, but I used to battle my old classmates a lot…." she recalled, "My classmates didn't take kindly to my kind."
"Care to explain?" the melloetta looked to the serperior, who hung her head shamefully.
"Well, my classmates used some tricks to discover I'm Veritan and Valorian."
"I primarily meant how they didn't take kindly."
"Well, I had to move here." Hannah replied dryly, "And I got more of the same treatment when Luisa found out….."
"W-well," the samurott stammered, "You should know that here in Valor we currently find her appalling."
"Here in Valor there are a lot who still find Veritans appalling." she sighed, "And me even worse."
"Oh my, I've just realized the next match is going to be quite decisive." The samurott murmured.
"Why is that?" the serperior finally spoke.
"It's between the zoroark and that lopunny. Both of them are savage opponents, though one obviously crueler than the other."
Hannah put both her arms on the ledge watching attentively.
Blue spouted out a small flamethrower upwards and gave her a toothy frown.
"Ooh, you should've tried flirting back when you were in my league." she laughed.
"Hypocrite." he muttered to her, "I can't believe you…."
"Oh please! The only reason any of this is even happening is because you were eyeing that Veritan girl. Even worse, you didn't care at all about it, you just stupidly thought she was pretty ignoring she's Veritan!" she accused.
"Still waiting for the part where I've done something wrong." Blue huffed back.
"Eyeing her instead of me, idiot."
"Hmph," he grunted, "I'm starting to think your mind may be a lot simpler than what I thought before now."
"Because the situation is!" she stomped, "Oh whatever! I don't really care anymore. I mean look at me! I'll have everyone bowing at my feet before sundown!"
Blue rolled his eyes.
"What?"
"It wasn't that I didn't think you weren't pretty, it's the little things I see you do," he said, "Never hold a door, rolling your eyes instead of hello, whispers in ears. There have been tons of occasions including this one where I'm embarrassed to know you."
"Five! Four!"
Blue and Luisa just noticed the countdown.
"Oh don't worry. By then end of this, you'll be honored to have been 'shamed' by me." she thinned her eyes.
"Hmph, foolish if you think I'm the only one you've disappointed."
"Begin!"
"What are you talking about?" she demanded ignoring the announcer.
Blue nodded his head in the direction of the lower classrooms in the cloud. Luisa's eyes followed, and she saw to young buneary staring at her sadly, along with an accelgor frowning.
"No one in this place is on the side of your attitude."
"No," she denied flatly, "Besides my unappreciative family, you don't realize how many are cheering in their hearts right now for me to win in Valor's name over those Veritans. Now I just have to shame you and I have no threats in sight."
"You're blind."
Blue rushed to attack her head on and Luisa copied him.
"What do you think?" the samurott asked her.
"Blue will fall in this battle horribly." she stunned him.
"How? Why?" he asked hurriedly.
"I've seen it in a dream. Blue's left arm will be pierced at the end."
"What is the meaning of this?" the serperior asked Hannah's mother.
"Hannah's a sort of fortune teller," her mother said, "All of her dreams have come true unless something is done to directly prevent it. Like a warning. She often is unable to remember them until the events see actually start to happen."
"Then what can be done to prevent Blue's fate?" the melloetta asked.
"Nothing. He can't hear my warning and I can't interfere in a tournament…." Hannah knelt down feeling sick, "I'm sorry Blue….."
"Hannah, it's not your fault," her mother hugged her, "These things are bound to happen. We can't change everything….."
"What's going to happen?" the samurott asked.
"Luisa will pull a cheap shot while Blue's trying to convince her to let go of….. Of something. I can't remember." she held her head.
"Dang that foolish boy….." he lamented.
"The battle is about to look highly in Blue's favor, until then…."
Blue's new power made Luisa shiver when her attacks were blocked. Blue's sturdy form in close combat made her feel like she was fighting a wall that felt nothing.
As she missed a swipe of her javelin, Blue tripped her and threw her over his shoulder by her arm. Although sent far away, she automatically landed on her feet.
"He's fighting with such knowledge and experience, with no doubt anywhere. You've never been like this before, and this is received through training, not by evolution." she thought.
"Hmph, why so serious?" she asked aloud.
"It's not that I'm serious, I've just never taken you on in a fight that matters." he replied.
"They all mattered to me. I'm going to make this painful for you saying that."
Luisa was the only one to rush forward this time as Blue stood sullenly.
"I fail to understand. Blue outmatches Luisa, how will a zoroark, the tricky fox pokemon, fall for a simple trick you described?" the melloetta asked.
"It's not something used standardly, its'…." she paused, "Something cruel. Something hated. She uses something he has…"
Luisa was trying to swipe at Blue's head when he knocked the javelin from her hands with it bouncing off his claw. He kicked her away from him and her javelin.
"I can't win this. This obvious formal training he has is too much. I need to do something."
"Why are you doing this to me? To my family?" she asked loudly.
"I'm doing it for you and your family! You can't keep living like how you are and find peace."
"I was living like that for you! Denying every flirter that came my way, ignoring every other 'popular' guy that crossed my path just so that I could get to you fully!" she ranted edging closer to him quickly, "You're even more ungrateful than my family, and to think I wanted to be yours!"
Luisa smacked him across the face suddenly.
"Right there, Luisa used substitute." Hannah said suddenly.
"What? I didn't see anything?" the samurott replied.
"Look to her weapon." her mother added.
Another Luisa was bending over and picking up her javelin.
"The Luisa talking to him now is a substitute." the serperior realized.
Blue backed away from her a very short distance.
"This is still a battle, and I will still treat it as such." he barked.
Luisa rushed forward blindly with a sloppy punch. Blue quickly caught it and retaliated with his own, but it went straight through her with smoke replacing her form. His mind raced as he quickly looked left and right with his blood suddenly speeding.
"Oh no…. Behind me."
Hannah shivered and closed her eyes as the room besides herself or her mother had sudden reactions. The serperior and samurott were instantly enraged, nearly yelling. The others in the room had quiet expressions of dismay. The announcer went dead silent, even after the battle ended.
"Hannah, are you alright?" her mother quietly asked despite the noise.
"I'll be fine, mom….." she stammered, "Just wish I could've done something…."
"There will be a brief intermission!" Damien announced on the other end.
"Now Hannah, you know that zoroark will be alright with time. But…." her mother paused mostly for herself, "You have to give him justice and not hold back, understood? The contestants still in are gathering for a short time downstairs. Go there and listen quietly…." she instructed.
Hannah sulked downstairs still in shock. She was also worried about what the meeting was going to be about, but hurried down nevertheless. There were only about five or six other pokemon besides her and Luisa, who she avoided by standing at the back.
"Due to recent events, we would like to remind you all of the underlying severity of this tournament. It represents peace between nations, and you must all show bravery to compete. However," the announcing porygon paused, "All of you are free to resign from this tournament. This isn't something you are forced to do."
There was silence at first, but one by one the crowd backed out of the tournament. Luisa smiled more and more as time went on. Luisa kept smiling until the last pokemon left and Hannah was the only one in sight, obviously staying.
"It is settled then. The last match will be held between you two in five minutes…." the porygon held a hint of sadness, "Best of luck to both of you."
"So, getting vengeance for the big bad Blue?" she turned to Hannah, "Or maybe yourself?"
"No." she replied.
"Then what? What exactly is up with you getting in my way of all pokemon?" she asked rudely. Hannah didn't reply this time, but continued to stare. "Answer!"
"She was competing for fun!"
Hannah gasped slightly seeing her mother towering over both of them with her hands behind her back. Luisa jumped back a little.
"But since you've robbed this event of that, then she's here for much needed justice!"
"Mother, thank you." Hannah smiled at her backup.
"Oh my!" the porygon suddenly approached, "It's…. It's an honor to meet you!"
"Likewise." the rhydon bowed politely.
"Hey, this is our battle, not yours!" Luisa recovered.
"Miss!" the porygon exclaimed, "One does not talk back to our elders, especially this one! She is the reason this tournament is happening instead of a bloody battle! Show some respect or you are disqualified by rule thirty-three!"
"Hmph, sorry ma'am." Luisa sarcastically left.
"What a horrid girl she is!" he exclaimed.
"Hannah," her mother smiled, "For that I'm giving you your birthday present early."
"Um, how does it relate?"
Hannah reeled back as a glittering stone was presented to her. It was dark yellow in the center and nearly transparent otherwise, holding a slight yellow singe throughout.
"Happy evolution day, Hannah." she smiled.
The crowd was silent along with the announcer wobbuffet, who didn't know what to say. He dimly announced the names of the contestants that dropped out, and no one was satisfied with only two being left.
"I can't get this crowd out of this sour mood. Not even my awful jokes changed the tune. Sir Damien, what should I do?" he turned around.
"Nothing we really can do." the greninja sighed, "I myself am hoping that the lopunny fails in this next battle."
"I hate this job sometimes. As the announcer, you can't choose to cheer for or against someone. I'm willing to bet everyone would cheer against the lopunny with me if I could right now."
"You are done for today."
"Huh?" the wobbuffet paused.
"I will take over the duty of announcing from here. Leave and rest."
"Alright, thank you Sir Damien. If I may ask, why are you doing this for me though?" he smiled.
"Oh, you seem tired." Damien walked near to him and whispered, "And the king can't afford to fire me if I break a small rule like that."
"Damien, you rock." the wobbuffet saluted him and dashed out of the room.
Hannah waited until they called her name, and went out on the arena floor the same time as Luisa did.
"You know, Jake evolved today too. Don't think it'll make a difference." Luisa whispered to her as they separated.
The crowd reacted heavily to Hannah's new form as a cinccino. Her white cloak barely contained the huge amount of fur she had.
"This is the final battle today ladies and gentleman!" A new voice announced, "Hannah Grace versus the brat!"
"What the…." the serperior tripped as the crowd erupted in laughter
"Oh, if I was younger I'd be quite interested in him….." the rhydon smirked.
"Oh for goodness sake Damien, he's always doing mischief like this." the samurott grumbled.
"Why do you wait on alleviating him of his duties if that is the case?" the melloetta questioned.
"Hm, you don't know our current situation. Most of our Valorian knights are only mildly above Luisa, and Damien trains them quickly but they never quite reach his level. I would fire him regardless of him being my best knight and personal guard, but he's probably a decent fifth of Valor's power."
"Hm, I know how he feels." she muttered to herself.
Luisa's face and temper went red hearing Damien's call. Ordinarily she would have a retort, but doing that against a war hero would break the thirty-third order again.
"Hey, shut up over there!" Luisa heard Hannah giggling loudly, "If you do, I'll treat you with not shaming you in this!"
"Uh, I didn't say it!" she covered her smile.
Luisa looked back up to see the slightest smugness in Damien's eyes.
"Ten! Nine!" he called.
"You'll regret that someday….." she swore.
Hannah waited patiently for the countdown to end while Luisa tapped her foot impatiently looking up angrily.
"Begin!"
"This is where you fail, just as fate says!"
Luisa rushed forward to attack.
"Foolish thing! You thought-"
Luisa's words were interrupted when Hannah blocked her punch easily and grabbed one of her ears.
"Goodness gracious!" the melloetta exclaimed, "This is indescribable!"
Hannah's mother gave her fullest smile watching Hannah fling the lopunny over herself like a ragdoll with one arm repeatedly slamming her to the ground. Her screams were audible for most in the arena, which was silent watching the scene. Hannah occasionally did a little dance move using her body as a streamer.
Hannah threw her face flat on the ground again and took a momentary break. She was smiling having the most fun of the tournament.
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!" Luisa ordered powerlessly.
"Are you giving the match?" she asked.
"NEVER!"
Hannah's arm tensed as she swung Luisa over her head and threw her away. Luisa managed to land on her feet, but she was left holding the part of her long ear Hannah grabbed. She was much more intimidated and put her mind much more into precision.
Luisa edged closer before going for a sudden punch. Hannah dodged to the side and grabbed the side of her arm, and swung her around in a circle throwing her away again.
"Rrrgh, are you mocking me?!" she roared landing on her feet again.
Hannah had to think a second before answering. She didn't really want to battle Luisa much, and would rather go and have the party her mother promised her afterwards.
"I just want to leave by now…." she sweat dropped.
Luisa edged closer again to Hannah's annoyance. She held her javelin ready to attack, and suddenly went to a jabbing attack. Hannah grabbed her javelin and pulled Luisa along with her weapon closer to her. While Luisa was stumbling, Hannah punched her hard on the forehead sending her straight into the ground where she didn't get up.
"She's quite a step ahead of a decent amount of the Valorian knights." the samurott noted.
"Alright, it's time."
"Understood." the melloetta replied to the rhydon.
"Hm, what's happening?" the serperior questioned.
"Hannah takes this match, but one more opponent remains for you to face today!" Damien surprised the crowd.
Hannah looked up questioningly at him.
"Just like back in the day." the rhydon reminisced, "Well then, see you all soon after."
"What are you doing?" the samurott demanded.
"None of the contestants in this tournament gave Hannah much of a workout, so I'm stepping in."
The rhydon suddenly jumped out of the classroom straight for the arena floor. The crowd screamed in surprise as her impact with the ground shook them to the core.
"Don't worry about being bored, Hannah dear! Mother is always happy to play!"