A/N:
I regretted not showing off more candidates, and so, instead of moving on with the main storyline, this was written instead.
As you may have guessed, I switched out chapter names before uploading II. The original chapter III was named "Night Time", a throwback to Danganronpa- but that's not important, haha.
On to review replies:
blazelight790 - Haha, I'm honored - but do remember to get ample rest. There's also likely to be a lot more characters, given the scale of this story. Most of them will be separated by region, though, so no worries there about information overload. As Amadeus puts it, 'trainer politics'. O W O Atlas has good reasons for being distant, and well, I can't leave Max out of the loop, can I? Froslass is really done with Max though, I'll say. No spoilers for the rest, www! O u O Wouldn't want that so early in the game. Also, names are just that - a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, or at least, that's what Jessie says. No need for apologies; I do enjoy reviews as much as every other author. Also, hooray for death flags. O u O
Wolfang1011 - Presenting booster pack number two. Also, trainer politics is indeed such an apt name, if only because the little interactions are just that. Also, verbal tics are great! O W O It is only right that I refer to Mike with honor, after all-
maycontestdrew - Shhhh. long reviews are great. Butterfree is the Queen of Sass, and Break-Neck just can't appreciate it. A pity. Also, the concept of how Taunt works was inspired by SD, so- yeah, all questions go to him. Also, no hallucinations for Butterfree here, and yes, she got ignored. Le gasp. And honestly, Froslass and Butterfree are really similar, but throw in Launa and hell freezes over. Yeah. O W O
(Wow. Our octosyllabic meter really is contagious. Well done there. XD - SD)
W. R. Winters - Impossible to tell? I should think not; at least, not now. Still, if your bets are on Max… I'll have to find some way to live up to that expectation. O u O
Inversered - Thanks for the compliment. Rin would also like to inform you that she is a girl, and that her partner's name is Max, thank you.
Martyn (Guest) - I do believe I've mentioned in the very first chapter that I will not be accepting OCs submitted by reviews, and my reason for doing so. Also, it seems to be the case where you're submitting a character without fully understanding the background of the story - for example, it is impossible for a human to learn the moves of Pokémon, even if you're not taking into account status/special moves, and that's not even factoring in the communication barriers. A Pokémon-only house also cannot possibly exist in this AU, given the location and the time period. There's also the factor regarding the selection of contestants by the League itself. Given that it is a tournament to select the next Champion - the next ruler of the region - surely the contestants selected would actually have traits that would aid in leadership and/or governance, instead of just entering to "find out their roots".
(And last but certainly not least, what exactly is stopping you from making an account to submit? I'm genuinely curious. - SD)
MikeV1 - Sorry, no can do. The tournament ain't starting so soon. But hey, you'll get to see Reuben in this chapter. O u O Also, love the new story - and expect an incoming OC. :3c
WereDragon EX - Max might have come off a little snarkier than he was supposed to be, but generally, he's not the worst. Probably. XD. Unfortunately, Butterfree is the type who rubs just about everyone the wrong way - Break-Neck was just unfortunate to be there at that time. He would probably also have won if Rosalina hadn't entered the fray to save a fellow sister, haha. And yes, the Elite status certainly explains a lot. I hereby present the (not so) long awaited update!
Without further ado, SkyFox Studios - in association with Sylveon Diancie Productions and Awesome Backwards - proudly presents to you Chapter 3, aka: "The other half of Chapter 2".
Also, time to throw more OCs at you guys.
(Especially you, Amadeus. Have fun building a deck.)
Chapter 3
Candidacy
"Why can't I join the tournament?" Brittany huffed, pummeling the Torchic plushie in her arms, which had clearly seen better days.
Poor thing.
"Ampharos… " She didn't need to turn around to know that Ampharos was amused with her somewhat childish tantrums, and while she usually was more of a lady, this situation had gotten out of hand.
Seriously, what would it take to convince her parents to let her enter the tournament?
"The participants are selected by the League's Council, yeah right." Brittany muttered, rolling off the bed and landing on her feet with careless grace. "Ampharos, I'm going to pay a little visit to the Indigo Plateau. Are you coming?"
It was a question that required no answer - wherever she went, Ampharos followed. He was quite basically her parent, after all, given that her biological parents never were around.
"...Not this again, Lady Brittany. Big sis Ampere is going to have my head…" Ampharos sighed, following his little mistress as she flounced out of her bedroom, skirts flying indecently as she hit the stairs at a run. "You really should give up, you know - there's no way Master Samuel will allow you to participate in the tournament, skills or no." The Light Pokémon paused for a moment, before tacking on an afterthought. "Also, please smoothen out your skirt after that run, Lady Brittany - there is most certainly no need to flash your undergarments to the world."
She couldn't understand him, however - just like her father, when her mind was set on something, Brittany would do all in her power (and more) to accomplish or acquire it. Thankfully, she did inherit her mother's intelligence, so that wasn't too bad of a combination.
Not to say that her father wasn't smart, of course.
It had the unfortunate side-effect of making his life a little more difficult as her unofficial parent - oh, who was he kidding, it made his life a living hell.
"Maria!" The blonde girl yelled - thankfully, her younger brother was already in school, and she didn't have to worry about disturbing him. "Prepare a mode of transportation - I'm going to the Indigo Plateau."
"But, Lady Brittany-" The maid protested weakly, well aware of the fact that nothing could change her lady's mind when it was made up - but she still had to try.
With a sigh, Ampharos scampered down the stairs. Past his lady and her maid was a door that led to the kitchens, and it was that same door that he entered. "Sentinel?" He questioned, and was greeted with a soft "Welcome".
The door leading to the backyard glowed blue, before opening - in entered a Sigilyph, her tail 'feathers' trailing little lines of smoke. The door was closed behind the Avianoid Pokémon in silence, and the smoke abated with a few flicks of her tail. "I would presume the little lady requires something?"
"Lady Brittany wishes for transportation to the Indigo Plateau." Ampharos made no attempt to hide his exasperation, but Sentinel merely chuckled. "Our young lady has gotten denied yet again, I see."
"But of course." Hopping out of the kitchen, the Light Pokémon continued his train of thought. "Master Samuel will not let her endanger herself so recklessly, not even if the League desperately needed contenders in the tournament for whatever reason - which they don't, I might add."
"Naturally, as expected, you of us all would understand him best." Sentinel chuckled as she followed Ampharos out of the kitchen, back into the hallway where her mistress and her lady were still arguing. "Well, except for perhaps Ampere."
The brown gaze of her mistress met hers, and the Sigilyph chuckled yet again - her mistress was frazzled, panicking and clearly being backed into a corner by their vivacious little lady.
Sentinel! The maid's relief surged through their bond. Just in time, could I have a little help here?
Maria Lambert was well known in the Troy household for being an efficient and unfazed worker, no matter what the job was - except when it came to dealing with one Brittany Troy, who had fortunately (or perhaps quite unfortunately) inherited both her parents' best traits.
Intelligence, with a laid-back attitude but an undying tenacity - truly, the Electric Princess was a terrifying lady indeed.
And she was also currently being pushed out the house's front door by a weary Ampharos. "The sooner we get to the Plateau, the sooner we can get this over with."
My lady, the Sigilyph signaled back telepathically, if we don't allow the little mistress to go to the Plateau, when she finds a way to get there herself, well, our heads will roll.
To think her request was actually denied, though. The petite lady sighed, before making her way to the front door. If she gets into trouble at the Plateau, we didn't see anything.
But of course. The front door closed and locked itself behind Sentinel.
The Victory Road was dark and gloomy, lighted only by Ampharos. Why it was called a road when it was clearly in fact a tunnel, Brittany had no idea, and well, she didn't particularly want to find out.
Besides, it wasn't as if the Champion walked on the Victory Road often. In fact, the road was more commonly used by guards. She voiced this out loud, but received no comment from her brunette maid.
"The Guard Road doesn't have quite the same ring to it, Lady Brittany." Ampharos sighed, not being able to find it in himself to give up on his lady, despite her obvious quirks.
Sentinel and Maria exchanged glances from their position as bullet catchers in front of young Brittany, amusement and exasperation simultaneously bouncing through their bond. The two came to a halt, however, at a fork in the path - which way to go?
No signs, no people to ask directions from - only two identical tunnels cut into the rock.
"A Strength puzzle, perhaps…?" The maid suggested, the barest hint of confusion lacing her tone.
Blonde locks were tossed as Brittany shook her head. "Those were abolished at least seven generations ago; no, there are quite clearly two diverging paths here."
"Ahem. Bullet catchers, time to do your job." Ampharos chuckled. Surprisingly, the same thoughts were running through the mind of the blonde (self-proclaimed) princess. "Maria?"
"Yes, my lady?" The brunette maid bowed, awaiting the order that was sure to follow-
"Check enemy." was the order, Brittany pointing at the tunnels with a satisfied expression on her face.
"...okay, my lady."
With quick steps, the maid and her Sigilyph entered the tunnel on the left. There was no sound, however, except for fading footsteps - leaving Brittany alone with Ampharos.
Come to think of it, maybe sending Maria away, quite possibly to her doom, wasn't the smartest idea that Brittany had had lately. After all, she just lost any shield she might have had, in the unlikely event of an attack - not that she wasn't capable of handling such an issue, but then she'd have to get her hands dirty.
Ah well, hopefully, Maria returned quickly.
The fact that there weren't any blasts, screams or the clashes of metal hitting metal was probably a good sign - right? It totally didn't mean that both Maria and Sentinel got taken out in under a second. Yeah.
"Meowstic."
Now that was a cry she hadn't heard before. Brittany turned around sharply, Ampharos automatically moving to stand before her. "...?"
A feline stood upright before her, dark blue fur accented with white, twin tails waving slightly. The Meowstic stared at the girl and her Ampharos, unblinking, even as a young teen rounded the corner, catching up to the Constraint Pokémon. "S'il vous plaît, Rye, I know you're excited but-"
Green eyes met brown ones. Ever the polite lady, Brittany bowed slightly - there was no requirement to curtsy to a stranger, after all. "Greetings. May I inquire as to who you are?"
…Alright, so maybe that wasn't as formal as she had hoped. The blond boy didn't seem to mind, however. "Allô! At least, I think that's what people say. Mon nom est Reuben, Reuben Fournier."
Brittany could only blink, in the face of this learned young man who spoke in a mixed tongue. "It's nice to meet you, Reuben. My name is Brittany." At least, he was probably giving an introduction, right…?
"What kind of weird language is that?" Ampharos grumbled, Rye shooting him with a wide smirk. "Kalosian."
Reuben smiled, but before he could reply, two more people entered the tunnel. Maria had returned, an enforcer alongside her. "My lady, both tunnels lead to the Plateau, but to different-" The report was halted, however, in the face of a stranger. "Lady Brittany…?"
"Lady?" The blond foreigner questioned. "Incroyable, to be meeting nobility in this tournament bataille, do you not agree, Rye?"
"Indeed." The feline bobbed his head in agreement, even as the blonde lady and her Ampharos exchanged glances.
"Monsieur, are you perhaps headed for the Indigo Plateau as well?" Gesturing to the other tunnel, Maria continued. "Sir Arthur was going to guide Lady Brittany there, but I'm sure she would be glad for the company."
"Maria!" was the admonishment, to which the maid only smiled.
Reuben nodded. "Oui, I would be grateful for the company. I'm not so good at talking, though. I'm not stupid or anything, I just do better at listening."
"That's alright, silent company can be quite a nice change." Brittany hastily added, before Maria could reply. "Let us proceed."
The unlikely party walked to the Indigo Plateau in silence - save for the sound of footsteps - with the enforcer being the lead, with Reuben bringing up the rear with his Meowstic.
The silence was finally broken, by none other than Brittany - for the sole reason of being bored. "So, Reuben, why have you come to Kanto?"
"To bataille is the main reason for everything, I feel." This casual statement earned him a stern glance from the enforcer, not that it was visible from behind the darkened visor.
"Trainer battles are forbidden in these regions, Monsieur." Maria informed quietly, not missing the quick flash of disappointment on the boy's face before it vanished. "Only in Kanto do we have Battle Tents, by the efforts of the current Champion - but even then, events are held only under strict supervisation."
"Isn't that really boring?" Rye questioned, paw tugging at an ear. "How do you spend your time, if you don't battle?"
"You may think it's boring, but life is peaceful." Ampharos replied quietly, "With such a system, protecting the people, and ensuring that they are safe, becomes easier."
"So, safety in exchange from freedom, is that it?" The Meowstic sounded indignant, not that Ampharos or Sentinel could blame him.
"...Shall we drop the topic?" The Sigilyph questioned, but the steel in her tone made it clear that it was just about an order. None were obliged to obey, but silence fell upon the small group.
Having not much else to say, the conversation between the humans too had whittled down. Reuben had retreated into silence, with Maria and the enforcer respectfully maintaining theirs. Brittany, on the other hand, kept her opinions of this motley 'crew' to herself.
"The main entrance to the Plateau is here." After what seemed like a silent eternity of walking, the enforcer spoke. "This is where I take my leave, Lady Troy." With a small bow, he left, leaving Brittany, Maria and Reuben by the side of the doorway cut into the rockface.
"My lady?" The brunette questioned, only to be silenced by a raised hand. Without a word, the blonde girl walked through the doorway, followed closely after by her Ampharos.
"What about Monsieur?" Maria asked, only to find no one else in the tunnels. Sir Reuben has gone on ahead, chasing after his partner, Sentinel informed through their telepathic link.
..I see, was the quiet musing. With a small shrug, the maid too entered the doorway.
"Ah, Reuben Fournier. I was wondering when you would show up."
"My name is Brittany Troy, not Reuben Fournier." The blonde teen sighed, for what seemed to be the umpteenth time. "And no, I am not a participant in the tournament."
"Oui, the first I can verify." Now holding Rye in his arms, Reuben stepped into the announcer's line of sight. "About the roster - Je ne sais pas. But I am Reuben Fournier, reporting as requested."
"I was referring to the boy, y'know." Miles deadpanned. "In any case, Monsieur Fournier, if you would please follow me? I am in need of your presence."
"I'll come with him-" Brittany started out of politeness, before he held out a hand to stop her.
"And as much as it is a surprise to see you here, miss Troy, do know that I am quite capable of alerting your father to your presence should you try to interfere with any of the contestants," the black-haired man intoned cheerily. "Can't have you skew the results how you like them, after all."
She was taken aback at the threat. "You wouldn't dare."
Without missing a beat, Miles yelled, "Electric Princess in the house!"
"Brittany!"
All eyes turned to the blond man who had just come running up, closely followed by his Ampharos. Samuel Troy was not known for being anything but lax, but right now, the look on his face could only be described as disappointment.
"I've told you before, you can't just enter the Indigo Plateau like that," the man sighed, running a hand through his messy blond locks, the exact same shade as his daughter's. "In fact, I distinctly remember Ampharos not being able to fly, so how did you-?"
"If I may, Master Samuel," the maid interrupted, bowing slightly when addressing her employer. "Lady Brittany did not come to the Indigo Plateau alone. I am also sure you are aware that no one can stop her when she has made up her mind."
Ignoring the vehement protests from his daughter, Samuel nodded approvingly. "At least you did one thing right, Maria." Gesturing for the maid to follow him, a hint of a grin crossed the Elite's face. "Miles, I leave my daughter in your capable hands - at least, until Maria takes her back."
To say that the black-haired man was unamused was an understatement, even if the smile on his face only quivered slightly.
"But, father-" The blonde lady began, only to be silenced by a dismissive wave. "Maria, you know where my office is - after you finish the paperwork, please take Brittany home."
"..." "..."
A deadpan silence fell upon all who had gathered. So, the only reason why his daughter is allowed to stay, is because he basically wants to push his paperwork onto the maid.
Best father ever.
Not entirely oblivious to the stares he was getting, Samuel merely chuckled, motioning for Maria to get started with the work. With a quiet sigh, the maid obliged - it wasn't as if she could disobey an order, anyway - before heading into the main building.
"Master Samuel?"
Another newcomer. Really, Brittany mused to herself, resisting the urge to facepalm. It wasn't ladylike, after all. Just how many people are there at the Plateau?
This time round, it was a butler who came running up. Recognising him vaguely as the head butler of some rich family among the nobility, Brittany kept silent, wondering just what business he had with her father.
"The Young Master requests that you report to the Tower immediately. He is getting rather... impatient, I believe, and the presence of Master Volok is not helping matters." Despite his words, no exasperation accompanied the butler's tone - it was perfectly neutral, as if stating as report.
Samuel shrugged, miming a slicing motion across his throat with a hand - crude, but effective. "I'd best get going, then. Enoch isn't famous for his patience." Giving a quick hug to his daughter, the man began walking to the main castle - though to everyone watching, it was quite obvious that he was moving at a slower speed than usual.
Brittany stifled a laugh. Clearly, her father was trying to annoy his fellow Elite without giving any concrete reason for the other to use against him. Good luck, you'll need it.
"Well…" Miles dragged out the word, running a hand through his black hair, causing it to stand up in messy little spikes. "I guess you both could wait outside the media tent. I do have to interview a few more people." His fuchsia gaze fixed on Brittany, who, to her credit, didn't flinch even minutely. "I trust that you can handle yourself?"
"But of course." The slightest hint of indignation coloured her tone. Who does he think he is, anyway?!
"That's good." Miles led the way to the pitched tent of operations, motioning for them to stay outside before vanishing into said tent alone.
An awkward silence fell upon the duo left outside, the boy still keeping a tight hold on his Meowstic, and Ampharos standing protectively beside his lady.
"So… Reuben, where are you from?" Way to go, Brittany. 5/7, best conversation starter.
A small smile. "Oh, I'm from Kalos." No attempt was made to elaborate, though, and the girl pressed no further.
Kalos? Isn't that one of the regions across the ocean, on the other side of the world?
She had heard tales of the region and of its neighbor Unova, most particularly about their Pokémon - and of course, fashion. But the blonde girl hadn't always paid that much attention, if only because they weren't all that relevant to her life.
They were an entirely separate jurisdiction from Kanto - and the other three states under the League's authority - after all.
"Gooooooooooood evening, ladies and gentlemen! It's all smiles for miles with me, your host, Miles Fletcher! It's so good to be back here where I belong!"
The voices had, without a doubt, come from inside the tent. Exchanging a glance with Reuben, Brittany toyed with the idea of peeping, before eventually deciding not to.
The last thing she needed was for Miles to tattle to her father again.
"Please give a warm welcome to miss Verona Moore!"
It would seem that Rye had no such concerns, however, the Meowstic having hopped out of his trainer's arms, dashing over to the tent flap. Flustered, the blond boy chased after his partner, being careful not to make too much noise.
The sound of applause reached the duo's ears, along with a voice clearly identifiable as belonging to a female. "Get on with it."
"Ooh, touchy, aren't you? No need to be rude now, especially since you've earned the privilege of being one of our Chosen few, y'know?" Miles' voice responded.
"Is it really such a privilege?" The reply was quick in coming, and with all certainty. "The invitation in itself was the very definition of a threat, after all."
Outside the tent, Brittany was fuming. Just who did this Verona think she was, to blatantly insult the League like that? Ampharos tugged at her sleeves, but garnered no attention.
"Fine, be a party pooper like that Max guy then! Seriously, can't anyone ever appreciate the worth in a good show?!" A loud, deep breath, before the announcer's voice switched back to cheery from annoyed. "Anyways, since I don't think I can stand to be around you much longer considering you are the very definition of a bitch, do you have anything to say to our viewers-?"
Shing!
That was clearly the sound of metal slicing through air - moving instinctively, Ampharos pushed Brittany back, away from the tent.
On the other side of the entrance, it was Reuben who moved first, dragging Rye as far away as he could.
A faint swish reached their ears before-
THUNK!
Following that, a woman flew out of the tent headfirst, sliding along the ground for some distance before coming to a halt.
She was of an average height and a wiry build, black hair strewn from a messy ponytail. Her clothes were a little dusty, but what drew all eyes was the Kilij sword still clutched in her hand, a charm bracelet with four charms dangling from it.
"I'm afraid I may have accidentally thinned the competition, but in case I haven't killed her, be sure to look out for miss Moore in the tournament. Or don't - please don't. Until next time, this is Miles Fletcher, signing out!"
The sound of the marker and "Cut!" barely rung out before Miles leapt out of the tent in one bound, planting the telescopic staff he was best known for into the ground.
"Verona - can I call you Verona? - anyways, Verona, I would very much appreciate it if you didn't try to threaten me with death in my own studio." He addressed the woman, who got up with a snarl. "My show is supposed to be rated PG-13 - you just made me use the one permitted swear word on-screen that I was planning on saving for the end, so to that, fuck you. Fuck you very much."
"Go fuck yourself, Fletcher," was all she said, before the woman attempted to lunge at him-
"Halt!"
But the blade continued in its trajectory, forcing Miles to bring up his staff in response.
"Ampere, Thunder Wave!" the male voice called as yet another Ampharos appeared on the scene, this one larger and more feminine.
The weak electricity flew into the ostensibly metal weapons that had been locked together in her attack, causing them to have a miniature reaction, forcing both combatants away from each other.
Gazes flickered, before turning to the blond man who had just arrived. Brittany stiffened - never before had she heard her father shout, especially not with anger practically radiating from him.
"I expected more, especially from potential Champions." Samuel stated. "Let it be said that I have given you both fair warning - any more fighting, and you will be disqualified from the tournament and banished immediately."
"But she started it!" Miles whined, though Samuel ignored him.
"Remember to move a little faster next time," Ampere chided her younger brother, who grumbled. "But it wasn't my business, sis!" Brittany's Ampharos shot back.
"It could have been. A little change in trajectory, and Brittany would have been in the line of fire." She waved a stubby arm, dismissing the excuses. "Now, I do believe it's time to go."
Right on cute, the blond man left, Ampere close behind - but not before shooting his daughter a meaningful glance. Verona left immediately after, sheathing her sword as she did so. Brittany took note of the direction in which the black-haired woman was headed - she would be sure to avoid the area later on.
"Good riddance, I say." Miles muttered, contracting his staff such that it folded back up into a stick the size of his elbow. Turning to her blond companion with a smile, any anger having disappeared as suddenly as it appeared, he greeted him, "In any case, Monsieur Fournier, you're up next. If you would please kindly enter the tent - and try not to take my head off while you're at it, actually. That would be much appreciated."
"Oui, I understand." Reuben nodded, picking up his Meowstic once again. "No pranks, okay, Rye?"
Rye didn't look too happy, but agreed nonetheless, as they entered the tent after Miles.
Now alone with Ampharos, Brittany slumped a little. There was nothing she could do but to wait, it seemed.
"Something the matter?"
"I believe you can say that, yes." The blonde replied with a heavy sigh, Ampharos now insistently tugging on her sleeve. "What is it, Ampharos-"
Her gaze had followed the direction in which her partner had pointed; standing before her was a pale tan feline with a very distinctive curl at the end of its long tail. The red gem in the middle of its forehead sparkled in the sunlight.
"There's no need to stare," the Persian stated, twitching its whiskers in what Brittany was sure to be either irritation or amusement. Probably the former.
"You speak the human language?" Wary, Ampharos took a step forward, placing himself between the Classy Cat Pokémon and his lady. If a fight broke out, well…
"That I do, yes." Tilting his head to the side, the Persian seemed to listen intently for a few moments before continuing. "Also, Anton assures you that we won't start a fight. No one wants to risk banishment, after all."
"Anton?" Brittany questioned, her curiosity having being piqued.
"That's not the main point here, Lady Brittany." Ampharos very nearly yelled, managing to slam the lid on his frustration just in time. "The main question, is how that cat read my mind-"
"I didn't. Read your mind, that is." The Persian seemed to be enjoying their distress, if the smirk on his face was any indication. "Also, Anton is my partner, who happens to be right behind you both - and has been for a while now, actually."
Indeed, a young man stood behind them - just how had he been so silent?
A sheathed katana slung across his back, the silver-haired man carried a sketchbook in his hands. He shrugged a little, almost as if an apology for the startle, before moving to stand by his Persian.
"This is Anton, Anton Evans." The Persian introduced. "And I'm Felix," was the added afterthought.
"I'm Brittany, and this here is Ampharos. It's a pleasure to meet you." Brittany introduced herself - a tad awkwardly, if one were to be honest. Introducing herself to a talking cat was weird...
"What Lady Brittany said." Ampharos replied curtly, still a tad irritated. He would get over it, however - it was unbecoming and a hindrance in his effort as Brittany's aide.
"Anton apologizes for whatever trouble he's caused." Felix stated yet again, this time nodding his head a little. "He also wishes me to apologise, but honestly, I've done nothing wrong, so I'm not going to."
A small flinch tore at the Persian, as Brittany and Ampharos watched on in confusion.
"Okay, okay, I give." Felix huffed. "I'm sorry for whatever duress that I may have unknowingly caused - though in my opinion, it's not my fault you were startled by my speaking ability."
An awkward silence fell upon the little group once more, with Brittany reflecting on how often it had already happened today - seriously, what was with all the pauses? Was she really that bad at conversations?
"Merci, I shall take my leave now." Exiting the tent was Reuben, with Rye now next to him, scrambling a little to keep pace with the larger footsteps of his partner.
"Thank you very much, Fournier! Now, next up is-" he froze once he saw the Persian.
"Ah…bugger. Anton Evans."
She had never seen the black-haired man's face drop so fast.
The albino merely nodded once, before entering the tent. Felix, on the other hand, turned his nose up at the unhappy announcer, before following his trainer into the tent, tail high up in the air.
"Gonna have to bump it up to MA15 now...I'll be damned if I make it through this interview without cursing," he muttered, entering the tent.
With a small sigh, Brittany turned to speak to Reuben, only to find that the boy and his Meowstic had seemingly vanished. Well…
Ampharos watched as conflicted emotions crossed his lady's expression, before she seemingly decided upon her next course of action. "Oh boy. This is going to be real bad, isn't it…?"
And indeed it was - if exploring the place could be considered bad.
"It'll be a good way to pass the time, at least until Maria's done with father's paperwork." The blonde convinced herself, beginning her walk to the main building. "All I need to do is to avoid the area where that League-hater lady went, and I'll be alright."
"Yes, with all certainty - this is indeed a bad idea. May I suggest another, safer, activity…" Ampharos' sole advantage over Brittany was that he had actually paid attention to the guests in the manor - no doubt he could at least identify friend from foe. However, with Brittany around…
Wait, where was Brittany?
She left already?! The Light Pokémon fumed, before catching sight of aforementioned girl further down the path. "Wait for me, dammit!"
The hallways were lit predominantly by the light streaming in from clear windows, as well as by the occasional gas lamp. Shades of pale cream and dark red velvet colored the wall, an occasional trellis of gold leaf framing the corners.
Frankly speaking, Brittany mused, turning a critical eye on the interior decor, the colors are too dark, and the lack of lamps is going to be a huge problem at night.
Not that it was truly an issue, but at Troy manor, it was always lighted. Both father and daughter did have the Light Pokémon as partners, after all - it was to be expected.
As a lady born into wealth and influence, it would be a shame if she weren't at least well versed in the arts. Brittany nodded to herself, thankful that she had decided to pursue a higher education - of course, that included Pokémon studies.
"Lady Brittany…" Ampharos sighed, not liking the gleam in his lady's brown eyes. She was thinking of something, that he knew - the Light Pokémon could only hope that whatever it was, it didn't make his life any more miserable than it already was.
Well, considering his luck, it probably spelled bad news.
He tripped slightly. Odd, where's everyone?
Unsurprisingly enough, Brittany also hadn't yet met anyone in the building, despite walking around the hallways for a while.
Just where in the building am I, really? The blonde frowned - she didn't pout; of course she didn't. All the hallways looked identical, right down to the ebony doors that no doubt opened into the guest state rooms.
"We've been walking in circles for quite some time now…" Ampharos would have flopped onto the floor and quite adamantly refuse to walk any further, but to do so would land him in a world of hurt - especially when news of the incident reached his big sis Ampere's ears. "Can we take a break yet, Lady Brittany?"
Naturally, Brittany didn't understand a word - but she could take a hint. Ampharos had been muttering more often as they had walked, leading the girl to the conclusion that her partner was tired. "Sorry, Ampharos." Patting him on the head gently, she was rewarded with a huff - and a small smile.
The yellow Pokémon raised a stubby arm, pointing at the nearest open doorway. "A rest stop?" Ampharos cringed slightly at the informal address, but hey, it wasn't as if Ampere would know if it were just this once… right?
Following the indicated direction, Brittany nodded, before pushing open the door, just as it was opened from the inside.
Brown eyes met amber ones, shock followed by recognition clearly seen in the former.
Almost immediately, Brittany dropped into a deep curtsey. "Lord Karnith, I apologise for the intrusion."
Brown locks tinted with a hint of gold fluttered as Volok Karnith shook his head briskly, manila folder clasped in his pale hands. "I was about to leave."
With a nod, Brittany made to move out of his way, when-
"What's with the hold up?"
"Is that-?!" Ampharos never did get a chance to finish his sentence, for Brittany had dashed into the room as soon as she heard the voice. Shaking his head yet again, Volok walked off into the hallways, shredding the contents of the manila folder as he did so.
"Cora!"
Seeing her mentor and friend (of sorts), the blonde girl had rushed over in an attempt to hug the other, only to freeze in an awkward position. Right, can't hug her unless she says it's safe…
Sickly grey eyes closed in mirth as the slender lady stood up from her seated position on the bed, short black locks now streaked with even more red highlights then Brittany previously remembered.
The two women hugged briefly. "Never thought that you of all people would actually be a contestant," Cora grinned, giving her 'student' a sideways glance out the corner of her eye. "So, out with it - what did you do this time?"
Brittany huffed. "I like how every time we meet, your first assumption is that I've committed a mistake that I require your aid to resolve…"
"You forgot the word 'again', Lady Brittany." Ampharos deadpanned, much to the amusement of the purple bat in the corner of the room. "Why, did she destroy the lab again?" The Crobat snickered, to which it received no dignified response.
"But it's usually true, yes?" was the reply, followed by a short bout of raucous laughter. "Have you actually been practicing at all?"
"Yes, I've been practicing, and no - I've not done anything wrong." Brittany tossed her blonde locks in a clear show of mock-irritation. "Not this time, at least - that is, if you don't count entering the Indigo Plateau uninvited."
Cora wiped away a small tear. "That's got to be priceless. How did Samuel react?"
Brittany paused. "He ordered Maria to do his paperwork."
"..." It didn't come as a surprise when Cora broke into laughter once more, but it did come as one when she stood up. "I'll have a few words with him about his paperwork, no worries." This last was said with an inhumanly wide grin - one that Brittany had seen only once before. It caused a shiver to go down her spine; the last person who caused such an expression was found piecemeal, after all.
"Try not to kill my father…?" I like him alive and in one piece, thank you very much.
"Oh, I'll try. Remember not to exit the room until Maria calls, no matter what you hear, yeah?" The black-haired woman left the room, Crobat close behind her.
"This is bad." Ampharos paced the room hurriedly, a few sparks bursting to life from its tail. "This is really really bad…"
"Calm down, Ampharos!" If Brittany was nervous, she was doing a pretty good job of hiding it. "It's okay. Cora won't hurt father and Ampere… too much." Probably. Hopefully.
Suddenly, a knock sounded. "Is anyone inside? If so, may I enter?" a distinctly male voice called out.
Without much thought, the girl shouted out, "Come in!"
Cora wouldn't have given her location to anyone she was uncertain of, after all.
The door opened, swinging inwards, as her gaze traveled over in an attempt to identify the newcomer, before widening.
Holy Arceus. Whoever this guy was, he was hot.
Windswept white locks framed an oval face, and a pair of warm, orange eyes. The man was rocking a positively delicious tan, and was wearing a brown vest over an immaculately white dress shirt and black slacks. A blue bandanna was neatly tied around one wrist, and the other had a fingerless glove on.
But again, he was hot.
"I was looking around for a pretty face. Thankfully, I seem to have found one," he greeted with a smile.
Brittany almost forgot to breathe, let alone reply. "Do you require… something…?"
"Ah, I only wish for a place to rest." He nodded. "Saber Cyrille, at your service. I presume you are miss Achlys, to whom this room belongs to?"
She hastily shook her head, for once overly conscious about herself. "Cora is out settling…matters. I'm Brittany, Brittany Troy."
His face lit up in recognition. "Ah, the Electric Princess. You are truly as gorgeous as the rumors made you out to be, and perhaps even more." Stepping into the room, he bent down on one knee and kissed her hand. "A pleasure to meet you at long last."
A tint of pink colored her cheeks, but the moment was quickly broken. "Womanizer, get away from Lady Brittany!" A stubby arm smacked Saber's face away, with an irate Ampharos being the reason why.
He rubbed his cheek. "I mean you or your lady no harm, Ampharos. Surely you can appreciate her allure as well?"
"Excuse me, are you implying that I'm blind?!" More sparks flew as the Light Pokémon raged, now waving both stubby arms at Saber. "It is precisely because I am aware of Lady Brittany's good looks, that I am preventing you from getting too close to her!"
"Calm down," he said soothingly, placing a hand on the Ampharos' shoulder. To said Ampharos' shock, the mild shock that he had tried to zap the playboy with did absolutely nothing. "Relax a little, my friend. I only wish to make the formal acquaintance of such an charming lady as miss Troy."
"Yeah… Ampharos, maybe you should relax a little." Brittany smiled, patting her partner on the head. "I'm sure he's no enemy - you trust Cora, right? Also, I'm perfectly capable of making judgements myself, you know."
"Yes, I trust Cora, but there's no proof this guy was sent by her! Also, Lady Brittany, how could you be on his side?" If he had been any lesser being, he probably would have rage quit. Long ago, he might add. But no, he was Ampharos, and he wouldn't back down - this irritating playboy wasn't getting his hands on Brittany.
"Please understand - I genuinely do not wish any harm onto your mistress." He reached out and curled a lock of her blonde hair around a finger. "There is a cardinal sin in blemishing what can only be described as true beauty in this world."
"Alright, I've had enough of you." The red gems on Ampharos crackled with electricity, as he readied to-
"Ampharos, return!" "W-Wait, what?"
The flash of red light abated, leaving behind a Luxury Ball in Brittany's outstretched hand. She reattached the ball to her belt with a small sigh, before turning to face Saber. "I'm really sorry about that; Ampharos isn't usually that aggressive. I never imagined that his protective instincts would kick in to that extent."
"He is a fine Ampharos for being so chivalrous as to defend his fair lady," he shrugged.
The pink hue that had dusted her cheeks had returned, this time slightly darker. "That's… Well… what about your partner?" When in doubt, change the topic. Thumbs up for the obvious improvement in conversation skills.
He laughed. "Spark's probably keeping a lookout for any electrical appliances to hack into. That's his specialty, you see - perhaps you'll meet him in time, but for now, I'd like to talk about you."
Brittany blinked, unsure if she had just heard right. "What about, exactly…?"
"Miss Troy, you have the loveliest pair of thighs that I've ever had the fortune of seeing in my life." Saber said, looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"But when? You couldn't have seen them," Brittany was most definitely puzzled. At no point in time had she lifted her skirt, so how-?
With a roguish grin, Saber proceeded to lift up her skirt. "Right about now."
Brittany yelped, hastily pushing her skirt back down and backing away. True, she was wearing shorts, but still-!
"My apologies, too direct?"
"What were you trying to do?!" Indignation and embarrassment colored her tone as she pointed an accusing finger at him, cheeks now tinted red instead of pink.
He held up his hands in surrender. "I only wished to see your thighs, nothing more, nothing less. I meant exactly what I said when I didn't wish any harm on you."
"An outrage of modesty is perfectly well within the limits of 'harm', thank you very much!" Brittany kept her volume just under that of a shout, however - there was no need to draw attention, no matter how irritated she was.
A frown crossed the white-haired man's face. "It is? Wow, they certainly are more conservative here than in Sinnoh. In that case, I sincerely apologize - you do, however, have a pair of lovely thighs."
"Yes, well, I thank you for the compliment but I do believe you've long overstayed your welcome-"
The door was flung open, a blond man rushing into the room, closely followed by an Ampharos. A little haggard looking but not actually worse for the wear, Samuel Troy opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted before he could even begin.
"Dad!" Brittany called, happy for a familiar face.
"Dad?!" Saber blanched. "Spark!"
Instantly, Cora's window exploded into glass shards.
Quickly making his way over to his newly-made exit, the youth took a final moment to salute Brittany. "A pleasure as always, my dear, but I'm afraid I must take my leave. Farewell, my lovely!"
Before he leaned back, and allowed himself to fall out of it, legs disappearing over the side.
For a moment, she was actually kind of worried that he had just killed himself. Pervert or not, she had genuinely enjoyed his compliments, and so she found herself rushing over to the windowsill.
As the lawn mower hovered back up, the white-haired womanizer hanging on to its back.
"Dude, this grass cutter is legit!" The Rotom possessing said lawn mower laughed fiendishly. "Wassup, Sabertooth?"
"As far away from the lovely lady as possible!" he hollered, and Spark complied, zooming off.
The evening light caused her waist-length locks to shine like gold fire, as Brittany stared in what was equal parts astonishment and shock, the frantic shaking of the Luxury Ball attached to her belt showing the violent thrashing of a certain irate Ampharos within his ball. "I'll electrocute that no good playboy the next time!"
"Can someone tell me what just happened?" Samuel sighed, running a hand through his blond hair - just why did all the work get pushed to him again? Right, because Enoch was busy, Volok had another job and couldn't bring himself to care about the contenders.
"He flipped my skirt, apologised, then made his exit when you arrived." Brittany reported, tensing up a little when she saw the maniacal glint in her father's dark brown eyes. "Um, father…?"
"This goes beyond the issue of stealing a lawnmower and destroying a window - that's under Enoch's jurisdiction. But for being a skirtchaser…"
"Time to go; dinner calls." Grasping a hold on Samuel's trench coat, Ampere dragged the Elite out of the room, but not without bowing to Brittany first. "Maria will arrive shortly, please wait for her."
A fading shout of "Saber Cyrille, you get back here this very instant!" could be heard from the hallway, followed by maniacal laughter from a location somewhere in the distance.
Sure enough, the brunette maid arrived only minutes later, Sigilyph in tow. Considering the amount of work she must have done, it came as a surprise that no ink stained her hands. "I apologise for making you wait, my lady."
"Not at all." Brittany replied causally - at least, she could still maintain proper conduct. Resolving to contact her father tomorrow morning to ensure that no unfortunate deaths occurred, the girl followed her maid out of the Plateau, and back to the manor.
Come to think of it, tomorrow morning may actually be too late, especially if Cora's poisoned the food like she usually does…
It was late at night when she finally escaped the lecture. Maria might be her maid, but boy could she give a scolding - Brittany almost felt ashamed.
Keyword being almost.
Ampharos was asleep in his part of her room. With a small smile, the girl walked over to place a blanket over him, at the same time double-checking to make sure that she'd be undisturbed.
The door was locked, just as it should be.
Pulling a pale blue book out from a secret compartment in her desk, Brittany grabbed a pen and began to write. Blue ink splashed across the white pages, forming words in an elegant, cursive font.
Reuben Fournier - Nice, Kalosian, loves to battle. Has a male Meowstic partner judging by its appearance and name, Rye, who apparently likes pranks.
Verona Moore - Violent, brutal, stand-offish. Stay away from her at all costs. Watch Miles' interview to see just what threw her out of the tent.
Anton Evans - Mute, mysterious, owns a talking Persian named Felix. Unclear, needs more information - catch up on Miles' interview with him; if anything, there's a chance to see an exasperated Miles.
Cora Achlys - Mentor, friend, ally. Keep an eye out for her in case Father (or anyone else at the Plateau) gets unexplained case of diarrhoea or other symptoms tomorrow.
Saber Cyrille - …?
Her pen faltered. What did she want to write about him?
Closing the book with a sigh, she returned it to its hiding place, away from prying eyes.
She'd keep an eye on Saber throughout the tournament - that is, if her father hadn't forcibly removed him from it yet.
Characters:
Brittany Troy and Ampharos (Ampharos) - Imagination Heaven
Samuel Troy and Ampere (Ampharos) - Imagination Heaven
Maria Lambert and Sentinel (Sigilyph) - CrimsonSkyTamer
Reuben Fournier and Rye (Meowstic) - MikeV1
Miles Fletcher and Rosalina (Clefable) - SDproductions
Verona Moore and Break-Neck (Pangoro) - WereDragon EX
Anton Evans and Felix (Persian) - W. R. Winters
Cora Achlys and Mist (Crobat) - DJTiki
Volok Karnith and ? (?) - Kuro Shikaku
Saber Cyrille and Spark (Rotom) - SDproductions
A/N:
I foresee that Crossroads will have a lot of OCs created by myself, SD or Emo, if only because of the sheer scale. Just look at Maria, for one! O W O (Just a little joke for everyone who's watched Ah Boys to Men, don't worry if you didn't get the reference.)
Also, Felix the Prussian is from Persia. Yeah. Do not question the almighty typo. Because Hetalia.
Regarding characters: Blaise is the waifu, but Saber is the numero uno skirtchaser. Also, Reuben is the ultimate cinnamon roll; at least until he steps into the battlefield. Then, all hell breaks loose. O A O If you've read MikeV1's stories, Battle Chronicles and Balance, then you'll know what I'm talking about…
As a side note, this will most likely be my last update before school begins; unfortunately, yes, that means that my current updating speed will be slowed down. I'll try to write when I can, though.
Meanwhile, we have one last chapter before the tournament officially begins! I hope you're all excited for the action, because I know I am.
It's time to raise the flags! I fight for- oh wait, wrong fandom. O u O
As a little extra, I have a quick question for you all: Who do you think are likely to be among the final few contestants standing, and why?
I assure you, this question has nothing to do with the death flags I've raised so far - none at all. No misdirection here, so just move along-
Until next time, ciao! (O u O)/
Next time on Crossroads: Night Time