Oh dear, oh dear! I am terribly sorry! I thought I had posted this chapter already!
And here I was not posting anything because I was having a bit of a writer's block and didn't want to put out poorly written chapters just to get something out and this one has been sitting here complete all this time!
I apologize most sincerely. Please pardon my oversight and enjoy Chapter 5.
Chapter 5: The Battle Exam Begins
That evening, the announcement board in the entrance hall was surrounded by seniors anxiously looking at their test scores. My eyes scanned the list for my own. Second…I thought, slightly disappointed. I knew second was nothing to be ashamed of, but I had been aiming for first.
"Middle of the pack," I heard Anne mutter beside me. "That's acceptable."
My eyes ran down the page to her name and upon finding it, I felt mildly ashamed. She was happy with seventeenth place while I had been upset over second.
"Well, looks like I beat you," a taunting voice called over the crowd. I turned and saw Werewolf Kid pushing his way through the jumble of students - a small feat given his large size.
I rolled my eyes irritably. I always had been a poor loser. "Only by one percent," I grumbled.
He shrugged, "One percent it all it takes."
Touché, I thought bitterly.
"I'm Lorindor, by the way. Though you can call me Lorin or just Lor, if you'd like," he said with a grin that made him look even more wolfish.
"I'm Scout," I replied, offering my hand. "And I'm pretty sure you already know Anne?"
Lorin nodded. "We've met," he said as he took my hand for a short second. We stood in awkward silence for a moment before I noticed Anne stifle a yawn. Looking around, I realized the crowd had begun to clear out. I guessed it must be pretty late; we waited as long as possible to retrieve our scores, hoping to avoid a large crowd (though rather fruitlessly).
"We need to get to bed," I said finally. "I have a feeling the next couple days are going to be long ones."
Lorin made a grunt of agreement. "Goodnight then. See you at the dojo tomorrow."
"Yup," I said, turning toward the Sapphire Dorm.
"Night," Anne called before following right behind me.
By seven the following morning, Anne and I found ourselves walking along the forest path, listening to the Alteria sing their morning song. A few of our classmates were walking the same path, but we silently kept to ourselves. Suddenly, Lorindor appeared beside us, wolf-like grin in place.
"Ready to get beat again, Scout?"
"Shut up, Lorin…" I grumpled. It was too early for bantering. He chuckled but walked silently beside us until we reached the dojo.
Already, a large crowd had gathered outside its doors. It seemed that not just our grad class showed up. Many full-fledged guild members were also present, talking and laughing amongst themselves.
"Why do you suppose they're here?" Anne asked, nodding toward the group of adults.
"My guess is they're looking to acquire an apprentice and want to learn who's worth training and who isn't," Lorin replied.
I nodded in agreement, scanning the crowd for Light and Enkay. I longed to go over and say hi once I spotted them, but the grads were being called into the dojo office to register and the guests were being let into the viewing platform. With a sigh, I followed my classmates.
Inside the spacious office, two booths had been set up. At the first, one of the guild secretaries was taking attendance and entering names into a computer. Once registered, we were directed to the second desk, where Dr. Lee handed us a single Pokéball, informing us not to open them until we were beginning our match.
Before long, we were let into the Battle Room. The Battle Room was the largest area of the dojo, consisting of two levels. The upper level was a balcony that wrapped around three sides of the room, acting as a viewing platform. The lower level also had a small viewing area, where we were to wait until our matches were called. The rest of the ground floor made of the battle field. One the bare wall was a large screen that displayed the tournament matchups.
I looked up at it and noticed I was first. I groaned internally. My opponent was a girl from the Ruby dorm named Amy. She had always been a fair amount taller than me and had short, light brown hair and a confident smirk. Clenching my teeth, I met her eyes unwaveringly. We had what one might call a…tense relationship.
"Trainers, please step onto the field!" a loud mechanical male voice called over the speakers.
I gripped the Pokéball in my hand nervously as I stepped forward. Whatever was in this ball would need to carry me through this match if I was to advance to the next round.
The annoying pink lady that had hosted our exams the day before walked into the middle of the field. I barely supressed a groan as she took in a large breath and began announcing the rules. "Alrighty children! Today's battles will be one on one with the random Pokémon you received from the lovely Dr. Lee! Combatants will battle until one is unable to continue! You ready ducklings?"
Amy and I both nodded.
Miss Chrissy raised her hand and we prepared to release our Pokémon. "Go!" she called slicing through the hair with her hand and quickly backing off the field.
We tossed our balls through the air and watched with interest as they exploded with light. The first to clear was an Absol and my heart quickened, only to sink faster than a Rapidash at full speed. The smirking cat-like Pokémon was facing toward me. It was my opponent, not my partner. Instead, in front of me a fluffy pink creature bounced up and down. A Swirlix…
I was so caught off guard, before I could even assess the situation, Amy was calling out an attack. "Absol, use Shadow Ball!"
The graceful Pokemon moved as quickly as the command was given and with a flick of its horn, a purplish sphere went spinning across the field. The fluff ball I was to be commanding gave a sad cry of pain as the attack made contact, knocking it airborne. In that moment, I was sure it was over, but Swirlix quickly caught itself and floated softly to the ground, seemingly unfazed.
I needed to think fast; I had never been fond of Fairy types and had spent little time studying their move sets. I certainly regretted that now. Absol looked ready to attack again, so I called out the first move I could think of.
"Swirlix, use Energy Ball!" I called. Could Swirlix even learn Energy Ball? The question flashed through my mind, but was answered when the pink fluff ball opened its jaws and fired a green ball of light at the Absol. Flying swiftly across the field, the Energy Ball hit its target. Absol was knocked backward.
I cheered. "Good job, Swirlix!" Maybe I was still in this thing.
Amy glared at me as her Absol got back to its feet. "Now Absol, use Night Slash!"
The Pokemon gave a quick call of acknowledgment before charging across the field.
"Evade it!" I cried desperately, but as the command left my lips, the white creature was in front of Swirlix and began ferociously slashing with its claws, black trails following in their wake. The pink Pokemon jumped back to dodge the first slash, but Absol's speed was far greater and the second hit its mark.
"Swirlix!" I called in horror as its tiny body was thrown to the left a few feet. It rolled to a stop with a pitiful cooing noise. My earlier hope dispersed. There was no way I could win with this pathetic thing.
As Swirlix got to its feet, my opponent called out for Absol to use Razor Wind. Its horn glowed white and the wind began to pick up. As it charged, I was given a moment to think.
"Quickly, use Endeavour!" I called to the Swirlix. Swirlix had likely taken a lot of damage from those earlier attacks. This should even us out, I thought grimly.
The little pink thing hopped up and made a bound toward the concentrating Absol. Ramming its leg, Swirlix threw it off balance. With another hit, the Absol crashed heavily to the ground. A direct hit! But my heart sank once again as the Pokémon quickly jumped to its feet and began slashing the air with its horn, each swing creating a blade of light that cut through the air and made contact with my too close Swirlix.
Why didn't Absol take on much damage!? I thought in frustration. Endeavour should lower the opponent's health to the same amount as the user's. Swirlix mustn't have taken as much damage as I thought from that Night Slash, but…how? Suddenly, it hit me.
How could I have been so stupid! I growled at myself. I have the type advantage! With a plan now in mind, I knew I had a chance at victory.
"Absol, use Shadow Ball again!" Amy called and once again, a ball of dark energy began baring down on my little pink fluff.
"Swirlix! Protect!"
A shield of light sprung around Swirlix at the last moment, deflecting the Absol's attack. Its trainer growled in annoyance. "Why prolong the inevitable!?" she yelled from across the field. I ignored her, watching to see what the Absol would do next. "Absol, use Swift!" I heard its trainer command. I smothered the smirk that wanted to form on my lips.
Absol turned at looked at its trainer in confusion.
Amy growled. "Fine then! Use Shadow Claw!"
Absol slowly approach my Swirlix, a ghostly aura forming around its paws. The on-lookers whispered to each other, wondering if I really had given up and was going to allow my Pokémon to take a direct hit that would surely end the battle. I ignored them too, concentrating solely on the Absol. Almost…there…
"Now Swirlix! Use Draining Kiss!"
With Absol so close, Swirlix had little more to do than jump up and plant its lips on its opponent's forehead. Both Pokemon began to glow in a soft pink light and remained that way for a few long seconds before Swirlix removed its lips with a quiet 'pop'. Lingering glitter fell between the two.
Swirlix hopped around licking and smacking its lips, showing off the energy it had just stolen. Absol, meanwhile, was staggering, attempting to regain its balance. It was almost exhausted.
"We're not done yet Swirlix! Use an Energy Ball to finish it off!"
"Liiiiiiii-" the Swirlix called as it opened its jaws and mustered all of its energy. Amy looked on, too in shock at having suddenly lost the favour of the match to command her Pokemon. Swirlix released the ball of light, hitting the dazed Absol in the chest.
The disaster Pokémon flew backward, landing at its temporary trainer's feet. There it lay umoving as Amy angrily called for it to get up.
"What an exciting fight that was! I've always loved the stories where the underdog makes a comeback! Absol is unable to battle!" Miss Chrissy's voice cut across the field. "Swirlix is the winner and Scout advances to the next round! Please return your Pokémon to Dr. Lee and claim your ball for the next round."
I smiled and hugged my temporary Swirlix as the small crowd clapped. "Thanks Swirlix," I said softly to it. "You did great!"
"Swirl, Swirlix!" it cried happily, licking my face. I returned it to its ball, a little sad that I had to turn it in.
"Great job Scout!" Anne called, running out to meet me as I made my way to the office to return Swirlix and receive my next Pokémon.
"Thanks," I replied cheerfully. She fell into step beside me.
"I was genuinely concerned when she pulled out that Absol," she said jokingly, though I could tell she meant it.
"Me too," I responded. "I'm just lucky she had no idea how to command it to its full potential! I mean, Swift? I've never met an Absol that can learn Swift."
Anne laughed.
"Trainers, please step onto the field!" called the same mechanical voice that had begun my match with Amy. I guess the next match was beginning already.
"They certainly weren't wasting any time," I commented. Anne nodded.
I returned Swirlix and received a new mystery ball before walking with Anne back to the student viewing area. By the time we got back, the fight between a Meowth and Kirlia had already ended with the Meowth as the victor.
"Must have been an easy fight,"I said to Anne who agreed. I'll have to be wary of that one during the next round…
Two matches later, Anne's name came up on the board and the call for the trainers to step into the ring sounded once again.
My friend sighed.
"Good luck," I said.
"I won't need it," she said as she entered the field with a smile on her face.
Fair enough, I thought, looking between her and her opponent.
Anne wore her trademark smirk that gave the air she knew something you didn't and was about to use you as her personal play-thing. Her opponent was a petite boy from our dorm. He had mousy brown hair and a timid disposition. I felt a little bad for him.
Miss Chrissy entered the field with an extravagant wave of her hand, announced the same basic rules as before and dropped her hand.
"Begin!" she called.
Anne was the first to throw her ball into the field with a little more power than necessary, despite her small form. The boy across from her flinched and weakly threw out his own ball. Both burst open in rays of light.
Anne's took form for first, revealing a large, built form of a Bouffalant. Her smirk grew; growing up on a ranch, working with any herding Pokemon was familiar territory. I was then sure she would win as the boy's Pokemon took form. A pathetically small, albeit cute, Pachirisu had entered the field. Its trainer was now visibly shaking in terror.
Trying to hold back a laugh, Anne started the battle. "Bouffalant, use Megahorn!"
The large Pokemon gave a loud bellow as its horns charged with energy and gave way to a new shape, curving inwards to meet at a sharp point. The great beast charged the poor squirrel that had no idea what was awaiting it.
I chuckled and shook my head. She really wasn't going to hold anything back, despite her weak opponent. The attack threw the tiny creature into the air and the boy seemed snap out of his trance. Though he still looked terrified, there was also solid determination and I found myself admiring him just a bit.
"Quick Pachirisu! Use Charge!" he called. Immediately, it repositioned itself in the air and began charging its energy as fast as possible. It landed on all fours only a few feet away from the large Bouffalant. Its cheeks gave off blue sparks.
If this kid relies on speed and agility, he may have a fighting chance, I thought, watching the match with interest. Bouffalant may be powerful, but it was slow and cumbersome, especially in smaller spaces such as this.
"Now! Use Discharge!" the boy called as the Bouffalant turned itself to face the small squirrel.
Pachirisu ran a few strides toward the larger pokemon before jumping into the air and releasing its attack along with the additional energy it had acquired. The buffalo pokemon grunted in pain. I gave a small nod of approval and looked at Anne. She seemed unfazed.
"Bouffalant, use Thrash," she called out to it.
Pachirisu ended its attack and began to fall back down to the ground when its opponant's powerful back legs landed a kick right to the small creature's stomach, sending it across the field to land at Anne's feet.
"No!" the boy cried and began shaking as his nervous terror once again took over. "Pachirisu! G-get up!"
The small creature shakily got to its feet. The movement caught the eye of the raging buffalo.
"U-use Quick Attack-k!" the boy called desperately as Bouffalant blindly charged his Pokemon. Mustering the last of its energy, the small rodent charged the larger pokemon with blinding speed. I shook my head in disbelief. Granted, the rodent's velocity was much higher, but with Bouffalant's significantly greater mass and biology intended for absorbing shock, there was no way this kid was going to win in a head-to-head combat. Sure enough, as they met in the middle, the Pachirisu was sent flying into the air by one of Bouffalant's horns and was hit with another powerful kick.
It landed in a pitiful heap in front of the boy, who ran out to protect it, though it was still conscious and trying to get back to its feet.
"Enough!" he cried, tears pooling in his eyes as he gently lifted the battered creature into his arms. The room went silent, apart from Bouffalant's snorting as it wandered around the field in a daze. "Pachirisu has done enough. We can't win and she doesn't need to get hurt anymore. I…I yield."
Silence filled the stadium until one person started clapping and soon everyone joined in. This boy, though he may not be great at battling, would clearly make a great trainer. I found myself hoping he'd pass. Anne recalled her Pokemon with a word of praise as the pink lady called, "Pachirisu and Danny have thrown in the white towel. Little Miss Attfield will advance to the next round!"
I chuckled as I saw my friend's eyebrow twitch. She hated being called little.
Thank you so much for your patience on receiving this chapter! As a sort of apology gift, I will have Chapter 6 done and posted by this Sunday.
Thanks for reading and please leave a review/comment ^_^