Chapter 5

The Water Girl

Abbie had gotten an early start this morning, or last night. She didn't sleep, spending the entire nighttime outside practicing her moves just for today's training. The Umbreon wasn't tired at all, she got all the energy she needed from the moonlight and darkness. In her eyes, all of the dark stuff was amazing and made her mind wonder how she turned it into energy.

The dark type's ears perked up, and she turned around to see another, older Umbreon walk in with a Gallade, Swellow, Lucario, and Ninetails behind him. However, this time someone else followed behind: a female ice type pokemon wearing a tiara on her head. It was a Glaceon, better known as the queen, or Queen Clariana, her official title. Quickly, all the pokemon noticed and bowed respectfully for the queen, including Abbie who knew her high place in the kingdom. Since the only female Umbreon was separated from the rest of them, Queen Clariana noticed her alone. Abbie bowed her head in respect, since the queen was the only royal who didn't know her yet. Clariana bowed her head back at her.

"Attention everyone!" Zen called. Since everyone was already gathered and quiet, it didn't take long to start. Abbie sat right in front, watching his every move. "Thank you. As you know, this is King Breo and Queen Clariana who are here to see your training. I am Zen, and these are the Gemini."

An applause was sent over the crowd of pokemon, which only took a couple of seconds to quiet down because the queen was in the room. Abbie was quiet the whole time and kept her ears perked up for any noises that were to come. As it went on, the four Gemini introduced themselves.

Sunlight entered through the window and dawned on Cyle's face, piercing through his eyelids. He groaned and rolled over onto his stomach, using his paws to cover his eyes. It surprised him a little when his paws hurt his head instead of just poking him like they normally did, but then when he pulled himself to sit, he saw the black fur covering his three foot tall body. Cyle groaned and dragged himself to the window, checking the sun for the time. The Umbreon jumped in panic, realizing he was late for training.

He quickly ran over to the fountain in his room and dipped his head into the water, scrubbing his face with his paws regardless that they were bigger than before. When his head came up, he barely dried his face on the expensive towel made from Flaffy wool, too busy with finding his necklace he promised King Breo he would wear on the first day of training. After finding it and looking in the mirror to put it on properly, he darted out of his room, slamming the door shut.

The dark type started darting down several hallways, his face drenched and dripping water everywhere. He took one secret passageway that only he knew about, cutting the travel time to the training room in half. The main door was slightly open, and being an Umbreon he should be able to sneak in without being noticed. The dark type rolled his shoulders and stretched his claws, cracking them so he could move without them making noises. He peered inside, but his bands of light were glowing and made it hard not to attract attention. All the pokemon's backs were facing him, and the Gemini were in there along with Zen and the King. It looked like they hadn't started yet, but Zen was introducing everyone to his students.

A loud slam against the wall caught everyone's attention. Looking behind them, there was another Umbreon, lying face down on the ground. His legs were sprawled onto the floor as well, a symbol of his clumsiness. The door was wide open. Cyle rubbed the back of his head and lifted himself up onto his huge paws. He felt awkward being this big, and the stares of everyone weren't helping either.

"It was nice of you to join us Cyle." Zen said sarcastically. "C'mon, up front where I can see you."

Cyle groaned as everyone laughed, and walked in front of the pack of pokemon, grumpily and unknowingly sitting down next to Abbie. The female raised her eyebrow, but went back to paying attention to the lesson in today's training for the tournament.

"As I was saying," Zen cleared his throat. "Thank you all for volunteering for the Crysti Tournament. As you know, a few days ago it was told that the fifth Gemini will be revealed to everyone. The competition wil be held two weeks from today and training will prepare you to face the harshness of the tournament."

Zen gave the stage to Swipe, who immediately flew into the air to show off his speed. Swipe announced that he was going to work with them on speed today, making sure that they could run fast, or fly for there were flying types entering as well. He needed to make them all about ten percent faster than they were right now and do that by the end of the day. Luca, Zodia, and Kila were going to help him too by explaining to the pokemon how to run properly.

Training started right away. Everyone was led outside to run around the castle once. If they really needed it, they were allowed to have two one-minute rests, but they would still have to finish the lap. Pokemon who finished were permitted to go inside for a break. Everyone thought it wouldn't take that long, but they didn't take the size of the castle into consideration. To make it fun, it was going to be a competition. Whoever finished first would get the special apples picked from a special tree which only grew in one area. Everyone liked the idea of getting those apples so they all got in place, including Abbie. She heard that they were very good for you and easier to eat. Plus, she was kind of liking this castle food.

Being Umbreon, both Cyle and Abbie were near the front, but some other pokemon were ahead of both of them, including that Arcanine. The bird pokemon who were naturally faster when they flew were ahead of all of them by about fifty yards, only going faster by pulling their feathers closer together. It was an unfair advantage, but they had no choice but to suck it up and try to win. Cyle knew he would win in the end, but he was running as fast as he could to get this over with and eat some apples.

Cyle looked behind him, seeing all the shorter pokemon way behind them and only fading away as he ran faster. His paws darted along the ground fast, making his breath short right away, but he didn't stop running. The way Cyle moved his paws left claw marks on the ground because he wasn't used to having to keep bigger claws in all the time. Slowly, he passed one pokemon, but then another passed him as well. He was too focused on running to recognize, so he took a quick look and that was all he needed.

Abbie ran different than a normal Umbreon would. Her back was straight and her head was high, taking weight off her legs. It made her faster, but she was only running half as fast as she could, right beside the other Umbreon. Cyle looked at her longer than he should have, missing a turn around the castle.

He fumbled, his back legs slipping under him. He immediately pulled them right back up and turned around the corner of the castle, his feet moving as fast as they would let him. The male Umbreon quickly caught up with the other one, who was still half trying. She smirked at Cyle, flashing her brightly colored rings and ran a little faster, keeping a steady pace.

"You know what I think?" Abbie asked.

"What?" Cyle asked back, really starting to get tired of this girl.

"You think that you're stronger than you actually are." Even while talking, Abbie wasn't running out of breath. Her legs, however, were getting a little tired. "You have all these resources, yet I had nothing and I'm better, faster, and stronger than you."

"You're definitely not better than me, and you haven't even proven to be faster or stronger," Cyle shot back. He looked ahead, his breathing heavy. "Looks like I'm not the only one who's going to beat you."

Cecelia's paws beat against the ground in tune with her heartbeat, sweat dripping off of her in little droplets. As her blue paws swept across the ground, splashing in the over-watered grass, she smiled in success as passing yet another pokemon. She noticed something, not her brother, but the other pokemon like him. The black shadow came running up, the yellow rings glowing with excitement. The blue pokemon smiled in a friendly manner, still running and breathing hard.

"You must be Cyle's sister," Abbie assumed. She looked at the Vaporeon's rubbery tail, assuming the water type was having a hard time dragging her tail. "It's Cecilia, right?"

"My friends just call me Cece."

"Abbie," the dark type introduced.

Cyle caught up with his sister and the other girl, clearly annoyed by the third turn they took that made him fall behind again. He was going to win this competition and eat all those apples himself. He forced his tired and aching paws to go faster, finally able to catch up with the two girls in front of him. He wouldn't care if Cece beat him, but that Umbreon is all he really cared about. Beating her would give him bragging rights for life after she told him she was better than him.

"Am I interrupting?" Cyle innocently asked, breathing hard. He went ahead of them just a bit to show off how fast he was.

"Actually," Cece started.

"We were just talking about how the flag is right there." Abbie finished, tossing her head forward.

The red flag was right there, only about one hundred yards away, swinging in the steady wind. Zen and Luca were standing right beside it, just waiting to see who would win. Abbie and Cecelia pushed ahead, leaving Cyle behind. They raced, neck and neck, smiling at each other. The flag became closer and closer, until it was about two yards away. They both jumped.

Abbie slammed hard onto her shoulder, clenching her teeth tightly to hold onto the fabric in her mouth. She let out a small whine of pain, feeling a small drop of water roll onto her cheek. The Umbreon rolled and rolled, finally pushing her feet at the right time to slide to a halt. Gasping for breath through her nostrils, she collapsed on the ground, her throat feeling squeezed because of pushing herself.

Cece quickly wrenched her teeth straight through something soft, tasting the awful fabric in her mouth. She didn't dare let go, only falling as something else dragged her. She quickly pitched her legs straight onto the ground, not falling back over again. Cece saw the dark figure on its feet too.

The Umbreon and Vaporeon, both having gained their balance, looked forward to see who was tugging on the other end of the red flag. They met eyes, smiling, and laughing when they realized they both won. Cyle slowed down once he saw them laughing by the finish line, knowing he had already lost. The male slumped down to a sitting position, growling to himself.

Zen hugged his niece, congratulating her on winning. He approached Abbie, clueless as to who she was, and held out his paw. "Congratulations. Winning the first competition in training gives you recognition. What is your name?"

Abbie shook his paw and smiled nicely, not holding a grudge against him at all. "I'm Abbie."

Zen's ears perked up, and the fur on his spine rose. He knew that name from the Eevee runt in Wisp Town. She had told him just before he left, from the last time he saw her. Now, it would only make sense that she wanted the Wild One Crysti back.

He bore his teeth and ripped his paw away from hers. "If you steal anything…"

Abbie yawned just to annoy Zen. He growled at her as he went to his niece, talking with her. It was the first time he had seen her since she evolved, and he said she was just as beautiful as her mother. She and Abbie were dismissed for lunch, and Cecilia immediately went to her friend.

"What was that about?" She asked.

Abbie sighed. "When I was a cub my parents abandoned me in a forest near Wisp Town. No one gave me a chance so I had to steal my food, but your uncle almost always stopped me, and he only thinks of me as a thief."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Sorry? Why are you sorry?"

"Well it sounds like you had a pretty tough life, and if you don't win this tournament you'll have to go back. If I was in your position I would've done the same thing."

Abbie smiled. "Thanks."

Just hearing Cece sound sorry for her made Abbie get a special feeling in her heart. She made a friend, and that was the best present she could ever get. Not knowing she stopped, Abbie skipped to keep up with her friend.

Upon arriving in the dining hall, a huge pile of apples were waiting for both the Umbreon and Vaporeon. Originally, they were both going to split them, but there were far more than they could ever eat, so the girls decided to give one to everyone as they came in.

Abbie was happy to have met the water girl. They got along so easily, as if they were sisters.