Chapter 7: An Old Foe

The Buneary jumps up once more, startled. "Piplup! Let's go!" Lyric calls, excitedly, but the small penguin Pokemon begins to walk backwards in fear.

"Oh, I forgot you were afraid. Why not use you, Glameow? Use Iron Tail!" Lyric shouts. Glameow readies the attack, and springs into the air. The Buneary looks up, preparing to use Ice Beam. However, Glameow is fast enough, and the Iron Tail strikes Buneary on the top of its head. The Buneary is angered, so it begins to freeze the ground. Glameow lands on a sheet of solid ice, so it begins to slide around.

"Oh no! Glameow, use Shadow Claw on the ground! That way, you can send shards of ice at the Buneary!" Lyric exclaims. Glameow follows orders, and scrapes the ice towards the Buneary. Buneary jumps, and uses Bounce on the Glameow, causing Glameow to slide uncontrollably.

"Glameow! Be careful! Try to jump and use Iron Tail on the ice!" Lyric nervously commands. Glameow struggles to jump, and must wait to stop on grass. She spins around and around, getting dizzy and confused.

"Try to jump again, Glameow!" Lyric calls. Glameow tries again, but only in vain. She scuttles across the ice until her back claw catches a patch of grass.

"Good job, Glameow! Now use your tail to spring up and break the ice!" Glameow leans backwards and coils her tail. She lowers herself, and then blasts off into the air. Buneary looks nervously up at Glameow, whose tail is beginning to glow.

"Nice, Glameow! Now smash the ice and scratch Buneary! I'll find a Pokeball in my backpack!" Lyric shouts excitedly. She spins around and digs through her backpack. Glameow smashes the ice and a cloud of snow blasts in all directions. The Buneary falls over, and the Glameow lunges towards it. Claws extended, it pounces on to the Buneary, scratching it over and over again. The Buneary rolls away, and prepares a Dizzy Punch. It smacks Glameow, and Lyric looks up, holding a Pokeball. Glameow jumps into the air, letting Buneary slam onto the ground. It then uses Iron Tail and slams the Buneary one more time.

"Go, Pokeball! Let's capture this pink Buneary!" Lyric exclaims, tossing the Pokeball and watching it soar. It bounces off of the Buneary, encapsulating it in a brilliant white light. Glameow, Piplup, and Lyric all watch it, their hearts pounding.

3... 2... 1... ... ...click!

"Alright!" Lyric shouts. "We just caught a pink Buneary! Now all we have to do is get to Eterna City and win that Pokemon Contest! Piplup and Glameow jump up, and Lyric returns Glameow. Piplup jumps into her arms, and Lyric walks towards the city. Pokemon scurry about, and eventually, Lyric arrives on the other side of the Eterna Forest. She sees the big city on the horizon, and breaks into a run.

"Piplup! I see the city! We're almost there!" she exclaims. She crosses a bridge infested with fishermen, and stumbles through some tall grass. Soon, however, she makes it to the edge of the city, where she meets Duncan.

"Hey, Lyric! Long time no see! I heard there was going to be a contest, so I'm going to stay and watch. Will you watch it with me?" he asks.

"Watch it? I'm going to participate in it!" she says excitedly.

"No way! Now I can't wait to see the contest. See you later!" Duncan says as he strolls away. Lyric heads to the Pokemon Center and speaks with Nurse Joy.

"Hi, Nurse Joy! I was just wondering if I could sign up for the Eterna City Contest here!" she says.

"Of course! Now, here is your 6 Ball Capsules and some Seals. All I need now is your Pokedex." Nurse Joy responds.

"Okay, here you go!" Lyric says. She pulls out her Pokedex and hands it to Nurse Joy, who slides the Pokedex in a slot, and gives it back.

Lyric heads to the Contest Hall and registers. After heading into the green room, she attaches a Ball Capsule and Seals to Piplup's Pokeball. "Now, remember, Piplup, that you may be scared, but I want you to try your hardest, be brave, and perform. The goal is to make you look good, so just listen to my commands, and do well!" she says. She stands up and returns Piplup. She runs down the hall to the stage.

Marion, the Contest MC, announces the next performer. "And now, making her Contest Debut, it's Lyric, from Jubilife City!" The curtains part, as the journey continues!