Come on! Don't be such a wuss!" Commanded Griff whilst pushing Kaori towards the sign-up desk.
"But really…" Kaori struggled, "I don't even know how to…" But Griff was ignoring her, smiling at the receptionist and registering Kaori Nishidake and her pokemon.
"Griff!" Kaori whined, "Why did you do that? I don't want to be in this contest, with everyone watching me."
"Don't be stupid," smiled Griff, "You'll do great."
"Seriously Kaori," said Mac, walking over from where he had signed up, the egg he had won recently was held safely in his backpack, "it is really fun."
"I
knew I should have gone to watch Nate's gym battle…" sighed
Kaori as the two boys pushed her towards the co-ordinator area.
"Do
you know which pokemon to use?" Griff questioned, tugging the poke
balls from Kaori's belt.
"No," snapped Kaori snatching her poke balls back. "I don't even know what they do in these contests."
"It's easy Kaori," said Mac, stroking his Bulbasaur as he talked, "in the Vermillion contest you start with a single appeal: one pokemon showing their skill and beauty. Then there are single contest battles: with a different pokemon from your appeal. You have to battle with grace and skill. But I think only four are going through to the second round so I wouldn't get your hopes up. After all, I've already been in a contest and you're a total newbie."
"Where do you get off being so sure of yourself," snarled Kaori, "I have just as good a chance as you, maybe better with my Beautifly." Kaori glared angrily at Griff who had just burst out laughing.
However as she went to thump him, an announcement rang out from across the speakers and the viewing screen flicked on.
"WELCOME CONTEST FANS!" Roared the MC, a beautiful brunette dressed in a yellow floor length ball gown, a tumultuous cheer echoed from the gigantic stands.
"It's that time of year again, where Vermillion city holds its wonderful contest. There are 26 coordinators here today, all competing for this!" The MC raised a yellow ribbon above her head and the crowd yelled their approval once more. "Let me introduce our judges, Mr. Contester!" She cried indicating a tall, slightly balding man, dressed in a smart red suit.
"Head of the Pokemon fan club, Mr. Sukezo!" She continued indicating a smaller, balder man, sitting to the right of Mr. Contester.
"And finally, our very own Vermillion Nurse Joy!" She finished, indicating the last person on the judging panel, a tall, red haired woman, dressed in a nurse costume, complete with a matron's hat.
"So let's start with the appeal rounds! And the first co-ordinator on stage is… Zoe Paine from Pallet Town!"
Mac, Griff and Kaori's jaws dropped as a very familiar girl strutted onto the stage.
"It's… it's her," gasped Mac.
Zoe grinned, almost as though she could actually see Mac and then with a flick of her wrist she unleashed her pokemon.
"Solrock, let's go!" An orange circular pokemon appeared. Yellow protrusions encircled it, giving it the appearance of a miniature sun. Its eyes glowed blue as it chanted its name softly, giving Zoe the signal to begin.
"When did she get a Solrock?" Asked Kaori, but Griff and Mac shushed her angrily, intent on watching Zoe's appeal.
"Rock throw, go!" Solrock complied tossing a large rock, high into the air with its mind.
"Wow, that really shows how powerful Solrock is!" Gasped the MC.
"Now use confusion!" Solrock's eyes glowed blue once more.
"Wow, Solrock is holding the rock in place with its mind!" Shrieked the MC and the audience clapped excitedly.
"Shatter it with hyper beam!" Solrock stopped using confusion and the rock being to plummet to the ground. Solrock began to take in energy.
"Oh
dear, is there enough time to use hyper beam?" Cried the MC.
Zoe
gritted her teeth, blocking out the crowd and the MC, just focusing
on Solrock, "Come on, you can do it," she whispered.
The rock was mere inches from the floor when Solrock shot out a powerful hyper beam. The rock was shattered into hundreds of pieces, the crowd burst into applause but Zoe wasn't finished.
"Solrock, Gyro ball, quickly!" Solrock began to spin like a buzz saw, faster and faster until it was just a blur. Then, with incredible speed it began to slice through all the fragments of rocking, turning them to powder.
"And she even cleans up after herself," laughed the MC, "Although, unfortunately she didn't get every piece of rock, that's going to cost some points!"
Zoe shot the MC a look of pure hatred, but she was looking the other way at the judges.
"So what's the verdict?"
"Brilliant execution, definitely a show of strength, 9.3!" Said Mr. Contester
"Solrock certainly seems to trust its owner, 8.9!" Said Mr Sukezo.
"Solrock is truly in great condition, 9.1!" smiled Nurse Joy
"That gives a brilliant score of 27.3!" Announced the MC, waving goodbye to Zoe. "Next up is Jennifer from Saffron City!"
Mac hurried to the door as Zoe ambled through. Upon seeing him she stood still, slightly taken aback. Then with a grin, she pulled him into a hug.
"MAC!!" She cried, "It's been so loooooong!! I've missed you!!" She said and Mac felt himself grinning back at her. But then he remembered why they had been separated.
"Why did you leave?"
Zoe's smile fell for a moment, before being replaced with her usual cheeky smile; she placed a hand on her hip and flicked her hair from her eyes. "Well, you know, a girl can get tired of the same old people." Mac wasn't convinced, but he decided not to push it.
"Why are you competing in a contest? I figured you'd be at the gym," said Mac.
"Been there, done that," laughed Zoe, "I've already got the thunder badge," she explained at their incredulous looks.
"Wow, you've been busy," laughed Mac, "So where'd you get a Solrock?" he asked, but Zoe suddenly looked embarrassed, giving Griff an apologetic look.
"What is it?" Questioned Griff, confused.
"Well… it's just… This guy wanted to trade me their Solrock, but they wanted… they wanted… a moonstone for it…" she explained sheepishly.
Griff wailed like an injured animal, "You stole my moonstone!!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," yelled Zoe, looking around, embarrassed because Griff was making a scene.
A few minutes later, they were sitting on the sofas by the view screen and Griff had calmed down.
"Don't worry about it Zoe, I've still got two moonstones." Griff said consolingly.
"Yeh…" said Zoe unconvincingly, "You've still got two…"
Griff was about to press his point but he was interrupted by Kaori's anxious shriek.
"That gives Dylan 20.8! Next up Kaori Nishidake from right here in Vermillion!"
"You're from Vermillion?" Asked Mac, but Kaori was in a trance, walking slowly towards the doors.
"Come on out Kaori! Don't be shy!" Encouraged the MC.
"Everyone, this is Kaori's first ever contest, so let's make her feel welcome!" The crowd happily complied, roaring so loudly that the stands shook.
"Ok," Kaori said timidly, her eyes darting around at all the spectators, one of her arms stroking the other reassuringly.
"Beautifly, lets go," she whispered, tossing the poke ball out. Beautifly fluttered out of its poke ball, its wings shimmering.
"Wow, look how beautiful that Beautifly is!" The MC said, awestruck.
"Beautifly use morning sun," she mumbled, still very conscious of everyone watching her. Beautifly didn't move as everyone watched Kaori.
"You're going to have to speak up Kaori! I don't think Beautifly even heard your command!" laughed the MC.
"Beautifly, Morning sun," Kaori cried determinedly, although her voice cracked somewhat. Beautifly glistened as it took in sunlight, wowing the audience.
"Now, stun spore," Beautifly let out a swathe of yellow powder into the air, the powder floating weightlessly in the air.
"Wow, a brilliant stun spore, although she better keep it away from the judges if she wants good points," remarked the MC as the spore began to glide down onto the stage.
"Oh,
Beautifly keep it up with gust!" Beautifly tried, keeping most of
the powder up, although some of it began to land on the stage.
"Now,
Psychic, like I told you," Yelled Kaori, willing her plan to work.
"Like I told you!" repeated Griff, back in the waiting room "I knew she was more into this than she seemed, she had an appeal planned."
Beautifly began to manipulate the stun spore into a shape in the sky. Slowly a letter could be seen, it was somewhat lopsided and the top seemed a little withered but it was definitely a huge capital letter K.
"And there we have Kaori's appeal! What did you think judges?"
"Some good ideas, but at times the execution needed more work, 7.9!" Said Mr. Contester.
"Beautifly appears to know some beautiful moves and just needs some more training, 8.8!" Cried Mr, Sukezo
"Kaori's Beautifly is a stunning pokemon and with a little work, could go far. Kaori, you just need to be a little more confident, 8.9!" Nurse Joy commented.
"That gives a score of 25.6! Good work Kaori! Next is Mac Frasier from Pallet town!"
Kaori shot Mac a grin as they crossed paths. Mac span on the spot, hurling out his poke ball. Bulbasaur took the stage, reeling up on its hind legs as it appeared.
"An inspiring entrance from Bulbasaur!"
Drawing three pieces of fruit from his coat, Mac threw them high in the air yelling, "Bulbasaur, razor leaf!"
Bulbasaur fired out leaves, slicing expertly through the fruit.
"Now, catch them with vine whip," cried Mac, balancing a plate on the tips of fingers. Bulbasaur effortlessly tossed piece after piece onto the plate.
"And Bulbasaur's making a fruit salad that looks terrific!"
"Now, let the judges have it!" Laughed Mac. Bulbasaur shot out its vines once more, placing the plate squarely in front of Mr. Sukezo.
"Does that count as bribing?" Giggled the MC, "Well let's see what our judges thought!"
"Mmmm… delicious and flawlessly executed, however I would have liked to see more moves 8.9!" said Mr. Contester, mouth full.
"Bulbasaur has prepared a brilliant and healthy dish, 9.1!" Gargled Mr. Sukezo through his fruit.
Nurse Joy nibbled a piece of fruit and then with a smile said, "Clearly there is a great bond between trainer and pokemon, 9.2!"
"That gives Mac the brilliant score of 27.2!" Cried the MC.
Mac couldn't believe it, he had worked on that appeal for weeks, how could he not have beaten Zoe? By one point no less…
Back in the changing room, Zoe grinned happily. Kaori was smiling exhaustedly after her ordeal. But she was glad that she had performed, "I've got to get through," she whispered to herself.
Kaori watched the view screen avidly, none of the last 8 trainers had beaten her score, but there had been so many before her, she knew that it was very hard to get through and Mac had been right to tell her so, but still she wanted it so bad.
"That gives Rick 24.3!" Announced the MC. "Well that's the last of the appeals and only four coordinators are going through!"
The whole of the backstage was silent as everyone stared at the view screen.
"Let's see those lucky four!" The faces appeared slowly, painfully slowly. Zoe's was the first, Mac right after her. Then a skinny blond boy's face took the third slot. Kaori stared at the fourth place, willing it to be her. The portrait appeared.
Kaori found herself staring at her own nervous looking face. She couldn't believe it; she was through, she had done it. Mac, Zoe and Griff pulled her into a group hug as they all exclaimed how happy they were.
"Now it's time to randomise that board and find our second round match ups."
Kaori's head whipped round as she heard the MC, Mac and Zoe watched intently as well.
"Match 1 Kaori V Alan! Match 2 Nate V Zoe!"
Nate and Zoe shot each other a look, both of them smiling in spite of themselves.
"Let's hope all my trainings been worth something then," said Zoe, quietly. "I'm looking forward to our battle, Mac."
Alan came up to Kaori, with a defiant look. "I watched your appeal, don't think some beginners luck will beat me," he hissed.
"How dare you," yelled Griff, jumping up at the much taller boy, "she's going to kick your ass, aren't you Kaori?"
But Kaori, so nervous of the upcoming battle, had run to the toilet, afraid she might be sick.
Zoe's back!
And these three are heading through to round 2, but who will win the coveted Vermillion Ribbon?
Just to say, I am still accepting OC's, but they'll only play small cameo roles
THANKS FOR READING!