I blame Heart Gold for this chapter's (and my other fic's) delay. Oh and I blame Fire Emblem too. Why does Nintendo have to make such addictive video games!
Disclaimer: Pokémon belong to Nintendo and their respective owners. Katekyo Hitman Reborn belongs to Akira Amano.
Pokémon Adventures: Diamond and Pearl
Chapter 10 – The Trainers' School; and the declaration of rivalry
Hikari and Gokudera bid goodbye to Nurse Joy as they finally left Sandgem Town for good this time, vowing not to return in no matter circumstances. With Pochama fully healed, and Gokudera convinced to stick with Hikari to avoid trouble, Hikari is glad to be back on the road again with the usual companions. After her horrible defeat against the mysterious trainer and her Luxio, Hikari learned not to take her chance against powerful opponent. Not only it will hurt her pride, but she will also lose faith from her own Pokémon partners. But her loss also affect her confidence, she is now distraught of the idea to battle again. She avoided the wild Pokémon by the tall grass during their travel to Jubilife City, something that she normally wouldn't do. Gokudera noticed the change and the different aura of the once proud Pokémon trainer, finding hard to believe that she's more fragile that she usually acted around him.
"Well, here we are!" Hikari's forced joyful voice interrupted him before he had the chance to talk to her. He looked up above him, low and behold; he is faced with a modern city outlook. "Welcome to Jubilife City, Gokudera! The City of Joy!" Hikari introduced it.
The two walked into the City of Joy watching over the life around the magnificent city. There are people in suit running about, vendors and stores that sells Pokémon and human goods, and the citizens crawling around in their hectic lifestyle. This city really did remind Gokudera of Tokyo, though there are little lacking of the bright lights and the populations.
"Wow," he said simply. "It's just like Tokyo."
"Of course," Hikari huffed. "You don't think all the stops around Sinnoh are like Sandgem Town do you?"
"To be honest, I actually did," Gokudera answered honestly. Hikari responded with a groan still cannot believe of Gokudera's ignorant attitude towards the Pokémon World.
"Look," Hikari stopped at her track to lecture Gokudera more of her proud continent. "Sinnoh is not some crappy continent where it's all small towns and hardly anything fancy like what you have in Asia or Europe. Here we have trademark landscapes, and big corporate businesses that branched out through the other continents. See!!" She pointed out to some famous corporate business that Gokudera noticed that are also available in his world. "We have a Hilton Hotel, Louis Vuitton store, McDonalds, even a freaking Wal-Mart!"
"Alright! Alright!" Gokudera gave up. "I'm sorry, no need to get all patriotic on me." Hikari looked pleased of herself, but she also felt a bit spiteful for letting her anger out again. This was also Pochama's first time to see her lash out her anger on a trivial matter.
"Pocha…" Pochama tugged on Hikari clothes gently worrying of her health.
"I'm fine, Pochama," she assured her partner. "Sorry you have to see that." Hikari took deep breaths and relaxed herself to regain her composure. "Now then," she turned towards Gokudera. "What would you like to see first?"
"Don't you have a package to deliver?" Gokudera reminded of Hikari's task. "You know, for your boyfriend."
"Jun's not my boyfriend!" Hikari released her anger at Gokudera for the third time of the day, though she has a mildly good reason for this one. "But thank you for reminding me about the parcel. Now let's go find him!"
"Do you even know where to start?" Gokudera stopped her from taking the next step. "This is one big city. Who knows where he would be."
"I've been Jun's friend since we were kids; I know the places he visited whenever we come by Jubilife City," Hikari scoffed at Gokudera for underestimating her friendship connection with Jun. "Follow me, I'm sure we'll find him sooner than you think."
Unfortunately for Hikari, an hour has passed by and they still yet to find the boy at hand. Hikari is getting annoyed for every shop she visited to find no sign of Jun or his Chimchar around. And to make things worse, Gokudera is not helping with his remark of not finding Jun sooner than he think. Another hour passed by, and the group decide to take a break at the nearby McDonalds restaurant for a quick lunch.
"Well, it's been two hours," Gokudera said helping himself to his fries. "Maybe he's not here anymore."
"Yes he is!" Hikari insisted. "Stop saying that!" She chomped one of the Chicken Nugget in her mouth while Pochama is munching on the special Pokémon food McDonalds have to offer. "We just have to walk around a little more, that's all."
"You sure are persistent," Gokudera sighed. "I'm guessing that you're more interested in seeing him rather than delivering his parcel." That's roughly the tenth times Gokudera crack a joke of Hikari and Jun's relationship, but it never stopped of surprising her.
"Don't make me throw my soda at you!" she warned him, but it did shut him up though. Gokudera sat in silent and lit up a smoke waiting patiently for Hikari and Pochama to finish their share of the meal. "So what do you think of Jubilife City?" she asked out of nowhere breaking the silent atmosphere.
"It's interesting," he puffed up a smoke. "Especially that TV Station and that Poké-thingy Company."
"You mean the Pokétch Company," Hikari corrected him. She heavily sighed after the mention of the Pokétch device, and looked back at the window glumly staring at the huge billboard of the Pokétch advertisement. "I wish I have one of those."
"First you want a Pokédex, now a Pokétch," Gokudera commented. "Is there no limit to your needs?"
"So!" Hikari rolled her eyes at him sarcastically. "Is it wrong to want many things in life?"
"Alright! Alright!" Gokudera hold his hand defensively. "I'm sorry. Just chill out." Hikari sighed and dunked her head low on the table staring at the window. She then noticed that the building across her seems to have children running about. Judging by the children's appearance, she remembered of the private Trainers' School that majored in Pokemon Training subjects.
"Hey, maybe I should go to that Trainers' School and learn a thing or two about Pokémon Training," Hikari said to herself after realizing on how she lacked confidence from her loss. "What do you think, Gokudera?"
"You want to enroll back to school?" Gokudera looked at the school.
"I'm not going to enroll there," Hikari objected. "Just see if I can get an hour lesson or something."
"Schools do that?" Gokudera asked feeling unsure.
"Maybe that one does!" she pointed at the academy. "And hey, it's an Open Day. Let's check it out!" She stood up from the bench immediately and left the building leaving Gokudera and Pochama behind to pick up the pace.
As Hikari reached to the front door, she gently pushed it to enter the academy. She wondered on how grand and enchanting the Trainers' School to be, professional trainers giving tips to rookies, high leveled Pokémon on display, lectures of advance training with Pokémon, she can't wait to see all of that. But to her surprise, the school was hardly anything special inside. There's only one blackboard, couple of students, no rare Pokémon and only one teacher.
"Ah, welcome to Trainers' School," the young adult teacher by the board noticed Hikari's presence. "Are you here for Open Day?"
"Uhh… yeah sure," Hikari unwittingly agreed. The school is hardly any of what she imagined, Hikari had the urge to leave but something about the trainer made Hikari wanted to stay a little longer.
"Well, do take your time," the adult trainer smiled. "There are some basic lectures by the blackboard you're welcome to copy down. And on the far right of the room, by the blue mat, is where you can train your Pokémon with some of our students." Hikari looked over to the training area to at least hope for something special, but she find nothing out of the ordinary but just two kids younger than her.
"Uhmm… is this all for the Open Day?" Hikari asked the teacher.
"I'm afraid it is," she smiled softly. "You see, we're just a small private school. This Open Day is a way of hoping to get more students for enrollment. So if you are in the slightest bit interested, don't hesitate to let me know."
"Uhmm… sure," Hikari hesitantly answer. The young adult trainer smiled and return back to her seat reading some sort of magazine. As soon as she took her eyes away from Hikari, Hikari took this chance to dash for the was about to escape with the perfect getaway, until it miserably failed when someone else entered through the door, someone familiar to her.
"There you are!" Gokudera Hayato exclaimed as he spotted Hikari by the door. "Do you like the school?"
"Ah! A visitor!" The young teacher spotted Hayato by the door. "Welcome to Trainers' School. Are you here for Open Day?"
"He's with me, so its fine. Heh heh…" Hikari nervously cut her off. "No need to get up, sensei." The young teacher hesitated a little for ignoring Gokudera due to Hikari's statement, nevertheless she shrugged and sat back down continuing to browse over her magazine. "Let's get the hell out of here!" Hikari grabbed Gokudera's arm and pulled him towards the door, ready to make a break for it. But he's making quite of a restraint to her sudden grabbing action.
"Whoa! Slow down! What's going on?" he asked pulling his arm away from Hikari's grasp.
"Keep your voice down!" Hikari whispered roughly. "And I'm not spending a second in this school. This place is not what I have imagined, and I no longer have intention to ask tuition in this dump."
"Your boyfriend does," Gokudera rolled his eyes.
"For the last time! He's not my… Jun?" Hikari stopped after noticing that all familiar blonde hair. And there he was, by the student table as bright as the color of his blonde hair. Hikari must've been too upset of the school to actually notice that the person she's been looking for was right under her nose all along. "Jun?" she asked again approaching him.
"Oh, hi Hikari," Jun waved a friendly gesture towards his best friend. "Here to learn a thing or two about Pokémon Training?"
"Well at first, but after analyzing this place I just…" she stopped in her mid-sentece realizing that the boy she wasted two hours of searching for is right here all along. "Wait, Jun! What are you doing here? I've wasted hours of looking for you everywhere in this City."
"Well I guess you didn't search thoroughly enough," Jun jokingly mocked his friend's naivety. Hikari groaned over his usual teasing attitude, while he grinned over her displeased face. "Good to see you again though," he added.
"Yeah, whatever," Hikari zipped open her bag and pull out a mid size package. "Here, this is from your mom," she handed it over to Jun's arm. "Don't forget to call her, by the way."
"No need, she understand me," Jun waved that idea away. "I wonder what's inside." He ripped the head of the parcel open and emptied the content on the table.
"Oh wow, Sinnoh Map!" the young teacher instantly recognized the rolled up parchment. "That's one valuable item for Pokemon Trainers. It shows the towns and cities around Sinnoh along with routes and famous spots."
"They're just maps, sensei. It's not that valuable," Hikari snickered over the young lady's enthusiasm.
"This one is actually," she commented. "May I?" she looked over to Jun for permission. He nodded giving her full authorization for examination. "Gather around, kids. These guys got something really cool to show us!" she called over the children. The kids looked confused over the sudden change of their boring routine, nevertheless they listened anyway and stride over to Hikari and co.
"Is there something special about that map, sensei?" Jun asked not understanding what the big fuss is all about. Hikari had to agree on that, she doesn't understand what's so special over a map.
"Indeed there is," she nodded. "For you see, this is an electronic map." She rolled open the map revealing an electronic-esque paper screens over the map contents. Hikari is amazed over this new found information, she was really surprised how futuristic it looked.
"If you touch a location, the map will give you details of that location. See…" she tried it out on Jubilife City. And true to her words, descriptions of Jubilife City are appearing down just below of the contents in full details. Hikari can't help but to feel astounded over this, and she's pretty sure that Jun is as excited as she is. Hikari, for the first time, fit right in along with the other occupants.
"And if you press this one right here," she tapped a red spot over the corner of the map. "It will pinpoint you exactly where you are." And with that tap, a red sign that reads 'you are here' is pointing over the Jubilife City spot on the map. Hikari, along with the other kids, chorused a 'whoa' at the same time over this amazement. She is clearly now impressed at the once dull map she thought was a waste of space on her bag.
"That is so cool, aniki!" said one of the young male students to Jun. "Where did you get it?"
"I think my Mom ordered it from Harvey Norman," Jun deduced.
Outside school
Pochama sat down next to the front door wondering when his trainer will finally realize that she had left him behind. He was happy to see that she's not as glum as she used to be when they left Sandgem Town, but he did not like it to be forgotten. Gokudera wasn't much of a consolation either, he left Pochama all alone in that restaurant to finish his own food. And those annoying children who comes by to pinch him is not making things any better for him, Pochama refused to be socializing over bunch of kids who comes by to sneak a feel then left.
"Pocha," he softly mumbled expressing his boredom.
"Awww, what a cute Pokémon!"
"Pocha?" Pochama looked up above the shadow to see a small little girl with a backpack on her left hand. The girl scooped Pochama up with her unoccupied hand, much to his protest on flapping his flippers around and crying up like a baby. "Pocha! Pocha! Pocha!"
"I'm taking you in little guy!" she said as she entered through the Trainers' School. "Elly-sensei! Look, what I found at the front door!" Pochama looked over the crowd of kids fearing for more of the pinching and that irritating cute voice they use to attempt win him over. However, he wouldn't need to do all of that, because he can finally return safely to his master's protective arms.
"Pochama!" Hikari cried out spotting her own Pokémon. "How did you get there?"
"Pocha!!!" Pochama slipped through the little girl's arm and run straight to Hikari's arms. But instead of a tearjerking and compassion hug, he instead peck and slap her face multiple times out of spite for leaving him behind unattended.
"Ouch! Ouch! Pochama! Stop it!" Hikari tried to get him away from her. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" That calmed him down, but he hasn't forgiven her yet though. And things are about as bad as it can get, the children have seen Pochama already, and it only take three seconds for them to gather around him like a pack of vultures.
"Wow! A Piplup!"
"Aww! He's so cute!"
"Oooh I just want to take him home with me!"
"Pocha…" Pochama looked around his surrounding and can see the children eyeing down at him with their needy eyes and their grabby arms. Pochama may have not forgiven his master quite yet, but it didn't stop him to jump on her arm for protection. "Pocha!"
"Now, now kids," Elly calmed her students down. "This Piplup belong to this trainer here. You can't just touch other people's Pokémon like that. You need to get their permission."
"Onee-chan! Can I hug your Piplup?" one girl immediately turned towards Hikari.
"Onee-chan! Can I too?" another one followed. Soon enough, Hikari's surrounded with the school's students giving her no place to escape.
"Heh heh heh…" Hikari laughed nervously. She can see that Pochama is terrified of the attention he's receiving, he buried his face on Hikari's scarf moaning sadly. "Sorry guys, Pochama is shy around a lot of people." The kids sighed sadly and leave her to return back to their previous tasks.
"Hey, I got a Chimchar! Anybody want to see that?" Jun lift up his Pokéball with his partner thrashing around inside.
"Meh…" one kid shrugged.
"No, not really," another one followed.
"Yeah, they're not very cute," one girl complained.
Jun sighed and hung his head low, his Chimchar slumped in his Pokéball as well from the rejection. "Aww, you guys suck," Jun whispered under his breath. He grabbed the unattended electronic map and pocketed it into his bag, he also grabbed the parcel box, but to his shock he found another item left inside. "Hey, what's this here?" he dipped his hand in. "Wow! Another Sinnoh Map!" His enthusiasm then died out when he realized that there's nothing exciting about it. "Meh. Here Hikari, you can have it!" He tossed it straight to Hikari, in which she missed catching it.
"Hey Jun, don't just give stuff away like that," she said as she picked up the map. As happy as she would be for getting one valuable device, she's a bit reluctant on receiving things out of nowhere.
"That one's probably for you anyway," Jun shrugged as he picked his bag over his shoulder. "My mom wouldn't give me two of the same things."
"But still…"
"Just take it, already!"
"Shut up, Gokudera!"
"Well then, think of it as my way of saying thank you for delivering my parcel," Jun said coming up with the best solution.
"That sounds good," Elly commented by the side. Hikari looked at the map and twist her face awkwardly, she never received or take anything willingly from other people before. Last time, it was difficult for her to accept those Pokeballs from Dia, and those Potions from Nurse Joy. But on the other hand, she did waste two hours on looking for him all over Jubilife City.
"Well, if you put it like that…" said Hikari.
"Great then," Jun beamed up. "Anyway, I gotta go! I'll see you whenever!" He then dashed straight for the door, much just like his usual self.
"Wait!" Hikari stopped him from leaving the school. Normally he wouldn't listen or pretended that she's not there, but something about that tone got his attention.
"You're leaving already? Just like that!" she said sounding angry for some reason. "I don't know when I'll see you again." She immediately covers her mouth realizing how emotional that actually comes out, or in other's case romantic. Hikari can see the watchful eyes of kids and others around her, Elly covered her mouth and seem to turn red over the look of young love flying around the room.
"Hikari…" Jun's voice sound somehow strained. "Well… uhh… you know," Jun wonder how he suddenly feel nervous about this. A minute ago, he felt like he's on top of the world, the next he feels like Butterfree are crawling in his stomach.
"What?" Hikari asked hiding her face under her beanie. Jun mentally slapped himself and get his act back around.
"I can't waste my time here, Hikari!" he said with that usual tone. "I may be your best friend, but I am also your Rival!" The news struck Hikari hard, she had always been dubbed as the best friend for Jun, never as a rival.
"Rival?" she asked softly.
"That's right," Jun nodded. "We both may want to be Pokémon Trainer, but I aim to be the best! The top! And I'm not going to let you or anybody else stand in my way!"
Rival. Hikari remembered the lecture her mother gave her about the subject. Apparently, a rival is not just competitor to Johanna Berlitz, but also someone that pushed you off your limit to aim for the better goal. Johanna had many rivals during her time as a Pokémon coordinator, each and every one of them aspire Johanna to do better and aim for the top. She remembered specifically that her mother once had a rival that she wanted to best so bad it made her to the better coordinator as to this day.
For Jun to declare a rivalry relationship between himself and Hikari must've been his way of telling Hikari to go for the top too. And he may not be there with her, but he will support her by becoming her rival, aspiring for her to do better and go for the winning prize. And for Jun to declare her as his first rival, have dubbed Hikari to be a potential opponent to face in the future. Hikari understood now of Jun's intention, for she too know of the potential that Jun possess. She smiled and waved him off telling him to go ahead to his journey.
"Go on ahead, Jun," she said. "I'll catch up to you later." Jun grinned and chuckled in amazement, he turned towards the door and part off leaving Hikari with his last words till their next meeting.
"I'll see you at the top."
Those last few words felt very encouraging to Hikari, for once in her life she felt very challenged and motivated. She cannot contain her excitement and wanted to aim at the top too, but to start off she must climbed her way from the bottom. And to do that she must take her chance from any opportunity that arise for her. She turned towards Elly who have been watching the two's conversation all along by her desk.
"Elly-sensei," she said to the young teacher. "Please teach me the basics of Pokémon training." She bowed her head down respectfully towards the bewildered teacher. "I don't have enough any money or the time to enroll in this school. But, just for today. Please take me in as your student!"
Gokudera looked over at Hikari pleading for a lesson, it really reminded of himself when he begged down to a specific quack doctor to teach him to be strong. He had never seen her look so determined before, did this new found rivalry relationship really pushed her off to be this strong-minded?
Pochama is not shocked over Hikari's newfound determination, he understand completely of Hikari's feeling of wanting to beat of their rival in their own game. Before Hikari adopted Pochama, he always see Hikozaru as his rival. He doesn't know if it's because of Hikozaru's competitive or impish nature that aspire Pochama to become strong, but whatever it is he's also glad that Hikozaru made him to go for the top. To support of Hikari and her devotion, Pochama followed down by Hikari's legs and bowed down to Elly following his master.
"Pochama," Hikari watched his partner. Pochama looked up and smiled with her indicating his support over her new choice. "Thank you," she simply said. At that moment, Elly took this chance to express her opinion. She first cleared her throat to get Hikari's attention.
"Hikari-san," Elly started. "This is a private school, and if you want some lessons, you have to enroll properly as a student." Hikari looked up towards Elly's strict eyes, looking on she understand why Elly had to refuse. She sighed discouragingly and stood up straight forcing on a smile.
"I see," said Hikari feeling dejected. "You do have a job after all."
"But," Elly continued stopping Hikari from leaving. "Today is Open Day, and that regular rule does not apply today." Hikari immediately looked forward to the Ace Trainer, her smile was as bright as any day. Hikari is on her way to the top, even though it may take step by step.
ELLY WAS A NAME I MADE UP THROUGHOUT THE FIC, BUT SHE REPRESENT THE ACE TRAINER THAT WAS IN THE TRAINERS' SCHOOL. NEXT TIME, LET THE LESSON 101 BEGIN, AND A SPECIAL APPEARANCE FROM TEAM GALACTIC. THANKS GUYS...