Chapter 12
Disclaimer: moi-moi819 does not own Pokémon, or any of the titles therein. This is a nonprofit fan fiction. No copyright infringement was intended. Please support the official release.
Moi-Moi: Guess who has the best news EVER? Classes are over! Yes! I'm free! Free to write- that is. ;) I'm going to try to pick back up on how quickly I used to update this story as well as update those other, neglected stories. All my stories could use a little love... I would like to say to everyone who has made suggestions for additions to Alena's team, I'm sorry but Alena's team was already determined from the very start of the story. It's a bit too late to submit suggestions for this story, but the sequel (that I'm already planning) has free space for all the new Pokémon Alena can capture. So I shall be taking your suggestions into consideration for the sequel. :D
And now for the answer to the last Pokémon trivia. This one was a bit iffy… Ash, Dawn, Iris, Clemont, and Cilan all own at least one Electric type Pokémon. If you count Bonnie taking care of Dedenne, you would get six. But, technically, Dedenne is Clemont's Pokémon. Either way, if you say 5 (or 6, counting Bonnie), you got it! Congratulations to 19jchoi! For your next question, I've decided to ask something that no one can get wrong.
Who are your favorite travelling partners and rivals?
I'm curious as to who you guys like the most. If you've read my author's notes and took a little peek at my other Pokémon stories, you could easily guess mine. Personally, Serena is my favorite travelling partner and Paul is my favorite rival. These characters need their own episode or special or something! I demand more Paul and Serena can't leave yet!
~:~
We join our heroes on their way to Lavaridge Town. Many troubles are just beyond the horizon for Alena. Let's hope she can face them head on and become triumphant.
Lairon was at his wit's end.
For days, Swablu had followed the group as they travelled through forests and Fallarbor Town. Every second that Lairon was out of his ball, he had to put up with Swablu's constant weight on his back (Swablu weighed barely any more than two pounds, but that was irrelevant). Swablu continued to ignore Lairon's upset, however. She always kept a perky air about her, quickly causing others to join in on her happiness. Lairon was alone in his frustrations.
"Thank you, Swablu," Alena said with a smile as Swablu handed her the wooden spoon that she had been carrying.
"Swablu is so nice," Anya smiled up at the tiny bird. Swablu trilled happily before landing softly onto Anya's head. Anya giggled just as Swablu's cottony wings covered her eyes. Lairon rolled his eyes.
"You've been following us for a while now, Swablu. You must really like being around us," Alena acknowledged while stirring the contents of her metal pot that hung over a small fire.
Swablu cooed before flapping over to where Lairon rested. With a bright smile, Swablu snuggled into the space between Lairon's spikes. "I get it. Swablu likes you Lairon," Anya said with a giggle. Lairon huffed.
"Why don't you come along with us to Lavaridge Town, Swablu?" Alena suggested. Swablu perked up with an excited look at the same time that Lairon gained an urgent one. "You've already been following us for a few days now. We're almost to Lavaridge Town, anyways."
"I like that idea. If you caught Swablu, she could stay with us all the time," Anya said.
"Lairon!" Lairon objected loudly with a stomp of his foot.
"Lairon likes that idea, too!" Anya misinterpreted.
Lairon balked comically before rushing over to Alena with a pleading look in his bright, blue eyes. Alena had to steady the pot that contained their lunch so it wouldn't topple over from Lairon's heavy thuds. "Swablu, do you want to be my Pokémon?" Alena questioned the small bird once she was sure her food wouldn't go to waste.
"Bluuu!" Swablu cooed happily before flapping over to Alena. Automatically, Alena wrapped her arms around Swablu just before the bird began nuzzling into Alena's chest.
"That's definitely a "Yes". Isn't this great, Lairon?" Anya questioned the Steel type. Lairon growled lowly with a roll of his eyes.
Alena held Swablu to her with one arm before reaching down to pat Lairon consolingly. "It'll be alright, Lairon. I think Swablu would love living with us. We'll all grow to love having her around, too. You'll see," Alena smiled. To anyone who looked closely enough, it would appear that Lairon was pouting. But, it was probably just a trick of the light.
~:~
The next day, the girls were once again stopped for lunch. They were just outside of Lavaridge Town and would definitely make it before the day's end. Anya had wanted to walk through lunchtime in order to make it sooner, but Alena had insisted that lunch was more important. "Lavaridge Town isn't going anywhere, Anya. We'll get there when we get there," Alena told her pouting sister. Anya rolled her eyes with a loud sigh before moving to retrieve one of her fashion magazines from her bag.
Alena went back to cutting sandwiches with a small smile on her face. Only a few seconds into her meal preparations had gone by before she suddenly remembered Charlotte's words. Stubbornly, Alena pushed the thoughts away. The small frown on her face was the only sign of her troubled thoughts.
She had tried the best that she could not to dwell on Charlotte's opinions, but it was harder than she cared to admit. She tried to stay busy and focus on other things, but the harsh words kept wriggling back into her head. Like an agitated Beedrill, they buzzed around in her head. Why would Charlotte say that about her? Was Charlotte the only person who felt this way? How many people were laughing at her behind her back?
"Hey you!"
With a surprised gasp, Alena snapped up at once. Anya raised an eyebrow in question at the new intruders. A boy and girl not too much older than Alena had arrived in the clearing. The boy had short, green hair and green eyes while the girl had matching features and long hair. They both wore red jackets and white tank tops underneath. Even their red sneakers matched. The boy had red shorts while the girl wore a short, black skirt, however.
"Can we help you?" Alena questioned while simultaneously wiping her hands on her pink apron.
"Maybe you can. My sister and I are looking for our 100th opponent," the boy said with a cocky smirk.
"My brother and I are Ace Trainers. My name's Annette and this is my brother Craig. We're on a mission to defeat one hundred Trainers in battle. You're going to be number one hundred," Annette said with a matching smirk and a gloved hand on her hip.
"Let's battle. You better call out your two strongest Pokémon. My sister and I aren't pushovers and neither are our Pokémon," Craig boasted.
"Two strongest? How come only two?" Anya questioned.
"Because my brother and I are trying to defeat Trainers in double battles," Annette said and flipped her straight, green bangs out of her eyes.
Anya turned to Alena with a small frown. "You've never had a double battle before, Alena."
"Seriously? And here we thought that you might be a challenge. Now we know you won't be. What's the point in battling if there's no challenge in it?" Annette huffed.
"I know what you mean. Let's go, Annette," Craig said with a scoff. Alena rubbed her arm sheepishly while she turned away from the older kids. She couldn't believe how easily she'd gotten off the hook with that-
"Wait just a second!" Anya exclaimed at the same time that Lairon and Swablu had. The three were staring at the siblings in matching, incensed expressions. Swablu was once again perched on Lairon's shell, her fluffy wings now outstretched as she flapped them angrily. "My sister, Alena is the best Coordinator in Hoenn. She's trained with some of the best Gym Leaders in Hoenn and beaten some of the best Coordinators out there. If anything, you should be running from a battle with her."
Alena really had to work on keeping Anya quiet…
The siblings shared an intrigued look. "Well, we've never defeated a Coordinator before. This might just be a memorable battle," Annette said.
"Let's just hope that we don't remember it for being the shortest battle in history," Craig laughed. Alena pouted angrily while untying her apron. Was why everyone picking on her lately? She'd never done anything to hurt Annette and Craig. How could they be so mean?
"Which two Pokémon will you be battling with? Then again, it doesn't really matter. Our partners are top notch," Annette said while brandishing a yellow and black Pokéball.
"I'll use Lairon and Swablu," Alena announced.
"Well, let's not waste time. Rhydon, let's go!" Craig called out and tossed his Ultra Ball.
"Swellow, I need you!" Annette said.
Grovyle lounged on the grass next to Absol, Anya, and Manectric. They rested under the shade of a large tree with their respective lunches before them. Lairon glared Rydon down, but his menacing look was diminished slightly by the small, fluffy Swablu still perched on the front spike of his shell. Alena took a few deep breaths to try to calm herself.
"Rhydon, use Take Down on Lairon!" Craig commanded.
With a cry, Rhydon charged toward Lairon with impressive speed. Alena's eyes widened in surprise just before she caught herself. "Swablu, get out of there! Lairon, use Iron Defense!" Alena countered.
Swablu quickly took to the skies while Lairon readied himself for Rhydon's attack. The two, large Pokémon collided with a loud bang just before they were locked in a stalemate. They then began to use their weights and brute strength to overthrow the other. Low growls were the only sounds they emitted.
"Don't let that pathetic bird out of your sights. Use Quick Attack, Swellow!" Annette said.
Alena looked up just before Swellow's larger body collided with Swablu's small one. The blow left her slightly disoriented, but Swablu quickly righted herself mid-air. "Swablu, use Swift!" Alena commanded.
"Rhydon, use Brick Break!"
Alena was completely surprised when Lairon was knocked back by Rhydon's super effective attack. She was slowly becoming overwhelmed by the battle. It was so difficult to keep track of both Pokémon at the same time… "Lairon, use Earthquake! Swablu, use Swift again!"
"Use your Earthquake, Rhydon!"
"Double Team, Swellow! Follow up with Aerial Ace!"
Nothing was working. Alena could see why Craig and Annette had been able to defeat those other 99 Trainers… Alena gasped in shock as her Pokémon were knocked back by their opponents' force. Lairon was struggling to rise while Swablu cooed in a broken voice at his feet. She feebly tried to push herself up with her wings, but her muscles were straining and her tiny body shook in exhaustion.
"This was too easy. Rhydon, finish off Lairon with Brick Break," Craig said with a smirk.
Lairon steadied himself, his Ability, Sturdy, giving him the edge he needed to remain in this battle. Rhydon charged towards him with a glowing hand and an eager grin on its face. This blow would hurt and surely be his end, but he wasn't about to give up. He'd stick it out until the end.
Just before the Brick Break could strike Lairon head on, Swablu let out a shrill cry. Lairon was momentarily surprised by her cry, but before he could glance back at her she was suddenly in front of his face. Rhydon's Brick Break struck Swablu on the back of her head and sent her plummeting into the ground. "Blu…"
In that moment, Lairon could see the fighting spirit within her. Though she was small, she still fought with guts and spunk. He knew what it was like to be smaller than your opponent. So many had dismissed him for his size only for him to show them what he was really made of. Lairon knew how important it was to fight until the end. He could appreciate a gutsy Pokémon.
"That was kind of cute that the little Swablu took the hit for the big Lairon," Annette said.
Lairon was stunned. Personally, he wasn't the biggest fan of Swablu (he found her quite annoying to be perfectly honest). But that didn't mean that she deserved that hit. He was meant to take that hit. He could handle it. But Swablu… Lairon looked down at her injured and unconscious form.
"Let's pick up where we left off. Rhydon, Brick Break once-" Craig started, but was stopped by a loud cry.
"Lair-ON!" Lairon exclaimed before rushing at Rhydon with the speed of a bullet train.
Alena gasped just as her hands flew up to cover her mouth in shock. Lairon had tackled Rhydon just before striking it with twice with his Metal Claw attack. Too stunned to call out an attack, Alena watched Lairon use Take Down on Swellow as well. In a matter of seconds, both opponents were lying unconsciously on the ground.
Lairon huffed dismissively once before stomping over to Swablu's form. He carefully nudged her awake while checking her over for serious injuries. When her black eyes blinked open, Lairon nodded once to himself before stepping back to give her some space.
Alena watched Swablu trill happily before clambering up onto his shell. Surprisingly, Lairon didn't look in the least bit grievance by her presence. Everyone watched the heavy Steel type move over to rest under the shade of a large tree with the blue bird cooing softly on his back. Alena smirked at the sight.
"We…lost?" Annette questioned with a dumbstruck expression.
~:~
Lavaridge Town was a cross between modern urbanization and natural scenery. A river cut through the town and many of the roads were made of dirt, stone, or just covered in warm sand. The tall, modern buildings curved with the land as a statement of man's willingness to work with nature rather than against it. As the girls were crossing a bridge to get into the town, Anya suddenly stopped to peer over one side. "Alena, look! There are people laying in the sand. Can we try that?"
Alena joined her sister in watching the group of people who were covered from the neck down in sand. "It does look pretty relaxing. After I register for the Contest, we can try it. How does that sound?" Alena suggested.
Anya's eyes glazed over in happiness. "Then let's go!"
Their pit stop took longer than expected when Alena diverted them towards the Pokémon Center. Her Pokémon were still worn out from the trip and their health was a top priority. Eventually, Alena was registered for the Contest and her Pokémon were in Nurse Joy's care.
As Nurse Joy carried the tray with Alena's five Pokéballs into the medical bay, Anya turned to Alena expectantly. Alena smiled down at her eager sister. "Alright, Anya. We can go now," Alena said.
"Yes!" Anya cheered.
"Alena! Is that you!?"
The girls turned only seconds before Alena's hands were captured by another's. Alena blinked in confusion. "Harley? What are you doing here?"
Harley stood back with a pout. "Is that the welcome I get from my supposed "best friend"? How cruel," Harley said with a scoff.
Alena smiled. "Hi, Harley. It's good to see you. Are you in town for the Contest?" she tried again.
"That's much better," Harley grinned. "Of course I am, hun. I'm planning on blowing everyone away."
"I bet you are, Harley," Anya grinned brightly.
"You know it, Little Red," Harley said with a wink. "So, where are you two off to?"
"Alena and I are going to the hot springs! I've been just dying to relax in them. And those sand baths don't sound too bad either," Anya sighed wistfully.
"No way! I was just headed over to this spa I was hearing about. It's definitely a number one spot for relaxation. We should go together!" Harley said with a light chuckle. He immediately looped his arm through Alena's before leading the sisters out of the Pokémon Center.
Alena was mostly quiet on the way to the spa. She was happy to see Harley again and Anya looked just as thrilled to see the older boy. "So I told her, "Honey, you cannot be serious about that dress. You look like Jynx's ugly step-sister," Harley said in a disgusted tone. Anya laughed out loud at Harley's retelling before waiting for Harley to continue. Alena smiled at Harley's joke just seconds before frowning. Was Harley really the type of person to judge and hurt people for how they looked? Was Harley another Charlotte? Did Harley secretly judge her for how she looked? Alena frowned deeply. Was Harley really her friend?
"We're here," Harley sang and gestured to the large pagoda-styled, white, two-story building with the red, tiled roof. The trio walked up the dark, wooden steps and slid open the shoji door. Confidently, Harley stepped up to the woman wearing a deep purple kimono who stood behind the counter. "Hi there. We want to get the full package- hot springs, sand baths, massages, the whole works," Harley said.
The woman nodded once before walking around the desk. "Follow me please. Our Soothing Salvation package allows for one deep tissue massage followed by a two hour long rest in the sand baths. Finally, you round out your day with a soak in our excellent hot springs. If you require any food or drink at all, please don't hesitate to ask," the receptionist said. She slid open the shoji door and said, "I'm afraid that the younger ones must receive their messages in a separate room from the older ones, if that is alright with you."
"I'll get my massage on another planet if I have to," Anya said with a stretch. She waved good bye to her sister and Harley before walking into the room where some other kids were getting massages.
The receptionist slid the door close before leading Alena and Harley away. "If you wish, we can assign you separate rooms for your massages."
"That won't be necessary. We definitely need to play catch up. Right, Alena?" Harley said with a wink. Alena shook her head with a smile.
The receptionist left Harley and Alena some robes to change into before leaving them alone. The two changed behind separate screen dividers in the room before waiting for their masseuses. While waiting, Harley spoke up. "Alena, are you alright?"
Giving Harley a confused stare, Alena nodded her head. "Yes. I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"You can't hide anything from me, hun. You're about as opaque as a glass window," Harley scoffed. "You've been moping ever since we left the Pokémon Center. What's up? Did something happen?"
Alena rubbed her upper arm nervously while her eyes bored holes in the wooden floors. The arrival of their masseuses gave her the excuse she needed and she hoped that the topic had been dropped. Turning away from each other, they got ready for their massages. Alena was about ten seconds into her massage when she heard Harley speak up, "Well? I'm still waiting you know."
"Harley… I don't know what to tell you," Alena said as she stared down at the floor through the hole on the headrest. She could only hear Harley's voice, but it was almost like she could see his expression as he spoke.
"Let's start with what's got you so down. Is the boyfriend not acting right?" Harley guessed.
Alena blushed and immediately tensed. "W-what? N-no. No! I don't have a... No, Harley," Alena stuttered. Her masseuse tried to get her to relax and she slowly acquiesced to her wishes.
"Oh? I could have sworn that you did," Harley said. He sounded genuinely surprised by Alena's admission.
"What would make you think that?"
"Well, if it's not boy troubles, then what is it? Family problems?"
"Oh, no! I don't have any problems with Anya or my dad. We're great. My dad got a new job working at Devon Corp and we just moved into this really nice house in Rustboro City," Alena said with a smile.
"So if it's not boys or the family, then what is it? You're killing me here, hun. I'm no good at guessing games," Harley said with a pout.
"It's… Well… I met this girl at a Contest and I'll admit that we didn't get off on right foot. I didn't think that it was too bad. But when I saw her again in Rustboro, I accidentally overheard her saying some things about me. They weren't the nicest things and it's been bugging me. But, you don't need to worry about me, Harley," Alena replied.
"Just who was this girl?"
"Her name is Charlotte. But it's not that big of a deal, Harley. I'm sure she just-"
"Charlotte? As in Charlotte Sinclair? I've heard of her!" Harley exclaimed, barely keeping still on the massage table. "She's supposed to be this rich Coordinator from the Kanto region. Her family is well known for being the best at everything."
"Oh…"
"What did she say about you anyways?"
"I don't really want to repeat it…" Alena started. The words had been buzzing around in her head for days. She'd wanted nothing more than to talk about this with someone- anyone-, but she'd been terrified of actually saying the words aloud. Would Harley laugh at her? Even worse, they weren't exactly alone in the room…
"I can't imagine what she could say that would have you so down," Harley replied.
"I'm a freakishly tall, bigfoot who'll be too skinny to fit into anything but it doesn't matter because my fashion sense is so terrible that I probably get dressed in the dark," Alena spat with more anger and venom in her tone than she had ever used in her life.
Harley's eyes widened as his jaw dropped. "I knew that girl was terrible. I made the right choice when I avoided her. She sounds like the type to stab you in the back when it suits her. Don't tell me that you let her words get to you," Harley said. At Alena's silence, Harley scoffed. "Alena, there's nothing wrong with the way you look or dress. I've always thought that you had a sweetheart charm about you."
"...what?"
Harley frowned at Alena's timid tone. "Alena, I'm going to tell you something that I should have told you when I first met you. You need to grow some backbone and be more self-confident. It's alright to be as sweet and kind as you are, but you can't let the words of a spoiled brat like Charlotte Sinclair get to you."
"That's easier said than done, Harley. I know that they're just words, but… I know I'm not beautiful, but I never thought that I was-"
"Don't even finish that sentence!" Harley gasped. Alena quickly closed her mouth. "Alena, honestly, you're not ugly. You're not freakishly anything, hun. There are famous models with exactly your build. So many girls would be ready to claw your eyes out in jealousy. How could anyone think you're ugly? Your fans all adore you."
"I have fans?" Alena questioned and sniffled. Staring down at the floor below her, she could see a small puddle forming from her tears. She wanted to wipe her face, but she didn't dare move.
"Of course. I met one girl who was in love with you. You're a rising star in the Coordinator world," Harley bragged. "Listen to me, hun. Other people can only hurt you as much as you let them. Trust me. You have to be able to walk away from them with your head held high because you're better than that. Okay?"
Something in Harley's tone had Alena questioning what he was leaving out. His words felt heavy with hidden meanings, but Alena didn't pry. Just like her, Harley probably had his own demons. But he always seemed so confident… Alena sniffled again before smiling softly. "If you can do it, so can I, Harley."
"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder," Harley joked. His muscles relaxed when he heard Alena offer a small laugh. He wasn't sure if it was the massage that had his skin so heated, but whatever it was left him boiling away inside. How could anyone be mean to Alena? She was the definition of an angel! Only pure evil could do such a thing. Little Miss Sinclair better watch her back. No one messed with his friends.
~:~
"Hello and welcome to the Lavaridge Town Contest! I am your host and MC, Vivian!" Vivian exclaimed into her microphone. She gazed out at the crowds who were cheering loudly for her. With a bright smile, she gestured to the judges' table. "With me today is our panel of esteemed judges. We have Raoul Contesta of the Contest Committee," Vivian introduced.
"It's a pleasure to be here," Mr. Contesta said and gave the audience a small nod.
"Next is Mr. Sukizo of the Pokémon fan club," Vivian said.
"I have a feeling that today is going to be remarkable!" Sukizo said with a grin.
"And finally, our expert judges are rounded out by Lavaridge Town's Nurse Joy!" Vivian finished.
"I've checked out all these Pokémon and given them a clean bill of health for the competition. I can't wait to see what they have in store!" Nurse Joy smiled.
Vivian faced the audience again. "Now, the Lavaridge Town Contest is no joke folks. You're about to see performances from Coordinators who have all won at least one Ribbon. Furthermore, contestants are required to use different Pokémon for the first and second rounds! The Coordinator that can overcome these challenges the best will win this- the Lavaridge Town Ribbon!" Vivian narrated before flashing the black Ribbon with the red trim and golden square for the pin. Vivian smiled brightly as the crowd cheered loudly in excitement. "Let's get the Lavaridge Town Contest underway! Let's have our first contestant on stage!"
~:~
"Alex, you're missing it! It already started!" Winona called out from her place on the couch. She was caught off guard when her younger brother suddenly appeared next to her. He had launched himself over the back of the couch with a bowl of popcorn in hand. Winona shot him a disbelieving look when several kernels were scattered on the seats.
Alex grinned at the screen. The first contestant had just called out their Pokémon. Feeling eyes on him, Alex gave his sister a questioning glance. She was now staring at him expectantly, her brows raised. Offering the bowl of popcorn to her, he asked, "Want some?"
Winona released an exasperated breath before turning back to the television that hung on the yellow wall of their living room. It wasn't anything too fancy. Many people in Fortree City didn't see the point in spending a fortune on electronics anyways. As for their living room, the room was moderately decorated as well as comfortable. Winona and Alex sat on the light purple couch in the room with a wooden coffee table covered in snacks before them.
"This will be her last Ribbon to win," Alex said and reached out for his soda that was on the table.
"Careful. She hasn't won it yet. You don't want to jinx her," Winona said before sipping from her water bottle.
"She'll win. I'm sure she will," Alex said confidently.
Winona didn't respond to her brother's confidence and instead went back to watching the contestants perform. She saw a wide range of Pokémon and Trainers grace the stage (there even was a young man and a creepy Banette). There were some talented Trainers, some that were clearly still beginners, and even some with Flying type Pokémon (she appreciated those acts very much). "I could be a Coordinator that only uses Flying type Pokémon. I definitely understand the Flying type well enough," Winona remarked while stealing some of Alex's popcorn.
After shooting Winona a wary glance, Alex replied, "Sure you can. Maybe Alena will give you some pointers."
"Thank you, Mallory! What a performance, folks. Let's have our final Coordinator up on the stage. Let's all welcome, Alena!" Vivian said to the audience. Both siblings quickly dropped their conversation to tune in to the television.
Alena walked out onto the stage with one hand gripped around her upper arm and a Pokéball in the other. Alex and Winona frowned at the uneasiness in her expression. "She doesn't look so well. I hope she's okay," Winona worried. Alex scooted just a little bit closer to the screen with a frown of concentration on his face.
~:~
Alena tried to take a deep breath, but only ended up pulling in a ragged breath. Deciding to forego her breathing techniques, she gripped Absol's Pokéball. "Alright, Absol. Everyone's eyes are on you!" Alena exclaimed. 'I hope,' she thought to herself.
Absol landed on the field with feline grace and offered the crown a cool gaze before shooting a worried glance back at her Trainer. She could sense the unease rolling off Alena in waves. Alena's upset almost drowned Absol in an emotional overload. Over the past few days, she had sensed the downward shift in Alena's emotions. Absol wasn't entirely sure what had her Trainer so troubled, but whatever it was-
"It's okay, Absol. I have complete faith in you," Alena whispered to her. Taking Alena's reassurance to heart, Absol nodded once.
"Alena isn't new to the Contest circuit and neither is her Absol. It's been awhile since we've seen these two together on the Appeals stage. So, let's see what they have for us today," Vivian said before handing the audience's attention over to Alena and Absol.
"Absol, start off with Future Sight!" Alena said. Future Sight was a new move. One that they had worked hard on while still in Rustboro City. It had taken days to master, and several more to work with after mastering the move.
"Absol!" Absol exclaimed as her eyes glowed blue. All around her, small wormholes opened up. Absol quickly formed orbs of purple, blue, and pink energy and fired several off into each wormhole. With the attack now sent, she sealed the wormholes and- in an essence- her fate.
"And Absol has sent her attack through time and space. Who knows when we'll see- ah!" Vivian exclaimed when a wormhole opened up next to her and one of Absol's orbs of energy came shooting out of it.
"Quick Attack, Absol!" Alena commanded. Having already looked into the future, Absol was able to easily predict where the attacks would be coming from. She moved easily and gracefully about the stage, dodging the orbs as well as showing off her full range of motion. Each of the colorful orbs collided with the stage before harmlessly fading away into nothing.
"Absol has turned dodging these powerful attacks into an elegant dance right here on the stage! If I didn't know any better, I would say that Absol could be part Psychic type!" Vivian said.
"Slash, Absol!"
Quickly extending her claws, Absol rounded on the orbs with a gleam in her red eyes. Her claws raked through the orbs, slicing them down the middle before causing them to burst into a sparkling and enchanting display. Finishing up by destroying the last of the orbs above her with her claws, Absol landed on the stage with poise as the last of the sparkles fell down onto the stage.
"Amazing! Let's see what the judges think," Vivian said and drew everyone's attention over to the judges table. Mr. Contesta flashed a score of 8.9. Mr. Sukizo granted the performance a score of 9.1. Finally, Nurse Joy gave them a score of 9.0. "And Alena has earned a score of 27.0! With that, we bring about the end of the first round. The judges will deliberate and we'll be back shortly with the results!"
~:~
After stepping off the stage, Alena stopped in the empty corridor. She leaned against the wall with a weary sigh. Absol stared up at her in question. Alena released Grovyle from his Pokéball before facing her expectant Pokémon. "I… I owe you two an explanation and an apology. Please don't feel like I don't have faith in you and that I'm worried about you messing up. It's not that. I haven't been feeling so great because I let someone else get into my head and make me feel bad about myself," Alena started. As she was speaking, she slid by her back down onto the ground. Absol stepped closer to her in order to nuzzle Alena's cheek. Grovyle folded his arms and waited for Alena to continue. "But, Harley was right. People can only make me feel as bad as I let them. So, I'm going to try not to let them hurt me anymore. Please bear with me until then?"
"Ab. Absol," Absol cooed while nuzzling Alena's cheek. Grovyle remained unresponsive.
"Grovyle, are you ready for the second round? If we make it to the second round, that is," Alena corrected with a weak laugh.
Grovyle watched her wring her hands out with an unsure look in her eyes. He hadn't seen Alena act this way in a long time. She was no better than the girl who'd first picked him as her starter. He could see that she was waiting for him to respond to her- reassure her. "Gro," Grovyle muttered while looking away and offering her a clawed hand. When her hand had taken his, Grovyle pulled Alena to her feet before walking away without another word.
Alena watched Grovyle go before sighing. "He's not happy with me, Absol."
"Ab?"
"I know Grovyle. He's not happy with me. He wants- expects- me to be stronger than this. He thinks that I can," Alena said before rubbing the back of her neck.
"Absol," Absol said before brushing her horn against Alena's dangling hand. With a small noise of surprise, Alena glanced down at Absol in question. In return, Absol offered her Trainer a patient smile. After a few seconds, Alena returned the smile. The message was easily understood. 'We all know that you can.'
~:~
"If you're just tuning in, we've come down to the final match of the Lavaridge Town Contest between Harley and Alena. Both competitors have fought hard in this competition and we're all excited to see what they bring to this battle. Five minutes are on the clock. Begin!" theVivian on the television spoke.
By this point, Winona was frowning slightly at the vision of Alena on the screen. She'd been battling poorly. Well, that was a bit harsh. Alena had been battling decently enough. But Winona was well aware that Alena could do better. What was wrong?
Alex had long since forgotten his various snacks and drinks, his nerves getting the better of him. Grovyle had been battling excellently, but he'd been doing so on his own. Alena had frozen up while onstage on more than one occasion. If it hadn't been for Grovyle's reflexes and quick thinking, they could have both been disqualified by now. It was frustrating!
"Grovyle, use Pound!"
"Dodge it, Cacturne!"
"What is she doing!?" Alex groaned when the opponent's Cacturne easily dodged Grovyle's attack.
~:~
'What am I doing!?' Alena screamed at herself. Glancing at the points, she felt her heart race at the sight of her points dropping quickly. Looking back at the field, she watched Grovyle pull off a quick dodge from Cacturne's Poison Sting. From across the field, she could see Harley frowning deeply at her. Her mouth opened and closed for several seconds as she tried to form an excuse.
"Cacturne, Pin Missile!" Harley commanded.
"Dodge that, Grovyle!" Alena tried. 'This is bad...and getting worse!'
Grovyle was at his wit's end. He wasn't one to quit on a battle or on anything, but he was contemplating it. Cases of Pokémon leaving their Trainers were rare, but if the situation called for it… Grovyle leapt back to put some distance between Cacturne and himself. He could feel Alena's worry grow immensely. Time was running out, points were falling, and he was about to lose it in the middle of this battle! Turning back towards Alena, Grovyle glared harshly at her. "Grovyle!" he shouted directly at his Trainer. "Grovyle gro!"
Alena stopped. 'That look…' She had seen Grovyle give her that look before. It was the look he gave her to snap her out of whatever funk she was in. He'd never looked so intense before. He looked so displeased with her. "I-I'm sorry, Grovyle. You're right," Alena said before slapping both hands to her cheeks once. "I can cry later. Right now, we have a battle to win," Alena finished with a hard edge in her voice and eyes. Softening his gaze, Grovyle nodded once before smirking.
"What's this!? It looks like Grovyle is evolving!" Vivian exclaimed in shock. Alena took out her Pokédex to quickly scan her new Pokémon.
Sceptile, the Forest Pokémon and the evolved form of Grovyle. Its arms are equipped with razor-sharp leaves, and it moves lightly through tree branches in order to attack its enemies.
"Alright, Sceptile. Let's give them a taste of your new power. Use Dragon Claw!" Alena commanded.
~:~
Winona was about the cheer when the sound of Alex's loud whoop startled her. She jumped slightly as Alex sprang up from his seat while pumping a fist in the air. "There you go, Sunshine!" he exclaimed. Winona steadied her breathing before smiling and turning back to the screen.
Sceptile was speeding towards Cacturne with his claws glowing a bright green color. In less than a second, Sceptile was directly before Cacturne's face and ready to strike. The Dark type had barely enough time to falter backwards before Sceptile's Dragon Claw was sending it flying.
"Bullet Seed, Sceptile!" Alena commanded. Sceptile leapt into the air to fire his attack from above and pin the wounded Cacturne to the stage floor.
"My precious Cacturne! You have to dodge it!" Harley exclaimed in shock.
"And Alena is quickly making a comeback! But precious seconds remain. Can she pull off a win?" Vivian questioned.
"I know we can. Solar Beam, Sceptile!"
While Cacturne was pulling itself up from the stage floor, Sceptile went about gathering up energy in both the seed pockets on his back and in his large tail. After several seconds, Cacturne was almost back onto its feet.
"Quick! Use Feint Attack, Cacturne!" Harley yelled.
"Only thirty seconds remain!" Vivian yelled.
"Come on!" Alex was yelling at the television.
Winona was on her feet now, her eyes glued to the action. "Time can't run out! Alena has less points than her opponent!" Winona exclaimed.
With its arm poise to strike, Cacturne floated in the air and zoomed across the stage towards Sceptile while he was still gathering energy. With a cruel smirk, the Dark type struck Sceptile head on despite Sceptile's best attempts to dodge. The sucker punch to the face managed to push Sceptile's head away, but the taller Grass type was resilient. "Scep...tile!" With a low growl and a hard edge in his eye, Sceptile knocked Cacturne's arm away before dropping his jaw to release a close range Solar Beam.
"Cac?" Cacturne panicked just before the bright light blurred out his vision.
The attack caused a large puff of dark smoke to cloud the entire stage. In the middle of all the confusion, the countdown clock pinged to signal that time was up. "Time's up!" Vivian still exclaimed despite no one being able to see her or the points board.
"Who won?" Winona asked.
"Come on, Sunshine," Alex whispered urgently while focusing on the screen.
~:~
"That last attack was quite the doozy, folks. But now that the smoke is clearing, we can determine that… Cacturne is unable to continue!" Vivian exclaimed. "The clock's run out and it's battle off for Harley and his Cacturne. This means that Alena and her Sceptile are our winners! Congratulations!"
Alena was in shock. Slowly coming down from her emotional high, she slumped to the ground with a stunned expression on her face. She was only snapped out of her stupor by Sceptile offering her a clawed hand. Glancing up at him, she noticed the proud smirk he was wearing. Eyes watering and a grin starting grow, Alena leapt up to pull Sceptile into a hug. "We did it! Thank you, Sceptile! I couldn't do it without you," Alena said with a few happy tears streaming down her face. Completely caught off guard, Sceptile froze up. After several seconds, he let out a slow sigh before slowly wrapping his arms around his Trainer to return the hug.
"Alena, it's my pleasure to present to you the Lavaridge Town Ribbon. Congratulations," Mr. Contesta said as he approached Alena. He offered her the black and red Ribbon with a small smile. Behind him, Vivian, Harley, Mr. Sukizo, and Nurse Joy were all smiling brightly.
With a nod, Alena accepted the Ribbon. "Thank you very much. I've got my fifth Ribbon! Next stop: the Grand Festival!" Alena cheered. Sceptile smirked and nodded once in agreement.
"And with that, we bring this year's Lavaridge Town Contest to a close. We hope to see you next time!" Vivian wrapped up the show.
With her fifth and final Ribbon securely under her belt, Alena has gained more than entry into the Grand Festival. With the help of her friends and Pokémon, she gained a valuable lesson to take with her into her bright future.
To be continued...
~:~
Moi-Moi: It feels good to be writing again… I'm so proud of Alena. I know that sometimes, it can be hard to drown out the voices of others and only focus on the voices of those who matter. I think that this is a crucial lesson for everyone to learn. We have to be our own cheerleader sometimes and try to focus on what's important. We have to remember that we can't allow others to hurt us with their words. Thanks for reading, yeah? Review!
Alena's Pokémon:
Sceptile {Ability: Overgrow} - Dragon Claw, Leaf Blade, Solar Beam, Bullet Seed
Absol {Ability: Super Luck}- Slash, Quick Attack, Perish Song, Future Sight
Manectric {Ability: Lightning Rod} - Tackle, Spark, Bite, Thunderbolt
Lairon {Ability: Sturdy} - Take Down, Iron Defense, Metal Claw, Earthquake
Swablu {Ability: Natural Cure}- Sing, Peck, Swift
Edited: 4/30/15