My wonderful, lovely readers . . . HAPPY NEW YEAR! :D . . . So, I've got good news and bad news. Good news, this chapter is out and the first of the year. There's something about firsts isn't there? Bad news, I'm cashing in a two month vacation from fanfiction (writing at least, huehue) so you guys will see me promptly on May 7th, 2014. Spring breeze, new chapter, sounds perfect right?
Of course it does. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please, as always, point out any mistakes or even offer suggestions of Pokémon you'd like Naruto to capture or places you'd like him to visit, whatever you would like to see i'll take into consideration, pending it doesn't screw up the storyline.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does. I do not own Pokémon, Satoshi Tijiri and Nintendo does.
Slateport City was a mixture of city by the sea, and any regular village, blanketed by an overcast sky yet no less energetic for it. The docks were the busiest parts of the city, teeming with boats, people and Pokémon. Naruto wasn't in a hurry to get to the contest immediately, there was still a lot to do in Slateport and there was still so much he wanted to coach Shizuka on.
With him out of the ball now were Yasu and Yume, the baby Pokémon squeaking in excitement at every new thing, every new Pokémon. There were lots of water Pokémon on the wharfs, Corphish and Tentacruel, Wingulls and Pellipers spotting along the sail lines, and boughs.
"Well Yume, Yasu . . . how about we find the Poké Center and get a room?" Naruto asked the two, who nodded and followed after him. Yume jogged up to him and gently butted his shin though it still hurt a bit with her especially hard head. "Ow. What?"
"Bagon! Gon!" Yume wiggled her little arms up at him, snuffling. Naruto rolled his eyes but obliged her request to be picked up, Yasu sidestepping and shaking his head when Naruto reached for him.
"Oh, so you're the only lazy one eh?" Naruto snorted, cradling Yume in his arms. Yume merely smiled and snuggled into his shirt warmed by his body heat. They ventured from the coast line, further into the city and found the Poké Center. Naruto stepped inside and moved to the desk, but before he could get much farther than five steps he was called out by a familiar voice.
"Naruto!" Naruto turned to see an entire group of his old classmates. Ino, Chouji, Shikamaru . . . Hinata, Kiba, and Shino?!
"Well this is a surprise . . ." Naruto murmured, grinning when Ino bounced up to coo at the baby in his arms.
"So where'd you get this cutie?" Ino asked, scratching its belly.
"Well hello to you too Ino, I'm fine thank you so much for asking." Naruto sarcastically offered. "Yume here, was hatched about two weeks ago."
"A Bagon huh?" Shikamaru muttered, slouching up with Chouji.
"Hey Naruto." Kiba waved at him, then turned a grin on Yasu who's ears perked up at the sight of the two. "And hello Yasu!"
"Vee." Yasu sniffed at Kiba's sneakers for a second before moving to Sasuke and butting his shin gently.
"Hey Shino, Hinata." Naruto grinned at the two earning a blush from the shy Hyuuga.
"H-hello . . . Naruto." Hinata mumbled, ducking her head and fidgeting.
"Naruto." Shino nodded calmly, and Naruto accepted the reserved greeting with a sigh.
"Right, right . . . what are you guys here for?" Naruto asked them.
"We're here for the contest . . . you too, right Naruto?" Ino asked, and Naruto nodded.
"Yeah! I've got a ribbon now actually Ino." Naruto informed the girl.
"Oh really, which contest did you win?" Ino asked enthusiastically, clasping her hands.
"The Verdanturf Town Contest. Hige won me my first ribbon, and now he's back at the lab." Naruto informed proudly. "But what about you, did you win a Contest yet?"
"Yeah, I participated in the Fallarbor Town contest!" Ino squealed, still giddy over her win.
"So your egg hatched into a Bagon . . . lucky!" Kiba grunted. "I got a Whiscash . . . he's not bad, I suppose . . . I named him Namazu."
"I . . . I h-have a G-g-goldeen," Hinata gulped, fingers knotted together. "Her name i-is . . . Kane."
"My egg produced a Pinsir." Shino reported.
"Not bad, not bad at all!" Naruto grinned smugly. "Yume is still the best catch though."
"Ba~" Yume squealed, and Naruto cooed at her.
"Any new Pokémon from you guys?" Naruto asked, looking to Shikamaru and his group.
Shikamaru shrugged. "I got a Taillow and a Tentacool . . . they're both such a drag with all that energy."
"I got a Makuhita!" Chouji informed proudly.
"And I got a Roselia." Ino sang, hands on her hips and head tilted up. "I'll be using her for the contest this time . . ."
"Alright then, so I guess . . . we'll all be rivals for this contest." Naruto murmured, and the two girls stiffened slightly before relaxing.
"Ha!" Ino tosses her silky blonde hair over her shoulder. "Don't get cocky Naruto, I'm definitely winning this contest!"
"We'll see about that . . . and I'll be looking out for you too Hinata." Naruto playfully warned the girl, tapping her nose. The contact was simply too much for Hinata who was caught unawares, and she fainted right into the arms of Shino and Kiba.
Naruto felt a bead of sweat drop from his temple as he scratched the back of his head. "Oh yeah . . . I forgot she does that."
Naruto takes a deep breath of the early morning air, tasting the salt of the ocean, the new breads of the bakery a few blocks away and the dewy grass just underneath his feet. He exhales, smiling. He turns to his team of Pokémon, looking them over.
"Alright you guys . . . we're all training today! Yasu I want you to work on increasing your agility by catching every ball that comes your way, we're going to be working towards using Double Edge. Aoi— hey! Stop that . . . jeez, get to work on Bubble Beam. Yume, for some reason they list Rage as your first move but we are absolutely not going to work on that. So . . . take this Poochyena bone I bought and practice Bite. Taiyou and Mikazuki you guys work on Psychic by throwing the balls to Yasu, try to get make the hits harder and faster. Ran, I want to hear you sing okay? Let's see . . . Shizuka let's concentrate on Magical Leaf and using Psychic . . . I want to see if we can't make a combination or two to really wow the judges!" Naruto claps his hands, and the Pokémon all get to work on their assigned tasks.
While the others work, Naruto and Shizuka move off to the side and the Ralts listens to her trainer's coaching. "Okay so first, let's see you pull of Magical Leaf . . . on that tree over there." Naruto points straight ahead, about twenty feet away. Shizuka gulps— she's only done about ten feet before and this was double the distance! But, she bolsters her courage, this was for her trainer!
"Ralts!" Shizuka's hands come up, then she sharply swings them down, glowing leaves spinning away to hit the tree.
"Good accuracy." Naruto murmured with an approving nod. "Now . . . I wonder if we can change direction? Roserade for example, she spins and the leaves com up from her rose hands. Shizuka . . . go out a little, and try and see if you can't direct your attack up. Just, instead of swinging down, swing up to the sky."
Shizuka's head tilts to the side in curiosity, but she complies. Naruto often made such weird combos with the other Pokémon and it worked. So she walked out a few feet and stood in the clearing, the others pausing in their work to watch, not that she knew this. Shizuka took a deep breath, and then concentrated. She slowly tensed her arms and raised them just a little at her sides. Then, she swung them up sharply as if making a wave and . . . the attack only worked half way. There weren't as many leaves as usual, and the glow seemed a little dimmer.
Shizuka deflated at what she took to be a sign of defeat, but Naruto clapped anyway. Once he saw her facing him he grinned and said, "Of course it'll be a little strange the first time, but it was good! Let's keep working on it okay?"
"R-ralts!" Shizuka nodded, preparing for another try at Magical Leaf.
Naruto turned his attention to his Skitty, who happily napped the afternoon away under the shade of a tree. "Ran!" he shouted, the kitten jumping up in fright. She mewled and pawed at her ears, but trotted up to him anyway. "I don't hear you singing?" he reminded her pointedly, Ran's tail dropping sheepishly. She straightened up and pushed out her chest, then raised her right paw and opened her mouth to let the music roll out.
Naruto nodded his head in time to the lilts and crescendos of Ran's Sing ability, a smile slowly creeping across his face. "Very good . . . I should probably get a radio for you to listen to some other songs. I wonder if you could copy them?" He mused, grinning wickedly at the possibility. A Skitty that could spit out the instrumental versions of the Top 40 . . . he'd win every Appeals Round in sight!
Ino had a similar grin on her face in another part of the city as she trained her Roselia for the upcoming contest.
"Come on Rosette!" Ino cheered, watching her Pokemon gracefully twirl as she executed another Petal Dance. "That's the way girl, now switch it up with Magical Leaf!"
Rosette did as commanded, lapping up the cheers and attention of her trainer with all the grace and composure she had. Ino clenched her fists, pale blue eyes brimming with competitive fire. "With you, I'll definitely win my second ribbon! Naruto and Hinata, I'm sorry but there's no way you can win against the beautiful duo, Ino and Rosette!"
Off to the sidelines Shikamaru and Chouji watched the two, especially Ino as she giggled haughtily.
Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome, only Ino would find a Pokémon as vain as her."
Chouji shrugged, passing his bag of chips to Shikamaru and then taking it back one the lazy boy took some. "That just means they'll be a really great pair for contests doesn't it?"
"I just hope Ino remembers her first contest— the Appeals isn't the only important part. If her Roselia isn't battle ready then she won't make it far— especially if she's going up against Naruto. Hinata . . . I'm not sure about her, but given her strict family it probably is a safe bet that she trained her Pokémon too."
"So did Ino. She's trained them all pretty hard since that first loss." Chouji pointed out.
"You're right." Shikamaru shrugged, sighing more heavily this time. "This is all just such a drag."
"Emi, use Silver Wind!" Hinata cried softly, and her Beautifly was quick to answer.
"Beau~" The little flying Pokémon cried as she flapped her wings, cutting blades of silver shooting out towards the open air.
"Now use Morning Sun!"
Beautifly soon glowed in a powerful bright light, the sun only adding to the splendor as streaks of rainbow light erupted from the ethereal figure of Beautifly, suspended for a moment in the air as it absorbed the energy of the sun. Hinata smiled as she shaded her eyes, Beautifly soon cancelling the move altogether and flying down to Hinata for a reward.
"That was l-lovely Emi!" Hinata smiled, cuddling the Beautifly and handing her a Poké Block. Emi twittered happily and nuzzled under Hinata's chin, the girl giggling at the action. "I . . . I really want to win this contest with you . . . and I'm sure we can do it." She whispered firmly, though a small part of her wondered—
But what will I do if I have to face Ino . . . or . . . or Naruto-kun? Just the thought made her blush beet red. They're both so much more confident than I am . . . but if I lose in front of Naruto-kun, that would be even more embarrassing!
On the sidelines, Kiba and Shino watched the girl as she started to sway from the heat of her own bashfulness, the Beautifly panicking in her tentative grasp.
"Hinata will win this one without a doubt!" Kiba grinned, snacking on a hot dog and trying to push Akamaru away from his food.
"It is indeed good to have confidence in our friend, but we must never forget the credible threat of the competition." Shino adjusted his sunglasses. "Especially as two of them are our former classmates."
"Look, Ino and Naruto are great and all but did you just see what Emi did?" Kiba asked, hand waving wildly towards the pair. "There's no way those two could top that."
"Perhaps not." Shino conceded in his usual monotone. "But they don't need to top that, they just need to make it to the Battles round. There, I believe is where their true strengths hide."
Kiba snorted. "Be a little more supportive Shino. I know you're logical and all, but sometimes gut feeling is the best— OI! AKAMARU!" He snapped angrily when the puppy finally snapped its jaws around his hot dog, the rest of his lunch disappearing down the Poochyena's gullet.
"Indeed." Shino murmured dryly, never looking to his side at the spectacle they were making of themselves.
The Slateport Contest is not that different from any other Contest Hall in Hoenn, yet it's the new flavor of energy in each occasion that brings forth new butterflies in the stomachs of young Coordinators and plenty of entertainment for the audience.
Naruto, Ino, and Hinata were no exception to this, restless and jittery in the Coordinator waiting room. Naruto wore his usual white suit and fedora, Ino her sparkling purple dress, and Hinata in a lavender tea dress and lilac slippers.
Naruto sighed as he slumped down on the couch, fanning his face with his fedora. "This is even more intense than my last two contests!" he grinned, looking over at Ino and Hinata. "I'll be up against you guys!"
"Then you just have to work twice as hard as you've ever done in your contests!" Ino demanded playfully.
Hinata, struggling to overcome the lump that came up in the presence of such strong confidence, murmured, "L-let's . . . work hard . . . N-n-naruto-kun."
"Mmhm, you too as well don't even dare think of taking me lightly!" Naruto ordered with a wicked grin.
"Keep all that enthusiasm for yourself, you're going to need it!" Ino jeered. After her last shot at Naruto another silence descended upon the small group, this time steadier and filled with feelings of comradeship rather than plain old nerves.
"Oh hey . . ." Naruto spoke up, curious blue eyes peering up at the two still-standing girls. "What are your numbers?"
"I'm three . . ." Hinata answered meekly.
"Five!" Ino declared.
"And I'm number one." Naruto supplied. "Looks like I'll be showing you all how it's done."
They turn their attention to the large flat screen where the coordinators waiting can watch the stage. The announcer is a statuesque woman with ash blonde hair piled atop her head and sparkling grey eyes. "Welcome everyone, to the Slateport Contest! I'm your host Kaede . . ."
As the announcer continues to speak, Naruto rises up and stretches. "Well, looks like I'm up. See you on the flip side." Naruto walks out quickly, touching his one Poké ball as he moves toward the stage. The announcer's voice gets louder as he gets closer, the light from the stage growing brighter.
"First up, we're going to introduce Naruto from Konoha!" Kaede declared, and the audience cheered with appropriate cheerfulness for the as-yet unknown Coordinator.
Naruto walks out and waves to the crowd, giving them his best smile to dazzling effect. Walking to his place on the floor, Naruto takes out his shrunken Poké ball. He goes through the Poké flip routine, and Shizuka emerges, immediately using Charm.
"Aw, what an adorable Pokémon!" Kaede coos, smiling at the little Ralts.
"Shizuka, Magical Leaf Vortex!" Naruto called out.
"Ralts!" Shizuka cried, arms swinging up sharply over her head just as she practiced, the attack Magical Leaf shooting up. As the last leaf left her, her eyes glowed Red and using the power of Psychic she controlled her leaves to swirl like a sort of cyclone, first hovering above her then sinking down to widen and swirl around her.
The judges loved it, so he was awarded with a cool 28. After bowing to the judges and the audience Naruto went back to the waiting room, nearly vibrating with the pent-up energy of being hailed by the audience and getting a high score. As he entered, a girl with short mint green hair walked out, nearly bloodless with nerves. He smirked in sympathy as he walked towards Ino and Hinata.
"First-time nerves." They all said at the same time, laughing.
"T-t-that was b-beautiful, N-naruto-kun." Hinata mumbled, smiling with glowing red cheeks at the boy.
"Why thank you, but I can't take all the credit. 'Zuka worked really hard to get that combo just right." Naruto demurred, going to the Heal Machine in the room. Though he supposed there was no real need to do so after a simple Appeals battle, Naruto just felt better about it, thinking at least they'd have max health for whatever battle his Pokémon faced.
"Look Naruto, that kid that just went up has a Blaziken!" Ino brought his attention to the TV, and they looked on in appreciation.
"Whoa, would you look at that ring of fire—" Naruto started, but then choked to a stop when the fire went out of control and headed for both the contestant and the announcer. Both females scrabbled away and dropped to the ground as a judge shot up and released his Blastoise, powerful water attack blasting away fire.
Impressive and pretty as it had been, the attack was uncontrolled and thus damaged her score, giving her only 20.
"Well after that, your performance should be a shoe-in no matter what you do!" Naruto snorted, teasing Hinata.
"W-well I . . ." Hinata spluttered.
Ino giggled, patting Hinata's shoulder. "Go on and do your best Hinata! We believe in you!"
"What the cheerleader said!" Naruto advocated, yelping at the rebuking hit to his shoulder from an irritated Ino.
"I-I'll . . . I'll do my best then!" Hinata squeaked, a determined light shining in her eyes as she walked out the room, her Poké ball clutched in both hands held gently to her chest.
"I bet her show is gonna be awesome." Naruto murmured, him and Ino now sitting side by side on the couch, watching the screen with utmost attention.
Hinata swallowed, trying to swallow her nervous energy and anxiety. She took a deep breath, hoping to fill herself with calm. It never really worked . . .
("We believe in you!")
Hinata straightened, her hands that trembled lightly at her side rising up slowly but surely to make a fist at her heart. With a nod to herself, Hinata stepped out as the announcer cried,
"Let's hope this next performance isn't quite so explosive!" After allowing a ripple of laughter to echo, Kaede continued. "Now, presenting Hinata . . . oh, of Konoha just like our first contestant!"
The audience cheered, and Hianta felt small under all the stares, all the expectations . . . she searched the crowd frantically, relaxing a little when she spotted Kiba and Shino, sitting alongside Shikamaru and Chouji. All her friends were there, and they were rooting for her just as Ino and Naruto were in the waiting room.
Hinata stepped onto her place on the stage and bowed her head, Poké ball covered and cradled by two hands that held it just in front of her chest. Her head rose up and she twirled, one arm following the motion of her body to fan out whilst the other tossed the Poké ball up. "Emi, it's show time!" she cried.
Beautifly appeared from the light of the Poké ball, and she fluttered in a twirl similar to her trainer. "Beau~tifly!"
"Emi use Morning Sun!" Hinata shouted, hands clenched tightly to her dress.
Emi did not disappoint. Stretching out her tiny little limbs, puffing out her chest, she dazzled the audience as she glowed brighter than all the lights in the room, slowly twirling as she steadily rose higher and higher in the air, the overhead lights actually adding to the overall brightness of the attack. Beams of rainbow light littered the floor, and the audience cheered enthusiastically.
Emi's luminous glory earned Hinata a 29.
As soon as Hinata entered the waiting room, she was pounced on by a joyous Ino.
"Hinata you were great!" Ino took the shy girl's hands in her own and did a little spin with her, Hinata stumbling to keep up with the sudden motion.
"Alright, sit down and stop bothering the others here." Naruto laughed, waving them to sit down on the couch with him. "Hinata, you did really good out there. You should be proud of yourself!"
Hinata jerked in surprise, blush erupting hotly on her cheeks. "U-u-um . . . thank you!" she whispered, sitting on the couch and letting her short hair shield her face as best as it could. Thankfully It had grown a little over the journey and could now cover her cheeks with an indigo curtain . . . and mask the smile that she couldn't stop from her friends lovely words.
"So up next is some guy . . . oh, he's got a Bulbasaur!" Ino mentioned, and the two watched as the tall young man with platinum blonde hair directed his Bulbasaur named Bloom used razor leaf and vine whip to wow the judges an audience.
Ino was less impressed. "Hmph, just some leaf tricks." She sniffed.
Naruto smiled. "Go on Ino, look at the patterns he's making with the razor leafs!"
"He's got a high score, looks like he'll be going to the finals." Hinata murmured. "Meaning one of us will fight him."
"Let's worry about that later," Ino dismissed, oddly dismissive of the man and his Bulbasaur. "Nothing can compare to Rosette!"
"Ah, you're just itching to show off your Roselia." Naruto muttered, understanding now. "Well go on then, he's done anyway and they'll be announcing you in a moment."
"I think I will thank you very much!" Ino smugly tossed her ponytail, the flaxen strands bouncing jauntily as she sauntered out the room and to the stage.
"Now let's get ready for our last contestant, Ino of— haha, well what do you know . . . Ino of Konoha!" Ino walks out, stride confident and shoulders thrown back. She tosses a daring smile to the audience who greets her with gusto. If the last two Konoha kids had been good, she should be no different!
Ino decided to forego the spin this time, since Hinata had already done one. She stretched to her full height with her left foot sliding slightly behind her right, back arching slightly and chin tilting up to elongate her neck as she held up her right arm holding her Poké ball to the sky. "Rosette . . ." Ino tosses the Poké ball up with one sweep of her arm. "Let's get to work!"
"Ro~" Rosette, Ino's proud little Roselia twirled in the air with her arms crossed to her chest. When she landed on the ground her left arm shot out into the air, rose challenging the sky while the other rose hand perched on her hip. "Roselia!"
Ino smirked, pleased with the reception of her Roselia. "Rosette, use Petal Dance and Magical Leaf!"
Rosette held her hands aloft and the petals shot from the center of each rose spiraling upward in beautiful arches. Then, the Roselia took a more aggressive stance and shot out the glowing blades of Magical Leaf towards the spinning petals. They hit the petals, shredding them and sending the shredded petals into a tizzy, like ticker tape at a parade. It really was quite beautiful.
"Alright Rosette!" Ino giggles, clapping her hands delightedly as Rosette sinks into a curtsy.
"A score of 29!" Ino crowed, prancing into the room. "I tied with you Hinata!"
"That's . . . w-wonderful I-ino." Hinata smiled sweetly. "Your Roselia was really beautiful."
"Mhmm, she was cute . . ." Naruto grinned impishly. "Not nearly as cute as my Shizuka though."
"Oh please, my Rosette is far superior in beauty and skill to your Shizuka." Ino laughed, delicately placing the fingertips of her right hand over the area of her heart. "I'll be taking this ribbon Naruto, Hinata!"
"Heh!" Naruto barked out. "Don't count us out so quickly Ino . . . Hinata and I will definitely make tough opponents for you, you hear me?"
Before their excitement could escalate further, the announcer spoke and they turned their attention to the TV.
"Now folks, with the scores tallied and the decisions made, here are the finalists going on to the Battle Rounds! First though, we're going to take a five minute break, so don't go anywhere everyone~!"
On the TV, the names of the competitors and their pictures popped up. Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Hinata, Yamanaka Ino, and the silver-haired boy Tachibana Akio.
"Whoo!" Naruto whooped, jumping up to high-five Ino. "We made it in!"
"Yeah, now one of us is going to have to fight each other . . . but let's just promise to have a good battle okay?" Ino demanded.
"You got it." Naruto smiled.
"I-I'll . . . do my best." Hinata promised. "But . . . w-what do we d-do now?"
"Well just wait around until our battles are ordered I suppose." Naruto shrugs. "I'm pretty excited . . . Shizuka is already at a level where she should evolve, meaning it'll probably happen during any one of my battles here!"
"Seriously?" Ino asked, impressed. "She got pretty far then from the Ralts I met before . . . I'll be looking forward to seeing her evolve today. The evolution of Ralts is Kirlia am I right?"
Naruto nodded. "Yes, and since she's a girl that means her final evolution will be Gardevoir."
"It's funny though, I never would have pegged you for a Ralts. Ralts seems to be more like . . . Hinata's perfect Pokémon." Ino gently teased the girl, chuckling at her blush.
Naruto harrumphs playfully. "Just means me and Hinata have excellent taste, right Hinata?" Naruto grinned at the girl, who turned beet red and stammered near silently. "Uh . . . am I coming on too strong or something?"
"No." Ino deadpanned. "You're just an idiot."
"Hey!"
Kaede the announcer swept her arms in a grand fashion, welcoming all the audience members with a winning smile. "Welcome back everyone! Did you have a restful break? You should all be geared up for the first battle match . . . Naruto vs Akio!"
The crowd cheered wildly for the two young men who stood ready for battle. Naruto let his grin shine forth readily, just under the shadow cast by his fedora's brim. Akio stood calmly, only a tiny tilt of his lips upward that Naruto could barely see hinting to some inner calm.
"Let the match . . . begin!" Kaede announced, slashing her glove covered hand down.
"Shizuka, front and center!" Naruto cried, releasing the Ralts from her Poké ball.
"Ralts!" Shizuka braced herself for battle. She hadn't fought an official battle since Petalburg, but that just meant she was stronger than before and so of course she would win! Her trainer believed in her . . . she could feel it!
"Bloom, come forth!" Akio ordered surely, and his Bulbasaur was ready with vines snapping at its side immediately.
Naruto waited a few precious seconds for Akio to try something before he figured he might as well make the first move. "Shizuka, Double Team!"
Shizuka split into three different Ralts it seemed, all glaring determinedly at the Bulbasaur. Bloom looked nervously at the copies, and waited for a command.
One was forthcoming from a speculative looking Akio. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!"
"Teleport!" Naruto countered.
Bloom's razor leaf attack shot out with unerring accuracy towards the copies, but as they were dispelled there was nothing solid that he hit. Naruto's call had come just in time, as Shizuka had teleported to the side of Bulbasaur.
"It looks like Bulbasaur's attack was thwarted by Ralts' trickiness!" Kaede commented, always ready to keep the crowd well informed.
"Shizuka, use Magical Leaf!" Naruto shouted, and Shizuka cast the spinning, glowing leaves for her attack.
"Bloom, block them using Vine Whip!" Akio cried.
Bulbasaur quickly turned on its front paws and sent its vines forward, glaring at the leaves as he dealt with them quickly. Some even returned back on Shizuka, who squeaked at the unexpected payback. The Bulbasaur transferred his glare to Shizuka, who was quietly trembling.
"Oh wow, Ralts' own attack came back to bite her! That's going to shave off a few points on Naruto's score!" Kaede announced, waving to the score board where Naruto's points shrunk minimally.
"Confusion!" Naruto shouted.
"Bloom look away!" Akio hollered, but he was too late. Confusion was instantaneous for Bulbasaur who had been looking directly into Shizuka's eyes. As her eyes glowed, so did his for a split second and then he wobbled woozily, stumbling and whining piteously.
"And it looks like first attack goes to Naruto and his Ralts! Using Magical Leaf as a diversion, Ralts was able to get a clear hit with Confusion! Bulbasaur is going to be feeling that for a while!" Kaede plays back for the crowd, the score on Akio's side dropping.
"Bloom get it together! Try a Vine Whip!" Akio encouraged.
"Not a good idea." Naruto muttered as he watched the Bulbasuar shake his head slowly from side to side, and his vines waver forward. Only, his vines don't come even close to Shizuka, instead snapping at the ground and at his own hide.
"Ooh, a rookie mistake! When confused, the Pokémon is more of a danger to itself than to any other opponent." Kaede lectured the crowd, who lapped at the excitement with gusto. On the scoreboard, Akio lags further behind.
"Shizuka, Magical Leaf again!" Naruto smirked as his Ralts perked up and followed his command. The attack flew forward and hit the still confused Bulbasaur who cried out from the attack.
"Bulba!" Bloom tumbles back, still under the effects of confusion and hurting himself as he tries to stand.
"Shizuka, another— Shizuka?" Naruto balked when his Ralts was suddenly engulfed in a bright white light. "No way! Is she . . .?"
"Folks, this is a rare sight indeed! Naruto's Ralts is . . . well, she's evolving!" Kaede cried, just as surprised as the audience.
The bright light morphs, growing taller and adding the new changes Shizuka would now have. The glow disappears to reveal Shizuka, the Kirlia. "Kirlia!" she cries sharply, erect and eyes sharp with a newfound confidence.
"Shizuka, nice look!" Naruto laughed. "Now, how about Magical Leaf!"
"Kirlia!" Shizuka throws her arms out and her leaves spin dangerously towards Bulbasaur, whose eyes are now a little clearer.
"Bloom, knock those leaves aside with Vine Whip!" Aiko demanded.
"Bulba!" Bloom did as commanded and his vines shot forth, whipping and snapping with audible cracks at the leaves. They flew to the side, useless and Naruto clucked is tongue.
"So Confusion wore off huh . . ." Naruto muttered, index finger and thumb of his left hand framing his chin. "There's no helping it . . . Shizuka, push forward!"
"Kirlia!" Shizuka complied with utmost grace, practically gliding towards the Bulbasaur she was set on defeating, just like a ballerina.
"And what good will that do? Kirlia doesn't know any physical moves!" Akio snorted. "Bloom, Razor Leaf!"
Bloom braced himself, angling the closed bloom on his back to the approaching Kirlia and shooting forth the rapidly spinning, dangerous leaves to attack.
"Teleport!" Naruto ordered calmly, and to Bloom it seemed as if his opponent had disappeared.
"No Bloom she—!" Akio tried to say, but Naruto's gleeful shout of "Psychic!" was what really caught the Bulbasaur's attention.
Shizuka had actually teleported behind the Bulbasaur, and waited for her trainer's orders. And now, she would perform them to the best of her ability! Kirlia's arms crossed, and her body was outlined in blue as she looked at Bulbasaur. Caught by the Psychic attack, he too became outlined in blue, and he cried and thrashed as he tried to break free but he steadily rose in the air until he hovered ten feet from the ground.
"Now . . . slam him Shizuka!" Naruto hollered.
"KIR . . . LIA!" Shizuka cried in effort, as she raised him higher and then sharply jerked her head down as she brought the Bulbasaur crashing back down to the ground. When the dust settled, Bloom the Bulbasaur had been knocked out.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle!" Kaede declared. "Naruto and Kirlia WIN!"
"Shizuka!" Naruto crouched and laughed, elated as his Ral— no, his Kirlia danced into his arms with a happy smile. "You did it! And you evolved! You're the best Shizuka, you really are!"
Naruto bounced back to the waiting room, a distinctly vulpine smirk of self-congratulation spread across his whiskered visage, and promptly twisting to a more humanoid bemusement when he was assaulted by something purple and squealing.
"Naruto! That was a terrific match, but of course you would deliver after all that trash you talked!" Ino laughed, heartily clapping him on the back.
"Your words of praise fill me with joy." Naruto grunted, coughing once to return breathing function to the lungs she almost smacked out of him.
"C-c-congratulations on y-your Ralts . . . evolving. K-kirla is beautiful." Hinata murmured pleasantly, also rising to speak with Naruto.
"Isn't she?" Naruto asked proudly, gently caressing the Poké ball in his hands. He moves to the Heal Machine for her quick healing, and waits patiently. "So . . . up next will be you two. You guys ready?"
"The possibility that we would have to fight each other was there from the moment each of our names came up on the board." Ino shrugged, unconcerned. "We're all former classmates, but I won't hold back. There wouldn't be any meaning to this if we held back on each other right Hinata?"
Put on the spot, all Hinata could do was nod and say, "Oh, y-yes."
"Right." Ino agreed, not at all bothered by Hinata's reticence.
"Well then . . .good luck to the both of you. Whoever wins, I'll definitely look forward to fighting that person in the final battle!" Naruto cheers, giving them two thumbs up and a giant grin.
"And now, this should be an interesting match folks!" The announcer rallies the crowd. "Two of the Konoha trio, Ino and Hinata will now fight! Who will come out on top, Hinata's Beautifly, or Ino's Roselia? I guess we won't know until we see it for ourselves . . . so let the match . . . begin!"
Ino smirked, and threw her Poké ball. "Rosette, time to work!"
Rosette strikes a pose similar to her trainer, a rose hand on a hip and a smirk on her face. "Roselia!"
Hinata is far more demure, but her eyes shine with a determined light. "Emi, show time!"
Beautifly comes out energetically, wings flapping and her little hands curled in excitement. "Beau~!"
Ino as per her style, attacked first. "Rosette, use Petal Dance!"
Rosette aimed her rose hands at the flying Pokémon and her petal attack spiraled towards Hinata's Beautifly.
"Gust Emi!" Hinata cried. Emi flapped her wings powerfully, keeping the petals at bay and scattering them across the field, useless now. Rosette crossed her arms over her head and crouched down to keep her balance as the Gust faded around her.
Ino frowned when Hinata kept on the defensive. "Come on Hinata, show me what you've got! Rosette, Poison Sting!"
Rosette swung her arms and thin darts of glowing purple shot towards the Beautifly, hitting the poor grass-type. "Beautifly!" Emi cried in pain.
"Emi!" Hinata cried. "Emi, use Absorb!"
Kaede, as ever, kept the audience up to date on the machinations of the match. "Roselia's Posion Sting was incredibly accurate, not only damaging Beautifly but putting a blow on Hinata's points. Hinata's return attack of Absorb, by comparison, does not do as much damage. Ino's points don't take as much of a blow as Hinata's!"
Ino frowned, but she still wasn't impressed even as Beautifly absorbed a small portion of Rosette's energy. The attack used by the grass type was not very successful against another grass type. "Hinata! Is that all you can do? How can you even get your feelings across if you can't get through this fight?"
"M-my . . . feelings?!" Hinata squeaked.
"Ooh, is something juicy about to be revealed?" Kaede egged on, and the crowd oohed.
In the stands Shiakamru slapped a hand to his face as Kiba growled, "Ino wouldn't really do that?!"
"She's just trying to egg Hinata on, make her more confident in the battle . . ." Shikamaru muttered. "But, she gets too into it. There's no guarantee she won't spill it. Hinata better do something fast."
"Yes, your feelings!" Ino rejoiced. "Hinata, you'll never be able to confess to—"
"Ino!" Hinata shrieked.
Ino winked and continued, "That special person if you don't gain some confidence! Look at you— you're going to lose if you don't get on the offense here. Your Beautifly is already injured and poisoned. So Hinata . . . if you don't get serious right now . . . I'll tell him! I'll tell him that!"
The crowd gasped, their friends in the stands gaping at Ino's audacity. In the waiting room Naruto winced along with Shizuka and murmured, "Oh that is cold."
The idiot has no idea who they are talking about.
Hinata was frozen in shock, her Beautifly looking back at her in obvious concern. Her mind was awash with the horrifying images her low self-esteem battered her overactive imagination could come up with. Images of Naruto being embarrassed and unable to look at her or speak . . . images of him rejecting her so blasé . . . images of Naruto blushing and confessing that he loved Ino instead, and the both of them gallivanting off happily leaving her on her knees to pick up the pieces of her broken heart!
And Ino would do that . . . just to prove a point?
Ino would risk her heart to prove a point . . . ?
That . . . That . . . Insensitive Brat!
Ino scoffed. "Hinata—!"
"Emi, Silver Wind."
The cold tone caught everyone off guard, but Emi was quick to do as her trainer bid, sending powerful, cutting winds to the shocked Roselia, neither her or her trainer quick enough to do anything against it, and so the grass/posion type was hit full on, sending her tumbling back.
"Wha—?!" Ino spluttered, but growled and caught herself. "So you're finally getting your head in the game huh?! Roselia, Mega Drain!"
"You too Emi, Mega Drain!" Hinata barked. Both Pokemon glowed and glared at each other as they took each other's energy, their energy levels fluctuating wildly as they both gave and took at the exact same time.
Hinata broke the stalemate first. "Emi use Whirlwind and send Rosette into the air!"
Emi broke off her attack, wincing as the Roselia kept up hers. Nevertheless she dove down, wings flapping fast to streak towards Rosette before flipping up and flapping her wings. The winds produced blew harshly and Rosette cried out in alarm as she was sent up with the powerful gusts.
"Silver Wind!" Hinata ordered, and Emi flapped her wings again, this time colored winds of silver striking against the Roselia making her cry in pain, as she was once again forced to climb higher from the force of the attack.
"Rosette!" Ino cried in dismay.
"Go in for a Tackle!" Hinata cried.
"Beau!" Emi cried sharply, sharply climbing up to fly over the Roselia and then swooping down with a determined expression.
"Don't just take it Rosette, use Magical Leaf!" Ino hollered. Roselia nodded curtly, sweeping her arms in a horizontal arc and sending the cutting blades to the Beautifly. Emi was hit dead on and was sent careening off course and sent crashing to the earth at the same time as Rosette finally fell.
"Wow folks! This match turned from a one-sided lecture into a full on battle royale!" Kaede exclaimed. "At this point, it's definitely hard to say who's going to win— ah! Roselia and Beautifly are getting up!"
Indeed, both Pokémon struggled up to their feet, tired and injured, harshly panting. Neither one would be the cause of their trainer's failure, and they were intent on making sure the other fell first!
"Emi . . . you okay?" Hinata asked softly, tone changing from the harsh note used with Ino to its normal light warmth. Her Beautifly nodded, trilling a resolute answer.
"Rosette, we're not going to let that buggy get us down are we?" Ino asked her Rosette, who stood and held up her rose hands like fists.
"Emi Tackle!" Hinata commands. Her strong little Beautifly surges up and, hovering over the field just a scant two feet and no higher with her exhaustion. Emi speeds towards Rosette, gunning for a clean hit.
Ino grits her teeth. Her Roselia was too tired to dodge that hit . . . ! "Rosette, Toxic!"
"Ro~" Rosette puffed her chest out with one large breath and spewed out a cloud of poisonous smoke just as Emi barreled straight towards it. The smoke encompassed them, a large cloud that covered the results from sight.
"This is it folks! Their final attacks, both Pokémon on their last leg! Who will come out on top?" Kaede urged the crowd, her own eagerness to know the details spurring the crowd's curiosity?
The cloud dissipated, slowly thinning away to reveal huddled forms.
"Emi?" Hinata called out anxiously, fingers knotting together in concern.
"Rosette?" Ino did similar, eyes narrowing to try and see any clearer into the thinning smog.
The cloud finally clears, no more poisonous fog to darken the results of Ino's and Hinata's hard work. And the results were . . . !
"Can you believe it folks?! A double knockout! Roselia and Beautifly are unable to battle— the match is a draw! So that means . . . the winner of the Slateport Contest is . . . Naruto of Konoha!"
"What?!" Ino squawked.
"Oh-oh my." Hinata whispered.
"What the hell is this?!" Kiba roars, jumping up from his seat in the stands and startling those around him.
"This is the start of a long tirade she'll never let up on. What a drag." Shikamaru moaned.
For the winner in question . . . when he was finally dragged on stage half-dazed and still quite befuddled, upon being asked how he felt about getting the Slateport Contest ribbon all he could stammer out was, "What just happened?"
Naruto sighed, scrubbing at his freshly washed face still feeling drained. Despite a full eight hours of sleep, Naruto felt no more rested after the contest. Yume, now more eager to explore scampered around him in a perimeter as she took in the scents of the beach. Yasu stuck close, looking up at Naruto in concern. He had a hold of a hook around a newly inflated boat— the kind that really you played with at a pool but he'd seen other kids take these boats to the ocean . . . he doubted they would go as far out as he planned with them though. Tied to the blue inflatable boat, was a long and thick piece of rope that he'd hope a specific Pokémon would cart with him.
Naruto paused, looking around as if still in a dream. "I just . . . that was . . . definitely not what I expected." He muttered, trudging along. They got to the edge of the sand, the waves lapping at and threatening to overcome his newly bought sandals, pulling at his boat. Naruto didn't really care at this point.
He took out a Poké ball and intoned, "Hey Tsunami help me out please?"
A white beam of light shot from the Poké ball to the water, revealing the playful Wailmer. "Wail?" Tsunami enquired, flapping it's two fins.
"I'm going to be taking the water route from here to Dewford. Could I ask you to drag this boat behind you, with this piece of rope and be our guide?" Naruto asked sincerely, giving Tsunami the option to say yes or no.
The answer to that didn't take long for Tsunami to come up with. "Wail!" Tsunami snickered leaning forward and snatching the rope from Naruto's hands and securing it between his teeth-like baleen plates. He beckoned Naruto and company forward with one fin, signaling for the boy to climb into the boat.
"Thanks Tsunami you're the best!" Naruto crowed, gathering Yume and Yasu in his arms. He deposits them gently in the boat first, then his bag before he helps Tsunami push it out into deeper waters. When the water just about reaches the edges of his swim trunks, Naruto jumps in, trying not to drip too much water around in the boat. He can feel the curious stares of the people back on the beach, and hears a bout of laughter or two that sounds too incredulous to not be connected to his image— not that he really cares. They're just jealous that they don't have a Wailmer, too chicken to get one and take care of it. He crawls forward carefully in the boat, and stretches up to pat Tsunami gently.
"Tsunami you're the best. Let's go, on to Route 109!" Naruto cheers.
His Pokémon cheered, and they started out on their journey. They weren't a mile off shore when Naruto's X-transciever started to chime, and Naruto fetched the communicator from his bag.
One the screen, the grinning faces of his parents greeted him. "Hi mom and dad!" Naruto grinned, waving. "Hey, say hi to Yasu and Yume!"
"Who's Yume?" Kushina questioned.
"Oh his egg hatched back in Mauville honey, it's a Bagon." Minato explained as Naruto lowered the X-trans to show Yasu and Yume.
"Oh, so she's a girl . . . hi Yasu, hi Yume!" Kushina cooed. "Naruto, what's that blue and white thing they're on?"
Naruto snickered and showed them the raft he was on. "Naruto . . . why are you on an inflatable boat out at sea? I suppose it has some sort of built-in defense against curious tentacool or Tentacruel?" Kushina asked tersely.
"Mmm . . . no it doesn't." Naruto admitted loftily, and both parents groaned.
"You're going to get yourself killed do you know that?!" Kushina shouted, exasperated. "What, you're just going to paddle your way around? You'll get real tired of that, very quickly."
"Who says I'm pulling the boat?" Naruto asked innocently, and reached forward, leaning over as far as he could and angling the X-transciever to show his happily humming Wailmer. "Say hi Tsunami!" Naruto crooned.
"Wail~!" Tsunami looked up, little black eyes lit up with delight and waving up at the device.
"AHAHA!" Minato laughed. "Naruto, are you riding your Wailmer?!"
"Naruto!" Kushina fumed. "That's dangerous! Get a boat like a regular person!"
"Bleh! Regular is boring." Naruto flippantly dismissed, bringing the X-trans back up. "So what's up guys?"
"I'm in Petalburg right now, on business." Minato explained.
"And I'm heading home after spending a couple weeks on Izabe Island." Kushina added. "Since you're riding your Wailmer, I guess you're on route . . . 109?"
"Right!" Naruto nodded. "I'm planning on nabbing that badge from the Dewford Gym! "
"And speaking of nabbing . . . did you win the Slateport contest?" Kushina asked. When Naruto's face fell she immediately back tracked. "Well that's okay honey, there are other contests!"
"No . . . I got the ribbon. However, to say I won it is a bit . . ." Naruto trailed off, such a heartfelt sigh leaving his lips that both parents looked at each other in bemusement.
"Did . . . something happen at the contest?" Minato ventured hesitantly.
"Though I can't say for certain, all I know is that I've acquired a heightened wariness for women. I believe old Ero-sennin said, it's a jungle out there . . . yeah." Naruto summarized as best as he was able to.
"Um . . . please explain that clearer." Kushina deadpanned.
"I can't." Naruto admitted. "But I can say that Shizuka was awesome at my contest, you should have seen her."
Minato smiled. "And how is your little Ral—"
"Ah ah!" Naruto interrupted, grinning wickedly. "My little Kirlia is doing just fine."
"Oh she evolved! Congratulations Naruto, she's the first of your Pokémon to evolve!" Kushina enthused.
"That's right; you're becoming a fantastic trainer Naruto!" Minato encouraged.
Naruto grinned bashfully, scratching behind his head. "Aw thanks guys I—"
"Bagon!" Yume barked. Naruto blinked, turning to look at what Yume was trying to point out.
"What?" Naruto asked, looking at Yasu who she was petting consolingly. "Yasu what's the matter?"
"Vee . . ." Yasu mumbled despondently, his depression almost tangible.
"Oh . . ." Minato mouthed, sheepish. "Yasu we didn't mean anything by it . . . you know an Eevee needs a stone for most evolutions! And if you haven't evolved into an Umbreon or Espeon yet, then that's just a sign that you're meant for something else!"
"He's still sensitive about that?" Kushina murmured in sympathy.
"Apparently so . . ." Naruto muttered, unnerved as he watched his best friend, slump over on his side, whimpering. Watching his baby Pokémon console the older one, while cute, was a little . . . funny.
I admit to getting a little carried away with Hinata's and Ino's battle. In my defense, I think that could legitimately happen if they were a little more focused on making the battles badass instead of making the friends cozy in Pokémon. So, reviews? The first of the year, be those lucky people haha!
See you guys in March!
Love,
Bloody Mad~3