"Oh, I don't know what you've been told, But this gal right here's gonna rule the world, Yeah, that is where I'm gonna be because I wanna be, No, I don't wanna sit still, look pretty"- Daya, Sit Still, Look Pretty

Training can be something of a chore sometimes. Moments like these is when I realize that I'd rather be filing papers and helping Professor Juniper with research rather than fighting the same wild Pokémon and strangers who don't take too well to eye contact.

"Ganon, come out," I say, releasing Ganon from his Pokéball. Victory Road looms ahead of us, and although it is snowing heavily, that doesn't stop the construction workers from repairing the damages and setting up the new path. I'm told that the way from Opelucid City will soon be blocked off due to the damages from N's Castle so they're going to dig an alternate route. Of course, this is sponsored by none other than Clay's company.

Ganon's the biggest member of my team and he has the ability to keep me warm. I've made sure to make final preparations on my Pokémon's levels and movepools. All of them are precisely at level sixty-three save for Ganon, who is at level sixty-five.

"You've been with me from the start," I tell him as Victory Road looms in over our heads. There are cones directing us on where to walk and almost all of the entryways of these steep slopes are blocked off. "Are you read for this?"

Ganon smacks his fist to his hand, signaling that he's ready.

We walk together through this valley of challenges.

Due to the upcoming changes, there seems to be a decent amount of trainers over at the Pokémon Center by the summit.

When I reach the check-in counter, the nurse gives me a big sigh. "Another trainer? We're almost entirely filled to the brim." I can tell she's overworked based on the purple bags under her brown eyes. I feel sorry for her.

"She can stay in my room, with me. It won't be a big deal," a voice says from behind me. I turn around and there's Roxie leaning behind the counter, her guitar case sticking out of her back.

"Hey!" I don't know how this sudden bubble of excitement that's in my stomach has formed, but I hug Roxie, who hugs back. She hasn't changed a single bit since I saw her in Castelia City. "I haven't seen you in so long!"

Roxie smirks. "Right back at ya." She turns around to the nurse. "Yeah, we can share a room together. She's one of the few I can tolerate. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"Of course not. It'll make my job easier."

I take my bags and follow Roxie to the hallway where the rooms are. This Center is rather small compared to most of them and it looks what it could be the usual amount of people I see at Centers but it looks like more due to the size of it.

When I drop my bags and sit on the unused bed, Roxie plops down and sighs. I begin to take off my hat, my scarf, and my Xtransceiver, placing them all inside the safety of my bag.

"Six times, Bianca! Six times I went to that sleeping little witch and all six times she beat me. I'm going to try again, but I've got a secret weapon this time. Cya, come out!" Out comes this small blue and black Pokémon with no eyes, it seems like, or at least, they're obscured by black fur. I take my Pokédex out and record the information of the Deino. t's much tinier than the Deinos I've seen around these parts. This one is probably under two feet tall. Apparently, this is the initial form of Hydreigon, which was the Pokémon I rode around Unova with Iris that one time.

Good times.

"Cya's part Dark so she's gonna help me whip that whelp's butt, aren't you?" The Deino, doesn't respond and looks at the wall. I assume this is because of its blindness. I also think it might be in part of the barely there bond because otherwise, she would have made the effort to look in Roxie's direction by following the sounds of her voice.

"So how's your life been?" Roxie says. "It's been quite a while since we last saw each other." She picks up the Deino and places it on her lap. It doesn't understand what's going on and starts to wiggle, but Roxie calms it down by stroking its head.

"All right. I'm still Professor Juniper's assistant and I'm still figuring out what I want in this life."

"Is it exciting?" She asks, the Deino now trying to munch at her fingers with its toothless mouth.

I hesitate. "I personally think it is, but someone like you probably wouldn't."

I feel bad almost immediately when I say this, but if I offended her then it went over Roxie's head. Roxie's the type to immediately strike back anyway.

"I can see how. And that guy you like?"

"Colress? Oh, we're just friends."

"Please don't tell me you haven't seen him in months."

I go back to when I last saw him, which happened to be at the hospital. "Umm...we text sometimes." Sometimes meaning a few months ago before I got carried away in training and in helping Juniper.

Roxie drops her jaw, dumbfounded. "Really? I know chemistry when I see it. I was the one of the best in my class."

"He's too old for me."

"So? The guy I like is twenty-eight. Do you think that's gonna hold me back?" Roxie calls back her Deino and impulsively reaches my bag at the edge of the bed. Her hands dig through my bag before I even notice what she's trying to do. She finds my Xtransceiver.

"What are you doing with that?" I try to pry the device away from her hands, but she shifts her entire body away from mine and I'm unable to overpower her and her guitar case. "Give it back!" I feel panic starting to kick in. Maybe I still have a massive crush on him.

"Relax. I'm just going to break the ice. You'll thank me later." She begins to text and I wince when I see her press enter. Truth be told, even though I find this invasive, a part of me wants to see what could come out of this. "Look, if he writes back in the next three minutes, then he's inter—" a buzz interrupts her. "Ha! He's freaking interested." She types back vehemently. I wait for a few more minutes. "There ya go. Now you do the rest because I am not some kind of guy walkthrough, okay?"

I look at "my" text history with him.

"Me": Hey!

Colress: Good afternoon, Bianca. How are you?

"Me": I'm at the Pokémon Center right next to the League. Gonna go challenge the Champion.

Colress: That's amazing. I knew you'd be able to make it through. I wish you the best of luck.

"Me": Will you watch me?

Colress: Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

"Me" :)

"You're blushing," Roxie says, interrupting my third readthrough. "Hehehehe, I'm a great ghostwriter and I don't even use Ghost-types." She cackles to herself. "Speaking of ghostwriters, when do you plan on challenging the E4?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

Roxie looks disappointed from this. "Really? You're not gonna stick around?"

"I only want to do this once and once only. I have obligations to fulfill and I really only want to see how far I can go."

"So what happens to said obligations if you become Champion?"

I brush off what she says and shake my head. "I strongly doubt I'll beat White. She's my best and oldest friend and I have never ever beat her. Not even when we first battled for the first time in our lives. This is more of a testament to the strength of myself and my Pokémon and honestly, I don't know what I'd do if I became Champion. I'd lose my mind. I'd relinquish it on the spot."

Roxie takes out her guitar from her case (I think it's a bass guitar, I'm not good with instruments) and begins to gently strum it. I lie down and close my eyes to the soft melody Roxie's conjured. It's the last thing I can remember.

I register with the system that unlocks the gates through a Pokédex scan. Roxie is right behind me.

"Hey, are you sure you want to do this so quickly? We can go around Victory Road and practice double battling or something?" Is it me, or is Roxie actually kind of sad when she says this? Who would have thought? I already spent all my remaining cash on the in-house Pokémon Center since I'd rather have spent it all on useful items rather than lose it to someone else. Even if I win all four battles and lose against White, I'll have a hefty sum that will help me take a ride home. I saw there was a service that could take you anywhere in Unova from Victory Road.

"I'm certain. I'll see you in a few hours."

There's no turning back after I scan my Pokédex anyway.

"Good luck. I know you can do this."

I give Roxie a small smile and I walk onto the middle podium, where the gate harshly closes behind me. There's symbols on each door. To the far left is a purple symbol with mischievous eyes, which I'm certain is Shauntal's. To the right of hers is a black one with a crescent moon on it. Afterwards is a pink eye staring at you, which I assume is Roxie's nemesis and the final one at the far right is that of a brown fist. Compared to other regions (especially in the Eastern ones), Unova is a little more lax, allowing you a choice over who to fight first and so on and so forth.

"I don't know about you, but I'd try the one you'd think you'd be weakest to first," Roxie says from the other side of the gate. "That way you don't lose out on the cash.

"You're still here?"

"Well yeah."

I'm more confident about battling Grimsley, Marshal, and even Caitlin to a certain extent. So that leaves...

I walk to the far left room and make my entrance.

Books. There's books everywhere. They're on the floor, on stacks, there's even books flying around. The atmosphere is actually really spooky, but in a weird way, it reminds me of the mess Juniper's lab is...just without the flying books and all.

At the top is a girl in all purple with a darker shade of purple as her cape. Even her short hair is purple. She's too busy writing to even notice my presence. Or at least, I think she does.

"She yearned to see those grey-blue eyes once more. She wanted to explore the bonds of human and Pokémon with him. That is why she ran away and never looked back," she reads. Shauntal looks up at me, her brown eyes behind glasses meeting my own eyes. "That's part of a romance novel I wrote. I just love writing about bonds between trainers and Pokémon. Fictional, of course. My name is Shauntal and I am your first chosen Elite Four member to fight, am I right, Bianca?"

"Yes." That story...is it about...no. I almost want to ask how she knows my name, but I'm pretty sure she was given the information beforehand.

"I'd like to know, what inspires you and brings your passion forth?"

"Ummm..." I say. "I'm still looking."

"I guess I'll have to get back to you on that one. Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath. "As ready as I'll ever be."

She goes first and out comes a coffin-like Pokémon with wiggly arms and a wide grin. Cofagrigus. I know she's a pure Ghost type and I have almost nothing that can counteract that. My best bet is to take a gamble and go with Poe the Chandelure. Shauntal's Pokémon is a level fifty while Poe is a level fifty-seven. I learned from Drayden that just because my Pokémon are higher leveled than my opponent's, it doesn't mean I should ever underestimate them.

"Is that your final choice?" Shauntal says, raising her purple eyebrow and giving me a close-mouthed grin reminiscent of her Cofagrigus.

I nod, feeling ready as ever.

"Poe, use Shadow Ball!" I yell. She rises, facing upwards towards the ceiling where Shauntal's chandeliers lurk, their blue flames emanating. Her Shadow Ball is unlike the one I've seen during practice. Yes, it's different than when she was a Lampent or a Litwick, but I'm pretty sure the atmosphere has everything to do with how powerful it looks. She absorbs the flames, doing it at a speed I didn't think was possible and hurls the ball at the Cofagrigus. It falls to the ground, it's arms making what looks like a push-up before it loses against its own weight.

It knocks it out in one turn. Poe, being as jolly as ever, loops around the ceiling and makes a triumphant cry.

"I can see your energy, you know," Shauntal says, her monotone voice continuing. "You don't look it, but you and your Pokémon are a lot more than meets the eye. Your Chandelure was quick to feel the aura of my ghostly chandeliers, but two can play at that game."

A large, pink Pokémon comes out. I remember seeing it in trainer battles. A Jellicent, one of the Unovan Pokémon with different forms from male to female. She's large and before I can recall Poe, I hear a gusting noise.

Wait, no, it's not gusting. It sounds like a drain. I see water seeping from her endless bookshelves, the pages leaking with them, pouring to the bottom. Before I know it the water rises from the ground to the ceiling, moving in a way I now recognize. It's Surf. A very stylish one, too.

There's not much I can do, as she's lost in the current.

The Jellicent's red eyes meet mine as she manipulates the waves in my direction. Poe is at my feet, completely fainted. That's one of my five Max Revives gone for after this battle, if I can make it through.

"You did good, my jolly little lantern," I tell her. Her candles fade and I can't bear to watch her any longer.

Next up is Courage, who I know can tackle the now floating wet books. Poe is fast, but Courage is faster, instantly knowing that he has to avoid her page-ridden whirlpools. "Try to use some Energy Balls!" I tell him. His eyes find mine and we have a moment of understanding. Poe may be fast, but his aim isn't totally the best there is. He's lucky his target is big and despite that, he still misses some of his energy balls.

It works, as the green lights do significantly weaken her, I can see her surfs getting weaker, but she's still not to where I need her to be. Shauntal is busy telling her Jellicent orders. I see she covers the crown on her head with her tentacles.

"Poe you're doing great!" I yell! But you need to get closer. The crown! That's where you need to fire. Get one good one and you're golden!"

Courage jumps from book to book, making an ascent as he flies to where the top of his opponent's head is and tackles her down with one good Energy Ball. She falls to the ground in front of Shauntal.

She's quick yet again, and a familiar face is met again.

Except not.

A Chandelure, just like mine, but she's bigger and her affects are different. She's a lot haughtier than Poe and I know what she's up to.

"Courage, get back here!" I recall him just as the Candelure floats to the ceiling. Everything in this battle is all about power and speed. Shauntal's the kind of trainer who is quick-thinking and manipulating of her environment. I'm only halfway through this one battle and I'm totally exhausted!

Luckily, her greatest strength so far will make for a weakness and Madge's got her work cut out for her.

Despite her Chandelure using the chandelier's flames, Shauntal's face falls when the waters rise and damage whatever it was that she was intending to use on my Pokémon. I feel relief when her final pokémon turns out to be a Golurk, because it goes out like a light as well.

Relief pours in when the room lights up. Shauntal smiles and fixes her cape.

"Wow. I'm dumbstruck! I know a lot of words, but right now I can't figure out how to say this. Perhaps, if the feeling I'm having now is put into words, it will be trapped there. Amazing! May your ghostly endeavors pursuit you on the way forward, Trainer Bianca." She bows and the door opens behind me.

That's one down, three to go.

I decide that the next opponent I ought to fight is Grimsley.

He sits in a red velvet chair, looking swank in a three-piece suit. His room is barren unlike Shauntal's, but elegant and much like the subject of her books. There is classical music playing the background.

"Ah, my sister has told me much about you and your friends, milady." I remember that Elesa is his younger sister, his eyes the same shade of blue as hers. "You are aware that life is a serious battle, young one. I hold the cards that will determine how you fare in your next battles. If you can beat me." His personality is much more different than his sister's. He's much more formal, yet there's a wild streak to him. Somehow Elesa is more approachable than he is.

"Shall we dance, milady?"

"I can't dance very well," I tell him. "I'm kinda clumsy." Ganon is out. I have to try my best, even if I'm clumsy.

"No matter. Then we'll have to take it slow. Let's try Foxtrot, yes?" A Liepard is brought out. I suppose he named it Foxtrot. "Now Foxtrot, let's do our starting measure." The music changes and his Liepard stomps his feet. I check my app. Whoops. It's a her.

Ganon flinches at the fake out and the Liepard purrs at him. The lights go out, with only two spotlights showing at the two of us. I know the cameras are probably recording all this. Foxtrot is bold, purring at Ganon's legs like a house pokémon.

"Ganon! Hit her with a Brick Break. She's ripe for a hit!" But he stays in place, his eyes closing.

Grimsley chuckles. "My, my, my no one can resist the great beauty that is my Foxtrot. Such a beautiful melody, her gaze is quite seductive." Ganon pets her head. He's got a crush! No!

"Ganon get your head out of the water! She's using you! No!"

She pounces on him as Grimsley commands an Aerial Ace.

"Ah! No!" I scream even louder, grabbing my hat.

She hits Ganon hard and the worst part is that he doesn't seem to mind.

Plan B! Plan B!

I scramble, searching through my bag, but by the time I reach Sheik's pokéball, Ganon's on the floor with the Liepard gloating over his fainted form. That's another down. Oh no! And people say Liepards are lame pokémon.

"Swell job, Foxtrot!"

"Sheik, come out!" I can't have this happen anymore. Good thing she's a girl because attract won't work on her. Sheik gets right to work with her Brick Break the way Ganon was supposed to all along and the Liepard turns out to be surprisingly weak. This must be what Grimsley was playing at. The lights go out where he's standing.

"Hmm. Perhaps we'll go at a quicker pace. Perhaps a Quickstep?" The light goes back on and a Scrafty is standing in front of Grimsley.

"Sheik, just keep doing what you're doing!" We need to spam Brick Break until there's no opponents left. Sheik isn't afraid to go toe-to-toe with her foe, the two eye each other just before he tackles into her and she responds back. He goes down quickly, thank goodness, but I realize that Sheik isn't totally well herself.

"Sheik?" I ask. She turns around, her breathing erratic. She's poisoned.

I recall Lenora and how she used one of her pokémon as a meat shield. Grimsley is aware that once my second Fighting-type is gone, he might have an advanatge over me. I still have my one last trump card, but I don't want to get down to him.

"Now, Tango." The music changes to something slower paced and I'm met with a Krookodile, his arms crossed. Sheik's movements are slower and Tango wastes no time in bludgeoning her with earthquakes. The ground shakes while she tries to dodge the cracks on the floor and when she finally reaches to where he is, she uses Brick Break. But she trips into the cracks, falling in the graceful manner I've known Mienshaos can do.

I'm glad Grimsley's pokémon aren't the most sturdy because the Krookodile is Ko'ed. Even though Sheik is as well. That means I've spent half my revives when I'm done with this battle.

"Now do the coup de grace and my favorite dance. The Waltz. Shall we, milady?" Grimsley extends his hands, releasing a Bisharp. It's tall and elegant, much like him.

I didn't want to do this, but I need Courage one more time. I can't use the environment against him, except for the spotlight, but Courage isn't the best with darkness, because he's afraid of it. I'm in quite a pickle.

"Use Brick Break!" I tell him.

"Is that all your Pokémon know how to do? Marshal will be so disappointed in you," he says. "How very boring."

I try to not let his mocking tone get to me.

His Bisharp's claws hone in and make a sharp noise, much like cutting. "Yes, use X-Scissor!"

I wince. "Courage! Fight your fears and go into the dark! We'll lose if you're attacked!" Well, I still have three more but my chances of seeing White will have greatly diminished. He scurries off.

"Lights out!" Grimsley says and the lights go out, the darkness enveloping the room. All I can hear is the whirring of scissors and my own breath. The only light I have is my app informing me of our pokémon's healths.

"Uhhh, Courage?" I ask in the darkness. All I can do is hear the noises. Courage's screams and the Bisharp's mechanical whirls. Then a clattering.

All is silent for a moment. The backlight of my app goes out.

"Um..." I say. "Is it okay, if we um...the lights?"

"Lights, please?" Grimsley says.

My eyes scan the room and we find the Bisharp on the ground, looking defeated while Courage sits on top of him, barely on his last toes.

I breathe in a sight of relief that even though Courage is on his last legs, he's victorious! "Yay!" I run to him and give him a great big hug!

Grimsley is at my foot, the music going back to normal. "Milady?" he reaches his arms and my palm meets his, shaking his hand. He's really cute now that I look at him. Really cute. I think I'm blushing! Oh my gosh!

"Congratulations. You've bested me in this dance,milady." He bows and my blush grows even worse when his lips reach the back of my hand.

"It...it was great!" I say dumbly. Two down, two to go.

I try to quench my nerves as I step outside and revive my two fainted Pokémon. I just have Caitlin and Marshal left to beat before getting to White. And two more Max Revives if I'm not careful. I've wasted three of them already and if I use the remaining two, then that just means that I'll start with a disadvantage against White and not a full team.

"I can do this," I say to myself. I repeat it in a chant over and over again. The fact that I've made it this far is enough already. Honestly I didn't think I'd beat two of the Elite Four. Maybe I can get to White. Maybe there is somehow a faint possibility that I might beat her. But I don't want to think about that. The next thing I gotta think about is the task at hand!

Ahh I'm so nervous!

Big Shoutout to IcyAngels452 for kicking me forward from this lull. I've been working a lot lately and time has been sort of elusive because, well, I explained a lot of it in my previous chapter's note. I decided I was gonna split up the E4 chapters in two just so I don't feel horrible about not uploading. I can't believe 9 months has passed me by like that! I won't let it happen again!