Oh my! What is our little Yama going to do? Will he find something in time for the showcase? We believe in you Yama!
My current beta is doing such an awesome job! They go by the name of Killer_Squids and can be found on AO3 here ( /users/Killer_Squids). They can also be found on tumblr under the name land-banana. They have done a wonderful job with betaing for me so if you have time please give there page a look.
Chapter 25, I choose you!
Panicked Shoppers
"You had me worried, Yamaguchi!" Shimada sighed from the other side of the screen, following his comment with a small stress-relieving chuckle.
Yamaguchi did not find the situation funny in any way whatsoever. How could Shimada be so calm about it? The showcase was in less than 24 hours, and Yamaguchi was costumeless. He was going to look a fool if he showed up as-is.
Shimada seemed to sense Yamaguchi's frustration. "You need to calm down or you're going to make yourself sick, okay," he started in a calm and steady voice. "I'm sure you can find something in a nearby shop, and if not, wearing a more casual outfit will be fine."
"If I don't find something I'll be the only one not in some fancy outfit," Yamaguchi quickly retorted, leaning much too close to the camera. "If I'm the only one on stage in casual clothes I'll look so unprepared!"
"I understand your concerns, but there isn't much that can be done at this point," Shimada certified in an almost motherly tone. "Just go out and find what you can, and if you come up empty-handed, what you are wearing now will have to do. They can't turn you away because of your outfit."
"But… but… but," Yamaguchi sputtered desperately.
"Take a deep breath in through your nose, Yamaguchi," Shimada instructed from the other side of the screen.
Yamaguchi stopped his sputtering, hesitating for a moment before doing as he was told. He breathed in deeply through his nose, filling his lungs with fresh air.
"Hold it," Shimada quietly hummed.
Yamaguchi held it and counted to three.
"Now breath out through your mouth and release your tension," Shimada said, ending his instruction.
As Yamaguchi released his breath he felt bits of his tension ease up.
"Better?" Shimada asked with a knowing smile.
"A little, I guess," Yamaguchi mumbled.
"Good," Shimada nodded. "Not if you get worked up again just stop and remember to breathe. Everything is going to be okay."
Yamaguchi gave a small nod of understanding.
"Now look for an outfit and stay calm," Shimada hummed in approval. "I know you're going to do fine, Yamaguchi, regardless of what you wear."
"Th-Thanks," Yamaguchi replied with a weak smile.
With that, mentor and student bade farewell. Yamaguchi started at the blank screen as he repeated the breathing technique Shimada had just shown him. He repeated the action two more times, only stopping when his heart rate returned to normal.
With a small sigh, he picked himself up from the chair and made his way to where his friends were waiting for him in the lobby. He found Kanoka furiously flipping through her tablet and Tsukki calmly stroking a sleeping Eevee.
"Is everything okay?" Kanoka asked once she noticed Yamaguchi's return.
"I guess I need to do a bit of last minute clothes shopping," Yamaguchi tried to joke, despite his heart not being in it. "Do either of you know how many clothes shops are in the area?"
"Just one," Kanoka sighed. "At least when I checked on my tablet that's all I could find."
"This being a small town and all, I'm not too surprised," Yamaguchi deflated. "I guess I should go check and see if they have a suit in my size. You two don't have to come if you don't want to."
"No way am I going to leave you after all you've done to help me," Kanoka insisted jovially.
Yamaguchi replied with a small thankful smile.
"I have something I need to do," Tsukishima replied quietly. "I'll Eevee while you show and meet you two back at the hotel when you're done," he said before briskly walking off.
Yamaguchi felt a bit hurt that Tsukki wouldn't help, but knew the blond was not a fan of shopping. It was probably better that Tsukki wouldn't come in the end, lest he get impatient while shopping. Nevertheless, Yamaguchi was disappointed to see him go.
"Let's go then!" Kanoka cheered as she grabbed Yamaguchi by the arm and headed towards the exit. "No time to waste."
Yamaguchi gave a small 'Ack' as he stumbled after Kanoka.
It took the two a good hour to locate the clothing store. Despite the town being small in population it was quite spread out, with many winding paths. The shop was larger than Yamaguchi had expected, but didn't seem to be the type of place one would find formal clothes at. Along with the disappointing clothing selection, the shop was packed with shoppers.
"I think the men's clothes are in the back," Kanoka said as she and Yamaguchi weaved through the crows of shoppers.
Once at the back Yamaguchi was not surprised to see that the men's section was only a fourth the size as the ladies section. As he scanned the area he took notice that there didn't seem to be a single formal section.
"All I see are shirts and pants," Yamaguchi whined as he shuffled through a nearby rack.
"I'll check over here," Kanoka called as she went to the opposite side of the small section.
It didn't take the two long to check through every rack of clothes, and they'd both come up empty.
"Oh no! What am I going to do!" Yamaguchi groaned, rubbing his face in agony.
"Well, maybe just buy yourself a shiny new t-shirt," Kanoka half-joked with a shrug.
Yamaguchi shot her a look that screamed 'unhelpful'.
"How about we ask one of the workers to see if maybe we skipped over something," Kanoka suggested next, this time a bit more serious.
Yamaguchi gave a small nod of agreeance before the two jumped back into the crowd of shoppers to locate a worker. Finding a worker was a lot easier said than done. The small shop seemed severely understaffed for the amount of shoppers, but when they finally did locate a worker the lady looked quite frazzled.
"Suits?" the tall blond woman with a windswept ponytail squaked. "We don't sell suits here. You'll need to go to the next town over!"
"The next town!" Yamaguchi shouted, though it was barely noticeable over the volume of the crowd in the store. "But that's got to be a days walk away!"
"Well, we don't sell them here," The woman huffed.
Yamaguchi did his best not to panic. Shimada said a more casual outfit wasn't the end of the world. He could do with his normal clothes just fine. Despite knowing this, the lump in Yamaguchi's throat refused to go away as he tried to fight his tears.
The shopkeeper seemed to take pity on him for she gave a very soft sigh. "Listen kid, we don't sell formal attire here but just outside of town there's a small flea market happening in celebration of the showcase tomorrow. Maybe you'll find something there…"
"A flea market?" Yamaguchi echoed in a shaky voice.
"It should be starting up soon," Kanoka hummed from beside Yamaguchi, her eye studying her tablet.
"Let's go then!" Yamaguchi exclaimed, feeling a bit of hope return to himself. "Thanks for the tip!" he called over his shoulder to the worker as he and Kanoka made for the exit.
"Good luck, kid!" the woman called after.
It was noon by the time the two arrived at the edge of town. Yamaguchi was surprised to see that there was indeed a flea market being put on. He scanned over the multitude of stalls, surprised to find so many in such a small space.
"Let's start from this end and work our way down," Kanoka suggested, guiding Yamaguchi to the first stall.
With his mind still far too jazzed up to think for himself, Yamaguchi didn't argue, following along with Kanoka's plan. The two perused the first few stalls only to find handcrafted accessories for both trainer and Pokemon. Though many of the items were nice to look at none were what the two were shopping for. As the two went from tent to tent, Yamaguchi did his best to not show the panic he currently felt.
The next few isles of tents were none too different. Some sold more accessories while others sold items for the house. There was even one popular stand that displayed handcrafted furniture. The whole flea market was indeed a delight but Yamaguchi was unable to fully enjoy it with the current panic he felt.
Yamaguchi would often catch himself whispering thing such as "I still need to review the routine once more. I don't have time for this." As well as "How could I be so stupid!" as he went through waves of frustration at himself and barely controlled panic.
"I'm sure you'll find something!" Kanoka would calmly insist whenever Yamaguchi became flustered.
A good hour had passed by the time two had near reached the end of the market. Yamaguchi felt utterly defeated. They hadn't come across a single costume that would work for the showcase. Most of the clothes they'd found were just old outfits people were looking to make a buck off of, but nothing that would work for a showcase costume. It was when the duo came across the second to last stall that a flame of hope welled up in Yamaguchi's chest.
It was a small tent with a few nice looking suits and dresses displayed just outside of it. Without much thought, Yamaguchi rushed to the tent. His eyes lingered on a dazzling emerald green suit that glittered under the late noon sun. It was far too flashy for his taste, but something about it spoke to him. He knew he'd look like a star on the stage in something that shiny. He just hoped they had something in his size.
"E-Excuse m-me!" Yamaguchi sputtered as he and Kanoka entered the tent.
"Hello there," Greeted an older woman from the back of the ten, who was currently stitching away at a frilly pink dress. "How can I help you?" She asked, standing and addressing the two.
"I was w-wondering if maybe you h-had some suits?" Yamaguchi asking in a shaky voice, his nerves still far too on edge. He knew the question must have sounded silly for the woman sent him a peculiar smile.
"Yeah, we have suits," she replied with a cocky half smile as her eyes landed on a rather dashing kids tuxedo that hung directly next to Yamaguchi.
Kanoka muffled a frustrated sigh at the woman's sass as Yamaguchi's cheeks went bright pink.
"What I mean is a suit for myself," Yamaguchi clarified quickly as he tried to stay at least somewhat confident.
"A suit for you…" The woman hummed as she examined him from head to toe. "Well, you're kind of tall," She said more to herself then the two shoppers.
"Anything would do honestly," Yamaguchi prompted in much hope.
"Let me see what I have in the back," She sighed, her tone doubtful.
Yamaguchi gave a small whine as she disappeared behind a curtain to the back of the small tent. He hoped to god that she had at least something.
Full of nerves, Yamaguchi quietly looked around the small tent. He felt his heart sink as he came to realize that much of the merchandise looked far too small for him. Kanoka must have had the same thought for she whispered: "A lot of these dresses seem to be for kids…"
"Sorry, kid, but I'm afraid I don't have anything in your size with me," The woman said as she returned from the back. "I have some items that might fit you back at my workshop."
"Is your workshop near here?" Yamaguchi asked, his tone full of hope.
The woman frowned as she shook her head 'no'.
"How soon do you need your suit by?" she asked, her tone a bit solemn at coming up empty-handed.
"Tomorrow," Yamaguchi groaned, knowing there was most likely nothing this woman could do to help him.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't help you then," the woman replied with a sorry shake of her head. "But good luck finding your suit."
Yamaguchi felt his flame of hope blow out. How could this have happened. With all these tents and not a single one sold a suit in his size. He gave a forced smile as he thanked the woman for her help. With all hope lost, he led Kanoka back to their hotel.
"Oh, Yamaguchi, I'm so sorry we couldn't find anything," Kanoka had consoled on their walk back. "But it's not a total loss. You don't need a fancy outfit to perform."
"R-Right," Yamaguchi had replied in a very broken voice. He had put so much preparation into this showcase performance. He couldn't help but hate himself at the moment. He had put so much time and effort into his routine and, as always, fumbled it all up because he was too stupid to get everything right.
The rest of the walk home was quiet. Yamaguchi refused to speak in fear that he might cry, and Kanoka picked up on his mood very easily. Once at the hotel, Kanoka excused herself to her room to allow Yamaguchi some time alone to unwind.
Yamaguchi dragged himself into the elevator, down the long hall, and to his room. He was surprised to find the room empty and void of any Pokemon or of Tsukki. He felt disappointed to find it in such a state, wanting nothing more than to be beside his best friend.
With a pained groan, Yamaguchi kicked off his shoes and face planted on his bed. He nuzzled his pillow for a moment as tears began to spill from his eyes. He knew he wasn't disqualified from the showcase, but that didn't make him feel any better about this big mishap. He had really let himself down and into so, let his team down.
He glanced over at the clock to find that it read 2:00pm. He needed to get up and practice before the day ended, but he knew in his current state he was going to be nothing but useless to Popplio. She deserved better than his sorry ass. Deciding he did need a good moment to calm down, he set the alarm on the clock for 4pm, promising to himself to dedicate the evening to practice. He then lay back down in bed and practiced the breathing exercises Shimada had taught him. With each breath out, he calmed down more and more before he was relaxed enough that he fell into a dreamless nap.
It was the sound of the door closing and a happy cry from Eevee that awoke Yamaguchi. The small shiny puffball lept from Tsukki's arms and nuzzled close to her beloved trainer. Yamaguchi gave a small start before allowing Eevee down his shirt. The baby Pokemon burrowed deep, snuggling close to Yamaguchi. The warmth and softness of her fur brought a bit of joy to his misery.
"I take it you didn't find anything?" Tsukishima mumbled as Yamaguchi heard him shuffle across the room and sit at the foot of the bed.
Yamaguchi groaned in reply as he rubbed his face with his hands.
"Are you just going to sit here all afternoon and feel sorry for yourself?" Tsukishima dryly asked.
"No!" Yamaguchi shortly replied as he removed his hands and glared at his friend.
Tsukishima merely smiled at him with one of his cocky smiles, but as always his eyes carried a softness he saved only for Yamaguchi. "Good, because a package came in for you," Tsukishima hummed, tossing a large brown box onto Yamaguchi's legs.
Very confused, Yamaguchi sat up, pulling the box into his lap. Eevee made a small squeak of protest as her position on Yamaguchi's chest altered. Yamaguchi ignored the grumbles of his beloved Eevee as he eyes the package.
"But… who?" Yamaguchi barely got out as he was still caught quite off guard.
"Open it up and find out," Tsukishima shrugged smugly.
Yamaguchi gave him a playful grimace before returning his attention to the package. He only hesitated a moment before peeling the tape off the box. With his breath held, he opened the lid to the boy to find a layer of very nearly folded tissue paper. He looked from the content to Tsukki. Tsukishima fought a smile as he motioned for Yamaguchi to carry on. Yamaguchi quickly returned his attention to the aforementioned paper. With a shaky hand, he peeled the paper back to reveal a very stunning light blue suit top whose buttons were adorned with shining crystal gemstones. Pinned into the collar was a small note.
With disbelieving shaking hands, Yamaguchi pulled the note from the corner and saw that it read. "Just in case - Shimada"
It didn't take long for Yamaguchi's gaping mouth to form into a bright smile. He plucked the suit top from the box to find a matching blue vest with matching gemstone buttons. Under the vest he found a pair of matching pants and under those was a soft white button up shirt with a sparkling blue bow tie. As Yamaguchi examined each piece of clothing he was surprised to also find a pair of shining white dress shoes.
"Why don't you try it on," Tsukishima suggested doing his best to sound disinterested.
Without a word, and forgetting about Eevee, Yamaguchi sprang from the bed. Eevee tumbled out of his shirt and onto the bed in a surprised heap. She sent her trainer and very disbelieving look before making herself comfortable beside Tsukki.
"Sorry, Eevee," Yamaguchi mumbled as he scooped up his prize and headed for the bathroom.
It didn't take him long to change and, to his surprise once again, the suit fit like a glove. It was neither too long nor too short in any place. As he looked himself over in the bathroom mirror, he felt like a million Pokedollars.
"But, how?" Yamaguchi sputtered in utter disbelief as he stumbled out of the bathroom in his new get up.
"Who cares how?" Tsukishima replied dryly as he examined Yamaguchi.
"Well, how do I look," Yamaguchi asked, striking a pose.
"You look great, I guess," Tsukishima complimented as he failed to hide the pink in his cheeks.
"You think so?" Yamaguchi asked as he examined his arms and legs once more. "I just can't believe how well it fits. How did Shimada know my size!?"
"He's your mentor. I guess and they just know these things?" Tsukishima shrugged.
"I don't recall ever telling him it myself though," Yamaguchi hummed as he tried to recall if he had.
"Well, now that that catastrophe has been averted, shouldn't you be focusing on practice?" Tsukishima cut in with a mocking hum.
"Right! Practice!" Yamaguchi almost shouted as he looked to the clock to see that it was only 3:00pm. "Plenty of time!" Yamaguchi said as he skipped into the bathroom to remove his new suit.
Tsukishima allowed himself to smile as he watched his friend skip away. Eevee looked up to him with a questioning purr. Tsukishima patted her head gently to reassure the baby Pokemon. "Remember, it's our secret," he whispered as Eevee snuggled up close to him once more.
Well now. I wonder if Shimada really knew Yamaguchi's size all on his own. It's a good thing the suite came but we all must agree that Yamaguchi would be great no matter what he wore. Now all we have to do is wait and see if Yama is really ready for his first showcase. Shine like the star you are, Yama 3
I am having internet troubles but will do my best to get a chapter up next weekend. If all goes according to plan than I should. I will also get back to everyone's reviews and comments once I have stable internet once more.
As always, thank you all so much for the kudoes, follows, bookmarks, review and likes. You don't know how much joy it brings me when a day is crap and I see a reply on this fic. It really gets be excited to come home and write. If you have time after reading please do drop on down and leave a comment or review.
Well, that is all for this week. See you all next chapter.