Lee.

Riley battled like a pussy.

[Oh, excuse me? Which one of us said 'I'm not gonna carry you' then ended up needing Riolu to cover his ass?]

Don't make me come over there, you little son of a bi-!

[[Excuse me, gentleman. Lee, please continue. I've only got so much I can record before I need a new tape.]]

Oh. Heh, sorry, Kenny. I get the memo.

Disregarding my previous remark, Fallon wasn't doing so hot against Bronzong. That Shock Wave from Kadabra had rattled him, and while Bronzong was slow, Lucian used that to his advantage by using Gyro Ball.

"Fallon, use Crunch!" I ordered. I was praying I wouldn't have to use my last pokemon.

Fallon opened his jaws wide as Bronzong hurtled towards him. He caught a big metal arm in his teeth, and swung Bronzong around like a rag doll.

"Yeah!" I laughed. "Keep it up, buddy!"

Now, I'm not stupid. I know that attacks like Crunch wouldn't do much against a giant freakin' metal bell. But, in my defense, I had to think quick.

Lucian pursed his mouth into a thin line. "Bronzong, use Psychic on Fallon. Show him what brain over brawn means!"

Bronzong's body outlined in bright blue, and it levitated Fallon into the air. Fallon, scared, let go of Bronzong.

Smirk. "Release, Bronzong."

Just wakin' up in the morning,

And to be, well.

Bronzong smashed a wriggling and flailing Fallon to the ground with its psychic energy, nearly cracking the battlefield. Fallon screeched out in anger.

I snarled. "Don't take that shit, Fallon! Use Hydro Cannon, again!"

Quite honest with you,

I ain't really sleep well.

A bad mistake, using Hydro Cannon. But the damage was done. Fallon unhinged his mouth and charged, then blasted Bronzong with a thick stream of high-pressure water.

Bronzong was barely fazed by the attack. It stood-er, floated, I guess-steadily, barely even moving.

Have you ever feel like

Your train of thought's been derailed?

Fallon had to stop the attack. It would be at least several minutes before he could do anything after using Hydro Cannon.

Lucian, that little son of a bitch, he smirked.

That's when you press on,

Lee nails.

"How cute. Bronzong, use Gyro Ball while Fallon is resting."

Bronzong fanned out its metal arms, spinning at a high speed toward Fallon. He rammed into Fallon, but my tough baby boy stood tall and proud and withstood the attack.

Half the population's just

Waiting to see me fail.

"Aron!"

Shit. That girl, Tess, her Machop wiped the floor with Riley's Aron. Poor little guy never had a chance against a fighting type.

Riley looked to me, little tears gathering in his blue eyes. I don't know whether it was him losing so easily or maybe he thought I wouldn't teach him about aura any more, but he was upset.

Yeah right, you're better off

Tryin' to freeze hell.

"Don't worry, Riley, Fallon and I can do this!" I assured him. "Fallon, use Aqua Tail on Machop!"

Finished recovering from Hydro Cannon, Fallon kicked it into high gear. He waved his tail as he charged, slamming it hard into Machop.

Some of us do it for the females,

And others do it for the retail.

Machop skidded back from the blow, still standing, but couldn't take it. He fell to a knee, fainting.

"Both Riley and Tess are out of pokemon!" Marian gasped. "It's down to Lee and Lucian! Which one of our battle veterans can come out on top for their younger partner?"

But, I do it for the kids that

Life threw the towel in on.

I could see it in his eyes, Lucian did not give a damn about Tess when it came to him versus me. He wanted to come out on top.

But, I had to do it for Riley. He wanted to learn what I could teach him, and gpd dammit, a man has nothing if not his word.

Every time you fall,

It's only makin' your chin strong.

"Use Crunch, Fallon!" This is really basic thinking, but I knew Bronzong was a psychic-type. Crunch would, if nothing, do a good bit of damage.

Fallon tried to latch his jaws onto Bronzong's arm. He succeeded, but Bronzong, still spinning, nearly sent my Feraligatr airborn.

And I'll be in your corner

Like Mick, baby.

"Stand your ground, Fallon!" I urged him. "Make Bronzong stop! I know you can!"

Fallon pushed against Bronzong's body, a low growl of pain deep in his throat. He smashed one of his legs into Bronzong, letting go. He flew to the side, but managed to stun the metal behemoth.

Or, until you hear

That song from the big lady.

"Bronzong!" Lucian cried out. "Get it together!"

Fallon stumbled back to his feet. He'd done a damned brave thing. It was now or never if I intended to take the win out of Lucian's annoyingly manicured fingers.

"Fallon, use Shadow Claw while Bronzong is stunned!" I ordered, my heart rate rising. I could feel it thumping away against my ribcage like a bunny's heart. "Don't give it reaction time! Keep Bronzong down!"

Fallon drew his sharp claws, enveloping them in a shadowy aura. I saw Riley shiver a little at it. Fallon charged at Bronzong like a freight train, coming in slashing and jabbing like a bat out of hell.

My wonderful Feraligatr didn't ease up until, with a mechanical groan, the bell-looking pokemon crashed to the ground.

The entire stadium went silent for a second. Lucian looked stunned that his Bronzong had fallen. Riley held his breath.

"Fallon defeated Bronzong!" Marian squealed. "The winners of this year's annual Hearthome Tournament are Riley Davis and Top Coordinator Leon Higgins!"

The entire crowd went. Freakin'. Nuts. I grinned, soaking it up.

Fallon did it. I hadn't done shit, he was the one who took a beating to assure us the win. Riley beamed, looking happy as a little kid.

...Well, he really was a little kid. Just thirteen. The age I was when I started to train. The reality of what I just did settled in like a cloud of poisonous smoke.

"Lee, you did it! You and Fallon won!"

"Oh, wow. Jesus Christ, kid. Why the (expletive deleted) are you hugging me. Stop touching me. Get me my jacket I don't do human contact oh my God."

Riley.

After Lee won the battle for us, the Mayor of Hearthome City presented us each with $200, cash, and a small incubator with a pokemon egg in it.

Lee held his egg uncertainly. "I, uh, I don't raise new pokemon anymore, sir, I-ah, screw it. Thanks."

The egg made me a little nervous, too. Mine wasblue, with white spots all over in varying patterns. Lee's egg was pink, with a purple ruffly pattern near the bottom.

The mayor gave a speech about the teamwork shown over the course of the week by each team, how proud Hearthome was to host such a distinguished tournament each year, ectetera. I sort of drifted off a little.

We all left right when the closing ceremonies ended. Lee tagged along with my group as we went to the Pokemon Center.

"You didn't even do that much, Riley," Dee complained. "Tess and Lucian should've won. I mean-"

"What, like you and blondie were any better?" Lee cracked at her. "I never seen two girls argue so much, and I been traveling a long time."

Lee was going to pull me aside after we dropped our pokemon off at the Pokemon Center, to the hotel he'd been staying at. I was excited, and a little nervous. Lee made the concept of aura sound really cool, and really freakin' terrifying at the same time.

AOF: I started something that I've done in my other stories: song inserts.

AOF: Usually, I use lyrics from fairly popular songs to set the mood for something happening in a chapter. I never claim to have written the song itself, or any portion, although I often go without putting things such as the name of the song. If I need to put the song's name/artist in an author's note to avoid copyright issues, please just message me or include it in a review.

AOF: Btw, in case you don't know/want to know, the song used in this chapter is The Fighter by Gym Class Heroes.