*WHAT* INSERTION?
by Curtis Wildcat
Chapter Twenty-One, Part B
Psyche, Psyched, and Psycho
"Remember you're fighting for this woman's honor, which is probably more than she ever did!"
/-/-/-/
(Cue theme)
/-/-/-/
Dolphin walked out of the lobby's adjacent office, still shaking her head after her Contest Pass was finally prepared and given to her. That was...not a pleasant experience. At least, not to her. Pocketing the Pass and the Ribbons Case that she'd been given, she shivered for a second as she considered how frightening cameras were up close.
Since there was still time before she was to enter the Coordinators' waiting room, she decided to look around and find something to do. Seeing someone sitting next to her temporary charge, she smiled playfully. After all, while Phibrizzo wasn't above an occasional joke at someone's expense, Dolphin was a past master at it.
Walking silently- - -while remaining as calm as possible- - -behind the chairs and past the woman's line of sight, she stooped down until she was roughly eye level with her. Taking on as menacing an expression as she was capable of, she tapped the woman's shoulder.
The person turned to see who wanted her.
"Yeeeeek!"
/-/-/-/-/
A minute or so earlier, Sabrina had just gotten done introducing herself. Inwardly, she was happy that this...girl didn't hold the actions of years past against her. Even after all this time, the majority of Saffron's residents had trouble believing that she was trying to put her past behind her. She didn't blame them; when word got out that she was somewhat unstable, the League wondered how they could safely replace her.
And to think that a child trainer and a mischevious Haunter managed to snap me out of it...
Even without checking any further into Vi's mind, Sabrina knew that the girl felt ill at ease with her surroundings. She didn't know whether it was because she didn't like to be around crowds of people, or whether she was new in the area. When Vi looked out the windows briefly to see a trainer and his Butterfree go by, the gym leader figured it was the latter reason; the girl had winced involuntarily upon seeing the giant bug.
It explains why she's not afraid of me, at any rate.
Someone tapped Sabrina's shoulder. Straightening, she turned to see who wanted to talk to her...
...and saw a face straight out of her nightmares. Instinctively, she screeched and nearly fell out of her chair in an attempt to get away, but stopped herself in time as she recognized a face that she'd seen on the news several times: Lauren Aqua, the Water Dancer.
Hold on a minute... Lauren Aqua? Why'd she... what's she here for? I thought she lived in Cerulean City.
Next to her, Vi rolled her eyes and groaned. "It's bad enough to try and scare me, but to frighten someone you don't even know? You don't exactly have a lot of friends, do you, Lauren?"
Lauren let go of the frightening visage, which seemed to dissolve back into the face of a twenty-year-old (roughly). She raised an eyebrow questioningly, holding a sign that read: 'Well, excuse me for making up for lost time.' She flipped the sign around. 'I didn't exactly have a normal childhood.'
Wondering what in the world the woman was thinking by scaring her- - -never mind making up for lost time- - -Sabrina decided to take a quick look, promising to break contact when she got the info she needed. Right when Vi would've finished reading the sign, the gym leader heard: I didn't have a childhood, period. I never- - -what the!?
Before Sabrina could question this and probe deeper, Lauren locked eyes with her. The performer's eyes narrowed, and a dim glow gave her skin and face a sea-blue tint. With the fury lurking behind her eyes, Sabrina felt that she had stepped into a Sharpedo cage...without the bars. I suggest you keep your mind out of my head, Lauren's mental voice warned. What goes on in here is none of your business. Nothing in here is fit for a child's viewing, anyway.
Buckling down, Sabrina gritted her teeth; as Vi looked on curiously, she answered: What do you mean? All I wanted to know was what you were trying to achieve by scaring me. That look you gave me was entirely unprovoked!
I make my own fun, Lauren declared. I really don't care if I make any enemies or not. There's nothing anyone can do, anyway; the world's my personal playground, and people are nothing but swings and jungle gyms as far as I'm concerned. Well, except for Misty. I owe her.
Sabrina ignored Lauren's haughtiness for the moment. Well, at least tell me what you mean by 'not fit for a child's viewing'. What, did you do something horrible and wind up on Kanto's Most Wanted?
Lauren's face lost some of its fury. Up until a few months ago, I was plagued by nightmares and delusions. I don't have any special fondness for people, but what I saw... I can't think of any way to describe it; that's how bad it is. I continuously wasted energy fighting off threats and images that weren't there. If I allowed you free reign inside my mind, you'd be reduced to a vegetable. Please... just take my word for it. You'll be much better off.
Sabrina's face also softened. I see. I'm sorry, then. If it means anything, I'm capable of making my own fun as well.
Lauren looked at her curiously. What are you talking about?
Sabrina saw something floating behind the older woman. Smiling, she said: For starters, you can turn around for a moment.
Curiously, Lauren did so...
SPLUT!
...and got nailed in the face with a pie.
Sabrina couldn't help herself, leaning on the chairs as she laughed. Vi, while outwardly calm, was no less amused. Lauren, flabbergasted, didn't react at first; she just stood there as crumbs and Cheri filling dripped onto the floor. Finally, she held up a sign. 'Okay, maybe I deserved that one.'
Apparently, Sabrina's Haunter- - -who was never too far away, and had snuck up on Lauren when she wasn't looking- - -thought so as well, joining in with his part-time trainer's laughter.
/-/-/-/-/
Time: 10:28a.m.
The attendant at the front desk checked the clock. More people were filling in, aiming to watch the upcoming contest. In a half-hour, the contest would start; and in only a few minutes, it would be too late for any more coordinators to sign up.
Since no one else seemed intent on entering besides the nine that were already listed, the attendant began to finalize the listing on the computer...
"Excuse me?"
Perking up, the attendant had to peek over the edge of the desk to see who had spoken. She was surprised to note that it was a smiling seven-year-old boy with scraggly raven-colored hair. "Is it too late to obtain a Contest Pass?"
/-/-/-/-/
As the photo was taken and the Contest Pass prepared- - -seeing that its recipient's only proof of his status wasn't a Pokédex- - -Phibrizzo and the others had other things on their minds...or in, as the case may be. Talk about cutting it close.
"I'll say," Curtis agreed. "Another minute and we wouldn't have made it. Do you think we thought up a flashy enough demonstration for the preliminaries?"
I hope so. The judges here go for what looks the best, so we had to use what we had. I wish we could've seen who our competition was. Phibrizzo thanked the attendant who'd made the Contest Pass for him, accepted it along with a Ribbons Case, then exited the room and made his way- - -with help from a posted map- - -to where the Coordinators' Room was. So we're supposed to make our Pokémon battles flashy, too?
"If at all possible," Curtis confirmed. "It impresses the judges, keeps the crowd's attention, and just plain looks cool. You lose points for certain mistakes, such as missing the opponent altogether or taking damage from an attack. Keep an eye on the scoreboard from time to time to see how things are going."
"And if you're going to fight your sister," Inuyasha added, "you shouldn't even bother using fire. That Vaporeon's going to wipe you out."
Don't worry, Phibrizzo said as he turned a corner, passing a telephone. A janitor was working hard waxing the floor, but he paid the man no heed. I'll think of somethin- - -
The telephone rang. The janitor snapped up from the floor- - -as if he'd been expecting it- - -and tried to answer it, but Phibrizzo beat him to the punch. Yanking the phone off the hook as the man protested, he considered what to say... and smiled as he realized why the man was so upset at him. It was time for some fun.
Talking into the receiver and slapping one hand over the janitor's mouth, Phibrizzo adjusted his voice and said:
/-/-/-/-/-/
"Yakov's Bar and Grill. Yakov speaking!"
Cassidy did a double-take, eyes glancing towards her cell phone in surprise. She'd taken down the number of that particular telephone, and she was sure she hadn't mis-dialed. "Sorry. I was trying to reach a man named 'Butch' at the Saffron Contest Hall."
A moment's pause, then: "Well, there's a man named 'Curt' here, but I don't think it's who you're looking for."
Cassidy thought for a few seconds. For some reason, people tended to forget her partner's name; sometimes, she forgot it herself. She didn't think anyone would be so far off track as to give him a name like that, though. "I see. Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Yakov," she said apologetically.
"No problem," the voice said. "And call me Elvis."
"Right," Cassidy replied dryly, hanging up the phone. Elvis, indeed.
/-/-/-/-/
Phibrizzo hung up, an amused smile on his lips. The practical joke has just reached a whole new level.
"The trick is to use it only with suspicious callers," Curtis said. "Otherwise, you're asking for a whole lot of trouble."
"You ever try it yourself?" Inuyasha asked. "You sound as if you'd be good at it."
"I've never actually tried it, no," Curtis told him. "I don't like being grounded, and I think it's a waste of time, anyway. It actually sounds more like something my older brother would do."
Before Phibrizzo could comment on the chances of him being grounded when he was in college, the man behind him was able to push his hand off his mouth. "Little brat," he snapped. "I was expecting an important call!"
"If you can talk on the phone during business hours," Phibrizzo said coldly without turning his head, "then you can work. I don't know what rules janitors follow, but I don't think they allow time to shirk responsibilities."
"How do you know who I was getting the call from?" the man protested. "For all you know, it could've been my boss...even my parents! Miserable kid!"
Phibrizzo slowly turned his head, his yellow-green eyes glittering. "I don't think it was your parents," he said softly. "The voice sounded too young. Anyway, if it had been your boss, I would've told him that I don't want anything to do with him...Hutch."
The man growled, his hands tightening. "The name is Butch! Butch! It would not hurt people to try and remember what my name is! Is a little respect too much to ask for?!"
Phibrizzo blinked, a bit surprised at his mistake. Had he misheard the man's name somehow? "So, wait a minute...was that Cassidy I was talking to?"
"Yes, that was- - -" Butch stepped back, his cleaning duties forgotten as a certain e-mail he'd received returned to his memory. "I recognize you! You're that Kadan kid..." He tried to work his mind around his first name. "Um...Pibrizzo!"
A sweatdrop slid off Phibrizzo's temple, hitting his shoe on the way down. One of his eyes twitched. "And you think you're upset with people who lose track of your name," he complained, annoyed. "For the record, it's Phibrizzo. Just so I'm clear, you and Cassidy are with Team Rocket, aren't you?"
Butch folded his arms, glaring down at him. He didn't want anything to do with kids, and under most circumstances he would've made some lying sweet-talk and shuffled off to Viridian. These weren't most circumstances, though. "Yes. What's it to you?"
Phibrizzo nodded. One of his hands went in his pocket, while the other one rested against his hip. "Alright. If you and your partner stay away from me and don't try anything funny- - -like attempting to capture me for Giovanni- - -I'll just ignore you." He smiled warningly. "But if your mission does involve my capture, then you don't have a snowball's chance in a volcano of taking me down."
"Relax, kid," Butch grumbled. "We aren't in Saffron because of you. Something else came up and we were asked to look into it."
"And you're sure it doesn't involve me?"
"Positive. Could you go away and let me get back to work?"
"Sure." Phibrizzo withdrew his hand from his pocket and ambled on down the hall. "I have to get to the Coordinators' room, anyway. Say hi to 009 for me when you get back to headquarters."
"Whatever."
/-/-/-/-/-/
Butch went back to waxing the floor, waiting for Cassidy to call again. Sure enough, Cassidy didn't stay shaken for more than a minute or two; this time, no one was close enough to get to the phone before he could pick it up. "Hello?"
"Who- - -good, it's you," Cassidy said, sounded relieved. "Who was that? I know I got the right number."
"You sure you want me to tell you?" Butch warned. "You won't like it."
"Why? Who was it?"
Butch braced himself. "Phibrizzo Kadan," he said, making sure he pronounced the name correctly.
"Phibrizzo Kadan!?" Cassidy shouted over the phone, making Butch wince at the volume. "He was training north of here just half an hour ago!"
"...To enter the Contest, apparently."
"What was that?"
"He told me he was heading for the Coordinators' room," Butch explained. "I figure he's going to be in the Contest. You know what this means."
The phone was silent for several seconds. When Cassidy finally answered, it was with a tone implying that she didn't believe what she was saying. "It means we're going to make sure that Phibrizzo doesn't interfere. He's already caused several teams a lot of grief since he began coming to Kanto, and they're all in prison until the boss sees fit to bail them out."
"So, what's the change of plan?"
"We wait until Phibrizzo is occupied with one of his matches- - -doesn't matter which round- - -and flood the Coordinators' room with Stun Spore. If you can swipe a few Pokémon in the process, that's good, but our goal is Aqua's capture. We'll need to get in there, grab her, and get her stashed away for the trip back to the lab before Kadan returns."
Butch frowned. "That doesn't leave much time for us to act." He took a quick look to make sure no one was close enough to hear him; satisfied, he continued. "At showtime, I'll take the wax job over to the Coordinators' room. You make sure the van is ready to go, then get into the stands and let me know when the kid is busy."
"Right."
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
I am the ocean. My thoughts are like waves...always changing, always shifting.
Sitting calmly with her eyes closed in the Coordinators' room, ignoring the eight or so trainers that had gathered, Dolphin let her thoughts carry her to unknown destinations. It was moments like these- - -when the oceans wrapped her in a comforting cocoon, when she felt no anger, and when Phibrizzo wasn't anywhere nearby- - -that she was at her best. She felt as if the Elite Four couldn't faze her. She felt that she had finally overcome her anxieties.
"Hi, Dolphin! What's with that look? Massive caffeine crash?"
She felt as if her nerves were shot. Opening one eye and turning her head in the voice's direction, she silently begged: Oh please, oh please, oh please, not him not him- - -
Phibrizzo was standing next to her, looking cheerful. "Rise and shine, sleepyhead!"
The other eye opened. Expelling a held breath, she reached into her hair and rummaged around before pulling out a sign. 'Don't you have a criminal to prepare for?'
"That's not for five weeks," Phibrizzo reminded her. "Besides, Sunburst and the others were able to change my mind. Recent events threw my regimen off course."
'What kind of recent events?'
Before Phibrizzo could answer, someone called out to him. A teenage boy with red hair and green wristbands walked up to him, greeting him amiably. "Hi, Phibrizzo. Didn't expect to see you here."
"I didn't expect to see me here either, but stuff happens. How are you doing, Greg?"
Greg Marron smiled. "Better than I was after I first lost to you, that's for sure. I've done some training with Dugtrio since then, so don't expect me to go easy on you!"
Phibrizzo's cheerful smile expanded a little, if that was possible. "Well, don't hope for a victory too much. You've got yourself some tough opponents here!"
Dolphin stared at them expectantly, waiting for them to come to the right conclusion...
"Yeah, that big guy over there with the Jigglypuff tattoo does seem rather intimidating," Greg said.
...and hung her head in dejection. They're ignoring me on purpose. I know it!
"Just messing with you, sis." Phibrizzo chuckled, patting one of her hands in a lame- - -at least she thought it was lame- - -attempt to reassure her. "You really should lighten up."
Dolphin's next sign seemed rather indignant, if that was possible. 'Every time I do, you get mad at me.'
"Oh...well, never mind, then. So anyway, Greg, what round were you thinking about using Dugtrio in?..."
As Phibrizzo and Greg continued to converse, Dolphin tried to shut them off and return to her pre-Contest meditations, but found- - -to her annoyance- - -that she was unable to. The more she tried to focus, the more questions came to mind. One of them, taking precedence over the others, repeated itself several times:
How in Kanto did Phibrizzo manage to meet the qualifications for competing in the Contest?
Since entering the Contest required the use of two Pokémon (to her knowledge), Dolphin was especially concerned. I would've known if he'd managed to pick up another one, especially with me and Team Rocket prowling around. He would've wanted to use it against one of us earlier, instead of waiting for the Contest. That just leaves this morning...but he couldn't have managed to catch another one- - -and get it trained- - -in only a few hours, right?
She noted that Phibrizzo and Greg had wandered off away from her while she thinking. Her eyes closed halfway. I have the feeling I just asked a very stupid question.
/-/-/-/-/
Time: 11:00a.m.
Location: Contest Hall auditorium
"Good morning, good morning!" the announcer's enthusiastic voice blared throughout the auditorium. "Welcome to Saffron City for its opening Pokémon Contest! I'm your host, Lillian Meridian! It's eleven o'clock sharp, and you all know what that means..."
As the capacity crowd cheered in response, Vi and Sabrina opted to stand at a railing that bordered the top of the seating area. This way, they could remain as inconspicuous as possible...each for their own reasons. As several people had proved earlier, Sabrina still wasn't wholly trusted by the majority; she didn't want to cause a stir by sitting among the crowd.
Meanwhile, Vi was keeping her eye on someone in the stands. The woman who'd called herself "Cassidy" was sitting at the far left of the auditorium, several rows down. If the criminal did anything remotely suspicious, Vi wanted to be the first to know about it. But not for Dolphin's sake, she reminded herself. Phibrizzo wouldn't like it if I just let his sister get kidnapped. For all their juvenille behavior, they're still brother and sister, right?
Vi ignored the introduction of the judges for the most part, although she didn't get why Nurse Joy's lookalike was down there. This whole trip had, like her encounters with Phibrizzo, chucked all logic out a fifth-story window. If there honestly was an entire family of people who'd used photocopies one too many times...
Bewildered by all this? Sabrina's voice asked.
Vi nodded, a bit unnerved but hiding it.
Well, don't worry about it. Just watch the Contest and enjoy yourself.
"Can't do that," Vi said quietly, glancing briefly at the young woman who stood next to her.
Sabrina frowned. Why not?
The shrunken scientist started to explain what she'd overheard Butch and Cassidy saying earlier, but was cut off- - -rather loudly- - -by Lillian: "Now, all of you in attendance, let's...get...busy!" Rolling her eyes, Vi just decided to tell her later. It didn't look like Cassidy was going to get up and leave just yet, anyhow.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Since Dolphin's alias came first alphabetically, she was naturally chosen to be first onto the floor. Making sure that her hairbands were in place so that she wouldn't trip, she moseyed onto the stage when her name was called. Shutting out Lillian's comments regarding her first Contest appearance and focusing entirely on her opening performance, she detached Poliwhirl's Poké Ball and released him onto the stage.
Seeing that they'd rehearsed this several times back at the gym, Poliwhirl knew almost by heart the sequence of attacks it was going to use. Raising an icy fist, it nailed the center of the stage with an Ice Punch and turned that section frozen solid. Leaping off to one side, Poliwhirl next aimed an Ice Beam at that point, carefully turning so that the ice sheet formed a spiral pattern.
"Poliwhirl's performance is getting off to a chilly start," Lillian commented, drawing a few groans from the back of the audience (specifically, Vi and Sabrina), "and it doesn't look like it's done yet!"
As she said this, Poliwhirl stopped its Ice Beam and took a few running steps forward. Jumping into the air and raising a glowing fist, it smashed the center of the ice pattern with a Mega Punch. The pattern immediately splintered and shattered, and some of the shards- - -glittering as they did in the light- - -were sent airborne by the impact.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/
As applause rolled throughout the auditorium, Phibrizzo sat in the Coordinator's room and watched his sibling soak it all in. He had trouble standing her when she was like this: being a total showoff and crowd pleaser. This was one of those occasions when he wished he had an ink balloon on hand; at least then he would've gotten a good laugh.
None of the others seemed to think so, the judges included. The stern-faced one- - -Mr. Contesta, if Phibrizzo heard his name right- - -commented on the buildup towards Poliwhirl's finishing punch. The round-faced judge agreed with him, simply saying: "Yes. Remarkable!". The third judge, Saffron City's Nurse Joy, spoke something about Poliwhirl's creative Ice Beam usage. All in all, this gave Dolphin a positive score.
As the crowd cheered and the next coordinator left to take his turn, Phibrizzo impatiently stood up. I can't stand watching her do this. She makes it look too easy.
"We've been over this already," Inuyasha reminded him, almost a bit too forceful. "She's had a lot more practice than you. Of course she makes it look easy!"
"Besides, you shouldn't worry about her performance," Curtis added, in the midst of one of his video games. "Just concentrate on your own, and that of Arcanine's. Save the creative differences for the finals."
The finals, huh? Phibrizzo closed his eyes for a few moments; when he reopened them, he was smirking. Already decided she's going to last that long?
"You know as much as we do," said Inuyasha. "Except for that big guy with the ink drawing on his arm, no one here really looks challenging."
"And even then, since he's going before you, you have the advantage of foreknowledge," Curtis said, blasting a few targets away. Fake sound effects added to the musical cacophony. "We'll be getting a glimpse of his partners and coordination style. His Pokémon could be something round and cute, or big and fierce. Even so, that little surprise move you taught Flareon on Sunday could give you the edge."
Phibrizzo shuddered, no longer smiling. I can't believe I let you persuade me to do that. If I wasn't far enough over the edge before, I am now.
"You were already over the edge when we first showed up," Inuyasha spoke. "What makes this any different?"
That move goes against everything I stand for... everything the mazoku race stands for. Remember that I don't consider myself human, you two. Unless the situation is too far gone, I'm not even going to go there.
"With everything you can do, there's no way you can consider yourself human!" Inuyasha complained.
Now you're starting to get the picture.
"Phibrizzo, you've made it this far by keeping an open mind," Curtis said, frowning. "You might as well finish the job. You're going to need every trick you can get if you're going to take down Domino." As an afterthought, he added: "And your sister, for that matter. If you can beat her, you can beat anyone."
"It's a stupid argument, anyway," Inuyasha grumbled. "You use it all the time, and it's getting real old."
Phibrizzo shrugged mentally. Go with what works, I always say.
"Well," Inuyasha growled, "it's not working."
Although Phibrizzo was loathe to admit it, he knew Inuyasha was right. He'd been using that same argument against doing certain things- - -namely, the one that stated that he wasn't human and never would be- - -ever since his initial arrival in Tokyo, and it was beginning to wear thin. He knew that sooner or later, he'd have to admit that his personal conditioning was deteriorating.
Well, he thought, keeping it secluded from the others' hearing, better 'later' than sooner.
/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/
Back in the auditorium, Vi and Sabrina looked on as the three competitors that followed Lauren went through with their acts. Although there were some amusing moments, such as a Wigglytuff doing its impression of a rogue basketball, there really wasn't anything show-stopping in their eyes.
Cassidy hadn't left yet, either. Vi wished that the criminal would get up and actually do something instead of staring at the stage, looking like some sort of spellbound- - -...
A familiar figure stepped onto the stage, and Lillian went ahead and introduced him to the audience. "...Our next competitor is rumored to be the youngest sibling of Lauren Aqua herself. In his first Contest appearance, please give a warm welcome to Phibrizzo Kadan!"
As the crowd applauded politely, Vi nearly fell through the railing and into the stands. "Why me?" she questioned, not really asking anyone. "Why me?"
Sabrina looked down at her questioningly, but chose to hold her tongue. There were other ways of finding out why she was acting like that, after all... but those could wait until later.
/-/-/-/-/
Waiting until the applause died down, Phibrizzo then released his latest acquisation onto the stage. "Arcanine, go for it!"
/-/-/-/-/
Dolphin's eyes widened as the fire dog materialized on-stage. Briefly forgetting that the television she was watching was something she abhorred, she asked herself- - -for the tenth time- - -when and how Phibrizzo had added a second member to his team.
Well, at least it isn't a Charizard...those things are too dragon-like for my tastes and his.
"Hey... what's going on...?" one of the other coordinators suddenly blurted...just as the thump of a body hitting the floor startled everyone. Turning, Dolphin impulsively inhaled...and felt the muscles in one arm slowly weakening. Sure enough, a cloud of yellow particles were drifting throughout the room...and hovering just inside the exit was a Venomoth, Stun Spores blowing around with every flap of its wings.
Oh, no, Dolphin groused silently, not again! Blocking her nose and mouth with her good hand, she pitched herself to the floor and started hoping that the effects weren't as widespread as they'd been before.
/-/-/-/-/
"Alright, Arcanine, you know what to do!" Phibrizzo shouted, urging the fire dog forward. "Flame Wheel!"
A blazing aura flared around the Arcanine as it raced forward. Leaping into the air, it rolled into a ball and let itself strike the ground. Continuing to roll forward for several meters, it made a sharp turn and repeated the process, leaving behind black burn marks on the floor. When it arrived back at its starting point, Arcanine dispersed Flame Wheel's fiery energies and jumped backwards. At this point, those in the stadium could now tell that the burn marks formed the rough shape of a pentagon.
"That's one, and now for two!" Phibrizzo called out. "Fire Blast!"
The energies returned, this time forming just inside Arcanine's mouth. Propelling itself off the ground with the force of an uncoiled spring, it deployed one of its strongest attacks directly at the pentagon pattern.
When the smoke from the resulting explosion cleared, a Fire Blast-shaped scorch mark was laid out inside the pentagon. The tips of the mark were clearly touching the corners of the pattern.
/-/-/-/-/
As the Venomoth finished its business, Butch slipped a breath mask over his face and entered the Coordinators' room. As suspected, everyone inside had inhaled some of the Stun Spore; most of them were sprawled across benches and the floor, effectively unable to move. The attack's target, Lauren Aqua, was draped across the floor in front of the television, one hand still near her face in a futile attempt to keep from breathing in any Spores. Her eyes were squeezed shut from the attack's effect.
Not bothering to disguise his actions anymore, Butch took out a thick chain and began binding Lauren's limbs with it. "Sorry about this, lady," he said, "but I've got a job to do, and no fish freak or firebrat's going to keep me from doing it."
Occupied with his work, he didn't see Lauren's eyes fly open at the insult.
/-/-/-/-/
"And lastly," Phibrizzo declared, "the finishing touch! Flamethrower!"
Having gone over this pattern with Phibrizzo ninety minutes earlier, Arcanine knew exactly where to strike. Aiming at five points one after another, it struck the ground in front of the pentagon with repeated Flamethrower bursts, taking care to use just the right amount of fire.
Arcanine quit firing off its attacks and took several steps back, pleased with the results: while there hadn't seemed to be any purpose to the attacks at first, anyone who paid attention could clearly see the pawprint design burned onto the floor.
As they'd done with Dolphin, the crowd cheered its approval. "Sounds like this artistic Arcanine has scored points with the crowd," Lillian remarked, "but let's see what the judges have to say!"
However, no one got to hear exactly what they had to say. One of the doors that led off the stage crashed open in mid-analysis, and a flood of water spilled out onto the stage- - -along with a Venomoth and a very nonplussed Butch. The judges- - -and Lillian, surprisingly- - -were startled silent, and Phibrizzo just looked on curiously.
Up above the stands, Vi smirked as Cassidy shot up from a sitting position as if she'd been sitting on a spring. "Should of figured that Lauren would be able to handle it on her own."
"What are you talking about?" Sabrina asked, curious.
"There's been a kidnapping attempt on Lauren," Vi explained to her. "I overheard Dutch and Cassidy talking about it earlier. Since Phibrizzo and Lauren are related, I thought about telling him about it when he arrived on-stage. I just didn't get the chance."
"Well, you don't need to worry about that," Sabrina said, smiling. Her eyes began glowing.
"Why's that?"
"Because I'm going to tell him myself."
/-/-/-/-/-/
His video game paused for the moment, Curtis looked out the viewport as Butch and a Venomoth washed up on-stage. "Well, that's one way to enter the Contest," he commented dryly.
"This is weird," Phibrizzo said to himself. "What's he doing up here? And why's he looking like a drowned rat?"
"He's not a coordinator," Inuyasha said, taking note of the bristling Arcanine. "Someone should get him off the stage before your friend gets any funny ideas."
Before either Phibrizzo or Curtis could answer him, the flickering image of a young woman appeared on the latter's television, overriding the paused game. She spoke loud and clear, despite her lips not moving. "-Phibrizzo. Phibrizzo Kadan. Can you hear me? I have a message for- - -"
Curtis spun to face the screen; although part of him recognized Sabrina for who she was, another part of him unwisely interceded on its behalf. "Hey! You! Get out of my television! Now!"
Taken off guard, Sabrina's image did just that. A brief burst of static, and Curtis's video game returned.
Huh, Phibrizzo murmured eloquently. That's not a sentence you hear everyday.
Neither of the two had anything to say.
/-/-/-/-/
Shocked in the middle of her statement, Sabrina shook her head as contact was broken. Even if people didn't like her, she hadn't expected an outburst like that. And the image that she'd seen... "I can't do it."
"You can't?" Vi said, clearly surprised... and as she turned to face her, Cassidy got up and began edging slowly down the stairs.
"For the seconds I'd been in there, I'd been able to see a rather surprising image," Sabrina told her. "It was of a spaceship... attacking a brain possessing a giant eye and claws."
Vi sweatdropped. "Okay..."
"That's not the worst of it," Sabrina continued. "Before I could say anything important, I heard this guy's voice say: 'Get out of my television!'"
"Double-okay," Vi amended, forcing the surrealism of the situation to fade. She shook her head, wondering how she was going to let Phibrizzo know without getting close to the stage...
...and remembered something that she'd pocketed before Phibrizzo arrived at Doctor Agasa's that morning. Silently, she reminded herself to explain things to Agasa when she returned. "Don't bother trying to contact him, Sabrina... it's a wasted effort." She withdrew a yellow and teal badge from her pocket. "I'll call him."
/-/-/-/-/-/
Dolphin marched on-stage, following the watery trail she'd sent the gravel-voiced man and the Venomoth on. The muscles in her right arm were still numb, but the energies in her left arm were still throbbing from the tidal wave...and the man's insult. The nerve of a total stranger...! Being called that by Phibrizzo is one thing...but someone I don't even know? There's no excuse for that!
Having experienced Crash and Flame's tactics for herself, she had no desire to reexperience them from someone else. After accidentally inhaling some of the Stun Spore and realizing what was happening, she'd thrown herself to the floor and taken a deep breath... and held it until she was sure that the attack had ceased. Although it had taken more than a minute, she knew that her lungs- - -enhanced as they were- - -were up to the challenge (never thought I'd be thinking that, she'd thought afterward). Once her attacker had called her a 'fish freak', she gave up all pretense of being knocked out.
After seeing Phibrizzo take something out of his pocket and speak into it, she dismissed him and focused on her would-be kidnapper, pulling out a sign that read: 'Alright, wise guy, what's the big idea?'
The man got to his feet, wiping water out of his eyes. His stare was more indignant than surprised. "No fair, Aqua! You were out as cold as a cucumber! How'd you manage that water trick in that condition, anyway?!"
'I already fell for that trick once,' Lauren answered, then flipped the sign around as each sentence was finished. 'You can't fool a Dolphin with the same tactics twice.' 'All I did was hold my breath and block off my nose and mouth.' 'Now, I'll say it again: what's the big idea?' And the finale, in large print, was: 'Who are you?'
The man had the audacity to smile, even as the crowd was muttering amongst themselves. "Asking who I am is asking for trouble."
An orange-haired woman jumped from one of the stairways to join him on-stage; a bizarre device was held in one hand. "And when we're both together, make it double."
"Oh, for- - -" Phibrizzo started to say...
...but was cut off by the duo. "Here's our mission, so you'd better listen!"
"To infect the world with devestation..."
"To blight all people in every nation..."
"To denounce the goodness of truth and love..."
"To extend our wrath to the stars above..."
"Cassidy!..."
"...and Butch!..."
The two of them struck a pose, ditching their disguises. "Team Rocket, circling the earth all day and night!"
"Surrender to us now, or you will surely lose the fight!"
The Venomoth, its wings still waterlogged, chittered its agreement.
Phibrizzo made his dissatisfaction known with a loud yawn, putting something- - -was that a badge?- - -into his pocket. "Really," he grumbled, his eyes watering a little from the yawn. "I've known justice-loving princesses with better speeches. Jessie and James' variation was much better than that, Mulch."
Both Team Rocket agents fell out of the pose, barely managing to keep their balance. "I said 'Butch'! What do I need to do, get you a hearing aid?!" Butch protested.
Phibrizzo smacked his forehead. "I don't get what's going on here...I know I haven't misheard his name, so why...?"
"Forget about it," Cassidy ordered, brandishing the object she held. Wary of whatever it was, Dolphin took several steps back as the woman continued. "Now, come with us before we turn mean."
Phibrizzo quietly strolled past his Arcanine and walked towards them, but their attention was on Dolphin. 'If those fire-type-loving ingrates couldn't subdue me...' Flip. '...then neither can candles last before a monsoon. Back off.'
Butch glared at her. "Didn't think you'd come quietly. Alright, Cassidy!"
Cassidy pushed a button on the device. Warned by the sparking antennae, Dolphin quickly side-stepped the first burst of electricity. The next blast tagged her useless arm, but she scarcely even felt the voltage that enveloped it. Why do I have to go through days like this? Dolphin moaned mentally. All I wanted was to participate in a Contest! That firebrat brings trouble with him wherever he goes! I'd be much better off- - -
Before Cassidy could fire again, she and Butch were stopped by the increased murmuring from the crowd and the judges. It was a lot noisier than it should have been, even in the light of the attempted kidnapping they were carrying out. Cautiously, the agents turned their heads...
...and were treated with the sight of Phibrizzo, standing a few feet behind them and off to the side; his arms were stretched far enough to touch the farthest wall. "What the- - -!?" they chorused.
"Got something to ask you," Phibrizzo said, grinning sinisterly. "Do you know what my three favorite words are?"
"What kind of stupid question is that?" Butch asked, starting to sweat bullets. "No, we don't!"
"Then I'll tell you what they are." Phibrizzo's arms rapidly began stretching back to their normal length. "Gum Gum Bazooka!" His hands slammed into the duo- - -plus their Venomoth, who had finally managed to get the water off its wings- - -and sent them crashing through a wall and into the sky, missing Dolphin by several feet. The tazer dropped out of Cassidy's hands, landing on the stage with a clatter.
By the time they could yell out "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!", they were too far out to be heard distinctly. The twinkling of light reflecting off Cassidy's earrings signalled their departure as they sailed towards the stratosphere.
/-/-/-/-/
The entire auditorium- - -judges, announcer, and crowd- - -were dead silent for a minute as they digested what had just happened. Phibrizzo didn't blame them; having rubber-esque limbs tended to set any non-Neriman off-balance. After the minute had passed, however, the silence started to annoy him. "Okay, already," he stated aloud, recalling his Arcanine. "I've got rubber arms. Big fat deal. Could we just get on with the Contest already?"
The tapping of wood against a broken door got his attention as Dolphin brandished another sign, turning to the resident Nurse Joy. 'First, we need a Chansey in the Coordinators' room, pronto.' Flip. 'Everyone in there's under the effects of Venomoth's Stun Spore...' Flip. '...so, the use of Heal Bell would be appreciated.'
"Oh. Um...right. Thank you for telling me." Nodding her head at the two trainers, Joy left the podium and hurried down the short hallway towards the Coordinators' room, noting the water damage that Dolphin's attack had caused earlier.
Which said nothing for the chunks of wall blown out of place by the Gum Gum Bazooka.
Phibrizzo walked over as close to center stage as he could without stepping on Arcanine's pawprint design. Taking out a microphone and flicking it on, he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, it'll be a little bit before everyone's suitably recovered. In the meantime, feel free to talk amongst yourselves until we can resume." His eyes connected with several people at the top of the seating areas. "And to Hailey and the woman who popped into my head several minutes ago, get down here. You can hardly see anything from up there."
From Sabrina's viewpoint, it was one of the worst things he could've said; almost every pair of eyes in the room connected with her. Some of the people nearest to the exits started to get up and leave. The gym leader waved at the crowd uneasily, trying not to take offense at their nervous and/or upset stares.
In the end, she didn't need to; Phibrizzo took offense for her. "Hey!" he shouted. "What's the big idea!? Does she look like a monster to you? Well, she's not; she's as human as you are, and you think she's worse than I am! If you think she'll cause problems, then take your thoughts up with me! Now, quit staring at her like she doesn't belong here! We want to enjoy the Contest, keep in mind, and I'm sure she wants the same!"
That did the trick; as one, the crowd turned to face Phibrizzo with surprise in their eyes- - -and, both Inuyasha and Curtis noted, a little respect in some cases. The pseudo-human seemed a lot calmer now. "Thank you," he said. "Honestly... if you think telekinesis and telepathy is worse than having rubber arms..." He shut off the microphone and turned away from the crowd, muttering something to himself.
"Uh... quite the speech, Phibrizzo," Lillian piped up hesitantly, walking over to him. "I'm not sure I understand completely what's going on, but you're right. We can't let anything hinder Saffron's first Contest, can we?"
Phibrizzo nodded, watching Sabrina and Vi go down the stairs. "I want to apologize for acting up like that, Miss Meridian. I've seen some of the same looks directed at people I know, and I'm sick of it."
Lillian waved him off, smiling. "Don't worry about it. The gym leader deserves some healthy respect, after all. Um, how did you do that...stretchy trick a minute ago?"
"Long story made short: bad decisions, bad chemistry." Phibrizzo folded his arms. "I hadn't planned on doing that, but Team Rocket was annoying me." When Dolphin arched an eyebrow, he hastily added: "And they were trying to nab my sister. Couldn't have that, either. So, what's the judges' ruling on Arcanine's performance?"
Lillian turned expectantly to Mr. Contesta. "What's the word?"
Oddly, the first judge hadn't remained surprised by Phibrizzo's attack against Team Rocket. "Nice usage of Arcanine's fire attacks. The pawprint design was pretty clever, although a little extra work could've yielded some creative results."
The remaining judge, Mr. Sukizo, nodded. "Yes, indeed. Remarkable."
"And since Nurse Joy isn't here at the moment," Mr. Contesta continued, "we can assume that she saw something efficient as well. We'll ask when she returns, but in the meantime, you can talk to your friends until the situation is taken care of."
The relative quiet was broken by someone's clapping; Phibrizzo and Dolphin turned to the nearby Vi, who just smiled and continued on. Slowly, the noise level in the auditorium returned to normal. Phibrizzo- - -who was hoping that the Contest would resume soon- - -pocketed the electrical device that Team Rocket had dropped and jumped off the stage to meet with his de-aged associate.
/-/-/-/-/-/
About fifteen minutes later, Nurse Joy returned and reported that Chansey's Heal Bell had been helpful in restoring the health and mobility of the coordinators that had been effected; one of the coordinators (once he could move his arms again) volunteered the use of his Parasect's Aromatherapy to speed the process. To restore the use of her numb arm, Dolphin had called Poliwhirl back out so he could give it a thorough dowsing.
Several extra minutes were spent making sure all the coordinators had recovered and clearing away the debris that Phibrizzo's Bazooka had created. Once everything was taken care of, Lillian made the announcement that the Appeals stage could continue, allowing Greg Marron and the rest to take their turns.
When the first stage concluded, four coordinators remained: Dolphin, Greg, the burly guy with the tattoo, and Phibrizzo. The half-mazoku had hoped to test Flareon's abilities against Greg's Dugtrio, but was disappointed when the matchups were determined; the red-haired trainer would be battling Dolphin instead. This left Phibrizzo to battle the Jigglypuff-tattooed man, "Bench" Mark Clements.
The battles had five-minute time limits, but Dolphin hardly needed that much time. Just past the three-minute mark, Dolphin's Vaporeon flooded and froze the tunnels that Dugtrio was digging, leaving the three-headed mole wide open to a Water Pulse.
"Bench" Mark's Primeape, while possessing a mean Thunderbolt attack, simply could not keep up with Flareon's speed. After learning from Curtis that Primeape was primarily an up-close-and-personal Pokémon, Phibrizzo had Flareon keep out of range and toast the fighter-type with short fire bursts from as many directions as possible. When Primeape was finally worn down with two minutes left, Sunburst's Shadow Ball finished the business.
All in all, neither Vi nor the sibling contestants ever doubted the outcome.
/-/-/-/
Time went on, finding Phibrizzo a few minutes later at one end of the stage floor. He was wringing his hands, seeming uncharacteristically nervous.
"Are you okay over there?" Curtis asked, nearing the end of his game.
Don't take it the wrong way. I'm just determined not to let myself get beat by Dolphin in front of a crowd.
"Don't worry about it. At the very least, you'll be showing that you're related to her."
You're saying that like it's a good thing.
Curtis chuckled. "What I mean is that you've got the same creative skills as Dolphin. You're just utilizing them differently. Water and fire, and all that."
I suppose. Phibrizzo looked up as Lillian began her pre-battle speech. Now, stay quiet. I've got a match to win.
"...brother against sister, fire against water, Phibrizzo Kadan versus Lauren Aqua. Let's see who walks away from this Contest with the Saffron ribbon! Now then, if the contestants are ready..."
A slight 'ping' told the two siblings that the scoreboard was set for the start of the matches. Phibrizzo looked up, laughing as he saw his sister's picture: very much a 'deer-caught-in-headlights' expression, caused by facing a camera at close range. When she discovered the reason for his mirth, it was all Dolphin could do to keep herself riveted to the ground; she would swear later that she could hear Vi snickering from her seat. She didn't let anyone else see her annoyance, however.
Finally, after the hysterics had faded, Dolphin and Phibrizzo nodded in confirmation to the announcer's statement. Lillian continued on. "...then let's...get...busy!"
Time set: 5:00
Taking the cue, both coordinators set their respective Pokémon loose onto the stage. Like she had in her first battle against Phibrizzo, Dolphin decided to test Sunburst's progress. 'Jetsam, Water Gun.'
Even as the Vaporeon disgorged the watery blast, Phibrizzo had decided that he wasn't going to take the same approach to battling as he did last time. "Flareon, Quick Attack!"
Sunburst darted forward and around Vaporeon's Water Gun- - -causing a small drop in Dolphin's point meter- - -and streaked towards his foe. Jetsam couldn't stop the Water Gun in time before Flareon crashed into her, pitching her back a short ways.
"Hard and fast, Sunburst," Phibrizzo called. "Flamethrower!"
Dolphin frowned as she heard this. At close range, fire-type attacks could still do damage. Best to remedy that. 'Double Team.'
Vaporeon split into a half-dozen afterimages, successfully evading Sunburst's attack. From there she went straight into a Take Down, inflicting a loss to Phibrizzo's point total and to Flareon's energy.
"Lauren Aqua's Vaporeon has proved capable of switching attacks without missing a beat," Lillian spoke to the audience. "It's clear that we have an artist at work!"
Dolphin smirked. No question that Phibrizzo's making the most of his training sessions, though...he's definitely improving. She noted the time remaining- - -4:15- - -and decided to see what he'd been doing with his Pokémon. 'Double Water Pulse!'
Jetsam once more formed several copies of herself, this time shaping a ring around Flareon. Several seconds went by, enough time for the fire-type to become sufficiently confused. Vaporeon- - -in conjunction with her illusions- - -fired off a Water Pulse, using the various afterimages as a means of hiding the direction her true assault was coming from.
Unlike Domino's Feraligatr, Phibrizzo knew how to counter the move. "Blaze Pogo, and then Shadow Ball!"
Sunburst assailed the ground beneath him with a Flamethrower, forcing himself airborne and out of harm's way as the Water Pulse connected with the place he'd been just a few seconds before. While halfway to the ceiling, Flareon gathered his energies and fired his next attack. The Shadow Ball landed and exploded in the midst of Jetsam's Double Team, dispelling the illusions and nearly striking the water-type dead-on. Jetsam, however, was able to escape the full brunt of the blast.
/-/-/-/-/-/
Curtis looked at one of the monitors in his chamber, noticing both opponents' point meters decreasing with each attack and counterstrategy used. "How goes it in there?" he asked. "Are you thinking about using that one move anytime soon?"
I was hoping I wouldn't have to, Phibrizzo thought as he saw Jetsam and Flareon glaring at each other from across the stage.
"People take these battles of theirs way too seriously," Inuyasha remarked off-hand. "They should lighten up a little. Go on and prove it, why don't you?"
Phibrizzo expelled a sigh. I was hoping I wouldn't have to, but I don't think Dolphin's going to give me another chance... "Alright, Sunburst. Let's hurry up and get this over with."
Lillian turned to him, interested. "Sounds like Kadan's got something planned!"
"'Something' is right." Phibrizzo folded his arms and made his declaration: "Look your best, Flareon. Use Attract!"
/-/
In the audience, Sabrina and Vi both blinked. Attract?... What the...?
/-/
Before everyone's eyes, pink sparkles began forming around Flareon's head. His fur glistened in the spotlight. His eyes shone like ebony gems. His mane of yellow fur fluffed out as he turned his head to face Vaporeon, as if to say: "No need to worry; I have come for you, my dear". The very visage of Sunburst, who had become- - -in a heartbeat- - -the most beautiful creature in Kanto, would've done Fabio Lanzoni proud. The sound of birds chirping somewhere in the distance, audible through the hole in the wall, added to the effect.
The females in the audience- - -except for Sabrina and Vi, who shielded their eyes and tried not to watch- - -squealed in delight as a kaleidoscope of pink and orange coloring seemed to swirl around the fire-type. On the stage, Nurse Joy seemed almost as awestruck as those in the audience were, and the same with Lillian; Dolphin's eyes were bulging out of their sockets, the semi-human being in total disbelief.
Jetsam, who was the true target of Flareon's 'attack', never stood a chance. As soon as the uber-cute and handsome Sunburst turned her way, the bubble jet Pokémon quivered with restrained excitement. It whined something almost sickeningly cute, its shimmering eyes taking on vague heart shapes. Any and all dignity that the Vaporeon had possessed earlier was gone as it watched Sunburst turn this way and that.
Stunned, Phibrizzo remained stock-still as the clock ticked towards the 3:00 mark. Both Inuyasha and Curtis's eyes twitched as they surveyed what had been wrought. "Phibrizzo?" Curtis spoke.
Um... yes?
"I think Flareon overdid it."
I knew using this was a mistake. "You can knock it off now, Sunburst. I think she likes you enough already."
Flareon nodded and began releasing the effects. After about eight seconds, he looked more or less like an average Pokémon. To Jetsam, however, he was still the prettiest thing to come along since... well, ever. She hadn't been this obsessed over someone since she was still a childish Eevee.
Lillian recovered quickly. "Well, that was a shocker... Flareon has turned on the cute, leaving Vaporeon completely lovestruck! I don't know who's more surprised by Phibrizzo's tactic... me, or Dolphin!"
/-/
"Never mind the teeth. Sugar's bad for the eyes," Vi softly murmured, blinking a few times to try to remove those last few persistent sparkles.
Sabrina didn't say anything, but the smaller girl could tell that she was in agreement.
/-/
Not to be forgotten by Phibrizzo was the fact that Dolphin's point total had decreased almost to the halfway point, giving him a decent lead. ...Okay, so maybe using it wasn't a complete loss.
Dolphin just stood there, her eyes the size of oranges and her mouth nearly off its hinges. When she realized this, she shook her head angrily and whipped out a sign; one could almost imagine steam coming out of her ears, complete with a train whistle. 'Who do you think you are, using a move like that?!'
"Don't get your ponytails in a knot," Phibrizzo retorted. "If I'd known it would have this much of an effect, I would've tried teaching him much sooner."
2:30
Dolphin would've chucked the sign at him if the judges weren't looking. With visible restraint on her part, she instead put the sign away and tried snapping Jetsam out of it. 'Jetsam? Jetsam? Are you listening to me?'
'I'm listening,' Vaporeon whined, 'but why do I have to fight him? He's- - -...'
While the two were communicating, Flareon took advantage of it and sent his Flamethrower washing over his opponent. Jetsam took the blast head on, obviously willing to take the damage; when Sunburst finally stopped his attack, though, the water-type was still standing... and quite apparently, out of her mind. '...- - -so cute, and that Flamethrower of his is absolutely lovely...'
Phibrizzo laughed as Dolphin's point total continued to descend, although his own points dwindled a little as well. "So, how are you going to get her to continue?"
Internally frustrated, Dolphin knew that her options had been effectively cut in half by Phibrizzo's tactics. 'Jetsam, please! No matter how big a crush you have on him, it shouldn't keep you from defending yourself from him!'
Jetsam turned just a little, looking at her sadly out the corner of her eyes. 'But what good is battling him? Why should I damage the appearance of my deliverer? Why should I- - -'
She never heard the Vaporeon speak. The roar of the ocean surged throughout Dolphin's very being, her mazoku's will protesting violently against the urge to just let her Pokémon do as she pleased. The clock was ticking, and if she didn't do anything to get Jetsam motivated again, Phibrizzo- - -someone who shouldn't have had what it took to compete in a Contest- - -would walk away with the win... and the Ribbon besides. She didn't have time for this!
Another thought came to mind, and she shivered as it did so... but, deciding to eschew everything she was, she followed that thought's impulse. She couldn't afford to think on this any longer!
'Fine!' Dolphin inaudibly shouted at Jetsam, surprising even herself. 'If you just follow my guidance and battle that Flareon for the next two minutes, you can spend as much time with him as you wish afterwards!'
/-/-/-/-/
As she read the older sibling's lips, Vi was able to get the general gist of what Dolphin was saying. Her eyes widened a sliver. "Hmm," she mused. "That's one way to counter Phibrizzo's move."
Sabrina stared at her, curious. "What do you mean? What was she saying?"
"The gist of it was that she'd let the two of them be together if she'd just finish the match in one piece," Vi said. "It's kind of risky, you know."
As they continued watching, though, Vaporeon was able to overcome her infatuation with Phibrizzo's Flareon. The water-type wasted no time in dispensing a quick Water Gun, which her opponent was able to dodge.
"Well, whatever risks come of this, it seems to have worked," Sabrina said quietly. "These are the sorts of battles I enjoy..."
Vi took a quick look at her face before continuing to watch the Contest. Curious about the lifeforms she was watching, she made a mental note to take some reading material home with her. She wanted to know now, more than ever, the true reasons why these creatures had escaped her notice for so long.
/-/-/-/-/-/
Phibrizzo winced as Jetsam finally got her brain functions under control. I feel like I had a headache that just got up and left. I'm glad that part's over.
"I wish I could read lips," Curtis groused. "Then I'd be able to tell exactly what she said."
"Whatever it was, it looks like Jetsam's managed to quit being so infatuated." Inuyasha paced back and forth in his chamber, watching the stage. "It hurt my eyes just watching."
1:30
Then let's turn the heat up to the maximum! "Sunburst, use Furnace!"
Flareon's golden mane fluffed out as his body temperature began rising, and his red fur took on a bright glow. The air around it seemed distorted, a sure sign of the intense heat it was emitting. Crying out fiercely, Sunburst took the initative with a Quick Attack and rammed Vaporeon at full speed, sending it spinning and leaving red afterimages behind him. The water-type slowly staggered back to its feet, trying to maintain its cool in spite of the burn that the Furnace's fire had inflicted.
"And the surprises just keep on coming!" Lillian announced. "Flareon's shining like a star, and giving off some serious heat!"
(BGM - X Vs. Zero battle theme, Megaman X5)
The perspiration on everyone's foreheads added credence to Lillian's statement. "It looks colorful, but it's a dangerous move," Phibrizzo heard Mr. Contesta comment off-hand, watching Flareon pant a little. He dabbed at his face with a handkerchief. "It seems to me that the longer Flareon keeps it up, the more it will wear itself out."
I could've told him that.
Recovering its balance, Jetsam no longer bothered with adding style and grace to its attacks. Upon being ordered to use Hydro Pump, she quickly did so with tremendous force. Some of the water evaporated when it passed through Sunburst's blazing aura, but the rest of it struck the fire-type dead-on. The pressure had been significantly lessened, though, and Flareon was able to recover fast enough to dodge Jetsam's follow-up Water Gun.
0:50
"Sunburst, Flame Wheel!"
The air around Flareon erupted, shielding Sunburst in flames. Across the way, Dolphin tried unsuccessfully to keep the sweat out of her eyes. 'Frozen Lake, stage two: Ice Hydrant!'
Taking a few precious seconds to concentrate, Jetsam finally loosed a narrower, concentrated burst of water. The center of the Water Gun-esque attack was an icy core, enabling it to sustain the attack if it melted. And melt it did; the fringe of the Hydrant sizzled as it came into contact with Flareon's fur. Wincing as he felt his reserves slipping, he dashed off to one side and turned at a right angle, the blazing aura shrinking ever so slightly. Jetsam had plenty of time to swerve out of harm's way, but the fish-dog's burns and the multiple high-powered attacks were taking their toll; it stumbled and almost fell as Sunburst turned to face it.
0:30
"At only thirty seconds to go, both time and points are running out for our coordinators," Lillian stated, having stepped as far away from Sunburst as was permissible. "What remaining tricks do they have up their sleeves?"
"Just one," Phibrizzo responded, his fists tightening. "You know what to do, Sunburst! Twilight Sphere!"
As ordered, Flareon- - -to most of the audience's amazement- - -formed a Shadow Ball in its mouth, held it there for several costly seconds, then triggered a Flamethrower and enveloped it in fire. It increased in size by several inches, becoming a dark violet in color.
'Jetsam, I understand you're hurt, but I need one more attack out of you,' Dolphin urged. Seeing Vaporeon nod its understanding, she gave the order. 'Hydro Pump, maximum force!'
As it was, both Pokémon launched their final assaults almost simultaneously. For an instant, it seemed as if both attacks would strike head-on; it would've provided a spectacular show, for sure. Instead, the Twilight Sphere went straight down the middle of the Hydro Pump's spiralling wave, burning through any water that came into contact with it and exploding violently just a few feet away from Jetsam.
The people on the stage and in the rows in front of it shielded themselves as a thick wave of smoke and dust clouded the front of the auditorium. Twin yelps were clearly heard as, behind the smoky veil, both Pokémon were pitched backward.
0:00
It wasn't long before the suspense and tension were lifted. With the damage done to the wall, the smoke caused by the explosion cleared quickly enough for the audience to view the battle's outcome.
Both Vaporeon and Flareon were too battle-damaged and weary to continue, sprawled out at opposite ends of the stage. As a bright red 'X' appeared on each of the judge's monitors, everyone checked the scoreboard. Phibrizzo's point total was completely erased, since Sunburst's Furnace had taken its toll. Dolphin's score almost seemed dead-even with his- - -that is, zero- - -but someone in the audience pointed out that there was a sliver still remaining on the board.
The Twilight Sphere, while both creative and formidable, was not enough to take victory out of Dolphin's hands.
"The Contest is over! After a spectacular and awe-inspiring match, Lauren Aqua walks away the winner, and the first-ever Saffron City Ribbon is her reward!" Lillian declared, sparking a round of applause.
Dolphin let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. That was...something else. Much as I'd like to be upset at Phibrizzo for teaching his Flareon that blasphemous move, that'll have to wait. She held out Jetsam's Poké Ball and activated it, recalling the exhausted water-type. He's certainly making use of what little time he spends here.
/-/-/
Phibrizzo ignored the comments that the judges made about the performance, although he did notice off-hand that their remarks focused on the positive aspects of both Pokémon. He recalled Sunburst to his Poké Ball, then sat himself down on the stage. That's taken care of... maybe now we can get our agenda straightened out again.
"Well, obviously you can't train them anymore," Inuyasha said. "You could just leave them at the Cerulean Center and go home."
Maybe. That's sort of what I feel like doing, but I think first I should run by Professor Oak's place and see if he's around. Phibrizzo watched as Dolphin waved victoriously at the crowd, not paying attention to the Coordinators that had entered the staging area. If he's there, maybe he can give Vi the rundown on Pokémon.
Curtis, who had his game paused for most of the battle, re-started it with the intent to finish it quickly. "You seem okay with the fact that you just got beat," he said off-hand.
I already figured from the start that I wouldn't be able to take Dolphin down. Sunburst isn't good enough for that. I knew what my expectations were, and I'm not disappointed that they weren't surpassed. Phibrizzo got up and walked to the nearest stairway, where Vi and Sabrina were on their way down. Jumping up onto it, he stepped up to join them as the Contest Ribbon was brought out and presented to Dolphin.
Only those that were watching him leave saw the smile that tugged at the corners of his lips; as always, he wasn't about to admit to anyone that he found the whole experience gratifying.
/-/-/-/-/
The rest of the day went by smoothly. After chatting for a while with Curtis, Sabrina and Vi, Phibrizzo teleported to Professor Oak's laboratory with the junior scientist in tow. He spent a large chunk of the afternoon exploring Pallet Town, taking in the sights and admiring the scenery. At one point he'd caught a glimpse of a Mr. Mime, but decided the matter wasn't worth looking into.
Taking a peek at a television that was on in one of the homes, he overheard that the damages to the Saffron Contest Hall would be repaired in short order. Happily for him, there was no mention at all of the actions Phibrizzo had taken against Team Rocket; there was, though, amusing footage of the audience being cowed when he protested their treatment of Sabrina. He figured that would go a ways towards convincing people that the gym leader's attitude had changed over several years... as well as giving him quite a reputation.
Much of Vi's time was spent listening to Oak and Tracy explain how life in Kanto, Johto and the other regions worked. It was a bit much to take in all at once, so Vi decided to go over the notes she took when she got back home. Noting that the girl had a scientific mind, Oak suggested before she left that she have Phibrizzo take her up to one of the libraries in Viridian so she could get a more comprehensive look.
Dolphin took Jetsam back to the Cerulean Pokémon Center after the ceremony was over. After the Vaporeon returned home later in the day, the repercussions of Dolphin's actions during the Contest filled her with regret: Jetsam had started telling anyone who would listen about how great Flareon was, usually with a glimmer in her eyes.
Everything- - -well, a lot of things, anyway- - -was turning out well...and not just for the resident protagonists.
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Location: The Nekohanten, Nerima ward
Two figures. One, tall and young; the other, short and old. Despite the differences in skill, neither of them were any less dangerous.
The tall one was on her knees, showing her respect to the figure before her. Elder Cologne had asked for her, and she was not one to turn down her request.
Said Elder looked her over, then nodded. "So it is true? You have carried out the favor that your late father had required of you?"
An affirmative nod. "I have studied with your tribe for five years and completed my training regimen. The Council has instructed me to gain your approval before I can return to my homeland."
There was a twinkle in Cologne's eyes. "And you do not wish to seek a husband for yourself?"
The figure fidgeted. "I do not wish to pass my condition to anyone. The effects of the Clandestine Syndrome are best left restricted to prevent contamination."
"...Very well. If approval is what you seek, it will be given...on one condition."
An anxious stare.
"Do your utmost," Cologne said, showing her a picture of a small boy, "to defeat this one in combat: the one known as Phibrizzo Kadan. The Kiss of Marriage shall not apply if you are unsuccessful."
A pause.
"You disapprove?"
"Forgive me, Elder, but he seems so... young."
"This boy's youth belies powers even I don't understand. He is far too powerful for his age, amongst other suspicious things. Engage him and gauge his abilities, and you shall be able to return home at last."
Glittering emerald eyes greeted her, ready to meet her future. "I will."
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Chapter Twenty-One concluded. Chapter Twenty-Two soon to commence