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"Will?" Karen is standing in the lobby of the hotel. Will seems to be staring into space, not really noticing anything around him. It is almost twelve-thirty, and the trainers need to get to the stadium. Will finally hears her and heads over with Jynx walking next to him.
"Ready to go?" Will asks. Karen nods. As they head to the stadium they get an idea of just how many trainers are participating. No one seems to be looking at each other however, everyone seems nervous. Karen can't still the butterflies in her own stomach. Will briefly takes her hand. Karen smiles at him. No matter what happens in this tournament, she thinks, I will never be alone again. I realize that now. The sight of the stadium interrupts her thoughts. Even from this distance she can see the crowds trying to get in. A section of it is roped off, and there are people in uniforms checking identifications of the trainers. Karen picks Umbreon up so they won't get separated. Umbreon seems to understand how important this is and doesn't struggle. Instead she gives Karen a small lick on her hand. Another friend for life. Karen thinks. You don't need to be the same species to be friends.
"Name?" One of the officials asks.
"Karen Oleke." She responds. Umbreon is staring at the official. The official checks his paper and makes some kind of mark. He looks up and notices Umbreon watching him. He gives the black pokemon a nod and then turns back to Karen.
"Please present your registration pass." Karen has to put Umbreon down so she can get it out of her pocket. After the official checks it off he motions her inside. "Make sure to keep your pokemon with you, and please don't release the others at this time." He gives Karen a nod.
"Come on Umbreon." Karen says. Umbreon trots next to her as she follows trainers into the stadium. After a few moments she sees Will coming up from the side with Jynx. A few officials are beckoning them into a large conference room adjacent to the arena. They see a door leading out to it and can hear the crowd settling in. At a little after one o'clock the last of the trainers are in the waiting area.
"WELCOME TRAINERS TO THE SILVER CONFERENCE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE JOHTO LEAGUE TOURNAMENT." One of the officials is using a megaphone to speak to the group. "HERE IS HOW IT WILL WORK. WE WILL BE GOING OUT INTO THE STADIUM THROUGH THIS SIDE DOOR," he gestures to the door behind him, "AND BE PRESENTING YOU ALL TO THE CROWD. YOU WILL GO THROUGH ONE AT A TIME. OFFICER JENNY HAS KINDLY OFFERED TO ASSIST US WITH THIS PART OF THE PROGRAM." Officer Jenny of Indigo Plateau steps up and gives the trainers a salute. "AS YOU GO PAST HER, GIVE HER YOUR NAME. YOU WILL EXIT AS SHE ANNOUNCES YOU. MORE OFFICIALS WILL BE OUT IN THE ARENA AND THEY WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE TO STAND. AFTER ALL OF YOU ARE OUT THERE, THE TORCHES WILL BE LIT AND THE OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE MADE. MATCHES WILL BEGIN TUESDAY MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK. PLEASE TRY TO ARRIVE AT LEAST FIFTEEN MINUTES BEFORE YOUR MATCHES TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS. EVERYONE CLEAR?" Karen's ears are ringing. This is too much. The trainers nod nervously, and begin to line up at the door. Everyone looks too scared to speak. Karen ends up nearer the end with Will right in front of her.
"Nervous?" A voice asks behind her. Karen turns to see Sabrina standing behind her.
"Yeah, a bit." She admits. Sabrina smiles in her white shirt and pants. An Alakazam stands next to her looking totally at peace.
"Don't think too much. It will make it easier." She advises Karen.
"Kind of hard not to." Karen responds. They can hear the crowd cheering outside the door. The trainers are starting the line out into the arena. Will turns and puts a hand on her shoulder.
"If it makes you feel any better, you aren't the only one who's nervous." He says gesturing around the room. Karen notices a few people are looking a little green and a girl up front looks like she will faint. Karen gives Will a small smile then looks down at Umbreon. Even the pokemon looks nervous. Karen picks her up and pets her. Umbreon whines a little looking at the door.
"Let's just get it over with. When we get back I'll get you a treat." Umbreon lights up and has a new opinion of the dreaded door. You aren't the only one Umbreon, Karen thinks. When we get back, I'm going to get myself the biggest ice cream sundae that anyone has ever seen and I ain't sharing.
"Will Strateen." Karen is jolted out of her thoughts as Will gives his name to Officer Jenny. Jenny leans into a microphone.
"WILLIAM STRATEEN AND JYNX!" Officer Jenny says into the mic. Will goes out into the arena with Jynx right beside him. Karen watches and sees officials beckoning him over. She puts Umbreon down and approaches Officer Jenny.
"Name?" Jenny says to Karen.
"Karen Oleke." Jenny looks down at Umbreon.
"Stay with your trainer now." Jenny says with a smile. Apparently it is obvious how much Umbreon wants to bolt. The officer leans back into the mic. "KAREN OLEKE AND UMBREON!"
Karen walks out into the arena, Umbreon trotting next to her. The cheering is deafening. When she reaches the officials they stand her next to Will. The whole stadium seems to be on its feet. Karen tries in vain to see her grandparents in the crowd. To her, it seems like just a huge blur. Umbreon has sat down on the ground next to her. Finally, the last of the trainers are in the arena. An official in a suit and tie goes up to a podium set about ten feet above the trainers' heads. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! PLEASE ALLOW ME TO WELCOME YOU TO THE SILVER CONFERENCE!" Deafening applause greets this. "YOU SEE BEFORE YOU ALL OF THE TRAINERS WHO HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR BY EARNING AT LEAST EIGHT JOHTO BADGES!" Karen looks at Will like she is going to ask something, but Will just shakes his head.
"Later." He mouths to her. She probably couldn't have heard him if he did speak.
"ALL OF THESE TRAINERS," the announcer continues, 'HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET THIS FAR. NOW THE TRUE TEST AWAITS. ONLY ONE WILL BE LEFT STANDING. WILL IT BE A VETERAN? OR WILL WE HAVE A REPEAT OF LAST YEAR WHEN A NEWCOMER WON? WE WILL KNOW SOON ENOUGH!" More applause comes at this, if possible even louder. It also sounds like people are stamping their feet. The noise is starting to make Karen's head pound. Will looks like he has a migraine. Looking on her other side she notices Sabrina looks about the same. Karen gets her attention and manages to ask if she is all right. Sabrina gives her a grim smile and points to her ears. Karen returns the smile and nods.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," the announcer breaks back in, recapturing everyone's attention, "TRAINERS AND POKEMON, THE SEVENTEEN TOURNAMENT TORCHES WILL NOW BE LIT!" Karen starts to wonder why seventeen, until the first one is lit. As each torch is lit, a word lights up under each one with a pokemon type. Soon, the torches surrounding the stadium are lit and all seventeen pokemon type classifications are visible. The crowd has managed to get even louder now.
"PLEASE GIVE ANOTHER ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THE TRAINERS!" the announcer starts clapping with the crowd as the trainers and their pokemon are led out of the stadium. Once back into the holding room Karen breathes a sigh of relief.
"You can stop shaking now." Will says smiling.
"You talking to me or Jynx?" Karen says. Will looks at Jynx and notices that she doesn't seem too happy either.
"Both apparently." He says putting a hand on Jynx's shoulder. "Don't worry, it's all right." He says trying to calm her.
"Umbree…" Umbreon isn't letting Karen forget the treat she was promised.
"Don't worry girl, I haven't forgotten." Karen says laughing. She turns to Will. "What are we waiting for?"
"Dunno." He responds.
"They said to wait for final instructions here." Sabrina says. Her Alakazam seems to be chatting telepathically with Will's Jynx. It seems to calm her. Finally, an official comes over to them.
"I'll make it quick so you guys can go." More trainers have clustered around them. "First three rounds are three pokemon in each battle. You are asked not to bring more than that to the stadium. If you need someone to hold them, go to the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy will keep them safe for you. The forth and fifth rounds are four pokemon each. After that you can use all six. If you don't have six you will start with a disadvantage. Keep that in mind." Karen gulps and looks at Will. Neither of them has six pokemon. The official lets them go, and the trainers head outside.
-In the park-
"This could be bad…" Karen says. She is sitting on a bench watching the first stars come out for the night.
Will is leaning on the bench behind her. "Yeah, only five pokemon each." He agrees.
"What is with you two and staying out after dark?" Karen's maternal grandmother, Alisa Tomson, comes up with three people in tow.
"I like the night." Karen responds. Alisa just shakes her head. The young boy behind her just laughs. Karen checks him out. He is about her height, and has the same blond hair she has. He is dressed in jeans and a "Pokemon Rock Tour" T-shirt.
"I already like her." He says. Sitting down on the bench he extends his hand to Karen. "I'm Corin. Nice to finally meet my cousin."
Karen takes his hand. "Nice to know I have a cousin." She says.
"Yeah, I heard about the 'never contact us again' phone call Nonna got." At Karen's questioning look he gestures to Alisa. "Grandma. I don't remember where it comes from anymore." He grins and points to the two other adults. One is a woman in a red dress so bright it almost looks like fire. Her hair is the same bright red. The man is dressed simply in a black T-shirt and denim jeans, but his hair is electric blue. "This is mam and da."
"Hello Karen." The woman comes over to her. "I'm Alexis. It is nice to finally meet you." She points to the man. "This is my husband Andrew"
"Hi there Karen. I was wondering if we would ever get to see ya." Andrew looks her over, then Umbreon. "Dark types, right? Not a bad choice." Karen grins. Then she turns back to Alisa.
"Did Grandma and Grandpa Oleke get up here all right?" Karen asks. Alias nods.
"Yes, they are checking into their hotel room right now. Your Aunt Erica and Uncle James are here too. I'm sure little Lelia will be very happy to meet you." Alisa smiles at Karen. "We all went to see the Opening Ceremonies together"
"You poor thing, right next to the speakers…" Corin says smirking.
"At least it is over now." Karen says stroking Umbreon.
"How many pokemon do you have?" Corin asks Karen.
"Five…" Karen responds.
Andrew whistles. "That puts you at a disadvantage." He says. Corin pulls out a pokeball and releases it. A Vileplume stands there looking at him. "I told you I would find you a good trainer, right?" he says to the Vileplume. The pokemon just stares at him. "How about Karen?" Corin points to Karen. Vileplume looks at her and the Umbreon in her lap. "Vile?" it goes over to Karen and looks up at her.
"You serious?" Karen asks Corin. "I can really have it"
"Her, and if you want, and if she wants…" he motions for them to go together. Vileplume goes up to her and Karen pets her petals. The pokemon seems to really like it. Corin hands her the pokeball.
"Thank you." Karen says. Karen adds the pokeball to her belt. Umbreon starts whining and pushing her hand with her nose.
"What's with her?" Alexis asks. Umbreon is still looking at Karen. She opens her mouth.
"I haven't forgotten your treat," Karen says laughing.
Corin grins. He pulls a package out of one of his pockets. "Hey Umbreon…" he opens the package to reveal pokemon cookies. "You can have these if you want." Umbreon looks up at Karen asking permission. Karen laughs.
"Oh go on." She says laughing. Umbreon practically dives at the cookies. Everyone is laughing now. Karen turns to ask Will something, but sees him talking to another woman. She is dressed in a karate outfit with a black belt around her waist.
"No it wasn't that big of a deal…" Will is saying.
"Not that big a deal?" the woman echoes. "You could have been killed!"
"Mom, relax. You're overreacting." Will says shaking his head. He looks up and sees Karen grinning.
"Your mom?" Karen asks. Will nods.
"Ah, so you're Karen." The woman says. Karen nods. "Thank you for helping Will." She turns to Alisa. "And my thanks to you for letting him stay in your home instead of on the street."
"It was nothing. I couldn't leave them there." Alisa smiles.
"Actually, I think he helped me more…" Karen says.
"So we'll call it even." Will says with a smirk.
"Will, why don't we head over to the hotel. Grandma Opena is waiting there." Will stares at her. "Grandma came all the way up here?!" he says.
"She didn't have a problem coming to Ecruteak." Karen says. Will just sighs and follows his mom to the hotel. Then she turns back to her family. She notices Corin staring at Umbreon.
"Hey," Corin lights up, "I got an idea. Da brought up his grill… so why don't we have a barbeque tomorrow? It'll be great!" Karen smiles.
"Well," Andrew nods, "I don't mind. Sounds like fun. It would be a great way for everyone to get together. What do ya say mom?" He looks to Alisa.
"I'll pack desert." Alisa responds.
Karen smiles. "Sounds good to me." She says.
"How about we meet, oh, around one o-clock?" Alisa looks at Karen. "That way we won't be waking anyone up." Karen grins and nods.
"See you then!" Corin calls as he and his parents head back to the hotel.