What I hate about making stories is trying to make them big. That takes quite some time. But no matter how big a story gets all the problems I have can be solved with friends on the outside world and even friends like my co-author halcyonhuer who despite his busy schedule still finds time to help me. Sorry if the chapter is too short or too long but me and my friends can only work so hard and we take time in our work. I may not be the best fanfiction author but as long as I can still write chapters that's fine. Please read and review.
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It was nerve-wrecking really. Patrick turned stiffly towards Faye who somehow still remained composed.
Or that she is composed.
It can't be helped. After all, it was Patrick's first tournament battle.
He fought in forests, plains, gyms and heck, even deserts, but he never fought in tournaments before. To Steadying himself, he focused on his two opponents standing a few feet away from him- maybe he might figure out what kind of Pokémon they would use. This way, he hoped to dispel his nervous spell. Both of them were boys and they seemed to be a few years younger than Patrick. Yet it was the only similarity between them. They were complete opposites of one another. The first obvious difference was in their builds; one was notably beefier than the other, while his partner had only minimal muscle, skinny would be the more exact description.
He turned his focus to the Pokémon ring, which was rather large. And somehow, he felt an excitement bubbling- but strangely detached. This cause nausea to rise and he felt cold in his toes again.
"You alright?" He turned to the source of the voice. Not surprisingly, it was Faye.
"Yes. It's just the chills." Patrick lied partially, managing a convincing smile while he was at it. Faye smiled and held his finger, causing Patrick to jump a little.
"For encouragement." She laughed. Patrick looked away shyly and decided he would distract himself from the long wait.
"Alright. I call the big one muscles and the smaller one, Lanky." He thought and he watched how his opponents prepped themselves. It was another notable difference. Muscles was moving, shifting his weight from the toes of one foot to the toes of the other. Lanky, by contrast, was almost still, his eyes half-lidded and his torso swaying slightly. Patrick then predicted that Muscles and Lanky would battle with Pokémon that were just as different. He quietly sized up both of them individually while he waited for a signal to start the battle.
"Patrick, are you sure you are ok?" Faye sudden words jolted him out of his thoughts. And when she squeezed his finger, he was completely rammed out of his thoughts, like as if a freight train just ran in.
"Huh-? Yes, totally." This time he wasn't too convincing and saw it through Faye's suppressed, knowing smirk.
He took a deep breath and sighed.
"I guess I'm a bit nervous. I really just wish they'd ring the starting bell or whatever."
Faye politely tried to restrain a chuckle. Patrick felt warmth in his face. He looked down at the floor, thinking of some other distraction from the cute face of his partner and her hand around his finger. Maybe the partners are decided by personality differences, Patrick wondered, still staring at the ground. His brow furrowed, trying to concentrate whatever he had started, only to fail miserably however.
[Patrick...]
"Hmm?" Patrick answered the voice speaking in his mind.
A moment passed before he looked up from the ground, slightly grateful for whoever had spoken to him, before briefly wondering who had spoken.
[It's me, Master. Mienfoo.]
"Uh…sorry I couldn't recognize you for a while." Patrick replied telepathically.
[That's why I wanted to say you're thinking too hard.]
"Sorry, I'm just impatient for some reason." Patrick scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.
[It's fine to be a little nervous. But you'll just stress yourself out by thinking too much about it.]
"Yeah, you're right. And when I'm stressed out-"
[It makes those idiots stressed.] Hondour interrupted. [I am ok, but those idiots worry too much about this dumb master of mine.]
[Have more respect, Houndour.] Mienfoo chided.
[He should at least have the composure to lead us. He's not four you know?] Houndour snorted
"It's ok. Mienfoo, Houndor's right." Patrick said (telepathically again) to break the fight. "Thanks Houndour, you too Mienfoo. I am alright now."
Hondour snorted again, much to chagrin of the other pokemon. They didn't say a word after.
Patrick smiled to himself. He closed his eyes and took another deep breath. He let his shoulders relax as he exhaled.
"You look better." Faye commented.
"Yeah." Patrick grinned, still closing his eyes and listening to the chatters in the audiences.
The signal for the beginning of the match finally came with a loud ring of the bell. His eyes snapped open, and he was smiling as he hurled a Pokéball into the air.
"Let's get started, Mienfoo!"
The crowd cheered for Mienfoo's appearance. He was lucky to get such adoring people looking after him; it made things easier for him when he was going to battle his opponent.
"Nice, a Mienfoo huh?" Faye looked at the jumping pokemon. "Let's go, Larvitar!"
"Larvitar?" Patrick mused at the green pokemon. "Is that…?"
"Yup, this Pokémon originates from Johto!" She laughed. "He looks small. But don't let sizes fool you, he's quite the tough one."
Meanwhile Muscle and Lanky (as what Patrick had dubbed them) had also summoned their Pokémon. One seemed to be giant snowman with green hands and the other a small lanky balloon.
"Abomasnow and Driftloon huh?" Patrick identified the pokemon correctly and Faye nodded. Now Patrick felt excited, he had never seen so many species from so many different areas.
"This is great!" Both Faye and he said at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed, before blushing lightly.
"I just never seen so many Pokemon like this before."
"Yeah same here."
There were two starting bells, one was to summon the pokemon and the other to start. The second one rang and immediately the pokemon charged at each other.
"We have the initiative! Mienfoo, Force palm on Abomasnow."
"Larvitar, Dark Pulse on Driftloon!"
Driftloon flew back taking damage however Mienfoo's attack on Abamasnow seemed non-existant. The big was alright and he roared. Patrick had saw Muscle smirking.
"Blizzard, Abamasnow!"
Mienfoo and Larvitar faced an onslaught of painful ice and snow and their vision was blurred. Lanky had taken advantage of the situation, and summoned Driftloon to use a shadow ball on Mienfoo.
"Ah!" Faye suddenly shouted.
"What's wrong, Faye?" Patrick asked, concerned.
"I thought I saw them somewhere and I did." Faye replied. "I saw them in this competition last year and they were applauded for their teamwork… I think they were called-"
[Lanky and Muscle will do for me.]
"Eh Houndour, how did you know?"
[You were talking so loudly. Now get me out so I can burn this guy's ass.]
"Wait a moment." Patrick proceeded to concentrate on the battle.
"Mienfoo, use D-! Ah Mienfoo's frozen!" Patrick panicked a little.
"Lavitar, Dark Pulse once more!"
Driftloon had managed to dodge and Larvitar scrunched its forehead. Meanwhile Mienfoo eyed Abamasnow warily.
"Now Driftloon, use Hex!"
"Abamasnow, Ice Shard on Larvitar!"
"Houndour-" Patrick began as he watched the fight.
[Oi dumb trainer, you and she have just met. You both don't stand a chance against people who have cooperated with each other for so long.]
"Elemental weakness is the key huh?" Patrick thought. "Anyway since when did you talk so much?"
[Just get on with it.] Houndour frowned.
"I'm switching Mienfoo out with Houndour." Patrick called.
Houndour stepped out and Larvitar smiled a little, they were the same somewhat. Muscles and Lanky face changed a little, but Houndour was too pumped up to care.
Muscles looked to Lanky who shook his head.
"Abamasnow, use Razor Leaf at Larvitar."
"Driftloon, Ominus Wind."
Dark winds covered the area and since it was dark, Larvitar could not dodge the incoming razor leaf attacks and was hurt by them. Houndour growled. Both of them sniggered and Houndour had read them. They were saying as if just because he's a fire type doesn't mean he could win over them.
"Houndour, calm down." Patrick spoke in his mind.
[What do you know?]
"It's ok, now's your turn. They seem to underestimate your strength." Patrick commanded. "So give them a nice Flamethrower!"
Houndour charged, jumped and released his flames at Abmasnow. The Pokémon grinned.
[Not bad, trainer.]
"Now Larvitar, Rockslide on Abamasnow as well!" Faye shouted. "Let's support them."
Abamasnow nearly couldn't stand after all that. Muscle and Lanky looked on in shock. And because of the shock, their attacks were rather uncoordinated and Larvitar and Houndour could dodge them.
"Let's give them one final blow. Flamethrower again!"
"Larvitar, finish Driftloon with dark pulse again!"
The Pokémon fell to the ground and the victory of the first round went to Patrick and Faye.
