1/6/2020

Easily the longest chapter I've ever written, at 10,306 words. And it's also the chapter I've been dying to write. I'll explain why at the end - no spoilers for you! :)

We're finally at the Unova League! It only took us 2 complete seasons and over 100 episodes, but we're finally here! It's such a joy writing all of these familiar friends and rivals again, but it's bittersweet for me. This is the last time Alice, Iris, and Cilan will interact with them in the series - I hate to admit it, but I've gotten attached to Bianca and Stephan (maybe not Cameron, but I don't hate him like some other characters). I feel a personal responsibility to make these next few chapters an absolute treat to send them off.

I can't say any more than that until you read the chapter. Check at the end for more notes (what is this, AO3?) - I'll explain everything there! Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I don't own anything related to it. Alice is the only thing I own, since she's my OC.

Chapter 103
Curtain Up, Unova League!

It's just another day, walking down the familiar path that'll lead us to Vertress City. The sun is shining, not a cloud in the sky, and the Pikachu on my shoulder is dozing off. It couldn't be a more ordinary—

Wait, what's that in the distance?

I can see a collection of dots in the distance over the hill we're currently climbing. When the three of us reach the top, the colorful dots become much clearer. They're not dots, they're buildings—a city!

A gasp rips free from my throat. "Vertress City!"

At my announcement, Pikachu snaps himself awake. And Iris shares her excitement, as well. "We're finally here!"

My whole body is trembling so hard, I can't tell if it's from nervousness, anxiety, or sheer excitement. "Oh, I can't wait to win the Unova League! It'll be so cool!"

The three of us run down the hill, closer to the city. With each step, my heart beats faster and faster. We're finally here at the Unova League! Nine months later, we're here at last!

When we stand face-to-face with the entrance of the city, already I can see hundreds of Trainers gathered around. While some of them crowd around the Pokémon Center, others chat amongst themselves. Countless Pokémon accompany them either in their arms, on their shoulders, or at their sides.

Numerous shops and stands have been set up. Some of them sell snacks and on-the-go meals, and others sell special items. From where I'm standing, I can see a few battle items and energy drinks for Pokémon being sold at a few.

"It was a long trip, but it was worth it, no doubt about it!"

"It sure was," Iris agrees with a smile. "And lots of adventures, too!"

"There were so many, I've lost count," Cilan adds with a chuckle.

It's true. Nine months have passed since I started my journey and met these two amazing people. I can't remember every little detail, but that's okay. I remember enough to know that so far, my journey in Unova has been a blast. And I hope after the Unova League, we'll still be able to go on many more adventures with each other.

But right now, I don't want to think about what'll happen after the Unova League. I want to think about the here and now. And now, I'm scouting out the huge crowds. Even though there are so many people, I know I have Iris and Cilan with me, so it doesn't bother me as much as it would've if I was alone.

"Just look at all the Trainers here!"

Cilan nods, his eyes sweeping over the crowds. "And they've all won at least eight Gym badges to enter the Unova League."

"Let's see you beat them all!" Iris chirps, shoving me playfully.

I return the shove with a laugh. "Don't you worry, Iris, I will! Let's go."

"First stop: registration."

"Okay! Come on!"

So we all hurry into the city, with Pikachu and Axew clinging to our shoulders. My buddy is shaking, as well; I can tell he's just as excited as I am.

Soon, we make it to a small fountain; the heart of the city, according to Cilan's map. Not as many Trainers are gathered here, but there are still a few lingering around.

When we come to a stop, I allow myself to inspect them all. "Maybe I'll be battling her!" I tell them, pointing to a girl in a blue dress with a Deerling at her side. "Or maybe him!" I point to an older boy with brown hair talking to a Blitzle.

Iris suddenly gasps, and when she does, I whip around to see why. In front of us is probably the largest stadium I've ever seen in my life. It's bigger than the ones at the Club Battle Tournament, the Clubsplosion, and the Junior Cup all combined! And smaller stadiums surround it, all painted in different colors: green, blue, yellow and red.

"That must be the main battlefield," Cilan speculates, "with several others surrounding it."

"So that's where it's all happening!" Just looking at the stadium sends me into a frenzy. "Awesome!"

"Awesome is an understatement," Iris laughs.

"This is the Unova League," Cilan reminds us with a smile.

Now, I'm trembling even harder than before. My whole body feels like a rocket about to lift off into the unknown. I can't believe we've made it this far already!

"I'm so excited!" Pikachu squeals in delight on my shoulder, his little paws curling into determined fists.

And we'll win the whole thing! Look out, other Trainers. Alice Ketchum and her Pikachu are coming for you!

"Out of my way! Out of my way! Out of my way! Out of my way! Out of my way!"

I barely have time to register the familiar distressed voice before I'm slammed into the fountain. I shriek before I'm submerged in cold water. Luckily, I land on my hands and knees instead of my back, so my jacket isn't completely drenched.

When I raise my head, I'm not surprised at the blonde force who's knocked into me. "Bianca!"

She shrieks and bows her head apologetically. "I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry!"

Once I've managed to get out of the fountain, I'm relieved to realize I'm not completely soaked like the fast few times. Instead, I simply have to smooth out my skirt and roll up the sleeves of my jacket. I give my hat one last flick before turning back to the group.

"Bianca, that means you won eight badges, too," Iris points out, smiling.

Bianca nods eagerly, beaming from ear to ear. "Just in the nick of time, too. It looked like I wouldn't have enough to badges to enter, but I worked really really hard!"

Cilan smiles and nods in approval at this. "That's very impressive."

I'm happy for her. Sure, she's flighty and forgetful sometimes, but she's a fierce battler when she wants to be. I hope I get to battle her in the tournament.

"Of course, entering the Unova League is my goal," she continues, "but I wanted to see you guys, too. Alice, how have you been?"

I'm not letting her get off the hook that easily. "It's hard to say, after you slammed into me like that."

"Well, I said I was sorry."

I can feel my face falling at this. But I can't expect much for Bianca at this point. I know her too well by now.

"You know, you're just as perky as ever." At Iris's observation, Bianca lets out a small giggle.

"Hey, Alice! Bianca!"

At the sudden new voice, the four of us turn around. We're greeted with the familiar sight of Stephan, who doesn't seem like he's changed much since we last saw him. He still wears that same friendly smile we've all come to love.

"How's it going, gang?"

"Great, Stephan." That's how you say his name, right? "It's nice to see you!"

He sighs and shakes his head. "Still saying it wrong..." But he suddenly freezes and stares at me with wide blue eyes. "Wait, say my name once more."

Wait, I actually got it right! Time to take advantage of this! With a sly smile, I reply, "I said 'Stephan.' What did you think I said?"

His mouth falls open; its hard not to laugh at this. "You...got it right...! That's the way you say my name!"

Iris seems to catch on, because she asks innocently, "Stephan, what's wrong?" But she sneaks a look at me, and the smirk is clear on her face.

The poor boy doesn't seem to take notice of our exchanged glances. Instead, he punches the air in victory. "Ding ding ding! And they win first prize for the correct pronunciation!"

"But that's how we've been saying it all along," Iris tells him.

"Yeah, it is." When he's not looking, I snicker and elbow Iris right in the arm.

He frowns at us, confused at our expressions. "This is the first time!" But he sighs in defeat and smiles anyway. "Well, whatever. You're right now. Anyway, Alice, have you been doing lots of training?"

"You bet I have!" Of course, that would be his next topic. "And what about you?"

"I'd show you my powered-up battle style right now, if I could," he replies with a smirk.

At this, Bianca laughs. "Somebody's confident."

"You sure are," Cilan replies, smiling encouragingly at us.

Maybe, but he can be as confident as he wants. When we battle, there's no way I'm losing!

Suddenly, his smile is replaced with a look of awe, and he points up to the sky. "Guys, look over there!"

We follow his line of vision and see a helicopter flying towards the city. Upon closer inspection, I can see two familiar figures perched in the seats. And one of them I know well.

"It's Virgil!"

"From the Pokémon Rescue Squad!"

The chopper lands in a grassy patch far away from the crowds of competing Trainers, and Virgil hops out, with Eevee resting on his shoulders. Iris, Cilan and I begin to run over to him, with Bianca and Stephan right behind us.

When we make it to them, the chopper lifts off and flies away, with Davy in the pilot's seat. Virgil watches his brother leave with a sad smile just as we reach him.

"Hi, Virgil!"

At my voice, he turns around, and he gives us a warm look. "Hey, if it isn't Alice!"

"Impressive aerial entrance," Cilan compliments.

"It was so cool!" Iris adds, her eyes sparkling.

Virgil laughs nervously, a blush dusting his cheeks. "Aw, come on. We were just dropping off an injured Pokémon at the Pokémon Center." His hazel eyes suddenly cloud with confusion as they meet the forms of Bianca and Stephan.

Oh, wait, he doesn't know them yet! So I take it upon myself to introduce them: "This is Bianca, and this is Stephan."

"They're friends of ours from when we competed in the Clubsplosion," Iris explains.

Virgil nods at this. "I see. My name's Virgil. Nice to meet you." Eevee chirps a soft greeting, as well, her tail swishing from side to side.

"You see," Cilan says, motioning to the squad member, "Virgil's a member of the Pokémon Rescue Squad."

"His Pokémon are all totally amazing," Iris continues. "He actually works with the evolved forms of Eevee!"

Virgil shifts in his place; he must not be used to all this attention. "It's not that big of a deal," he almost mumbles, casting his eyes downward.

"Dot be so modest," Cilan tells him with a smile. "It's not every day one gets to see all seven evolved forms of Eevee at one time!"

I can tell all this attention is making him uncomfortable, so I decide to switch the subject: "Are you entering with Team Eevee?"

"Of course!" he answers, relaxing a bit. Eevee coos, nuzzling her face into his.

"Amazing!"

Virgil smiles at her before turning back to me. "Alice, have you been to registration yet?"

I shake my head. "No, not yet."

"Then why don't we all go and register together?"

"Okay!"

The journey to the registration center is a mostly silent one. As we get closer to the center, though, the number of Trainers begins to increase. And soon, I spot an all-too-familiar one.

"It's Trip!"

At my voice, Trip stops and turns around. He looks a bit surprised to see me, to be honest. "So, that means you got eight badges, too?" There's no trace of malice to his tone, which is welcoming.

I nod at him. "Yup! And I'm gonna be the winner this time!" There's no way I'm letting him beat me again! I've changed since we've last battled, I just know it.

This time, he fully smiles at me. "Just make sure you don't lose before we're matched up."

"Then the same goes for you."

He nods again before turning away. "I'll catch you later." And then he's off, disappearing among the crowd.

I watch him leave with an open mouth. Did I just have an actual civil conversation with him? I can't believe it! And he went a full two minutes without insulting me!

Iris frowns at his sudden change of character, though. "What happened to him? Trip has really changed."

But I remember how he wasn't as nasty to me as he could've been at the end of the Junior Cup Tournament, where he lost his battle against Alder. I guess Alder's influence left more of an impact on him than I'd thought. But hey, I'm not complaining.

Trip has really improved since our first ever meeting in Nuvema Town, and I hope this change is permanent. Maybe we can finally move away from being rivals and start being friends?

But I don't have much time to ponder over this before the six of us head into the registration center. We're met with Nurse Joy, who stands behind the main counter, and she smiles sweetly at us.

"Welcome to the Unova League! Please, show me your Gym badges, and then scan your Pokédex right here on this screen."

"Okay."

With a smile, I fish out my badge case and show it off to her. When both she and her accompanying Audino nod, I tap the screen of my Pokédex to the little tablet on the countertop. On the larger screen behind her, my name and picture pop up, along with my eight badges: the Trio Badge, the Basic Badge, the Insect Badge, the Bolt Badge, the Quake Badge, the Jet Badge, the Freeze Badge, and the Toxic Badge. A green checkmark pops up next to my name.

"Perfect! You're all set." Nurse Joy hands me a small silver key. "And here is your room key. The hotels are just past the Pokémon Center on the edge of the city. Good luck in the tournament!"

My fingers wrap around the silver key tightly. For a brief moment, I'm reminded of the medal I won in the Black City Tag Battle Competition. "Thank you!" I turn to Pikachu, who's still perched on my shoulder. "It won't be long now, buddy." He nods, his tail swishing against the back of my neck.

Soon, everyone taps their Pokédexes to the screen, and their information pops up, as well. Each Trainer's eight badges show up on the screen, and I catch sight of some from cities I don't even know.

Unova's huge; there's still so much of it I haven't explored yet!

Now, the six of us are on the path leading up to the collection of hotels. It's a gorgeous circle of five golden towers with at least ten stories each. Sheesh, how many Trainers are competing in the tournament? Is each room filled? Are their spares? How many Trainers aren't even rooming in these hotels? Are some of them staying over with friends, like I am?

Bianca's voice tears me out of my thoughts: "Where are you staying, Alice?"

I sneak a look at the silver key. Attached to it is a small bronze tag with A#3 written on it. "Tower A, third floor."

"Me, too!"

"I'm ready to kick back and rest up for tomorrow," Virgil says. On his shoulder, Eevee smiles and nods eagerly.

"Good idea," Stephan says. "Me? I'm headed to the sauna to sweat out the stress and get a good night's sleep!"

Iris rolls her eyes playfully at this. "Stress? He sounds so old," she whispers to me, making me giggle.

But Stephan's heard her, and he shrugs his shoulders. "Old? It's a great way for anyone to chill out."

Suddenly, Iris stops in her tracks, and I nearly collide with her. But when I realize she's looking off to the side, I follow her gaze. Someone's set up a small blue tent on the side of the path among the trees and bushes.

"Some Trainer must be camping out."

"Talk about toughing it out." I mean, camping out is fun and all, but if I'm offered a free hotel room, there's no way I'm letting it slip through my fingers.

Then, a familiar blue bipedal Pokémon comes out of the tent. With floppy black ears and little paws, it's a Pokémon that doesn't roam around in Unova, but Sinnoh.

"A Riolu!" But there's only one Riolu in Unova that I know of.

Iris blinks before catching on. "Wait, does that mean...?"

Indeed, Riolu's Trainer unveils himself from the tent. He lets out a huge yawn before stretching his arms out over his head. "What a great nap!"

"Cameron!" Upon seeing the familiar Trainer, that familiar sense of excitement returns, and I run over to him. He straightens himself up and smiles at me.

"Hey, Alice! What took you so long, pal? I've been camping out here for three days already."

I fight the urge to roll my eyes at him. "That's because you can't afford to be late for the Unova League, right?"

He laughs at this; I know him so well. "Right, sis! When the tournament's ready to roll, I'll already be rolling! Brilliant, right?"

But Iris doesn't seem to think so, judging by the frown on her face. "Why camp out when they give you a room after you're registered?"

This information causes Cameron to bear a frown, as well. "What do you mean? What's a 'registered'? Some sort of new Pokémon?"

Wait, surely he doesn't mean... "It means you sign up to compete."

He swallows hard. "Uh, sorry! Somebody should've told me!"

No, he doesn't mean that...right?

But my fears come true as I stare at this boy longer. This boy who once thought he only needed seven badges instead of eight to compete in the Unova League... It makes sense that he would forget to register.

My eyes widen, and I actually drop Pikachu from my arms. The poor Electric-type rolls onto the ground and glares up at me.

"What have you been doing for the past three days?!"

Cameron flinches at my tone. "Well, uh—"

"Au-di-no!"

The voice of the Audino blares over the loudspeaker, and it's soon followed by Nurse Joy's: "Registration for the Vertress City Unova League is now over. Thanks to all of our competing Trainers!"

As her announcement sinks in, I start to feel a little sick inside. Registration's over...and Cameron hasn't registered... He won't be able to compete in the League...

But maybe Nurse Joy will make an exception! She has to!

Immediately, my face is in Cameron's. "Do you have your badges?"

He nods, patting his shorts pocket. "I got 'me right here."

"Then come on!" I grab onto his wrist and begin to pull tight, but he pulls back fiercely.

"Wait a sec! What's the rush, anyway?"

"Just move it!"

I yank on his wrist and start running down the path, practically dragging him along. Pikachu and Riolu run after us, and we end up leaving the rest of the group in the dust.

Sorry, guys, but this is important!

"Alice!" But no matter how much he tries, Cameron can't escape my grip.

When we get closer to the city, I tell him through pants, "If you don't register, they won't let you compete in the Unova League!"

I can almost hear his jaw hit the ground. "What?!"

At this point, there's no reason to keep a hold on his wrist; he's running at his own pace behind me. The two of us race down the path and into the city, nearly colliding with other Trainers as we do.

"Excuse me! Sorry!"

"Sorry!"

Finally, we make it to the registration center, and when we burst through the doors, I can see Nurse Joy and Audino turning to leave the main counter. But my voice brings them back.

"Nurse Joy!" The two of us race to the counter to meet her. As fast as I can, I begin to explain the situation to her. "This is Cameron. He hasn't registered yet."

"May I? Please?"

Joy's face falls, her pink eyes casting downwards. "I'm afraid registration's already closed. You're just a little too late."

No! "He thought he just had to show up to compete!"

"I've been here for three days!" Cameron adds, sounding desperate.

"Pretty please?"

"I worked really hard to earn all these badges!"

"Please?"

"Please?"

Finally, our begging seems to get through to her, and she gives us a soft smile. "Alright, I understand. I'll make an exception."

At this, both our heads shoot up in astonishment, and we both smile gratefully at her. "Thank you, Nurse Joy!"

She motions Cameron to scan his Pokédex and show him her badges. When he does that, she hands him a key identical to mine. But this one is gold rather than silver.

"Okay, you're all set," she says, placing the key in his palm.

As Cameron turns to me, I shake my head and try my best to calm my racing heart. Adrenaline is still pumping throughout my veins. "You really lucked out, Cameron."

"I know," he says with a nervous laugh. Even he knows how close he came to not being able to enter the Unova League.

When the two of us walk back outside, with Pikachu and Riolu at our heels, we're greeted with the sight of our little group. Iris gives us a nervous glance.

"Mission accomplished?"

I nod, and she sighs in relief. "Nurse Joy made an exception."

"Wasn't that nice of her?" Bianca says with a smile.

When I turn back to Cameron, I cross my arms over my chest and shake my head. "I'm not surprised you showed up to compete but forgot to register." When Cameron giggles, I have to smile. "You know, you're an okay kid. You just space out sometimes."

It's weird to say it, since we're practically the same age, but Cameron reminds me of myself in my early days as a Trainer, when I was ten years old. I was incredibly forgetful and I spaced out a lot. I still do, but not to this extent. I guess I have a soft spot for him since all I see when I look at him is a ten-year-old Alice Ketchum—minus the messy black hair and female features, of course.

But Cameron laughs off my observation of him. "If you say so."

Virgil nods to him and smiles. "Glad you're in."

"Yeah, good luck!" Stephan adds in.

"May the best Trainer win!" Bianca giggles.

Cameron nods his head. "Thanks! Hey, that reminds me." His attention's suddenly focused on me. "I've been meaning to tell you something, Alice."

I feel a frown crease my forehead. "What is it?"

Of course, this stops Cameron. "What was it?"

He grumbles to himself before pulling back on his orange headband and yanking it back hard. As the elastic material snaps, I can't help but cringe. Doesn't that hurt him?

"I've got it!" he cheers. "Alice, I brought a secret weapon to use in the Unova League!"

This makes my frown deepen. "A secret weapon? What're you talking about?" Is it some kind of new Pokémon or move? Or is it something totally different?

But he simply shrugs his shoulders. "Sorry, I can't say anymore about it. It's a secret, remember?"

Of course it is. That's just like Cameron.

Later that night, after a satisfying dinner in the cafeteria of Tower A (which, thankfully, Virgil, Bianca, Stephan, and Cameron are all staying in with me and Iris and Cilan), I make my way back down to the first floor, where the communication corner rests. Numerous phones are lined up against the walls, where Trainers talk to their family members and friends and Pokémon.

I walk over to one of the empty phones and type in the number for Professor Juniper's lab into the bar. Pikachu shifts in his spot on my shoulder. Finally, Professor Juniper answers on the other end, and she smiles once she sees me.

"Hello there, Alice! How're you doing tonight?"

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm at Vertress City already. The Unova League starts tomorrow!" I can't disguise the excitement in my voice.

"How wonderful! I'm so proud of you, Alice," she says with a warm smile. "Now, do you need anything from me?"

Once I've exchanged a few of my Pokémon with her for some others at her lab, I watch as the final Poké Ball appears in the little rack on the corner of the phone. Smiling at the thought of the Pokémon inside, I take it and nod to her.

"I've got it. Thank you, Professor Juniper."

"You're very welcome, Alice," she replies with a wink. "Let me know if you need anything else, okay?" I nod to her, and she sighs happily. "Just think: you've finally made it to the Unova League!"

I can feel a blush settling in on my cheeks. "I sure did."

"I wish I could be there in person," she says with a sad smile, "but I'll be cheering for you. I'm sure you'll give your best effort. You always do!"

Hearing her speak so fondly of me gives me a warm glow of pride in my chest. And suddenly, I feel the urge to do well not just for myself and my Pokémon, but for her and all of my Unova friends. And even my non-Unova friends, too. In a way, they've all helped me get this far.

"You can count on me. And thank you again!"

When we hang up, I can't help but feel a bit lonely, even with Pikachu against my face. So I decide to type in a familiar number I know by heart. And I couldn't be happier when a face I know all too well shows up on the screen.

"Alice?"

"Hi, Mom."

Her face breaks out into a happy smile. "Alice, honey! How have you been? Are you eating enough? I haven't heard from you in so long! How're your friends doing? Professor Oak told me all about them. Apparently you're traveling with another Gym Leader! And a girl who trains Dragon-type Pokémon! I can't believe it, sweetie!"

I force myself to hide a laugh at my mother's excitement. Now I know where I get it from.

"I'm fine, Mom, and so are my friends. We're actually in Vertress City right now. The Unova League's starting tomorrow."

At this, her eyes widen, and I think I can see silver tears pooling in the corners of them. "The Unova League... Oh, honey, I'm so proud of you! You're growing up so fast, I can't believe it!"

"Yeah..."

"And how's Pikachu doing?" She smiles at the little Electric-type on my shoulder. "He's not giving you any trouble, is he?"

"Not too much," I reply with a smile. Pikachu swipes at my face playfully, and I bat his paw away.

Mom runs a hand through her hair before continuing, "I wish you the best of luck for tomorrow, Alice. I know you'll do great. And I'll be watching the whole thing on TV, just like I always do. Unova may be far away, but that doesn't mean they don't broadcast their Pokémon League throughout every region."

Yeah, I can't argue they're quite proud of their Trainers. But now I feel more at ease, knowing Mom's going to be watching me tomorrow.

"Thanks, Mom. I love you."

"I love you, too. Get some sleep now, sweetie. You'll need it for tomorrow."

"I will, don't worry."

"Goodbye!"

"Bye..."

When the screen goes dim, I'm met with my shadowy reflection. Talking to Mom has somewhat calmed my nerves, but now I can't stop thinking about home. What are the residents in Pallet Town doing at this time? Are they all sleeping? What about Gary and Professor Oak? What're they up to? And is Mom okay with being alone in our huge house for so long?

I rarely get homesick, but when I do, it hits hard. And soon enough, no amount of snuggling from Pikachu can stop the tears from forming.

"Alice Ketchum?"

Immediately, I rub my fist against my eyes to clear away any tears. And when I turn around, I'm greeted with none other than Tia Shepstone.

"Tia!" The last time I saw her was at the Junior Cup, where we battled in the first round. And I came out victorious.

She smiles at me, but her eyes are a bit distant. "Saying hi to your folks, huh?" I know there's no point in hiding it, so I nod. "I know how that's like. Half of my family's here in Unova, and half of them are back in Sinnoh. Whenever I call them, I have to stop myself and remind myself who I'm actually calling," she adds with a light laugh.

I try to laugh with her, but I can't. So when I don't, she reaches out and rests a hand on the shoulder Pikachu's currently not occupying.

"It's alright, Ketchum. But hey, look on the bright side. The Unova League's starting tomorrow, and we're gonna be battling. And if we battle, I'm not planning on losing."

When I remember how strong her Froslass was at the Junior Cup, I begin to smile again. "Oh, yeah? We'll see about that."

The adrenaline has returned, even when I'm tucked into bed. But no matter how much I twist and turn, I can't get comfortable. Eventually, I sit up, accidentally waking the Pokémon at the foot of my bed.

"Sorry, Pikachu," I whisper apologetically. "I just can't fall asleep."

So he crawls into my arms, and I get out of bed. I make my way over to the window, where the lights of the main stadium shine brightly. Long pillars of light sway lazily back and forth in the night sky.

"Look how beautiful it is." Pikachu hums in agreement. "Starting tomorrow, that's where we'll be."

"Pika pika."

My arms tighten around him as my eyes linger on the sight below. "I'll bet the stadium's gonna be packed. All that time traveling in the Unova region, just so we could compete in the Unova League." I sigh at the memories—so many of them cloud my mind. "We've battled against a whole bunch of different Gym Leaders, haven't we?"

I can't forget the one that started it all: my mysterious (and apparently unheard of) Gym challenge at the Striaton City Gym, where I asked to battle all three Gym Leaders. Cilan, Chili and Cress were a bit taken aback at first, and so were the girls in the audience, but they agreed nonetheless. With Tepig against Pansear, Pikachu against Panpour, and Oshawott against Pansage, I eventually earned myself the Trio Badge.

Then, there was Lenora in Nacrene City. Her Watchog and Herdier proved to be quite the team, but thanks to Tepig and Oshawott's help, we were able to pull through, and the Basic Badge was ours.

Next came Burgh, the well-known artist of Castelia City. His Dwebble, Whirlipede, and Leavanny were almost unstoppable, but we were able to win the battle. That Insect Badge goes to Pikachu, Sewaddle and Tepig.

And then the long, tiring trek to Nimbasa City, but that battle with Elesa was worth it. Her Zebstrika, Emolga, and Tynamo were glamorous in their own ways, but in the end, they couldn't stand up to Palpitoad, Snivy and Pikachu.

I'll admit, I was incredibly sassy during my battle with Clay in Driftveil City. But hey, that guy really pushed my buttons! He tried to take me down with Krokorok, Palpitoad and Excadrill, but Servine, Oshawott and Boldore fought back fiercely. And thanks to them, I now have the Quake Badge.

And Skyla... Oh, Skyla. That Gym battle, even though it was stressful at first, turned out to be a lot of fun. She had her Swoobat, Unfezant, and Swanna, but I had Krokorok, Pikachu and Unfezant. And we won, taking home the Jet Badge.

Brycen was one of the strongest Gym Leaders I've ever faced in Unova, no doubt about it. He was so fierce with his Vanillish, Cryogonal and Beartic. But in the end, Scraggy, Pignite and Krokorok took him down, and we earned the Freeze Badge.

And finally, that long, intense battle with Roxie rolled along, with her sending out Koffing, Scolipede and Garbodor. She had me use all six of my Pokémon (an uneven match is unheard of), so I used Gabite, Unfezant, Leavanny, Pignite, Cubchoo, and Pikachu. Eventually, we won the whole thing, and we got ourselves a Toxic Badge.

"You know, all of those Gym Leaders got us here, in a way," I whisper to my baby. "Pikachu, we'll win this for all of them. We'll make them proud, right, buddy?"

"Pika," he murmurs back, snuggling into my chest.

"Go to sleep, Alice." I jolt at Iris's voice, and when I turn around, I see her sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes. "You're gonna have to get some rest if you wanna do well tomorrow."

My face goes red at this. But I know it's true. "I guess you're right." So to make her happy, I crawl right back into bed.

A few minutes later, though, I still can't fall asleep. Pikachu has long since dozed off, and judging by the way he's unaffected with how much I toss around, he's in a deep slumber.

I peek over at Iris, just to make sure she's asleep, before climbing back out of bed. I slip my boots on over my fuzzy socks and pull my jacket over my shoulders. Maybe a walk will help tire me out.

As quietly as I can, I tiptoe over to the door, passing a sleeping Iris and Cilan on the way. My hand curls around the doorknob, and slowly, I turn it and open the door. However, I wince as a sliver of light from the hallway shines in the room.

Once I slip outside, however, I close the door behind me. But as I start to walk down the hall, I hear it open back up again. And I'm met with the sight of my emerald-eyed crush.

"You can't sleep, either?" he asks with a tired smile. He rubs his eyes and shuts the door when I shrug my shoulders. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all," I say, returning my voice to a normal volume. "I like the company." Especially when it's him.

Still dressed in our pajamas, Cilan and I begin to walk down the hall in a comfortable silence. However, once we reach the elevator at the end and step inside, he speaks up.

"Here, let me."

He reaches over and presses the number 12 on the keypad, a mischievous smile on his face. This causes me to frown. What is he planning?

It takes a while to get there, since we're on the third floor, but eventually, we get to the twelfth. And when we do, Cilan takes my hand and leads me out and over to a small door.

When he opens it, a single staircase is revealed. He motions me to go up it, and I do, confused all the while.

What's in his head? What is he making me do?

At the top of the staircase, I open the door, and I'm greeted with the sight of the rooftop of Tower A. It's painted a dark golden color, and it gives us a great sight of the city below.

"What...?"

Cilan smiles as he lets go of my hand. Immediately, it whines for his warmth. "A few Trainers mentioned earlier that the rooftops were amazing. So...I wanted to come check them out with you."

His honest tone makes me giggle, but inside, I'm squealing like a four-year-old. I grab his hand again and bring him to the edge of the building. But when I register just how high up we are, I gulp and begin to freeze up.

But his arms are there, ready to catch me if I fall. "Don't be nervous," he whispers against my hair. "I've got you."

Slowly, the two of us settle ourselves near the edge of the roof. With our legs crossed, we huddle to each other's side, watching the beam of lights shine brightly from the stadium below.

"It's so gorgeous," I find myself whispering, my eyes glued to the sight.

Cilan shifts in his spot next to me. "It is. And I know that, no matter what happens tomorrow, you'll do your best." When I turn to look at him, he gives me an encouraging smile. "You always do."

As I return his smile, I realize the urge to spill all of my secrets out to him as never felt stronger. I've resisted telling him about my crush on him for so long—nine months, to be exact—but now, I'm at my breaking point. We've been friends for so long, and I've yearned for something more. And the need to tell him about it just grows stronger and stronger.

I swallow hard and advert my eyes from his. As I stare down into my lap, I start to speak in a soft voice: "Cilan, can I tell you something?"

"Of course. You can tell me anything."

Of course I can. But I'm still scared. What if he rejects me? What if he doesn't want to return my feelings the same way? What if he's interested in someone else?

What if I've read all those signs wrong? What if all those hugs and kisses and dates were just friendly gestures and nothing more?

"You and Cilan are best friends! Why stop yourself from becoming his girlfriend?"

Iris's voice rings loud and clear in my head, and I can't help but smile at the memory. You know, for an eleven-year-old, she's definitely wise for her age.

"Okay, here it goes." With a deep breath, I shut my eyes and begin to speak: "Ever since we met in Striaton City, I've felt this weird feeling whenever I'm around you. It really scared me in the beginning, because I didn't know what it was. But as we got to know each other, I realized what it was: I..." I swallow again, forcing myself to continue. "...I had a crush on you."

There it is, I said it out loud. I can feel him stiffen besides me, but that doesn't stop me from pouring my heart out to him on the rooftop of Tower A.

"I tried to convince myself that you wouldn't return it, and that you only liked me as a friend. So I kept it a secret. But now that I think about it, I was reallyobvious at the start. I took every opportunity there was to be around you, and whenever we met someone new, especially a girl, I got scared because I thought you would leave me for her. I couldn't even hold a conversation with you without blushing!"

Keep going, Alice. You're almost done.

"But as time went on, I realized that this was more than just a crush. A crush eventually goes away; my feelings for you have only gotten stronger. I've grown to care about you so much, and you've become one of my best friends. You've helped me in so many ways—and not just by giving me my first Gym badge to enter the Unova League. You gave me battling tips, always encouraged me, and stayed by my side even in the toughest times."

My mind flies back to the time he stayed behind to battle a raging Tornadus in order to buy us some time to investigate why the Pokémon was so angry. He did it to save us. To help us—to help me.

"I don't know what'll happen after this, but I can't go another day without speaking up. I don't want to put any pressure on you, but I just had to get this off my chest."

When I'm met with silence, I begin to lose hope. And then, his hand reaches over and cups the side of my face, turning me to look at him.

His emerald eyes are practically glowing in the darkness, and a soft smile is etched upon his face. He looks so relaxed, despite what I've just told him. But before I can ask him about it, he leans in closer, and his lips press against mine.

At first, my instinct is to run. This is all so new to me, I haven't experienced this at all before. But I'm frozen in place; I can't move a muscle, even if I wanted to.

He's kissing me on the lips! This isn't some kiss on the cheek or the nose or the forehead. This is a full-on lip-lock!

But then, I start to relax. My mouth moves so easily under his own, and I start to feel my eyes drift shut. Sure, I've imagined what kissing him would be like countless times, but I didn't know it would feel like this. Right now, I feel so complete.

All too quickly, though, he pulls away, and when he does, he looks so doubtful. Like he's internally scolding himself for kissing me. Like he regrets it.

"What's wrong?" I whisper, fearing the answer. Slowly, as if not to scare him off, I reach up and rest my hand over his, which is still pressed against my cheek.

When he meets my eyes again, there's no mistaking the sadness that glosses over them. "Nothing. It's just..."

He sighs defeatedly, finally retreating his hand from my face. I can't help but whimper at the loss of his touch.

"What happens when the Unova League is over?" he suddenly asks in a nervous voice. It's strange, I've never heard him sound so uncertain before. "Or when you decide to return to Kanto? Don't tell me you haven't thought about this."

I have, and that's what sickens me. Countless times, I've played with the idea of being more than friends with the boy sitting next to me. But at the end of all those fantasies, a hard truth must be addressed: what happens when I leave?

If I pursue a relationship with Cilan, I risk having to face heartbreak when it's time for me to leave and return to Kanto. And there's no telling when we'll be able to cross paths again, since our dreams are so different. The alternative would be to stay in Unova forever, but I can't do that. My heart belongs in Kanto, and I know his belongs in Unova.

But something completely different comes out of my mouth: "I don't care about all that! All I care about is right now. And right now...I just want you."

Even though my face is practically on fire at this point, I reach over and cup his face in my hands. I haven't been this intimate with him before. It's all so new and nerve-wracking, but at the same time, it's exciting.

"Because I love you."

His eyes squeeze shut at my confession, and he buries himself deeper into my hand. I'm about to wonder if I've made a mistake in admitting that out loud before he pulls me into a tight hug.

With his arms wrapped around my shoulders, he nuzzles his face into my messy hair. Slowly, I return the hug, feeling a little uneasy as I do.

"It's been so long since I've heard those words," he murmurs against my neck. He gives me one final squeeze before pulling away and meeting my eyes. "I love you, too."

Despite my throat closing up, I lean over and blanket his mouth with my own. It's not as graceful as our kiss from earlier, but it's just as passionate. My eyes are closed, and my hands wander into his soft green hair. I can feel his own hands trail down my sides before stopping at my waist.

When the two of us pull away, we stare at each other. And then, we begin to giggle.

We just kissed each other! Twice! I can't believe it!

"Come on, it's time we both get to bed."

He stands up, and when he holds his hand out to me, I take it without hesitation. He pulls me back up to my feet in one swift motion, and my hands collide with his chest.

Sheesh, at this rate, I won't be able to stop myself from kissing him.

But when we make it to the elevator, and Cilan pushes the button for our floor, I find myself asking him, "So...should we tell the others, or what?"

If I know Iris, she'll know first thing in the morning when she sees us. But for the others? I don't mind being seen in public with Cilan in that way, but I don't want to force him into anything.

But to my surprise, he shrugs his shoulders. "It's up to you, Alice. I don't mind in the slightest."

So I reach down and entangle my fingers in his own. "And...are we, like, dating now, or...?" I'm almost afraid to ask the question.

He gently pulls me closer to him, and I can feel his heart against my own. "I guess you could say that," he says with a smile.

I return the smile before reaching up and kissing his cheek lightly. I can feel him smile at the soft contact.

It's been a long nine months, but now I finally have you in my arms. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's a miracle I'm able to wake up in time for the tournament the next morning, but I do. And now, I'm standing in the center of the main stadium of Vertress City, with Virgil, Cameron, Stephan, Bianca and Tia. Surprisingly, Tia and Bianca hit it off well, and the two of them are lost in a conversation about their Pokémon.

I'm able to spot Iris and Cilan among the audience, and they both wave and smile in my direction. But when I look at Cilan, I feel a blush settle in on my face. My lips still tingle from where he kissed me. And before I left to meet up with the others, he gave me another one when Iris wasn't looking.

But I still think she knows about us. Or at the very least, she suspects something's different.

A white helicopter flies overhead, and when it reaches the stadium, a familiar figure leaps out of the door. With a smile, I realize it's the always energetic Freddy O'Martian. When he gets closer to the field, he pulls on a string on his back, and a red and white parachute fluffs out, safely catching him. He leaps down onto the commentator's stand and unbuckled himself from the parachute before turning to the audience and the Trainers.

"Greetings!" As always, he sounds so chipper. "Freddy 'The Scoop' O'Martian is here and ready to roll! It's my great honor to welcome you all to the Vertress City Unova League!"

He's met with a chorus of cheers from both the Trainers and the audience. Pikachu and I cheer, as well, but our voices get lost in the noise.

"Now, everyone please turn your attention to the Flame Cauldron, where Vertress City's very own Officer Jenny will light the Unova League flame!"

Over on the side, a large cauldron rests on the top of the barrier surrounding the stadium. Officer Jenny smiles and raises the torch she's holding. With a nod to Freddy, she touches it to the cauldron, and the entire thing ignites with a blaze. This sends the audience into a frenzy, as well.

"Before our main battles, we will hold our Qualifying Rounds. Only those Trainers who win will be able to advance to the main events," Freddy reminds us.

This information sinks in slowly; I can feel my hands forming into fists. I'm ready. ...Right?

"Each Trainer will be allowed one Pokémon in our preliminary round. Up on the big screen are our Qualifying matchups!"

On the large screen above the commentator's stand, the pictures of each of the 128 competing Trainers are shuffled, with their backs turned to us. Finally, they randomly pair up, and the photos are revealed. However, they're separated into sections based on color: green, yellow, red, and blue—each of the colors of the surrounding stadiums.

Stephan's the first to find his picture. "There I am!" He points to the top left corner, where his picture is shaded in a green shadow. For the green field. "So that's my opponent. I can't wait!"

"I see me!" Bianca points to her own picture, as well, which is colored yellow for the yellow field. "All I've gotta do is win."

Cameron, Tia, and Virgil find their own pictures and fields, as well. Virgil is in the blue field, and both Cameron and Tia are stationed in the red field. They all look so excited.

But where's my picture?

I keep scanning the screen over and over, humming to myself. Finally, I spot it in a shade of green. "There I am!" Cool! I'm in the same field as Stephan!

But when I look at my opponent, my stomach flips over and drops like I've just swallowed a mouthful of stones. The familiar dirty blonde hair and silvery eyes give it away.

"I'm up against Trip already?" So soon?

"I'm looking forward to it, Alice."

I jump at the sudden voice and turn to the side, where my rival is staring at me with that burning gray gaze. The two of us lock eyes and stay that way for several seconds, as if we're testing each other's strength without actually battling.

Finally, he smiles wholeheartedly at me before turning away and disappearing into the crowds.

My fingers twitch at the unpleasant memories of him. We've fought trip countless times, but we've never managed to win a battle against him. No matter what we do, he's always three steps ahead of us. He always comes out on top. And we can't afford to have that happen to us again.

"We have to win," I murmur to Pikachu, who sits on my right shoulder. "If not, we won't be able to move on to the main events."

He nods in my direction, his little paw curling into a fist. "Pika-chu."

"I'm right with you, buddy." I can always count on him to have a positive attitude. "Nothing can stop us!"

Later on, Stephan and I have made it to the green field. I can tell Iris and Cilan have followed us, because I catch sight of them in the audience. But even their encouraging smiles aren't enough to cheer me up.

Meanwhile, Stephan and Zebstrika are already on the battlefield, locked in a fierce fight against a Trainer named Bradley and his Braviary. While Zebstrika has the clear advantage, Braviary proves to be difficult to handle with its speed and power.

"Things are really heating up with our first Qualifying around battle: Stephan versus Bradley!"

"Braviary, Fury Attack!" At his Trainer's command, Braviary's beak glows with white energy, and he charges for Zebstrika. Briefly, I'm reminded of Soren's Braviary from a few days ago.

"Zebstrika, dodge that!" And he does, avoiding Braviary's dangerous beak three times in a row. "Now it's our turn. Use Stomp!"

Zebstrika rears up on his hind legs and brings his front hooves down, but Braviary's too nimble for him. He dodges the attack without breaking a sweat.

Bradley smirks at this. "Braviary, use Air Slash!" He flaps his powerful wings, sending shears of air towards Zebstrika. Unfortunately, the Electric-type is hit with a few.

"Zebstrika!" The poor Pokémon stumbles, lowering himself to the ground.

"Use Air Slash again!"

"Zebstrika, jump up!" Just as the air shears fly towards him, Zebstrika leaps up into the air, gracefully dodging them. "Now, use Thunderbolt!"

With a war cry, Zebstrika's white stripes glow yellow, and he expels a powerful bolt of lightning onto Braviary. And even such a large Flying-type like Braviary can't stand the super-effective move.

"Awesome!" Stephan cheers for his partner. "Now, Giga Impact!"

A golden shield forms around Zebstrika, and he charges straight for Braviary. He slams into the Valiant Pokémon, knocking him out of the air and onto the ground.

Upon seeing the black swirls on his eyes, the referee announces, "Braviary is unable to battle. Zebstrika wins, which means the winner is Stephan!"

"And Stephan is the winner of the first battle on the green field!"

Over the loud cheers and whoops of the audience surrounding us, I steal a look at Trip. Already, he's preparing himself to take his place on the field.

Here we go. It's all or nothing from here on out. Either I win and advance, or I lose and walk away.

But when Stephan returns to the Trainers' section and gives me a little smile, I feel a little bit better. No matter what, my friends are cheering me on. And I know Mom is, too.

Once Trip and I run over to the field and stand on the opposite ends, Freddy's voice can be heard over the whole stadium: "Now, on the green field, our next battle of the Qualifying Rounds is Alice versus Trip!"

I let out a deep breath before meeting my rival's eyes across the field. "Ready, Trip?"

"Of course," he replies in a tone that's much nicer than what I'm used to hearing from him. "Now, let's just see how much stronger you are."

With pleasure!

The referee nods to both of us before holding out his arms. "Alright, battle begin!"

Cilan's POV

Iris has been giving me a knowing look ever since we've split up from Alice earlier. She knows something's going on between the two of us, and she wants to take every opportunity she can to tease us about it.

But right now, our attention is glued to the battling Trainers in front of us; the two of us watch with bated breath as Trip sends out his chosen Pokémon.

"Serperior, let's go!"

In a blinding blue light, his Serperior appears before him. He swishes his tail dangerously and leers at Alice and Pikachu's

"He's using Serperior!" As much as I don't want to admit it, his Serperior surpasses Alice's in both speed and power.

Iris gulps at the sight of him. "I remember how strong that Serperior is..."

I bite my lip, remembering how Serperior took down each of his opponents with ease in the Junior Cup. "It's mind-numbing to contemplate Serperior's unbelievable speed." He was only defeated by Alder's Bouffalant, but he put up quite the fight.

"Alice's Pokémon with an advantage is either Pignite or Cubchoo," Iris points out.

Maybe, according to types, but Pignite is out of practice a bit. And Cubchoo isn't fast enough to take on Serperior.

But Alice surprises all of us with her decision: "I know who I'm going with. Pikachu, I choose you!"

The little Electric-type leaps off her shoulder and onto the field in front of her. His little paws scuff up the dirt, and his red cheeks crackle with lightning sparks.

"I've been planning to start off the Unova League with you, buddy," she continues with a fond smile in her partner's direction. "It's all up to you!"

"Pika pika!"

Iris gasps, her jaw dropping. "It's Pikachu!"

I shouldn't be surprised at this point, but I still am. "Her main ingredient right off." Alice, you never fail to impress me.

But Iris rolls her eyes at this. "Yeah, I know, but Electric-type moves aren't very effective against a Grass-type."

Still, Alice relies on much more than simply type advantage. If there's one thing I've learned from my time with her, it's that you should never underestimate a battle choice, especially if it's made by Alice.

"I'd say she's chosen momentum over advantage," I find myself saying in her defense. "A very Alice-like strategy. I'm sure she's well aware of Serperior's speed. She's got some kind of plan."

Iris looks at me and raises her eyebrow before shaking her head. "She may be your girlfriend now, but she's still the same reckless Alice we both know."

Ah, there it is: the teasing...

Alice's POV

Trip's choice doesn't surprise me, and mine doesn't seem to surprise him. We both know each other so well at this point. It's only fair that we would use the same Pokémon we used in our first battle together.

But the result will be different, I can feel it.

"When it comes to speed, Pikachu's just as fast as Serperior. Let's show 'em, buddy!"

"Pika!" Pikachu gives me a smile from over his shoulder, his tail wagging.

"Use Quick Attack!"

With a burst of speed, Pikachu charges for Serperior, silver air currents trailing behind him. But just as he gets closer to the Grass-type, I can see a smirk forming on Trip's face.

"Dodge it!"

Suddenly, Serperior is gone, and Pikachu slams into the wall instead. He yelps out and shakes his head, quickly recovering from the impact.

"Serperior dodged Pikachu's Quick Attack at the very last second!"

When Pikachu springs up and glares, I shout out another command. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail! This time, we won't miss!"

He leaps up, his tail gleaming silver with steel, but just when he brings it down, Serperior slinks to the side, its tail flicking mockingly. But Pikachu flips in the air and lands safely near me, his yellow fur sticking on end.

Serperior's just as fast as he was in the Junior Cup!

"And Serperior dodges Pikachu's attack once again!"

Still, we can't give up! "No holding back now. Pikachu, Electro Ball!"

A small orb of electric power begins to gather at the tip of Pikachu's bolt-shaped tail. But when he swings around and releases it, Serperior circles around, the attack completely missing him.

Unbelievable! His speed is on a whole new level than last time!

"Serperior's dodging every one of Pikachu's attacks!" Freddy's voice booms throughout the stadium. "What is Alice going to do?"

Trip smirks at me before turning to his Pokémon. "Now it's my turn. Serperior, use Dragon Tail!"

As Serperior's tail is submerged in a blue light, I feel my heartbeat quicken. If he gets hit with that, Pikachu could take some serious damage!

"Dodge it, Pikachu!"

But Serperior's too fast for him, and he slams his tail right into Pikachu's little body. He lands on the ground in front of me, resting on his stomach.

"Serperior lands a powerful Dragon Tail! Is Pikachu out of options already?"

I want to argue no, but one look at my buddy tells me he's not doing so well. His entire body is trembling, and scratches and bits of dirt clump his yellow fur.

"Pikachu, no!"

It takes all I have not to crumble under the steely gaze of my rival across the field. With Pikachu hurt, how will we win this?

And now, the major events in order:

It always bugged me that Ash never called his Mom once during the Unova episodes - show some respect to the woman who gave you life, boy! Alice is definitely the kind of person to curl up and need constant encouragement from those who care about her - it's how she got through most of her Gym battles - so it's natural for her to call her mother right before a major battle. Although it's bittersweet, I feel like it's necessary to include. Besides, she hasn't talked to her in a while, so she's definitely due for a phone call.

While I'm glad that Trip is no longer (pardon my language) a dick, I wish it had taken him just one episode with Alder to change his outlook on life and being a Trainer. Maybe this arc could have been developed through the Junior Cup episodes, with him battling Alder as the final stage of it. Unova was great at introducing a variety of characters, but it fell short in actually developing any of them. Hell, even Cilan at some times feels like a Gary Stu, which I despise. (And which is also the reason I'm trying to expand him with his history with Raven and his own insecurities, as seen with Burgundy in the Junior Cup).

Finally, the part you've all been waiting for! Alice and Cilan have become an official couple! Their scene together on the rooftop of Tower A went through so many rewrites, and it took me a long time to finally produce a version of it where I felt like I'd done both Alice and Cilan justice. First, they were at the windowsill, and then they were in the hall, and finally, they found themselves on the rooftop. I thought of having someone interrupt their moment for comedic purposes, but then I decided it needed to be more serious. Both of these characters, although they have grown so much since their first meeting, are still developing, and they've finally trusted each other with their feelings for one another. They need each other at this point, and I cannot wait to explore their relationship in future chapters. I also have a short story planned out that takes place between Kalos Ambitions and another story (which incorporates events from ORAS), which will explore the relationship between Alice and Cilan and how it clashes with Chili and Cress. But that's a story for another day. Hopefully, I'll be able to help them grow as characters; just because they're together, I don't want anyone to think that everything in their lives is automatically perfect. I want it to be as realistic as possible (or how realistic a relationship in Pokemon can get).

Thank you for reading guys! Tell me what you guys think! Are you happy they're finally together? How will their friends react to them being a couple? Even though Iris says she's okay with them dating, is that 100% true? (I can't wait to explore that last question in Chapter 131.)