AUTHOR'S NOTES (1)
Sorry for not updating that much this week. I've had a lot on my mind. I haven't written a single chapter, and I'm usually able to get three or four written in a week. That said, I do have the next four chapters of this story written, so they will for sure go up, and I'm hoping to keep writing (especially with as much free time that I have next week).
I may drop Ascending Alola momentarily. I'm thinking it'll only be for a month while I try to feel better. For those that are reading and enjoying that, I apologize, but it's been hard to get into the correct mindset to write for those characters. Anyways, let's go into reviews for this chapter up top.
REVIEWS:
SceptileBlade - "Huh. Since you loaded Chekov's gun with the whole "Tie means both participants eliminated" thing I kind of expected Yurie to autowin for some reason. I guess that would be super anti climactic. Were you just covering your bases with that line? Omori getting steamrolled was fun to watch though." - I wanted to create as much doubt for Michika's battle as possible. I thought it'd be too predictable to have her and Yurie get to the end, so I had to add in that scene.
CrescentApple - "Whoa. Didnt expect Omori to lose it like that. It was very... humbling to read. Yurie dominated that fight. I was more shocked with Michika vs Rory. It really felt like she was going to lose, her team was getting overwhelmed, she even lost Mega Absol! But Ivysaur evolving and taking on both pokemon at once was fantastic! I seriously had doubts reading the battle if Michika was going to make it!" - I'm glad I was able to take you by surprise! I honestly enjoyed writing that battle. Also, I think people enjoying Omori getting whomped is nice. Haha
Chapter 60 - Celebration Dinner
Almost Two Years Prior - Rustboro City
"Congrats!" the girl from before said. "I'm Michika! I'll be battling Yui in the Battle Round!"
"Nice to meet you, Michika!" Yui said. "Good luck! I won't be taking it easy on you!"
Michika smiled. "I won't either!"
"You're from Sinnoh?" Yurie asked.
"Yeah! I'm also a new trainer, like you, but I wanted to travel in Hoenn instead of Sinnoh," Michika explained.
"Why so? Wouldn't Sinnoh feel more familiar?" Logan asked.
Michika nodded. "Yes, but I wanted to try Hoenn's food!"
"I love her!" Yurie screamed.
"Peck!" both Yurie and Michika ordered.
The two Pokémon began to lunge their beaks forward, clashing repeatedly. They took terms jabbing into each other, slowing the pace down a little bit. Both took a few steps back, breathing deeply. They glared at each other, stood back up straight, and started pecking at each other at an even faster pace.
"Don't give up, Torchic!"
"You got this, Piplup!"
The two Pokémon collided once more and both fell to the ground as the buzzer went off.
"And that's time!" the announcer said. Everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard. Yurie had roughly 10 percent of her score left.
"That ain't too bad," Logan remarked.
"It looks like the winner of the Rustboro City Summer Contest is…" the announcer started. The screen changed, revealing Michika's face. "Imamura Michika by a sliver!"
One Year Prior - Hoenn Grand Festival
"You did it!" they cried out together.
Yurie hugged them, and then they went into a small huddle. "It looks like we've all made it to the Top 16. Let's keep going until the finals!"
Michika and Yui nodded.
The other matches wrapped up quickly, and Vivian brought everyone's attention to the screen for the next day's matches. They were supposedly picked randomly every round.
"Oh no…" Himawari muttered as the next match-ups came up on the board.
"I guess I jinxed it," Logan said quietly.
On the far right side was Yui's face next to Alison Martin's, but on the far left was Yurie's and Michika's faces.
Yurie and Michika stared at the screen in disbelief. They then slowly looked at one another, and a fiery smile came across Michika's face. Yurie started to giggle. They lifted their arms and then gripped their hands as if they were going to go into an arm-wrestling match.
"Good luck, Yurie."
"I don't need luck."
"Torchic!"
"Piplup!"
"Aerial Ace!" the girls ordered in unison.
White energy surrounded both of the Pokémon's beaks, and they jumped forward. Their beaks clashed together like swords, and they held their positions for awhile, hoping that the other would make a small mistake. But neither did. With quick movements, they both stepped back and then lunged once more. Repeatedly, they smashed their beaks together. Slashing and guarding. It was a true test of the heart and soul of the two starter Pokémon.
"Don't give up, Torchic!"
"You got this, Piplup!"
"Kawahara!"
"Imamura!"
"Kawahara!"
"Imamura!"
The two Pokémon collided once more and held still. After moments of struggle, they both fell to the ground exhausted as the buzzer sounded. They looked at one another through one eye each and breathed heavily before they both smiled and then closed their eyes.
"And that's time!" Vivian said. Everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard. Yurie had roughly 10 percent of her points remaining.
"I can't believe it…" Logan muttered.
"With Yurie's ten points and Michika's nine, it looks like Kawahara Yurie will be moving onto the Top 8!" Vivian announced as the crowd erupted into cheers.
The two girls ran to the middle of the stage and knelt down to be with their Pokémon.
"It was really fun!" Michika said. She didn't have to force a smile this time but was instead sincerely grinning from ear to ear. "I've never been this happy to lose!"
Two Months Prior - Viridian City Contest
"How wonderful! The two Pokémon are neck and neck! Squirtle outspeeds Bulbasaur, but every successful strike from Grassy Glide is a dangerous one!" the announcer yelled.
Not much time left, and if we continue like this, then we won't be able to move ahead on points, Yurie thought. And I have to make a call before Michika does.
"How do you see this panning out?" Seshiru asked. "With only a minute left and their points even, do you think it's possible to tie?"
Logan shook his head. "No. Yurie's got this."
"Keep spinning, but use Iron Tail!" Yurie ordered.
Squirtle never stopped turning, but he popped his small tail from his shell. The tail started to glow with a metallic energy, and it hardened. Squirtle, now with less control, moved across the field at an erratic rate, smashing his body into Bulbasaur. The Grass-type was tossed into the air, and she landed hard onto the icy stage. She tried to stand up but had no grip, instantly falling flat onto her stomach.
Then, the buzzer sounded. Everyone turned their attention to the scoreboard, finding that Yurie had inched ahead of Michika at the last second. Yurie and Squirtle's faces came up on the board, and the crowd clapped and cheered.
"Your winner of the first Viridian City Winter Contest of the season is Little Miss Yurie!" the announcer yelled.
"Yes!" Logan cheered. "That's number four!"
Michika sighed and then slowly made her way onto the ice. She picked up Bulbasaur in her arms and then held her close. "You did great. Next time, we won't lose! I promise!"
Present Day
After processing that it was actually going to be Yurie against Michika in the final battle for the Ribbon Cup, the two were given fifteen minutes to build their strategies. Usually, at this point, Logan would have gone down to the backroom to give some encouraging words to his friend, but he wouldn't be allowed back.
Only Yurie and Michika sat in the room, staring at the television and watching the replays of their battles and appeals. They even showed footage of the contests that each of them participated in. Yurie only needed to participate in six contests in total, taking one loss while Michika had participated in a total of twelve Kanto contests over the past nine months.
Their stories were different going into the finals of the Kanto Grand Festival. But no matter who won, they were proud that they could keep their promise to one another.
"No matter what happens, we'll still be friends, right?" Michika asked.
Yurie grinned. "Of course! I'd never let a win or a loss get in the way of my friendship with you!" She wrapped her arm around Michika's neck and pulled her closer. "Without a good friend, there's no point to doing contests!"
Michika smiled and then looked away. "My heart is racing. I wasn't sure if I'd even make it, and now, I'm in the finals. The world is watching."
"Then let's give them a show!" Yurie said with a thumbs up.
When it was time, the two were called to the stage. They felt the rumble of the crowd and the music that played. Trumpets filled their air with their patter, and the crowd chanted for the two girls. They split so that they could go to the individual sides of the stage where they would be lifted for dramatic entrances.
"And now, it's time for the finals!" Lilian announced.
Yurie and Michika exchanged smiles before all went dark.
"Introducing first! In the blue corner, she comes all the way from Jubilife City in the Sinnoh Region! Please give a warm welcome to Imamura Michika!"
The crowd got loud as Michika was raised into the spotlight. She appeared in her trainer's box and waved to the crowd.
"Ima-mura!" they chanted between rhythmic clapping.
"And in the red corner! From Littleroot Town in Hoenn! It's Little Miss Yurie Kawahara!"
Yurie now came to the stage from the platform, entering the lights and getting her own fair share of cheers. The crowd was red hot for the upcoming battle, and besides maybe Omori, these were the two that most people wanted to see compete in the finals.
"Coordinators, are you ready?" Lilian asked.
They both nodded and pulled out their Poké Balls.
"Begin!"
"Piplup and Arcanine, let's go!"
"You're up, Torchic and Bellossom!"
The four Pokémon emerged onto the field, and the lights brightened to give everyone a good view. The timer started, giving the girls five minutes to make magic, and the final round had officially started.
"Arcanine, take the lead! Use Flame Wheel!" Michika ordered. "Piplup, follow her with Drill Peck!"
Arcanine roared before her body became engulfed in flames. She rolled down the field in the intense flames, showing off why the move was named Flame Wheel. Piplup wasn't deterred by the heat, and she flew directly behind Arcanine, sticking her beak straight out.
"We have to defend!" Yurie exclaimed. "Flamethrower and Moon Blast! Let's do it!"
Bellossom raised her tiny arms and generated lunar power which she unleashed into the air. Torchic unleashed a thick stream of flames from his mouth, blasting it straight down the field. Bellossom then followed by letting loose her attack, sending an orb of fairy energy directly behind the flames. What followed was an explosion that would have stopped any regular Pokémon in their tracks.
But Piplup and Arcanine weren't normal Pokémon. They came out of the other side of the explosion and attempted to use their strikes as they had originally intended.
"Mirror Move!" Yurie ordered. "Defensive Petal Blizzard!"
Torchic locked eyes with Piplup and in an instant, copied her move. His beak elongated and sharpened while energy started to swirl around it. But instead of aiming for Piplup, he flew towards Arcanine, and the two clashed.
Meanwhile, Bellossom focused on her defensive maneuver. She spun around, letting small pink petals fall from her leaf skirt. They whipped up into a storm and swirled around her before expanding. They collided with Piplup, putting a stop to her attack.
All four Pokémon were at a standoff, and all were forced to stop their attacks. The only thing that remained from their battle so far were the petals, which now rained down peacefully, showering the group in pink.
The crowd clapped, appreciating the back and forth from the four. And seeing them pull apart after the test of strength was a sight to see. It was the perfect start for the final battle of the Grand Festival.
"Our turn!" Yurie declared. "Bellossom, dancing Toxic! Torchic, cover the field with Rock Slide!"
Torchic stood back and charged energy in her talons, making the stage quiver. Bellossom got in front and spun her body in circles, releasing a toxic sludge straight forward.
"Hydro Pump to dodge!" Michika commanded before taking note of the oncoming stones. "Arcanine, get through them with ExtremeSpeed!"
Piplup blasted a stream of water from her mouth against the floor, sending her into the air, which allowed her to easily avoid Bellossom's poisonous technique. And on the other side, Arcanine was using her amazing speed to leap through the large stones that Torchic had managed to generate. She maneuvered through until the end and jumped into the air, preparing for Michika's next command.
"Play Rough!"
"Raw!" Arcanine roared before tossing a small ball of pink energy from her paw. It exploded when it hit the ground, cloaking Torchic. Arcanine dove into the smoke and began to batter Torchic, but what exactly she was doing was unknown. After a few seconds, Torchic was tossed from the smoke, landing on his backside right in front of Yurie.
"Torchic!" Yurie shouted.
"Drill Peck and Brick Break combination strike!" Michika ordered.
Piplup came down from the air and generated power in her beak and two small arms. She landed directly in front of Bellossom before laying into her and sending her backward. Bellossom landed right next to Torchic, and the two fell into one another before struggling to stand back up.
"Just like that, Michika takes control of the battle!" Lilian announced, bringing everyone's attention to the screen. Yurie's points drained off roughly five percent, which wasn't a lot, but in the final battle, every point counted.
"Ice Beam and Flame Wheel!" Michika shouted while she twirled around within her trainer's box.
Piplup charged forward and blasted a jagged beam of ice at the ground. It froze where it struck, creating a straight path towards Yurie's Pokémon. Arcanine followed with a howl. She was then absorbed by fire before she began rolling down the path. The heat instantly melted the ice, turning it into a mist which then cloaked Michika's side of the field.
"Mirror Move!" Yurie ordered.
Torchic didn't even need a second before he copied Arcanine's attack. He engulfed himself in flames and then shot directly towards Arcanine. The two struck against one another, creating a bonfire of explosions. They tested each other's strength, their Fire-type pride on the line, but when it was time for one of them to give in, to everyone's surprise, the smaller Torchic won. Arcanine was tossed backward, her body sliding across the stage.
"Torchic is so strong," Logan muttered. "You can do it, Yurie! Keep fighting!"
"We're taking back this battle!" Yurie declared. "Bellossom, show them the light with Moonlight!"
Bellossom waved her arms around before throwing a ball of blue energy into the air. It exploded, illuminating the stage in a pale moonlight. Although the stage was normal, through the combination of Michika's mist and Yurie's light, it came to look like a place of fantasy.
"Now, Moon Blast!" Yurie ordered.
Bellossom quickly gathered power in her palms and then leaped into the air. She came back down to the ground, crashing like a meteor. All of the mist and moonlight was blasted away, wafting into the crowd, and although it was beautiful, what people didn't see was how much damage it did to Arcanine and Piplup.
"Keep up the pressure!" Yurie shouted. "Toxic Petal Dance!"
Bellossom waved her skirt around while letting purple petals fall to the ground. She spun in a circle, shooting the poisonous petals straight towards Piplup.
Arcanine howled and then jumped forward, getting in front of her partner. She took the blow from the attack, which barely did any notable damage. However, her body started to glow with a purple aura, indicating that she had been poisoned. After the direct Moon Blast, she was sure to faint soon.
"Arcanine takes the hit for Michika's team! You can tell how strong the bond between trainer and Pokémon is!" Lilian said. "Michika has done a great job at gaining her Pokémon's trust if it's willingly taking a Toxic!"
"Thank you, Arcanine!" Michika said. "Let's keep going! Piplup, skate and then hit Torchic with Brick Break!"
"Skate?" Yurie wondered.
Piplup blasted the stage with ice before diving forward. She slid on her belly before coming to her feet, skating across the ice with immense speed. She put her small arms together, and before Yurie could make a command, she drove them into Piplup's small body. The Fire-type flew to the side, leaving Bellossom alone.
"Zig-zagging Thunder Fang!"
Arcanine roared while generating electricity in her maw. She leaped forward and started to jump on either side of the ice, creating a lightning bolt image. When she finally reached Yurie's side of the field, she clamped down onto Bellossom and raised her into the air, sending shocks through the Grass-type's body.
"Throw, and use Hydro Pump!" Michika shouted.
Arcanine released Bellossom into the air, who now became the perfect target for Piplup. The Water-type unleashed her concentrated blast at Bellossom, who couldn't take any more damage. Bellossom shot into the air and then plummeted towards the ground, hitting it hard. She didn't even bother to get up, draining half of Yurie's current points.
Yurie quickly withdrew Bellossom and then looked onto the field. With a two on one battle, her chances looked grim, but then, Arcanine howled and collapsed. The poison had done its job, and half of Michika's points were depleted.
"Amazing!" Lilian shouted. "In a flurry of combinations of attacks that showed off all of the Pokémon's natural abilities and strengths, we end up down to just two!"
Michika withdrew Arcanine into her ball and then smiled. "You were fantastic, Arcanine. Rest for a while."
The crowd was beginning to get louder and louder as they started shouting Yurie's and Michika's names repeatedly. Both of them were crowd favorites, and they'd honestly be happy with either of them winning. For both Yurie and Michika, it was the loudest crowd that they had ever heard. However, as far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in the whole dome. This was a special moment for them, and they were glad that they could share it together.
"Can you believe what we're seeing right now? Just like in their debut contest and just like their battle at the Hoenn Grand Festival, it's down to Torchic and Piplup!" Lilian screamed excitedly into the microphone. "With only thirty seconds left to go, what will happen?"
"We have thirty seconds, Michika," Yurie said. "Thanks for sharing this battle with me!"
Michika grinned. She was nearing tears. "You're the best rival I could ask for! Let's make this last thirty seconds count!"
"Rock Slide!" Yurie commanded.
"Smash through them with Brick Break!"
Torchic generated the rocks once again, sending them soaring through the air. Piplup was more than ready through, and she started to karate chop through any of them that got close enough, shattering them into a thousand pieces.
"Aerial Ace!" Yurie ordered.
Before Piplup could finish cutting through the rocks like paper, Torchic rocketed across the stage, energy exploding from her beak. His attack was guaranteed unless something went wrong.
"Hydro Pump!"
Piplup took in a deep breath and then blasted the stream of water from her mouth.
"Flamethrower!"
Seconds before Torchic would have collided with the stream, he moved his body around, shifted his energy, and then unleashed flames from his beak. The flames hit the water, causing an explosion of smoke and mist that rocked the entirety of the dome.
Every second felt like a day while everyone waited for the results of the explosion. When it finally faded away, both Pokémon were laid out, but neither of them were unconscious. They both heaved and took their time to sit up. Their bodies ached because of the battle, but they were resilient.
Torchic was first, managing to get to his feet. He stamped and then spit some fire from his mouth. "Torchic!"
Then, Piplup. She was wobbly, but when she finally stood up straight, she pounded her chest. "Pip-piplup!"
"Ima-mura!" some of the crowd yelled.
"Kawa-hara!" the others responded.
"It's gonna come down to the wire!" Lilian yelled. "There are less than ten seconds to go, and it looks like they both only have a sliver of points each!"
We have to attack now!
It's so close! We won't lose!
"Five!"
"Drill Peck!"
"Mirror Move!"
"Four!"
"Ima-mura!"
"Kawa-hara!"
"Three!"
"Don't hold back, Torchic!"
"Give it everything you got, Piplup!"
"Two!"
"Tor-chic!"
"Pip-lup!"
"One!"
The two Pokémon clashed one final time.
"Zero!"
And the buzzer sounded.
The thousands of people in the dome became silent. For moments, no one took a single breath while they looked up at the screen. Yurie and Michika's points appeared to be the exact same, but even more so, it looked like they both had no points left to spare. It was impossible for anyone in the crowd to determine who the winner was, and so it was up to the judges, who debated over the final moments of the battle. When they made their decision, the graphics on the board changed, and the winner was revealed.
"Your winner of this year's Kanto Grand Festival Ribbon Cup-" Lilian started.
Both of the girls looked up at the screen. Tears started to well up in Michika's eyes, and Yurie couldn't help but have a beaming smile on her face.
"-Imamura Michika!"
The crowd erupted into cheers as Michika's face was displayed on the screen. She had done it. After struggling to get through Kanto's contests and barely scraping by only a couple of days earlier, Michika had won the Kanto Grand Festival.
Michika was still. She couldn't bring herself to move a muscle until she felt a slight tugging at the bottom of her skirt. She looked down, finding Piplup who had tears in her eyes. Michika knelt and picked up her Pokémon, bringing her in for a hug, which only made the crowd cheer louder.
Yurie ran onto the field and swooped up Torchic. She couldn't help herself. Even in loss, she felt happy for her friend, and the battle excited her more than any other battle that she had been a part of. She continued to run down the stage, meeting Michika. The two embraced tightly, and Michika buried her face in Yurie's neck, allowing herself to cry.
Yurie couldn't help herself, and she welled up before beginning to weep too. The two hugged in the spotlight, and Lilian let them have their moment. She understood that the two were friends, and she could sense that the crowd felt their intense emotions.
When the time felt right, Yurie pulled away and held Michika's hand up high, declaring her the winner. There were flashes of light from thousands of cameras, and the two girls enjoyed the spotlight a little while longer.
Lilian approached the two, holding the Ribbon Cup, a trophy half the size of Michika.
"Imamura Michika, I bestow upon you the Ribbon Cup and the title of Top Coordinator!" Lilian announced while handing over the trophy.
Michika struggled to hold it in her arms, but she managed to do it long enough for pictures. Yurie stepped away and clapped, watching her friend celebrate the moment. She was proud and overcome with emotions. But this was Michika's moment, and she had earned it.
"Do you have any last words for the crowd and the viewers at home?" Lilian asked.
Michika looked into the camera, her eyes puffy from crying. "Thank you all! And mom, I'm coming home!"
The ending ceremony and celebration were long. It felt like hours before Logan, Seshiru, and Yuta could get to the back to greet their friends. By the time that they did, Michika already had dozens of pictures taken by the press, and she was worn out. Yurie changed into her regular clothes, and the entire group got together.
"Congrats," Omori said. He was now wearing regular clothes. Everyone was surprised to see him in blue jeans and a baseball hat. He looked like a completely different person. "What? The show is over. I'm allowed to wear some denim."
"I'm so happy for you! For the both of you!" Reina exclaimed.
"Thank you!" Michika replied. She was covered in sweat and eagerly trying to wipe it off with a towel.
They gave her time to change, and when everything quieted down and the press left, the group met outside.
"What do you say to a celebration dinner?" Logan asked. "I know a great pizza pl-"
Before Logan could finish his sentence, the ground started to shake, and there was a loud explosion from the distance. It took a few seconds, but the shockwave eventually blasted over the trainers, knocking them off of their feet. When they finally managed to get back up, each of them had been rattled, and their hearing was momentarily taken away from them.
And when it came back, the only thing they could hear was the sound of sirens. The group looked to the distance near the middle of Celadon City, where smoke and flames stained the air.
AUTHOR'S NOTES (2)
To be continued...
