Chapter 70 - The Moltres Flame
Day of the Opening Ceremony
"Are you Logan Stephenson?" a teenage boy dressed in a nice suit asked. He was only a few years older than Logan, and he held a clipboard in his arms with faces and names of competitors. Logan wasn't sure if he was another trainer or some kind of employee for the Indigo Conference.
The day had finally come for the Indigo League to start. The three were allowed into the Pokémon League Pavillion where they'd be staying. Yurie was yet to see her brother, and Logan hadn't met any of his other rivals yet, but it was bound to happen soon.
They had handed over their gold bars to the Pokémon League receptionist just moments before and were both registered. With the bars, it made the process a lot faster than usual, but they weren't allowed to keep them after they handed them over. Their badges and frontier symbols were their sole keepsakes.
"Yeah, I'm Logan," he answered.
The boy looked at Seshiru and flipped some pages over on his clipboard. "Then that makes you Seshiru."
Seshiru nodded. She held her new Squirtle in her arms. She would have loved to have competed with the Pokémon, but she was okay with it simply being the mascot of her team for the being.
The boy clicked his tongue as he observed the two of them. "You both look physically fit."
What kind of statement is that?! Yurie screeched eternally.
"We're looking for trainers to help run the torch with Moltres' flame," the boy stated. "From what I understand, Mr. Goodshow likes the two of you and wanted me to find you and ask if you'd be interested in being torch runners. The opening ceremony is tonight. What do you say?"
"I hate running," Logan muttered. "But if it's my last conference, then it's absolutely something that I'll do!"
Seshiru nodded. "Me too! Let's do it!"
Mr. Goodshow smiled as he handed the torch, lit by the legendary flame, over to Seshiru. She was set to be the first runner during the ceremony. She preferred it that way, because once she was finished, they'd pick her up in a car and take her to the stadium. She wanted to get it out of the way.
Mr. Goodshow gave her the signal, and she made sure that Squirtle was safely fastened in a small seat on her back before she started her slow jog. She was never a runner, even when she was younger. She hated tag, preferring to play games that allowed her to sit and relax. And her short legs made her strides small. She'd have to put in twice the amount of effort as every other trainer in line.
And that went with battling too. Seshiru had something to prove and nothing to lose. She never forgot her loss in the semi-finals of the Indigo League a few years prior. She was prepared to let it go, but when she was granted a second chance to enter the conference, she ultimately knew that she had a score to settle.
Logan wasn't the only one walking away from traveling at the end of their journey in Kanto. Admittedly, Seshiru wasn't sure what she wanted to do when the time to say goodbye came. But in the last week, so many opportunities had opened up for her.
And every step that she took, torch in her hand, was a step closer to those opportunities.
Once she overcame the other two-hundred fifty-five trainers, she'd be allowed the chance to battle with the Indigo League Elite Four, the best trainers in Kanto and Johto. She knew that it was where she belonged. She knew that she was the strongest trainer to come from Kanto. She tamed a legendary Pokémon at the age of eleven, and she was the only trainer to defeat the Battle Frontier.
The pressure that she felt on her shoulders was immense. The whole region was watching her, and she was being touted as the best trainer from Kanto at the moment. There came a certain kind of embarrassment with a foreign trainer winning the conference. It was Seshiru's goal to prevent that, even if it meant eliminating one of her best friends.
She looked up into the sky at one of the drones that was filming her. She had remembered the first time that she competed in the Indigo League. She didn't get to run the torch but was instead told to stand in the stadium. She liked the proceedings, and since it was her rookie year at the time, the crowd that filled the stands intimidated her. Now, she was left alone with her thoughts and a couple of drones.
But for some reason, the nerves were more intense this time around. Not that the nerves were bad. They were a necessary part of competing. Seshiru worked well under pressure, and she was hoping that her opponents weren't the same way. It was really easy for some people to crack in the first few rounds, but Seshiru would be fine.
She thought about the intense battles that she had over the last year, including the double battle against Dome Ace Tucker, the battle that took place over the entirety of a day against Ukon, and her last two battles with Jindai. They were unconventional battles, more intense than any gym battle that she had ever participated in. She knew that it gave her an advantage.
She came back to Kanto with only one goal in mind, defeating the Battle Frontier. But on that journey, she made two friends that she'd cherish forever, and while she still was going through the grieving process of losing Vaporeon, battling and traveling over the year has reignited her spark.
She wanted to be the best.
And every step forward with the Moltres flame inched her closer to that goal.
The Next Day
"Welcome to our opening match and Top 256 Preliminary bout between Egawa Seshiru from Fuchsia City and Fuji Sawara from Celadon City! It'll be a three on three battle with no substitutions allowed! This battle will take place on the grass field! Begin!" the referee announced.
"Go, Dodrio!" Sawara yelled while throwing a Great Ball into the air. His Pokémon emerged and the three heads all began to fight instantly, making the crowd laugh. Sawara was a young trainer, and seeing his Pokémon battle with itself made him flustered.
"Corsola, it's on you!" Seshiru called, tossing her ball forward. Corsola emerged and bounced around, her body stiff as a rock.
"Dodrio, pull yourself together, and use Drill Peck!" Sawara commanded.
"Start with Scald, Corsola!" Seshiru ordered.
Dodrio collected itself before glaring at Corsola. With a target, the three heads could focus on doing real damage. They raced forward, their legs carrying them much faster than one would have expected. But Corsola was focused from the beginning, allowing her to use her attack at long-range. Boiling water exploded from her mouth and connected with Dodrio, making its head screech from the pain. They stopped in place and filled the stadium with their howls.
"Now, Power Gem!" Seshiru yelled.
Corsola leaped into the air and opened her mouth. Rocks created with a blue aura formed in front of her before she launched them downward. They rained onto Dodrio, filling the air with smoke but suddenly drowning out their cries. When the smoke finally cleared, the referee raised their flag.
"Dodrio is unable to battle!"
Sawara swiftly withdrew Dodrio and then pulled out his next Poké Ball. He tossed it into the air, allowing a Venomoth to take to the field.
"Use Bug Buzz!" Sawara commanded.
"Wait for it!" Seshiru yelled.
Venomoth flew in circles before she started to flap her wings violently, generating dark green energy. She blasted the energy against the ground, ripping up grass into the air. The energy pelted into Corsola, but the Water-type remained still as she was ordered. The smoke started to clear, and Venomoth retreated slightly, keeping a close eye on Seshiru's Pokémon.
"Mirror Coat!" Seshiru ordered.
Corsola gathered the energy that she had suffered through before sending out a multi-colored beam from her body. It collided with Venomoth, bringing the Bug-type to the ground.
"And finish this with Power Gem!" Seshiru commanded, pointing to the field.
Corsola once again formed the rocks in front of her mouth, this time slightly slower. When her attack was prepared, she shot it off, hitting Venomoth directly in the face, making smoke fill up Sawara's side of the field.
"Venomoth is unable to battle!"
"Wow!" the announcer's voice rang. "Seshiru has come back to the Indigo Conference with something to prove as she takes out two of Sawara's Pokémon with ease! Can the rookie trainer make a comeback? Or is Seshiru just too elite of a trainer?"
Sawara withdrew Venomoth and then glared at Seshiru. He appeared to be on the verge of tears, but that was going to affect Seshiru. She had her fair share of tearful losses, and every single one of them made her stronger. Beating Sawara here was a stepping stone for the both of them.
"Go, Golduck!" Sawara yelled while sending his last Pokémon to the field.
"Recover!" Seshiru directed.
As Corsola began to glow and energy filled her body, Seshiru could see that hope was beginning to drain from Sawara.
"Use Zen Headbutt!" he commanded.
"Power Gem!"
Corsola launched another set of rocks, but Golduck was much stronger than either Dodrio or Venomoth. He plowed through the rocks and then bashed his head into Corsola, sending her into the air.
"Focus Blast!" Sawara screamed.
"Scald!" Seshiru yelled. She could hear the desperation in Sawara's voice, which made him more dangerous as an opponent.
The two attacks collided with one another, and while Focus Blast was considered the stronger of the two attacks, Corsola's specialty with Water-type attacks helped her keep the balance.
"Use another Power Gem!" Seshiru directed.
Now falling from the sky, Corsola only had a few seconds to gather her attack. As soon as she could, she launched the rocks off like a rocket, pelting the ground.
"Dig!" Sawara yelled.
Golduck spun his body around and scratched at the surface, quickly digging himself a hole. He disappeared, and all of Corsola's attack missed.
Seshiru nodded. "Okay. I see how this is going to go. Come back, Corsola!"
Corsola was absorbed by the light, and her picture was taken down from the screen. Any substitution was treated as a forfeit. Seshiru didn't mind though. She didn't want Corsola to fight a losing battle.
"C'mon out, Quagsire!"
Quagsire emerged on the field and shook his head slowly. He eyed the field and tried to find Golduck, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Earthquake!" Seshiru commanded.
Quagsire lifted his tail into the air before smashing it into the ground. The entire field began to shake, and Golduck was forced to come up for safety.
"Hydro Pump!" Sawara shouted.
"Aqua Tail!"
Quagsire continued the violent motion of his tail, quickly spinning around. He absorbed the attack from Golduck, making the aquatic power around his body even more intense. He slammed his tail against the ground once again, forming a tidal wave. The wave washed over Golduck, pushing him all the way back to Sawara. When the water disappeared, Golduck's lifeless body didn't bother to move.
"Golduck is unable to battle!" the referee declared as the graphics on the board behind him shifted. "Egawa Seshiru is the winner!"
Seshiru watched as Sawara retrieved his Pokémon, wiped tears from his eyes, and then ran to the back. Seshiru wanted to feel bad for winning the battle in such a decisive way, but she knew that being herself when she battled was for the best. She didn't want any of her opponents to make the mistake of underestimating her.
She lifted her ball and withdrew Quagsire before looking at the screen. She'd be moving onto the Top 128. She wondered how Logan was doing in his match.
Day of the Opening Ceremony
Logan jogged in place. He hated running, but sometimes he'd go on jogs with his Pokémon as a bonding activity. This wasn't a bonding activity, and what made it worse were the drones that flew overhead. It wasn't that he was lazy though. Ever since he had broken his leg, the hard strain on his shins made him uncomfortable. It was as though he hadn't properly one-hundred percent healed. His insistence on continuing to train and battle instead of going to physical therapy was probably a factor. In reality, his leg was a contributing factor in him wanting to stop traveling. He was always too busy to even notice the pain though.
Logan looked back, finding the faint light of the flame piercing through the fading sunlight. He reached out his hand and waited for the nameless runner. Seshiru had finished her path earlier and was already on her way to the stadium in the comfort of a car. Logan was the second to last runner, which he enjoyed because it meant he'd get to be in the stadium with his rivals when everything concluded. He was handed the torch and then he turned towards the stadium.
It was his last conference, and his last chance to ever be a torch runner. He'd do it with pride, despite his hatred of running. His pulse was high and it urged him to run as fast as he could down the path, but he knew that he had to pace himself so he wouldn't blow up. It was the same with Pokémon battling. He had to pace out everything appropriately.
He thought about the entirety of his journey so far. The thought that it was finally concluding was slowly coming into realization. He gripped the torch tighter.
He started his journey with his Tepig almost five years prior, and he traveled through Unova and Alola with his best friend, Luna. Thinking about it now, it seemed as though that part of his journey was so long ago. He felt like a completely changed person. When he left Nuvema Town, he left as a child. But now, he was a young man. He had much more in life to experience, but as far as his passion, Pokémon training, he was labeled an Ace Trainer. And it was a label that he had earned through the years.
The last two years had felt like a major turning point for Logan. He had intended to stop training his Pokémon at the end of his Alola journey, but upon being entrusted a Mudkip and befriending a Poochyena, his love for training was inevitably going to return.
He met many people in Hoenn and Kanto, people that he was happy to meet. Every rivalry that he managed to create was something that he'd carry with him. In Unova and Alola, it always felt he was rivals with his best friends, so the competition was personal. In Hoenn and Kanto, the battles were about Pokémon and that was it. Mostly.
He thought of Seshiru and how she happened to stumble her way into this year's conference added a certain kind of pressure. There was definitely the chance that they wouldn't even meet, but that'd only mean there was somebody much stronger than either one of them. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested. Him and Seshiru in the finals was something that he wanted it to come to.
But then he remembered his other rivals, Sora, Maleah, and Haruto. Any one of them could win if he wasn't careful. He had made countless mistakes over the past year against gym leaders and in random rival battles. When the pressure got intense, Logan was able to focus better, but he knew that all it took was one mistake, and his journey would come to a sudden end.
One mistake against Sora's Feraligatr.
Or one mistake against Maleah's Persian.
Logan looked forward. He was nearing the end. He hadn't realized that the final runner was coming into view, and when he did, he stomach sank.
Because there was one more trainer that he knew he couldn't make a mistake against. And that trainer's eyes came into vision. He reached out, and Logan looked at him with determination. He powered through the rest of his run before handing over the torch. His hands were trembling, but the last runner took the torch and was gone without a word within seconds.
Logan keeled over and took in a few deep breaths. He looked up with one eye, his hair drenched with sweat. He watched as the trainer he was most afraid of ran towards the stadium, Haruto Kawahara.
But then, he smiled. He had many rivals, which meant only one thing, he had many chances to have great battles.
The Next Day
"Thank you for joining us for this Top 128 Preliminary bout between Rosalie Lavigne from Kalos and Logan Stephenson from Unova! For those just tuning in, Logan's Poliwhirl was able to defeat Rosalie's Dragalge, bringing the battle to three against two!" the TV announcer said.
Logan had breezed through his battle on the ice field just moments before he was called to do his second battle. His Pokémon didn't have much rest, but he was confident in their stamina. He looked at the new field, which was mostly a pool of water with small islands floating about. Grotle wasn't an option, because she hated water, and Snorlax would simply sink.
Rosalie was around the same age as Logan. She appeared angry at Logan's goofy Pokémon though. She was taking the battle seriously, and Poliwhirl's lack of any urgency bothered her.
"I'll show it how to be a true Water-type!" she said with her thick Kalosian accent. "Go, Dewgong!"
"Dew-gong-gong!" her Pokémon cried as she entered the water.
"Use Aqua Jet!" Rosalie ordered.
"We're going into the air!" Logan shouted.
Poliwhirl knew what Logan wanted from him. Because of Dewgong's speed, there was no way that he'd properly be able to do an attack, so he instead stuck his arms out at his sides and then took the attack directly. It did minimal damage, but Dewgong was heavy enough to send Poliwhirl into the air.
"And now, Body Slam!"
Poliwhirl started to spin around with his limbs sprawled out. Dewgong couldn't react fast enough, and soon enough, Poliwhirl landed directly on her face. She was tossed back, her body dragging against the water.
"Dewgong, use Headbutt!"
"Respond with Brick Break!"
Dewgong raced across the water while Poliwhirl put all of the power into his mitts. When the two were close, they struck, pitting horn against fist. They struggled momentarily before Dewgong eventually had no choice but to give in.
"One more!" Logan shouted.
With his free hand, Poliwhirl uppercut, hitting Dewgong in the bottom of the jaw. She flew into the air before landing hard on one of the small strips of land, her body limp.
"Dewgong is unable to battle!"
"That's two down!" Yurie shouted from the stands. "You can do it Poliwhirl!"
The crowd cheered while Rosalie returned her Pokémon with the red beam. She quickly pulled out her next Poké Ball and then tossed it into the air. Her next Pokémon was not a Water-type, but instead Psychic. It held a small pendulum in its hand that it dangled in a hypnotizing manner.
If we don't attack quickly, they're gonna try to put us to sleep. We can't battle defensively this time around, Logan thought. "Poliwhirl, use Hydro Pump!"
"Hypno, respond with Psyshock!"
Hypno stuck out his arms and dangled his fingers in a playful manner, sending out psychic electric shocks from the tips. They crackled against the entirety of the field, making Poliwhirl stop. He screeched as the energy surged through his body.
"It's not an Electric-type attack," Logan muttered. "Surely you're just being dramatic?"
Then, Hypno focused the attack, bringing all of the sparks towards Poliwhirl and concentrating the energy to the singular spot. Now Poliwhirl's cries could be heard in other stadiums. It didn't take long for him to stop and for his body to become limp as he hit the pool.
"And with that, Rosalie has found a crack in Logan's team! How will Logan Stephenson respond?" the announcer questioned.
"It's no problem," Logan said with a grin. "Go, Electivire!"
"Vire!" Logan's team leader screeched as he appeared on one of the platforms. He looked around at the water, unsure of how he was going to effectively battle against Hypno.
"Start with Focus Blast!" Logan ordered.
Electivire put his palms together, forming a ball of blue chakra. He then launched it forward like a rocket, dividing the water field by its sheer power.
"Drown it out with Psyshock!"
Hypno stuck out his fingers and focused his energy once again. His psychic energy shocked into Electivire's blast, seemingly suffocating it out and extinguishing the chakra. But that wasn't what Logan was focusing on.
"Iron Tail!"
Now with the pool divided, Electivire had a clear path to run. He took off like a bullet before flipping his body around, slamming his two ironhard tails into Hypno's midsection.
"Fire Punch!" Rosalie commanded.
Although Hypno was in a lot of pain, he still managed to use his attack. Keeled over, he reached out and grabbed one of Electivire's ironhand tails. He squeezed as hard as he could, sending flames from his palms, which quickly engulfed Electivire.
"Thunderbolt!" Logan shouted.
"Vire!" his Pokémon shouted back before unleashing electricity from his body. Hypno released his grip and then started to stumble back slightly, small sparks emitting from his body. He tried to lunge forward to strike again, but his movements were stiff.
Logan grinned. "This one is over! Iron Tail!"
Electivire quickly spun around once more, getting a direct hit on Hypno's face. The Psychic-type was forced into a spin before he fell back into the pool, his body floating on the surface.
"Hypno is unable to battle! The victory goes to Logan Stephenson!"
Day of the Opening Ceremony
Logan and Seshiru arrived at the stadium by car moments before Haruto arrived with the torch. Haruto had dozens of fans and admirers who's cheers filled the main stadium. Logan couldn't make out anyone in the sea of people, but he was hoping to find Yurie. He felt bad that she was alone this time around. Last year, she had Himawari with her. He wasn't sure if it was worse to be alone though.
They scanned over the group of trainers. It took a while, but he managed to find Sora and his all white attire. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the crowd of trainers. Maleah was much harder to find, but her floral print top helped them locate her.
One more trainer stuck out to Logan, but he couldn't remember from where. A man, who was clearly older than every other competitor, stood near the middle. He was large and wore hiking boots. He danced with a small Petilil, seemingly overjoyed that he had made it to the conference.
Suddenly, the Moltres flame lit up the stadium, and everyone cheered loudly once again. The Indigo Conference had officially begun.
Logan looked back and forth between his different rivals before locking eyes with Seshiru.
"It's my last chance, Seshiru," Logan said. "I won't take it easy on you."
Seshiru folded her arms. "If you're gonna stand any chance at beating me, then you're gonna have to bring one hundred and ten percent, Mr. Stephenson."
Logan knew that much. He couldn't make any more mistakes. He looked up towards Haruto, who glared back at him.
"Here we go."
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This chapter was meant to be less about the first two rounds (as I don't want to overdo battles (and I kept these ones very short on purpose)) but more about the mindset of Logan and Seshiru going into the Indigo Conference. I wanted to do it in a creative way (the Moltres Flame), and I wanted to get past some of the easier battles.
Next chapter I'm going to write Seshiru's Top 64 Battle, Logan's Top 32 Battle, and then a Top 16 Battle. I'm going to aim to finish the Movie Story, get out one chapter of Cyan's story, and have Leinani and Kaiko make their return before then though. We'll see!
REVIEWS:
pokemonking0924 - "Yurie is having little luck convincing Logan to continue traveling with her since he plans on taking a long break at home to think things through. But at least she got him to promise to stay in contact weekly through letters (although I think Emails would work better than letters since Yurie is going to continue traveling)." - I don't know if Logan knows how to work a computer...
The Imprisoned of Hell - "Seshiru finally got a Squirtle and beat the Battle Frontier. Great day for her. Also out of curiosity, are you still going to do your Unova story?" - I definitely still intend to, but the future is really uncertain (I could die tomorrow!). Right now, my priority is to finish Logan and Cyan's stories.
wisdom-jewel - "I do have a feeling that Seshiru would accept the offer. She did go this far; I doubt she would decline. However, I do see her wanting something more; who knows. I would like to think she accepts but goes to train and try other things. Just to keep her skills hone and ready." - I think she'd accept the offer. But, being cooped up in the tower for a year doesn't sound like something she'd enjoy.
CrescentApple - "And the little Squirrel in the end was a nice way to end the chapter. It almost felt like an end to Seshiru's own story as well." - Even if she doesn't win the conference, it definitely feels like her arc has been completed.
SceptileBlade - "That's a twist. That's very twisty. So another person who wants to keep Logan away from his deserved league W." - Does he deserve it?
