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Chapter 5 - Into the Spotlight
The rest of the day spent in the Wild Area was with Sonia giving Terry the rundown of the camping tricks she knew during her time in the Gym Challenge as well as getting him and his team more battle experience using the wild Pokémon that roamed the countryside.
Zorah was still just as suited for battle as before Terry received Leon's endorsement and that drive didn't slow down during training. On the other hand, Lilo earned a few victories under her shell, despite her lack of experience, but still had much to learn.
It was only once the sun had fallen past the horizon that the group stopped for the night. Sonia helped Terry set up his tent. Once done, Terry fell onto the ground, sweat pouring down his face.
Now Playing: To Dream - OneShot OST
"Arceus, I'm tired…" Terry said.
"I said the same exact thing my first night out here," Sonia replied as she put together the firepit to help cook dinner, "You end up getting used to it, but the first couple days are usually the most tiring." She placed the cooking pot over the pit while Zorah spat an Ember into it, igniting the wood and lighting up the area around them. Terry lingered on the embers and flakes of ash that rose out from the pit and into the sky where they eventually disappeared into the night.
"Oh, crap…"
Terry looked over at Sonia, who was busy trying to loosen the string around a bag of carrots.
"I bought these before I left but I completely forgot to bring anything to cut the string," she bemoaned.
Terry's brow furrowed and a small shiver shot through him before he took a deep, but quiet breath. "Hold on. I got something in my pack that'll help."
He reached into one of the pockets on the side of his pack and pulled out a scarlet-colored pocket knife. With the press of a small button on the side of it, a blade flipped out, reflecting the glint of the fire off its metal.
"Oh, I didn't know you had that," Sonia said while Terry cut the string off the bag and handed it back to her.
He quickly pushed the blade back into its sheath and stuffed it back into his pack. "...It was my dad's."
Sonia wavered at the mention of his father but decided to leave it alone. She smiled. "Wish I'd thought of having something like that with me when I went on my Gym Challenge. Would've saved me from so many headaches…"
"Right…" Terry fished out Lilo's Pokéball and released her before quickly stuffing his hand into his pockets. He didn't want anyone to see how hard they were starting to shake.
Ah, hello again ma'am, Lilo said to Sonia.
Sonia scoffed. "Just call me Sonia. I feel like I'll age thirty years if I'm called 'ma'am' all the time."
Of course, Sonia, Lilo giggled. She glided closer to the fire, stopping next to Zorah who had her eyes closed as she savored the warmth coming from the fire and the smell that rose out of the cooking pot. For the first day, I would say this has been quite a successful day.
"Scorbun!" Zorah trilled, nodding her head.
Terry looked out towards the looming skyline of Motostoke which was much closer than when they had left the station. It wouldn't take them long to reach the city gate.
"What's gonna happen for the ceremony?" Terry cautiously asked Sonia. She looked up from the pot and took a quick glance at the city.
"Well, it'll take place within the Gym and it'll just be the chairman introducing the Gym Leaders and the challengers if I remember correctly." She offered him a smile. "It shouldn't take too long for it to finish."
Lilo spoke up. I don't believe I know all the specifics. How will this Challenge work?
"There are eight gyms across the region," Sonia started as she continued to stir the pot, "Each challenger needs to defeat all of them and collect their badges in a certain amount of time or they won't be able to reach the semifinals. From there, the last challenger standing goes on to face the champion in the Champion Cup." She twirled her finger around her hair in thought. "I think the deadline for the first three gyms is three weeks after the ceremony is over and then a month for the other four gyms. Of course, that's what I remember from when I did it. That might've changed though."
Zorah cocked her head to one side. "Ny-bun bunny scorbun?"
Zorah asked how far did you get.
"Oh geez." Sonia sweatdropped. "I didn't get as far as you might think. I got to the Fire Gym and then I dropped out."
"Why?" Terry asked in confusion.
She shrugged. "It wasn't for me, especially when your friend ended up becoming Champion at the end of it all." Sonia sighed sadly. "I guess I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do and who I want to be. Having Gran' breathing down my neck about it isn't doing me any favors either."
I am confident you will figure it out, Lilo said with a smile, You seem like a capable person in your own right.
Stop Playing
Sonia's face brightened. "Aw, you're too kind," she replied before tapping her ladle against the pot, "But enough of that. The curry's about ready and I know you'll all love it."
"Thanks...but I'm not hungry."
All eyes turned to Terry. He shivered slightly at their stares and looked away. Sonia frowned. "Oh...you sure?"
He nodded. "Yeah…sorry." Without waiting for a reply, he headed into the tent, leaving the rest of them alone.
Lilo turned back to Sonia with a sympathetic look but received a shake of her head in response.
"It's been a long day. If he's not hungry, I won't hold it against him."
The two of them looked at each other, both of them reaching a silent, mutual understanding of him.
Zorah continued to stare at the entrance to the tent. She got to her feet and made her way over, taking a peek inside. The interior was dark, save for the orange light that came from the fire behind her, but she could see Terry's body in front of her hidden away in his sleeping bag. She crept deeper into the tent, passing Terry's jacket that lay off to the side. Her ears picked up a heavy sigh coming from him and she reached out to touch his shoulder.
"Bunny?"
Terry's body jumped and his head spun around toward her. "Dammit, I thought I told you not to scare me like that," he said after taking a second to calm down.
"Scor…" Zorah pointed towards the entrance of the tent. "Scorbunny scor ny-bun bunny?"
Terry followed where she was pointing and shook his head. "I told you. I'm not hungry."
She lightly tugged on his shirt sleeve and pointed at the entrance again. Terry sighed and pulled his arm away from her as his eyes softened. "Look, I'll be fine, so don't worry about me. You go on and eat. You need it more than I do."
Zorah frowned at him, torn between wanting him to come back out and eat and leaving him alone in the tent. The only thing that kept her from moving was that look in his eyes again. What was it? Why did it seem to only be aimed at her?
She nodded sadly, her ears drooping forward, and she turned away from him to rejoin the others. Terry watched her go until he was the only one in the tent. He let out a shaky breath as he ran his hand through his hair. The sleeves of his loose top slightly fell down his arms, revealing the ends of the bandages he had redone this morning. The ache in his heart intensified at that moment, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut. He crawled deeper into his sleeping bag and shut his eyes.
Now Playing: A Bit of Tin - Thomas Newman
Zorah found her place back next to Lilo with a plate in front of her. The food was good. Good enough to push away the questions that sparked inside Zorah's head, but it wasn't enough to keep them away permanently. After taking another bite, she looked up at Lilo.
"Could I ask you something?"
Lilo stopped eating. "Of course," she said, electing to speak normally instead of using telepathy.
Zorah glanced back at the tent. "Do you think there's something going on with Terry?"
"...What do you mean?"
"Well, he always seems like he's bothered by something," she started, not noticing Lilo tensing up, "And every time he looks at me, he looks even more upset. Do you know why?"
Lilo forced herself to relax as Zorah looked back up at her. She smiled, "Well, he is new to being a Pokémon Trainer, remember? I'm sure he's quite scared about all this."
"But wouldn't he be at least a little happy about something?" Zorah responded, "I haven't even seen him smile once since I've met him…"
Lilo's smile wavered. She wanted to tell Zorah what Terry was going through, what pain he was carrying on his shoulders, but his plea to not tell her from last night still echoed in her head like a broken record.
"Even my friend Grookey thinks I made the wrong choice choosing him."
Lilo shifted closer to Zorah. "Do you believe that?"
"No!" Zorah quickly shook her head, "I...I know I made the right choice! I knew it when we had that battle with what's-his-name and won!" Her burst of energy subsided as she gazed back at the tent. "But...I just don't know why he's gone back to being like this."
Again, Lilo fought back the urge to spill the truth. Zorah jumped to her feet and smiled at Lilo. "I'm gonna go be with him tonight. Maybe I'll get him to smile when he wakes up tomorrow morning!"
"You're quite a persistent Scorbunny, aren't you?"
"You know it!" Zorah said with a wide grin.
Zorah left her plate on the ground and hopped over to Terry's tent, quietly disappearing inside and leaving Lilo alone. She sighed softly.
That poor naive Scorbunny...she thought to herself. She needs to know someday, Terry…
The fire slowly petered out, leaving only the light from the distant stars to shine down on the camp.
Stop Playing
The Next Morning...
Terry felt his body wake up even with his eyes still shut. Rays of diluted sunlight faded through the polyester walls of the tent and onto his face. He started to turn over with a groan in order to retreat from the annoying sunlight but found that he couldn't. A weight was on top of his chest, preventing him from moving. He tried again and the weight seemed to shift around, falling deeper into his stomach to the point where it was becoming harder to breathe.
His mind immediately jumped to the worst possible scenario: the Pokémon he came face to face within the Slumbering Weald had found him again and was pressing down on his chest to suffocate him. Spurred on by the sudden rush of adrenaline that shot through his body like an electric current, his eyes shot open and he bolted upright, knocking the weight off his chest and to the tent floor. He crawled out of his sleeping bag, ready to race out of the tent, but stopped when he finally realized what the weight really had been.
Zorah's eyes spiraled from her abrupt awakening until she shook herself out of her daze and sat up. She rubbed away the last bits of confusion that lingered before smiling and waving at Terry.
"Scorbun, bunny."
Terry sighed deeply and rubbed his face. "...I thought I told you that sleeping arrangement was only for that one night and no more than that."
Zorah's face fell, stinging Terry's heart with guilt as he looked away from her. The silence between them grew tense. Timidly, he glanced back over at her. "...I didn't hurt you, did I?"
She looked back up at him, her eyes widening at the out-of-the-blue concern coming from him. Her smile returned as she shook her head.
The guilt receded from his heart. "Well, sorry...about throwing you off. I'm not used to waking up with something heavy on my chest."
Zorah's face scrunched up and she looked down at herself, giving her stomach a couple of pats before looking back up at him.
He blinked. "I didn't mean you were getting fat. I meant like-"
Terry stopped when Zorah began to giggle at him. He huffed quietly and shook his head. Well, this was certainly an interesting morning. At least he didn't have another nightmare.
He started to get to his feet when Zorah held him in place, hugging and nuzzling into his arm. "I also thought I told you I'm not a touchy-feely person," he said with a furrowed brow.
"Bun ny-bun scorbunny," she replied, nuzzling deeper until she felt something that made her stop. She leaned her head back as she stared at his arm. Terry was still wearing his sweatshirt, so she expected to feel cloth, but it felt like she was feeling another layer underneath. She patted his arm a few times causing Terry to freeze. Her confusion grew even more before she grabbed his sleeve and started to pull it back.
"Okay, that's enough!" Terry yelled, pushing Zorah away and jerking his sleeve back over his arm. Zorah faltered from the sudden outburst and shrunk back again when Terry locked eyes with her for a split second.
They were wild. Feral. Like a scared, caged animal looking for an escape.
Terry quickly got to his feet and grabbed his jacket that was nearby, throwing it on before Zorah even had a chance to blink.
"Don't do that again," he growled softly at her before quickly exiting the tent.
Zorah remained frozen, still reeling from what just happened. That settled it. Now she REALLY knew something was going on with Terry and he wasn't telling her. She didn't know whether to be worried for him or scared of him.
Later that day…
The last few miles to Motostoke were a wonderful distraction for Terry, one that he desperately needed after what happened with Zorah this morning. He kept his eyes glued straight ahead, the gate to the city within reach, and fighting against the urge to glance down at Zorah by his feet. Her constant fearful glances up at him sent small shivers arching through his body, but he was not in the mood to apologize for his outburst right now.
"Whew! Finally made it!" Sonia exclaimed, stretching her arms into the sky once they finally reached the peak of the stairway that led up to the entrance of the city. "It's always that first trip that feels the longest."
Now Playing: Motostoke - Pokemon Sword & Shield OST
Terry cautiously took in his surroundings. Clay-bricked buildings rose up on both sides of the street with some having gears protruding from their sides. Some buildings carried a pump on its roof, trailing down through a tunnel that was connected to other pipes that ran throughout the city. Off in the distance, a clock tower ascended over the city where Terry assumed the Gym was located. The chimes of the bell echoed across the industrial city so much so that Terry thought he could feel the vibrations of it under his feet.
It was a far cry from Postwick and Wedgehurst, that was for sure.
Sonia stepped in front of Terry with a smile. "Nice job getting here. How're you holding up so far?"
"With string and duct tape," he replied, his eyes still scanning their surroundings.
"That's better than nothing at all." Sonia nodded her head towards the nearby Pokémon Center. "Why don't you go ahead and get your Pokémon healed up and meet me over by the shops when you're done?"
Terry raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a shopping person."
"Don't worry. I promise it won't take a long time unlike when I'm by myself," she said with a small laugh.
"...Fine. Just give me a minute."
As the two of them split up, Zorah followed Terry. She kept shooting glances up at him, still worried about his mood after what happened between them. Should she try and apologize? It didn't seem like he was in any mood to even look at her. She took a deep breath. Better to do it now than let it fester.
After a quick heal from Nurse Joy, Terry released Zorah once he was back outside. She stood in front of him, her head facing the cobblestone ground beneath them.
"Alright, let's go see what Sonia wants with-"
"B-Bunny?"
He stopped and, for the first time since this morning, looked back at Zorah. Her ears were dropped forward and she was rubbing her paws together. Just the image alone made Terry's heart hurt.
"S-Scorbunny...ny-bun scor…"
Terry blinked in surprise. He knew an apology when he saw one, regardless of a language barrier. Terry sighed softly and knelt down in front of her, causing her to look up at him.
"I'm sorry too...for yelling at you," he said, his eyes softening, "But please don't do something like that out of the blue, okay?"
Zorah nodded, a smile starting to return to her face.
"Now let's go find Sonia before she wonders what's taking us so long," Terry said, standing up and beginning to head towards the line of shops that occupied the other side of the street. Zorah's smile fell slightly. She understood what he wanted from her but still didn't know the why. She slapped her cheeks a few times and her smile grew bigger as she hopped after Terry.
Maybe it wasn't as serious as she was making it out to be. It'd be better for her to focus on their journey than worry about something that might not be anything at all.
The two of them found Sonia standing in front of a boutique with clothes standing on display in the windows. Terry's hand grabbed his bandana.
"So why did you want to meet here?" he asked, "I think I'm fine with the way I look right now."
Sonia twirled her hair. "I know, but I wanted to do something to act as a celebration for you making it this far."
Terry's brow furrowed. "It isn't that big of a deal…"
"Well, consider this your reward anyways!" she said, "It's on me, so try not to run me dry."
"Do I have to do this?"
Sonia's smile fell slightly. His cold resistance to this was starting to wear her down, but she had to keep trying. "How 'bout this then? One purchase of your choice and that'll be it. It'll be quick and easy."
Terry glanced between her and the store before releasing a defeated sigh. "Fine. Let's just get this over with."
Sonia pumped her fist as she handed Terry her card and he entered the store with Zorah following behind him. It was a small victory for Sonia, but a victory nonetheless. She figured that by letting him change his outfit, it'd be easier for him to warm up to the identity of a Challenger.
Baby steps, sure, but they were still steps.
A few seconds later, she heard the door open behind her. She turned, eager to see the new Terry, only to see that nothing on him had changed. His black loose-top still hid underneath his grey hoodie with his hands buried in their pockets. Sonia started to speak but stopped when Terry showed his hands. Black fingerless gloves with cobalt accents highlighting the seams now adorned his hands.
"Satisfied?" he said, placing his hands back in his pockets.
A twinge of disappointment coursed through her, but she instead smirked at him. "Clever. I didn't realize they sold those here."
"The more you know," he replied flatly, handing back her card. "What now?"
"Now you go get registered," a new voice chimed in.
Sonia, Terry, and Zorah looked towards the new voice to find Leon standing in front of them with a wide smile. Charizard stood to his side, spitting a small flame towards the group as greetings. Terry tensed up, already feeling eyes on the group as the champion moved closer to him.
"How was your first trip through the Wild Area?"
"Tiring," Terry quickly responded.
"I'm surprised you're here a day before the ceremony, Leon," Sonia said, "Would've thought you had gotten lost on your way here."
Leon laughed and scratched his head. "Well it's a good thing I have Charizard with me then 'cause I probably would've!"
Charizard nodded knowingly. He was part Pokémon, part GPS for him after all.
"Anyway, I just wanted to stop by and give you something Terry. Hold out your hand."
Terry did so and Leon dropped a charred cylinder into it.
"That," Leon pointed at the item, "Is a piece of charcoal I grabbed before leaving Wyndon. It'll boost the power of fire-type moves, so I figured Zorah could put it to good use."
Terry blinked, looking down at the charcoal and then at Zorah. She was looking up at his hand with sparkles in her eyes.
"You'll need to get something to hold it for her, but that shouldn't be too difficult to find. Most Pokémon Centers should have something."
Terry pocketed it. "Right. Thanks, I guess." He looked up at the stadium. "I probably should go register now."
"Good idea. I'll see you at the ceremony tomorrow, Terry!" Leon called out as the three headed towards the lift at the end of the street. Terry kept his eyes glued in front of him, trying to ignore the stares aimed in his direction.
Stop Playing
One quick elevator ride later and the three stood in front of Motostoke Stadium. Banners of the other gyms trailed down the side of the building and spectators and Trainers alike flooded in and out of the entrance. Just the scale of the crowd made Terry shrink back. So many people...and they would soon all be looking at him…
Count to four...inhale...count to four...exhale...he thought to himself.
"Hey, there ya are!"
The sound of Hop's voice stirred Terry from his breathing and he watched as Hop stumbled through the crowd to reach them.
"Glad to see ya all made it through the Wild Area okay!"
"Yeah. Here we are. Hope you had fun with all those dens," Terry replied tersely, moving past him towards the entrance, anxious to quickly get away from the crowd before something bad happened.
Hop blinked as he watched him go. "Wow. He's usually cold but that felt like something else."
"Bunny..."
"It's probably the crowd," Sonia said, "Even I feel a little claustrophobic just standing here."
Hop hummed. "Maybe...I'm sure he'll be fine though. Thanks for being with him on the way here."
"No problem. I got some research to get started on, so I'll leave the two of you to get registered."
With one last wave, the three of them separated. Hop and Zorah followed Terry into the stadium while Sonia headed further into the city.
Now Playing: So Boring - Persona 5 OST
Inside, Terry scanned the room. There seemed to be even more people in here than outside. Some were already in jerseys while others were simply waiting around. His hand stayed latched to his bandana and he constantly told himself to breathe over and over again.
"Wow, Sonia wasn't kidding about claustrophobia," Hop said, appearing at Terry's side, "This place is packed!"
"I noticed," Terry groused.
"Come on. Hopefully, there aren't too many people waiting in line to get registered." Hop led the way with Terry following behind. Zorah stayed close to Terry, her eyes gazing around the room. She could feel the intensity of everyone in the room. She buzzed with excitement the closer they got to the registration desk.
Fortunately for the two of them, there was only one other person at the desk. A boy dressed in a long hot pink and violet coat was finishing up his own registration. He turned on the spot once he was done, running a hand through his curly, platinum-blonde hair, and strutted towards Hop and Terry. Just as he passed them, he bumped into Terry, pushing him out of the way with a sneer as he continued his march out of the stadium.
"Excuse you too, asshole..." Terry muttered before continuing up to the desk.
A League Staff member stood ready behind the desk. "If you're here to register for the Gym Challenge, I'll need to see your endorsements, please."
Hop and Terry pulled out their endorsement letters and handed them to him. He opened them and froze once he read them.
"Fancy that. I think this is the first time we've had a challenger endorsed by the Champion, much less two!" He looked up from the letters. "You two must be pretty special if that's the case."
Top tensed up again as he felt people's stares on them again. Hop swelled his chest out and grinned confidently. "I am Leon's little brother after all, so don't be surprised when I become the next Champion."
The staff member let out a laugh. "I like that confidence of yours! Just give me a minute to get you both signed in…" A minute passed before he looked back up at them. "All set! I just need your uniform numbers and we'll call you once we're ready to get your picture taken for your Challenger Bands.."
"189 for me!" Hop replied before turning to Terry, "What'll it be for-"
He stopped. Terry was staring off to the side, his eyes shifting from one thing to another but never seeming like he was aware of what he was looking at. Hop tapped his shoulder, snapping him back to reality. "Terry? You alright?"
"Fine," Terry hastily replied, "What's going on?"
"I need your number for your uniform," the staff member repeated.
"Can I just have a random one?"
The staff member's eyebrows raised from behind his glasses. "I...guess. How does 117 sound?"
"Fine."
The staff member looked over at Hop in confusion to which Hop only smiled sheepishly in response. He got to work finalizing the last bits of information for them, but stopped and looked back up at Terry.
"By the way, pardon me for asking this, but...that bandana you're wearing…"
"I am not answering that question, so don't ask it," Terry interrupted, glaring daggers at him, "And no, I'm not taking it off during battles."
Stop Playing
If there was a reply, Terry didn't hear one as he walked away from the desk. He was hoping nobody would recognize his last name until the opening ceremony, but the universe just didn't seem to like him right now.
Finding a corner away from anyone else was easier said than done, but it worked out in the end. Resting against the wall, Terry rubbed his face with his hands. It already felt like he had been here for an eternity and was desperate to be anywhere but here. A bed would be preferable. Lethargically, Terry scanned his surroundings again. The crowd had shrunk a tiny bit, but there were still enough people to put him on edge. His eyes jumped from one person to the next: a girl in a uniform with a bandana wrapped around her orange hair, two challengers talking to each other on one of the couches, a girl in a pink dress and leather jacket with light green eyes near the desk who seemed to be watching him…
Terry flinched and quickly turned his gaze to the nearby wall. Yeah, okay. The wall was much nicer to look at than other people. Especially since it was impossible for a wall to look back at him.
A tap at his foot tore his eyes from the wall. Zorah stood at his feet, her eyes filled with concern.
"Scorbunny, Bunny?"
Terry rubbed his eyes. "I'm fine, Zorah. I'm just...tired. That's all." He pulled his hands away, only to freeze at the sight in front of him. Zorah's arms were raised towards him and a small smile graced her lips. Terry's eyes softened before fear and uncertainty shot through his body.
No, no, no, bad idea, bad idea.
"S-Sorry," he said, tearing himself away from her gaze, "I'm not really in the mood for that…"
Zorah's smile and arms fell. She thought giving him some company would've helped his sour mood, but it looked like she just made it worse. Even when Hop called for him and she was recalled into her ball, she couldn't stop worrying about what was going on with Terry and whether she was making it worse.
Later at the Budew Inn…
After finally getting their registration completed, the doors to the Budew Inn opened. The sun had already fallen past the horizon, leaving only streaks of red and yellow across the sky as night slowly crept its way into the city.
Terry let out a heavy sigh. "Arceus, that felt like it took forever."
"It was worth it though," Hop happily replied, smiling down at his Challenger Band.
"Ny-bun scor scorbunny!" Zorah smiled at them.
"Looks like you two were successful."
The three of them looked up to see Sonia standing in front of them. Hop smiled at her. "Oh, hey Sonia! I thought you said you were out doing research?"
She nodded. "And I am. I'm researching the mysterious Pokémon that are said to be in the Slumbering Weald."
That got Terry's attention as his eyes widened. "You mean the two that Hop and I ran into?"
Sonia nodded. "Yep. Those two." She twirled her finger around her hair while her eyes hovered back up to the statue. "It's odd though…" Sonia murmured, "The stories never mentioned two Pokémon. I only remember finding evidence of one..."
Terry followed her gaze. "What does that have to do with this statue?"
Sonia turned towards it. "Well, it's supposed to be a statue of the hero who saved the Galar region from a great black storm that covered the entire region." She turned back to the two boys. "People called it 'the Darkest Day'. They say the land was assaulted by gigantic Pokémon but they were defeated by a single young hero bearing a sword and shield."
"That all sounds awfully vague," Hop chimed in.
Sonia nodded. "Too right. Nobody knows exactly what kind of sword and shield the hero actually had or what this 'black storm' is supposed to be."
Hop rested his arms behind his head. "Huh, I suppose that hero must've been about as strong as Lee, then!"
Terry rolled his eyes. Did Hop have to make everything about Leon?
"Sounds like you got your work cut out of ya, Sonia! You gonna be alright with everything?"
Sonia waved her hand dismissively. "Don't worry 'bout me. I'll muddle through somehow. In the meantime, you two should go-"
"What's the big idea?! We came all the way out to this big city so that we could properly cheer on Gym Challengers!"
Several loud voices reverberated across the lobby. The four of them covered their ears until the yells died down. Zorah rubbed at her ears. The only downside of having good hearing was that screams tended to be unbearable for her, like fingernails over chalk. Terry massaged his head. "Great. Now what?"
All of them headed upstairs. Standing in front of the desk were a group of four gaudy-looking individuals. All of them wore matching black leather jackets with their hair, faces, and arms painted pink.
"Team Yell is here to help, after all!" the group yelled again, "You're in for a battle if you wanna stop us!"
"A battle is highly unnecessary," the concierge replied, "All I am saying is that you are in the way of other guests who wish to check-in."
Hop groaned. "Oh boy, this is gonna take a while."
Terry growled as the group continued to yell across the lobby. Today had already made him cranky, but the growing headache he was getting, no thanks to Team Yell's yelling, was really starting to get on his nerves. He just wanted to go to bed.
Setting his jaw, he glanced down at Zorah and pointed a finger at her. "Stay here."
Zorah tilted her head in confusion before she watched Terry approach the group. She took a step forward but hesitated when Terry sent a look back to her.
She had a bad feeling about this…
Now Playing: Slippery Slope to Sanity - Andrew Hulshult
One of the men in the group stomped his foot. "It sure sounds like you want a battle with how you're treating us!"
As Terry got closer, his headache intensified and his frustration continued to flare up.
"Believe me, Team Yell is more than you can handle!" another member of the group said.
The concierge released a defeated sigh. "I understand, but you are causing a scene. Please if you would just let-"
"I'm here to check-in."
The group flinched back from Terry, who was now standing in front of the concierge.
"Hey!" One of the women in the group inched forward. "No cuttin'! Get back in line!"
Terry ignored her and held up his Challenger Band. The concierge smiled at him, eager to deal with anything but the hooligans. "Ah, welcome Challenger! So sorry for the disturbance, but I'll happily have you checked in."
"Wha-" the group stammered. "Hey, we're still here!"
Terry's jaw clenched as the concierge asked, "May I have your name please so I can find what room you're booked in?"
"Terry."
"Last name?"
Terry tensed up. "...Mercer."
The concierge paused in his typing, glancing up at Terry in surprise. He opened his mouth, but a glare from Terry made the words die in his throat and he went back to typing.
"You've got some nerve cuttin' in front of us," one of the members said.
"Tough shit," Terry tersely replied, finally addressing the group, "Maybe spend less time being annoying and more time getting out of the way."
"Annoyin'?!" The other man in the group stepped forward. "Team Yell ain't annoyin'! We're all 'bout helpin'! Helpin' one very special Trainer win the Gym Challenge, that is!"
"Send them my condolences, then."
The group bristled, glaring daggers at Terry. Hop, Sonia, and Zorah watched from the side with bated breath.
"Arceus…" Hop breathed out, "This just got really tense."
Sonia covered her mouth. "Oh, this can't end well…"
Zorah kept her eyes locked on Terry, ready to run to his aid at any moment.
"Challenger Terry, huh?" The group closed in around him.
"It's just Terry."
"So you think you're gonna make it to the end of the Challenge, huh? How 'bout a battle to make some noise?"
Terry sighed harshly. "Look, it's been a long day for me. I'd much rather be in bed than be standing here right now."
"Aww, what's wrong? Scared of a little battle?" One of the men placed a hand on Terry's shoulder, causing Zorah to start stalking towards the group. "Don't worry. The only sound you'll be making...is…"
Zorah froze when the man stopped talking. A chill settled over the lobby, making everyone around the group shiver. Hop and Sonia looked at each other as they felt the pressure push down on them. Zorah shivered as she noticed Terry's hand slowly curl into a trembling fist. Terry's head turned to look at the man and the entire group took a small step back.
Zorah gasped at what she saw, a stronger shiver shooting down her spine. Terry's eyes were wild, unhinged. Just like how they were this morning towards her. His teeth were bared at the man who held him. The entire lobby stood frozen in time before Terry growled softly.
"Get...your fucking hands...off me."
The man quickly released his grip on Terry's shoulder with the group taking another step away from him, but Terry's stare didn't break. It was the only sound of footsteps coming up the stairs that Terry finally relaxed. His eyes returned to their normal coldness. The pressure in the lobby disappeared with several people releasing their pent-up breaths.
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"What are you lot doin' here?" A voice came from behind him. Terry glanced over his shoulder to see the girl from the stadium standing in front of the group.
All of them jumped again. "N-n-nothin' Marnie!"
Marnie sighed and moved closer to the group. "I know you're all curious 'bout the other Gym Challengers, but you gotta show some restraint."
The group hung their heads as she turned to Terry. The two of them stared at each other before Marnie bowed her head slightly. "Sorry 'bout them. They're just a bunch of my fans that follow me around and cheer for me. I think they've let it all go to their heads a bit..."
Terry sent a glare towards the group, making them freeze in fear again. "...No kidding."
"Sorry if they caused you any trouble." Marnie turned back to the group and pouted at them. "Alright, you lot! Go back home!"
Terry turned back to the desk as Team Yell hung their heads and began trudging out of the hotel. One of them stopped, however, and whispered in Marnie's ear. A few words and a quick fearful glance at Terry and they were gone. Marnie released a heavy sigh. Hop and Sonia moved past her as Terry was handed the key to his room.
"Mate...you okay?" Hop asked.
Terry looked at him with a blank face. "I'm fine."
Sonia moved closer to him. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," he said before covering his mouth with a yawn, "I'm gonna go to bed now."
Terry glanced over at Marnie one last time. Her eyes carefully watched him, her stoic face hiding whatever she was thinking. Terry looked away upon entering the elevator with Zorah following quietly behind him. They were both silent until they finally reached their room. Terry shut the door once inside and let out a long sigh. He looked over his shoulder to see Zorah looking up at him with hesitation.
He turned towards her and he couldn't stop the sting in his heart when he saw her shiver.
"Sorry...about what happened downstairs," he said, his eyes falling to the floor, "It's just been a really long day for me."
Zorah slowly moved closer to him and placed a paw on his shoe. Surprisingly to her, Terry did not shrink away. Instead, the two of them stared at each other, Terry's soft, wistful eyes against Zorah's. A moment passed before he pulled his shoe away and took her Pokéball out of his pocket.
"Get some rest."
A red beam of light enveloped Zorah and she was pulled into the ball, leaving Terry alone in the room. He placed Zorah's and Lilo's ball on the nightstand before his legs began to tremble violently, almost causing him to fall to the floor. His thoughts finally caught up with him and replayed everything that happened in the lobby. The anger he felt at that moment made him nauseous and his body continued to shake as he slowly steadied himself. And then with Zorah…
No...no, force it away. All of it. That was more pain just waiting to happen. He didn't want that. Not again.
His body still shook as he grabbed his pack and walked into the bathroom.
"Damn it all," he whispered softly as the door shut.
The Next Day…
Now Playing: Wreckage - Halo 4 OST
Motostoke Stadium was filled to the brim with people from all across the region. All eyes were on the pitch as a man and woman stood under a spotlight. The suited man stepped forward and the conversations around the stadium died down as the man smiled up at the cameras that were stationed around the pitch.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" he announced joyfully, "I am Rose, chairman of the Pokémon League! I know that everyone gathered here…" He swept his arms across the stadium. "...and everyone watching from home have all been waiting for this very moment! It is my pleasure to announce that the Galar region Gym Challenge will now begin!"
Cheers echoed throughout the arena, shaking the walls of the stadium that even those in Postwick could hear them.
"Participants must defeat the eight Gym Leaders and earn their badges to prove their skills as a Trainer! Only the most worthy will have the honor of challenging the greatest Champion in history!"
Sparklers crackled at the opposite end of the field before a small explosion obscured it from view. When the smoke cleared, Leon stood proudly alongside Charizard, sending a grin towards the spectators around him. With a sweep of his cape, Leon performed his signature pose and the cheers grew in volume.
"Now, I would like to invite the Gym Leaders to show themselves!" Rose continued.
From one of the entrances to the pitch, out stepped seven Gym leaders, clad in their respective typing. With each step they took, Rose introduced them one by one until even his voice became drowned out under the cheers and whistles.
In the opposite entrance, Terry stood within the shadow of the stadium, just out of view from the cameras and spectators. He could feel the 117 on the back of his uniform, resting on his skin like a scab waiting to be torn off. His body quaked with each breath he took, growing more and more violent as the seconds counted down.
"Count to four...inhale...count to four...exhale…" he whispered over and over to himself, a vice on his bandana. His brain told him to run, to go back home to Postwick, and forget about all of this.
He wasn't ready for this.
He wasn't ready to be a Trainer.
He wasn't ready to have all eyes on him.
A hand on his shoulder jolted him from his thoughts. He turned his head to find Hop standing next to him.
"You okay?" Hop asked.
Terry took another deep breath and shook his head. "No...I'm not."
"Don't worry. Remember, we're just walking straight across the pitch. Easy."
Terry scoffed. "Right...easy...sure. Just gotta ignore everything else and I'll be just peachy."
Hop frowned and opened his mouth, but Rose's voice cut him off.
"Unfortunately, we're missing one, but these are the Gym Leaders that we in the Galar region are proud to call our own!" His voice rang out. Terry looked towards the entrance to the pitch. Light poured in, blinding him from seeing what was on the other side. Out there, everyone would see his face, everyone would know his name, everyone would see what he was.
A Trainer...or just a terrified boy far from home.
"And now! Allow me to introduce to you this year's Gym Challengers!"
Terry's grip on his bandana tightened. The nausea in his chest intensified. His legs shook. He felt frozen in place, even as other Challengers around him began walking proudly into the light.
Hop patted his shoulder. "Well, that's our cue." He began to walk forward, leaving Terry standing alone in the darkness. His feet stayed glued to the floor until he drew in one more deep breath before forcing himself to move.
One foot forward...then another...and then another…
Closer and closer. The nausea in his stomach was becoming unbearable, but still, he kept walking. Just before crossing over, his mother's voice echoed in his mind.
"When I'm always going into a difficult battle, I always do my best to make sure my opponent doesn't see that. I keep my head held high, even when every inch of my body wants to run away."
The light passed over him and the cheers from the crowd pierced his skull. The stadium around him towered over him as his feet hit the grass of the pitch. Terry held his head up, resisting the urge to shrink away from the gazes he could feel on him. Passing by the Gym Leaders, he fought back a shiver as he saw out of the corner of his eye several of them whisper to each other and point at him.
Now they knew. They knew who he was.
Even as he walked off the pitch and crossed back into darkness, he knew there was no trying to deny it anymore.
Like it or not, he was a Trainer now.
Stop Playing
A/N: So I've gone a good amount of chapters without an author's note, so first off, thank you to those who have read this far and especially to those that have left reviews. I'm happy that you're all enjoying the more emotional aspects of this story, as I always felt that was one of my strong suits in writing. I plan on keeping that ball rolling so I hope you all look forward to the future of this story.
As for this chapter, I'm pretty proud of how this one came out, especially given how long chapters end up being and how long it takes in between updates.
Anyways, reviews and feedback are always appreciated and be sure to leave a follow/favorite if you like what you read.
See you in the next chapter!