~~Hello readers, I'm back with a new chapter.
I do not own anything from Yu-gi-oh GX or Pokemon.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
~Morning~
I woke up to the beeping sound of my alarm clock.
Pegasus heard the noise and opened his eyes.
He then shook off before walking around in circles.
His long fur brushed up against my skin.
"Good morning Pegasus," I whispered.
Luxray and Flareon were still asleep.
I reached over to my bedside table and turned off the alarm.
The screen read: 8:00 AM.
I carefully climbed out of bed and stepped onto the rug below.
The sun shined brightly through my window.
Pegasus hopped down after me.
He shook off before heading for the door.
"Hold on Pegasus," I said.
He laid down on the floor and sighed.
I walked over to my wooden dresser and then carefully opened a drawer.
The drawer contained a few fancy outfits.
I pulled out a long, pink dress and a matching cover.
My phone started ringing, and I rushed over to the table to pick it up.
Flareon woke up and shook her head.
I couldn't help but giggle at that.
She stretched before hopping off of my bed.
Pegasus excitedly ran circles around her.
The jingling sound of his collar made me laugh.
I picked up my phone and answered it on speaker.
"Good morning," I greeted.
"Hi Sioku, we haven't talked in a while. How are you?" replied a familiar, cheerful voice on the other end.
The voice belonged to my best friend Cheren.
He is one of my neighbors.
"I'm okay," I simply answered.
My mind was still focussed on Jaden and the others back at Duel Academy.
I really missed being with them.
Cheren didn't seem convinced by my response.
I carried the phone back to the dresser and set it down.
Cheren continued our conversation. "You don't sound okay Sioku, please tell me what's wrong."
I stared at the floor and sighed.
"I miss my new friends from school," I replied sadly.
Flareon walked up to me and nuzzled my leg.
I scratched behind her ears in return.
She laid down by my feet and closed her eyes.
"Cheer up Sioku, I'm coming to watch the contest. It will be fun," Cheren said in a happier tone.
That news did help me perk up.
"I am excited to see you," I replied.
"That's the spirit," he cheered.
I listened closely to the other end of the line and heard an upbeat song playing.
The singer's voice had an accent in it.
My curiosity immediately got the best of me. "Cheren, what are you listening to?"
"I'm actually watching a movie called The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's really funny," he answered.
I remained silent and continued listening to the song.
My mind was no longer focused on Duel Academy.
The singer's voice caused me to grin dreamily.
I felt as if a large amount of weight had finally been lifted off my shoulders.
"Wow Cheren, that's very cool! Where can I find this movie?" I asked joyfully.
Cheren laughed as he noticed the sudden change in my mood. "You can find it on YouTube."
"Thank you very much! You really saved me," I cheered.
"No problem Sioku," Cheren replied.
I quickly walked over to my desk and grabbed the Tv remote before coming back to the dresser.
"Excuse me Cheren, I need to get ready now. I'll talk to you later," I said while staring at the Tv.
"Good bye," he replied before hanging up.
I logged onto YouTube and entered that specific title in the search box.
After scanning the links, I clicked on the first one.
I then proceeded to change my clothes.
After slipping on a pair of pink, sparkly flats, I put on my necklace.
Nineteen minutes into the movie, I heard another song that was filled with so much energy.
I couldn't help but dance to it.
Luxray woke up and hopped off of my bed.
My energetic dancing seemed to catch her attention.
She playfully nudged Flareon with her nose.
Flareon tackled Luxray to the ground.
Luxray growled and nipped at her in response.
Pegasus ran circles around them while barking.
I took a few short videos of us.
My room was filled with energy and happiness.
I hadn't had this much fun since being at Duel Academy.
This peaceful moment made me forget all about my worries.
My face lit up with joy as soon as I saw Frank enter the scene, and he took my breath away.
Frank looked and sounded absolutely stunning.
His opening song caused my hyper energy to rise higher than normal.
I playfully ruffled Pegasus' fur, and he growled while softly nipping at me in return.
Flareon walked up to me with one end of a pull rope in her mouth, and I happily picked up the other end.
We began playing a wild game of tug-of-war.
Neither of us wanted to let go of the rope.
Sweat dripped down my face as I panted.
I used the energy from Frank's charming voice as my strength to keep going.
Our game was interrupted by a knock on my door.
Pegasus immediately started barking.
I quickly dropped the pull rope before turning off my Tv.
Flareon shook off and stood next to me.
"Who is it?" I hollered.
The door slowly opened revealing Melody standing in the entrance looking confused.
Leafeon entered the room from behind her.
The Pokemon sat down on the rug beside my bed.
Melody was dressed in black shoes and socks, black pants, and a white shirt.
Pegasus rested his front paws on her legs as he wagged his tail.
Melody lifted the dog into her arms.
"Good morning Melody," I greeted with a bright smile.
"Hi Sioku, you and your furry friends are acting so lively today. What's going on?" she replied.
I rubbed Flareon behind her ears. "I was just listening to music while getting ready for the contest."
Melody grinned at me in amusement.
She then lowered Pegasus to the floor.
"I'm glad to see you being your energetic self. I'll meet you downstairs," she replied before exiting my room.
Leafeon stood up and rushed after her.
"Let's go outside," I said while walking toward the door.
Pegasus and the Pokemon bolted toward the stairs.
I couldn't help but giggle at their excitement.
After closing my door, I led them downstairs.
"Let's go," I said excitedly.
I joyfully raced them to the back door.
My energy was at its highest point at the moment.
Pegasus barked as he chased Flareon.
They all took off once I slid the glass door open.
I then made my way into the living room where Mother and Melody were waiting.
"Good morning Mother," I greeted.
"Hello Sioku," Mother replied.
Umbreon sat down beside me.
I lightly scratched her head in response.
Mother noticed the wide grin on my face. "Sioku, what made you so excited today?"
"My friend Cheren called me," I answered.
"How is he doing?" asked Melody.
"Great," I simply answered.
Mother pointed to the kitchen. "Girls, the contest starts in two hours. You need to get a move on."
"Yes Mom," Melody and I replied in unison.
I dreamily skipped ahead of Melody as we exited the living room.
Leafeon wagged her tail as she followed behind us.
Melody and I then began preparing breakfast for ourselves.
I stared at Leafeon to keep my mind from wandering.
In the midst of our preparations, a text message from Jaden popped up on my phone.
The message read: Good morning Sioku, I miss you. How are you today?
I unlocked my screen and replied: Hi Jaden, I miss you too. I am happy and full of energy.
Jaden then added: Good luck
Melody and I sat down at the table once our preparations were finished.
During breakfast, I stared out the window lost in my deep, pleasant thoughts.
I just couldn't take my mind off of Frank's voice.
That angelic sound obliterated my terrifying thoughts about Doctor Colress.
Melody tapped on my shoulder. "Hey Sioku, are you ready for the contest?"
Her question caused me to falter.
My joyful smile was instantly replaced by an uncertain expression.
"I should be," I answered anxiously.
My hands started to sweat as I rubbed them together.
"Don't worry Sioku, you'll do a great job out there. I believe in you," she added.
"Thanks," I simply replied.
After breakfast, I rose from my seat without a word.
I then carried my dishes to the kitchen sink before rinsing them out.
Pegasus and my Pokemon were standing patiently at the door, so I let them in.
Luxray and Flareon followed me up to my bedroom while Pegasus ran into the living room.
I played the movie on YouTube again and started brushing my Pokemon's fur.
Hearing those upbeat songs helped me regain my confidence and positive energy.
Afterward, I returned them to their Pokeballs.
Flareon's Pokeball had a flame capsule, and Luxray's had a lightning bolt capsule.
There was a knock at my door.
"Sioku, we're leaving in five minutes. Don't forget your Dragonite," called Melody.
I grabbed another Pokeball before exiting my room.
Melody stared awkwardly at me as I walked down the stairs wearing a dreamy expression.
She then turned to Mother confused. "I've never seen Sioku act this way. What's with her lately?"
"I have no idea," Mother answered with a sigh.
I hurried out the back door with Pegasus running behind me.
"Dragonite! Come here," I called out.
I watched in awe as the dragon Pokemon soared through the air.
Its shiny wings glimmered in the sunlight.
Dragonite slowly descended once it spotted me.
I gave him a hug and rubbed his head.
Dragonite nuzzled me in response.
"Return," I commanded.
The dragon moved toward its Pokeball and was immediately pulled inside.
With all three of my Pokemon gathered, I rushed back inside to meet Mother and Melody.
I then placed Pegasus into his kennel.
They were waiting by the front door.
"You're just in time Sioku," started Melody.
"It's time to go," continued Mother.
"I'm ready," I simply replied.
Mother locked the door as soon as we exited our house.
She then led Melody and me to a huge stadium across the street.
There were many people and Pokemon walking around.
We entered the building through a set of sliding doors.
The lobby was decorated with different statues of Pokemon.
My favorite statue to look at was Reshiram, the legendary dragon.
The stadium was crowded which made me feel uncomfortable.
I was beginning to feel nervous as soon as we arrived at the line for the front desk.
My immediate response was to start thinking about the songs from Rocky Horror.
The melodies and lyrics provided a calming distraction from my worries.
I pulled Flareon's Pokeball out of my bag and stared at the flame design.
"I wish I could send you out right now," I thought.
Melody struck up a cheerful conversation with one of her friends nearby.
I ignored it and started pacing around.
After much waiting, we were finally able to check in.
The friendly receptionist scanned our contest passes before directing us to the arena.
I took a deep breath to suppress my anxiety.
We followed a group of people through another set of doors that led to an outdoor arena.
The bleachers were already almost filled.
I spotted two familiar looking people at the top, but I decided not to worry about them.
There were many beautiful plants along the sidewalk.
I stared at them to distract myself.
The scent of fresh cut grass filled the air.
We heard many conversations going on around us.
Melody and I followed Mother toward the stage.
It was becoming more difficult for me to control my anxiety with every step.
My heart began to race as we climbed the stairs.
I tried thinking about Crowler to calm my nerves.
Unfortunately, my mind was clouded by fear and stress.
I could barely focus on my surroundings.
Melody noticed my uneasiness and spoke to me. "Sioku, are you okay?"
"No, I'm very nervous about this contest. I'm competing for my fifth ribbon," I answered.
"Try to imagine all of your friends watching you," she suggested in a cheerful tone.
I lowered my head and sighed.
My anxiety was clearly getting the best of me.
I gripped Flareon's Pokeball tightly as I started to tremble slightly.
My mind was racing in all directions.
I continued pacing around while thinking about the songs from Rocky Horror I listened to.
Frank's voice was the only thing that kept me sane.
"Sioku, Melody, I'm going to the bleachers now. Do your best and have fun," Mother said encouragingly.
"We sure will," replied Melody.
I put on a brave smile to hide my anxiety. "We won't let let you down."
Melody and I waved at Mother as she departed.
We were then joined by eight other contestants.
I immediately recognized one of these people.
This girl was dressed in a familiar black and grey outfit.
Melody and I glared daggers at her.
"Mira! What are you doing here?" we shouted in unison.
"Oh you'll see," Mira answered in a wicked tone.
I turned away from her and closed my eyes.
Flashbacks from my recent encounter with Mira flooded into my mind like water.
I couldn't push them away, no matter how hard I tried.
~Flashback to Duel Academy~
Bastion and I were snuggled up in a patch of grass outside the Slifer Red dorm.
He was helping me calm down after Mira played a song on YouTube that frightened me.
However, our peace was rudely interrupted by the eight second verse that blared above us.
Mira then set that part on repeat.
The tune played over and over.
~End Flashback~
I dropped to my knees while shivering violently.
Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop them from flowing.
My heart pounded rapidly in my chest.
All of the surrounding noise faded into complete silence within a matter of seconds.
I was lost in a void of pure darkness.
Melody noticed me on the floor and gasped in utter shock. "Sioku! What's happening to you?"
Unfortunately, I couldn't hear her voice.
She gently lifted my shaking body into her arms.
"Please come back to me Sioku. I'm right here," she said softly.
Mira snickered as she stared down at me. "Awe, what's the matter? Is the poor baby freaking out because I'm here? Just wait until my father sees her."
Instead of responding, Melody carried me over to a different area of the stage.
Letting Mira's taunting make her angry would only worsen our situation.
I still didn't move a muscle.
She saw Mother run up the steps before walking toward us, much to her relief.
Mother knelt down beside Melody. "What in the world happened here? Who did this to Sioku?"
Tears welled up in Melody's eyes as she looked at her.
"I'm so sorry Mom, I tried to bring her back. Sioku freaked out as soon as she saw Mira," Melody answered sadly.
Mother paused in absolute shock. "Hold on, you said that Mira is competing too? Colress must have helped her break out of prison."
Melody leaned over my unconscious body with a frantic expression. "I had no idea that Mira would show up! Mom, what are we going to do?"
Mother carefully took me into her arms.
"Calm down Melody, I'll take Sioku to the infirmary and watch over her. We'll be fine," she reassured.
Melody stared at the ground and let out a dejected sigh.
Mother exited the stage and quickly disappeared from her daughter's sight.
~In The Infirmary~
The friendly nurse greeted Mother at the door.
Once inside, Mother gently laid me down on the bed.
"What brings your daughter in here?" asked the nurse.
"Sioku had a major panic attack," Mother answered.
"Could she have been too worked up about the contest?" the nurse inquired.
"No, she has been traumatized by one of the competitors," Mother answered.
First, the nurse checked my vital signs.
"Sioku is doing good so far," she said.
I woke up during her examination and wearily looked around the small room.
Medical equipment surrounded the bed I was laying on.
Luckily, I wasn't hooked up to any of it.
My heart raced with anticipation.
How did I end up in here?" I asked timidly.
Mother lovingly put her arm around me. "It's okay Sioku, I carried you here after you passed out on the stage."
"Can you tell us what happened?" asked the nurse.
"Melody and I saw Mira join us on the stage. We weren't expecting to see her there. Being in Mira's presence made me have a flashback. My flashback turned into a major panic attack," I answered.
The nurse then turned to Mother. "How often does your daughter have flashbacks?"
"It depends on her situation," Mother answered.
Mother looked at me with a hopeful expression. "Sioku, how are you feeling? Can you still compete?"
"Yes, I feel fine. I promise," I assured.
"You look good as well," replied the nurse.
I carefully sat up before sliding off of the bed.
Mother put a hand on my shoulder to keep me balanced.
I grinned as Frank's singing voice echoed in my head.
Hearing his accent caused me to tremble with joy.
All of the bad thoughts about Mira vanished from my mind almost instantly.
They were replaced by happiness and positive energy.
"What are you smiling about?" asked Mother who smiled back at me.
"A funny movie," I simply answered.
Mother waved to the nurse as we exited the infirmary.
We then headed back toward the arena.
~Back at The Contest~
A few minutes later, a woman named Marian stepped onto the podium.
She had a proud smile on her face.
"Hello everyone, welcome to the Nuvema Town Pokemon contest!" she hollered excitedly.
The crowds cheered loudly in response.
Marian then presented and introduced the three judges.
Each judge gave a quick speech.
Melody didn't pay attention.
She scanned the area for a sign of her sister.
After all three speeches were finished, Marian held up a silver, sparkling ribbon for everyone to see.
"The winner of this contest will receive this beautiful ribbon," she cheered.
The audience cheered once again.
She then pointed to a computer beside her. "I will now press the random button to choose our first contestant to perform in the preliminary round!"
Everybody watched in silence as the numbers were shuffled on the screen.
Mira's name popped up on the monitor.
"Our first contestant is... Mira!" called Marian.
Mira quietly walked over to the open field.
She held up a Pokeball. "Skuntank, come on out!"
The skunk Pokemon emerged from its ball and stood in the middle of the field.
"I had a feeling that she would use a poison type Pokemon," whispered Melody in disgust.
Before Mira's performance could begin, Melody spotted Mother and me near the bleachers.
"Sioku! Come over here," she said cheerfully.
"I waved at her in response.
"Good luck out there," Mother said as she hugged me.
"Thank you," I replied while returning the hug.
Mother and I parted ways once we released each other.
I happily sprinted over to the stage.
"Hey Sioku, I'm so glad you're feeling better. Don't worry, you aren't missing anything. Mira is about to perform first," said Melody as I approached her.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
Melody and I reluctantly turned our attention back to the performance.
Mira stared down at her Pokemon. "All right Skuntank, let's start by using flame thrower!"
A massive amount of flames shot out of Skuntank's mouth and covered the entire field with fire.
"Now use night slash," Mira commanded.
Skuntank repeatedly slashed at the flames with its claws, scattering them in the process.
The audience cheered loudly in excitement.
"Wow, nice combination! That's a great way to show off the beauty of a fire type move," complemented Marian.
"Mira is actually doing a good job. She could be tough to beat," I whispered to Melody.
Melody just nodded in agreement.
Mira grinned at the audience and waved.
"Let's keep this show going Skuntank. Use sludge bomb," she commanded.
Skuntank released a huge blob of sludge onto the field.
"Now smash that thing by using iron tail," Mira added.
The poison type Pokemon slammed its powerful iron tail against the sludge, causing it to splatter everywhere.
"I hope you all enjoyed the show," she said before bowing to the crowd.
Skuntank was then sent back into its Pokeball.
The audience roared as Mira skipped away with a proud smile on her face.
"I hate it when Mira acts innocent," I commented.
"I know right?" replied Melody.
The judges critiqued Mira's performance before she returned to the stage.
I was not happy to see her.
Mira intentionally stopped right in front of me. "Hi Sioku, I didn't think you would come back here after your little panic attack. Did you like my performance?"
I only walked away in response.
I then pulled out my phone and sent a text message to Crowler: You guys don't have to worry about Mira. She is here at the Pokemon contest.
Crowler instantly replied: Thank you Sioku, I hope you are also safe. Good luck.
Melody raised her fist in the air while glaring daggers at Mira. "Stay away from my sister! She doesn't like you!"
"I don't care," Mira grumbled back.
Instead of escalating their argument, Melody quietly joined me by the podium.
Mira smirked at us before looking toward the stands.
Marian pointed to the list of coordinators displayed on her computer. "Our next contestant to perform is... Melody!"
I gave my sister a quick hug. "Good luck Sis, I'll be cheering for you."
"Thank you Sioku," she replied.
The audience gave Melody a welcoming applause as she stepped into the arena.
Melody smiled as she held up a Pokeball. "Okay Vaporeon, it's your time to shine!"
Vaporeon's fur sparkled in the sunlight as she popped out of the Pokeball.
The ball capsule made Vaporeon look like she was floating gracefully in a pool of water.
People gasped in wonder as they stared at Vaporeon.
"What a gorgeous entrance! Melody's Vaporeon looks absolutely beautiful," complemented Marian.
"Vaporeon, let's begin by using hydro pump on the field!" Melody commanded.
Vaporeon unleashed a massive amount of water that rose above the ground.
The rising water looked crystal clear.
Melody smiled down at her Pokemon. "Nice job Vaporeon, now dive into that water!"
Vaporeon jumped up before leaping into the air.
She then dove deep into the water and vanished.
A thick wall of mist surrounded the field.
A few seconds later, Vaporeon emerged from under the water before swimming in circles.
"Your Pokemon looks wonderful out there Melody! Keep up the good work!" I hollered proudly.
Melody gave me a thumbs up in response.
She then turned back to her Pokemon. "Vaporeon, use ice beam while you circle around!"
Vaporeon's ice beam transformed into a dense ice cube in the shape of a cylinder.
The audience watched completely stunned as Vaporeon surfed across the water.
"Let's wrap this up with aqua ring," called Melody.
Vaporeon created a ring of water around her body.
She then hopped off of the circular ice cube and splashed into the water below.
The audience gave Melody a standing ovation as they were sprayed with a gentle mist.
Melody rubbed the Pokemon behind her ears. "Good job Vaporeon, you were wonderful out there."
The judges gave Melody's performance a perfect score.
She ran back to the stage with a huge grin on her face.
I smiled proudly as Melody approached me.
"Great job Sis, I'm so happy for you! You deserve to move onto the second round for sure," I praised as I embraced her.
"Thank you very much Sioku," Melody replied as she gladly returned the hug.
Marian pointed to her computer screen once again. "Our third coordinator to perform is... Sioku!"
I jumped at the sound of my name being called.
My heart began to race as I stood still.
All of the confidence I had before suddenly vanished.
I lowered my head and frowned.
"Go on Sioku," Melody whispered.
I slowly lifted my head and stared at her worriedly.
"I have a bad feeling about this," I replied with a sigh.
"Really? Why?" Melody questioned in exasperation.
"Mira is here," I whispered in her ear.
Melody put a firm hand on my shoulder. "Listen to me Sioku, don't let that ruthless girl distract you. You are way better than this. Besides, you only have one more ribbon to win. Remember to have fun while doing your best out there."
I smiled as I felt my heart rate start to decrease.
"Thanks for the advice," I replied.
My mind also relaxed a bit.
"That's the spirit," she said before patting my head.
I waved to her as I walked over to the arena.
The audience applauded as they watched me take my position on the field.
I proudly held Flareon's Pokeball high in the air. "All right, Flareon, I choose you!"
Flareon emerged from her Pokeball with pure grace.
Her beautiful, red fur blended in with the flames rising from the ball capsule.
Everyone watched the display in wonder.
Flareon gently wagged her tail.
I took a deep breath and faced the audience.
"Okay Flareon, let's begin our performance by using flare blitz," I said confidently.
A giant ball of fire struck the center of the field.
"Use psychic to make it float," I commanded.
The fireball slowly rose until it was floating four feet in the air.
"Scatter those flames with iron tail," I hollered.
Flareon jumped high into the air using her hind legs and spun around.
She then slammed her powerful iron tail into the fireball.
The flames were scattered around the field.
"Let's wrap this up with solar beam," I said proudly.
Flareon stood still as light energy slowly built up inside her body.
She then released a solar beam high in the sky.
The combination of her solar beam and flames showered onto the field like meteors.
The audience gave me a standing ovation as I made my way back over to the stage.
All three judges gave my performance a perfect score.
I petted Flareon behind her ears.
"You were amazing out there," I praised.
Flareon wagged her tail in response.
Melody joyfully embraced me as soon as I approached her. "I'm so proud of you Sioku!"
"Thank you Sis," I replied while returning the hug.
Melody and I watched our friend Iris perform next with her Dragonite.
Dragonite's moves put on an elegant show.
The judges also gave her a high score.
Six more contestants performed after her.
Instead of watching their performances, I drifted into pleasant thoughts about Rocky Horror.
I couldn't get the music out of my head.
Marian's hollering suddenly pulled me out of my thoughts. "I will now present the six coordinators who will be moving onto the next round!"
Melody stared awkwardly at me as I gasped and turned toward the sound of Marian's voice.
I shook my head in confusion.
Marian then pressed a button on her computer, revealing a list of only eight people.
Mira, Iris, Melody, and I were on that list.
"This is great Sioku! You and I made it to round two," cheered Melody in excitement.
I gave a simple nod in response.
"What's up Sioku?" asked Melody confused.
Before I could answer, Mira stepped between Melody and me with a wicked grin on her face.
"Your little sister is probably afraid to battle me in the semi finals," she taunted.
"Shut up and leave us alone," Melody snapped back.
A few minutes later, Marian pressed the shuffling button a second time.
There was a list of four rows of two coordinators' names displayed on the screen.
Luckily, a girl named Zoey was my opponent.
Melody's opponent was Iris.
"The second round will begin in a few hours," called Marian before she stepped off the stage.
Melody and I carefully made our way through the large, chaotic crowds.
We eventually caught up with Mother at the bleachers.
"Congratulations girls," she said warmly.
"Thanks Mother," we replied in unison.
Mother then led Melody and me to a secluded field.
Melody and I let our three Pokemon out of their Pokeballs for some fresh air.
Luxray went for a walk with Vaporeon.
I reached into my bag and grabbed a pull rope to play a wild game of tug-of-war with Flareon.
Flareon and I dragged each other around the field.
Dragonite happily flew in circles above us.
Melody and Mother watched us play in amusement.
"That's one way to get their energy out," commented Mother before she chuckled.
Melody nodded her head in agreement.
Glaceon pawed at my arm, and I gave the rope to her.
I pulled out my phone and recorded their match.
Afterward, I sent the video to my friends.
A half hour later, Melody and I returned our Pokemon back into their Pokeballs..
Mother then led us back to the contest arena.