I immediately recognized her as she stood up. She was a few rows ahead of us. Cerea. A short, stocky blonde girl. Cerea went to the same trainer school class as Bianca, Cheren, and me. Bianca and Cheren were distracted, talking. Kenya was half-asleep. They apparently didn't notice. I waved at her as she walked to the door. She smiled.
"What do you think?" Bianca asked, nudging me.
"About what?"
"Maybe I should go without my hat for a while longer," Bianca said. "Cheren says the hat looks cute on you." My face flushed. I nearly ripped the hat, pulling it off my head.
"I forgot," I said, handing it to Bianca.
She grinned at me. It seemed like a strange response. She put the hat on. I met Cheren's eyes; he looked away.
I turned to Kenya, snoozing in her seat. We'd spent an all-nighter out in the desert resort last night. We'd managed to get ourselves lost underground. The next match was starting, Cerea was battling a guy named Tony.
"Hey," Bianca said. "I know her!" She pointed at the nearest tv screen. Cheren nodded.
"You saw her walk in," Cheren said. Bianca shrugged.
"It feels like I haven't spoken with her in a long time," Bianca tapped her chin. Cerea sent out her pokemon. A Tepig, a Gothorita, and a Durant. Tony sent a Herdier, a Minccino, and a Pansage.
The battle dragged out for a while. In the end, it was Cerea's Tepig and Tony's Gothorita left. Tepig managed to knock it out.
Kenya was fast asleep by the time the battle was over. The woman in the seat next to Kenya scowled at her. A few minutes later, Cerea returned to the waiting room. Bianca quickly stood up, waving Cerea over.
The next pair was called. It was no one I knew.
"Cerea!" Bianca hugged her. "It's been so long!"
"Wow!" Cerea looked us over. Her eyes paused on Kenya. She blinked. "I guess some things never change, huh?" Cerea convinced the man on the other side of Cheren to give up his seat and sat down. She talked about her adventures across the region. She'd left Nuvema nearly a whole year ago. Apparently, she'd spent most of her time in Castelia. I noticed the match ending. The winning trainer had entirely wiped the opposing team with zero losses.
"How have you been, Andrew?" Cerea's blue eyes locked on me. I immediately stuttered.
"I-I-I'm doing fine." She blinked.
"T-t-t-that's good," she imitated my stutter with a laugh. She laughed loud and hard, elbowing Cheren in the arm.
He didn't respond. Bianca chuckled; her smile shrunk. Kenya snapped awake. The winner had returned. The next match was being called.
Kenya glanced lazily at one of the tv screens before turning her tired brown eyes on me.
The next match involved Bianca's biggest fan. The girl, Mary, waved at Bianca as she left the room with her competition. Bianca waved back. Cerea was talking with Cheren. Kenya stretched in her chair.
"When do I get to go?" Kenya muttered. I started to say something.
"Hey, Kenya!" Cerea blurted out. Cheren flinched. "I didn't see you there!" Kenya wiped her eye with a grumble.
"Hi." Cerea cocked her head. Cerea didn't say much after that.
Mary's match was swift. Her Gigalith dominated the battlefield. She also had an Emolga and a Tynamo, but they mostly hung back. Gigalith knocked out all three of Alan's pokemon within a few minutes.
Mary spun around, waving at the audience before leaving the stage.
"That's a strong Gigalith," Kenya said.
"It doesn't matter," Cheren said. "It's her only strong pokemon. If it goes down, she loses."
"Wow," Cerea elbowed Cheren's arm. "You're so smart, Cheren." He frowned at her. Cerea hadn't changed a bit. Mary returned, grinning from ear to ear and waving at Bianca. Bianca seemed to enjoy the girl's friendliness, matching her enthusiasm.
The next match was called.
Andrew vs. Bob. A guy apparently named Bob got up.
I waited for someone else to stand. It took me longer than I'm willing to admit to realize it was my turn to go. I got up, walking over to the door.
"You got this!" Kenya shouted. "Don't let that loser beat you, Andrew!" Bob shot her a look. It didn't bother her much.
I was led to a hallway, which extended out onto the battlefield.
I stepped out into the open and took my place on the battlefield.
The stadium was impossibly huge. My head could hardly comprehend the scale of it. Everywhere I looked, people were waving their arms and screaming. I felt dizzy for a moment.
Alder's voice brought me back to reality.
"The match will begin soon." I sent out my pokemon. Pignite, Tranquil and Musharna. Bob sent out his pokemon as well.
A Bouffalant, a Zweilous, and a Drilbur.
"Please begin."
"Bouffalant! Head charge!" Bouffalant broke into a run, crossing the battlefield.
"Musharna Sleep that Bouffalant! Pignite and Tranquill, attack Zweilous!" I spoke quickly.
I wasn't used to commanding multiple pokemon at once. I'd noticed not many people seemed to be.
Throughout the previous matches, many people seemed to order one pokemon at a time, leaving the others hanging.
Even Bob, he still hadn't ordered Zweilous or Drilbur to do anything.
Musharna used hypnosis, Bouffalant collapsed, rolling across the ground.
Pignite caught fire and charged at Zweilous. Tranquil took flight, circling overhead. I scanned the battlefield. Drilbur was nowhere to be seen.
There was a hole where it once stood. I felt stupid. Pignite used Arm thrust, striking Zweilous repeatedly. Zweilous hissed, retreating backward.
"This is an interesting start," Alder said. His tone disagreed with his statement. Tranquil dove, striking at Zweilous. I'd never encountered a Zweilous before, it and Bouffalant worried me the most.
"Musharana, keep that Bouffalant down," I said. Musharna used dream eater, sucking energy out of Bouffalant. Bouffalant grunted, stirring in its sleep.
Lenora had given me a moon stone to evolve Munna when Kenya visited Nacrene a week ago.
The ground under Musharna cracked. Drilbur appeared, slashing Musharna. Musharna spun towards the ground, crying out.
"Keep it up!" Bob ordered. He crossed his arms, apparently satisfied with himself. He seemed strangely confident despite the situation. I was winning. Wasn't I?
Bouffalant was asleep, Pignite and Tranquil had Zweilous on the defense. Drilbur lunged at Musharna.
"Psychic!" Drilbur froze in the air. Musharna and Drilbur both glowed. Drilbur started to rise.
"The sneak attack seems to have had little effect," Alder said. "That's quite a tough Musharna there." Bouffalant stirred, moving its head.
"Tranquil! Steel wing! Go after Bouffalant!" I was getting nervous. Bob was confident. It couldn't have been Drilbur he was so cocky about. I had to get rid of Bouffalant. Tranquil flew across the battlefield, wings glowing.
"Thunder Wave!" Bob said. Zweilous fired a jolt of electricity at Tranquil. Upon impact, Tranquil immediately hit the ground.
Pignite pummeled Zweilous again. This time Zweilous was knocked out. Musharna dropped Drilbur, smashing it into the ground. Drilbur slowly got up.
Musharna launched it again. Tranquil struggled to stand. It had been paralyzed.
A brown flash caught my eye.
I'd barely comprehended what it was when Bouffalant hit Musharna with a direct head charge.