Chapter 64: It's Way Out of Your League
A large, muscular man stood just five feet from the edge of a steep cliff, with an entire city spread out below him. The man was shirtless, and only wore tattered white pants, a black belt, and black bracelets on his wrists. His messy, black hair was tied into a long, scruffy ponytail that stretched down to his upper back. He took a deep breath before spreading his arms akimbo, taking in the air around him. Behind him, a grey, humanoid Pokemon with four arms, wearing nothing but a black speedo, mimicked his movements. Then, he raised one of his legs, knee high, and slowly turned to his left, adopting a fighting stance. The Pokemon behind him did the same.
The air was clear, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The man could see troves of people crowding around the big Pokemon Center down below. From high up as he was, they almost looked like dots moving around on a map. The Pokemon League was only two days away, and many trainers had made it to Pokemon League Village earlier than expected. They say the early bird catches the Caterpie, after all. Slowly, he turned to his right, repeating his earlier stance. Not even the frigid mountain wind could make this man shiver from cold. He hadn't spent thirty plus years training and honing his strength for nothing. Come rain or shine, blizzards and droughts, he would train until he trained no more.
"Machamp. The Pokemon League draws near," The man said in a low, brusque voice. "You'll need to be at full strength to defeat whoever manages to win the competition."
"Machamp," The Pokemon, Machamp, growled.
He turned around, facing Machamp, his partner of many long years. Veins and arteries outlined the Pokemon's stout, muscular arms. The two extended their arms out, thrusting in and out, mimicking punching gestures. No contact was made, but the man could feel sweat trickling down his back. He needed to focus. He and Machamp both. They mock punched the air with fervor, in further preparation for the events to come. Not even a voice calling out to him pulled him from his training.
"Hey, Bruno!" A young woman made her way up the path, approaching Bruno from the side. Her wavy grey locks extended down to her lower back, and a yellow crop top and white capris hugged her slim figure, hidden underneath a long, black winter coat.
Finally, Bruno stopped thrusting, as did Machamp. They both turned toward the woman with serious, stony expressions. "Hello, Karen. What brings you here?"
Karen shrugged. "Seriously, Bruno? Even in winter, you come up here completely shirtless and spend every single day training?" Karen quipped. "I swear, you're gonna sign your own death warrant one of these days."
Bruno cracked a playful grin. "Says the woman who climbs a mountain wearing bright yellow high heels."
Paying the remark no mind, Karen brushed some hair out of her face. "Anyway, I figured you'd be up here, so I brought you something warm to eat," Karen pulled a plastic tin box out of a yellow purse. She opened it up, and inside were six piping hot, oval shaped croquettes, cooked golden brown. A crispy aroma embraced Bruno's nostrils. Machamp wasted no time taking one and throwing it into its mouth. Karen broke into merry laughter. "Well, you're quick on the draw, aren't you, Machamp?"
"I thank you for your generosity," Bruno also took a croquette into his hands before eating it whole. When he finished, he spoke again. "It looks like we've got a good crop of trainers for this year's League."
Karen turned towards the cliff, seeing the same view Bruno did. "A little less than last year, but still a decent amount of people," She mused. "By the way, how's Lorelei doing? Have you two tied the knot yet?"
That was all it took for Bruno's cheeks to flush crimson. He turned around, evading Karen's gaze. Only now did his body shiver from the cold mountain air. "...No. I'm waiting until after the League is over," He stammered. "It's going to get busy, so I wanted to wait until things calm down."
"Understandable," Karen noted. "But I wouldn't put it off for too long if I were you," She gestured down the mountain. "So what do you say we get back to Pokemon League Village? You ought to put a jacket on. I don't want you getting frostbite or hypothermia up here. Not when your little niece is coming to visit you."
Bruno smiled and stretched his arms out. "I suppose it won't hurt to finish my training for today. Let's go."
The three of them, Machamp included, slowly made their way down the mountain, excited for what the immediate future would bring. "By the way, isn't Gladys making her debut in the Elite Four this year?" Bruno asked.
"She is!" Karen exclaimed. "She's gotten popular since she took up the mantle way back in February. I admit, I'm still a little sad Koga retired, but he said he's wanted to spend more time with his family for a while, so I'm glad he's happy."
Early in the year, Koga, who was once a member of Johto's Elite Four, announced his retirement, stating he wanted to remain with his family in Kanto. Not long after, a new candidate was chosen among hundreds of veteran trainers. Her name was Gladys Tatham, and she specialized in fairy type Pokemon. Should a trainer ever manage to win the Pokemon League, they would be one of the first trainers to face off against the fledgling Elite Four member, should they ever get past the one before her.
"Here's hoping whoever wins can actually get past Will," Bruno said. "There's a reason he's been an Elite Four member for five years now."
Karen stretched her arms outward. "I kinda hope I get to do some battling of my own once this is done and over with. I'm really itching for a good fight, and my boyfriend and his band are gonna be here, too. One of them is even participating in the League, from what Ben told me."
The air around them crackled with anticipation, and the duo couldn't wait to see how the League was going to play out. However it'd do so, they'd be ready for it.
Unfortunately, not everyone who arrived at the League was as excited or jubilant. In the lobby of a large Pokemon Center, right in the middle of Pokemon League village, a young girl of fourteen sat at a table by the window, staring down at a badge case. It was studded with all of the Johto gym badges except for one. The Rising badge was missing, and she could see it even as her neatly arranged, raven bangs obscured her turquoise eyes. She had spent so many months training and battling gym leaders just to get to the League, but no matter how hard she tried, she still couldn't beat Clair, even in the League's opening week. Now here she was, two days before the League was to begin, and all of her efforts had been completely in vain.
"This shouldn't be happening…" She murmured to herself, resting her head on the palm of her hand, continuing to stare at the empty space in her badge case. Her ears caught the clamor of several trainers crowding around the counter, chatting as they waited to be registered for the League. She looked up, shooting smoldering scowls at the smiling kids and their Pokemon.
Look at them. All smiles and joy, like the League was just going to be all fun and games. The girl couldn't believe what she was seeing. The trainers acted like complete nitwits as far as she was concerned. Why did they have to be so happy? For all she knew, they were just carefree small town nobodies who probably fought the gyms just for fun, or solely to bask in the feeling of being on TV. Just seeing the trainers smiling so brightly made the girl want to vomit. Some of them didn't even look like they had any right to set foot in the League. How could this even happen?
Those trainers didn't have their livelihoods on the line. Not like she herself did.
"You? Become a trainer? Give me a break, Milly. You have better things to do than lower yourself to such a plebeian standard. You are going to the Azalea Women's Academy and I will hear no more of your complaining!"
The venomous voice echoed in her mind once more. Milly held a hand to her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. She could hardly remember the argument that followed. It seemed so long ago. All she remembered was that her mother yelled, she yelled back, and the very tail end of it.
"Fine. You have one chance. If you earn enough badges to at least be able to participate in the Pokemon League, I will leave you to determine your own path in life and let you do what you choose. However, should you fail, and you know I'll be able to find out if you did, I will bid you to return home and do everything I ask of you for the rest of your life. After all, nobody likes a nuisance who's full of foolish pride."
"I failed…"
"Pipipi?"
Something nudged at her leg.
Milly looked down. A pale yellow, serpentine Pokemon with a large head rubbed its head against her mauve stockings, its tiny white wings fluttering in a poor attempt to fly. The drill at the tip of its tail wagged and the Pokemon warbled, looking up at its trainer. "Pipipipipi!"
"Hey, Dunsparce," Milly leaned down to stroke Dunsparce's head with one hand. "You worked so hard for me. I'm sorry it was all for nothing."
Dunsparce shook its head, as if trying to tell her that all the time they spent together wasn't for nothing. Milly appreciated its attempt to reassure her, but the fog that clouded her soul refused to dissipate. Although she knew she couldn't register for the League, she really didn't feel like going back to Azalea Town right now. Staying here for a while longer had its perks, if only so she could watch the other matches and learn a thing or two. Furthermore, Pokemon League Village had a lot of neat shops and attractions she could look at. She had some funds to spare.
"Will Milly O'Connell please report to the front desk?" A Nurse Joy's voice echoed from the PA system. "I repeat, Milly O'Connell, please report to the front desk."
That was her cue. She pulled herself up from her table and dragged herself over to the counter. A smiling Nurse Joy greeted her, holding a tray that contained five PokeBalls.
"Good morning! All of your Pokemon are back to perfect health!" Nurse Joy beamed.
Milly glared at her. Did this Nurse Joy really have to look so happy? Her stomach churned. It was like the whole world was mocking her for not having been able to get a Rising badge and register for the League. Milly took her PokeBalls and put them in her purse.
"Thank you, ma'am," Her voice barely rose above a bitter utterance. She returned to her table and pulled out a magazine.
"Pipi?" Dunsparce warbled.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry," Milly reassured it.
But she wasn't fine, and she was sure she'd never be okay again.
"Whoa…!" Julia watched in awe as a brand new town sprawled out before her and the other kids. It was a bustling hub, with skyscrapers as tall as the ones in Goldenrod City situated on one side, and lush parks and suburban homes on the other side. A big Pokemon Center was situated right in the middle, the red and white PokeBall shaped roof standing starkly against the forest greenery. A big stadium rested in the middle of a large, blue lake in the far left side of town, and two slightly smaller stadiums were situated on the right side, just a ways from a tall cell tower. "Is this really Indigo Plateau?"
Ethan wiped his nose with one finger. "Technically, Indigo Plateau is the name of the land this town was built on," He explained. "The town you see is actually called Pokemon League Village."
"I've heard about it!" Perrine exclaimed, raising one hand. "I learned about it in school! It was built around sixty years ago, when the Johto and Kanto Leagues decided to move to one place."
She went on to explain that originally, Johto had its own League that took place on Mt. Silver, but after many years, the Pokemon battles and additional construction began damaging the ecosystem, and various Pokemon started attacking trainers due to the buildings encroaching on their nesting grounds. In response, both the Johto and Kanto governments decided to move the Johto League to Indigo Plateau, sharing it with the Kanto League. They also had the Johto League take place two months before the Kanto League as a means to make sure Johto League challengers didn't mistakenly challenge the Kanto League, and vice versa. At the time, there was only one tiny residential area around Indigo Plateau, and the influx of new trainers posed a new problem: There were no places for the extra trainers and their Pokemon to eat and sleep, as the buildings at the time couldn't accommodate so many trainers. Even the Pokemon Center at the time, big as it was, couldn't fit the myriad of trainers and Pokemon.
Then a governor posed an idea: What if they built a bigger residential area on Indigo Plateau? Said area could have restaurants, shops, and extra lodgings for incoming trainers, and they could fund it by selling League-related merchandise and promotional materials. Before Pokemon League Village was built, the Pokemon Leagues had already noticed a spike in handbook and T-shirt sales, so they decided to invest in promoting and marketing their League merchandise, using the money from sales to fund the construction of Pokemon Village. The business venture worked like a charm, and Pokemon League Village was founded.
"So that's how it went!" Caiseal said. "Anyone want to head to the Pokemon Center?" He gestured towards the big building right in the middle of the residential area.
The quartet made their way down the hill. Julia inhaled the cool, late November air. It was frigid, but much softer than it had been early in October. She still found it hard to believe that a month after they had left Blackthorn City, here they were in the Pokemon League, with most of that time being spent on the road. Routes 26 and 23 were a lot tougher and took far more time than she had expected. Maybe that was a good thing, now that the League officially started in two days.
December 1st...Julia had started her journey in April. With this, it'd be nine months since she first left. Time sure flew by fast. Needless to say, the Pokemon Center was packed with trainers. Crowds and clusters of trainers took up the entire lobby. Some were in their own groups, chatting amongst themselves or grooming their Pokemon. Others were sitting on the benches or at the tables, eating lunch or taking a moment to rest. Several were already at the front desk, with a Nurse Joy taking time to sign them up for the League. Julia's hands covered her ears, the cacophony of a million voices mingling into one big, chaotic concerto of noise grinding her eardrums. But one thing Julia did notice was that there weren't a whole lot of kids in the building. Many of the trainers happened to be adults, from their early twenties to senior citizens.
"Let's go get registered. We might as well get it done and over with since we're early," Ethan suggested.
Without a word, the trio followed him to the register, waiting for the trainers in front of them to disperse. They did after a few short minutes, and a Nurse Joy welcomed them with a smile. "Hello, children! Are you here to register for the Johto League?"
"Yes, ma'am," Perrine went first.
"Alright. I just need your PokeDex, your badge case, and your trainer ID."
Perrine pulled all three out. Nurse Joy slid Perrine's ID into a card reader before immediately handing it back. Glancing at the badges in her case, she slid the PokeDex into a machine next to her computer, and Perrine watched as Nurse Joy's fingers danced across the keyboard like a group of dancers on a stage. Not long after, Nurse Joy took the PokeDex out and handed it back to Perrine, along with her badge case.
"Congratulations, Perrine Innocenti! You are now an official participant in this year's Johto League! Good luck!" Nurse Joy complimented.
"Thanks!"
Ethan and Caiseal went next, and before long, they were officially registered as well. "Hey, Jule. Aren't you going to sign up?" Ethan asked Julia.
"Huh?"
"You know. For the League," Ethan clarified. "You have all eight badges, so you're perfectly eligible."
The realization hit Julia like a whack on the head. She hadn't told him yet, had she? She waved a dismissive hand and said, "Actually, I'm not signing up for the League."
Ethan's eyebrows shot up. "Really? Why?" He exclaimed.
"Well…I never really went on a journey to become a super strong trainer," Julia explained, scratching the back of her head. "I had my reasons for going on one, but to be perfectly honest, I'm just happy with being able to spend time with my friends and Pokemon. Besides, there are so many others who really want to get into the League, and seeing as I'm not a huge fan of battling, I'd rather not get in their way."
"We asked her about it a few times before, and trust us, her mind's pretty much set," Caiseal chimed in.
Ethan was silent for a brief moment, then smiled. "I understand. I know I shouldn't force you to participate if you really don't want to. It's cool."
Julia looked down at her shoes with a shy smile. She was so glad nobody was forcing her to sign up for the League.
"So now that we're registered, what should we do now?" Perrine asked. "The League's not for another two days, so we have plenty of time on our hands."
Ethan balled his hands into fists. "I know one thing we can do! I say we get some training in!"
The kids all nodded in agreement. What better way to kill some time than having the Pokemon do some training before the big day?
After leaving the Pokemon Center, they found a clearing nearby. It was big enough for an Onix to curl up on, which was perfect for the kids. Caiseal let Electra out so she could run around and play, Julia sat on a bench nearby, while Perrine and Ethan let out two of their Pokemon, the former releasing Mushi, and the latter sending out a Beedrill. Julia shivered, holding Hikaru close like she was a security blanket. Just what she needed, a poison type Pokemon in her midst. But she didn't dare scream or cry out. Just because Ethan owned a poison type, it didn't mean they were bad, she told herself. For all she knew, maybe Ethan's Beedrill was a really nice Pokemon.
"Mushi, use X-Scissor!"
"Go, Beedrill! Poison Jab!"
Mushi the Paras propelled himself into the air, his pincers glowing in a green light. Beedrill's conical stingers glowed purple, and the giant bee began thrusting them in quick motions. Mushi hopped all over the place, avoiding the onslaught.
It was here that Julia remembered she had brought a book to read while the training was going on. She pulled her backpack out and dug into it to get the book out. She clasped her backpack closed and set it on the edge of the bench, smiling as she opened her book. At least with this, she could take her eyes off of Beedrill and not feel as scared knowing it was there. Hikaru settled next to Julia, curling into a ball and closing her eyes so she could bask in the sunshine. But before her mind lulled into dreamland, she heard a faint click noise, then the sound of objects falling to the ground.
"Wha?!" Surprised by the noise, Julia swiveled sideways. Her backpack had fallen to the ground, and some books, her sketchbook, PokeDex, trainer ID, and pencils spilled out from it, scattering all over the place. "Oh!" She got down on the ground and gathered everything up. "How in the world did this happen?" She asked herself. "I must not have closed my bag all the way."
"Pika?"
Rustling noises caught Hikaru's ears. She stood on her hind legs to see where it was coming from. When she turned around, she saw something scuttle away, but couldn't make out what it was. The rustling noises stopped. However, Hikaru did catch a set of tiny white wings. What was that, and what Pokemon could possibly have wings that small? Was it even a Pokemon at all?
"There! Everything's in order," Julia mused, closing her backpack a second time. She stole a glance at Hikaru, noticing she was staring at the bushes. "What's up, Hikaru? See something interesting?"
"Pikachu," Hikaru pointed to the bush, explaining she might have seen something there. Julia looked, but saw nothing.
"Maybe it was a Pokemon. Probably nothing to worry about," Julia said.
By this time, Beedrill and Mushi stopped training, and settled on munching on some berries they found. Ethan and Perrine chatted amongst themselves, and Electra was running all over the place, spinning her arms and shooting electricity around, though was careful not to go too overboard, lest she wind up electrocuting everyone.
"Does anyone want to get lunch?" Caiseal asked. "I hear there's a great dining hall in the Pokemon Center that's got great pizza and subs!"
Perrine beamed. "I could go for a meatball sub right now! Let's go!"
"Dibs on the pizza!" Ethan cried, being the first to sprint away, with Beedrill following close behind him. Everyone else followed suit.
Her backpack randomly spilling open wouldn't be the only weird thing to happen today.
The dining hall in the Pokemon Center was a large, well lit room filled to the brim with tables and chairs. Round windows let some natural light in, and there were eight stands selling all kinds of food, from salads to sweets. There was even a little place that sold Pokemon food, both the bagged kind to special confections such as PokePuffs. It helped that the hall was packed with trainers, though the lines moved relatively quickly, so the kids still got their food. Once they received their orders, the quartet made their way to a table in the middle of the hall. Julia helped herself to a garlic knot, a bottle of water, and a slice of cheese pizza, and ordered a bright pink, frosted PokePuff for Hikaru.
"Mmmmm!" Ethan took a big sip of some soda, grinning from ear to ear as he indulged himself. "Gah! This soda really hits the spot!"
Caiseal dipped a Kalosian fry into some ketchup before eating it. "Sure is crowded in here today. Way more than I expected," He mused.
"Really?" Perrine raised an eyebrow. Mushi sat on her shoulder, munching on a piece of lettuce that Perrine gave her earlier. "I thought it'd be a lot more packed than this."
Not paying the conversation any mind, Ethan put his glass of soda down before taking a bite out of a pizza. Hikaru was busy chomping on her PokePuff, savoring the sweet frosting that melted on her tongue. Mushi finished the lettuce he ate, and was about to have Perrine give him more, but when he opened his eyes, he saw something strange. Ethan's soda glass had a very faint, purple aura around it. That was odd. Soda didn't glow. Then the glass started to tremble. Very slightly, but Mushi could see it.
The glass trembling against the table caught Hikaru's ear. She looked over, and before she could do anything, the glass tipped over.
Right onto Julia's tray.
"Yeek!" Julia backed away from the table as soon as she saw a wave of brown soda fall across her food. The glass rattled against the table, and Ethan stood up from his seat in alarm.
"Whoa! What?!" Both Perrine and Caiseal followed suit. Perrine wasted no time handing Julia a wad of napkins.
"Oh no! My food's all ruined!" Julia cried out as she wiped her tray down. The soda mixed with her garlic knot and the pizza, turning them brown and soggy. She hadn't gotten the chance to eat them yet, making the loss all the more irritating.
"How in the world did this happen?" Ethan asked out loud, using his own wad of napkins to clean up. "I didn't bump into it, that's for sure. Sorry about this."
"It's okay, Ethan," Perrine reassured. "We know you didn't do it, and if you did, it wouldn't have been on purpose."
Some of the soda started to seep off the edge of the table. Julia bent down to wipe it off, taking care not to get any on her clothes, letting out an irritated sigh. She had really wanted to eat lunch. Her stomach rumbled, further adding insult to injury.
"Need some help?" A voice asked right behind her.
Julia turned around, seeing a girl in a wheelchair right behind her. The girl had black hair tied into buns and braids, and warm brown eyes. A large, white cast was wrapped around her foot. Wait a minute...she looked familiar. Had they met before?
A bell rang clearly in her head. She had seen this girl before! "Oh! I know you!" Julia exclaimed, standing right up. "You're that girl who got hurt in Victory Road! Your name was...what was it?" She searched for the girl's name in her head, groping around until she found it. "Yue, right?"
"Yep! Yueqing Lu. Yue for short," Yue introduced herself.
The difference between how she looked in Victory Road and now was like night and day. Her grey, bloodied tangzhuang was replaced with a clean, fresh white one with pink flower decorations on the sleeves. She was also wearing brown pants, and one black shoe, what with her other leg being in a cast. Her braids were no longer askew, and her face wasn't twisted up in pain. Without waiting for Julia's answer, Yue pulled some napkins out and scrubbed the table down, letting them absorb the rest of the spilled soda.
"Hey there!" Caiseal approached her with a smile. "Man, you look way better now than you did yesterday."
Yue nodded in agreement as she finished cleaning up. "I know, right?"
"But I'm surprised you're not still in the hospital. I thought you'd be in there longer," Perrine said, a little concerned. "I mean, you did get impaled with a big rock. Are you sure you're okay?"
"It's fine. It turns out it wasn't as bad as it looked," Yue reassured them with a wave of her hand. "All I needed was a few stitches and this cast here," She pointed to her leg. "They let me out this morning, so I'm in the all clear! Good thing too, because I really didn't want to miss out on my chance of getting into the Pokemon League."
"How are Zack and Alex?" Julia asked. "Where are they at?"
"They're outside training. I just came in here to grab a bite to eat myself," Yue said.
A sigh of relief escaped Julia. Yue's injuries looked quite severe when they saw her in Victory Road, so seeing her here now, safe and sound, was a big weight off her shoulders. Yue caught sight of Julia's soda covered food and grimaced. "Oooh. Your lunch got ruined, huh?"
"Yeah…"
Then, a smile flashed on her face faster than anyone could see it. "If you want, I can buy you a new meal. My treat."
"Really? You would?" Julia couldn't believe this random girl they just met last night was being so nice to them. She wondered if she really deserved her kindness. "I mean, you don't have to spend your money on me. It's yours to use."
Again, Yue brushed off her worries. "It's fine. Besides, you guys really got me out of a jam, so let's call it even."
"Thanks so much!"
Yue wasted no time buying a new meal for Julia as they threw away the napkins they used to clean up the soda. The scratchy irritation in her heart was wiped clean with Yue's generous offer. For a second, Julia thought she was dreaming. Most people she knew would never offer to help her out the way Yue did, at least not without something in return. Still, she figured it'd be rude to decline her offer, and it'd be much worse if she and her friends hadn't stopped to help her out in Victory Road. But as the girls went to one of the stands, Mushi began making growling noises at Hikaru, waving his pincers up and down frantically.
Hikaru's mouth fell ajar when she heard what Mushi was telling her. She pulled up the glass and set it back up, taking a moment to look around. When the girls came back, Yue decided to join them. But after a few minutes, Perrine noticed Yue staring off into the distance.
"What's wrong, Yue?" Perrine asked.
Yue leaned further in, whispering, "Do you get the feeling we're being watched?"
Watched? By who? The kids looked around. There were so many people here, it'd be hard to see just who was watching them. They couldn't see anyone in particular looking in their direction, other than some Pokemon that happened to glance their way.
"I don't see anyone looking at us," Julia said. "What makes you think we're being watched?"
Yue sighed. "I swear, for just a second I saw somebody looking at us."
As if to see if what she said was true, Hikaru looked around again. Her eyes caught sight of one girl a few tables down looking at them with a stony, almost stern expression. Was that her? She couldn't quite tell. As soon as Hikaru met her gaze, the girl looked down and started eating her lunch.
It'd turn out that Yue was completely right to be suspicious.
After lunch, the kids decided to check in and pick their rooms for the day, just to have them ready. "Alright! This'll be my room!" Julia exclaimed, walking into a small bedroom with one bed, a computer, a desk, a big TV, a phone, and a few other necessities. She sat right down, marveling at how soft and plushy the comforter was. "Oooh! This blanket feels nicer than the one I have at home!" Julia plopped down and began rolling around, savoring the blanket's softness.
"Pikachu."
"Hm?" Julia stopped as Hikaru got her attention. "What's wrong, girl?"
Hikaru told her what Mushi had seen at lunch. "Whoa, what?" She immediately sat up in alarm. "You're saying something made Ethan's drink fall over on purpose? And Mushi saw it?"
"Pikapi!" Hikaru nodded, explaining that Mushi saw the glass glow in a faint purple light before it fell over.
A purple light. As far as Julia knew, drinks didn't just fall over all on their own, and she knew for sure Ethan didn't knock it over. If he did, she would have heard him yelp from his arm hitting the glass, or she might have seen it offhandedly. He would have even mentioned it if he did knock it over on accident. But a glass spilling all over her food while being enveloped in a purple light? That was just plain odd.
Or maybe...maybe Mushi might be onto something. What if something intentionally spilled her drink?
Even so, the possibility of someone, or something doing that didn't seem plausible. But she knew for sure Hikaru had no reason to lie. Her Pokemon weren't liars. Julia simply smiled and stroked Hikaru's head. "Thanks for letting me know. Let's keep an eye out for anything suspicious going on. Think you can do that?"
Hikaru nodded a second time. "Chuu!"
Unfortunately, the rest of the day didn't turn out much better. For one, she wound up tripping in the middle of the Pokemon Center lobby. When she looked down, she saw what appeared to be a hole the size of her hand. A hole, in the middle of a tile floor. She didn't sprain or twist her ankle, but with how big the hole was, and how it was in a building of all places, she could tell it didn't just spring up there at random. Water sprayed all over her face when she went to get a drink from a water fountain, her bag spilled open again (This time, she actually saw it happen on its own, purple light included), a child's ball nearly hit her in the face when she was passing some kids playing (One of the kids mentioned the ball just randomly changed direction in mid-air), and at dinner, one of the kid's drinks almost spilled on her food again. Thankfully, she saw it coming and picked her food up, so nothing got wet or soggy. Except for the table, obviously.
When night fell, the kids retired to their assigned rooms and slept for the night. Hikaru slept at the foot of Julia's bed, sleeping soundly, lost in dreamland. But at one point, her ears caught the subtle sound of...footsteps?
Wearily, she opened her eyes just a bit. A large figure bent down on the ground, holding something. Hikaru couldn't make out what it was. The figure looked human, a silhouette against the shadows. For a second, she thought it was Julia. Was this a dream, or was it real? Hikaru let out a yawn, her eyes closing once more. Maybe she really was dreaming. More footsteps, and a door clicked closed. Hikaru was lost in her dreams once more.
Only for them to be completely obliterated by shrill, frantic yelling.
"Where is it?! Where the heck is it?!"
"Pii?!" Hikaru's eyes slammed open in alarm. What was going on? Did something happen? She stood on all fours, wide awake, ready for any danger. But all she saw was Julia scurrying all over the brightly lit room, rummaging through drawers and looking underneath any piece of furniture she saw. "Pikachuuu?" Hikaru asked, rubbing her bleary eyes with one arm.
"My bag is missing!" Julia cried out.
Her bag? Missing? Hikaru looked around. She was right. Julia's backpack was nowhere to be seen, and she knew for sure Julia left it on the credenza the TV was situated on just last night.
"Urrrgh!" Julia let out a frustrated growl. This could not be happening. She knew for sure she had her bag in here. How could it just up and disappear? Her whole being was thrown completely out of alignment. "Where'd it gooooo?!" She yelled.
"Jule?" Perrine and Caiseal opened the door, peeking inside. "You okay? We can hear you screaming," Caiseal pointed out.
Julia wasted no time informing them of what had happened. "What?! Your bag is gone?" Perrine yelped.
"YES! I know I placed it right there last night!" She pointed to the credenza. "I checked to see if it fell off but it wasn't on the floor!" One word began crashing into the other. "I looked and looked everywhere and I can't find it and my PokeDex and ID and PokeBalls are in there and what if something bad happened to my Pokemon I don't know-!"
"Pikachu!" Hikaru hopped onto Julia's shoulder, her weight pulling the girl out of anxiety's grasp for the moment.
"It'll be okay, Jule," Caiseal reassured. "We can help you find it."
"For sure! Anyone who messes with you messes with us!" Perrine proclaimed with a confident air, pointing a thumb to both herself and Caiseal.
But Julia didn't have time to shower them with gratitude. Hikaru hopped off her shoulder, having noticed something. An odd scent wafted into her nostrils, and she could tell it wasn't Julia's. But she could tell the aromas were mixed together, her nose twitching when she sniffed the credenza. The scent was strong. Maybe...what she saw last night wasn't a dream. If she followed this scent, maybe they could find Julia's bag!
"Pika pika!" Hikaru waved to the kids.
"Hikaru says she can track it by smell!" Julia said.
The mouse Pokemon leaped out of the room, the kids wasting no time following her from behind. Hikaru kept her nose low to the ground, not wanting to lose the scent at any cost. Thankfully, it was still strong enough that it lingered. Hikaru took them from Julia's room, down several halls, and into the main lobby. It wasn't as packed with trainers as it was yesterday because it was still early in the morning. But the trio passed Ethan and Yue, who were both sitting at a nearby bench. The two exchanged confused glances.
"Hey guys!" Ethan called out. "What're you up to?" He asked.
Caiseal stopped to explain, and both trainers' jaws fell ajar. "Seriously?! Someone stole Julia's bag?!" Yue exclaimed, unable to do anything except blink, wide eyed.
"Yeah. We're looking for it now. Julia's Pikachu is following a scent, so we might be onto something."
"Pikachu!" Hikaru called out from near the entrance, farther down from where Caiseal, Ethan, and Yue.
The trio, now a quintet, gathered around an open trash can. Lo and behold, Julia's backpack was right in there. Since the trash can had no lid, and already full, the bag stood out like a sore thumb. "There it is!" Julia pulled it out of the trash right away, immediately overcome with relief. "Thank goodness I found it!" She held it to her chest like it was a precious treasure, vowing never to let it out of her sight again. But there was still no answer as to how it wound up here of all places.
"Ew! There's ketchup on the bottom!" Julia groaned, noticing a big smudge of ketchup on the bottom right side of her backpack. "Wait! Is everything inside it?!" She rummaged through her bag, setting it down on the ground and pulling out whatever was inside.
Pokedex, check. Trainer ID, check. PokeBalls, check. Sketchbook and pencils, check. Favorite books, check. Badge case, check. Clothes, check. Julia smiled again. Everything was here. She didn't know what she'd do if anything got stolen.
"Whoa! Look!" Yue exclaimed, pointing to her sketchbook.
Julia turned to look, freezing at what she saw. The front of her sketchbook had various messages written on them in harsh, black marker.
Skank.
Slut.
Trash.
Phony.
Unfit to be a trainer.
Kill yourself!
"What in Arceus' name is this?!" Ethan demanded, yanking the sketchbook from the ground, baring his teeth with rage. "Who in their right mind would do this?! You don't say this kind of stuff to people! I mean, telling you to kill yourself?! I swear, whoever's responsible for this is a dead man!"
Perrine bit her lower lip. "Well, this confirms somebody seems to have it out for you, and the earlier incidents were definitely deliberate."
All Julia could find it in her to do was just stare at the ground, her brain threatening to burst from the questions that raged inside. Who, or what, would do this? To her, no less? As far as she could remember, she hadn't done anything bad to anyone here. The only people she interacted with were Perrine, Caiseal, Ethan, Yue, Zack, and Alex, and the latter three didn't know her long enough to decide that they hated her. She especially couldn't picture Yue having done this. Why would she, when she bought her a new lunch as thanks for helping her out in Victory Road?
Julia was no stranger to people hating her or being called degrading names. Both kids and adults did it at various points in her life. They always hurt, like a thousand Beedrill things, and whenever she told her parents about it, oftentimes they told her to ignore it. But that never worked, and they were never the ones being on the receiving end of bullying nearly every single day. For completely asinine reasons, at that. Asinine to her, at least. They never spent days doing nothing but cry and constantly question what she had done to deserve it, or if they had been right about what they always said about her, to her, to others, even when she was within earshot. None of it ever had anything to do with her being a trainer, or her capability of being one, and she had certainly never been called names like slut, skank, or trash before. Nobody had ever told her to kill herself, either. Her vision blurred, and she could feel her hands trembling.
More than that, rage simmered red hot in her chest. All that ran through her mind was: 'Who did this? What right do they have to mess with my stuff and degrade me like this?!' One part of her wanted to cry, but every other part of her wanted to just get out there, find the person responsible, and strangle them until they couldn't breathe.
"You okay, Jule?" Caiseal asked.
"No," Julia snapped.
Of course she wasn't. Who would be after seeing their things get stolen and vandalized like this?
"Oh dear."
The kids turned around. Yue's face went pale, like she had seen a Gastly. "I...I think I saw who stole your bag."
"What?!" Julia stood straight up, her desire to know overpowering everything else. "When?!"
"Just a little earlier," Yue went on to explain that she woke up early and couldn't get to sleep, so she decided to wheel into the lobby for an early breakfast. As she made her way through the lobby, she did catch a glimpse of a girl with dark hair in a neat bob cut standing in front of the trash can. The girl also wore a long sleeved white shirt, a pale blue miniskirt, and light purple stockings. She had assumed the girl was just another trainer throwing something away, so she went and got breakfast. When she came back, the girl had disappeared. Yue had met up with Ethan not long after, so she hadn't had any time to think too much about it.
"Should we report this?" Perrine asked. "This is clearly vandalism."
"Who do we even report this to?" Caiseal asked back. "And would they even take someone's sketchbook getting written on that seriously?"
The kids winced. Good points. It'd be one thing if someone had actually gotten hurt, or something really important was stolen, like money. Julia's sketchbook was just a sketchbook, not something that would be considered important enough to report a crime. Even Ethan found himself deflating, frowning as he handed Julia her sketchbook back.
"Well, at least we have an idea of what this mystery thief looks like," Perrine added, optimistic.
Julia put her things back in her bag, but kept her sketchbook out. She stood up, and Yue wheeled over to her with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. We'll find out who did this. I can ask Zack and Alex if they can keep an eye out for that girl I saw."
"Thanks," As much as Julia appreciated everyone's reassurance, that wasn't what she wanted. She didn't want reassurances or to be told everything will be okay. That wasn't going to fix anything. She wanted whoever did this to be punished, and she'd gladly do it herself if she ever found out who was responsible.
The kids decided to tell Nurse Joy about the vandalism, and she promised to keep a watchful eye and report anything suspicious to her superiors. Satisfied, Yue broke off from the quartet to join her own friends, and the kids were left to their own devices. One thing Julia felt she really needed to do was buy a new sketchbook, so she went and did just that, yanking her drawings out from the old one so she wouldn't unknowingly throw them away. There wasn't much usable paper left in the old one anyway, so she had no problem throwing out her old sketchbook, but she wanted to save her other drawings as well. Sure, stashing them in the new one would make the edges of the paper peek out and get bent, but that was still better than them getting vandalized or trashed.
Nobody was in any way prepared for what would come right after that.
Once again, the dining hall was packed. People of all ages lingered around the tables, either to get breakfast or just to talk to each other. Julia helped herself to some bread, a banana, and two hash browns. One for herself, and the other for Hikaru, who sat on her shoulder like usual. But she kept staring into space, even as she paid for her food. Hikaru could feel her trainer's anxiety like a shadow creeping over her. Her ears drooped, and she hated feeling so helpless. She wished there was something she could do to make it all stop. But what could she do? She was just a mouse Pokemon. Julia kept sighing every time she turned the other direction, and every movement she made was rigid, like she was afraid she'd fall apart if she wasn't vigilant.
"Ugh...I hate feeling like this…" Julia sighed.
"Pikapi…"
Julia stroked her friend's ear with a sad smile. "You're upset too, huh?"
"Chuu…"
They sat down at an empty table, with Perrine, Caiseal, and Ethan joining her soon after. The kids were vigilant, keeping an eye out in case anything were to happen. As worried as Julia was, she definitely appreciated everyone having her back. She was sure she'd be a complete wreck without their support. But in her heart, she felt bad that they were putting so much time and energy into trying to help her, when they were all here for the Pokemon League. When the kids finished, they all gathered their trays and walked back where they came, with Julia following close behind.
"Hey, Ethan," Julia said. "What were you and Yue talking about earlier? Before we met up with you?"
"I told her I caught that Rhydon that caused her and the guys so much trouble," He explained. "I had Rhydon come out and apologize to her for how it hurt her."
"Really? That's bold," Caiseal exclaimed.
Ethan gave a sheepish laugh. "I wouldn't be a good trainer if I didn't hold my Pokemon accountable for their actions, even if they occurred before I caught it. Right?"
Just hearing that made Julia feel a little bit better.
But before she could finish her next thought, she felt something sharp jam into her arm!
A pained scream escaped her as her hands released the tray she was holding, causing it to clatter to the ground. "Jule!" The kids swiveled in her direction, immediately crowding around her. "What happened?!" Perrine cried out.
"Something just stabbed me in the arm!" Julia pushed out, voice hoarse. Her hand tightly gripped the throbbing area on her arm. She didn't feel anything that cut through her skin, nor any blood or other injuries, but the stabbing pain lingered, even with her sweater sleeve having muffled it.
Something yellow glinted under the fluorescent light, catching Caiseal's eye.
"I think this must have been what you felt," Caiseal picked up the offending object and showed it to everyone.
It was...a pencil. A plain, yellow pencil with a very sharp lead tip.
"The heck?! Someone stabbed you with this?! How?!" Perrine demanded, unable to fathom how this could have happened.
Nothing made sense. Perrine, Ethan, and Caiseal were the only kids around Julia at this moment. Others were a few feet away, not anywhere near close enough to have been able to stab Julia with a pencil. People were starting to mutter already, with some having hands over their mouths, looking just as horrified as the quartet did. Ethan stood up and yelled, "Did anyone here see anything?! Anything at all?!" When a chorus of no's responded back, Ethan let out an angry growl. "I'm getting security!"
Ethan wasted no time gathering some police officers, who questioned some other trainers nearby and made sure Julia was okay. But since nobody saw what happened or how it happened, there wasn't much they could do. Julia pressed her lips into a thin, firm line. Why was this happening? She hated this, and all she wanted to do was scream at the top of her lungs. But this wasn't the place to do it. All she knew for sure was that she needed to get out of here. Away from the noise, the uncertainty, whoever had it out for her.
"Huh? Julia?" Perrine noticed her walking away. "Are you-?"
"I need to be alone for a bit."
"You sure?"
"Yes," Julia's voice was low, but hard as stone. Perrine fell silent, knowing she was dead serious. Caiseal and Ethan watched as she left the dining hall, with Hikaru on her shoulder.
Perrine could tell they were just as worried as she was, and she frowned. "I don't know how I feel about her going off by herself," One of her fingers twirled around the curly ends of her orange hair. "I mean, yeah, Hikaru is with her, but after all that's happened…"
"I agree, but we can't treat her like glass," Caiseal reminded her as he bent down to pick up the tray Julia dropped. "She probably just wants some space. Besides, she can take care of herself. We just gotta have a little faith."
Ethan shrugged. "If you say so."
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO MEEEEE?!" Julia found a quiet clearing in the nearby park and let out a loud, shrill scream. She checked to make sure nobody was nearby so she could let it all out in private without scaring anyone. Once the coast was clear, she screamed out her pent up rage. Her throat hurt and her voice was hoarse, but she still felt like garbage. She found a big oak tree nearby and began kicking the bark with one foot over and over. Hikaru could only watch from a short distance as her trainer finally lost control, throwing her anger out in every direction.
After a few minutes, her legs began to burn and her lungs begged for air. Energy dispensed, Julia fell on the grass panting, face red from loss of oxygen. "I hate this...I don't get it at all…!" Tears finally escaped her eyes, and she let them flow, allowing the bright blue of the sky to sting her eyes. But the pressure in her chest still lingered, and knowing that some person she didn't even know was stalking her, attacking her, vandalizing her possessions, and Arceus knows what else really didn't help matters. Nothing she did could keep her frantic thoughts at bay. All she wanted was for the person responsible to be caught and punished.
But she did know one thing for sure. Pencils didn't just fly in the air and stab people. She would have noticed if someone was right next to her, and if they did stab her with a pencil, she would have grabbed them and kept them from going anywhere. But since nobody else was around her, that could only mean one thing.
Remembering Mushi mentioning that a purple light was around Ethan's drink when it spilled...was a Pokemon doing this?
Or better yet...was a trainer forcing their Pokemon to commit these transgressions?
That had to be it! Why else would her drink magically spill over all on its own, or a pencil just fly in the air and stab her in the arm?
"Pi?" Hikaru's ears twitched.
"What's wrong, girl?"
Rustling leaves caught their attention. A Pokemon? Hikaru got down on all fours, ready for battle in case it was a wild Pokemon. Julia steeled herself, mentally preparing for the worst. Then, something popped out of the bush. A pale yellow, serpent-like Pokemon with a big, round head, tiny white wings on its back, a drill-like tail, and dark teal eyes and markings on its back and mouth.
"Pipipipipi!"
"Awww! It's a little Dunsparce!" Julia cooed, her anger melting away for the moment. "So cute!" She pulled her PokeDex out to examine it.
"Dunsparce, the land snake Pokemon. Dunsparce are a meek, timid Pokemon that, when spotted by humans, use their drill-like tails to burrow underground. Their bodies are so flexible that they are capable of moving around backwards, even when digging. Their nests are very complex and elaborately made, all with maze-like structures, similar to how Diglett make their nests. Because of this, Diglett and Dunsparce often share their tunnels, coexisting happily with one another, even though Dunsparce is a normal type, not a ground type. Dunsparce prefer to dig their tunnels so deep into the ground that no light ever reaches it, often remaining virtually motionless to preserve energy during the winter months. Although Dunsparce have wings, they are not capable of extreme flight, but can fly just one foot off the ground."
True to the PokeDex's analysis, the Dunsparce kept its head downward, avoiding eye contact, and its body curled inward, as though it was trying to hide itself. Julia then noticed something else. A red bow was tied around the end of Dunsparce's tail, just underneath the drill.
She smiled. "Hello, little Dunsparce! What are you doing out here?" She asked in a sweet, welcoming voice. "Is your trainer around? Are you lost?"
Dunsparce shook its head. But the next thing Dunsparce did made Julia and Hikaru exchanged awkward glances.
The land snake Pokemon burst into tears. "Pipipipipiiiiii!" ("I'm so sorry!")
Dunsparce was...apologizing to them?
"Uhhh...why are you sorry?" Julia asked, her eyebrows high up her forehead. This was just weird, though still not one of the weirder things she experienced over the past few days. "I don't remember you doing anything to me personally."
"Pipipi!" ("Well, I did!") Dunsparce wailed, the wings on its back fluttering rapidly. "I was the one who tripped you with that hole I dug in the ground and made the water fly in your face with Secret Power!"
What? Julia and Hikaru's jaws fell open. This Dunsparce was responsible for two of the weird things that happened to Julia yesterday?
"And it wasn't just me either!" Dunsparce confessed tearfully. It went on to explain that its trainer told her Kadabra to magically make Julia's items fall out of her backpack, spill her drinks, and was even the one that telekinetically used a pencil to stab Julia in her arm.
"Wait, you mentioned your trainer…" Julia said. "Did she tell you and Kadabra to do all that stuff to me?"
Dunsparce nodded. "Yes. She made us do all of it. I knew it was wrong and tried to convince her not to, that the whole thing wasn't right, but she wouldn't listen to me!" Dunsparce cried. "Even Kadabra didn't wanna do all that mean stuff!" The land snake held its head down once more, avoiding the girl's gaze. "She had Kadabra undo the lock on your room, stole your bag in the middle of the night, and wrote insults on your sketchbook, too. She tried to steal one of your badges, but someone saw us and we left before she could do anything else."
"Pikaaaa!" Hikaru shouted, the realization hitting her like a ton of bricks. So she hadn't been dreaming after all! Someone really did steal Julia's bag and defaced her sketchbook. The fact that it had happened at all convinced her she hadn't dreamed it up, but having someone confess only solidified how suspicious the whole thing was.
"I see…" Julia wasn't sure how to feel about this. As angry as she was about it all, she could tell Dunsparce was contrite. A Pokemon that wasn't genuinely remorseful wouldn't go behind their trainer's back to confess what they had done. She couldn't bring herself to be mad at this little Dunsparce.
But before she could question it further...
"Dunsparce! There you are!" A girl came bounding toward them. Dunsparce shivered, recoiling as the girl scooped it into her arms. "You should know better than to wander off the second I take my eyes off you!" She looked back at Julia with furrowed eyebrows. "Sorry. Was my Dunsparce bothering you?"
Julia shook her head. "Not at all. It came up to my Pikachu and they started playing. He's so cute!"
"I see. Well, I better go," The girl pushed the words out before running further into the park.
Julia narrowed her eyes. Was that Dunsparce's trainer? Wait…
Something Yue said made alarm bells blare in her head.
Didn't she say the person who stole her bag had black hair, a white shirt, a light blue skirt, and mauve stockings?
Black hair. A white shirt. Julia saw some diamond shapes on it. A turquoise skirt. Mauve stockings.
'Was that her?!' Julia screamed in her head.
Not wanting to lose this chance, she silently gestured to Hikaru. Taking the hint, the mouse nodded, and the two of them made their way in the direction the girl went. They didn't see her, but when they walked further down, they froze in place when they heard yelling.
"Dunsparce! Why the hell didn't you hide like I told you to?!"
No doubt about it. That was her voice. Julia kneeled down and inched closer to the bush, as did Hikaru, who stayed low to the ground. Peeking through the leaves, they saw the girl from just now. She fit Yue's description perfectly. Dunsparce and a large, yellow, bestial Pokemon carrying spoons in its hands stood in front of her. Dunsparce kept fluttering its tiny wings and making frantic noises.
"You were supposed to steal her badge case!" The girl admonished Dunsparce harshly, like a parent scolding a naughty child, but the land snake Pokemon didn't stop whimpering.
Julia's eyes shrunk. Steal her badge case?
"Pipipipipiiiii!" Dunsparce kept shaking his head. ("I don't want to steal! This is all wrong and you know it, Milly!")
"I don't want to hear your whining!" The girl-Milly-snapped back. "We blew it last time! Now go out there and swipe that idiot's badge case! She's obviously not gonna use her Rising Badge, and I need one!"
This girl wanted to steal her Rising Badge? Julia's hands trembled. Was that what this was all about? Gradually, red dotted her vision.
Thankfully, Dunsparce stood his ground, refusing to obey her demands. Milly let out an exasperated sigh and turned to her other Pokemon. "Fine! Kadabra, you steal it!"
Kadabra shook its head as well, agreeing with Dunsparce. "Kadabraaaa!" ("No! I am not stealing someone's stuff!")
Milly marched over to Kadabra and wagged her pointer finger at him. "No excuses! You go out there and steal her Rising Badge! You nearly blew our cover when you stabbed her with the pencil! I need that Rising Badge NOW! If I have to make you use Telekinesis to get it, so be it!"
There was the confession. Julia saw red. But not solely because of what had happened. The vandalism, the degrading names on her sketchbook, the pencil. Those were bad, yes, but what she just heard, to her, was even worse. This girl was actually forcing her own Pokemon to attack her! Even though they were making it blatantly clear they didn't want to!
That did it. She lost it, and was glad to lose control.
"It was you!" Julia shot up from the bush, shouting at the top of her lungs. Before Milly could react, Julia bounded over to her and grabbed her arm, her fingers keeping an iron grip. Milly used her other arm to try and pry her off, but Julia wasn't going to let her go. Kadabra and Dunsparce backed away, with the former putting its hands in the air like it was getting arrested.
"I heard everything! Now start talking!" Julia roared right in the girl's face. She didn't care if she was being blunt, rude, or mean. This girl was the one who was harassing her-and using her Pokemon to do it-it was high time she received some due punishment!
"Pika pikachuuu!" Hikaru growled, tail in the air, arching her back, sharing the same sentiment.
Milly evaded her fiery gaze. "Hmph. You're being irrational. I have no idea what you're talking about," She hissed through her teeth.
"Liar!" Julia shouted. "I am NOT gonna let you turn this around and make me feel like the crazy one! I literally just heard you yelling at your Pokemon! You can't fool me! You might as well fess up and confess!"
The girl fell silent.
"Who even are you?! I don't even know you, and yet I find out you've been messing with my stuff, harassing me from afar, and having your own Pokemon attack me for no reason! Why?! What did I ever do to you?!"
Milly fired back with a hard, stony glare. "Do you really need me to spell it out for you?" Her voice was an acid whisper. "I heard you say you have all the badges, but don't want to participate in the League."
Julia's grip loosened on Milly's arm, and the latter pulled it back.
"Yeah. So?"
"That makes you a disgrace to trainers everywhere!" Milly suddenly shouted.
That was it? For a second, Julia thought she heard wrong. But she was sensitive to shouting, as hard to process as it was. She heard everything loud and clear.
"Absolutely pathetic. Carefree small town girl, wakes up one day and decides to become a trainer. Winning all the badges, and yet you don't participate in the League?" Every word she spoke was drenched in venom. It practically cut into Julia's very bones. "You don't have the slightest notion of what it means to be here! The fact you even have every single badge means you've obviously worked hard and sacrificed a lot just to get here! You're here at the League, which some people can only dream about and never be able to work towards no matter how hard they try, and you don't even participate?! And for what?! Because of some whim?!"
"Whoa! Hold on!" Julia couldn't stand to listen to this girl prattle on any longer. "You make it sound like trainers absolutely have to get into the League if they have all the badges! What's wrong with not participating? I didn't become a trainer so I could defeat the champion or be famous! Other people do, and that's why I'm not signing up, because I know so many others want to! What right do I have to take that away from them? Besides, my friends are participating, and I'm here to support them!"
As far as Julia knew, participating in the League was entirely optional. She checked. Perrine and Caiseal even said so one time. As long as a trainer had eight badges, no matter how much time passed, they'd still be eligible for the League, whether they were a young kid or a veteran trainer. Sure, the League only happened once a year, and for many trainers, it was the biggest thing ever, but there was no rule that said that trainers were obligated to sign up or else. No trainer was the same, and people had the right to do what they wanted, as long as they weren't hurting anyone.
Milly crossed her arms. "Tch. I'm not surprised you still don't get it. A trainer who doesn't make use of this huge opportunity, especially when they actually can do so, is a pathetic waste of space!"
Gradually, the pieces came together. But the more she put it together, the more ridiculous it sounded.
"So...you're saying you hate me and harassed me all this time because I don't fit your idea of what a Pokemon trainer should be like?" Just asking it out loud made it sound even more nonsensical.
Milly said nothing, but as far as Julia was concerned, her silence spoke volumes. Not even blinking twice could make the whole thing make any form of sense.
"You can't seem to comprehend how important the League is!" Milly shouted. "It's a trainer's one chance to show the world that everything they've worked so hard for is actually worth it! Their chance for fame and glory! Just being able to participate is an achievement in and of itself! Every trainer wishes to stand on that stage, battling against the Elite Four, to make their name known to the world! People sacrifice everything to get here! Some put their entire livelihoods at stake! Others get disowned by their families just for daring to walk this path!"
"But who are you to say I'm a bad trainer just because I don't want to be in the League?!" Julia shouted back. "So what if I don't put everything on the line?!"
Milly stepped forward, crouching too close into Julia's personal space. She was sure she could smell peppermint on her breath. "Unlike you, I NEED to be here. I NEED to get into the League no matter what! My entire future is at stake! You obviously don't need your Rising badge, and that's the one badge I don't have! You might as well give it to me!"
So that was why she wanted her badge. Julia held her backpack close. "No way! I earned it! It's against the law to steal another trainer's badges!"
"Pikachu!" Hikaru bellowed in agreement, as did Dunsparce and Kadabra.
"In that case…" Milly took two steps back. "How about we battle for it? I challenge you to a battle! If I win, I get your Rising badge!"
"No!" Julia shouted. She was not going to let this crazy girl take her badge. "You're out of line!"
Without warning, Milly stomped over to Julia, grabbed a chunk of her shirt, and pulled her so close, their noses almost touched. The closing distance was too much, and she could feel the girl's fingernails in the fabric of her shirt, nearly touching her chest. Using both arms, she pushed the girl off of her.
"Battle me. Or else," Her acidic whisper made goosebumps break out on her arms.
She wanted to run. Get away. Get security and tell them everything. But something inside her wanted to put this girl in her place. "Pikachu!" Julia looked down, seeing the determination on Hikaru's face. She wanted the same thing. Maybe this would be a good way to blow off steam and give this girl what for.
"Fine. I accept your challenge, uhh…what's your name?"
"Tch. You don't even know my name? Man, you're dumb," Milly talked slowly, like she was talking to a toddler rather than a trainer her own age.
"What?! You expect me to read your mind?!"
"Normally I don't dignify pathetic town girls like you with my name, but I suppose I'll make an exception. It's Milly O'Connell. What's yours?"
"...Julia."
"I wonder what Julia's up to?" Perrine wondered out loud as she, Ethan, and Caiseal walked out of a store. "I hope nobody's been harassing her."
"Same here," Ethan agreed. "I'll call her up and see."
He nearly pulled out his phone, but saw several kids running towards the park. "Come on! There's a huge battle going on!" One boy shouted, with many other kids following behind him.
A battle? Caiseal approached one boy and made him stop running. "Excuse me. What's going on?"
"Two girls are duking it out with their Pokemon down at the park! One of them's got a shiny Pikachu!"
"Hurry up, Fabian!" Another boy called out. "Jared sent me a video just now! Dunsparce girl is getting her butt whooped!"
A shiny Pikachu? Two girls in a battle? Only one person they knew had a shiny Pikachu. Overcome with worry, the trio set forth. When they got to the park, a huge crowd gathered at the park. Lightning flashed, and hues of purple and blue light streaked the air. Then, a cloud of dust exploded, sending debris everywhere. Several kids covered their faces to keep the dust out of their eyes, with Ethan pulling down his hat. After a brief moment of silence, everyone opened their eyes.
A Dunsparce lay on the ground, unconscious, its body covered dirt and grime. In contrast, an orange Pikachu stood tall and proud.
"Whoa…" That was all Caiseal could think to say.
"We did it!" Julia cheered loud enough for the whole crowd to hear, jumping up and down. Hikaru did the same before leaping into her trainer's arms. "You were awesome, girl!"
"Did you see that?!"
"Awww man, that was awesome!"
"That shiny Pikachu rocked!"
"You gotta admit, Dunsparce was pretty cool, too!"
"I knew Pikachu girl would win!"
Again, in stark contrast, Milly was on her knees. All the proud confidence had disappeared from her eyes, and she couldn't do anything but stare at the grass beneath her.
"Jule!" Perrine ran straight over, with the boys following suit. "What in the world is going on?"
"Hey guys!" Julia greeted the trio with a bright, radiant smile. "I battled the culprit and kicked her butt, what's what!"
Caiseal raised his eyebrows. "The culprit? You mean the one who's been harassing you?"
She gestured towards the other side of the clearing, and the kids saw the trainer in question. When she saw the state Milly was in, Julia frowned. No longer was she the boastful girl who confronted her nearly two hours ago. She sat on the ground with a tear stained face, sad, pathetic, and desolate. She put Hikaru down and walked over to her as the crowd dispersed. When she got close enough, she kneeled down to her level.
"That was a great battle, Milly," Julia told her in a soft, gentle voice. "You and Dunsparce were great, too."
Milly's fists trembled. "No...I'm a failure…" Her voice was shaky and unsteady, with every word breaking as she spoke. "My life as a trainer is over…"
Her life? Over? What did she mean? Regardless, Julia gave a sympathetic smile. "Milly. It's not the end of the world if you don't have all the badges. Even if you can't participate in the League this year, you can always do so next year, or the year after that, or everything after. You'll still be eligible even if you got your badges a long time ago. There'll be more chances-"
"No! I need this!" Milly shouted. "My entire life hinged on being able to get into the League this year! You don't get it! I had one chance to get into the League! ONE CHANCE!"
"Why?"
A brief silence fell between them, even as the other kids approached Julia from behind, curious to see the culprit in person. Sunlight reflected off the tear tracks on Milly's cheeks.
"When I get home, and my mom finds out I didn't make it into the League, I won't be allowed to be a trainer anymore," Milly confessed. "I made a deal. If I earned eight badges and at least got to battle in the League, I'd be allowed to keep traveling. I'd even be able to see my dad. But if I didn't, my mom will have complete control over my life, and she'll never let me see my dad or Dunsparce or any of my friends ever again! And I'll have to spend my whole life with her using me as a weapon against him, making me her clone, and keeping me in a bubble!"
"Pipipi?" Even as injured as he was, Dunsparce crawled over to Milly and nuzzled her hand with his head.
So that was why she was so intent on getting her Rising badge. Julia sighed. From the way she talked about her parents, it sounded like they were divorced, and that her mother was extremely controlling. It also sounded like she was close with her father. Julia knew no amount of family issues would erase her actions towards her. There was no excusing what she did. But she could tell Milly was sincere for once. Dunsparce looked up at her with sympathy. All she wanted was to prove to her mother that she was serious about being a trainer and freeing herself from someone else's control.
"...I get it," Julia murmured. "You want to be free. I know that feeling. You're sick of people jerking you around, using you, and deciding what you should and shouldn't be."
Nobody said anything, so Julia was able to talk to Milly without interruption.
"But just because you want to be free, does that really make it right to stomp all over other people and their feelings just because they don't feel the same way as you?"
Milly looked up, stunned.
"I'm a trainer like you. My Pokemon and I fought lots of battles. We won, we lost, we had our highs and lows, and I don't regret becoming a trainer one bit," Julia explained. "I didn't become a trainer for fame and glory, and I got stronger because I have friends who support me and love me for who I am. Your Pokemon love you, too. But…" She frowned. "You know in your heart what you did to me and to your Pokemon was wrong. Dunsparce loves you, and he doesn't want you doing all these bad things, much less to other people. You're just going to ruin your life if you keep this up."
"Pipipipipi!" Dunsparce warbled, echoing Julia's statement.
The girl could only stare in silence, Julia's words cutting deep. Julia did smile at Dunsparce and stroked his head. "I mean, you're not really alone, are you?"
"...I'm sorry."
"Hm?"
"For everything."
Without another word, Milly stood up. Julia followed suit, squaring her shoulders. "I can't say I forgive you quite yet. Some of the things you did and said were really cruel, and I don't think your dad or your Pokemon would like seeing you do that stuff. Got it?"
Milly nodded. "I'm gonna talk to security."
With that, she walked away, Dunsparce following from close behind. Julia took the time to explain to her trio of friends what had happened. "No way! That girl was responsible for everything?!" Perrine yelped.
"Yep. Her name's Milly O'Connell."
"It's a shame we didn't see the battle until the end," Caiseal mused, crossing his arms, eyeing Milly as she approached a security guard. "She totally deserved to lose. I bet you beat her down real good!"
Julia flashed a grin and held two fingers up. "You bet I did!"
"She totally did!" An unfamiliar voice cried out. The quartet swiveled around to see Yue's two friends, Zack and Alex, behind them.
"Whoa! You're Yue's friends! Hi!" Ethan greeted them, waving his hand.
"Man, girl! You were awesome!" Alex exclaimed. "It's a shame you're not signing up for the League! You really whipped that girl a new one!"
Zack playfully smacked Julia on the back with one big hand. "Great job out there! Maybe I can challenge you to a battle sometime!"
Normally, Julia didn't like it when people crowded around her, especially people she didn't know. But her friends were here, happy that she was safe, and here were these new people, who watched her showdown with Milly and were showering her with praise. Warmth lurched inside her. This was what she had always wanted. If she hadn't become a trainer, she wouldn't have met these awesome people who loved her for who she was, and even people who wanted to be her friend despite having just met. To these people, she wasn't some scared autistic crybaby, a nuisance, a problem that needed to be fixed or pushed to the side.
Absolute bliss.
"You know...I could battle you right now if you want," Julia told Zack. "I have other Pokemon, and I'd love to see yours, too."
The large boy's palm met his fist. "Aww, it's on!"
Mystery solved and worries gone, the kids spent the entire day training amongst themselves and making the most out of their final free day. After all, the Pokemon League was tomorrow.
Then everything would begin.
A/N: Happy belated Easter!...ish. Also, I REALLY wanted to write Julia and Milly's battle, but the chapter got long, so I decided to have it happen off screen. Maybe I'll write it as a bonus episode when I get to the sequel, maybe even from Milly's POV. I hope everyone's staying inside, safe and healthy and taking care to wash your hands and do all you can to prevent getting COVID-19. I hate being stuck in the house all the time. I wanna go back to Barnes and Noble again! But all we can do is take all the measures we can and keep healthy. I thought about having Dunsparce do everything by using psychic attacks...until I looked up that Dunsparce can't learn attacks like Psychic or Telekinesis.