Chapter 75: The Final Battle! Perrine VS Lance!
Today was the day. Goosebumps broke out across Perrine's arms as she made her way to the stadium. Whether it was the frigid December air, or the realization that in a few minutes, she would be battling against Lance, the champion of both Kanto and Johto, she wasn't sure. Probably both. All night long, she made extra sure to study up on Lance, his Pokemon, his strategies, and so forth. She had already done so multiple times over the years, but now was the time to actually put it all into practice. Now that she was going to battle him, she knew she had to have some kind of strategy in place. The soles of her shoes echoed through the hall, scraping against the flat titanium floor as she walked.
All that she worked for, all that she sacrificed, all that she gained...it had finally come to this. Today, she would either win and become champion, or lose and be forced to wait until next year to battle in the Johto League. She covered her eyes with her palm as she exited the hall, with the stadium shining white under the morning light at first. Once her eyes adjusted, she looked to her left, seeing her mother and friends in the spectator seats. Large screens overlooked the stadium, showing her to an audience of mostly TV crew. Not long after she stopped at her trainer box, Lance came strutting out from his side.
Lance Cipris. Champion of both Johto and Kanto, reigning as both for ten years and counting. Butterfree broke out in Perrine's stomach. Before this, she was just a girl who idolized him and dreamed of battling him while gushing over any merchandise she owned that depicted him. Magazine articles, autobiography books, internet articles, interviews, and so on. As much as she dreamed of one day engaging in a Pokemon battle, at the time, her yearning to do so was often dismissed as just that: an impossible pipe dream. Many told her she shouldn't focus so much on trying to become a trainer, whether it was because they found her obsession with it annoying or, in the case of her parents, or because they wanted her to pursue other things, such as becoming a rich socialite who went to country clubs and looked down on anyone who wasn't in their social class.
And yet...the impossible had happened. Here she was, standing face to face with the champion himself.
"Can you believe it?" Julia asked no one in particular. Even with a thick coat on, goosebumps dotted her arms and she couldn't help but shiver from both the cold and excitement. "She's actually going up against the champion himself!"
Ethan balled his hands into fists. "I know, right? Most trainers who get into the League don't even manage to get past the Elite Four!" He exclaimed. "He's gonna get his work cut out for him!"
"You can do it, sweetie!" Rocio called out, cupping her mouth on both sides with both hands. "I believe in you!"
"I wouldn't be so sure," Caiseal said. "It's true Perrine and her Pokemon have come a long way. But Lance has way more experience and has been doing this a lot longer than she has. As much as I want her to win, he could easily squash her Pokemon flat. Nobody's been able to defeat him during his entire reign."
Lance smiled as he met Perrine's eyes. His carmine red hair defied gravity, and his black cape hung over his body, as if protecting him from the cold. "Perrine Innocenti. It's an honor to see you here."
"Same here, sir," Perrine replied. It took everything she had to not jump up and down like an excited fangirl. She simply curled her hands into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms, keeping her grounded. "I've worked extremely hard to get to this point."
Lance brushed his cape back, revealing his red jean jacket, black turtleneck sweater, matching pants, and crimson boots. "After seeing you defeat the Elite Four, I knew that you, with your skills, would reach me here. First off, this will be a six-on-six battle, with no substitutions on my end," He explained succinctly.
Six on six. It had been a while since Perrine was made to use all of her Pokemon. Not since before she won the actual League. Of course, she already knew this from studying previous battles Lance had against other challengers in the past.
"No problem here," Perrine stated, pulling out one PokeBall. "I should let you know, I don't intend to lose."
Lance chuckled as he pulled out what looked to be a garage door opening machine. "You certainly have your aunt's go-getter attitude, I can give you that. Let's see which one of us is stronger. But first…" He pressed the button on the remote-like machine he pulled.
The battlefield began to split in half, with both sides retracting to reveal a rectangular hole that went at least fifteen feet deep. Once it was fully revealed, water began gushing out from some large pipes that protruded from all sides. Not long after, the battlefield was completely flooded. Everyone watched in awe.
"Why's he filling the battlefield with water?" Julia asked.
"Maybe he's got a Pokemon that doesn't do well on land?" Ethan suggested, though he was unsure.
Perrine found herself smirking. 'This is perfect! If he's going to send out what I think he is, I have the perfect Pokemon to use against it!' She thought.
"I hope you don't mind me sending out my Pokemon first," Lance said. Perrine simply shook her head. Permission secured, Lance sent out his first Pokemon: A Gyarados. It's serpentine body rose up from the water as it materialized, and its azure scales shone under the sunlight due to the excess water reflecting it.
"Luminita! I choose you!" Perrine wasted no time sending Luminita out. The light Pokemon gave a friendly coo, as if greeting Gyarados.
Lance extended his hand outward. "Ladies first."
"Oh, I'm ready!" Perrine couldn't wait to get this battle going. It was all or nothing. "Nita, use Aqua Ring!"
Three azure rings circled around Luminita before dissolving into her body. "Now use Thunder Wave!" Perrine commanded. Electricity crackled from the orbs on Luminita's antennae, and a weak streak of lightning shot out from them.
"Dive into the water, Neptune!" Lance proclaimed. Neptune the Gyarados submerged itself in water, avoiding the attack. "Now rise up and use Crunch!"
"Swim away and fire back with Thunderbolt!"
Just as quickly, Neptune rose back up, sending waves rippling across the pool. Luminita managed to swim away just as she saw Neptune's fangs coming her way. Once she got some distance, she fired a much stronger lightning bolt straight at the serpent. Electricity shot through Neptune's body, and the serpent gave an agonized roar as the burning sensation made movement almost impossible. The electricity dissipated soon afterward, and Luminita clapped her front fins cheerfully.
Lance was...strangely calm. Instead, he didn't look one bit fazed by the type disadvantage. He brushed a strand of his red hair out from his face before calling another attack. "Neptune, Dragon Dance!"
Neptune went still, and a purple and red aura emanated from its body as it broke into a shimmy, as if it were dancing. Perrine gritted her teeth, but she knew she couldn't have Luminita just sitting there. She needed to make a move. "Nita, use Discharge!"
Luminita let out a warble as an explosion of electricity broke out across the battlefield. Since both Pokemon were in the water, there was no way for Neptune to avoid the attack, as water conducted electricity very easily.
"Fight back with Dragon Pulse!"
Even as electricity burned through every vein in its body, Neptune managed to endure the attack as it fired a purple and red beam of light. The energy blast then formed the shape of a serpent, complete with a dragon's head, threatening to engulf the light Pokemon. Nita tried to dive underwater, but the attack struck the light Pokemon head on, sending water spraying all over.
"Nita!" Perrine shouted, shielding herself from the water by holding up both arms. The electricity dissipated, and once the water settled, Luminita ascended back to the surface. Perrine could see fresh scratches and singe marks on her body, but the light Pokemon turned around and gave a warble, telling her she could still battle. It helped that Aqua Ring was still in effect, and in that moment, a blue light emanated from Nita's body briefly, healing some of the singe marks.
"We're not done yet!" Lance exclaimed. "Neptune! Use Waterfall!"
"Duck underwater, girl!"
Neptune's eyes glowed in an eerie blue light before the serpent was engulfed in water. The atrocious Pokemon arched its body before diving right in, giving chase as Luminita swam on ahead, evading the attack. Since the pool was big enough to hold them both, the Pokemon had plenty of wiggle room to swim around and charge at each other as they pleased. Perrine looked down, watching as Neptune managed to ram into Luminita once, though the light Pokemon circled around soon after, taking a second to reorient herself. But Perrine knew she couldn't let her guard down. There was a reason Lance was the champion of two regions, after all.
Then an idea struck her like a lightning bolt. Literally.
"Luminita! Use Thunder Wave all throughout the pool!" Perrine commanded.
The two orbs on Luminita's antennae glowed bright yellow, and shock waves pulsed all through the pool, like a weaker version of Discharge. Because the electricity took on a circular shape this time, rather than a single streak of lightning, and due to Neptune's body being so large, the atrocious Pokemon could not avoid the attack. Once the lightning struck, Neptune's serpentine form grew numb, and its muscles tightened.
"Awesome!" Perrine cheered. "Now use Discharge!"
Lance grimaced. "Dragon Pulse again!"
Neptune attempted to unleash another attack, but Luminita beat it to the punch. Electricity exploded throughout the pool, illuminating the water from down below. Neptune screeched as its body convulsed. After what seemed to be an eternity—actually a few minutes—the electricity dissipated and the water in the pool was still. The spectators and camera crew couldn't quite make out the Pokemon, as they were both deep underwater. Finally, Neptune rose to the surface, eyes closed, scales singed brown, and mouth open. In contrast, Luminita did a backflip as she ascended and clapped her fins several times, rejoicing in her victory.
It was obvious who was the victor here. Lance pulled out his PokeBall and called Neptune back. "You did great out there, friend. Get some rest for now."
Perrine couldn't believe her eyes. One of her Pokemon actually managed to defeat one of Lance's Pokemon. One of the champion's prized Pokemon! Her joy bubbled over like soda fizz. "Awesome! Woohoo! You go, girl!" Perrine exclaimed, throwing her arms high into the air.
Everyone in the spectator seats followed suit. "Yeah! You go, Perrine! Your first win!" Julia chirruped.
"Aw yeah! You rock and you rule!" Ethan flashed two thumbs up. "Nita really showed that Gyarados!"
"Great job, sweetie!" Rocio called out with both hands cupping the sides of her mouth.
In contrast, Caiseal refrained from cheering, knowing this was just the beginning.
Lance swapped Neptune's PokeBall out for another one. "I'm impressed. If you can defeat one of my Pokemon, then you're no ordinary trainer," He said.
Perrine's cheeks flushed red, abashed by the praise. She reminded herself that this wasn't the time to rest on her laurels yet. "Ready for win number two?"
Luminita gave an acknowledging warble, the orbs on her antennae flashing as a show of joy.
Without hesitation, Lance sent out his next Pokemon. "You may have beaten Neptune, but you won't be so lucky with the next one! Go, Venus!"
Out from the PokeBall came a turquoise, bird-like Pokemon with a small, white beak, and large, fluffy, cloud-like wings. "Tariiiii!" The bird Pokemon gave a serene chirp that sounded more like a song than a bird call.
Ethan and Caiseal both stood up in their seats, in awe of the new Pokemon flying in mid-air. "Whoa! That's a Hoenn region Pokemon!" Caiseal proclaimed. "When did Lance get one of those?!"
"Beats me. That's an Altaria. I've never seen one in Johto before!" Ethan answered.
"So pretty!" Julia remained where she was, keeping her eyes on the cloudy bird even as she pulled up its information on her PokeDex.
"Altaria, the humming Pokemon. Indigenous to the Hoenn region, Altaria are known for singing in gorgeous sopranos, catching updrafts with their buoyant, cloud-like wings, soaring as far into the sky as they can. On sunny days, Altaria like to fly freely into the sky and blend in with the clouds. They have kind dispositions, but if they are provoked, they threaten their opponents with shrill cries before attacking them with no mercy. If an Altaria bonds with a person, they wrap their wings around them in a hug, sometimes humming to them."
Unlike the boys, Perrine wasn't too bothered by the sight of the new Pokemon. Altaria had come up in her research of Lance's team last night, and she made sure to study its moves. Of course, knowledge alone didn't guarantee victory, and its cute appearance wasn't to be taken lightly. There was something that caught her eye, though. Around Venus's neck was a necklace with both a pearl and a red leaf dangling from it. What was that about? Was that just jewelry, or something else?
"Alright, let's do this!" Perrine proclaimed. "Nita, use Thunderbolt!"
Luminita's orbs crackled with electricity.
Lance swung his cape outward. "Venus, eat the Power Herb and use Solar Beam!"
Everyone blanched, including Perrine. Solar Beam? How could a Pokemon like Altaria know Solar Beam? Venus plucked the red leaf from its necklace, swallowing it whole. Seconds later, Venus opened its beak and fired a blinding white beam of light towards Luminita. Before the light Pokemon could even shoot a single lightning bolt, the light ray soared through the air and struck her dead on, faster than she could even react. Water was sent flying everywhere, with some of it ebbing outside the edges of the pool. The flash was so bright, everyone covered their eyes except for some camera crew who had sunglasses on. Once the light dissipated, Perrine blanched when she saw Luminita belly up in the water, mouth open, and with her tongue hanging out the left side.
"Nita! Can you hear me?!" Perrine shouted, but received no response. Everyone waited to see if the light Pokemon would give some kind of acknowledgement. Sadly, there was none. Perrine sighed as she realized Luminita had been defeated.
Perrine knew Lance was strong, but a dragon type Pokemon like Altaria knowing Solar Beam? She thought she was over being surprised by Pokemon knowing moves they wouldn't normally learn through normal means, whether by breeding or special training. One thing she knew for sure was that Lance really trained his Pokemon well. Knowing Luminita couldn't continue, Perrine called the aquatic Pokemon back to her PokeBall, flashing a sad smile as she held the ball in her hand.
"It's okay, girl. You were amazing out there," Perrine reassured.
"Oh dear. Poor Nita," Julia muttered, her heart going out to the fallen sea Pokemon, and Perrine by extension. "I really have to wonder how Lance trained a dragon Pokemon to learn a grass move like Solar Beam."
"That's what I want to know, too," Ethan added.
"Perrine can't afford to let her guard down, not even for a minute," Caiseal reminded them. "It wouldn't matter if it was five against one. A battle can turn right around in the blink of an eye, and remember, Lance has been doing this for years."
As if to confirm what Caiseal had said, Lance spoke. "Have you wondered why I changed the battlefield to a water field, Perrine?" He asked out of the blue.
That was a little out of nowhere, but he wasn't wrong. "Yeah, I did. I thought it was just to accommodate both our water Pokemon," Perrine answered.
Lance shrugged. "You're half right. There's another reason I implemented this feature in the stadium," He replied. "In all the years I've been champion of both Johto and Kanto, I've noticed a pattern among the trainers who challenged me. Many of the Pokemon they caught were water types, and many of said Pokemon are capable of learning ice-type attacks, which my dragons are obviously weak against. After observing your battles in the League and against the Elite Four, I knew if I sent out Neptune, you'd send out a Pokemon that had a type advantage over it. Specifically, one that could only move freely in water."
Perrine froze. He knew she deliberately saved Luminita for one of his Pokemon, if not several? Granted, Luminita didn't know any ice-type attacks, but he was right in that she did send her out once she saw he sent Gyarados out. She also had several other Pokemon that were either strong against dragon types already, or knew attacks that at least had a type advantage over them. But this spoke volumes of how much planning he put into this. Especially since he had Venus use an item that cut down on charging up Solar Beam.
"...So you taught one of your Pokemon a grass type move and had it use an item to get rid of the need to charge it up, knowing I'd eventually use Nita?" Perrine asked with an inflection that made it sound like a question, though she hadn't intended to do so.
"Hey, I can't exactly rest on my laurels once I'm a champion, y'know?" Lance said. "If I don't stay on my A-game, I wouldn't exactly be a good trainer, now would I?"
He had a valid point. Perrine mentally kicked herself for having gotten overconfident. With that, Lance pulled out his remote and pressed the button, turning the battlefield back to normal, covering the pool entirely. Perrine wondered if he did that knowing she didn't have any other Pokemon like Nita on her. Whatever the case, Perrine knew she was only getting started. That said, she did have one Pokemon she could use against an Altaria...if only to buy some time.
"Fukuro! You're up!"
The owl Pokemon gave a high pitched trill as he made his entrance. Venus simply gave a graceful curtsey, as if greeting royalty. Fukuro blushed and averted his gaze, abashed by Venus' politeness.
"A Noctowl, huh?" Lance held a hand to his chin. "That's not a Pokemon I see used in the League often. But I can't exactly underestimate you," He swiped his hand out, calling the first move. "Venus, Dragonbreath!"
"Cut through it with Air Slash!"
Fukuro flapped his wings multiple times, sending a barrage of white sickles outward, cutting through the blue and white fire that streamed out from Venus' beak. Only two of the sickles managed to strike Venus head on, but since it was part flying type, the attack barely did much in the way of damage.
"Now use Moonblast!" Perrine bellowed.
Once Venus' attack completely dissipated, Fukuro opened his beak and proceeded to unleash a blue, sphere shaped light, hurling it towards Venus.
"Defend with Cotton Guard!" Lance commanded.
Still mid-air, Venus' wings produced a barrier made entirely of cotton, covering it from head to toe, holding off the attack. Once the attack faded, the cotton barrier dissolved into Venus' body.
"Use Aerial Ace!"
With a single flap of its wings, Venus ascended into the air, faster than Fukuro could keep up. Then, target locked, Venus made a sharp descent. Fukuro attempted to fly away, but Venus zeroed in on its target. Once it got close enough, Venus smacked Fukuro on the back with one of its wings, sending it straight into the ground.
"Fukuro!" Perrine exclaimed.
"Now! Finish it with Giga Impact!"
Everyone gasped in unison. Giga Impact? That wasn't an attack they had seen much of before. An orange sphere of energy emanated from Venus' body. She did a loop in the air to build momentum, and descended right towards Fukuro. The owl Pokemon had barely managed to get back on his talons before Venus charged right into him, sending a cloud of dust and gravel flying everywhere. Lance shielded himself with his cape, whereas Perrine covered her eyes with both arms. Once the dust settled, both trainers looked to see what the outcome of the battle was. Venus was on the ground, wings curled into its body, with nary a scratch on it. In stark contrast, Fukuro was completely out cold, wings outstretched, and beak open in a silent scream.
"Fukuro…" As much as Perrine didn't want to admit it, it was clear Fukuro had been knocked out. With a sigh, she called Fukuro back to his PokeBall. "You did great, my friend. You deserve a good rest."
"Well, if there's one good thing that came out of this, it's that Fukuro managed to land some hits on Venus," Julia said, trying to be optimistic. "Luminita couldn't land a single hit."
"That's true," Ethan agreed.
"There's also the fact that Giga Impact requires its user to take a minute to recharge, leaving it wide open," Caiseal said. "So if Perrine plays her cards right, she might be able to land a hit on Venus."
Perrine thought so as well. On the other hand, Lance had other ideas. "Venus, return!" He called Venus back into its PokeBall, swapping it out for another one. "Go forth, Mars!"
Out from the PokeBall came a Charizard, wings outstretched, and spitting a tiny stream of fire as a show of strength. Perrine raised an eyebrow. Why did Lance switch his Pokemon? Even the people in the spectator seats seemed thrown off, as they all looked at each other with confused expressions. She could only assume he didn't want to risk Venus getting defeated should she choose her next Pokemon, since she knew Giga Impact required some time to recharge before the user could attack again. Maybe he was saving it for later. No matter. Perrine had the perfect Pokemon to use against a Charizard.
"Chirin! I choose you!" Perrine sent Chirin out, and the light Pokemon gave a shrill battle cry.
"Mars! Begin with Dragon Dance!" Lance commanded.
Mars flew into the air and began spinning in a top-like motion. Purple and blue waves of energy swirled all around it before disappearing into its body.
"Two can play at that game!" Perrine exclaimed. If Lance was going to have Mars power up its attacks, then Perrine could have Chirin beef up his defenses. "Chirin, use Charge and Cotton Guard at the same time!"
The orb on Chirin's tail began to glow, crackling with electricity. Chirin lifted both arms into the air, letting out a shrill warble as cotton balls formed a barrier around his body, covering him from head to toe. In the meantime, electricity ran through every vein in Chirin's body, amassing within him like a boiler ready to implode.
"Now use Flamethrower!"
"Fire back with Thunderbolt!"
As soon as the cotton dissolved into Chirin, Mars unleashed a stream of flames that glowed orange. Chirin was also quick on the draw, firing a bolt of lightning in retaliation. The two attacks collided, sending sparks and flames every which way. The attacks died down shortly after.
"Mars, descend and use Bulldoze," Lance told it.
Perrine's hands flew to her mouth, stifling a gasp. If Mars knew Bulldoze, Chirin was done for, as the latter had no way to dodge it. An orange aura emanated from Mars' body as the dragon sharply descended, landing on the ground feet first. Upon contact, the entire battlefield rumbled, as though an earthquake had hit. An orange shock wave rippled across it, striking Chirin head on, sending him rolling across the battlefield.
"Chirin!" Perrine yelled as the light Pokemon lay on the ground face up.
Luckily, Chirin slowly pulled himself back to his feet. But Perrine didn't find herself too optimistic. Chirin's posture was languid, and his body trembled with every movement he made. Bulldoze was a ground type move, and it still dealt heavy damage even with Cotton Guard set up.
"Finish it with Seismic Toss!" Lance exclaimed.
Wait...the cogs in Perrine's brain began to turn. Even though it was likely Chirin would lose this particular battle, this did provide a good opportunity. Mars flapped his wings and flew off the ground before sweeping in to grab Chirin by the tail.
"Chirin! Hit Mars with Discharge! Give it all you got!" Perrine shouted.
Once Mars ascended into the sky, Chirin shrieked as he unleashed an explosion of lightning. Since Mars was holding onto Chirin, it was rife for electrocution. But even as Mars' body burned from the inside, it began flying in a circular motion, building momentum. After five circular arcs, Mars took Chirin by the arm and threw him down to the ground. By releasing Chirin, the electricity finally dissipated, but Mars floated back to the ground, unable to remain in mid-air. As soon as Chirin made contact, a cloud of dust and dirt billowed out upon impact. It wasn't long before the dust cloud cleared up, revealing Chirin lying on his back, covered in fresh scratches and grime, completely out cold.
"Oh no…" Even Perrine could see that there was no way Chirin could continue. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.
Rocio and the other kids realized it as well. "Poor Chirin," She said. "Now Perrine's only down to three Pokemon."
"And Lance only lost one of his," Caiseal reminded them. "Perrine's got her work cut out for her."
Only three Pokemon left. Perrine called Chirin back to his PokeBall, as did Lance with Mars. It was only now that Perrine was beginning to see Lance's strategy. Whenever his Pokemon would sustain injuries from battle, he'd switch them out for a Pokemon who hadn't, allowing others time to rest before sending them out again. He obviously took into account moves with type advantages and even, in the case of Venus' Power Herb, items that could change the flow of a battle. Perrine had to consider her options. Florian was a no-go, since he was a grass type, and as much as she wanted to use Kitsune, she could only do so much. Baloo was her best option, but she had wanted to save her for a lot of his stronger Pokemon, like his Dragonite, Mercury. Most of her star players were down. She kicked herself for not switching Florian out for Marius, who didn't have much in the way of type disadvantages against his other Pokemon.
"Saturn, I choose you!" Lance sent out his next Pokemon straight away: a gray, dinosaur-like Pokemon with pointed ears, long, membraned wings with claws in the middle of them, a long lower jaw with serrated fangs, a spike-like hump on its back, and a tail with a triangular tip.
"I've never seen that Pokemon before," Rocio noted.
"That's an Aerodactyl," Julia told her, pulling out her PokeDex. "Here, I can show you."
"Aerodactyl, the fossil Pokemon. A vicious Pokemon from prehistoric times, their teeth are like saw blades, and they were one considered the rulers of the skies. It went extinct after meteors fell onto the planet, but over the past few decades, researchers managed to resurrect it by extracting DNA from pieces of old amber. They've mastered flying, but when on the ground, their walking is slow and uncoordinated. Because Aerodactyl are naturally wild and ferocious, only experienced trainers are allowed to raise them."
"As much as I don't want to do this...I need to at least buy some time…" Perrine muttered. She knew she was going to regret making this decision, but she couldn't afford to waste her time moping around. She needed to use the cards she still had. "Florian! Set up Reflect!"
As soon as Florian materialized, the green sauropod's petals glowed white for a second, and a translucent wall appeared before dissolving into his body.
Lance crossed his arms, eyeing the Pokemon with a disapproving eyebrow raise. "A grass type against a flying type? Surely you're aware of the risks."
"Believe me, I am," Perrine told him.
Lance shrugged, and his confident smile returned. "Fair enough. Saturn, use Crunch!"
Crunch? The cogs spun in Perrine's head again. Maybe she could use this opportunity. "Don't move, Florian!" Perrine cried.
Florian remained steadfast, even as Saturn lunged toward him and sank its teeth into his body. Florian clenched his teeth as tight as he could, enduring the assault even as he felt his skin be torn by the sharp teeth. The kids in the spectator seats could only exchange confused expressions. Why was Perrine letting Florian get bitten by Saturn?
Perrine shouted out the answer. "Poison Powder!"
On cue, Florian shook the petals circling his neck, releasing a sparkly purple cloud. Since Saturn's jaw was right near the flower, the fossil Pokemon immediately took a whiff. Lance gasped. "Saturn! Get out of there!" He shouted.
It was too late. Saturn released Florian from its maw and flew upward, but its whole body burned from the inside, and it coughed a few times.
"You okay to keep going, Florian?" Perrine asked.
The green sauropod turned around and nodded. Perrine smiled. "We need to do some damage to it, no matter how small!" She exclaimed. "Use Razor Leaf!"
"Wing Attack!"
Florian unleashed an army of swirling leaves in Saturn's direction. The fossil Pokemon's wings glowed white as it descended, with the leaves striking it head on, but barely leaving so much as a dent. Saturn slammed right into Florian, but the green sauropod held his ground.
"Tie it up with Vine Whip!"
Two green vines shot out from Florian's neck, coiling around Saturn's body. "Now throw it as hard as you can!"
Mustering all the strength he could, Florian spun Saturn around three times before throwing it into the air.
"Petal Blizzard!"
"Wing Attack again!"
This time, a stormy gust of flower petals blew out from the green sauropod's neck. Saturn reoriented itself and dove right into the gale, wings blinding white. Florian could only gasp as Saturn smacked it across the face with one wing with such strength that it knocked him off his feet.
"Florian!" Perrine cried out.
Of course, Lance was not one to have pity on his opponent. "Finish it off with Ice Fang!"
Saturn kept one talon on Florian's body, opening its maw as its teeth glowed light blue. With a great big howl, Saturn lowered to Florian's level and clenched its teeth down onto his neck. Ice slowly covered the green sauropod from head to toe. Saturn flew away so it wouldn't get caught in the ice, but Florian was not only completely out cold, but was encased completely in ice.
Perrine sighed, knowing it was pointless for Florian to go on. She called him back to his PokeBall, as did Lance with Saturn. She could only assume Lance didn't want to risk Saturn getting knocked out by the poison. It was here that Perrine noticed it. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Neptune...all of Lance's Pokemon had the names of planets.
"Hey Lance!" Perrine called out to him. "Why are your Pokemon all named after planets?"
Lance swapped Saturn's PokeBall out for another one. But he was happy to answer her question. "When I was younger, I wanted to be an astronomer or an astronaut," He answered, with a nostalgic wistfulness in his voice. "I was enamored by the idea of worlds beyond the one I stood on. The stars and deep space...I wanted to go out and see them with my own eyes. But...things didn't quite work out the way I wanted them to, so I wound up giving up on that dream."
"Do you regret not pursuing it?" Perrine asked.
"Not really," Lance replied. "My mother used to say that when a door closes, there'll always be a window open out there somewhere, so you could say becoming the Kanto and Johto champion was that window."
That certainly explained why he named his Pokemon after planets. They were artifacts of the dream he had abandoned. Perrine wondered how her life would have turned out if she truly gave up on becoming a Pokemon trainer. She didn't want to think too hard about it. After all, she had to focus on the battle.
"You know what? I'm done holding back!" Lance edicted, throwing a PokeBall forward. "This is on you, Mercury!"
Out from the PokeBall came a Dragonite. The same one Perrine and her friends rode on back in the Lake of Rage. The same Dragonite with one antenna that was shorter than the other. Perrine realized she was down to two Pokemon now. Good thing she had one Pokemon that could at least stand up to Mercury.
"Baloo! Knock 'em dead!" Perrine sent Baloo out. "Use Play Rough! No holding back!"
Baloo let out a shrill warble, and her body glowed pink as she began jumping all over the place, ready to pummel Mercury into the ground.
"Dodge and use Steel Wing!" Lance commanded.
Once Baloo got close, Mercury flew upward, evading the attack. Then its wings glowed a steely silver, and Mercury sharply descended.
"Defense Curl!" Perrine shouted.
Baloo curled her body into a fetal position, and one of Mercury's wings slammed right into her, sending her rolling across the battlefield. Thankfully, she didn't roll very far, and she quickly uncurled, flexing her short arms, ready for more.
"Now use Disarming Voice!"
The balloon Pokemon inhaled a huge gulp of air, expanding quite a bit, before unleashing a pink shock wave in Mercury's direction. Unlike before, Mercury withstood the attack, grimacing as a barrage of hearts and shock waves inundated it from the front.
Lance flung his cape outward. "Fly into it and use Thunder Punch!" He cried out.
Mercury opened its eyes and did as ordered. Flapping its wings, the dragon flew right into the attack, its right fist crackling with electricity. Before Baloo could react, Mercury slammed its thundering fist right into the balloon Pokemon's body, putting a stop to the shock wave. The impact sent Baloo sailing backwards, and the balloon Pokemon quickly reoriented herself, but Perrine could see the black singe mark from where Mercury punched her.
"Use Gyro Ball!" Perrine cried.
Baloo began spinning like a top, her ears glowing silver, forming a ring of light around her as she charged towards Mercury, sending dirt and gravel flying.
"Knock it out of position with Dragon Claw!"
Mercury raised its left arm this time, allowing purple and blue energy to form a long clawed hand. Once it was fully formed, Mercury slammed down on Baloo, putting a stop to her spinning motion. Perrine blanched. She knew Dragon Claw couldn't do any damage on Baloo, what with her being a fairy type and immune to dragon type attacks, but it was obvious Lance didn't have Mercury use it just to attack her. Which meant that Baloo was a sitting Psyduck.
"Finish with Hyper Beam!"
The dragon put one hand on Baloo's ear, preventing her from escaping. Mercury opened his mouth wide, and an orange sphere of energy materialized. Baloo squealed and tried to pull her ear out from its claw, but every attempt she made was futile. Perrine thought of an attack she could have Baloo use to free herself, but by the time she thought of it, a blinding beam of light shot out from Mercury's mouth, sending Baloo sailing into the wall just behind her trainer box. Perrine had no time to even call out the attack. She swiveled around, unable to do anything but watch as her friend was consumed by light. Gradually, the attack dissipated, and Baloo fell from the hole she made in the wall, lying face down.
"Baloo…" Both Perrine and Baloo deflated.
"Aw man…" Ethan clenched his fists. "Now Perrine's down to just one Pokemon."
Caiseal nodded in agreement. "Not gonna lie, her chances of winning are basically zero at this point."
Julia held both hands together, clenching them so tight, the tips of her fingers turned white. "You can do this, Perrine. You can get through this…" As much as Julia hated admitting it, Caiseal was right in that there was no conceivable way Perrine could win at this point. She just wanted the match to be done already.
Perrine called Baloo back to her PokeBall. "It's alright, girl. You did great. Get some rest," She swapped Baloo's PokeBall for Kitsune's. She had one Pokemon, whereas Lance still had five. At this point, Perrine could tell there was no way to achieve victory. Kitsune couldn't possibly take on all of his Pokemon. That'd put too much strain on her. Still, she was here now, and she needed to make the best of what she had. There was no more room for error or second thoughts. Even if she couldn't win or become the champion, she wasn't done battling yet. Not by a long shot.
She looked down at Kitsune's PokeBall, and memories flowed back into her mind. She had raised her since she found her in a low income part of Goldenrod City years ago. The two of them had gone through thick and thin together. Now, here they were. No backing out now.
"Kit! Give it all you've got!" Perrine sent her out, and Kitsune spread all nine of her tails outward. The yellow fox arched her back and hissed at the dragon standing before her.
"I must admit, I'm impressed by your determination," Lance told her. "It's been a while since I've had this much fun in a battle."
Perrine pushed some of her orange hair out from her face. "I don't mess around."
"Glad to hear it!" Lance exclaimed, extending his arm out once more. "Mercury, use Aqua Tail!"
Mercury raised its tail in the air, and a whirlpool rose up from the tip, almost hitting the ceiling.
"Manipulate it with Extrasensory!" Perrine cried out.
Kitsune's eyes glowed blue as the whirlpool around Mercury's tail rippled. Then, the whirlpool turned towards Mercury and charged right at it, inundating it with water. Spray erupted from the impact, but Mercury shook his head once it dissipated, barely affected at all.
"Dragon Claw again!"
Once Mercury got its bearings, the dragon raised its arm once more, and purple and blue energy formed the shape of a sharp claw. With a roar, Mercury dove towards Kitsune, ready to slice her to ribbons.
"Dodge!" Perrine cried. Kitsune gracefully sidestepped as Mercury tried to swipe at her. Mercury attempted the attack several more times, but Kitsune kept dodging, whether by crouching low to the ground, doing a backflip, or simply sidestepping. Being agile on her feet, Kitsune smirked as she evaded the dragon's onslaught. Even so, each swing of the claw came with Mercury's entire body weight. The swift movements of Mercury's arm were quick and agile.
"Use Flamethrower!"
Kitsune crouched low to the ground and unleashed a stream of fire, with the resulting heat making the air feel heavier than usual.
"Ascend!" Lance called out. When the flames came close, Mercury flapped its wings once and ascended into the air, evading the fiery breath. "Use Thunder Punch on the ground!" He exclaimed. On cue, Mercury's fist crackled with electricity. With a piercing roar, Mercury descended just enough to slam its fist into the ground. Shards of dirt and rocks erupted from the ground, and the resulting debris pelted Kitsune like a bad hail storm.
"Kit! Use Extrasensory on the debris!" Perrine told her. Figuring out what she wanted her to do, Kitsune's eyes glowed blue. The debris that pelted her suddenly stopped mid-air, all of it glowing with an aquamarine hue. Then, the sharp rocks pointed towards Mercury before soaring through the air, charging right at the dragon. Mercury held up its arms to defend itself from the onslaught, but grimaced as the rocks it created pelted its scales.
It was working! Perrine thanked her stars she had Kitsune practice telekinetically manipulating objects with Extrasensory. The good thing about psychic-type attacks, she learned, was that they were malleable and weren't limited to just one method of usage. They could be light rays that shot at opponents like regular attack energy, or could be levitation or telekinesis. Perrine's confidence faltered when she saw Lance's expression. He was...oddly calm, like he wasn't bothered at all by the fact that his Dragonite was taking damage.
"A clever move," Lance said with a smile. "But that can only get you so far!" He suddenly shouted. "Mercury! Hurricane!"
Mercury took a minute to reorient itself from the attack it received earlier before flapping its wings once to ascend. Once in mid-air, Mercury's wings glowed white as it flapped them three times, generating a fierce, raging wind storm. Because the wind covered almost the entire battlefield, there was no way for Kitsune to dodge the attack. The yellow fox remained steadfast as she endured the attack, feet planted firmly to the ground. Unfortunately, the wind's strength overwhelmed her, lifting her off the battlefield and sending her soaring into the air.
"Kit!" Perrine cried out.
Lance seized the opportunity. "Use Aqua Tail!"
"Use Flame Burst to get away!"
The dragon's tail erupted into a geyser once more. Mercury swung forward to try and smack Kitsune with it. Luckily, the yellow fox circled back around, firing a sphere of flame towards Mercury that hit it right in the face. As soon as it made contact, the flame exploded, giving Mercury no time to shield itself from the attack. The force of the explosion wasn't enough to blow it away outright, but the searing heat and close contact did incapacitate it for just a bit. Kitsune used the opportunity to land back on solid ground. Perrine knew she had to act fast, or the battle would be over.
"Now, use Confuse Ray!"
"Oh, no you don't!" Lance exclaimed, intent on getting the first attack in. "Mercury, fly downward and use Thunder Punch!"
Realizing what Lance wanted it to do, Mercury swiftly descended, avoiding the attack. Confuse Ray took the form of a blue light ray that shot out from Kitsune's eyes. Unfortunately, Lance's strategy worked, and Mercury was able to evade it. Once the dragon flew low to the ground, Mercury wound its fist, generating electricity as it accelerated towards the fox, slugging her right in the face and sending her rolling across the battlefield. It wasn't long before she was back on her feet, but Perrine could see Kitsune's body trembling, probably from the pain, and her slender legs were unsteady.
Dread seized her whole being. This was bad. Now that five of her Pokemon were down, with Kitsune barely breaking even, Perrine realized she had already lost the match. The only Pokemon of his she managed to defeat was his Gyarados, yet all the other ones completely wiped the rest of her party out. Perrine clenched her teeth. This was a losing battle at this point...but that didn't mean she and Kitsune couldn't still give it everything they had. It was now or never! Even if she didn't win, which was a guarantee at this point, that was no excuse to just throw in the towel. She snapped back to attention, knowing what she had to do.
"Kitsune! Use Flamethrower with everything you have!" She shouted, her voice growing hoarse.
"Mercury! Finish it off with Hyper Beam!"
Both Pokemon opened their mouths, charging their attacks in unison, firing them at each other simultaneously. Kitsune unleashed a stream of fire, but it was completely overwhelmed by the beam of white light that shot out from Mercury. The light ray cut through the flames like they were butter, striking Kitsune head on. A huge explosion broke out from the force of the attacks, and the resulting wind caused both Lance and Perrine to use their arms to shield their eyes from any dust or debris. Everyone stood up from their seats as they looked on, wondering just what happened to Kitsune. For what seemed to be an eternity, all was dead silent as everyone waited for the smoke to clear.
Mercury took it upon itself to flap its wings, clearing away the smoke...revealing Kitsune lying on the ground face up, covered in head to toe scratches and singe marks, limbs limp, and her mouth open as if in a silent scream. Fresh tears streaked Perrine's face as the realization dawned on her. Kitsune had been completely defeated.
She lost.
"Good job, Mercury!" Lance ran over to his draconic friend, rubbing his back with a proud smile on his face. Mercury leaned down to nuzzle its trainer's face with its own.
In contrast, Perrine fell to her knees. They felt like jelly, and she couldn't bring herself to move, no matter how much she willed them to move. She wanted to at least go and comfort Kitsune. Finally, after a minute, Kitsune awoke from her stupor and sat up straight, though didn't stand. She was able to give a longing glance towards her despondent trainer. This was enough to make Perrine stand up and walk over to her, stroking her dirty locks with one hand.
"I'm sorry, Kit. You worked so hard for me, and we didn't even win," Perrine whimpered.
In response, Kitsune licked Perrine's cheeks in an attempt to comfort her. All Perrine could do was wrap her arms tightly around her vulpine friend, basking in her consolation.
Unable to keep it together herself, Julia was the first to leave the bleachers. "Perrine!" She ran over to her friend in the battlefield and threw her arms around her. "You were amazing out there! I don't care that you guys lost! You still gave it everything you had!" She cried out.
Touched by her friend's attempt to comfort her, Perrine put a hand on one of Julia's. "Thanks," That was all she could muster.
"Perrine?" During this time, both Lance and Mercury approached them. Perrine stood up, with Julia releasing her so she could help Kitsune stand up. Perrine couldn't bring herself to say anything in this moment, but the change in Lance's expression made her suck in a breath. His eyebrows were furrowed, and he looked...strangely sad. "I'm sorry. I know how much you wanted to defeat me, how important this is to you...and I guess I ruined it."
Ruined it? Perrine couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was he sad that he won? Did he genuinely feel bad about defeating her? As sad as she was right now, she didn't want Lance to feel bad about defeating her. She wiped away her tears and smiled at him. "Don't be. I'm glad I at least got to battle you. I can always try again next year," She reminded him, balling a hand into a fist. "And next time, I intend to win."
That statement on its own made Lance's proud smile return. "I'm looking forward to it, and for what it's worth, you're an amazing trainer," He told her, gesturing towards Kitsune. "It's clear you and your Pokemon share a strong bond, and that's what got you this far in the first place. Never forget that."
There wasn't any need to tell her twice. "Trust me, I won't," Perrine replied, but her gaze dropped away.
He extended a hand out to her. "I hope we can battle like this again next time. I wouldn't mind doing this again," He reassured.
Perrine blinked for a minute, but took his hand and shook it once more. Just like when he did so back when she received her awards for winning the Pokemon League.
With that, everything was over. Lance decided to leave the stadium, as did most of the camera crew. Perrine called Kitsune back to her PokeBall, and the rest of the gang approached her, all with concern written all over their faces.
"You okay, Perrine?" Caiseal asked.
"Yeah. Sort of…" Perrine stammered before backpedaling. "Actually...I think I need to be alone for a bit," Without elaborating further, Perrine found a door on the right side of the stadium, ran over to it and went inside.
"Perrine!" Julia was about to run after her, but Rocio reached out to grab her sleeve, holding her back.
"I know you want to comfort her, but...it might be better to give her some space right now," Rocio said.
Julia clenched her teeth. She wanted nothing more than to follow after Perrine, give her a hug, and be a shoulder she could cry on. But as much as she hated to admit it, Rocio was right. Perrine said she wanted to be alone, and as a friend, Julia needed to respect her wishes. If Perrine wanted Julia to comfort her, she'd say so and seek it out. Julia deflated, conceding defeat. She did, however, notice someone else slipping through that same door.
It took a while, but Perrine finally managed to find a place where she was completely alone. It was a lone break room in the stadium. Nobody else was here, which was exactly what she wanted. But even though the room was silent, it still seemed so loud. Maybe it was her pounding heartbeat. She didn't know. She sat down on the plush benches and let the painful reality finally sink in.
She lost. She completely, utterly lost. She worked so hard to make it to the League...but Lance defeated her Pokemon. Perrine clenched her teeth. A part of her probably knew she'd lose because of the experience gap, but she told herself that she had to think positive. If she worked hard, she could defeat Lance and achieve her dream. But now...she didn't know what to do. Lance was still the champion. She put everything she had into the battle...and still lost.
Her eyesight blurred. Tears came trickling out. Perrine couldn't keep it all in anymore. She laid down on the plush bench, buried her face in the fabric, and sobbed her heart out, her agonized wails bouncing off the titanium walls. So many thoughts reeled in her mind as she cried. She hated how this day had turned out. She hated failing her Pokemon. Failing her friends. Failing her parents, after they finally accepted that she wanted to be a Pokemon trainer. This loss hurt so much more than Perrine ever could have prepared herself for. It meant that her dream was done. Not permanently, and since she still had eight badges, she could participate in the League next year. She reminded herself that it wasn't the end of everything...but it didn't dull the pain from the loss any less.
Footsteps scraped against the tile floor. Perrine didn't bother to look to see who it was, assuming it was her mother coming in to comfort her.
"Mom. I know you're...here to try and...cheer me up. But please don't," Perrine whimpered, hiccuping and gasping every few words. "I...I'm sorry...I failed you and everyone else…"
Whoever walked in said nothing. But strangely...Perrine kept talking.
"I worked so hard...I worked so hard...and I still lost. I know this isn't the end, that I can just start over when the League starts up again next year…" Perrine sobbed. Any attempts to try and calm herself down were futile. "But I still hate that I lost! I can't stand it!"
Other than Perrine's sobs, the room was silent. Yet the silence seemed more deafening than ever before.
"I wonder what Aunt Mao would think...I bet she saw me lose like a complete idiot on TV or something," Perrine whimpered, her voice more fragile than even she herself thought it was. "I wouldn't blame her at all if she was ashamed of me. I really thought I could be a Champion just like her. Guess I'm not cut out for it...just yet…"
"You are a champion, Perrine," Came a new voice.
One Perrine recognized in an instant...and it wasn't her mother's voice.
The girl shot up from the bench, her wet orange locks tumbling about her face, seeing someone she honestly didn't believe she'd see here in person. A woman about her mother's age, maybe a little older, with wavy chocolate locks that cascaded down to her lower back, with tinges of blonde at the roots, eyes as deep blue as zoisite gemstones. Her beige winter coat reached down past her knees, and some of the white furs around the hood chafed at her cheeks, but her raiment did nothing to obscure her warm, sympathetic smile.
Perrine's jaw fell loose as she took a minute to process this unexpected guest before her. Finally, she shrieked, "...Aunt Mao?!"
"In the flesh!" Mao said, putting one hand up.
Perrine couldn't believe her eyes. Her aunt Mao, the person she looked up to so much, was here?! Actually here in person?! All words escaped her in this moment, and when she tried to speak, one word tumbled into the other, with all attempts at coherency rendered impossible.
"How...wha...when…?!" Perrine stammered at first, but managed to choke out a few sentences once she conjured it in her head. "What are you doing here? When did you get here? You saw my battle with Lance?! I thought you were out in Alola on your excavation trip!"
"I was, but then I found out you were participating in the League," Mao clarified. "You know I wouldn't miss watching you for the world. But then you plowed your way through the Elite Four like they were vegetable fields! You really rocked it out there, girl!" Mao wrapped one arm around Perrine and pulled her close.
Perrine frowned, her desolation returning in full force. "...I couldn't beat Lance, though. I tried, but it wasn't enough…"
Mao's fingers pushed through Perrine's tangled orange curls, stroking her head gently. "I know, sweetie. It's hard to lose when you've worked so hard to get where you are. But I want you to know, you still did an incredible job regardless. Not many trainers can even get past the Elite Four, but you did. That's not an easy task," Mao reminded her.
That did leave one question lingering in Perrine's mind. "How long have you known I was here? How did you even find out?"
Mao winked at her. "Your mother called me as she was on her way there. She told me everything," She explained.
"Wait, so you've been here this whole time?!" Perrine exclaimed. "How come you didn't tell me?!"
"I wanted it to be a nice surprise," Mao replied, unfazed by Perrine's shock. "Considering how tough the Elite Four is in and of themselves, I wasn't sure if you'd be able to win against them, so in the event that you got defeated, I planned on revealing myself right afterward, just as a way of taking your mind off things. But then you plowed through them like it was nobody's business, so in a way, you kind of threw a wrench in my elaborate plan."
She told her mother? Did that mean…? "So Mom was in on it? She knew?"
"Yep! She told you she was going to get her nails done, right? That was a lie," Mao confessed. "She was actually rendezvousing with me to let me know how you've been doing outside the battlefield."
That explained a lot. It made no sense for Rocio to get her nails done while driving around during a rainy day. Still, it was somewhat reassuring to know her aunt was keeping an eye on her and watching over her, even if it was in secret. She did have to wonder if the elaborate secrecy plot was even necessary. Then again, her aunt always did have a flair for the dramatic and wanted to make things seem more interesting and showy than they were. But that was always something she liked about her aunt.
"Seriously though, I don't care that you lost. You still did an amazing job, Perrine," Mao reminded her. "I couldn't be more proud of you. You didn't fail me at all, so don't ever think that."
Perrine rested her head on Mao's shoulder, savoring her warmth.
"It's okay to cry, Perrine. Let it all out, if you want," Mao whispered.
Let it all out she did. Permission secured, Perrine hugged her aunt and cried into her chest, with a new onslaught of tears to unleash. At least now, she could cry in the safety of her aunt's arms. Mao could only smile and rub her niece's back gently, in slow, repetitive strokes, up and down, up and down, even as Perrine's body jolted and trembled. Other than Perrine's sobs, the room was silent yet again. This time, the atmosphere was warm and safe, and Perrine was happy to have this moment with her aunt, whom she hadn't seen in a long while. The two girls sat in the break room in quiet solidarity and pure comfort. Strands of orange hair fell over her face as she cried, dampened by her tears, but neither paid it any heed.
After a while, Perrine's sobbing died down to whimpers, then to nothing. She eased herself away from Mao, wiping her wet, reddened eyes with her arm once she let go of her. "Sorry for messing up your coat," Perrine whimpered, her voice barely above a murmur.
"Eh, it's fine," Mao waved a dismissive hand in her direction. "This thing's so old and beat, I think I need to get a new one some time."
Perrine chuckled. She did notice some spots of dirt around the cuffs. Old ones, at that.
"Can I ask you something, Aunt Mao?"
"Sure, what is it?"
It was a question Perrine always had on her mind, but never had the courage to ask her until now. "I noticed that, after you lost to Lance, you didn't try to challenge him or win back your old champion status," Perrine said. "How come you didn't try to battle him again? Do you...want to go back to being the champion of Johto?"
Mao crossed one of her legs and looked up at the ceiling pensively. "To be honest...no. It never crossed my mind, mainly because...at some point, I decided I was done with being the champion."
"Really?" Perrine's jaw fell loose again.
"That's not to say I never wanted to be the champion at all," Mao elaborated. "I'm proud of my time back then, and I don't regret any of it one bit. I got to explore the world, catch all sorts of Pokemon, battle all sorts of trainers, and when I actually asked people to do something, and they did it, it actually felt like I was being listened to for once," She turned to face Perrine. "But there's something they don't tell you about becoming a champion. As you get older and start having a bit of influence, people start putting expectations on you that you can't realistically handle, even with power and resources."
"What do you mean?"
Mao stretched her arms upward before continuing. "You know how I've tried to use my position to convince Johto to treat people with disabilities better and push for helping them to live fulfilling lives, right?" She asked. "Several institutions around the world finally changed their policies on how they do that because I used my influence to educate them and assist them in doing so. I'm not one for politics or anything, but it felt great to finally be able to feel like something I did actually made a difference for once, y'know?"
Perrine nodded silently.
"However...after a while, people start to expect you to be something you're not," Mao said, using a hand to push some hair out of her face. "People who don't know you and meet you start seeing you as a role model. Saying they want to be just like you. They start expecting you to be perfect, and you know you're not. The second you show human flaws, people decide you're irredeemable and throw tons of shade at you, like on the internet or in public. One slip-up, and you'll never live it down. I mean, I wasn't involved in any scandals or anything, but…people wanted me to put out an image that just wasn't...authentic to me," Mao paused for a brief moment. "It felt like I was being scrutinized and put under a microscope all over again."
"Do you mean like...pretend you're not autistic?"
"You could say that, yes. Or, if you want another example, it's like how idol singers are expected to never have boyfriends or date, as apparently doing so is considered an unforgivable betrayal to their fans and goes against their so-called 'pure' image."
Understandable. For as long as Perrine knew her aunt, Mao was never one to be content with being told to do things she didn't want to, even if it was more socially acceptable to do so. In a way, it was like how Perrine's father tried to force her to be a polite, refined, lady who could play piano and go to fancy country club parties even though she herself wanted absolutely nothing to do with them.
"Basically, over the years, people expected more out of me than I could feasibly give, and after a while...I decided I was done," Mao's gaze dropped away for a moment, down to her black jeans, and her face softened. "So when Lance defeated me in our battle…" A warm smile broke out across her face again. "I was relieved. That meant I didn't have to put out an image that didn't feel like me anymore. Plus, I did feel I was getting a little stagnant after 20 years of being nothing but a champion, so I get to do what I want now!"
Perrine took a moment to process what her aunt was saying. "So...people started putting you on some kind of pedestal, and you didn't like that?"
"Only that part, yes," Mao clarified.
So being the champion wasn't all sunshine and rainbows then. Perrine sighed, mentally scolding herself for thinking being the champion was the best thing ever. It turned out to have a lot of baggage with it as well. She wished she had studied more about what it actually means to be the champion of an entire region rather than obsessing over just getting the title. Then again, champions were basically celebrities. Lots of people looked up to them, some more so than is considered healthy. Maybe it was a good thing she learned it now, at twelve years old, rather than later down the line.
"Sorry, Perrine. I'm not trying to dissuade you from fulfilling your dream or anything," Mao said, folding her hands together. "I know how important this is to you. I just want to be straight with you about what being a champion of an entire region entails."
"I know, and I appreciate it," Perrine replied. That was another thing she loved about her aunt: She rarely ever sugar coated anything she said.
Mao put a reassuring hand on Perrine's shoulder. "That being said, you should be proud of what you've accomplished so far. It doesn't matter that you didn't win. You'll always be my little champion, Perrine."
Her little champion...Perrine sniffed. She liked the sound of that. Her heart was set aflutter by her kind words. They helped to alleviate her sorrow just a little bit.
"Thanks, Mao. I'm so glad you're here," Perrine murmured.
Mao ran a hand through Perrine's hair again. "You're welcome. By the way...what do you plan on doing after this?"
After this? Perrine stopped to think. "I don't know. I was just gonna focus on finishing school once I got back and then decide what to do from there."
"That's fair," Mao said. "Because I was wondering...I made plans to make a trip to the Galar region next year for fun, and...I was hoping maybe to bring you with me."
Perrine almost fell off the bench. Mao wanted Perrine to go on a journey with her in a new region? "Seriously?!"
"Yep! I asked your mother about it beforehand, and she said it's totally cool with her as long as you finish what you missed at school first," Mao told her. "But...the decision is entirely up to you. You don't have to come if you don't want to, and you don't have to answer right away. Whatever you decide to do, you have my full support. But I do miss spending time with you, and now that your father and I managed to patch things up, I'd love the opportunity to journey alongside you," Her voice adopted a slightly wistful tone to it.
Excitement bubbled up inside Perrine like soda fizz. How could she possibly think of passing up a chance to go on a journey with her favorite aunt? There was no need to think too hard about it. She had her answer right away. "Are you kidding?! I'd love to go with you on a Pokemon journey in another region!" Just the thought of going to a whole new continent, brimming with Pokemon she had never seen before, was like a dream come true. She could go on her own adventures and tell Julia, Caiseal, and Ethan all about them whenever she, or they, had time to spare.
"That's wonderful. But it won't be for another while yet, so we have plenty of time to prepare and make the necessary arrangements, both with your school and some additional bureaucratic stuff," Mao said before standing up. "Alright. How about we head to the Pokemon Center? I bet your Pokemon probably need some TLC."
Just like that, the sorrow from her defeat was gone. To think all it took was her aunt visiting her to make it happen. Then again, Mao did admit that that was the main reason she came. A smile broke out across Perrine's face as she stood up and followed her aunt at her side. "Oh yeah! I do need to show you my Pokemon after I heal them! And I want to introduce you to my friends, too!"
When Mao and Perrine got to the Pokemon Center lobby, the first thing the latter did was hand her Pokemon over to Nurse Joy so they could be taken care of. Once that was done, Julia, Caiseal, and Ethan wasted no time running up to her.
"Perrine? Are you okay?" Julia asked, her eyebrows furrowed and green eyes moist with concern. "Is there anything we can do to cheer you up?"
"You were amazing out there," Ethan told her. "You really rocked and ruled, but it's okay that you didn't win. You gave it all you had!"
"Hm? Who's this?" Caiseal was the first to notice the new person that accompanied her.
A smile broke out across her face, the first one they saw since before the match. "I'm better now. Sorry I made you guys worry. By the way," Perrine answered softly, taking Mao by the hand. "Julia, Caiseal, Ethan...I'd like the three of you to meet my aunt, Mao Borgia, former champion of the Johto region."
There was a brief silence, then the trio's eyes widened and their jaws fell loose as screams escaped them. "Whaaaaaa?!"
"This is the aunt you've told us so much about?!" Caiseal yelled.
"She's the lady I've been seeing lurking around here?!" Julia exclaimed.
"Your aunt was a former champion?!" Ethan nearly fell over from the shock. Caiseal and Julia already knew this part, so to Ethan, that was more of a surprise than anything.
Unfazed by their exclamations of surprise, Perrine's fingers brushed lightly against Mao's palm as she introduced her friends one by one. "Aunt Mao, these are my friends: Julia Parisa, Caiseal Brownstone, and Ethan Goldsworthy. Cash and Jule have been traveling with me throughout my entire journey. Ethan's a more recent addition."
"It's...nice to meet you!" Julia stammered, lowering her head as she realized how rude she might have come off just now.
Mao took a minute to look them over before flashing a smile at them. "Well, it's great to meet you all. Perrine's lucky to have friends like you by her side."
As far as Perrine was concerned, that was the understatement of the millennium. She didn't know what she'd have done, had Julia not come to help her back in Union Cave. "Oh! That reminds me!" Perrine exclaimed, taking Julia by the hand. "Julia's autistic like you are, Aunt Mao!"
"Hey! I was gonna tell her that!" Julia cried out, a little miffed that Perrine beat her to the punch.
Mao crossed her arms, her smile fading as she eyed Perrine with an almost stern look. "Does she have your permission to disclose that information?" Mao asked.
Perrine and Julia exchanged confused expressions. Mao sighed before explaining. "Perrine, you shouldn't just go around telling random people about someone else's personal information like that without their say so. It's not yours to disclose," She told her before eyeing the other kids. "That goes for all of you as well. Unless they say it's okay for you to do so, it's not your place to tell other people about someone else's disabilities or mental disorders."
Julia paused for a moment to ruminate on Mao's statement. She actually made some pretty good points, with Perrine beating Julia to the punch about it being a pretty good example. She could tell Mao was just trying to look out for them and teach them something important, so Julia wasn't mad about it. She did see Perrine and Caiseal deflate and stare at their shoes despondently.
"Sorry, Jule. We had no idea," Caiseal muttered ruefully.
"It's okay!" Julia was quick to assuage their guilt. "I know you guys weren't being mean about it in all those other times you told other people about me being autistic, so I'm not mad."
"Mao!" Rocio ran right over to her sister-in-law, all smiles.
"Rossi!" Mao wasted no time wrapping her arms around her, pulling her into a quick hug. It only lasted a few seconds, and Rocio bent down to Perrine's level.
"Perrine, I'm so proud of you. You battled so hard and did the best you could," Rocio reassured, smiling all the while.
Heat rose to Perrine's cheeks, as she found herself abashed by her mother's praise. "Thanks."
Rocio stood up and put a hand on Mao's shoulder. "Thanks so much for watching out for Perrine this whole time," She told her.
"So...has she been here this whole time?" Caiseal posed the question.
Both Mao and Perrine took it upon themselves to explain the former's elaborate scheme. It helped to clear up Julia's suspicions, though Caiseal and Ethan still found themselves surprised by the lengths Mao went to just to keep her identity under wraps...for fun. Still, they were at least happy to know that Mao found time to watch Perrine's entire tenure through the Pokemon League, all the way to her battle with Lance.
"As much as I'd like to stay longer, I need to get going," Rocio told them. "I have to go to work first thing tomorrow, and today's my last free day," She turned to Mao. "Would you mind taking the kids home for me, Mao?"
"Sure thing, sis!" Mao flashed a thumb's up. "This'll be a great chance for these kids here to tell me all about their adventures!"
Rocio turned to Perrine and ran a hand through her orange locks. "I'm so glad I got to watch your battles all this time, sweetheart. Your father and I will be waiting for you when you come home."
Perrine gave a reassuring nod. "You can count on it."
About fifteen minutes later, Rocio made her way back to her hotel so she could check out and make the journey back to Goldenrod City. Mao and the kids waved goodbye as she made her exit.
"So when can we leave?" Ethan asked.
Mao pulled two of her PokeBalls out. "Whenever you're ready. Who needs cars and trains when you can have giant bird Pokemon to carry you on your backs?" It was here that a realization hit Mao like a bolt of lightning. "Oh! That reminds me!" She put the two PokeBalls back in her pockets, pulling out another one with a snowflake sticker on it. "I have something for you, Perrine."
"What is it?" Perrine asked, her curiosity instantly piqued, as was everyone else's.
"I was in the Alola region on business, and I saw an adorable Pokemon that I thought would be absolutely perfect for you," Mao explained, handing her the PokeBall with the snowflake sticker. "So I caught it for you! Open it up and see!"
A Pokemon? Mao caught one for her niece? Perrine had no idea her aunt had done that for her. Knowing her, she probably wanted to save it just for this moment. With a smile, Perrine held out the PokeBall, allowing it to open. A white light shot out, materializing into...a Vulpix?
"Vuuuul!" The vulpine Pokemon gave a coo.
Everyone's jaws fell agape. It was clearly a Vulpix, but this one was unlike any Vulpix they had ever seen. For one, it's fur was completely white like snow. The inside of its ears were teal-colored, its eyes a pristine turquoise hue, like a fresh reservoir, matching its paws, and its tail was much curlier and wispier than a regular Vulpix's tails. But there was no mistaking that it was, indeed, a Vulpix.
"There's such thing as a white Vulpix?!" Julia, Caiseal, and Ethan all shouted in unison.
Mao couldn't help but smirk, enjoying the surprise on everyone's faces, including Perrine's. "Yep. This particular Vulpix is native to the Alola region and adapted to harsh, cold environments, which is why this little guy looks the way it does. The more technical term for it is a regional variant," Mao explained.
A regional variant...so Pokemon could change their whole appearance depending on their environment and the passage of time. Perrine smiled as she got down on her knees to get a better look at the little white bundle of cuteness. "Awww, what a cutie!" She cooed, extending her hand out. "Hey there, little one. I know we just met, but...would you like to be my friend?"
The white Vulpix inched closer to Perrine's palm, its nose twitching as she took a whiff of the girl's scent. Perrine steeled herself and refused to so much as breathe. Finally, the white Vulpix rubbed its head against Perrine's hand, smiling and demanding to be petted. The girl was more than happy to oblige and stroked the Vulpix's furry white head.
"It's so cute!" Julia joined in soon after, gently stroking the white Vulpix's back. "And pretty, too!"
Mao kneeled down to their level soon after, whispering to Perrine. "Just so you know, this Vulpix is an ice-type...and down the line, if you ever want to battle Lance again, it can help you kick his ass next time."
So that was the real reason she got her an ice-type Vulpix! Perrine thought she knew her aunt like the back of her hand, but clearly, if she thought this far ahead, there was still a lot more she needed to learn. Nonetheless, she appreciated her aunt's gift and gave her a grateful fist bump.
"Man, a white Vulpix…" Ethan pulled out his PokeDex. "I had no idea something like that even existed."
"Vulpix, Alola form, the fox Pokemon. As a result of living at the peaks of cold, snow-capped mountains, this Vulpix adapted to the harsh environment and became an ice-type and learned to wield ice-type attacks. Indigenous to the Alola region, and previously known by the name Keokeo in ancient times, groups of this Vulpix live together in what's known as a skulk, helping each other out in times of adversity, led by a lone Alolan Ninetales. Their icy breath dips as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit, and Alolan Vulpix freeze their prey before eating it. They are frequently targeted by Weavile as a food source, with the latter being their natural predator. When the weather gets hot, Alolan Vulpix make ice shards with their six tails and spray them around to cool themselves off. Scientists have examined Alolan Vulpix's curly tails under a microscope, discovering ice particles embedded deep in their follicles." A female sign appeared over the white Vulpix's image, which he showed to the other kids.
Even Caiseal, who wasn't a huge fan of ice, couldn't help but smile at the little white fur ball nuzzling up against Perrine's leg. "So now that she's yours, Perrine, what do you plan on naming her?" He asked.
"Oh…" The question threw her off a lot more than she thought it would. "I have no idea…" She only just received this new Pokemon. A name hadn't even crossed her mind yet.
As far as names go, she didn't want to go with something cliche like Snowy. That seemed too simple and overused. Then, the white Vulpix crawled onto Perrine's lap and reached up to lick her chin. Perrine gave a giggle as she held the white fox close. Her fur was cool as ice, and frigid like a freezing rain, but not to the point of being painful.
Wait...a freezing rain. An icy rain. Perrine's eyes widened as one word popped into her mind.
"Hisame."
It clicked right away. "That'll be your name! Hisame!" Perrine exclaimed. "It means 'ice rain!' and it sounds similar to Kitsune! Welcome to the family, Hisame!"
Everyone nodded amongst each other. "That sounds perfect!" Julia exclaimed.
"I couldn't have come up with anything better myself," Mao agreed.
The white Vulpix—now Hisame—accepted her name right off, wagging her snow white tail, pleased with the new arrangement.
Mao stood up and brushed some dust off the hem of her coat. "I gotta head to my hotel and check out real quick," She told them. "Since you guys are waiting for Perrine's Pokemon to get healed up, would you mind waiting here for me? You can use this time to decide which one of you guys wants to get dropped off first."
"Sure! We don't mind," Perrine replied.
Permission secured, Mao left the Pokemon Center. It was here that Julia realized what was happening. Now that the Pokemon League was over, they would have to part ways and return home. Back to their normal lives for the time being. "Umm…" Julia raised her hand. "Would it be okay if we stopped by New Bark Town first?" She asked sheepishly. "If it's not too much trouble, that is."
The kids didn't take much time to think. "I don't see why not," Caiseal replied. "Plus, you and Ethan live close to each other, so Mao can drop both you guys off at the same time."
"Yeah…" Julia agreed...though that wasn't the reason she suggested it.
It dawned on her that after this, Perrine would have to go back to Goldenrod City, and Caiseal to Blackthorn City. She remembered the talk she had with Perrine about her worries about their friendship potentially dissolving as soon as they parted ways. Even if Perrine said the four of them would remain friends, who was to say that wouldn't change down the line? She hated that she worried about this so much. She did remind herself that she needed to talk to Ethan and Caiseal about this later. Going to New Bark Town, her house, her safe place, would be the best place to do so.
Actually...maybe there was someone else she could talk to about this.
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Bulldoze, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Luminita (Lanturn, Female, Naive Nature)
Ability: Water Absorb
Attacks: Electro Ball, Discharge, Scald, and Aqua Ring
Fukuro (Noctowl, Male, Sassy Nature)
Ability: Tinted Lens
Attacks: Extrasensory, Hypnosis, Sky Attack, and Moonblast
Baloo (Wigglytuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Gyro Ball, Wake-Up Slap, Play Rough, and Body Slam
Chirin (Ampharos, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, and Signal Beam
Hisame (Alolan Vulpix, Female, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Snow Warning
Attacks: Powder Snow, Baby-Doll Eyes, Ice Shard, and Safeguard