A/N: This will be the final contest entry chapter! It's been a blast sharing these with you all, and I hope you continue to enjoy these last few stories!
Entry 16:
Author: Cavetr0ll1943
Prompt: The Drake
Entry 1:
I am Drake Ryoto, and this will be the first entry of my journal. My elders have told me that I should keep one so that my successor can learn from me if I ever fall in battle.
I highly doubt this will be necessary. With my trusty partner, Akinori, by my side, I won't perish before I can groom my successor.
Anyway, to anyone who follows in my footsteps, when you become The Drake, you will feel like the strongest being alive. You must not forget the person who has been by your side the whole time. You will get a very notable reminder that you didn't make it so far alone. It's honestly hard to believe that we are here now. It had taken a lot of work for the two of us to make it to this point. All the trials, setbacks, and sacrifices have been worth it to finally become The Drake of my people!
It is a great feeling, but it isn't as nice as you think.
After I had bested Drake Yamato, my people looked up to me now. A Drake's duty is to his clan, and he will die defending it. The Elders want me to continue the tradition of being the defender of our lands.
Oh, I will defend our lands. I am certain of that. The Elders may want to keep us here in the mountains we call home. I have more lofty goals in mind than just playing protector.
Yamato may have thought differently, but I am ready to make my legacy the greatest of all the Drakes. Even the first, The Great Drake Hiro will be in my shadow once I'm done!
Entry 5:
I have wanted this moment all my life. To prove that I am worthy of being a Wataru. That I am no street rat who would fight anyone who talked down to me.
When I came of age and had been allowed into the Dragon's Den, I met him. A small and fragile Dratini that hadn't been chosen, who looked as lonely as I had been. I knew that day when we looked at each other that we had found someone to call family and someone that I could do great things together with.
With Akinori by my side, our days of being alone were over but we realized that there were others like us out there.
On the eve of our meeting, we agreed that we would change the world. So none will be alone.
We had a dream, and we wouldn't stop until we achieved it or die trying.
Entry 14:
After many months of debate, The Elders have agreed that the time is now, that the Wataru will rule all lands and a great empire shall be born on this day!
The plans have begun to be laid out. My advisors are now my closest commanders. All members of my kin have begun to prepare themselves for the war that is about to come.
I wish I could write more, but unfortunately, I don't have enough time.
Entry 36:
It's cool tonight; a light snow has begun to fall at our position in the mountains. My partner has been whimpering about why we had to attack in the winter. I know that I only need to offer Akinori a bundle of Aspear berries and he'll be a happy Dratini again.
It has taken a long time to prepare for this, but we are on the cusp of greatness, and I shall not fail our people!
It is the eve of our strike. My brothers and sisters all feel it in the air, in their bones: the thirst for battle and conquest. All the years of waiting have prepared us for this exact moment. All the months of planning, my commanders and I have been working to ensure that we will succeed and crush all that stand in our way.
The reason I chose this spot in the Ice Path is because of the history that it holds for all Wataru and those who call Blackthorn home. The Ice Path is where our people became one when Drake Hiro befriended his own Dragonite, where our fates would be entwined forever.
The Elders shocked me today when they gifted me with the Blade of Hiro. To those who read this, know that this blade is no simple sword; it is of the craftsmanship of both Drake Hiro and his own Dragonite. One of the physical reminders of our bonds to our scaled friends. It is a weapon with years of history, but still strong to this day!
I am humbled that they gave me such a sacred weapon.
In exchange for such a weapon, the elders made me swear that it will only be used in battle against the mightiest of foes.
I agreed, but I do not foresee such a foe arising.
Entry 88:
We have almost done it!
After years of battle, we have done it. We have taken all the land from the Western Sea to the home of Lord Winter!
The battles were fierce, but the Wataru held strong and defeated those who would stand in our way.
Now, we head east. To take the land beyond Lord Winter.
It may not be so easy now. There are rumors that someone with equal standing to my own has united the Easterlings.
Akinori, I could tell, hasn't found anyone worthy of him to go all out on. He has grown so much from the frail little thing to now a monster who destroys everything that stands in his way. As for myself, no warrior has stood out. No one seems to give me satisfaction in a fight that would merit my full effort.
If the rumors are true, then Akinori will use his full might and the Blade of Hiro will see battle once again.
As Drake Ikki once said; The sky is not large enough for two Drakes.
Entry 17:
Author: JustDalton
Prompt: One Last Try
The funeral for Venomoth had been a quiet affair.
As a insignificant veteran trainer just scraping by, Tyler could only afford a small tombstone on the edge of Lavender with a low ranking mystic to preside over the funeral. The young woman must have felt slighted by the assignment. She'd said a quick eulogy, offered a gruff apology, and had swept off to her tower within an hour of her arrival, leaving Tyler in front of his friend's grave with tears streaming down his face.
Tyler couldn't blame her for her attitude, years traveling had left him with a permanent layer of dirt on his skin and a scraggly beard that grew back so fast he'd stopped bothering to shave it off. Every time he looked in the mirror, he saw not the face of an energetic young trainer ready to take on the world, but a scruffy twenty-something holding onto his dream by the skin of his teeth. He was as far away from the romanticized ideal of a trainer as he'd ever been.
At least his friends didn't seem to mind his appearance. Quagsire and Houndoom stood with heads bowed for their fallen friend. Magneton hovered behind him, watching with a detached boredom. Emotions had never come easily to the steel type, but Tyler appreciated their presence all the same. The same couldn't be said for Banette, who had found their sorrow almost amusing. At least they appeared to hold some respect for the ceremony, and had chosen to observe silently from a shadow.
But seeing his team around him made Tyler think all the more about their departed friend. Venomoth had been his first capture as a bright eyed youth full of promise out of Fuschia. The Venonat had taken offense to his presence as he settled in for the night, and had fired off a brutal supersonic that had left him scrambling for his Magnemite's pokeball and with ringing ears for a week.
That had been his first victory as a trainer, and to this day nothing had compared to the rush he felt as he tossed his pokeball at the paralyzed bug type. The indisputable proof that Tyler now belonged. The kind of rush that left Tyler feeling as if he could charge the Indigo Plateau and topple Lance's dragons with hardly a thought.
It had been his and Magnemite's first victory as partners, his first capture, and his first new friend. Venomoth had represented a lot of firsts, and the best days of his largely uninspiring and meaningless career.
And now his friend was dead, and he was left with the decision he had been hiding from these past few years.
Should he continue on as a trainer? Or leave it behind and find another field? Tyler's heart and soul screamed at him to be a trainer, to find challenges, to explore the world, and find new friends.
But the reality of his situation was staring him in the face. His pokemon were capable, of that he had no doubt. He maintained a small but effective team that had mastered every move he could teach them and had the veteran presence to punish any mistakes made in battle. After years with them, they had been refined to be the ultimate counter punchers, capitalizing on any mistakes and returning a massive amount of damage.
No, the problem was not his friends. The problem was Tyler.
In high level battling seasoned trainers didn't make enough mistakes. He had only ever managed to collect six gym badges in a season, and lacked the necessary creativity to truly shine in the conference and beyond. Hell, these days he looked forward to the beginning of new league seasons, not for a fresh start, but for the opportunity rookie trainers represented. Their pocket money kept his team fed for the year. He was no longer battling for the challenge, but to survive. If he left the path of a trainer behind, he could probably find work back home. Fuschia's safari zone was always looking for veteran trainers to care for and protect the pokemon within.
But at the thought of leaving the path of the trainer, Tyler visibly flinched. This life, impoverished as it was, had a happiness that he would never find in Fuschia. The company of his team sitting around a campfire after a long day of training, the pride he felt in passing on tips to new rookies, and the simple beauty of Indigo.
No, he couldn't leave that behind, not yet.
Tyler dried his eyes and stood, startling his team.
"I've never been the best trainer," Tyler said softly, "and we never got as far as we could have. I've held us back, and you deserve better." He met their eyes, and saw emotions ranging from curiosity to shock. Banette floated in front of him, looking baffled.
"I haven't been battling to win these past few years, just to keep surviving. We haven't even beat Koga these last few years! My attempts at the gym circuit have been half hearted at best, and I think we all know that, deep down."
Tyler removed Venomoth's empty and incredibly worn pokeball from his belt and held it gently in his hand. "I've been afraid of what I saw as our inevitable failure and quiet retirement, and maybe it still is inevitable." He raised his eyes to meet his team again. "But damn me if I won't give it one last try, for Venomoth and for ourselves. We have what it takes, and I refuse to accept anything less." Houndoom howled his approval, Quagsire absently clapped his hands, Banette spun in the air in excitement, and the normally stoic Magneton looked at him with a fire he hadn't seen from them in years.
Tyler took one last look at Venomoth's grave, then started walking towards the exit, slipping Venomoth's pokeball back on his belt. His team falling in around him.
"Fuck it, lets give this one last try."
Entry 18:
Author: Phorr
Prompt: The Oak
The teenaged girl tossed her bag of treasure onto the bed and flopped down next to it with an excited squeal. The Eevee occupying the hotel room with her merely yipped at her enthusiasm and leapt up next to her. Daisy Oak was happy to have the excellent company, though her current activity was definitely only of interest to certain enlightened humans.
Thick, glossy paper spilled out the fabric shopping bag to pile awkwardly on top of the comforter. Fashion and Teen Lifestyle magazines had been a part of her life for a number of years now. They were a fun way to pass the time and it was important as a coordinator to stay up with the latest trends. Some of her friends even sought out her opinions on popular articles whenever they met up.
Her current project was researching a popular subject of these magazines. A few of her recent purchases promised to contain photo spreads of Lance, but she reluctantly set those aside to examine in further depth later. Daisy had initially been hopeful that her old friend might prove to be a source of unpublished candid pictures, but he was a stingy little miser who complained about wanting to respect the Champion's privacy.
She flipped through the magazine she held in her hand, then blew a rawst berry as she tossed the useless drivel of failed writing off the bed onto the floor. Eevee nudged another of the magazines over with his nose. Daisy favored her starter with a smile as she picked up the proffered magazine.
Score! Daisy grinned as she spotted an excellent photo of her quarry on the cover, and also saw a notation that there was a mini photo collection after the feature story. Scooping Eevee up into her lap, she settled back against her pillows to read the article.
Ash Ketchum - Will He Get Even Hotter? We Think Yes!
Daisy referred to the cover to confirm that this publication was written for the teen girls demographic. She breathed a small sigh of relief when she saw it was a well-known publication that was popular with young female Coordinators. From what she remembered the articles in this mag were all pretty tame, with tips like how to talk to your crush and what young celebrities were cool right now. Ash was only twelve for Arceus sake, even if it was hard to remember at times.
She wished all of the journalists would remember that. Like the tabloid article with the accusations of rare candy abuse. Daisy had a dim view of tabloids to begin with, but did they honestly expect that anyone would believe the Champion would admit a doper into the Elite Four? The anonymous 'close friend' had to be some kind of miserable loser who was so desperate for attention that he resorted to lying.
She guessed it couldn't be helped now Ash had joined the Elite Four. He had double type weakness to the media; the public was already interested in him and his appointment was controversial due to his age. Journalists were going to be scrutinizing his every action for the chance to write about the youngest ever Elite Four inductee. This article at least was a puff piece so there wasn't even a hint of criticism.
She couldn't help but laugh as she read the feature on Ash. It wasn't that the writing was bad, she just kept imagining Ash's face when she told him that hanging out with "certified hotties like Lance and Steven Stone" was only going to make him more attractive. It was lucky she was an amazing coordinator and acting was part of her job because otherwise it would be impossible to deliver that line with a straight face.
The article finished up with speculation about Ash saving the day at Greenfield. She knew a bit more than most did about that. It was definitely a surreal experience to see someone she knew when he was a baby suddenly being whisked away to help the Champion. Daisy hadn't actually been worried for Ash, which surprised her until she realized the reason why. She had faith that Ash would be able to handle the situation. Perhaps it was a bit odd to be relying on someone so young to be the hero, but then again Ash was far from an ordinary youth. Daisy knew Ash was a hero, and she knew just how to see he was rewarded for it.
XX
Ash plopped onto the ground and leaned back into Nidoking's bulk. His team was spread out around him, taking a well-deserved rest after another long day of training with Steven Stone. Sneasel slunk over to claim his lap while Ash unclipped his PokeNav and checked his messages. Ash was a bit paranoid ever since Greenfield and never let his PokeNav get too far from him in case he was needed to respond to an emergency, but regular messages were left until training was done for the day.
He was always glad to read about what Lance or his mom was up to even if the latter's condition could be painful, any messages from Gary or Jonathan usually at least half annoying but he welcomed them all the same. Tonight though, he had a message from Karen. The Dark-type Master didn't actually send too many to him. Intrigued, he opened it first.
Ash,
I thought I was handling your PR? Since you have it covered now, I guess I can relax and figure out more ways to beat you when you come home.
Talk more soon,
Karen
Warmed by the mention of the Plateau as home, Ash clicked the attached document to figure out what Karen was complaining about.
The Real Ash Ketchum - Longtime friend Daisy Oak Dishes on Elite Four Hottie
Ash groaned and buried his head into his hands. What was with Oak's talking about him for magazine articles? Was the Professor going to talk about him in a scientific journal next?
Entry 19:
Author: Mr Autistimo
Prompt: The One-Ringed Oak
His hands came out to grip hers gently. Stomach fluttering as the moment he had waited so long for finally came to be.
"With all of my heart, I take you to be my partner. Acknowledging your strengths and accepting your faults, as you do for me. I will be yours in plenty and in want, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in failure and in triumph, in discovery and adventure. I vow to be faithful, supportive, and to make our love and happiness my highest priority. You are my love, my life, my Sarah. Today, and always."
Her eyes sparkled vividly, her smile the only thing brighter to him.
"I promise to always care for you, connect with you, comfort you and celebrate with you. I will be by your side through whatever life may bring and cherish the time we have together. I feel lucky to have found someone who embraces all that I am and enriches my life in so many ways. The values, dreams and plans we share make me excited for our future. I can't wait to continue this adventure with you."
Alakazam approached him with a box, a pulse of affection flooding across their connection. To the pursuit of meaning.
His own smile widening. Forever and always.
He grasped the ring held inside. A superbly cut Everstone body, an exquisitely cut Moon Stone on top, drawing in the ambient light but reflecting it in just the right way..
He turned back to Sarah.
"My love for you is as eternal as the legends beyond us. This ring shows that from today, till we join together up above, I love you Sarah."
He slid the ring onto her finger slowly, enjoying the moment before she took his hand in hers, the ring posed to slide on. Darkened wood with a brilliant Amethyst sparkling brightly.
"Just as sure is my declaration for you. Samuel, from today, till the end of time itself. You'll be the one for me, ringed with Oak."
Laughter bubbled out of him in time with her own wink.
He lifted the veil and they were then married.
Looking down at the bundle of their hopes and dreams, Samuel had to admit he was at one point skeptical he'd reach this point in his life.
Never had he been so glad to be wrong.
"You can give birth to the next one." Sarah mumbled under her breath, face still red and body in pain.
"I think one adventure will be enough, don't you?" His eyes diverted from one love to another, both exhausted before him.
"Yeah…"
He slowly rubbed circles into her palm, leaning forward to give her a kiss, a placid smile gracing both of their faces.
"Go on and rest, I'll sort out everything else."
He grabbed the buzzer to call a nurse.
"You doing okay pumpkin? Ready to go home?"
His hand rested on top of small Samantha's forehand, the lack of a fever amusing him a little.
"Yeah." The corners of his mouth quirked at her attempt to sound sick.
She could be away from school for one day.
"Would you like to get ice cream first?"
Her eyes sparkled.
"A nap wouldn't be the worst idea." Samuel knew he was fighting a losing battle when she got that look in her eyes.
It didn't help that he never was able to win a battle against her in this state.
"C'mon, better get up now before your desk becomes your pillow again. Can't be good for your back."
"I'm coming dear, hold your horses."
"Without the sass~." His eyes rolled at her.
"Yes dear." Getting up and cracking his back, sighing in relief even as the aches set in.
"What would you do without me?" She teased watching him shuffle over to her.
A glance into her eyes and Samuel saw the worry hidden beneath .
He resolved to get better.
Samuel's heart wouldn't stop pounding as he walked his daughter down the aisle.
They reached the podium, it was his time to go to his seat and watch.
He gave a nod to his future son in law, a man he was proud to have in the family. Gave Samantha a smile, and then walked back to his wife. His Sarah.
Sarah took his hand in hers as Samantha started her vows.
"Forever and always?"
He glanced at Sarah.
"Forever and always."
Samuel the Rockets are invading!
Five words and he was in a panic, the battle calm of his trainer days well behind him at this point. His mouth dry, gentle calm of the morning eradicated instantaneously.
Alakazam was in front of him, eyes glowing.
He suddenly felt calm, giving a thankful nod.
"Who did they attack?"
Your family.
The calm shattered again. Worry and panic flooded in.
"Scott was a son to me, a brave son that worked hard to protect those he loved, and the world around them. His ability to solve disputes, whether they be between Pokemon or humans remains unmatched. I can't claim to have known him truly, but I loved him so. The world is a worse place without him."
"Samantha was a brilliant young lady, she maintained a joy for life that inspired my own, each and every day. For those around her she acted as a beacon, brightening their days in her own way, even when Moltres itself shied away. An important part of the world has moved on without us, and I hope wherever she is, that she knows how much she is loved. I was incredibly proud of her, and all she has accomplished. I'll miss you."
"Sarah, was the greatest person I ever had the pleasure to know. She was kind, compassionate, driven, and drove me to heights I could never reach alone. Sarah was and will continue to be my better half. Even from beyond us. My love for her will carry on even if at times I do not. Forever and always."
Entry 20:
Author: Hawksw0rd
Prompt: The Iron Wall
Venusaur lounged under the afternoon sun, lazily watching the sapling prepare the picnic alongside her mother. The sprouts, newgreen and older, played under Dehlia's watchful eye in the back of the clearing. As the elder Oak adjusted the picnic blanket, her daughter caught the grass type's eye before tossing the old starter a cluster of berries. As they reached the apex of their arc, a light glow suffused them. Venusaur rumbled in irritation as the Exeggutor pulled the snack to it, psychically plucking the berries and plopping them into their many grinning mouths.
Samantha chuckled before walking over with a few aspear berries. "You know they're going to keep stealing your berries as long as you get bothered by it." Venusaur's drawn out croak told Samantha all she needed to know about the saurian's irritation at his teammates' antics, and elicited a pleased dance from the psychic type. Ignoring the celebrating Exeggutor, the grass starter enjoyed his favorite berries.
Just as the picnic preparation finished, a frenzied Alakazam's warning reverbated in his mind. Hostile blackguards coming in. They're already attacking the Corral, and I sense more teleporting in. When the first of black clothed trainers appeared, alongside a gargantuan Tyranitar, Venusaur was already hurling a wall of sharpened leaves as the trainer snarled out, "Tyranitar, Hyper Beam the humans. I want them dealt with quickly." The quick flash of blinding light consumed the attacks and Venusaur felt his heart seize as the beam lanced towards the Oaks, breaking through a hasty psychic barrier from Exeggutor.
The explosion of energy felt like an eternity to the starter, before revealing the charred, fused together rocky shell of Samantha's Golem huddled over the frightened humans. Bright flashes painted the forest as more pokemon appeared on both sides, and Venusaur bellowed in hateful rage. Gone was the lazy Venusaur who Samantha happily rode as a child, and in its place stood the enraged beast that had helped to topple a champion. Roots burst from the dirt around the rockets as the ground split asunder under Venusaur's might, dragging a few of the Rocket trainers screaming into the earth.
They thought they'd try to take the life of his charges, his family, and get away with it. The fearsome roar of the Oak's pokemon told them just how much of a mistake they had made. Venusaur's eye's locked onto the Stone-breaker who had nearly killed Samantha, and opened his mouth, instantly firing a massive Solar Beam that sent the Tyranitar tumbling back.
As the younger Oak's team tore into the rockets, Exeggutor stood in front of the children, it's many faces locked into a bloodthirsty snarl as it battered aside a Beedril attempting to strike the young. Crushing the downed bug type with a earthshaking stomp, the Many Minded linked with the Seed pokemon. Kill/Destroy/Break the Ravager, we will protect/guard/defend the young.
Trusting his comrade to hold the line, the quadruped lumbered forward. The bloom atop it's back exploded, raining a deluge of poisonous globs down upon the attacking Rockets as the pinnacle Venusaur plowed through the lesser pokemon. Ice beams and flamethrowers washing over his hide were ignored as he hunted, scattering poison powder in his wake. Venusaur took grim satisfaction in the choking Rockets, whose body was ill prepared to handle the concentrated poison he had spread.
A furious growl was all the warning the grass type got before his enemy slammed into him glowing from the Giga Impact. The starter grunted in pain as he absorbed the force, wrapping his vines around the giant's rocky hide. As the Tyranitar roared, flames washing over the large vines absorbing its strength, Venusaur's flower sent wave after wave of deadly sharp petals, ripping gouges into the pokemon's hide.
Even as the two titans fought, others battles waged around them. Samantha's Arbok and Gengar flitted between groups of Rocket pokemon, with Gengar misting into several throats, leaving trainer and pokemon alike gasping for air as their lungs corroded and shriveled under distortion energy just as their allies seized from potent toxins. Clefable and Slowking barricaded their trainers behind them, walls of psychic energy forming an impenetrable wall. Golem and Nidoqueen handled the leader's other pokemon including a brutal Primeape hammering away at Golem as Nidoqueen squared off with a Rhydon and Jinx.
Venusaur felt his companions panic as their psychic defenses fell to a rushing pack of Mightyena, the slavering beasts pushing their foul energy ahead like a lance. As Lightscreen and Reflect shattered, Sarah shoved her daughter to ground just as a barrage of poison needles buried themselves in her flesh. As she crumpled to the ground, her Clefable turned, raising gravity to send the pack to ground, but it was too late. The wall had been breached, and the attackers were determined in their mission.
As the wounded Tyranitar struggled to break free, Venusaur knew he needed to end the pokemon before him. When the Tyranitar opened its maw to fire another hyper beam, the poison type struck. The mountain wrecker found itself choking on a glob of caustic toxins, cutting off it's beam. Tyranitar gasped for air as the neurotoxins flooded it's system. As it collapsed, Venusaur had only a moment to savor the victory before more trainers flashed into existence.
Retreating back and attempting to reach Samantha, Venusaur watched as Golem fell, as the Primeape succeeded in breaking his stone armor open for a high powered blast of water from a Kingler to end him. In that moment, a single Crobat burst forward and cut down the young Oak trying to save her mother. Even as the starter's vines lashed out at the Crobat, pulverising the flying type, Samantha fell atop her mother.
Even as Exeggutor prodded his mind, Venusaur snapped. He had failed twice to protect his trainer's beloved, and he would not see the sapling struck down as well. Plowing forward, uncaring of his wounds, the last noise he heard was the twin roar of dragons.
Entry 21:
Author: CoulsonCool
Prompt: Preliminaries Pt. 1
Second Round.
That's where it all ended for him.
A fellow rookie had obliterated him without much difficulty.
His team was arrayed in front of him. Some would question their power - but for him they were the best bunch of Pokemon in the world.
Nidorino (his starter), Weezing, Arbok, Venomoth, Tentacruel, Gloom, Golbat, Grimer.
He prostrated himself in front of them, shedding tears of agony, begging for their forgiveness. He had committed a cardinal sin by freezing up during battle and his Pokemon had paid the price.
He heard all his Pokemon cry in shock, as they protested his own innocence. His Arbok lovingly wrapped its body around him, simply hissing and swaying as if to say 'There was nothing to forgive.'
He smiled at them wiping away his tears, thanking them for their patience with him. He clenched his fist and promised to himself.
Never Again.
It's been two months since the Conference ended. Not much had changed for him. He had come back to his home in Pewter and trained regularly with his father to prepare for the next one. His father had been a Poison Specialist himself, while serving in the Ranger forces, before he retired.
"I am proud of how much you have grown, son" his father smiled down at him, before adopting a serious expression. "But it's time to get back out there. You can't learn much more cooped up in here. You need to seek a teacher."
An overwhelming sense of deja vu. That's what he felt, as he prostrated himself in front of Gym Leader Janine, "Please teach me!"
Out of nowhere, a shadow materialized in his peripheral vision, as a man's voice reached his ears.
"Joshua Brooks. Age 11. Pewter. Poison Specialist. Eliminated - Second Round, Indigo Conference," a stern voice stated.
The newly appointed Elite Four Koga appeared from the shadows, "What do you seek here, trainer?"
He gulped nervously, before responding "I want to learn. I want to grow as a trainer. But, most importantly I want to stand tall with my peers and show them the power of my Pokemon."
Koga stared at him for a long time, looking into his eyes as if searching for something before giving a small nod and vanishing into the shadows.
"Beedrill, end this!" Janine commanded. And that signaled the end of their rather one-sided battle.
"You are missing the point, Brooks!" she sighed in annoyance. "We are Poison specialists. We use trickery, commit subterfuge, we poison and we assassinate from the shadows. We don't take opponents HEAD-ON!"
Joshua lowered his head in defeat.
"Perhaps, you need fresh blood. Maybe it will help to train the new member and understand nuances of training Poison Types along the way. Go to the Safari Zone!"
He made his way through the thick foliage, his boots already soaked due to the marshlands surrounding him. An hour had gone by and he hadn't found a future teammate to his liking.
Suddenly, he felt something on his legs. He shook his leg away in panic and it landed on one of the floating leaves. There stood his prize for his patience - a blue scorpion-like Pokemon snapping at him in agitation.
'Now, how to convince it to join him?'
"Skorupi quickly! Poison Fang and Venoshock. Corner and finish with Pin Missile!" he exclaimed in assured victory, downing Janine's Venomoth.
'It happened, finally!' he pumped his fists in victory.
"You have grown, Brooks" Koga smiled at him, handing him the Soul Badge. "Your time here is at an end. May I suggest trying out the Silver Conference this time. I hear 3 of the Pallet Four seem to be taking part in it"
The pair shared gleeful smirks at that. Koga placed a Pokeball in his hands. "This is yours. It's proof that you are a Fuchsia graduate. Go ahead, summon it!"
Joshua's eyes widened in disbelief, "But Master, this is…" Lost for words, he just bowed in respect for his teacher.
The battle with Morty had been tough. His Gengar was amazing. But, he had been victorious. He smiled to himself savoring his hard-fought victory.
His attention was drawn to the TV in the centre - Ash Ketchum, appointed as an Elite Four Trainee. He wasn't even surprised anymore. His former opponent continued to grow from strength to strength. He didn't know if he would ever scale the heights which Ash already had. But, he would give it his all. He owed it to his team.
He returned his Dragalge, as Clair's Gyarados floated in front of him, nonchalant in its victory. He had lost. Not that he didn't expect it, but it still stung.
"Brooks! I have heard of you from other Leaders" she exclaimed from her throne. "You have done well to get here. What is it you wish to achieve in this Conference?"
"I want to win, for sure. But, mostly I want to battle against strong trainers - maybe even defeat one of the Pallet Four" he stated with fire in his eyes.
Clair gave him a long, unreadable look. "Hmm. Maybe you are worth my time after all. Stay in Blackthorn. I will give you tips for your little dragon!"
This was it. Top 16!
The sun shone brightly on the field, as he faced his illustrious opponent. The arena in between them was a huge dusty field, with rocky spires jutting out of the ground at random places and a small pond right in the centre of it.
His opponent smiled at him and gave him a nod of recognition, which he returned, and released a large, hulking Kangaskhan onto the field, who roared its arrival to the crowds.
A strange sense of calm fell upon him. His blood roared in anticipation. He had come full circle after his crushing defeat last year. This was his moment. He couldn't face Ash Ketchum. Not yet. But one of the other Pallet Four? That was definitely fair game. Amelia Franklin won't know what hit her.
"Let's go Nidoking!"
Entry 22:
Author: Joshiboi
Prompt: The Dragon Master
*This entry tied with Wordsmith for third place! Fun fact, this entry was literally submitted at the last minute. Impeccable timing!
Clair and Pike stood on the path out of the Wataru Compound, and into the greater world outside. She squeezed Dratini's pokeball, staring out at the long road before them, and the empty sky.
"Are we going to leave any time soon, or are we just going to stand here for another hour? Because we could just stay the night at home, on an actual mattress, with food, and-"
"Shut up, Pickle. It hasn't even been twenty minutes. We can go whenever I want."
"And whenever I want isn't an option."
"Exactly. Glad you're getting it. I'd worry for Nagging if her trainer was a dummy."
"Her name is Naegling, Clairinet. I don't want to be called a dummy by a brat who can't get that right."
"Oh, sorry, I just confused her name with what you're doing right now."
The two continued bickering and sniping at each other, but soon they were walking, joking, and laughing on the road to Mahogany, Clair's disappointment at Lance's broken promise to see the two of them off soon forgotten.
The door slammed open, and Clair stormed into the villa she shared with Pike and some nobody who had been knocked out on the first day. Pike followed after her. She flopped onto the couch, face first, and began screaming into the pillows. Pike sat down at the kitchen table, waiting as Clair's screams slowly resolved into sobs, and then silence.
Pike walked over to his cousin. He knelt down and put a hand on her still shaking shoulder.
"Clair, you were incredible today. It was just luck of the draw that went against you."
Clair's shoulders stopped shaking, and Pike continued. "You made it into the Top 16! That's huge for a rookie. That's the kind of thing that gets you noticed by Masters, that makes the people know who you are." Clair mumbled into the couch. Pike shook her shoulder. "Sorry Clairinet, going to have to be a little louder."
She turned over, her face smeared with tears. "Only if Lance hadn't done better a year before." Clair's voice began to shake again, but her eyes were clear and burning. Pike was still. "He's already been noticed. People already know who he is. He wasn't even here to watch us, because one of those people happened to be the world's strongest Dragon Master, and now he's off in Hoenn! Screw him!"
Clair stood, knocking away Pike's hand. "I'll beat him. I swear, I'll take Lance down, and I'll be the next Drake. I don't care if he isn't here to watch me compete, or see me off on my journey. He's nothing. Just another trainer I have to beat."
With a nod to Pike, she rushed out of the villa. Pike could hear the roars and cries of Clair's pokemon, and the sharp tones of her snapping out a new training regimen. He went back to the kitchen and sat down. "Just another trainer she has to beat, huh."
"PIKE!"
He looked up and saw Clair's Altaria swooping down, trilling loudly and alerting probably all of Blackthorn. He didn't run or release Naegling and attempt to fly off, even though trying to slip away unnoticed had failed. He waited for Clair to touch down, and shifted his pack. It was light, considering it contained his life's possessions, but he supposed that seven years travelling on and off didn't allow for accumulating many knickknacks.
Clair stomped over to him, one hand in a fist so tight and strained that he could swear that her knuckles would start creaking, and the other grasping a sheet of paper.
"How'd you track me? I had Ditto cover up my scent trail."
"Forget your scent trail - What is this?!" Clair shoved the piece of paper in his face, like he didn't know what was on it. Of course he knew; he'd written it.
"A letter, dummy." Clair swore at him, and he laughed, trying to choke down the tears that threatened to come up. He had known that he would cry if he tried to say goodbye. So he hadn't tried. Just as he had never tried to beat Lance, or tried to take over the Blackthorn Gym. Because he knew he never could. "It's a goodbye. You should feel honored, I only gave them to you and Yari-jii. You're keeping pretty rarified company there."
"I don't want a goodbye, I want an explanation!"
"I don't see a place for me here, so I'm leaving."
"A better explanation! What happened to beating Lance? Or being Gym Leader?"
He sighed, and shifted his pack, palming Guinevere's pokeball. "I was never going to be able to beat Lance. I'm not even in his orbit." Pike smiled tiredly. "Hell, I'm barely in your orbit, and we traveled together for six years."
"That's not true! I-"
"I know, Clair. I know. But you didn't even look at me when Yari-jii said we'd be battling for the Gym Leader position. You were glaring at the Drake's Seat." Pike shrugged. "And he wasn't even there. That's when I knew. I would never be able to amount to anything here, not when Lance is looming so largely over us, and I don't even register as credible competition to you. So. I'm leaving."
Clair shook, her face turned red, and her eyes shone. "We said we'd beat Lance. He was our rival, our goal."
Pike shook his head. "Lance was never my rival. I'd be surprised if he even remembered who I was after all this time." He gave Clair a tight hug. "You were the one I always wanted to beat, Clair. But you've always surpassed yourself, time after time. I could never hope to catch up. So beat Lance for the both of us. I know you can."
Pike released Guinevere, who looked at him and Clair, fully aware of their turbulent emotions. But he grabbed her wrist, and with a final nodded farewell and smile to Clair, they were gone.
Entry 23:
Author: Northern Wind
Prompt: A Beautiful Friendship
Giovanni had never really cared. Not for his parents, of whom the memories were filled with cold eyes and shattered bottles. Not for his Pokémon, who were nothing more than tools to gain power. Not even for his family, though Giovanni did see them as his. Dehlia left though, unable to see the future, that he would one day rule the world. Though he supposed she did see the future, as here he lay, barely able to move.
Giovanni had never really cared. At least, that was what he liked to think. If you didn't care, no one could ever hurt you. But his companion, no, his friend that had been beside him from the first day of his journey, Giovanni cared for him. The little runty Meowth. No one would have expected him to become the Persian. This large and magnificent. The apex of his species. Larger, stronger, smarter, more beautiful than any other cat like Pokémon. Giovanni cared for him, with all his weird personality traits. He had never, before or after, heard of a cat that was willing to take a bath. Then again, sacrifices had to be made to look beautiful. And if there was one thing that the Persian definitely was, it was vain. Some days it would seem as if Giovanni did nothing but brush the Persian, because there was a little spot on his fur that no one else could see.
But Giovanni was selfish and never had enough. So he created Team Rocket. Steal Pokémon for profit. Exploit Pokémon for profit. All Pokémon exist for the glory of Team Rocket. Petrel was always a bit over the top. Though he was right that that might as well be the motto. Giovanni had tests done on every Pokémon he could get his hands on. Drugs to make them more powerful, more docile, anything you could ever imagine. Some people had preferences that disgusted even Giovanni. And not much disgusted him. You had to care, to be disgusted.
Giovanni was selfish though, and refused to have those tests done on his Pokémon, even if he didn't care about them much. After all, they were his and his alone. And Persian, his beloved friend, would never be tested on like that. Then one of the scientists came with an interesting proposition. What if Team Rocket found the DNA of a legendary Pokémon, and used it to create something more powerful than anything else, loyal only to Team Rocket? Enter Mewtwo and the beginning of the end. Made from the essence of Mew. And it worked! The most powerful Pokémon ever, in service to Team Rocket. The League trembled, not even they, with their entire teams, could do anything against it. Except that the creature no longer listened. And so Team Rocket disintegrated. The League could do nothing against them, but their own creation could.
Giovanni lay there, on the ground, barely able to move. Musing about his life. He supposed that he lost sight of his true goals. Persian and Giovanni were similar, both loved the rare, the beautiful. They both like Dahlia because of that. Their son fit in as well. Ash, such an interesting name for a child, or even a human. There was probably some symbolism behind it. Giovanni didn't care. No longer had the time to care. He was at death's door. No way to get away from it. All he could do was accept it. But there was something else he could do. He had always been selfish after all.
His beloved friend, who he betrayed these last months. Too focused on the clone, the abomination. He had dreams once. Like all children he dreamed of winning the festival. That he achieved. He dreamed of becoming champion. That he didn't achieve. Although he was more than capable of going toe to toe with the elite four, he simply didn't have the power necessary to actually win from them, let alone defeat Lance. For the longest time he lost interest in it. But now, musing about the past, he supposed he could still become champion. In his own way. He wasn't blind to Lance's plan, none of the gym leaders were. Becoming an Elite Four trainee at such a young age? Being trained by the champion himself?
He wasn't going to survive this, but he wasn't alone. He had a friend, who had dreamed the same dream as him. To be able to look down on all those that once believed him to be weaker, to never be able to achieve anything. He couldn't help Persian, but somebody else might be able to.
He shivered. He was getting colder, closer to death. But he had something more to do. He slowly moved his hand to his belt, trying to avoid the pain. He was going to be selfish one more time. The last choice, the last action of his life. He hoped it would succeed. The League would do the right thing. Something Giovanni never had been able to do. He grabbed the poké ball from his belt.
He looked to the right, groaning in pain. Mewtwo had done enough damage to make sure he would die. It would be slow however. His beloved companion lay by his side, wounded badly. He could still survive though. The League had always had a tendency to do what they thought was right. Persian would probably be forced into therapy, but perhaps he would achieve their old dreams. Persian looked up at him pitifully, as much as he could ever look pitiful at least. Giovanni could see it in his eyes, he did not want to be left alone, not again. But Giovanni would be selfish one more time, like he had been his entire life.
"Farewell Persian, my companion of decades. Return." The red light enveloped the massive cat.
Giovanni let his hand drop on his chest. The closest place to his heart, where the Persian had always been. Closest to his heart.
A/N: And here we are! I hope you enjoyed all the different submissions. We had some incredible work done, and I appreciate everyone who put themselves out there and submitted entries so much. Thank you all for making this such a successful competition!
