Episode 20: Fashion speaks louder than words.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"
Anto covered his ears. Despite being in this weird dreamscape again, he was surprised his brain could feel pain, especially from Hoopa's screaming.
"Well, I nearly died again over the course of the—"
"I've been waiting for 191 seconds this time! And this realm ran out of pineapples! Are you expecting me to go mad!?"
"… Week... you actually don't care do you?"
"You better be sorry! Now off we go to exploring this mindscape!" Hoopa cried out, pointing ahead towards the heart of the Island and seemingly ending the conversation he thought was happening.
Anto walked slowly after the strange Pokémon. "Why can't I be a normal guy and dream of normal things? Like a cute girl? Video games? A four point O GPA with a full paid scholarship to any college I want?"
As they continued to walk, Anto noticed some kind of magic, stone archway the glowed with blue energy and had some kind of portal.
Hoopa smiled, but then he quickly frowned as a strange purple blob in the shape of a Sawsbuck appeared.
"Back, Back!" Hoppa cried as he pushed Anto behind a tree.
"What's that all about?" The human asked.
Hoopa poked his head out. "See that thing? It's a guardian to the first seal."
"You mean the Sawsbuck thing?"
Hoopa looked back at Snto for the first time as if acknowledging he actually existed. "What? Did you say Sawsbuck?"
"Uhh… yes?"
Hoopa looked back with a hand rubbing his chin observantly. "It doesn't look like one to me." He mused before he smiled at Anto with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I need a distraction."
Anto regretted asking as Hoopa summoned a portal.
[A little later…]
"How is it that even in my dreams I can't catch a break?" Anto complained as he found himself wearing a degrading, embarrassing, giant, human sized blue berry bagel costume.
"Hey! Why aren't you dancing?!" Hoopa whispered harshly from behind the tree.
"I refuse to do that!" Anto yelled back.
"I need some way to distract that thing, and look at you! It'll be too busy laughing to notice us sneak by!"
"Under what logic will that plan actually work!?" Anto screamed.
"Look, I can't go out there because one of the other guardians tried to kick me out of here, so shut up and do what you humans do, and ruin other people's lives! And yes that includes your own!"
"Oh my god," Anto darkly realized. "You're a Pokémon version of Wes."
It was then he sensed something come up closer to him.
Anto turned back to see a strange purple blob shaped like a Sawsbuck step towards him. He gulped as it slowly made its way towards him.
"Carpe Diem."
"… What?" Anto asked.
"That is why there is magic in all words."
That voice sounded so familiar to him. Just what was this thing?
"Anto!"
Anto's eyes snapped opened to see the dark roof top of White's suite. He quickly checked himself and was glad to be out of that Giant Blue Berry Bagel costume.
He titled his head, to see White fully dressed with a nervous smile on her face.
"Hey Anto…" She nervously chuckled and whispered. "Umm… The Director's have a new idea and they kind of need you…"
Anto silently groaned. He couldn't believe he had to deal with those two again in what doesn't even look to be dawn. Could this get any worse?!
"In a giant blue berry bagel costume." White finished.
Anto had no words, and not just because he was mute.
"Bwahahahaha!" The sounds of unrestrained laughter echoed through the set.
"A-Aster!" Summer struggled to keep down her smile and quivering lips. "D-Don't la-laugh!"
Anto was not amused. The even sadder part was that he was getting used to bad things happening to him, and he really didn't want that.
The boy turned his deadpan gaze to Tracey, and really wanted to cry in joy.
"I've… seen worse." Tracey slowly explained. Anto was so glad that he was normal, yet used to strangeness.
Tracey would recall events of Ash Ketchum Crossdressing.
Willingly.
It was strange how odd people really were in the world.
"So is he edible?" Aster's Bagon asked Flow ad both he, she, and Sen were all standing around their trainers.
"He does look mouth watering…" Flow added before glancing to the boy. "Anto are you edible?"
"Yes, but that's called cannibalism," Anto answered. "And I really don't want to die."
The two Pokémon and Sen stared at him.
Sentinel raised his boney claw like a child raising their hand in class. "… So if you don't die, we can eat you?"
"No." Anto stomped down on that idea hard. He forgot Sen wasn't properly trained at etiquettes… at all. "I seriously don't want you to eat anything that isn't dead."
Even with no eyes, Anto imagined his ghost type blinking. "Does that mean I can eat myself since I'm not dead or alive?"
Was he alive or not alive? That is the question. "I really don't think you should try that. And I am dropping this conversation." The more he started thinking about this, the more he would get trapped in a logical black hole.
"Hey," Anto looked to Aster who had a confused look on her face. "Did you just talk to them?"
Anto nodded.
"Oh right!" Summer placed her hand near her hand. "Aster, I forgot to say, but some of our psychic Pokémon found a way to translate Pokémon speech to us and we can understand what they all can say."
"So you guys can talk to Pokémon too?"
"Well, more like they can communicate with us, but yes." Summer responded.
The sound of a pair of high heels caught the group's attention, and they turned to see the CEO of BW agency herself.
"Ahh? Are you Anto? One of my Daughter's helpers?" She asked Anto.
He nodded.
Hilda smiled in realization. "Oh! Now I remember you! Participant #13! You're match was the most viewed telecast that day!"
"It was?" Tracey asked. Anto thought it was exciting to know that people might recognize him, maybe someone he used to know saw him by now!
She chuckled. "A lot of people saw that picture that was used as your ID…"
Aaaannnnnddd… now Anto's smiled died down faster than a guy being gunned down to death. His face was so funnily contorted, he doubted anyone would stop laughing long enough to try and recognize him.
"May I ask for your help with something?"
Anto nodded anything to get him out of this ridiculous bagel suit.
Anto, and the others also stopped by to pick up Black, who the boy was eternally grateful when White's mom came to save him from the eternal question of 'Which same colored clothes make me look fat?' from Lisia and Ruby.
However, they all wondered why Hilda was picking up her daughter's helpers.
They got their answer when they entered into the Big Stadium where the main court was looking like it was set up for a stage. There looked to be a good amount of beautiful women wearing some really stylish looking clothes and as the kept moving on, they saw one rather unique individual.
"Ahh, Fatina!" Hilda called out to the beautiful ghost gym leader of the Sinnoh region.
"Madame Hilda, le magnifique! Thank goodness you have arrived. Your daughter is trying her best but those two…" She looked a little disappointed beyond the curtains.
"I didn't even know those two were like that before I came here," Hilda sighed, making the rest of the group wonder what their talking about. "But I do have a plan."
Black spoke up. "Hey, wait! What's going on? Is White in trouble? Why do you need Anto and I?"
Fatina gave a curious look over to the mute and Black. "You called for these two specifically?"
"Work in progress," Hilda answered. "I promise to explain more, but it'll make more sense when you see it for yourself."
The small group looked at each other before following Hilda behind the stage.
There, they felt the temperature drop immediately. All around the very edges were female models, all stepping far away from the center of the area (Storm) where there were two powerful opposing forces, glaring down each other.
"You really should step down, Country Bumpkin."
Her voice was as powerful as the element she commanded, making others around her shiver from the shocks.
"Yuh, boss me? Ah recall yuh being more blind than yur than your own neon lights, City Airhead."
The opposing force was graceful and elegant, yet powerful and not to be underestimated. Despite the kindness, they all could detect a powerful beast just waiting to be unleashed.
"Please! Gym Leader Elesa, Gym Leader Valerie! Calm down!" White tiredly begged.
{Author Notes: I based Valerie's speech of the recent Pokémon XY Anime where she seems to have a rather unique accent. I actually am interested to see what they do for English.}
"Oh my gosh," Summer said as she looked at the two. "I totally forgot! Elesa is a top model and fashion designer in Unova while Valerie is also an accomplished model and designer as well! I'm a huge fan of both of their works! … Wait, why are they like this?" She said as she realized the tension between the two beautiful women glaring angrily at each other.
Hilda sighed. "Fatina, give me a second. I need to help my daughter." She walked towards the battlefield.
Fatina placed her hand on her face. "Oi vey. In case you did not know, since I myself learned of this recently, it appears madams Valerie and Elesa came from the same designer and model school. They were even roommates."
The group's eyes widened.
"They know each other!?" Summer asked out.
Aster looked at them. "But why are they so… you know?"
"I heard they were actually rivals during their model days," Fatina shrugged. "It appears no one knew such news until now."
"Funny coming from the girl who tripped up several times walking a straight line!" Elesa passive aggressively stated.
"Not as hilarious as a certain student falling through that same stage! It simply couldn't handle her ego!" Valerie retorted back.
"Enough!" Hilda exclaimed, driving a wedge between the two. "You are both professionals! Now, what exactly is going to be the main theme for tomorrow's fashion show!?"
The two started talking at the same time.
"Stop!" Hilda exclaimed with dead seriousness. "Alright, you two obviously cannot agree on a theme. And since you two seem to have… issues…" She inhaled. "We're going to decide this by battle."
She snapped her fingers again, stopping the two from reaching their Poké Ball.
"Not like that. You're both models and designers aren't you? Fatina, Wallace, and I will be judging your clothing themes later tonight, but your challenge, instead of your usual female models…" Hilda looked over to Anto's group.
Anto glanced worryingly to Black, who also seemed to be understanding why they were called out.
Hilda crossed her arms with a strange smile on her face. "You are going to be doing two young, pre teen trainers and their Pokémon."
Anto and Black quickly stepped back and turned around, but were met with a dark smiling Aster and Fatina.
As if by some magic, two young boys came running (tripping) on both sides of Hilda.
She placed her hands on both boy's shoulders as they regained their balance and stood up straight. "And looky here, two wonderful models the BW Agency just so happen to have~."
"White, tell her I didn't volunteer for this!" Anto mentally shouted.
"Prez, get me out of here!" Black begged his friend and technically boss at the same time Anto asked her for help.
The girl smiled, put her hands together apologetically and tilted her head as she laughed nervously.
It was such a good thing she was a pretty girl.
"Young males?" Valerie asked as she looked between the two boys.
Sentinel, figuring he has to follow his trainer anywhere, walked beside Anto.
Elesa folded her arms. "I think it would fit you quite well, considering your small style of that thing you call fashion."
Anto and Black noticed the vein on Valerie's beautiful face despite her smile. "Just make sure yuh don't crush them with yur overcompensating work."
Elesa smiled back then grabbed Black—much to the young boy's dismay—and walked away, showing she was rather strong to drag away an unwilling young preteen.
Anto gulped as he saw Valerie look at him.
"Hmpf!" Valerie then grabbed Anto by the wrist, and he quickly noted she had a really, really strong grip for model like hands.
Why were models so surprisingly strong?!
Anto, with a throbbing wrist, was finally let go as Valerie adamantly stormed into her momentary workshop. It looked more like a studio with a lot of heavy eastern influences like sliding doors, small tea tables, but saw a lot of model dummies with scissors and other designer related objects with mirrors and such in a different corner of the room.
Sentinel phased through the door after Valarie disappeared. "Whoo. Finally caught up. Man! I gotta ask your mate how she can put off such amazing pressure! I could barely get within arms distance with her brooding like that!"
"Are you kidding me!? I felt like I was going to die—why did you just call her my mate?" Anto realized as he looked to his rare dragon ghost type.
"Huh? Isn't that what Takezo calls whatever girl that gets close to another male or something?"
Anto faceplamed. "That's it. I'm not suffering alone in this." With that he summoned the other three of his Pokémon out.
Takezo glanced around. "This place feels familiar…"
"Takezo, what the heck are you teaching Sentinel!?" Anto pointed to the boney creature beside him.
"Excuse me? Fighting philosophies, breathing techniques which I soon learned were useless on him, and combat exercises."
"He commented about mating! Thus I automatically blame you!"
"Actually I heard it from Lily." Sen pointed to the girl.
Takezo folded his arms strictly. "I am hurt you would make such hurtful accusations! Are we not friends!?"
Lily pointed a hand up. "But I heard that from you."
"So tell us more about our current situation." Takezo suddenly switched topics.
They heard a crash in the other room, followed by a blood curdling screech. "That, barbaric, brutish, city-loving, vapid, indecisive hair coloring, condescending, egotistic, pale skinned, close minded, thick skulled, chemical smelling, crazy, super abundance in foulness, immoral, degenerate, conceited, ambiguous, bombastic, cerebral, tart-like, floozy, conceited, vacillating, vacuous, self absorbed, vain shrew!"
OK, Valerie… had some good lungs on her. She'd be an excellent Exploud.
And she' very well versed in vocabulary…
"Whoa bro! That dude is totally pumped up!" They heard another grunt and crash. "Yo, I gots to join in!"
Anto stopped his fighting type quickly. "Ohko, stop! Stop trying to hit something that isn't a living thing!"
Ohko glanced over. "Does that include Sen?" He asked honestly.
"Can we save that topic for later tonight?"
Anto may not look like it, but he had an amazing amount of patience.
But before anyone could respond to that, one of the sliding doors opened and Valerie, seemingly cleaning herself a little and a being just slightly flushed, walked back into the main room.
"Apologies that yah had to see that." Valerie explained. "Ah admit it's not one of mah finest moments. Ah must apologize once more, in all of that, ah didn't get yur name."
Anto debated whether to talk to someone mentally or just do hand signs, but decided on the later due to the fact that just outright mentally speaking to someone would be… uncomfortable. So he took out a small note pad and wrote out, "My name is Anto. I'm a volunteer helping out the Vice President, but I'm actually mute."
Valerie blinked with her surprisingly gorgeous eyes. "Yuh cannot speak?" She then looked over to who she assumed were the boy's Pokémon, all of them with their own uniqueness to them.
"Wow," Lily cooed. "She's a really beautiful woman."
Valerie smiled. "Ah thank yuh for the compliment. Yuh as well are quite beautiful."
Everyone blinked. (Except Sen but)
"Huh? What's wrong guys?" Sentinel asked innocently. "Can't she just talk to us?"
Sentinel asked that because, ever since he has been free, he's had little trouble understanding other humans due to the others. Despite the ability to talk to Pokémon being rare, Sentinel has been exposed to a rather large amount of people capable of Pokémon communication.
"But there are no psychic translators nearby…" Takezo mentioned.
Valerie smiled. "Anto, was it? Despite being mute, ah sense that yuh have a way to communicate with this Pokémon, seeing the kindness in their eyes. Not to mention, that psychic comment has caught muh attention."
Anto blinked, he had never seen the way she uses to talk to Pokémon. It was like instead of translating automatically like most Aura or Psychic users he thought, it looked more like Valerie could actually speak fluent Pokémon language, since his powers seemed to translate her voice.
"Umm. Yeah. I seem to have some basic psychic abilities apparently. I only communicate like this to my friends."
Valerie nodded. "How interesting! Yuh speak with yur mind and not yur voice. Forgive the late introduction, but mah name is Valerie of Kalos, the Gym Leader of Laverre City."
Anto liked where this conversation was going. "A pleasure to meet you. Oh! Let me introduce my friends! The Patrat with a blade is Takezo, (Takezo: Greetings.) The Lilligant is Lily (Lily:Pleasure to meet you!) The Sawk is Ohko (Ohko: Why ya have no hands?) And this last one is Sentinel, a pretty rare Pokémon from the Torren region."
Sentinel waved his claw. "Teach me how to release the amount of blood lust you have!"
The fairy type gym leader giggled. "Yuh all have such vivid personalities."
Anto thought that maybe this wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Valerierevealed her hands under her sleeves to show scissors and a measure tape for clothes on two different hands.
She titled her head and smiled sweetly. "Now take off yur clothes."
…
…
…
"Excuse me?" Anto asked with the same frozen smile on his face from a while ago before those five words came out of nowhere.
Valerie made the scissors snip. "Ah still have to usurp a certain gypsy in a contest, and I can't make clothes for yuh without yur measurements. So strip."
Anto broke into cold sweat.
[Meanwhile]
Black gulped as Elesa asked him to strip.
He may have owed White money, but he was not selling his body!
Maybe he could make a break for it?
Suddenly, Black heard a very loud series of sounds coming from outside Elesa's house. He glanced out the window, to coincidentally see Anto running for their dear life from blasts of pink energy.
He gulped and turned his head towards Anto's attacker and saw a very scary, but beautiful woman after him with several blood-lust heavy Pokémon.
It was then Black had second thoughts about escape if Elesa would do even half the things Valerie was doing.
[Later]
Her laugh was quite melodious, it's too bad he was too tired (And slightly injured) to really feel its soothing sound.
"Yuh thought aah meant all of yur clothes? Apologies, ah just needed yur shirt off."
"Well sorry Valerie, it just…" Anto looked to his Patrat where the gym leader's Sylveon seemingly was taking his measurements. "Let's just say someone else asked me to strip before and it wasn't pleasant at all." He made a deadpan look.
Valerie nodded as she continued her work. "Now tell me more about yur Pokémon and yuh self."
"Why?" He tilted his head.
"Ah need to match a style that brings out a person and his Pokémon. Clothes are nothing if people don't like it. I learned that from Ely." Valerie's eyes widened after she said that name.
Anto didn't know why, but he almost saw her reaction as the look of someone that just made a mistake. "Ely? Who is Ely?"
Anto's mind raced. She just said she learned that from someone. She learned a fashion tip from someone named Ely. Anto didn't know Valerie personally, nor did he know any of her friends, but her reaction after saying that name almost seemed like she regretted saying that. Why would she regret that? Why wouldn't she want Anto to know about this Ely?
Ely… Elesa? But she obviously hates her, yet… it wouldn't be too farfetched for her to learn something from her rival right?
"It's Elesa isn't it?" Anto asked.
Valerie looked into Anto's eyes in shocked before sighing. "Yuh are very perceptive… yes it's her."
"If you don't mind me asking, why are you two like that?"
She sighed dejectedly. "It's complicated."
"If it makes you feel better, I promise not to tell anyone."
Valerie smiled weakly. "Yuh are mute."
Anto gave a goofy grin. "See I'm great at that!"
The gym leader giggled at that. "Arceus, yuh are much like her, so expressive and honest. … Alright ah will tell yuh, it was a long time ago…"
[Many years ago…]
The Rosemary Visual Arts University in Lumoise City was where it all began.
A young eighteen year old Valerie with her Sylveon and Mawile excitedly but nervously made their way to her dorms. She had just left her home of Laverre Town and she was quite awe struck at the mega metropolis compared to her old fashioned home.
She easily had butter flies in her stomach as she was going to start her modeling career.
"This is it, ready mah friends?" A freshmen Valerie asked her Pokémon as she stood in front of the door of her new dorm. She could tell her roommate was already there.
With a nodded of affirmation, the small time country girl opened the doors…
"FRIEZA FRIEZA FRIEZA FRIEZA~!"
And opened up a blast of loud music.
Valerie quickly shut the door behind her and gasped for air. Both she and her Pokémon were disheveled by the blast of air and ringing in their heads.
"Ah… Ah was not expecting that." Valerie half commented half gasped. Suddenly the door behind her opened again, and she lost her balance and fell through back into the room.
The raven haired girl groaned but opened her eyes to something—someone looking down on her with deep sky blue eyes into her gray colored eyes.
Her eyes trialed over and saw a Blitzle and Emolga nearby this woman.
"So you are my roomie huh?" The pale skinned adolescence asked before helping Valerie up.
"Y-yes! Mah name is Valerie from Laverre Town, pleasure to meet yuh!" She said as she shook hands with her new roommate.
"Out from the boonies huh? Well, I'm Elesa from Nimbasa City. Nice to meet you too."
"Nimbasa City? Is that not from Unova?"
"Yeah. I have to admit though, Lumiose City is even bigger than I thought it would be, but I feel right at home here. So you need help with your stuff?"
"Nah I'm fine thank yuh!" She happily said as she took out her pink but plain pillow.
[Time Passes...]
Under the winter weather, the two beautiful women made their way back to their dorms.
"How odd that we have the same classes, Val." The woman from Unova commented. "I didn't know you were planning to be both a model and designer, why did you want to be one?"
"Ah just love how pretty things are! … And… ah just want to show others how ah see things. Through mah clothes, actions, and my works, I want to show how even beauty can have power."
Elesa chuckled. "That's pretty bold."
"What about yuh, Ely?" The Girl from Kalos asked.
"I don't really have a particular reason. But if I were to say… I just want to bring the best out of myself," She scoffed. "Sounds a bit selfish isn't it?"
"Not truly." Valerie admitted before sneezing.
The trainer with electric Pokémon laughed. "How is it that you weren't prepared for the cold weather?"
"Back in mah home, the weather was always so warm." Valerie explained.
Elesa stopped and removed her yellow scarf. Valerie watched her in surprise, especially when she wrapped the still warm and woolen cloth on her neck.
"Ah, Ah cannot accept this." Valerie wanted to give it back, but was stopped.
"Then just say you found it on your neck and that no one ever claimed it was theirs." Elesa nonchalantly walked ahead of her. "Aww geez. I can't believe that I didn't wear one of the dozens of scarves I keep in our dorm. What a shame I have to wait till we get there. Hurry up, Val."
She walked ahead, but Valerie rubbed the warm wool fabric that covered her neck. She was quite glad to have such a friend.
[Time Passes…]
Valerie had her eyes wide open as she struggled with a lack of sleep. Unfortunately for her, it was two A.M. in the morning and she was still very much awake with the amount of lights and music still playing.
Apparently, Elesa was a night owl. That was an understatement. She lived near the district where the Carnivals and other tourist hotspots were nearby and they always had neon lights up at the night. Because of this, Elesa was pretty much up during the late at nights while took naps during the afternoon. Her sleeping schedule was vastly different with Valerie and to be honest, it was kind of annoying.
"Ely," The very very tired Valerie asked. "Could yuh please keep it down? … Ely?" She groggily rubbed her eyes and noticed that despite playing music, she had headphones on as she drew.
Valerie had half a mind to go up to her, but another part, her brain, throbbed in pain if she would get even closer to Elesa.
It was then that Valerie started sleeping in the lobby.
[Time Passes…]
"Val! You do not do this!"
"Ely, ah couldn't even find mah stuff on yur pile. A lady must keep herself tidy!" The raven haired girl exclaimed. She didn't know why Elesa was so angry for cleaning and organizing her things up, she was surprised she could even function like a slob.
"You don't touch my stuff!" Elesa screeched.
[Time Passes…]
From mild annoyances, to rising frustrations.
The two's opposing characters grew worse and worse over time.
The final straw that broke the camel's back was when they insulted each other's works.
"What!? Yuh take that back!" Valerie screeched, her Mawile and Sylveon looking especially ticked.
Elesa's Emolga and Zebstrika hissed. "If you take back that comment about my work!"
One called the other's work over compensating, while the other was called to be too dull and boring.
That was how their fighting began: a fight… turned Pokémon battle… in their small room.
The school was surprisingly forgiving afterward but the rift between the two started.
[Time Passes…]
It was unlady like of her, but she gritted her teeth and brooded. Her own teachers were telling her that some of her designs were quite bland. But how exactly could she get a creative edge?
She then noticed on the corner of her eye, her roommate-turned-rival. She was talking to someone she hadn't seen on campus and taking down notes.
"… more about your work life?" She asked something to that formal looking woman.
The woman responded. "I would like something that makes my co workers take me seriously, but doesn't make me look like some fashionista."
She nodded her head. "I think that's wonderful how your making a statement with your clothes."
"And I think you've got an eye for this. Asking me what kind of clothes I want? After all, if people want clothes, business people have to cater to what they want." The woman laughed.
Valerie blinked. She would take a page from her rival: she would ask others what they would want in clothes and work around there. She would not be out done by that brute.
[Time Passes…]
She didn't know what to feel after getting her diploma and signing contracts with several clothing lines in Kalos.
She quietly brought her stuff out of the dorms, where the other half was already emptied out some time since.
As she left, the promising up and coming model/designer saw all the other girls, laughing and hugging, some few males also getting their goodbyes.
Valerie packed the last of her things on the cart before noticing one of her boxes wasn't completely secured. Before she could close it, something stuck out.
Pulling it out, as if some kind of old treasure, Valarie looked at the four year old scarf she never returned.
It was then she realized…
She never said 'thank you' to her friend.
[Present time.]
Valerie sighed as she finished explaining or downsizing the gist of her relationship with Elesa.
"The thing was, she was right about mah work. Ah didn't have anything that really set mah self apart from other designers. Mah work was clean and organized, but too plain," The beautiful gymleader reminisced. "After our first Pokémon battle, we started doing it a lot more almost whenever we would meet each other, funny enough, ah think we both became better trainers because we kept trying to one up the other." She laughed somberly. It was funny to think one of the reasons that the two became great battlers was because of their rival.
"Ah… Ah am thankful for Ely," She stated solemnly. "If it wasn't for her, ah wouldn't have pushed mah self to make more bold designs and get out of my comfort zone, and she wouldn't have taught me that there are some things in life you can't learn from a text book. Half of mah works wouldn't be as popular as today."
Anto was slightly confused hearing that story though. "If you have so much respect for her, why are you arguing with her?"
The fairy type gym leader frowned. "Ah… Ah can't really say it. Out of shame, perhaps? It was so long ago, and ah was so stubborn… A piece of me now wanted to make things up when ah was offered to come here," She flushed red in embarrassment. "Yet, ah froze up and let my petty rivalry rise up again. ah think now she still despises me though. Are ah not pitiful? Ah am a successful designer, model, and gym leader, yet ah can't 'suck it up' and apologize for being so rude to her before."
"I really don't think you're pitiful, Valerie."
"Kinda of yuh to say, but I just can't bring mah self to say what ah need to…" She somberly sighed.
It was then a knocking on the door appeared to Valerie's studio door.
The designer stood up. "Ah moment please."
Anto turned to his Pokémon. "Guys, we are helping Valerie!"
"How are you going to do that?" Lily asked him, beside her, Valerie's Mawile also looked at the boy.
"I actually have an idea, but I need to get to Elesa's place. Thing is, Valerie can't know about this, or at least this part. I need something or someone to distract her."
Valerie walked back to them, and they all acted natural as if nothing happened. "Anto, yuh don't mind, but Mrs. Akio here is collecting some rough sketches for the movie Bichael May is producing."
Anto's eyes perked up at that familiar name, and true enough, the nice lady he met was waving casually at him with a smile on her face.
"It's nice to meet you again!" Jennifer jubilantly greeted.
"Can yuh wait here please? Ah will go get the sketches." Valerie explained to her.
Jennifer nodded. "Alright."
Anto smiled, and as soon as Valerie left, Anto grabbed his note book and quickly wrote something to Mrs. Akio, "Mrs. Akio! I need your help with a friend! Can you distract Valerie for 30 mins!? It's really really important!"
The beautiful woman blinked, before finishing reading and smiling sweetly again. "I don't know what you're doing, but the look in your eyes is really determined. I'll buy you as much time as you need."
Anto bowed in respect before grabbing his jacket (and shirt) and getting a hold on Sen. "Sentinel! We don't have much time! I need you to take us out of here through Phantom Force!"
"You want me to take you to through the attack's dimension? But last time you were unconscious when I did that."
"The walls will only slow me down. Besides, how bad could it be?"
Sen shrugged before grabbing his friend.
"Alright guys, help Mrs. Akio stall!" Anto said before Sen phased both him and himself out of there.
Sen and Anto appeared out in front of Elesa's house/mansion in a small cloud of ghost energy.
Anto shivered since he found out there was like absolutely no warmth in the phasing part of Phantom Force. "OK! … Not my one best plans. Now that I think off it, I could have asked Lily to carry me via air."
"Why didn't we just go in?" His ghost type asked.
Anto motioned the Delta Pokémon towards a window where the two stealthily looked through. " I'll explain later, but I remember briefly seeing black here when Valerie was chasing me here a while back. … Ah ha! There's Black!"
True enough, Black was in a similar situation of being dressed up and having his measurements taken.
"Black! Oi, Black!" Anto mentally connected with the boy.
"Huh?" The trainer looked around in surprise.
"Is something wrong?" Elesa asked.
Anto motioned Sen to phase his hand over and open the window slightly so he could hear their voices. "Black, it's me Anto! I need your help, don't let Elesa know I'm here!"
"N-Nothing!" Black stammered. "Just thought I heard something."
"I found out why the two are fighting one another! Excuse yourself and go to the bathroom or something!"
"A-Actually! You don't mind if I use the rest room for a bit right? I thought this would be shorter for some reason."
Elesa sighed. "Fair enough. Be back soon though."
Black nodded gratefully before leaving with his shirt and jacket.
Anto looked to his ghost type. "It's time to trespass in a hot model's home! Oh man, I sound like a stalker…" He realized.
"What's a stalker?"
"Just use Phantom Force to get us into the Bathroom with Black." The two held tightly and vanished into the shadows.
Meanwhile, at the very expensive and artistic looking bathroom. "Man so this is how the one percent live huh? Uhh… Anto? Anto, you here?" He whispered softly as he looked around.
Then Anto appeared out of thin air and caused Black to yelp.
Elesa heard that and decided to go far away from the rest room as possible if Black was going to make those sounds while he did his business.
"Anto!? How did you get here!?" Black looked away from the shivering boy silently complaining about stupid physics and saw the odd Pokémon beside him. "Whoa! I've never seen that Pokémon before!" he took out his Pokédex.
Anto groaned as he saw the device. "Oh not again…"
"Charmeleon, The Flame Pokémon. It is very hot-headed by nature, so it constantly seeks opponents. It calms down when it wins."
"Oh… that's not so bad this time. But that sounds more like Ohko." Anto thought to himself
"Wait that can't be right. The picture looks completely different…" Black noted as he inspected his device.
But of course, it still causes problems. "Black, focus! I need your help with Valerie and Elesa."
Black looked at him weirdly. "Wait, do you also know about their college days?"
Anto's widened and he nodded his head. "Elesa told you?"
"I asked her why she had such a problem with that foreign gym leader. She told me she didn't." Black then told Elesa's side of the story where after their separate ways, Elesa learned how to make cleaner works and to tone down some of her subtler ideas. It was thanks to Valerie that Elesa learned self discipline to prevent her works from being too overdone. "It's just she was nervous about her past to try and ask forgiveness."
"My gosh! That's the same with Valerie!" Anto smiled.
Black laughed at that. "For two well accomplished women, they are acting like kids about this!"
"Black, I came here because I need your help in bringing these two to make up!"
"Hearing it from your side, yeah but we're going to need some way to get these two together. … The tricky thing will be how to get them not to snap at each other… Ugh! I can't think of anything! I left Musha back in the fitting room!" Black cried out.
Anto's amber eyes lighted up. "Actually… I think I might have something."
The young mute told regaled his plan in his head.
[Later and back at Valerie's studio…]
"Excuse me?" Valerie asked in a slightly bamboozeled manner.
"You want to say you're sorry to Elesa don't you? And you said it yourself you freeze up and do that, so this way you can say clearly what you want to say! And she'll be too shocked to say anything mean!"
Anto and Valerie's Pokémon all voiced their consent at this idea.
"Ah… Ah suppose. No, ah need to do this. Yuh are right, Anto. I need to make the first step."
"Glad to hear it! But you might need some inspiration. Takezo here knows Thunderbolt if that will help you get ideas. And I think Mrs. Akio can get you some magazines."
Valarie raised her brow. "Yuh seem quite excited…"
"Anything to help a friend, it's one of the few things I don't suck at." Anto paused a bit. Where did that last part come from?
Later that night in the Small Court, a private room was reserved for four people: Hilda, Fatina, Wallace, and new guest judge, Alder, who was visiting Nimbasa City and didn't know there was a festival going on here.
A small stage was in front of them that divided two sides.
Valerie inhaled deeply behind the left curtain side.
"How does it look? Is it nice? Ah never done this before…"
Anto, and the rest of his Pokémon, just smiled warmly along with Valerie's. "Valerie this looks amazing. I really like it, as does Ohko, Sen, Lilly, and Takezo."
"I'm having second thoughts about this."
"If it amounts to anything," Takezo stepped in. "We have faith in you to do it. You simply must believe in yourself."
"Yo he's right! Ya gotta face it head on and punch that punk in the face to show how manly ya are!"
"Ohko, I am amazed at how dense you are." Lily rolled her eyes. "Don't take him too seriously. The details seem to escape him sometimes, but he's right in facing it head on. I mean you've done this all the time before in shows and battles, why not now?"
"Yeah! What they said!" Sen cheered.
Then Valerie's Pokémon came up to her with a shoe box.
"What is this?" The fairy type gym leader asked as she opened it up.
Valerie's Sylveon spoke out. "I saw you pack that before we left for here, Mistress. I just thought it was time for it to stop collecting dust."
Her gray eyes widened as she took the simple object out of the box, despite all the years of never being used, its bright yellow color only faded little.
They all heard some gasps coming from the judges outside.
It was then Mrs. Akio stepped into their side of the curtain. "Valerie, Elesa has shown her theme for the show tomorrow, are you ready to show yours?"
Valerie tied something to her neck. It didn't seem to match anything she was wearing but she didn't care, rather it made her feel so ready.
"Please proceed." Valerie stated.
The woman couldn't help but smirk and do a quick wink. "Oh this'll be quite the sight…"
The curtain was raised and they all stepped out.
First and foremost, Sentinel, the Delta Charmeleon came out. He was an intimidating and scary looking Pokémon on his own despite his surprisingly docile nature. However, Valerie was able to make the walking undead Pokémon look lively with nothing but a simple yellow news boy cap hat, white wrist bands, and a white short scarf.
Ohko, despite having just one hand, was given a rather interesting look. He wore a long trench coat/long coat, similar to that of the Battle Subway Twins, Emmet and Ingo, but sleeker and colored in bright gold. He even had a train cap ready and slightly slanted on his head to hide his left eye, giving him a tougher more gangster look, especially with him using his right sleeve as an arm rest than actually wearing the trenchcoat.
Lily was beautiful before, but just like Sen, simple things really added in her look. She was now wearing a unique and stylized choice specs that had two different colored sides, red and blue like a magnet. She now carried around an Umbrella that was styled to be the face of an Emolga that was just her size.
Takezo looked noble. Valerie was amazing with gear and especially liked working on Takezo's items due to the fact he had similar mannerism and characteristics. Takezo was actually given two proper white samurai scabbard along with a waist belt that held a pouch for anything he might keep on the other side of his waist. Etched into the scabbards were symbols of electricity.
Finally, Anto stepped into the light. He wore a black and white stripped long sleeve shirt underneath a yellow hooded jacket with pockets on both sides above his torso and a red edge trimming on the left side and a blue edge trimming on the right side. He wore black and slightly gray travel jeans that looked a little baggy, and he lastly fashioned a red shoe on his right foot and a blue on his left foot.
All in all, Anto's theme looked much like something from Elesa's work.
The judge's eyes all widened. Alder was the first to react and burst out laughing.
"Oh that looks so wonderful! I'm actually glad I came here after all!"
Valerie stepped out after them. She wondered why they were like that, until she looked over to Elesa's work.
"Wha…"
The Gym leader from Kalos was surprised and in utter shock. She placed her hands near her mouth after she gasped.
Elesa's work looked exactly like her major clothes on fairy type Pokémon!
All of Black's Pokémon, and Black himself were all wearing colors and clothes that styled both after her culture and Pokémon.
She turned her gray eyes towards the girl she once called friend. When she saw her blue eyes, she noticed how they weren't looking at her, they were focused on the scarf that was clashing with her usual attire, but was all too familiar to her.
"You… kept that?" Elesa asked.
The air turned silent as everyone looked between both Valerie and Elesa.
Alder whispered over to his fellow judges quickly. "I'm actually so glad we don't actually have to judge this." They all silently nodded in agreement.
"Yes, ah did. … Ah never said thank you for giving it to me."
"Oh. Well… you're welcome… I thought you might have thrown that away a long time ago."
Valerie gripped tightly to the simple piece of cloth. "Never. Elesa, ah would also like to say, Ah'm sorry."
The Unovian Gym Leader stared back with wide eyes.
"Ah was so petty, and ah let mah anger get the better of me. Looking back, ah realize ah did many stupid things."
Surprisingly or maybe not, Elesa laughed. "Oh Arceus! … I'm—I'm sorry it's just—I also thought about our past and saw how much of an idiot I was. I thought it would be a great idea to try and make up to you by doing some of your styles, which was insanely tedious."
Anto started silently walking towards Black.
"Yuh did that too? Ah was given the inspiration as well to do yur works for this, just so Ah would get the chance to apologize," Valerie slowly said, taking off her scarf. "But ah would very much like us to be friends again." She finished as she walked up and handed the old scarf back to her.
Elesa took the scarf carefully. "I would really like that."
Black raised out his fist towards Anto, who fist bumped it as they never took their eyes off the two.
Alder, Wallace, Hilda, and Fatina spotted that small motion and couldn't help but laugh and clap. Mrs. Akio clapped as well in the background.
"Well!" Hilda stood up jubilantly and walked towards the two. "Now may I ask again? Do you tow have an idea for the fashion show's theme tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow does sound like a lot of work," Valerie started.
"Not to mention we may have to stay up the whole night and then some to come up with new designs and other such preparations." Elesa added in.
But they both looked at each other and nodded.
"But I think we have a good idea what to do." Elesa answered, slightly emphasizing the 'we' part of that sentence.
"Oh don't worry, I have many people in mind to make this work!" Hilda smiled joyfully as she lead the two out. Both Gym leader's Pokémon followed after them.
"Jolly good show, Mr. Black. I do say I would call us bloody brilliant." Anto exclaimed.
"Come now, Mr. Anto. By jove, I do believe you deserve the applause for such a concoction."
"You are too kind good sir. Nay! I refuse to take the credit for a team effort!"
The two broke into laughter.
A new laughter joined them. "Something tells me you two trainers are going to have quite the future!"
The two turned to see Alder with Wallace beside him.
Black pointed dramatically at Alder. "Oh my gosh! You're Alder the Unova Champion! Battle me!"
Alder laughed again. "Haha! I like your spunk kid. But unfortunately I left my friends back home." He rubbed the back of his head.
Wallace spoke out as well. "I must commend you both. I was a little disheartened when I heard about the two's situation, but it appears there were others already working on fixing the problem."
Anto and Black looked at each other. Then they both broke eye contact with them.
"What are you talking about? All we did was wear these clothes they made. I didn't even know they had issues with each other." Black shrugged his shoulders and Anto just did the same nonchalantly.
Alder laughed, went behind the two and hugged them. "I'll definitely keep an eye out for you two in the future! Good luck in the Music Tournament!"
Wallace and Alder said their goodbyes after that, following after Mrs. Akio and Fatina who left a little earlier.
"Well, now I gotta see what other job Prez wants me to do. See ya Anto, good luck with the movie!"
Anto paled as he remembered he had to go back to that horrible place tomorrow, but said goodbye to Black and his Pokémon as he was left all alone with his Pokémon.
"Well who's hungry?" Anto looked to his Pokémon. They all raised their hands.
Then a door opening caught their attention.
Anto was surprised to see Valerie walking up to him.
"Oh Valerie, hi. Is something wrong?"
"Oh no. Everything is actually… amazing. But Ah came back here to ask yuh something: did yuh have anything to do with having Ely and me make clothes about the other? Did yuh set up this entire event?"
Anto 'psshed' and slapped the air in front of him nonchalantly. "I don't know what you're talking about. All I did was suggest that to you. How was I supposed to know she would do the same thing?"
"Ah see…" Valerie mused. She then smiled and bent down.
The model kissed Anto on the cheek.
There was a very long and thought provoking second that passed by before Anto's face became filled with blood as he realized what happened.
"Then that was for giving me such a wonderful idea.~" Valerie giggled before saying her farewell to the young boy.
"Whoa! I didn't know Boss could turn his face red! You gotta teach me how to do that!"
"Oh me too!"
Ohko and Sentinel cried as they pointed innocently at their Trainer's face.
Lily broke into laughter while Takezo…
"Congratulations Anto, 'You got game'."
{Author's note}
WHOO! I'm finally done with this chapter! It was surprisingly longer to write than I expected it to be.
Thanks For MangoLimePie for helping me out with some of the plot ideas here. Go read some of his stories, he's got some nicely written pokemon battles in there.
And Anto and his pokemon have some new threads! Yes, they will be wearing that through out the rest of the story until I say otherwise! Valerie knows what she was doing. The fabric used to design the clothes were taken from a Galvantula and Ariados silk webs, and those spider silks are built to last and take heavy punishment! (I'll also briefly explain this again later on in the story.)
Next chapter goes back into the action with the second round of the tournament. And maybe a hint and what's going down for this event!
Since there are so many characters here, it's kind of hard to chart them out and explore who they are, but so far, I rather enjoy writing out these people. I hope you are too.
I'm also planning for everyone to meet soon. (Oi vey that's a lot.)
Anyway, thanks for reading!