Raise Your Voice
The next morning, Brendan and May were leaving the Pokémon Center early in the morning, May was feeling chipper today due to the cuts on her arms from being tied down were healing nicely, but she was wearing slightly longer sleeves until they fully healed. Gwen was not exactly happy about how early they were awake, but she didn't complain. She knew that they had important places to be, namely getting to May's contest. And that was exactly the topic of conversation at the moment as they left the town, and were heading toward Route 112. Luckily, Verdanturf was not too hard to get to from Lavaridge.
"So, I have a few ideas of which Pokémon I can use for this contest," May said. "Since this one is supposed to have two different Pokémon, I was thinking to have Miranda in the appeals, and Erza as the battler. After all, she needs to make her official debut in contests."
"Sounds like a solid plan," Brendan said. "Still, she's got to be close to evolving."
"That's also true for Turk, and based on how Jack battled at the gym yesterday, him too," May said.
"Yeah, that's true. I just wish there was a way to easily get them to evolve," Brendan said.
"We could go into the grass and relentlessly beat the other Pokémon living there until ours evolve," May said. Brendan looked at her with a worried expression.
"Please tell me that's a joke," he said.
May tried to keep a serious expression, but she just couldn't maintain it as she broke out in laughter. "Of course I'm joking. What kind of trainer would ever do that?"
"I don't know. Team Rocket maybe," Brendan said with a shrug, laughing at May's joke. "But you know, you have a dark sense of humor."
"Yeah, but any other type of humor can get boring," May said.
Back on the subject of what we are going to do on our way back to Verdanturf, Gwen said. After all, I still know Teleport. I could easily get us back to Mauville and then we can shorten the distance by a lot.
"Hey, that actually sounds like a good idea," May said. "Why don't we try it?"
Brendan thought for a moment. "Sure, it will take us half the day or more to get to there on foot, and Gwen can't exactly ride on my shoulders if we were to ride bikes," he said.
Yeah, so you need to get me my own bike while we're in Mauville! Gwen said.
"Maybe, but who knows if Rydel will still be okay with getting us another bike," Brendan said. "Anyway, Gwen, you ready to teleport us there?"
No sweat! Gwen said as she put her hands on a shoulder of both Brendan and May, closed her eyes and in an instant, all three of them suddenly appeared in the center of Mauville City, right beside the replica of Prism Tower.
"Wow, that was fast," Brendan said.
Yeah, instantaneous teleportation tends to be fast, Gwen said, using as much sass as she could muster.
"Alright, let's go see if Rydel will get you a bike," May said.
"So, you've seen both types of bikes, which one are you going to get?" Brendan asked.
Well obviously the Mach Bike since May won the race, Gwen said.
May smiled to gloat in Brendan's direction. Brendan just shook his head. "Yeah, I should've figured."
"Well, let's go, we won't get any bikes standing around here," May said, turning toward the bike shop. They walked for about ten minutes before they got there, and it was almost overflowing with people.
Woah, what happened to this place? Is he giving more bikes away? Gwen said in a surprised tone.
"We might as well check it out," May said as she walked into the shop. When they entered the building, they almost couldn't get inside the shop.
"Wow, what the Distortion World is actually going on?" Brendan said.
That was when the owner came up to them. "Well, if it isn't the two advertisers who made this shop into a regional hot spot in less than a week," Rydel said with a proud grin.
"Wait, you mean that we helped this happen?" May said in shock.
"Yes, didn't you see your episode of In Search of Trainers?" he asked. "The opening shot was of you two racing on my bikes. The sales went through the roof after that. Although we did get some angry Pokémon rights activists protesting, saying that I gave you your Kirlia as a helmet."
That must be why nobody likes them, Gwen said. That claim is just the definition of idiocy.
"Disregarding their ridiculous claims, I owe you guys more than I gave you with those bikes," he said.
"Well, actually, we're here to get Gwen a bike," Brendan said.
"Certainly," Rydel said. "Now, Gwen were you thinking Acro or Mach Bi–"
Mach Bike! she said happily.
"Alright, give me a moment!" Rydel said as he went toward the computer, working his way through the crowd, and typed a command. A new bike came out in no time. He then walked back to Gwen, a smile on his face. "Here you are: your very own Mach Bike, and the seat and pedals have been adjusted to better fit a Gardevoir."
Thanks, Gwen said as she took it in her hand. Then her expression turned a bit disappointed.
"What's wrong?" Brendan asked.
I just remembered that I don't know how to ride a bike, she said with a hint of disappointment and some frustration as she held it up at her eye level.
"Oh that? That's no problem," Brendan said, waving it off. "Hell, I'll teach you how to ride."
Gwen's expression visibly brightened. You will? she asked with a smile.
"Absolutely," Brendan said.
"I'll help too," May said. "Come on, let's go out to the center courtyard and get you on that bike."
It wasn't even five minutes later that they were back at the courtyard. Gwen had just put the bike on the ground and pressed the button, opening it. Brendan had his bike out as well.
"Alright, so getting on is pretty simple," Brendan said. "Just follow my lead." He put the kickstand up tilted it toward himself and swung his leg over the bar, getting ready to ride.
Looks simple enough, Gwen said, copying her trainer's movements easily. Great, now what's next?
"This part is going to feel weird for you when you start. First you need to put one foot onto a pedal," Brendan said. "Then just follow my lead again." He pushed off the ground and began to pedal, starting to ride slowly, staying close to Gwen and May. "It's strange at first, but you'll get used to it."
Alright, Gwen said with a bit of nervousness. Let's do this. She started to pedal, following Brendan's example, she was slow and a bit unsteady at first, and she noticed that a few people nearby were taking videos of her, but she was able to stay up.
"That's it, just keep pedaling, and practice turns, you'll be riding perfectly in no time," Brendan said with a smile.
May, come on, join us! Gwen said.
"Well I don't want to be left out of the fun," she said as she had her bike unfold and she mounted it. It took her a second to get moving with Brendan and Gwen, but she was soon riding right next to them as they rode around the courtyard, laughing with glee.
This is so much fun! Gwen said with a beautiful smile.
"Well, if you're ready, we can start to ride toward Verdanturf," Brendan said.
"Let's do it!" May said as she turned toward the western gate and began to ride toward their next destination. Gwen, still a little unsteady, followed slowly, and Brendan tried to stay with her. The three of them got out of the city and onto route 117 without any trouble. They passed by the Day Care, waving to George as they went by. The old man's eyes went a little wider as he saw them pass, probably because he was seeing a Pokémon ride a bike.
I'm so happy I evolved! Gwen said, telekinetically gripping the handlebars and guide the bike while she held her arms out to the side, enjoying the wind in her hair.
"It really is a lot of fun," May said, not taking her hands off her handlebars, but she still closed her eyes and let the breeze roll over her. Brendan just smiled. His hat kept him from feeling the wind, but he was still having a good time as he rode. They continued to ride for about an hour until Verdanturf came into view as they crested a small hill.
"Wow, it looks so peaceful," May said. "And you can see the stadium for the contest from here.
Brendan, however, wasn't focusing on that. "Hey, guys, do either of you get the feeling that we're being watched?" he asked.
"That's a bit random, but no I don't" May said.
Me neither, Gwen said.
"Oh, maybe I'm just going crazy," Brendan said as he looked back to the route. While looking at the trees to the south, he could've sworn he saw a slight air distortion, followed by a momentary flash of red and white, but he disregarded it. His eyes had to have been playing tricks on him.
Oh, don't worry, you being crazy is nothing new, Gwen said as she kept riding, going down the hill.
"Hey, Gwen, be sure you use your brakes as you go downhill," Brendan said. "If you go too fast, you'll lose control."
Thanks for the tip, Gwen said, actually following what Brendan told her. They rode into the town, heading for the Pokémon Center. Hey, let's book a room then get some training in!
"Good idea," Brendan said, taking the lead and going to the Pokémon Center. "Now, Gwen, what you want to do now is stop pedaling, ease on the brakes, then get one foot off the pedals. When you start to come to a stop start to extend your leg, and then follow my lead."
Gwen watched and followed exactly as Brendan did. It was actually easy for her. Brendan was impressed at how easily she was learning. May came up behind them, easily dismounting and smiling. "So, seems like you were having a good time," she said with a bright smile.
We are riding everywhere from now on! Gwen said. Brendan couldn't have agreed more.
"Alright Gwen, use Disarming Voice!" Brendan said. They had been training on the battlefield outside the Pokémon Center for a while now, but they didn't seem to be getting anywhere too fast at the moment. Brendan had already gotten training sessions in with Clint, Turk, Jack, and Nikki. It was now Gwen's turn. Right now, they were working on balancing the speed and power of her attacks. While she was doing well and moving at a very good pace, Brendan felt that her Disarming Voice just wasn't cutting it in terms of power, and Gwen was starting to agree.
With a high pitched shriek, one of the rocks that Brendan had Nikki set up with Rock Tomb cracked before it shattered. Damn, still not enough, Gwen said.
"I know. I think that you may need a new attack, something stronger than Disarming Voice," Brendan said. He didn't realize, however, that they were currently being watched.
"Hey, that isn't too bad!" said a new voice. When Brendan turned around to see who was talking, he was surprised to see a woman who looked like she was only about a year older than Brendan. She wore an eccentric, all-white coat, with a back that looked almost like fairy wings. Her hair was short, and pulled back into a bun that sort of looked like a multi-pointed crown when looking at her from the front. She had nice high-heeled shoes with ankle-high cuffs and she carried a pink purse. All of her clothing looked like it was designed specifically for her. And around her neck was a pendant that looked like a side-view of a Gardevoir's head that held a keystone in the center.
"Umm…Thanks, my name's Brendan by the way," he said, extending his hand before he recognized this woman. "No way, aren't you Diantha?" he asked.
"Wow, I wasn't expecting somebody to know me already," she said. "So you've seen one of my movies?"
"Yeah, you were incredible in The Temple of Houndoom," Brendan said. "And you're the top ranked Elite Four member in Kalos, aren't you? The only one in your region stronger than you is the Champion."
"Well thank you," Diantha said as she smiled at the compliment. "And to answer your question, yes, I am in the Kalos Elite Four. Anyway, that's not important. I couldn't help but overhear what you were saying about teaching your Gardevoir a new attack. I think I can help you with that."
"Wait, really?" Brendan asked.
"Yeah, I'm off for the rest of the day for the scene I was shooting for my newest movie," she said. "So I have more than enough time to at least get you two started with your training."
That was when May came outside to start practicing her newly planned routine. As she approached the battlefield, she noticed Brendan and Gwen standing and talking to a girl. The girl was really pretty and she was wearing nothing but the nicest designer clothes. She was a bit worried when she saw that, but then Brendan waved her over almost excitedly. May just shook her head. What was she getting jealous for? Brendan was probably just having a friendly conversation, especially since they were in public and they were clearly not having that kind of conversation. That was when May saw the face of the woman Brendan was talking to, and her eyes went wide with surprise. How was Brendan talking to that girl, of all people?
"Hey, May, this is Diantha," Brendan said. "She's–"
"An actress and a Kalos League Elite Four member," May said. "I know, and I'm a big fan of your work."
"Wow, I was not expecting to see two people who knew my work as an actress. I've only been in three movies," Diantha said.
Only? Gwen asked in a disbelieving tone. What surprised Brendan now was that Diantha didn't jump or look surprised when she heard Gwen talking. Actually, she smiled politely.
"Oh, I completely forgot my manners, and I forgot to introduce you to my own friend," Diantha said as she pulled out a Pokéball. "Come on out Jennifer!" Brendan was surprised about what Pokémon came out.
"You're a Gardevoir trainer too?" Brendan asked, noticing that Gwen was just as surprised to see another of her species. They looked almost identical in terms of body build, but there were two major differences. One came from the fact that Jennifer had a pendant similar to the one Diantha had around her neck, except the stone in the center was a light blue, almost white, with a green and pink swirl pattern through the center, and the surrounding pendant looked like Diantha's bun. The second difference came from the fact that Jennifer's dress was slightly pinker than Gwen's; she had blue hair, and an orange chest spike.
"Yep, she was the first Pokémon I ever caught and we have been friends ever since," Diantha said.
"Voir!" Jennifer said in greeting, apparently not able to speak like Gwen could.
I'm really happy to meet you too Jennifer! I'm Gwen! she said with a smile.
Jennifer smiled back, giving a wave. "Now, let's get started with teaching Gwen how to use Hyper Voice!" Diantha said. Jennifer nodded and took a position facing the rocks that Brendan and Gwen had been using for practice earlier. "Let's begin with a demonstration." Jennifer took a deep breath, before she began to shriek louder than anything Brendan had ever heard before. The resulting soundwave was massive. It struck the boulder, causing it to break into dust almost instantly.
"Woah," Brendan said. "How did you just do that?"
"The technique is very similar to Disarming Voice," Diantha said. "For a Gardevoir to perform this technique, it's a matter of using your psychic abilities to increase how loud your voice can get. You won't get it right away, because your vocal cords will need time and practice to strengthen and get used to producing such high decibels."
Well, I'll try it, Gwen said as she stepped up next to Jennifer. She took a deep breath, focusing her psychic power on her vocal cords, increasing their strength as much as she could. Then, she used the same method as Disarming Voice, shrieking loudly, but there was much more power behind it. The soundwave was much larger than anything she'd produced with Disarming Voice, but she could already tell it wasn't on the same level as Jennifer's attack. The wave hit another one of the boulders, destroying it, but instead of dust, it broke into rocks the size of hands.
Diantha started to applaud. "That was really well done for your first try. To be honest, it was even stronger than what Jennifer did on her first attempt," Diantha said.
"Gar?!" Jennifer asked, looking slightly offended.
"Sorry Jen, it's the truth. We'd better be careful or these two may eventually be stronger than us," Diantha said.
"Well, regardless, thank you so much for helping us here," Brendan said as he extended his hand to the actress.
"Oh, you are quite welcome," Diantha said as she shook Brendan's hand. "Oh, and the next time we cross paths, we will definitely have to battle each other to see who is stronger."
You're on, Gwen said as she also shook Jennifer's hand. There was some electricity in the air between the two Gardevoir and their trainers, but it was the kind that spurred a rivalry.
"Now Gwen, you and Brendan keep working on that Hyper Voice, and I know you'll master it in no time!" Diantha said. "It was nice meeting all three of you. Now, I must be getting back to my hotel, otherwise my manager will freak out."
As she left, Brendan turned to May with a confident smile on his face. "How cool was that? We got a personal lesson from a member of another region's Elite Four!"
"And the one who just happens to be the most famous of all of them. Yeah, you are way too lucky," May said.
"Well, I'm also dating you, so I guess that's true," Brendan said as he pulled May in for a kiss.
"Are you always that smooth or is it just random?" May asked once they broke off their kiss.
"You'll just have to stick around and find out."
Alright lovebirds, don't make me turn my imperfect Hyper Voice on you, Gwen said. The two trainers just laughed lightly to themselves as they returned to training. After all, the contest was only a couple days away.
I'll keep this one brief. Thank you for reading. As always, please leave a review to let me know what you honestly thought, and where you think I can improve. Next chapter is the Verdanturf contest.
Until next time – jmoul18.
