I wake up to all four of my pokemon, crowded on my bed with me. I gently move them aside to check my phone.
9am.
"Crap!" I hiss.
Breakfast is in half an hour!
I jump up, startling all of my pokemon, and throw a pair of shorts on, not worrying about a shirt.
"Run. Whos in?" Belle and Cleo stretch, getting up, but Effie and Aspen jump over to Kai's bed, where he is just waking up.
He lifts the covers, letting them under to stay warm, and I notice Missy on his other side, snoring quietly.
"Going for a run?" He yawns, and I nod.
"Be back soon!" I throw open the slide door, letting Belle and Cleo jump down first, before I throw myself down.
We just finish the third lap before N comes out.
He sits on the steps, as usual, with his coffee, and waves, and I wave back.
"Hey babe." I kiss him gently as I sit beside him.
"Hey. Are you coming to the event today? I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Nareen, Matthew, Cosmo, Prim, and Sky are all in this one."
"All of them?"
"Yeah, we had a larger number of Plasma's than we anticipated, so we are throwing as many as we can into these challenges."
"What kind of event is it?" He looks around before answering.
"Scavenger Hunt." He whispers, and I nod.
"I'm going to shower and get changed for breakfast, i'll meet you there?" He kisses me firmly as an answer, before ruffling my hair and taking off across the courtyard, where Medoa is waving.
I wave back before I head in.
"How are you feeling?" Matthew asks, and I laugh.
"I'm fine! I feel great!" I laugh, but they all give me worried looks.
"Seriously guys, I feel great, and the doctor says I'm fine." They calm a little at that, but nobody relaxes.
Sighing, I take another bite of my eggs.
All of a sudden, there is a loud gong sound from the stage, and N walks out.
"Hope everyone's doing great?" He laughs at the applause.
"Now, I have some exciting news. The next event is today, and the participants will be informed after breakfast of who they are. Also, the rest of the events will be held tomorrow, all four of them, so if your not picked today, be ready! The TeamRace has been bumped up a few days. The winners will be chosen tomorrow night."
The room breaks out in hurried and fearful whispers.
"Please, stay calm! We will still have a week to prepare, so do not get too excited!" He laughs.
"Also, as a result of yesterdays incident, we have decided that there will be no more tests involving swimming!" He shoots me a playful glare, and the room breaks out in chuckles.
"That is all! Please, enjoy your breakfast!" He bows, and as the applause dies down he walks off stage.
"I wonder who's getting tested today?" Prim asks, a worried tone in her voice.
The table turns to me.
"Hey, even if i did know I couldnt tell you guys! And I don't!" I lie through my teeth, and everyone but Rayna turns away.
She shoots me a We'll discuss this later glance, before turning back to her conversation with Nareen.
After breakfast, Rayna grabs me by the arm, leading me to the courtyard. Aspen jumps up, and lands on my shoulder, settling down and snoozing as we walk.
We get out, and Effie, Cleo & Belle all run out, getting some exercise.
"Who's in the next test?" She asks quietly, and I shake me head.
"I can't tell you, Ray. If anyone else finds out..." She laughs.
"You can trust me, I just want to know." Sighing, I sit her down on a nearby bench.
" Nareen, Matthew, Cosmo, Prim, and Sky. Plus a few more I don't know about." Her eyes go wide.
"But... that means..."
"I know. Only one of the plasmas will get through."
"Who do you hope it is?" She asks, and I shrug.
"Prim thinks quick under pressure, but Cosmo is strong, and can be a lot of help if we run into anything physical. Sky... I'm not sure of his talents yet, hes kind of a wild card. I guess if i had to choose... probably Prim." She nods.
"Are the other plasma's part of our pact?"
"I haven't had time to ask them, but i'll go ask Prim. She's in her room." I go to stand, but she stops me.
"No, I'll ask her. I have a question for her anyways, regarding my dress." She kisses my cheek, standing and heading to the commons room.
I wait a few minutes, letting my pokemon enjoy the morning sun, before heading up to Sky's room.
"A pact?" He asks, and I nod.
He hands me a pop, which i take gratefully.
"Yeah. Mainly, its to help us get to the final group, then we can break off from there. We have Skull, Rocket, Magma, and us, Plasma, in it at this point." He nods.
"Its smart, get rid of the excess fat before searing the steak..." He says, sipping his drink, and I tilt my head in confusion.
"Its smart to take out the others, before we worry about ourselves." He explains, and I nod, getting it now.
"So? You in?" I sip my drink, and smile as he nods.
"Hell yeah. Its a smart idea, could help us win in the end." He nods again, satisfied with his answer.
"Sick! Now, I have to go talk to Cosmo about it." I stand, but he stops me.
"Cosmo isn't here. He went down to Humilau to train." I nod.
"Thanks, Sky. I'll see you later?" He nods, waving as I head out.
I head out, and see Rayna heading up.
"Hey! How'd it go with Prim?" I ask, and she smiles.
"Prim's in. Sky?"
"He's in to. Cosmo isnt here though, we will have to ask him later." She nods.
"The event isn't until tonight, any plans?" She asks, and I nod.
"Going to head out to Humilau, train a bit."
"Mind if I join you?"
"Of course not." We run to our rooms to get changed, and then out to where the chauffeur is waiting with the car.
Kai decides to join us, and watches our other pokemon as we train.
"Belle, Cotton Spore! Aspen, Powder Snow!"
Belle sends tufts of her fur at the Pelipper, sending it to the ground and holding it's wings to its sides, as Aspen slams it with a devastating gust of freezing air, rendering it unconscious.
"Yeah guys! Good job!" I hug them both, then we step back for Rayna.
We decided K.O for K.O seemed fair, so whenever we knock a pokemon out, we step back and let the others get one, to keep it even.
Rayna points to a nearby Golduck, and Suave and Berri jump out.
"Suave, use Quick Attack, and Berri, use Razor Leaf!"
Suave jumps, slamming the duck pokemon into the ground, where a hard-hitting storm of razor sharp leaves keeps it down.
It stands back up, anger and fear in it's eyes.
"Suave, Pursuit! Berri, Magical Leaf!"
Suave darts behind the Golduck, slamming it towards a waiting wall of psychically charged leaves, that throw it back into the nearby pond. It floats to the top, unconscious as it floats back to shore.
Effie gently nudges it back, and sets it on the grass, before Rayna steps back.
I step forward, and am about to point at another wild Golduck, when a voice cuts me off.
"Ahoy there!" Cosmo jogs up, Watcher and another pokemon I don't recognize beside him.
The pokemon is bright pink, and has two hand shaped fins, one on its head and one coming out from under it. It's eyes are big, but warm and full of love.
"Guys, meet my newest teammate! This is Amara, my Alomomola!" She bows, gracefully.
"Nice to meet you!" I shake her fin, which grasps my hand just like another hand.
"You are so gorgeous!" Rayna bends down, hugging the pokemon, who cooes at the compliment.
"Where did you meet her?" I ask, and he smiles.
"Went swimming down in Humilau with Marlon, and she came right up to me! Shes a sweetheart." He kisses her fin, and she giggles.
"Well, we are just in the middle of training, care to join us?" Rayna asks, and I nod.
"Well, actually... I was hoping you guys would.. battle me."
I look back at my team, and Aspen falls off of Kai's lap in excitement.
"I guess I'm in!" I laugh, and Rayna nods.
We set up across from each other in a small clearing, me going first.
I send out Aspen, and Cosmo sends Watcher.
"I'll ref! Fair battle, guys! Perish song prohibited, along with explosion! First one out of pokemon loses! Begin!"
"Watty, use Super fang!"
"Aspen, Powder Snow!"
Watcher flies forward, aiming for Aspen's neck, but he throws the rat pokemon across the field with a head-on Powder Snow to the face.
"PAT!" Watcher growls, standing up again, but one of his paws is frozen solid in ice.
"Tackle!" Cosmo shouts, and Watcher flies at Aspen with blinding speed.
Before I can retaliate, Aspen is thrown to the ground, and pummeled.
"Aspen, Mud Sport!"
Aspen fires a geyser of mud into the sky, and it lands everywhere, causing Watcher to slip and slide around. Aspen stands again, gracefully sliding along in the mud.
"Powder Snow on the ground!"
"Super Fang!"
Aspen freezes the mud, turning the clearing into an ice rink, as Watcher falls flat on his face, sliding into a nearby tree. The impact knocks him out.
"Damn! Good job, Watty! Amara, your turn!"
Watcher returns to his pokeball, and Amara floats onto the battle field.
I feel Belle tense beside me, as the battle starts again.
"Aspen, use Powder Snow!"
"Amara, Water Pulse!"
Aspen fires a thick shot of snow, but it is dissolved quickly in the onslaught of water that drowns him out.
He is thrown into a nearby tree, unconscious.
"MAAAAA!" Belle screeches, jumping over to him. She grabs him gently, carrying him over to us, all the while shooting murderous glares at Amara and Cosmo.
"Alright, great job Aspen! Now! Go, Eff-" I'm cut off as Belle jumps back out, leaving Aspen with Cleo.
"Belle? Alrighty then!" I laugh, as I watch the pure electricity running through her fleece in anger.
She growls at Amara, who recoils.
"You messed with the wrong baby!" Rayna laughs.
"Amara, use Wake-Up Slap!"
"Belle, use-"
Before I finish, Belle jumps forward, and there is a low rumbling noise.
Rayna grabs my arm, reefing me back.
"THUNDER!"
As her shout finishes, a huge bolt of lightning strikes from above, white hot and blindingly fast. IT strike Amara, and kicks up a huge cloud of dust.
Through the dust, a bright light emerges, and quickly fades away.
The dust settles, and I can finally see what happened.
Amara is in a large crater in the ground, twitching and groaning.
Belle is... bigger? Her wool is now a bright white, and her skin a light pink.
"Belle!" I laugh, hugging her.
"Flaaa?" She baas, kissing my face.
"You evolved!" Rayna laughs, hugging her to.
Cosmo returns Amara, and walks over.
"That was... interesting." He chuckles, and we all laugh.
"Well, i'm not sure about you guys, but I sure worked up an appetite." Rayna laughs as all of our pokemon nod vigorously, and we head for the castle.
After dinner, me and the gang head up to my bedroom, too see mom and dad on the balcony again, chatting over coffee.
"Hey!" I strut out, my new and improved Flaffy, Belle, in front of me.
"Oh, hey sweetie! WHAT? Belle evolved already?" Mom kisses the sheep pokemon, causing her to baa in excitement, and she accidentally shocks dad.
"Whoa there baby girl, I'm a friend!" He laughs as she bows apologetically, kissing his hand.
"So when is the next event?" Kai asks from behind me.
"Tonight, pretty quick actually. You guys coming?" They all nod.
"I'm going to get changed, then we will head out for the site, okay?" I kiss Belle, and pass my other pokemon, who are now lounging with Missy, and change clothes.
After, we head out for the event site.