Sorry about the wait! I finally finished exams and such though, so I will have more time to write regularly! Many thanks to those on tumblr for supporting me, and for my readers here. Also, thank you to Amy47101, Meemeeru, a sea of sound, Ah. Kawaii, Mochiko-desu, tacypoc, Rosa Fan, Anon, and Guest for reviewing!
My Great Big Adventure
Whatever my original plan had been, I'd long forgotten it. Something inside me snapped as I saw Hugh tortured by Colress's strange device. I'd made a hasty decision to show myself, and now I'm not so sure that was the best choice.
Colress was simply beside himself. He had the entire "tournament" broadcasted on live tv. I write "tournament" because really, it's just a sick excuse of his for Pokemon to fight each other, and for him to challenge me. I don't get why he went to all of this trouble just to challenge me to a Pokemon battle. He was wacko before, surely, but now he's mad. Completely mad.
Colress's voice began announcing to the cameras, to the world, what was about to happen. I don't understand how he got all of the cameras or fancy lights or the friggin live audience (I mean, come on! Can't you people just rush the stage and overthrow him?) but he's making quite the show out of all of this.
Out of the pain and suffering of humans and Pokemon.
I clenched my fists as I heard my name boom through the loudspeakers.
He was announcing the competitors. Hugh and Cheren's names were also listed, along with four others I didn't recognize.
And lastly, Colress himself was entering the tournament.
I can't believe it! The nerve of that guy! Entering his own tournament… I mean, I know he wanted to fight me and all, but I couldn't help wonder how he was going to HOST and BATTLE at the same time?
Suddenly the big garage door in front of me started to open, and the bright stadium lights blinded me. Around the arena, other doors were rolling up, a competitor behind each one. I briefly wondered what Hugh was going to do, before a voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Welcome… ladies and gentlemen… to the very first… Driftveil Tournament!"
My eyes adjusted to the light, and I saw Gym Leader Clay standing on the raised platform.
"In this tournament, anything goes," he continued, his voice shaking slightly.
Colress must have blackmailed him into being the announcer. Seeing Clay reminded me of Bianca, and I wondered if she was watching from the audience. She'd probably cry at the sight of Cheren.
"Any Pokemon can participate," Clay's booming voice cut into my thoughts again. "There are three rounds of direct elimination. At the end, the final two competitors will face off for the victory. Winner takes all." His voice cracked at the last words. I suspected Clay was aware of what would happen if Colress won.
And Colress had an easy victory ahead of him. He and I were the only contestants whose Pokemon weren't tired. Although Colress had allowed the others to heal their injured Pokemon, the Pokemon were still very exhausted. I knew Colress wanted this. He wanted us to be the final two.
Clay called each of the competitors up to the stage, where we watched our pictures and names be assigned to slots on the match-up board, a giant tv on one end of the stadium.
My first battle… was with Cheren.
We took our places on one end of the platform. At the other end, I saw Hugh and the woman with the Slowpoke. Cheren coughed. He managed to stand tall, but he had terrible bags under his eyes and a bruise on one cheek. He straightened his tie and looked me in the eye.
"Rosa, you were my first challenger after I became a gym leader," he said importantly. "You were strong then, and I see you've come a long way. As a gym leader, I always fight with my true strength."
He paused, closing his eyes dramatically. Breathing in and out, he reopened his eyes and said softly, "But Rosa, I am rooting for you. I could not stop this madman, and I have failed. I would gladly lose to you to save our future. So, come on then. Let's go!"
Even when bruised and tired, the people I battle still spout dramatic monologues…
I easily beat all of Cheren's Pokemon with my Lucario. I felt really bad at beating them, after all they've been through… But it was necessary. I know that somehow, Colress will make it through to the end. And so I have to as well. There's no way he'll go out before getting to me. And I wouldn't have it any other way; I want to take him down personally.
I just hoped he would keep his word about releasing everyone if I won…
Cheren's picture up on the board went dark. Colress's first opponent's picture was also dark, meaning he had made it past the first round. Well, what had I expected, really?
Cheren shook my hand and looked relieved at being told to go sit down in a corner of the platform with the other competitors who lost.
"I'll beat him," I said as the gym leader walked away. "I promise."
Up on the board, another picture went dark. The woman with the Slowpoke. Which meant…
My next opponent was Hugh.
I wanted to hug him. I wanted to pat him on the back and say everything would be fine. However, not only would he never let me do that in public to him, Hugh looked so battered that I was afraid he might flinch in pain if I merely touched him.
"Hugh—" I started, only to be cut off.
"Look, I may be tired, but I'm not weak," he told me with a distant voice. "I won't go down without a fight."
I couldn't help but smile. "I know," I whispered.
Our match went on a little longer than my match with Cheren, but when it came down to it, Hugh's Pokemon were just too exhausted. His face turned grim as he stared at his Emboar's Pokeball.
"Hugh… I…" My voice died as he turned and walked away, off to where Cheren and the others were sitting.
Why was he acting like this? He'd lost to me before. Was his pride really so important he couldn't even talk to me? My face hardened at his retreating form. I couldn't deal with this right now; I couldn't let my emotions get the best of me. I had to focus.
As I had predicted, the final round was against Colress. We met in the middle of the battling field for what was supposed to be a quick handshake.
"Oh, I had hoped it would turn out this way," he gleamed, looking incredibly satisfied.
"You're disgusting!"
"But it's only fitting, don't you think? That the strongest two trainers be in the final round?"
"I think it'd be more fitting for you to be in jail," I growled. "You kidnapped and tortured a bunch of people just to get another Pokemon battle with me!"
Colress smirked. "Well, it worked, didn't it?"
"Did you ever think of just asking me for another battle?" I asked exasperatedly.
"Of course I did. And would you have agreed?"
"…probably not."
"Well there, you see," he replied smugly, "I had to go this route. You would have run away otherwise."
"Well of course!" I screeched. "You're such a… creeper!"
He feigned innocence. "Who, me? Never. I just like a good challenge." And then he eyed me up and down, staring way too long at my legs.
YUCK.
"Stop staring at me!"
"As a researcher, it is the truth and the ideal way things should be… that is what I seek… the latent power of Pokemon," he marveled, completely ignoring my statement.
"Their true power," he continued. "What is the best way to bring it out? Perhaps it is the trust between trainers and Pokemon? I look forward to observing you during our match!"
Oh yes… I was quite certain he'd love to keep staring at me in his creepy, possessive way.
"I look forward to wiping the floor with your face!" I replied testily.
"Ah, you and your bad manners again," he sighed, stepping closer. "You really should work on that."
"Yeah, well you should work on your personality!"
"Come now, be a good girl and shake hands with me," he purred, reaching out and grabbing my hand, pulling me close.
His other hand touched my face and I stopped breathing for a moment.
"Would it really be so bad?"
Would what really be that bad?
There were probably a million thoughts racing through my brain trying to figure out what he meant by that. I don't know how long we stood like that, but it felt like forever.
"HEY YOU PERVERT, GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF HER!"
I looked over to see Hugh rushing towards us at full speed. Right before he reached us, Colress let go of me and stepped aside. Hugh ran straight past us and crashed into the metal railing at the edge of the stage. As Cheren hurried over to tend to him, Clay stepped between Colress and I.
Giving Colress a very stern look, he told us both to take our places and begin the match.
Anything to get away from that creep! I just hoped Hugh wasn't too injured from banging into that railing. I saw Cheren leading him back to the seats, but I couldn't see their faces.
"Alright, you albino fruitcake, you're going down!" I proclaimed, sending out my Growlithe.
Colress simply smirked and sent out a Magneton.
Seriously, a Magneton? Does he not know about type advantages?
My Growlithe easily overtook the Magneton and his second Pokemon, a Klink. His third and final Pokemon was an Elgyem.
"Your fire can't burn so strongly now," he taunted.
It was my turn to smirk. "Maybe not, but she's not my only Pokemon, you know…"
Recalling Growlithe, I sent out Serperior. My strongest Pokemon, who'd stuck with me the longest. If Colress wanted to see true strength, he'd get it.
His Elgyem went down in less than five minutes.
The stadium erupted in a fierce cheer of victory. All because I beat a crazy scientest in a Pokemon battle.
"Just as I expected," he said quietly, staring at his fainted Pokemon. I was the only person who heard him through all of the excitement. He caught me watching him. His face quickly changed back to his usual smug stance.
"You really are an extraordinary trainer," he conceded. "I look forward to meeting again soon."
I wanted to say something, no… many things. I wanted to yell and berate this mad scientist for everything he just put us through.
However, I was swarmed with admirers. Clay, Cheren, and Bianca (among others whose faces I didn't recognize) were suddenly hugging me, grasping my hands, touching my shoulders. So many people were thanking me.
Thanking me for stopping Colress, when really all along they could have overpowered him and thrown him in jail for kidnapping!
Speaking of, where were the police to arrest him? And where was Colress? I looked around the sea of faces, but I couldn't find his albino bird head anywhere.
He had managed to slip away. Just like that.
Somehow, this entire ordeal seemed like a waste.
I managed to pry myself away from everyone finally, claiming I needed to use the bathroom. But really, I was looking for someone.
I found Hugh in the hallway inside the the stadium. He was leaning against a water fountain, but he jerked up after noticing me.
I hurried over, rushing to speak before he could run off again. "Hugh, please, we need to talk—"
"Yeah, I know," he replied, looking down at his shoes.
"You do?"
"Yeah. I… I shouldn't have cut off your call," he said, still not looking at me. "I… I was just worr— I mean, you have to be more careful, okay?"
He finally looked up me, with a very guarded expression.
"Hugh, I'm going to do what I want. You can't stop me," I replied, resisting the urge to look away like he did. "You can't keep pushing me around."
"But I don't—"
"Yes you do!" I snapped angrily. "You're always telling me what to do and where to go, making me chase after Team Plasma with you! I've grown tired of it, Hugh! I can't keep doing this!"
I can't keep feeling for you when you don't feel the same way.
Hugh's face was blank as he stared at me for a long time. "I see," was all he said.
"I don't think you do," I responded quietly.
"I see you're wearing a dress."
What?
"Yeah… so? What about it?"
He took a step forward and frowned. "I bet you got that from your precious studio, right? Because that's all you care about these days. Instead of doing what's right, you go on a stupid celebrity tv show!"
"How dare you!" I cried, fuming. "You have no right to assume why I do the things I do! I went there because I needed space, Hugh! You're so selfish you don't even think about other people—"
"Shut up!" he yelled, so loudly and close that it continued ringing in my ear. "What do you think I do with my life every day? I'm trying to rescue my sister's Purrloin and stop Team Plasma, or did you forget? I'm doing it all for them, for my sister and other victims. I do it for them, Rosa!"
I couldn't help it; I started to cry. "I know that… I know! I know… I get it."
I quickly wiped away my tears before he could fuss at that too.
"And I know you're a strong trainer. So maybe… Maybe you should just do it by yourself. If you're so friggin strong, Hugh, then you obviously don't need me."
He opened his mouth but closed it before saying anything. He gave me a long, long look before finally replying.
"You know what? I don't need you."
Hugh turned and walked away, like he'd done so many times before.
Only this time, he wasn't going to wait for me to catch up.
My legs gave out and I sat on the floor in the middle of the hallway with my chin on my knees.
And I cried.