"It's finally time."
Amelia never felt as well prepared before. The Showcase finally starting today she woke up early and did her regular preparations of a good morning stretch together with Espeon and Oricorio. Curving her spine and lifting her arms she loosened up her joints and made certain she was in peak condition. Espeon and Oricorio copied it by light movements themselves doing their warm up.
Ash sat on the couch eating breakfast watching her. Eating a healthy dose of pancakes he shared most of it with Pikachu unknowingly. Ash not eating at his usual pace the mouse managed to steal a few extra pieces compared to normal. His trainer mesmerized Pikachu was at least happy he didn't had to be carried inside Ash's jacket.
After meeting Shauna again Ash got disguised too. Trading in familiar blue for a more subdued red he wore fake glasses and a combination of red and orange. Pikachu on his shoulder being a dead give away hid under his coat peeking up on occasion. The mouse got annoyed at being stuffed away mostly but Ash pleaded to him to do this until they left Snowbelle City. Pikachu wasn't going to hide during the Showcase though.
Finishing her stretching Amelia thanked Espeon and Oricorio before returning them to their Pokeballs to hide them from the cold for now. Dressing up in their winter gear as Amy and now the green wearing Ashton they went out to the Showcase arena build for today.
"Wish me luck." Never relying on luck but her own skill before the heir wanted at least some final pep words from her biggest supporter.
"You worked hard. I know how hard. You can't lose. You can do it!" Ash feeling the pressure himself gave her some encouragement with a smile. He felt a tickle on his chest as Pikachu stuck his head out and gave a motivating chu to boot. The heir smiled at the brother like duo. Amelia reached out and gave Pikachu a soft pet on the head.
"I'm sorry Pikachu. Win or lose I promise to make any treat you want." Her compassion to tue mouse for putting up with all her demands Ash's Pokémon deserved as big a reward as their trainer. Her bag slung over her shoulder Amelia went away towards the competitors entrance giving him one last look with Ash giving a thumbs up. Smiling at him one last time with a wave, Ash seeing her go looked at his buddy on his shoulder.
"Let's find a good seat."
Amelia had gotten out of her yellow disguise and switched back to her trademark purple. The theme Performance always gave the contestants outfits to match the activity and today was no different. Wearing a purple shirt with white stripes and blue jeans she got given special shoes to stand on ice. Looking around she saw her opponents for the day and two stuck out.
The first one was Shauna. In the final days of practice the brunette quietly lingered in the back of her head. Even the offer to help a future potential rival gnawed at her conscience. Amelia got softer to her opposition then before not complaining about losses as much anymore but it still felt weird that she would be going up against a rival that seemed not to harbor animosity towards the same goal.
The second being Stacy. The redhead wearing the same outfit as Amelia but a variation of red and black the heir kept her gaze on her a little longer. This was the biggest hurdle and the reason she lost her previous Showcase. The way her father was disappointed with her loss still somewhat haunted her. Ash and her mother meanwhile being the polar opposite they still showed support to her own goals.
"No. I'm doing this for myself. No one else."
Stacy saw Amelia looking at her from the corner of her eye. Pretending not to notice the redhead felt smug today about the opportunity to eliminate Amelia again. Instilling even more doubt into the heir it be a distraction from the research into the Valuer owned mines as Amelia had to come to terms with her own inadequacies.
"You have no idea what I have in store for you today."
"Ladies and gentlemen…"
As usual Monsieur Pierre introduced himself to the anticipating audience wearing skates too as the entire stage was covered in ice. Sliding gracefully he stood in the center of the rink created for this very special event. Ash hearing the host performing his intro proving once again he was really good at his job. He was excited to see what the theme Performance would be and after seeing the golden Princess Key with a snowflake on the tip of the handle that was on the line today he got his answer.
"The Theme Performance is…Bergmite Curling!"
Pierre theatrically proclaimed as there was a long field with a multi colored circle and stripes painted on.
"Our contestants will slide Bergmite inspired stones each with the help of their Pokémon. Two Performers will compete against each other and the winner of their round will advance to the Freestyle on our rink! Slide the stones as close as you can to the center of the target. The one with the most points at the end after all the stones are thrown wins!"
"Some rules are in place. You and your Pokémon can affect the momentum of your own stones but not the ones thrown by your opponents and if there isn't any movement. Affecting your opponents thrown stones by other means than knocking them away with your own stones that have been thrown too will be seen as disqualifiable offense. And to make sure the judgement is fair and rules are followed here is your highly expertise curling team of Snowbelle City, the Snowbelle Avalugg's!"
The team got a loud applause from a lot of people in the stands. To Ash it seemed they were a popular lot here just like the Valuer family in Fluerrh City. Pierre continued to explain the rules about the game of curling as Ash was already distracted by Amelia's prospects knowing his pick for today's win is already weighing her options.
"So she has to compete against someone right away. Wonder who?"
Amelia backstage went trough her options on who too pick as her 'sweepers'. Espeon's Psychic would easily allow her to alter the course of her stones while Dragonair's Ice Beam can create a bridge allowing her stone to go over anything else placed if she went last in her round. Or Oricorio's wind manipulation or Alcremie's cream creating resistance so they won't slide too far.
Being focused on her choice she settled on her own methods. She was allowed to use two Pokémon as sweepers and made her decision. Preparing herself and her Pokémon she saw a few groups go before her. Shauna was one of the first duo's up and she won her round.
"Our next pairing will be, Amelia vs Stacy!"
"Heh heh heh…Such a shame all that practice you showed Viktor won't ever pay off."
As the raven haired girl looked at Stacy the redhead snickered. Amelia fully concentrated on delivering a loss to the former idol, Stacy felt smug. Having hired a hacker to break in the Showcase system and to set up their match she'd eliminate Amelia even before the big Freestyle dance. In her mind there was no better way than that to eliminate her.
In the audience Ash heard as well who Amelia's opponent will be and his foot began to tap nervously. He began to twitch a little and Pikachu pressed against his chest felt his heartrate skyrocket. Pikachu gave Ash a concerned chu as it helped him somewhat. Petting his buddy between the ears he told him he was just excited to see Amelia and nervous.
"Please welcome! Performer Stacy and Performer Amelia!"
Monsieur Pierre introduced the duo that came into a loud applause. Amelia had chosen her Espeon and Alcremie as sweeper crew while Stacy had an Alolan Ninetails and the more regular Fire type. They were presented with their stones and they were purple for Amelia and red for Stacy. A coin toss deciding who would go first it was the red haired girl who drew the short end of the stick.
"As planned really."
Stacy took her place and after guessing how hard she had to push the red curling stone she threw it. Both Ninetails began to sweep the ice with the tails creating lesser resistance as the red stone landed just passed the bulls-eye of the circle by about two steps.
Amelia threw hers next and with Espeon using her Psychic it took control of a broom provided to sweep and Alcremie used some of its dough to trap it perfectly in the middle circle. Amelia in the lead now this went on and off till the pair reached their final stone.
Amelia currently in the lead managed to place two stones right outside the bull's-eye compared to Stacy. It being her last turn the redhead had to make it count and she planned too. Pushing her final stone she ordered her Fire type Ninetails to perform a typing attack.
"Flamethrower!"
As the Ice type swept the path the Fire type burned and melted the ice behind it. The red stone came perfectly in the middle of the target circle and the path to it started to melt and around the stones Amelia placed earlier. It still left the purple stones on a thin sheet of ice fulfilling the requirement you can't manipulate them with Pokémon moves.
"Incredible! Instead of the path in front of her Stacy and her Fire type Ninetails have melted the path behind them so there is no ice left to throw on! Will the judges allow this!?"
"It is a very old and not often used tactic since we can use our Ice types to create a new path. While frowned upon it is still in the spirit of the rules as the opponents stones are untouched. We allow it!"
"You heard the judges! Unfair as it seems Stacy has caused quite a situation for Performer Amelia! Will she be able to outwit Stacy and her pair of Ninetails or is this the end!?"
As the audience had mixed feelings Ash was hotter than the Fire type that melted the ice. His face seething red it took Pikachu climbing out of his jacket and shocking him slightly to calm him somewhat down.
"Think…think…Come on…you're the smartest here…I know you can do it…it can't end here."
"Just give up. My stone is perfect in the center and you can't touch it without sinking your last rock. I win."
The timer ticking down for Amelia's turn all eyes were on her. The redhead reading between the rules Amelia tried to remember the exact rules stated by Pierre. Determined not to be defeated by the loophole Stacy exploited she came up with an idea as a confident smile came on her face.
"Alcremie, use your cream to make a raft!"
The walking bundle of cream created a creampuff and threw it in the water. It started to float and was big enough for Amelia's stone now. Amelia pushed herself off and slid the stone on the make shift raft. The cream holding up the stone's weight it hobbled in an agonizing slow speed towards the only piece of ice left.
"Even if you get there it doesn't have enough speed to knock mine off."
"Send it away with Hyper Voice!" Espeon yelled as a shockwave propelled the stone with more speed to the center. The cream speeding to the circle in the middle of the lake of water it touched Stacy's red stone and pushed it off the small platform she had remaining making it sink. Amelia's final stone stopped just on the edge before it fell into the water and sank too. She only won by one point but it was all that she needed.
"By using her ingenuity and Pokémon's talents she pulled off an unlikely comeback! The winner is Performer Amelia!"
Hearing her name called out she was relieved and with a huge applause directed at her for thinking so quickly on her feet, Amelia courtesy bowed to the audience with a big smile. As the audience cheered for her victory none of them were as loud as a boy with a Pikachu. Even if she wasn't aware where Ash was seated she knew he cheered for her. Peeking over to Stacy, Amelia couldn't help but feel incredibly smug.
"She's steaming more than that Ninetails. Hehehehehe."
Now with the redheaded nuisance gone she was putting her entire focus on her next act. The figure skating Performance she worked so hard for. Leaving the field or what's left of it there was a small intermission to repair the ice field for the final couple of duo's that will face off. Reaching the back she saw Stacy storm past her. The heir felt incredibly relaxed now for a few moments.
As he saw Amelia retreat to the back Ash breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was cutting it too close for his liking but it worked out in the end. Despite his big breakfast he felt his stomach growl. He guessed the nerves and small anger of Amelia not making the next round made him work his appetite. He looked down at Pikachu's head sticking out his coat.
"All this makes me hungry. Want a bite?" The important contestants had passed anyway so Ash thought he wouldn't be missing out on much until the Freestyle Performance came into play and by then he would already be plastered to his seat cheering on the heir and most interesting person so far.
"Pikachu!" Happy to hear Ash being back to his old self somewhat they left their seat as the intermission came and the qualified Performers were getting ready for their arguably the biggest test in Showcases aside from facing the Kalos Queen in the Master Class.
Argh…wanted to add the theme Performance to make it a big part but it would go too long without an update. Life still busy…I swear I'm not lazy…
Later.