"So…who should we use?"
Harley and Soledad's Pokemon - all lined up like soldiers awaiting briefing - immediately stood up straight.
Soledad frowned, cupping her chin. "Um…"
Lilycove City beamed with life all around the two coordinators, who were currently settled in the middle of the town's central park that reminded Soledad of the park in Slateport. It was early, the sun only a few inches away from the horizon it had risen from, though this was the expected time of day since Harley and Soledad had decided to follow their usual ordeal, waking up in the first hours of morning to make sure that they would put in as much practicing time as they could before the rematch between them and May and Drew commenced. (Of course, the rematch wasn't for another week or two.)
"I have no idea," Soledad finally said, letting out a sigh.
Harley arched an eyebrow, glancing at their Pokemon.
The grounds around the two coordinators were mostly clear; trainers who were attempting to train their Pokemon were low in number that morning, which was surprising considering how many people tended to challenge the local gym daily. Any trainers who were nearby seemed to be restricting themselves to the grassy areas away from Harley and Soledad, and whether this was because they were aware of the 'epic' upcoming rematch between them and May and Drew and wanted to give any required space to the two present challengers Soledad didn't really know. She appreciated such respectful implications, though, despite that both she and her lover were having trouble deciding on the two very Pokemon they were going to use for the aforementioned battle.
"Garchomp and Pidgeot?" Harley suggested.
Both Garchomp and Pidgeot called their names in obedience.
Soledad placed a finger to her chin. "Maybe. Then again…do we really want to…reuse them?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, we technically just used them, and I'm not so sure it's a good idea to bring them back out when they were in our most recent battle…"
Garchomp and Pidgeot frowned, their shoulders sagging.
Soledad bit her lip. "Er, sorry guys. I don't mean anything by it – you know, about the Brave Rush or anything – I'm just saying."
"Gar, gar chomp chomp…" Garchomp said, shrugging.
Well, I suppose what you say makes sense…
Pidgeot nodded. "Pidgeo."
Agreed.
Harley squirmed in place. "Really? I guess I have to agree, too, but…damn, I was really hoping to see Garchomp flourish in a contest battle."
"She'll have her day," Soledad assured him, smiling. "Just…with the recent happenings…I think they should both sit this one out. Besides, undoubtedly May and Drew going to be using different Pokemon as well."
"Then who should we use…?"
Soledad looked back at their options. "That is what I can't decide on."
"Should we still go with a duo we've already thought up?"
"Probably."
"Then…how about…Butterfree and Banette?"
"Hmm…no…"
"Slowbro and Octillery?"
"No…"
"Lapras and Cacturne?"
Soledad had to think at that suggestion. The concept of using the first two Pokemon they ever used in a match together for one of the biggest battles they were going to have sounded…not so bad. She hummed thoughtfully. "Actually…I think that's a good idea."
Harley glanced at her. "Really?" He looked at Cacturne and Lapras, blinking, though a smile then appeared on his face. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"
Cacturne jumped forward, pumping his arms into the air. "Cac! Cac cacturne!"
Yes! Make room for the champion!
Garchomp snorted. "Gar-chomp."
Show-off.
Cacturne glared at her. As soon as his eyes fell upon her, though, his look of anger faded away. "C-cacturne. Cac cac turne."
W-whatever. You're just jealous.
"Gar? Chomp," Garchomp scoffed, turning her head away.
Jealous? Don't make me laugh.
Cacturne grinned goofily. "Cacturne, cac cac cacturne."
Yeah, just keep telling yourself that.
Garchomp snarled. "Gar gar chomp!"
Kiss my blue, scaly ass!
"Are they bickering again?" Soledad whispered to Harley.
The amethyst-haired coordinator massaged the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, sighing. "You know…I can't really tell anymore."
Meanwhile, Lapras placed a flipper between Cacturne and Garchomp, her brows furrowing as she hissed her name.
Knock it off, you two!
From behind Lapras' flipper, Garchomp crossed her arms and hunched up her shoulders.
Cacturne glared in Garchomp's direction. A few seconds later, though, his brows rose, and he found himself pulling back for a reason that was beyond him. He focused his eyes on the ground, letting out a sigh. Perhaps it was time they knocked it off. "…Cac…cac turne cacturne."
…Listen, I think…you and Pidgeot would've done great, you know.
Garchomp's face dropped at that and she glanced at Cacturne with what could be a hint of surprise amongst her eyes. Was he…complimenting her? She turned her head away, suddenly at a loss for words.
"Right," Soledad said, clapping her hands together, eyebrows furrowed determinedly. "Now that we got that settled, how about we get into positions and try some new formations?"
Lapras glanced at her trainer and nodded. Cacturne did the same, meeting Harley's eyes, in which the amethyst-haired trainer blinked at how distant his Pokemon suddenly appeared – as if he was lost in thought. Garchomp appeared to be stuck in the same contemplative trance, because their other Pokemon had already chirped their names obediently and were backing away to give Cacturne and Lapras some working space.
Pushing the matter aside, Harley stepped back as well. "Alright…what move should we start with?"
Soledad followed him, eyes rising to the sky in thought. It was silent for a few seconds before she responded with: "Let's try a simple Surf attack from Lapras."
Lapras stepped forward into the makeshift training grounds the others had provided for her, cooing her name with loyalty. She placed her flippers onto the grass, her eyes glowing that familiar hue of bright blue, and as if on cue the ground around her began to grow damp as the water located far beneath its surface rose to the top. Soon enough, a long line of surging water formed behind the Pokemon – a dormant wave awaiting the order to sprawl forward and strike whatever the target was. Due to the fact that they weren't near the ocean – the best place to perform a Surf attack – the wave wasn't as big and strong as it could've been, but it was still a reliable source of energy and good enough for the formation idea that was slowly developing itself inside Soledad's head.
"Now," the said pink-red-haired woman continued, "send the wave forward!"
Lapras nodded, glowing eyes narrowing as she did just that – the wave shot forward, stretching out into a large blanket of aqua that swept over the grassy grounds before it. Harley and Soledad had to move to the side to avoid getting splashed, though luckily the wave didn't go far enough to disturb the trainers that were battling on the other end of the park.
Soledad pointed at the wave. "Quick! Use Ice Beam on the water!"
Lapras slowly blinked, the glowing hue of her eyes dissipating as she broke her control over the water. Before it could recede into the ground, she pulled her head back, then lunging it forward a few seconds after when an Ice Beam attack was done charging in her throat. The beam shot towards the wave, hitting it dead-on and sending a sheet of white frost spreading across its surface, the water solidifying into ice. The aftermath was a semi-large battlefield covered in a frosty playground consisting of grooves and ditches where the wave had shifted and turned before being turned into ice – a contorted ice rink of some sort that completely hid away the grassy grounds beneath.
Harley smirked, admiring how the sunlight raining down from above reflected off of the ice, making it a flash a brilliant, bluish white. "Wow. A beautiful combination that could turn any battlefield into an icy paradise." He looked at Soledad. "You never cease to amaze me, you know that?"
Soledad met his gaze, returning his smirk. She was even tempted to flip one of her bangs out of her eyes like Drew always did. "But of course."
"Got anything else Lapras could add on?"
A hum emitted from the woman. "Uh…not really. Up to what we got now is all I've thought of so far. Let's see what Cacturne can do."
Harley nodded, turning his eyes to his Pokemon. "You heard her! It's your turn, Cacturne!"
Cacturne's head perked up at his master's call. His eyes had been focused on Garchomp, who was sitting somewhat far away, stuck in the same state of pondering he was in. Now that he had been ordered forth, though, he got up and walked forward towards Lapras, oblivious to how Garchomp had finally rose her head to glance at him, her gaze oxymoronically void of any distaste whatsoever.
Harley turned his attention to the icy battlefield Lapras had created. He narrowed his eyes in thought, wondering what his Pokemon could possibly do to add on to the formation-in-progress. He hummed once an idea came to mind. "Cacturne," he said, pointing to the ice battlefield, "get onto the battlefield!"
Cacturne switched his gaze between his master and the battlefield, shrugging his shoulders before walking over and climbing up onto the ice. He shivered slightly as its coldness swept across the bottoms of his flat feet, its slipperiness nearly causing him to tumble over as well. He eventually gained his balance, though.
"Try to move a little," Harley said.
Cacturne blinked.
"You know, like…uh…skating!"
The grass and dark type looked down, meeting the yellow eyes of his reflection. He had skated before back when his master traveled the regions for contests and they passed through the usual winter-themed towns that occupied all countries. Due to the fact that they hadn't been traveling recently, though, he hadn't exactly skated in a while, and therefore he couldn't help the look of uneasiness that crossed his face. He slowly placed his foot forward, noticing that – excluding the various grooves and ditches in some places among the battlefield - the ice seemed to be quite smooth in most parts; this would help with the task he was trying to perform. He let out a relieved sigh when he didn't slip, and it wasn't long before he managed to kick forward with his other foot, sending him sliding across the ice. He flailed his arms around slightly when his balance was threatened again, but he was able to maintain it and was now skating with as much ease as he could before, twisting and turning his body so that he avoided all of the battlefield's ditches and grooves. The edges of his mouth twitched upwards as the soothing sensation of passing air swiped across his face.
Soledad chuckled, turning her eyes to Harley. "I think he's having fun."
Harley opened his mouth to agree with her, but he abruptly shut it when a loud thud sound erupted through the air. His gaze darted back to the ice, where Cacturne had evidently missed the chance to dodge a small ditch and had fallen flat on his face. The amethyst-haired coordinator put a hand to his forehead while Soledad blinked, Lapras grimaced, and the rest of their Pokemon burst out into a fit of giggles (instead for Garchomp, who frowned sympathetically).
"You okay, Cacturne?" Harley called out.
Cacturne raised his arm, waving the incident off with a weak swish. He then hoisted himself up, brushed himself off and shook away any lingering disorientation from his head.
"Alright then," said Harley, "let's try that again."
Cacturne nodded. The grass and dark type quickly kicked his feet forward, sending him sailing across the ice.
Soledad turned to Harley. "What now?"
Harley placed a finger to his chin, eyes narrowing in thought. "Cacturne," he said, "begin to charge up a Needle Arm attack!"
Cacturne called his name, following his master's order as, in the midst of skating, he rose his arms, which had begun to glow a bright white as he charged up a Needle Arm attack.
"Now, hit the ice!"
The grass and dark type, seeing what his master was trying to accomplish, heeded the command and jumped up, using the speed he gained from skating on the ice as a height amplifier. He then charged back down head-first, crossing his glowing arms in front of him, slamming them against the icy ground once he was close enough to do so. The force of the hit sprawled across that section of the battlefield, sending cracks along its surface. A few seconds later, Harley and Soledad widened their eyes at the sight of the entire area shattering into hundreds of tiny needle-shaped ice fragments, which shot forward like the fired ammunition of a dozen machine guns – a wave of shards. The fragments glittered in the sunlight, adding beauty to the attack as they swept through the air and eventually impaled the grassy ground and trees on the other side of the park (which caused a few of the trainers who were battling there to back up to avoid getting hit; Soledad called out an apology for this).
"Holy crap," Harley said once everything quieted down, sounding both intimidated and amazed.
Cacturne, also stunned by the outcome of the formation, returned to his feet and glanced at the ice, in which the entire section he had struck with his Needle Arm was gone, leaving a big chunk of the battlefield missing. He turned his head to eye Lapras, who only blinked, the Pokemon around her doing the same, obviously at a loss for words (even Garchomp appeared slightly impressed).
"Not as epic as the Brave Rush formation," Soledad began, crossing her arms proudly, "but I still think it's worthy enough to leave May and Drew – and everyone else – speechless."
"And win us the battle?" Harley smirked.
Soledad only winked at him.
"What should we call it, though?" the amethyst-haired coordinator asked.
"Hmm…I don't know…"
"How about the 'Epic-of-Epicness' formation?"
"…You're a dork."
Harley grinned at her, and she had to return it, fighting the urge to run over and kiss him. (You're in public, she reminded herself.)
"Alright," Soledad called out to Lapras and Cacturne, "I think that's the formation we're going to use, so let's practice it some more. Lapras, prepare to repair the battlefield!"
Lapras nodded, getting to work on doing just that. Meanwhile, Cacturne stepped away from the area, deciding to take a short break. He was immediately approached by the other Pokemon, who chirped their compliments on his and Lapras' performance. He smirked, bowing elegantly like a noble actor, though his face fell when a familiar land-shark came up from behind.
Garchomp's narrowed eyes were focused on the ground, as if she didn't want to meet Cacturne's gaze, despite that she eventually rose her head and did just that. "Gar…chomp…" she grumbled.
Good…job…
Cacturne blinked, surprised by the land-shark's compliment regardless that it had come out with a tone of restriction, as if she was forcing herself to say it. He turned his own eyes to the ground, the air suddenly growing very awkward. "Cac…"
Thanks…
Garchomp snorted, turning around. "Gar gar chomp…chomp gar chomp."
Just don't get cocky…Harley and Soledad are counting on you.
With that, she walked away and back to her spot on the sidelines, leaving Cacturne to stare after her. He turned his eyes to the sky in thought, surprised that Garchomp had shown any appreciation at all. And, a few seconds later when he was called back to the battlefield after Lapras had finished repairing it, only one response showed on his face:
A smile.
Hours passed as Harley and Soledad continued to train at the Lilycove City Park, having Cacturne and Lapras reattempt their new formation (properly dubbed the Ice Storm formation) over and over as many times as their Pokemon were willing to do so, which was practically endlessly since both Cacturne and Lapras wanted to win the contest just as much as their masters did. With practice came improvement in Cacturne's performance on the ice; he was no longer stumbling while skating around, and he had even found a way to use the various grooves and ditches that usually consisted half of the icy battlefields Lapras created to jump higher when pulling off a Needle Arm attack; this added more power to his strikes and caused more shards to shoot out when he hit the ice, amplifying both its strength and beauty.
Eventually, the sun began to sink below the city's buildings that obscured the horizon, turning the sky into a mixture of dark colors that would hypnotize anyone who stared into their midst. Harley and Soledad figured that that was a good time to stop – they could work more on perfecting the Ice Storm formation tomorrow – and after cleaning up the park of any remnants of their training, they packed up their Pokemon, got some dinner at a nearby restaurant, and drove back to their hotel room to relax for the rest of the day.
Soledad hummed as she stared out the window of their hotel room, admiring how the day's end added to Lilycove's appeal; the air was cool and comfortable, the silvery, reflecting hulls of the large ships that were docked at the bay glowing orange as the sun painted its warm colors across their surfaces. Even the streets below seemed to grow quiet – there were no visible traffic jams and the hollow atmosphere of the city lacked the usual sounds of car honks and insults from drivers who could speak louder than Arceus.
Behind the pink-red-haired woman the door to the room's bathroom was closed, the sound of running water signifying that Harley was in the midst of taking a shower, washing off any dirt or grime that could've been gained from training Pokemon. Since their Pokemon were resting in their Pokeballs, Soledad had the room to herself until her boyfriend was done-
A sudden familiar ringing tone broke Soledad from her thoughts. She turned her eyes to her PokeNav that had been placed on the small nightstand beside the bed, its screen lighting up as it vibrated with an incoming call. Already having an idea of who it was, she walked over and picked it up, placing it to her ear and saying into it a firm "Hello?"
"Hey, Soledad."
Soledad's tone lacked surprise. "Hey, Drew."
"How're your formations coming along?"
"Oh, quite good. In fact, we've already created a new formation and are just working on perfecting it. You?"
"Same," Drew said. He let out a snort. "May and I have been training all day. I swear, that girl won't let me take a breather."
Soledad had to smile at that. "That's May for you. But if it makes you feel any better, Harley and I've been training all day, too."
Drew grunted at the mention of Harley. "Has he…still been good? Harley, I mean."
"Yes," Soledad replied, frowning. She had tried her best not to hiss the word.
"He hasn't…tried anything?"
"Nope."
"If he did…you would tell me, right?"
Soledad sighed. She had already established to herself that she didn't want to keep secrets from Drew, but yet the secret she was currently holding was a secret that was worth locking away from his eyes. "I would tell you, Drew. I've already promised that."
"I know, I know," Drew said, his tone lowering. "I'm just worried, that's all. I don't want him to do anything that could possibly hurt you, because if he does…I'll-"
"Drew," said Soledad, cutting off the chartreuse-haired teen, "I'm keeping a close eye on him, and so far he's been really…fair? Yeah, fair, as in he's behaving."
"That's somewhat hard to believe."
Soledad turned her gaze to the carpeted floor. "I…know it is, but it's the truth." She closed her eyes. "You're never going to trust him, aren't you?"
"Can you blame me, Soledad? For all of the crap he's put May through; hell, I'm surprised she's even still willing to be friends with him."
"Maybe May is just a really forgiving person."
Silence.
"I guess she is…" Drew eventually said.
"I know it's going to be hard to do this," Soledad began, "but perhaps you could try to sort out your differences with Harley someday? Undoubtedly we're going to be traveling together again in the near future, and I have to tell you now that the tension that was always between you two…it didn't exactly make things easy sometimes."
Drew snorted. "Well, there was a reason for the tension, wasn't there?"
"Drew…"
"I'm not going to promise anything, Soledad. You and May might trust him, but my thoughts differ. They always will. Traveling alone before I met even you, I've learned when to judge people and how to judge them. Harley's done some bad stuff. You could say he's changed, but that's not something I'm going to be willing to believe at first glance."
"Will you ever?"
Drew's tone lowered again. "I…don't know, Soledad. I just don't know."
Soledad's eyes narrowed in thought. She and Drew had always been there for one another, and therefore he had always been willing to help her if she needed assistance. Now, though, she was asking him to do the one thing he wouldn't do for even Arceus, so she wasn't surprised that he was refusing. She couldn't blame him, either.
But, that still didn't stop her from wishing that he would…
I want to be with Harley, but I don't want to lose you in the process.
"I understand, Drew," she said, her voice nearly as quiet as his.
"Just keep on looking out for anything suspicious. If he tries anything…anything at all…tell me immediately, okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Then I suppose I'll talk to you later."
"Sure…and Drew?"
"Mmm?"
Soledad sighed. "I love you."
More silence.
"I know."
And Drew hung up.
Darkness engulfed the hotel room, dominating the area and hiding everything beneath a veil of black. Outside, the city was illuminated by the lights of various buildings and the shine of the full moon that rained down from above, the clear skies revealing a sea of stars that twinkled with their nightly glory. The ocean was calm, tainted dark from the night, and, despite being a bustling town during the morning, Lilycove seemed to have gone to sleep as its streets lacked a high number of cars, the stores were shut down for the day, and people no longer flooded the sidewalks in the midst of getting to wherever they needed to be.
Soledad stared at the ceiling of the hotel room. Laying on the mattress, she had her arms behind her head, having been unable to sleep since she and her lover retreated to bed a few hours ago. She didn't bother to turn her head and glance at the clock on the nearby nightstand to see what time it was now; she could already tell that it was some time in the morning – perhaps one or two – and all that was going through her head was her recent conversation with Drew. With how she and Harley's formation for the contest had already been figured out and all they needed to do was work on perfecting it, she didn't have anything else to worry about – though the fact that the day where she would confess to Drew that she was in love with his most hated enemy was coming up was enough to prevent her from thinking about anything else anyway.
She sighed, turning to her side. Harley was asleep on the other side of the bed, which was practically only a few inches away, and the pink-red-haired woman envied to have his calmness – something that would perhaps help her close her eyes and keep them closed without having them reopen whenever a thought of Drew caused her stomach to jump. She scanned her eyes over Harley's body, his chest slowly rising and falling as he slept peacefully, and the more she thought of confessing to Drew the more fright filled her at the possibility that something bad could happen after the contest. What if something did happen? What if, after she told Drew, he got mad and…did something? Soledad was far from worrying over if Drew was actually willing to hurt anyone for her protection, but just the concept itself was enough to intimidate her.
She was scared. That was it. She was scared. She didn't want to lose Drew, and she didn't want to lose Harley. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, or however that saying went. She didn't know what to think. What would happen when they confessed to everyone that they were together – not just Drew? Would everyone else perhaps shun them away, too? Could this entire situation really reflect something similar to Romeo and Juliet? She didn't know, and that was what scared her; she didn't want to lose the trust of everyone, she didn't want to lose Drew, and she didn't want to lose Harley.
She especially didn't want to lose Harley.
Before she could stop herself, she scooted closer to her amethyst-haired lover, so close she could hear his soft breathing. She placed a hand on his chest – as if his warmth was the only thing that could comfort her right now – and she felt herself relax as his heartbeat gently tapped her palm. He smelled good; the effects of the products he had used in the shower had yet to dissipate – it all clung to him like a haunting phantom. She came even closer, wanting to be as close to him as she possibly could be, and before she knew it her head was on his chest as her hand trailed down his stomach. Eventually, she reached the edge of his shirt, which she then noticed was slightly raised, revealing a long line of skin between it and his belt buckle.
Warm skin.
Her fingers twitched with temptation, and eventually they snaked forward, gently touching the exposed skin.
His flesh…it was both soft and hot – just as soft and hot as it had been the night she felt his bare back during the contest in Slateport. Her eyes flashed with memories of that night; it was one of the first times she had felt something for the amethyst-haired coordinator – the need to be with him, to feel the warmth he had just as she was feeling right now. A cold flash shot up her spine, her body's way of signaling that it wanted more; but when she noticed this she quickly pulled her hand away, scolding her body and her mind.
Down, girl, she told herself.
"Sol?"
Soledad froze in place, tilting her head so that she met Harley's eyes, which glowed their hue of metallic blue-green in the darkness that engulfed the room. She felt somewhat guilty for waking him, but yet she was also glad that he was awake. She just hoped that he hadn't notice what she'd been doing right before he woke up…
"Can't sleep?" he asked, arching an eyebrow, an amused smile on his face.
"Not tonight," Soledad muttered.
"Worried about the contest?"
Soledad nodded, turning her eyes back to the ceiling. "Yeah…let's just say that."
Harley mimicked her. "What are you worried about?"
"The usual stuff – whether we'll win or not."
"Ah." He turned his head to her. "You have confidence in Cacturne and Lapras, don't you?"
Soledad nodded. "Of course, but that doesn't take away whatever hidden power May and Drew have."
"True. True."
"I can't wait until all of this is over," Soledad said, "and I don't have to worry about anything anymore. Not the contest. Not the formations…"
Not Drew.
Or, at least she hoped she didn't...
Harley hoisted himself up with one arm, facing her. "But having nothing to worry about takes the fun out of everything, doesn't it?"
"Yeah…but some stuff I just wish I didn't have to worry about. I just wish I could escape it all…"
Just get in your car. Just get in your car with you and drive away.
But they couldn't do that and leave everything behind. They couldn't.
Soledad sighed.
"Sol," Harley began, his tone soft, "I know all of this stuff has been stressful, and you seem to have a lot on your mind. But we're together now, and I want to make sure that you know that you can tell me anything; through thick and thin, I'll be here for you. Always."
Soledad turned her eyes to him, somewhat surprised by his words. Then again, she had been dozing off on him a lot lately, so it made sense that he would bring such a topic up. She smiled, slowly reaching forward and cupping his cheek, thumb grazing the stubble that traced his jaw. "I know," she said. "Thank you."
I wish I could tell you everything.
Harley moved closer, wrapping an arm around Soledad and pulling her against him. She laid her head against his chest, feeling his warmth engulf her – the only thing on the entire planet that could bring her comfort at a time like this.
"Now," he whispered into her ear, "try to get some sleep."
Soledad chuckled softly. "Okay."
She could try. For him.
