Guess what? As of the other day's update of Chapter 46, this series now has 9,000 hits! YAY! Thank you all so much for reading so much T_T
-Season 8: The Final Objectives-
Opening: We Will Carry On
Chapter 47: Fight or Flight
About an hour into the walk, Clair throws her cape around her.
"So, are you two...in a relationship?" Clair asks.
Lyra and Ethan look at each other, eyes bulged.
"No, of course not..." Ethan's cheeks turned a scarlet color, even as he said it.
Clair nodded. "Right...I understand. So, what are you doing on your journeys?" Clair hopped onto a rock and then over it. Ethan and Lyra followed over it.
"I'm a coordinator!" Lyra said first. She pulled out her ribbon case. "I have three ribbons." She opened it. Clair glanced back and nodded.
"There's a-" Clair started.
"Contest in Duskfall Town, I know. That's why we came this way, so it would be on our way to Blackthorn instead of going out of our way," Lyra added.
"Why were you coming to Blackthorn?"
"I'm a Gym Challenger," Ethan answered.
Clair seemed to be shocked by that, and stopped for a split second, but kept going. "I see. So, you think the Gym Leader in Blackthorn will be any of a challenge?"
"No, not really. Maybe, but I doubt it. My team's been strengthened by determination, training and love!" Ethan replied.
Clair stopped talking for a minute, taking in what he said. "Hm. So you believe in your pokemon?"
Ethan nodded and said yes. Clair replied by nodding and they continued walking. In another hour, they had reached a small town nestled in the mountains right in the middle of their path.
Clair showed them the Pokemon Center. After they went inside, she followed.
"Well, It's getting pretty late, so I guess I'll leave you for now...Good luck tomorrow in the PokeRinger..."
"You too!" Ethan replied. Lyra waved.
"Oh wait, Clair!" Lyra whirred up from the seat she had sat in. "When's the contest?"
"Day after tomorrow. Better get practicing!" Clair threw her cape around her and walked up the stairs to the room she had rented.
Lyra sank down into the purple vinyl couch. Ethan collapsed into the purple vinyl chair. He glanced over at her, then respected the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.
"So, Lyra...What was that you did back at Dark Cave?" He asked.
Lyra tightened her hands into fists. "Um, I don't know what you're talking about!" She burrowed her head into a throw cushion. When she moved it after hearing no reply, she saw Ethan's face close to hers.
"Are you lying?" He asked softly.
She yelped and smacked him in the side of the head with the pillow. She hurried to the counter, asked for a room, payed rent and scurried up the stairs. Ethan laid down on the pillows, smirking.
"Let's see how Professor is...anyway..." He turned on his PokeGear and called Professor Elm. His face popped up on the screen with a smile.
"Hello Ethan! I trust you arrived in Blackthorn?" He asked simply.
"Well, no. We're crashing in Duskfall for a couple of days because there's a PokeRinger event and a contest in the next two days," Ethan described.
"I see. Well, I've advanced on some information you might want to know about. The Johto Competition isn't just two weeks away, but the location is an area just west of the Pokeathlon Dome, out on the sea. The ferries there are reserving tickets in one week, so you'd better hurry and get back to Goldenrod!" Elm explained.
"That's awesome! Thanks, Professor. So, how've you been lately?"
"Well, just fine really. I'm studying the science of evolution with two of my colleagues from two other regions."
"Hey, I studied a little on the professors of the regions, and I found out you're pretty popular!"
"Eh, I've been around..." He straightened his tie and smirked. "Although I am the one who discovered steel types a few years ago..."
"Really?" Ethan said plainly, knowing Elm was about to go into a long, depressing story. He cupped his hand over the PokeGear continuously and made scratching sounds. "Wow! Professor, we...seem...to be...breaking up...bye!" Ethan hung up and took a heavy sigh.
He walked to Nurse Joy's counter, asked what room Lyra went into, and headed upstairs.
Later that night, Ethan awoke and looked over at the clock on the bedside table. It read 3:00 AM. He glanced over at Lyra's bed, who was on the other side of the room.
"She's asleep...lucky her...I haven't been able to sleep in four hours..." he spoke softly. He turned over.
On the other side of the room, Lyra awoke and looked over at her clock. It read 3:01 AM. She shot a glance at Ethan.
"He looks like he's asleep...lucky him...I haven't been able to sleep in four hours..." she spoke softly. She still lay, facing the wall.
The next morning, Ethan woke up and slid on his shoes, throwing his hat on his head as well. He stood up, gathered his backpack and smiled. He then frowned and thought for a moment.
"Oh yeah..." He took out his toothbrush and toothpaste.
A few minutes later, he grabbed his backpack and headed downstairs. Lyra was standing by the door. He walked up to her.
"The PokeRinger contest is in a large, squared out canyon on the northeastern side of town. It starts in twenty minutes, so we'd better hurry up!" Lyra said to Ethan, motioning for him to head outside. The duo quickly scurried to the northeastern part of town, where a large canyon await. In the middle of it was a tall white pole with four rungs on it. Various platforms stuck out from the rock on the edges with hot-air balloons being tested on them.
Clair was standing in front of a man. She was talking loudly, which is what grabbed Ethan then Lyra's attention. The man had his hands out, trying to calm her down.
When they got into earshot, they could hear her problem. "That makes no sense! The pamphlet stated nothing about this!" Clair screamed.
"Well, I'm sorry you didn't know that this is only for coordinators!" He tried to say calmly back. Lyra appeared next to Clair.
"It's only for coordinators?" Lyra inquired. Ethan snapped in astonishment.
"Yes, little lady, it is. Could you please tell your friend this?" The man asked before he walked away, shaking his head.
Lyra turned to Clair. "Clair..."
"I heard him!" Clair whipped her cape around and headed back towards where the rocky area leads to the canyon. She sat down on a rock, her face down.
"Well, then!" Lyra said as she turned back. As she did, she saw a familiar girl. Natalie was walking towards her, a tall yellow pokemon by her side Ethan and Lyra identified as an Ampharos.
"Hey, Lyra!" Natalie rushed up and hugged her.
"Hey, what's up Natalie?" Lyra asked.
"I'm competing in the PokeRinger contest as well. I mean, even though the prize is a contest ribbon-" Natalie started.
"WHAT? A ribbon is the prize?" Lyra exploded.
"Yeah. This time, they hooked up with the Contest Association and so, the winner gets a ribbon. Since this is about showing off skill to get something, it suits it fairly well!" Natalie explained.
Lyra threw her hands up. "Then we have to win!"
About fifteen minutes later, fireworks shot into the air. An announced rose into the air in a hot-air balloon.
"Hello everyone!" She announced over a megaphone. "Today is the first ever CONTEST POKERINGER COMPETITION! The winner, since this is for coordinators only..." Ethan snapped in the distance. "A ribbon will be awarded to the winner! Now, let's get started! Round one, Christopher vs. Maxine!"
Two trainers stood in hot-air balloons. They took off in the air.
Later, numerous trainers were announced as winners. Next up was Natalie against a boy named Alex.
The two balloons went up.
"Come on out, Delibird!" Natalie sent out a red and white flying-type.
"Whoa!" Lyra shouted.
"Let's go, Fearow!" Alex sent out a Fearow. It screeched.
"Begin!" The woman threw down a ring from very high in the air.
"Delibird, shoot!" Delibird reared up and then darted extremely fast. Fearow couldn't react fast enough as Delibird snapped up the ring and threw it down. "Delibird, now Ice Ball!" Delibird formed a ball of ice on its hand and threw it at Fearow. Fearow was struck by it and froze in a block of ice. The ring sailed down and clung to the rung.
"Natalie wins!" The announced shouted.
"Delibird, awesome!" Natalie cheered as she recalled Delibird.
In a minute, Lyra walked up for her turn. "Delibird is amazing!" Lyra ran past Natalie. Natalie smirked.
Lyra set up and drew Togetic's ball. "Okay, let's do this!"
In the air, Lyra sent out Togetic. "Come on, let's show them!"
The girl on the opposite side sent out a Pidgeotto. "All right, Pidge, let's do this!" Pidgeotto darted for the ring as it dropped.
"Togetic, Magical Leaf!" Togetic shot sharp leaves at Pidgeotto, striking it. Togetic zipped for the rings, grabbing it with its mouth and shooting down for the rungs.
"Pidgeotto, Tailwind!" Pidgeotto whipped up a ferocious wind behind it and propelled it towards Togetic.
"Togetic, when it gets close, use Safeguard!" As Pidgeotto closed in, Togetic released Safeguard from around it, throwing Pidgeotto into the canyon wall. Togetic dropped the ring onto the rung. "Woo hoo!"
"Great job! Now that everyone has finished, our eight participants will battle it out in a free-for-all Royale!" The announced declared.
Lyra jumped out of the balloon as it landed. "Yay!"
In a few minutes, the eight winners were on separate platforms, setting up in the balloons.
"Okay! The goal is to get the ring on the rung! However, the pole has been lowed eighteen feet into the canyon, so now it will be even harder! Let's go!"
The balloons sailed into the air. Everyone sent out their pokemon. A pokemon total was a Pidgeot, Skarmory, Murkrow, Togetic, Delibird, Pidgeotto, Noctowl and Fearow.
"Delibird, shoot!" Delibird was the very first one to get a move on. It sailed for the ring that dropped.
"Pidgeot, Featherdance!" Pidgeot flapped its wings and feathers darted up at Delibird. They struck it as it grabbed the ring, causing it to drop it. "Pidgeot!" Pidgeot zipped for it.
"Noctowl, Psychic!" Noctowl started flying towards it, now taking control over it to come towards it.
"Delibird, Ice Ball!" Delibird recovered and shot a ball of ice at Noctowl. It froze and Noctowl fell to the canyon just a few yards below. Delibird took the ring, but Togetic slammed into it with its glowing wing.
"Whoa! Nice Steel Wing, Togetic!" Lyra shouted. It grasped the ring from Delibird and shot down.
"Skarmory, show them your own Steel Wing!" Skarmory shot down at echoing speed, its wings glittering.
"Togetic, turn!" Togetic twisted its body slightly, Steel Wing still going, and clashed with Skarmory. Skarmory was thrown into the cliff wall.
"Delibird, use Ice Ball!" Delibird shot Ice Ball down at Togetic.
Murkrow was right behind Togetic. "Togetic, Safeguard!" Togetic shot out the orb and Murkrow was shoved back into the ice, freezing it.
"Fearow, go!" Fearow darted down. "Brave Bird!" Fearow was sheathed in a blue form as it rocketed down. It exploded into Delibird, throwing them both down, but Delibird into the canyon wall and Fearow down with Murkrow and Noctowl.
Togetic reached the rung. Right as it did, Pidgeot appeared with Brave Bird.
"Take it down!" Pidgeot zipped.
"Togetic, Metronome!" Togetic wagged its hands. Suddenly, it threw 'lips' at Pidgeot. As they collided, it fell asleep and down into the canyon ground. Togetic dropped the ring onto the rung.
"YES!" Lyra shouted as Togetic reunited with her and she embraced her.
Later, the woman as the announcer presented Lyra with a ribbon.
"Congratulations, our winner for the first ever CONTEST POKERINGER COMPETITION!"
After everything had settled and people departed, Lyra and Natalie met.
"That was amazing. Togetic is an elegant battler!" Natalie complimented.
"So is Delibird."
"Good luck in your contest tomorrow. Take care!" Natalie left, along with her Ampharos.
Ethan stared at Lyra. "So, back to the Pokemon Center and then some training?" Ethan asked, checking his PokeGear and finding it was only 12:00 in the afternoon.
"Sure..." Lyra said, looking blankly at her ribbon.
