Chapter 8: Love and Battles

Elysia Heart

Elysia sighed as she watched yet another battle on the television set in the Main Floor. Her shinx curled into a ball in her lap, purring as it fell asleep. She stroked its hard fur, wanting to fall asleep herself, but she wouldn't dare miss the battles. When she woke up, after receiving her schedule, she began watching the battles and noticed that the tournament has been favoring certain trainers. Examples are Kara Ryder, who fought against a Water-type trainer in a pool, and Aiden Flamel, who was recently set against a Flying-type trainer to block his Smokescreen strategy. Both had won, but it still unsettled Elysia.

She nudged Shinx. The Electric-type yawned and gave her a puzzled look, gold eyes drooping and groggy. "You have to be awake for the battle," Ely said, rubbing behind its blue ears. "They're getting harder. Maybe they'll put us against a Ground-type, or put us in an ice-filled field, like that Bug-type trainer we saw earlier."

She put Shinx on the ground and stood with a stretch. Shinx also stretched its back, releasing a little spark. Together, they headed to the elevators with no real destination in mind. As she made her way there, she decided to go find Drakon. He would probably still be in his room, she thought.

She walked into the elevator and, once she saw the doors close, she noticed she hadn't pressed the button to open it. Then she realized there was another person in with her, a handsome, muscular, sandy-haired boy with a small pokemon on his shoulder. The boy had been holding the door for her, and she hardly even acknowledged him.

"Thank you!" she shouted, a bit louder than she had intended.

The boy gave her a soft smile. The pokemon on his shoulder, a baby-like creature that appeared to be wearing a white dress that was too long for its small body with a green helmet just as big on its head, all characteristics that told Ely that it was a ralts, stared at her and Shinx. It had to lift its head to look from beneath its 'helmet'. "Anything for a pretty girl." He said with a firm, yet soothing, voice.

Ely blushed. "Thank you." She whispered, looking away.

"So, what floor are you headed to, Elysia Heart?"

She hadn't pressed the button to open the elevator, nor the button for her floor. She looked at the buttons and noticed that floor 7 had been pressed already. To not have him notice her absentmindedness, she said, "The seventh," She then noticed his name tag and added, "Ceiro Hearth." The name sounded familiar to her. Maybe they had met before…

Ceiro nodded with a blank stare in his eyes. The ralts suddenly burst into a loud giggle, leaning on its trainer's head for balance. The laugh was contagious, and soon Shinx, Ely and Ceiro were laughing. The two trainers' eyes met. Ely felt something drawing her toward him. For a second she wanted to know more about, laugh and just be with, this Ceiro guy.

Then the elevator opened with a ding. Neither moved, both paralyzed in a mutual stare. Shouts broke the silence, and Ely looked away. She noticed that the seventh floor was the Main Deck, where all the battles were being held.

"Well, um… see you." Ely said, forcing herself to walk away. Shinx followed behind her, still giggling at the ralts.

"Promise?" Ceiro said before she could leave the elevator. She looked back at him. His green eyes seemed to glitter in anticipation as he waited for a response. Elysia grinned, momentarily filled with an inexplicable happiness.

"I promise."

Again, Ralts giggled. It hid behind Ceiro's hair. With another giggle, and the promise fresh in their minds, they went their separate ways.

Ely immediately entered the crowd, thinking that she might as well watch a battle. Field 4 was the battlefield being used, and two pokemon clashed in a forest-like arena with fake trees and tall grass. One of the pokemon, a purple snake known as Ekans, slithered between the trees, hiding in the grass as its opponent, a small, brown pokemon with a face concealed by a bone mask, wacked the grass in search of it. Ely didn't know what species the brown pokemon was, but she had seen a few Ekans in Pokemon Labs, since they're not common in Sinnoh.

As she made her way towards the bleachers, she spotted Drakon, Bagon at his side. His face had the same emotionless, concentration-filled stare as always, which told Ely he wasn't angry. If he was, everyone would know by now. Ely walked up to him and sat beside him, on the opposite side of Bagon. Shinx sat with Ely, but farther away from the two dragons.

Neither spoke a word. They didn't even look at each other, but Ely thought she spotted his eyes follow her as she sat. To get him to notice her, she sat thigh-to-thigh with him and clapped very fast when the battle called for cheers. Drakon barely nudged. Bagon, however, leered at her.

After a few shouts and throwing her hair around, pretending the wind blew it, Drakon put his hand on his thigh and gave a heavy sigh. Ely guessed he was annoyed, but she saw her chance. She quickly swooped her hand down and held onto his. At first he didn't react, but then he slowly closed his fingers around her hand.

Elysia knew, right then, that all between them was forgiven and forgotten. Besides, she thought. The discussion was meaningless and of no real importance. After all I've done for him, he should be kissing my feet. My father paid for his Tournament Ticket because of me, after all. That deserves a Girlfriend-of-the-Year award, in my opinion.

"Smart thinking on Larkspur's side," Uruvio's voice snapped Ely out of her thoughts. Her happiness, though very present, faded away a little. Since Drakon still didn't truly acknowledge her, she decided to pay attention to the battles instead. "Will Ambrosia and her cubone be able to get out of this one?"

'Cubone', or whatever the bone-masked pokemon was called, was holding its bone with both hands while Ekans bit into it, trying to reach its opponent. The snake's mouth snapped viciously and for a second Ely thought the bone would break in half.

"Cubone, use Bonemerang!" A dark-skinned trainer with brown hair yelled the orders at her pokemon. The brown pokemon lifted its bone and threw it. Ekans, attached to the bone by its teeth, was sent flying in the air with the bone. "Headbutt when it returns, Cubone!"

"Get off, Ekans! Now!" Larkspur, the trainer of the Ekans, was furious. His slim body seemed to shake as he shouted his commands.

Ekans, unable to detach itself, stayed on the bone, which circled one of the fake trees and made its way back to Cubone. As it came, Cubone lowered its head and charged toward the bone and the snake. Bone hit bone and flesh, and in a flash of purple light, Ekans was thrown against a tree and fell into the grass. Cubone held its bone, adjusting its bone-helmet as it waited for another attack. Nothing came.

"Ekans is unable to battle! Ambrosia Landlyn is the winner!"

Cubone ran up to its trainer, who hugged the brown pokemon strongly. Larkspur, however, simply returned his pokemon and walked away, shouting curses and foul words.

"Oh, my word," Uruvio said, trying to drown out Larkspur's shouts. "Maybe a little soup will clean that mouth! Moving on… Now, judges, judge! Afterwards, we have about ten minutes for our next battle."

Elysia knew that she was to battle next. Her schedule said that she would be battling at 4 o'clock, ten minutes from then. Still holding on to Drakon's hand, she picked Shinx up and put it on her lap. The Electric-type began to shine dimly, a sign that danger was near.

Ely, also sensing the dangers of the upcoming battle, let go of Drakon's hand in fear of him feeling her sweat. She dried them off on her bright blue dress and tried to think of other things to occupy her mind. She tried to think of Drakon and memories of them at the Sunyshore City beach back at her home, but Ceiro Hearth was the only thing that came into her mind. For a second she felt a shiver lower her spine and knew that if she were a Shinx, she'd be glowing. As quickly as the feeling came, it went, and the happiness she felt when Ceiro smiled at her added with the one caused by Drakon.

So, her mind was in bliss, free from worry as the ten minutes passed.

When Uruvio called her name, Elysia stood and walked up to her side, not really paying attention to the announcements. She felt invincible, undefeatable. Shinx growled as it entered the field, the same forest as earlier. Then, her opponent made his way to his side and her heart dropped. Shinx's growls ceased, changing into confused whimpers. Looking handsome, despite his hurt face, with a weeping ralts on his shoulder, was Ceiro Hearth.

She knew the name sounded familiar, but had been too blind to realize it. She had read it in her schedule and had forgotten. The expression on Ceiro's face told her that he wasn't expecting this, either. He lowered Ralts off his shoulder and the small Psychic-type made his way into the field, tears visible beneath its 'helmet.'

"Let the battle begin!"

No movement except the grass swaying in the wind could be seen in the field. Again, the two trainers were paralyzed as they looked into each other's eyes. Ely broke the stare, once more, and looked at Drakon, whom stared back at her. His emotionless eyes calmed the emotions inside her. Clenching her fists, she proceeded.

"Shinx, use Spark!"

The Electric-type looked back at its trainer before jolting forward in a cloak of blue electricity. Ceiro and Ralts did nothing as Shinx rammed into its opponent. Ralts was knocked down and skidded a few feet back. It rose slowly, soaking the grass with a few teardrops.

Ely couldn't allow mercy or feelings to get in the way, not in front of Drakon. "Again, Shinx."

Shinx's body became enveloped in blue light once more and it charged forward. This time, however, Ceiro reacted. "Teleport, Ralts!" he said in his strong, soothing voice. As Shinx reached the Psychic-type, it vanished, only to appear a few feet away amid trees. "Use Magical Leaf!"

Ralts raised his arms, and from his hands glowing, green leaves flew out. Before Elysia could even warn her pokemon, it was struck by the attack. It yelped as it braced the hit.

"Ralts, stop," Ceiro commanded hastily. Then he seemed to realize what he had said. Ely saw him furrow his brow and clench his teeth. "Use Double Team!"

Out of nowhere a dozen Ralts filled the field, all as small and teary as the original. Shinx looked in every direction, confused by the sudden multiplication of its enemy. Some hid behind trees while others blended with the grass, making it even more difficult for the pokemon.

"Patience, Shinx," Ely said, more to herself than to her pokemon. She observed every copy, looking for something that would tell her which was the real one. She would have to wait and see which one would attack. "Use Charge!"

Shinx took its eyes off of its opponents and looked down. Sparks began to crackle around it as it gathered electricity.

"Ralts, Confusion." Ceiro ordered, voice quite. One Ralts on Shinx's right moved forward.

"Spark, Shinx!"

As Ralts unleashed his attack, Shinx was covered with two lights, a bright blue one from its own overpowered attack and a pink one from Ralts's Confusion. Both attacks mixed, but the Psychic-type attack was no match for the fully-charged Shinx. The Electric-type fought against the attack, but was able to reach Ralts and hit it hard.

As the Psychic-type hit the ground with a heartbreaking cry, all the copies vanished. Elysia hoped the pokemon wouldn't get up. She had had enough of abusing an innocent pokemon and wished Ceiro understood.

Instead, the ralts stood, streams of tears falling down its face. Its body was covered in bruises. Ely released a heavy sigh. She couldn't look at Ceiro, so she looked at Drakon for support. He was nodding in approval, and mouthed a word at her. At first she didn't understand, but then she guessed what it was. 'Bite.'

Yes, Shinx knew Bite, but Ely just couldn't use it. She told herself she wouldn't allow feelings to get in the way, and yet…

"Ralts!" Ceiro cried. The Psychic-type ran toward Shinx and, before Ely could react, it hugged the pup. The crowd gasped.

"An emotional battle today, folks," Uruvio announced. "How will it end?"

Shinx looked as shocked as Ely. Both prayed for the end and Ely couldn't but wonder what Ceiro was thinking.

"Ralts!" he panted. "Use Confusion!"

The pokemon looked back at its trainer, as if not wanting to attack. But Ely had already given her command. "Use Bite, Shinx!"

Without hesitation, Shinx bit into the weeping pokemon. It immediately gave a cry, and Shinx let go. The Psychic-type, crying loudly, fell onto one knee before collapsing completely. Ceiro ran into the field, heading directly toward his pokemon. He took the defeated Ralts in his hands and stared at Elysia with watery eyes.

Ely felt terrible. No words formed in her mouth, so she just spit out, "I'm sorry."

Ceiro gave her a half smile, green eyes shining as they had in the elevator. "Don't be. You kept your promise." He said, then turned around and left her life forever.

Author's Note:

You thought that was going somewhere else, weren't you? Emotions! Let's hope this is the last of love for at least a few chapters. We have one last battle to see and I believe it's one that we've been waiting for for a while. What will happen next? Review, guys!

Behind-the-Chapter:

The name 'Ceiro' means love! We got to see a little of Ely and Drakon's past in this chapter, but you haven't seen anything yet. We also had Ambrosia appear, though she was barely noticed.