After leaving the Pokemon Fan Club, the boys walked up the upper half of the Slateport streets. A bright orange building caught their eyes. Blinding sparkles glimmered under the burning sun. A massive red and yellow sign hung from the roof, while a smaller white sign in front read
"Slateport Contest Spectaculars. Get Fired Up Here, Trainers!"
What the heck is going on, the boys thought.
They found themselves swamped in a crowd of animals their age. A navy blue koala in a beige sweater-dress stood behind the crowd, carrying a heavy camera in her arms. The camera had a huge label on it that read "TV Mauville".
A teal blue bear cub skipped towards the contest door. She had dark blue hair cut in a stylish cropped bob, and a face that could melt even the coldest heart. The bear wore an elegant blue tuxedo with frills on the coat and sleeve. She turned around to face an excited audience. She jumped up and did a split in the air like an idol adorning the spotlight. A graceful brown rabbit Pokemon bowed, with a feminine aura that contrasted her trainer's boyish good looks. A blue bow was tied around her neck, with a cream and brown stone dangling in the middle.
"Oh my gosh, hi guys!" she called out to everybody.
"Iiiiiiiit's Contest Hour with ya girl Bluebear, aaaaand Lollipop too! Soooo, who's all ready to get fabulous?!"
"Lop, lop!"
Lollipop squeaked before curtsying to the crowd.
The crowd roared, some of the animals waving flags around while others showed off their tacky merchandise. Even more shouted in her direction
"Bluebear, over here!"
"Yoohoo! Bluebear! I'm your biggest fan!"
"Will you sign my book?!"
"Sign my arm!"
"Shake my hand!"
"MARRY ME, MY QUEEN!"
The bear giggled after watching her fans cheer her on.
"Okay everyone! Let's! Get! To! SCOUTING!"
Bluebear winked to the crowd, while Lollipop mimicked her movements.
"Which one of you….hmmmm…."
She twirled in her spot as she looked at the audience.
"I'm sensing….Yes…"
The bear did a front flip and landed on her left foot. She twirled in her spot, winked and pointed at Kidd
"You! How'd you like to be an upcoming contest king?!"
"I- I"
Kidd stammered. His body froze in his spot while his face burned up. He tightly grabbed onto his scarf
"C-contest king?!"
"Yes-sir-ee, a contest king!" Bluebear yanked him by his hooves, forcing him into the spotlight. "I can sense it in your heart! And I just KNOW you'd be one of the BEST coordinators EVER!"
She twirled him in his spot and posed dramatically
"Our lucky contest king, everybody! Give him a hand!"
Kidd's face burned red as he sheepishly waved to everybody.
Bluebear winked to the camera and she took Kidd by the hoof.
"I SAID! Let's hear it for the future Contest King!"
The crowd roared in applause as they cheered their hearts out. Kidd's face stayed red as he tried to look away from the audience. The way they stared on at him made him feel uneasy, like a mannequin shoved into a window. At least his friends were nearby…
Bluebear bowed gracefully before waving to the koala
"Okay Yuka, you can, like, totally stop filming now!" she told her.
Yuka rolled her eyes and muttered to herself as she turned the camera off.
While the crowd dissolved and went their own ways, Bluebear checked her surroundings twice. She tightly gripped Kidd by the wrist and dragged him inside the Contest Hall.
"Hey!"
Benedict and Tank sprinted behind her, both dreading something wrong to come.
The Contest Hall interior looked as glitzy as one would expect it to look like. Blinding lights, trainers in colorful costumes, playful Pokemon practicing their moves, bright pink and yellow flooring. Posters and balloons hung from the walls, showcasing trainers and their prized Pokemon. It was like being onset for a sold-out idol tour.
"Um, Bluebear, is it?" Kidd complained.
"I'm not trying to be ungrateful, but can you PLEASE let go of me already?"
The bear stopped in her tracks
"Oh, whoops" she laughed a little. "Sorry, I just totally lose track when I'm off scouting. It's really fun!"
Benedict and Tank ran up to the duo, both unamused by her antics.
"HiiiiI!" Bluebear stopped at the counter. She winked to another animal as she leaned over the grey marble.
"I'd like to enter this guy in, please!"
A teal and white anteater looked up from some papers.
"You do? Um. Bluebear, are you sure you don't want to enter instead?"
"Aww, come ON, Zoe" Bluebear crossed her arms and pouted like a child
"I already did a Contest this morning. And besides, he's the hundredth trainer I scouted! This is a special event!"
Zoe pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. The things she'd do for minimum wage…
"Fine" she deadpanned.
"Hooray!" Bluebear cheered as she clapped like a Spheal. She bounced on the tips of her toes as she watched the beginning of a new coordinator's career.
Kidd brushed some dirt off his jacket sleeve
"So, what exactly do I do to register?" he asked.
"It's easy"
the anteater explained as easily as she could. "First you need a Contest Pass and one of your Pokemon"
The goat looked into the striped bag Bluebear gifted him. It was filled to the brim with what looked like contest essentials: a small blue blender, a Poke Ball shaped case, a bundle of formal clothing, and a grey plastic disc with red and yellow ribbons printed on the case.
"Is this it?"
he held up the disc.
"Yep"
Zoe said as she scanned the disc on a card reader. The anteater quickly typed in key data—name is Kidd Chavignol, hometown; Lumiose City of the Kalos region, Pokemon on hand, a Mudkip and an Abra...
"You're entry two by the way. And today's afternoon contest starts in an hour"
"Wow. That soon?"
Kidd asked. His stomach twisted in its spot. This wasn't going to go well...
"Yes, that soon"
Zoe handed him back the contest pass.
"Have you decided which Pokemon to compete with today?"
"Yeah. I'm going with my Mudkip"
Kidd nodded. He grabbed one of his Poke Balls and placed it on the counter.
"Sounds good"
Zoe said as she wrote faster on her laptop. "We'll call everyone on the intercom before it starts"
—
Kidd headed to the dressing room. He stood in front of a mirror and held the tuxedo that came with the bag he was gifted. The jacket was white with grey trim, while the pants and waistcoat were a solid shade of black. It was nice and simple, yet classy enough that he wouldn't have to add too much decoration to it.
He changed into the tuxedo without any problems. His usual black boots matched the rest of his outfit well, the small blue buttons adding a splash of color to the otherwise monochromatic ensemble.
Kidd's heart raced as he fixed his hair in the mirror.
His tuxedo felt suffocating against his slender body.
"Guys, I don't know if I can do this,"
he sighed as he messed with the lapel on his tuxedo jacket.
"Dude, you'll be fine!"
Tank tried to assure him with a strong pat to the back. "We'll cheer like Unovans at a football game!"
"Five minutes 'till stage!"
a voice hollered over the speakers hanging from the ceiling.
Benedict leaned to one of the tables. He plucked two flowers from a blue vases— purple and white pansies intertwined by their stems.
"Maybe this could help a bit?"
Kidd blushed slightly as Benedict tucked the flowers into his handkerchief pocket.
"T-thanks" he looked over his shoulder, making sure nobody else was watching.
"Yall got this!" Benedict nodded confidently. He grabbed his friend's hooves and held them tightly. "And if anyone has a problem with that, I'll fight 'em!"
—
Kidd walked to the stage. He stood in line next to three other trainers— a pale grey bear wearing a red sash and skintight white outfit, a white pig with long brown hair and a frilly pink dress, and, ugh. Him.
Raymond did Contests too?!
The cat glanced over with a disgusted look, then turned back away. Raymond hadn't changed at all, wearing the same outfit he wore yesterday. Kidd felt like he was hit by a bus. Why WOULD Raymond do contests anyways, he thought to himself…. Maybe to take him down?
Meanwhile, at the other half of the contest hall…
Benedict and Tank sat together, somewhere in the middle of the stadium rows. They each carried a large glow stick. A wild Pikachu hopped up on an empty seat next to them.
"Oh, how cute!"
Tank leaned to his left to pet the small mouse Pokemon on the head. Pikachu cooed against his hooves, happily setting off small sparks from her cheeks.
Benedict crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in confusion
"I don't know what Kidd's so worked up about, it's just performin'"
"Trust me, Benedict" Tank turned around to face him
"You have no idea how hardcore coordinators get"
"Like…how hardcore?"
Benedict asked.
Tank stretched his arms as he explained
"Well, gym battles are about showing strength. The worst you deal with are type advantages, maybe a Pokemon evolving in the middle of battle. Where with Contests? There's conditions, move combos, Pokeblocks, heck, even Mega Evolution in the hardest rounds!"
"And how do you know all this?!"
Benedict raised an eyebrow as he brushed some of his hair out of his eyes
"Some of my classmates did Contests!"
Tank happily finished his explanation. "Well, Fortree City doesn't have a Contest Hall but sometimes my teachers would show videos online"
The audience went silent while the stage lights lit up.
A pink otter walked up onto the stage. She wore a red blazer, a tight blue miniskirt, and a blue polka dot bow in her brown hair. She bowed before grabbing the microphone
"Gooooood afternoon everyone, and welcome to today's Contest Spectacular! I'm Lottie Seariver, and I'll be your main judge! So! Let's get things started with our lovely contestants!
Our first contestant is Lucy Diamondsky of Animango City, and Martha the Beautifly!"
The white pig curtsied before gracefully strolling down the catwalk aisle. Soft violin music played over the speakers. A large butterfly Pokemon fluttered in the air next to her, its wings widely spread out. She held a lacy pink parasol in one hand and her Pokemon's stubby hand in the other.
The crowd clapped and hooted as she twirled at the end of the stage.
"Kidd Chavignol of Lumiose City, and Aquarius the Mudkip!"
Kidd's heart raced as he walked down the stage. He looked into the crowd with determination. This time, upbeat disco music blasted from the speakers. Aquarius leaped and skipped in the air as she sparkled under the stage lights. She finished her performance with two frontflips, and a smile on her face.
Most of the audience stayed quiet, except for two animals who roared and cheered in excitement. Some audience members glared at the commotion, forcing the lone animals to hush up and sit down in embarrassment.
"Maybe we should've just stayed quiet…"
they thought to themselves.
"Raymond Halpert of Lumiose City, and Dolores the Eevee!"
The music shuffled; generic indie music was playing. A peculiar choice for contests. Raymond scoffed as he looked up in the air in contempt. A brown fox Pokemon ran around him. Eevee leaped into the air and jumped on its trainers' head. Its tail whipped around in a circle.
Nobody clapped afterwards, however, several animals murmured in the crowd.
"How….interesting"
"I don't like the energy he has, but that Eevee is awfully cute"
"Yes. I see it too. I think he's gonna win this"
"And last, but certainly not least, you know him, you love him, iiiiiiit's Gym Leader Klaus Zeusian of Sootopolis City, and Cupid the Luvdisc!"
Relaxing vaporwave music played onstage. Slow calm beats and deep voices boomed through the contest hall. Klaus positioned his body like a water fountain. He closed his eyes as he held Cupid up in both paws. The heart fish Pokemon curled upwards and cried out as it shot a ray of bubbles into the air. The bubbles broke into vivid sparkles as they cascaded down the air.
"A coordinator AND a gym leader?"
Benedict thought to himself.
"How does he have all the time to do it?"
The audience roared in excitement. Some animals waved around brightly colored glow sticks while others tossed flowers onto the stage. Klaus softly smiled under the lights, like this wasn't his first rodeo.
"Our contestants, everybody! Give them a big hand!"
Lucy gracefully curtsied with a smile, Raymond held his head up high, Kidd bowed, and Klaus struck a rather bizarre pose.
The crowd continued their cheer.
Some animals stood up and waved to the coordinators while others continued to twirl their glow sticks.
"Stay tuned for the Talent Round, everybody!"
Lottie waved both her paws around in the air.
The coordinators bowed while the yellow curtain elegantly fell in front of them.
Behind the stage…
Lucy sat on a chair and fixed up her hair. She petted her Beautifly and tied its red scarf looser around her neck.
"Good job, Martha!" she smiled and reassured her Pokemon.
Dolores and Aquarius ran around in a circle, playfully chasing each other in harmony.
Raymond stomped towards both Pokemon, his heels clicking against the vinyl floor. He snatched his Eevee off the ground and ranted in her face
"Dolores. This is a serious competition, not a pathetic little party. Quit playing with the other Pokemon already, or you're going to be the reason I lose!"
The Eevee looked down in shame, not understanding why she was being yelled at. Her tail lowered between her legs, and she sniffled a little, like she was about to cry.
"Seriously. Kidd, that performance was terrible," Raymond sneered. "I mean, only two animals cheered for you. If I were you, I'd quit while I'm ahead"
Just hearing Raymond's ego made Kidd want to slap him already
"At least somebody cheered for me" the goat snarked back All you got was some weird murmuring"
"Um. The crowd didn't cheer for me because my performance was so good they couldn't say a thing~"
Raymond brushed him off.
"If you're jealous of me, it's fine. But don't take it out on me when I win, okay?"
"Will you incompetent fools put a halt to your petty bickering?"
A deep voice roared at both of them.
Both Kalosians turned around to face a furious Klaus. He wagged a finger at the two of them.
"True Coordinators don't recklessly insult one another like some sorts of hooligans. And Contest Spectaculars aren't about hot blooded rivalries"
Klaus sat down as he readjusted his green leaf crown.
"It's about the experience, brilliant bonding, and understanding a Pokemon's potential beyond just battle. Neither of you are going anywhere in the Contest world without a proper bond between you and your Pokemon, and that is final"
Kidd shuddered from Klaus's bluntness, but he had a strong point. It was the bond between trainer and Pokemon that mattered.
Raymond, however, rolled his eyes and carelessly dismissed his enemy
"Whatever."
"The NERVE of this child",
Klaus thought to himself as he gritted his teeth.
Intermission finally ended, and the audience headed back to their seats.
"Iiiiiit's Talent Round, everybody!"
Lottie hollered to the hooting audience.
"Our first contestant of the talent round…..yes, indeed, it's Klaus Zeusian of Sootopolis City AND his dear Cupid the Luvdisc!"
Klaus bowed before the energetic audience. He held Cupid up in his right paw, the lights shining brightly on her pastel pink body.
"Cupid, dear, bless our fans with your finest Water Sport!"
"Luuuuuv" Luvdisc took a deep breath in. Its body turned blue as it majestically flipped into the air. The heart shaped Pokemon flung water drops around in the air. The water drops glimmered as they cascaded to the floor beneath.
"Diiiiiiiisc!"
The audience was silent before bursting into cheer. The beauty, the radiance, the utmost adorableness that is Cupid the Luvdisc.
"I humbly thank all of you"
Klaus bowed after his Luvdisc's performance.
Raymond adjusted his glasses as he looked to the crowd with apathy.
"Dolores, wow them with a Sand Attack"
Eevee nodded towards its trainer. It lowered its head as it swiftly dug at one spot, a cloud of dust storming around its tail. The evolution Pokemon pointed its tail and launched a tornado of sand into the air.
Unfortunately, some of the sand landed into the audience, causing several animals to cough and sneeze in disgust. Other animals in the back, however, whistled and hooted for the cat.
Kidd struck a pose. Unfortunately, the flowers in his pocket fell onto the ground. He made a mental note to pick them up after the show.
"Aquarius, Water Gun into the air!"
Aquarius stood on her back feet. She waved her stubby little paws around as she shot a strong beam of water from her mouth. The water burst in the air and poured down the air, splashing loudly around the mud fish Pokemon. She dashed through the waterfalls and tackled them into breaking.
The audience stayed quiet.
Some animals clapped to themselves while others felt confused from the performance they had witnessed.
Lucy curtsied before tossing a yellow daffodil into the air
"Martha, sweetie, Infestation!"
Beautifly batted her wings as fast as she could, catching the flower with her antennae. Bundles of green pollen flew around the air in a star shaped pattern.
The crowd warmly clapped from the appeal, entertained by the energy before their eyes.
The first round was successfully completed. Now, it was time for the second round. But who will prevail?
"Cupid! Release our heart's desires…..Use Charm!"
Luvdisc sweetly gazed at the crowd. It batted its eyelashes as pink and red hearts hovered in the air and over the animals in the first row. A few girls in the audience squealed as the hearts melted their way.
"Martha! Confide our true feelings!"
Beautifly hovered in the middle of the stage. Her wings softly hummed, growing louder as she flew to the microphone placed in the center. The butterfly Pokemon blushed as she batted her wings faster, leaving several animals charmed yet confused from its appeal. Who knew even Bug-types could be adorable?
"Dolores! Win them over with Attract!"
Eevee leaped and skipped around her trainer. The brown fox swayed back and forth as she winked at the crowd. Magenta pink hearts hovered across the stage.
Some trainers cooed and squealed over Eevee's adorableness. Others, however, looked unimpressed.
"Cute, sure, but that can't be her only quality?"
"Oh, trust me. She'll figure her main quality when she evolves"
"Into WHAT though?"
"Aquarius, Mud Slap!"
Aquarius chirped to herself. She summoned a huge ball of mud in front of her small body. The water type headbutted into the ball of mud, causing it to explode across the audience. Dirt and soil flung across the stage, exploding into small splatters.
A few audience members murmured.
"Interesting, but rather unrefined"
"Yes. I think the trainer should fine tune her toughness instead of cuteness"
"What do you mean Mudkip isn't cute?"
"No, no, she is a cute Pokemon, but its evolutions are tough enough to shatter buildings in one punch!"
"Fair point"
The third round. Some see it as third time's the charm, but others already admit defeat in their souls.
"Cupid! The audience is in our hearts! Bless everyone with a Sweet Kiss"
Luvdisc winked to its trainer as it puckered up its lips. White angelic wings grew and fluttered around its body as it repeatedly kissed into the air. Sparkles cascaded from its body as the wings dissipated into nothing.
"Dolores! We might lose this. Facade!"
Eevee shook and swayed her body around. Blue balls of energy carelessly scattered across the stage, popping as they hit the wooden floor.
"Martha, Bug Bite!"
Beautifly flew after several berries tossed into the air. The bug type zipped through the air as it effortlessly ate every single berry without a single drop landing on the floor.
"Aquarius, Growl."
Kidd looked down in shame while Aquarius stood on her back legs. She menacingly growled into the air, while the audience looked bored half to death.
Benedict and Tank looked at each other in worry. There was no way Kidd could bounce back from that, they thought.
The final round. It all boiled down to this. All four coordinators felt pressure rise up in their bodies, like being pressed down by a Wailord or stared down by a powerful legendary.
"Cupid! Finish your finest performance yet with Captivate!"
Cupid obediently flipped into the air. She closed her eyes as she shot pink hearts from her body. Hearts melted and bodies went soft as the pink hearts floated everywhere in the air. This contest was sealed with a kiss.
Lucy twirled with her parasol in hand
"Martha! Protect the two of us!"
Martha fluttered into the air. She landed on her trainers' head and spread her wings out underneath the shining lights. A blue wall formed onto the stage, small sparkles shooting out from inside the wall. The blue light dissolved with a bright shine.
"Dolores, you're better than them! Finish with a Last Resort!"
Eevee glared at its audience. It sprinted through the stage and crashed onto the middle of the floor. Stars exploded everywhere as Eevee got back onto its feet, but the audience looked puzzled. Was the collision on purpose? If so, it didn't look organized in the slightest.
"Aquarius…..just, just use Water Gun"
Kidd shamefully looked away from the stage. Aquarius stayed determined as she shot a strong stream of water below her body. She floated into the air as the water propelled her higher and higher.
An audience's member Kricketune chirped on a rhythm, breaking up the silent crowd. Not a single animal dared to clap.
"So. Our lovely contestants, everybody"
Lottie awkwardly chuckled as she flashed a fake smile.
"But don't leave yet! Stay tuned for today's winner!"
Benedict and Tank looked at each other, dreading the results. They noted that Kidd look more defeated with each passing round, and his last performance was just abysmal. Pikachu tilted her head in concern.
"Pika?"
Minutes felt like hours as Lottie paced back and forth between the curtains.
She tightly held a letter in her hands.
"And the winner is….."
The crowd stayed eerily silent as they edged off their seats. Benedict tightly grabbed Tank's hoof, his body shaking slightly.
The contestants' hearts raced as the clock above them ticked slowly. Raymond bit his lip, Lucy closed her eyes, Kidd shook like a leaf, and Klaus' composure stayed eerily calm. The bear folded his paws together in anticipation.
Lottie slowly opened up the letter, making sure not to tear the paper at all.
She unfolded the paper, held it in both paws, and announced to the anticipating crowd
"...Klaus Zeusian of Sootopolis City, and his ever so adorable Cupid the Luvdisc!"
Klaus had a warm smile on his face and elegantly bowed as most of the crowd roared in excitement. Several animals tossed roses at his feet.
He gently held the microphone in his paws
"Thank you, Miss Seariver." he began his speech. "I'm honored to compete today with my fellow contestants, and pleased to thank all of you for your continued enthusiasm. I look forward to competing again when I can, whether it be Contests or Gym Battles"
Lucy's face didn't change, keeping her pleasant demeanor despite the loss. She knew there'd be another competition tomorrow, so she could just try again!
Raymond, however, wanted to explode in anger. How DARE he not win, he thought. He worked his heart and soul out yet this bastard won instead?! He extended his claws. Hate filled his mind like an overflowing fountain.
Kidd felt decimated. Sure, it was just his first Contest, but anxiety about future performances flooded his body like drinking an energy drink during an all-nighter. What if this was his set up for the future- losing constantly, never getting any better, just being the punching bag of the Contest Spectacular world. He could see it now— animals showing up just to laugh at him, other trainers constantly booing him, maybe even Tank and Benedict ditching him like an old ragged toy. Wait a second. Would they?
"This concludes today's Contest, everyone!"
Lottie hollered to the crowd.
—
Behind the stage….
Bluebear tiptoed forward and hugged Klaus from behind his back
"Surpriseeeee!"
Klaus grunted slightly as the smaller bear surprised him
"Don't scare me like that, Athena!"
"Athena? I thought your name was Bluebear?"
Lucy asked.
"Sorryyyyy!" Bluebear stuck her tongue out and giggled.
"Oh, and, guys, Bluebear's just my stage name! My real name's Athena Zeusian! I know, I know it's SUCH a mouthful to pronounce"
"So, you two must be…."
Lucy tried to figure out the similar last name.
"Related? Yes, dear Lucille"
Klaus bowed.
"And I'm proud to call her my niece"
"Yeah!" Bluebear twirled in her spot.
"But get this! He's also a super strong Gym Leader!"
"Gym Leader?" Lucy asked the duo.
"But how do you have the time to do both?!"
"It's rather simple, dear Lucille"
Klaus explained. "I have separate parties of Pokemon for each endeavor. Rarely do I have a Pokemon compete in both, it'll otherwise exhaust them to the point of no return. But I still bond with all of them, as a gentleman does"
In another dressing room…
Kidd's face went dark as he sat at the glass table. The fluorescent lights felt blinding, but he couldn't turn them off. His chin rested in his hooves as he thought over everything.
Just what did he do wrong?! Was it…. was it because Aquarius was a shiny Pokemon? Maybe that was it! Then again, Klaus was a seasoned Contest veteran AND a gym leader, he remembered hearing behind the stage. Nobody could win against him of all animals, he thought. But is it even worth it to dwell on this?
"Hey buddy!"
Kidd looked up from the table. He saw Tank walking his way, carrying a few bags with him. But where did Benedict go?!
"Oh" he sighed. "Hey, Tank. Sorry I was so awful out there"
"Aw, come on!" Tank sat down next to him.
"I thought you did great! And besides, not everyone wins their first match"
"Yeah, BUT"
Kidd angrily snarked. "Bluebear's probably all mad at me for not winning. I swear she set me up to lose on purpose!
Tank facepalmed from what he was hearing. It'd be easier to reason with a horde of angry Tauros, he thought.
"Come on, you don't mean that!"
"Yes, I do!" Kidd snapped back. "Why would she put all this pressure on me just to crack already! Ugh. I need some time for myself. Tell Benedict I'm sorry I fucked up!"
The goat stormed out of the room in shame, leaving Tank to himself and his thoughts.
Kidd trudged down the contest hall, his footsteps echoing through paper-thin walls. He glared down at the pristine white tiles. Why did everything have to suck, he thought. The way Bluebear just shoved him into the spotlight, the way Raymond used every chance he got to make himself look better, the way Klaus was sooooo perfect for overworking himself just for the spotlight. He wanted to burn the whole contest hall to the ground.
A small voice behind him called out
"Pika pika!"
Kidd stopped in his tracks. He turned around to face a yellow mouse Pokemon. Oh, a Pikachu! He's seen a few in Kalos before, he thought. He took a closer look at her— well, this was odd. She had a black mark on the end of her tail, but it didn't subtract at all from her cuteness.
She squeaked as she jumped up and down in her spot.
"Um….Are you lost?"
Kidd asked her.
Pikachu shook her head.
"You want to join me?"
Kidd leaned down to her eye level.
"Pi-KA!"
Pikachu nodded and wagged her tail quickly.
"….You don't have a trainer, right?"
Kidd kneeled down to her eye level
"Pika-pika!"
Pikachu jumped onto Kidd's right shoulder, tapping him on the head with her tail.
"Alright, alright, I'll catch you"
Kidd pulled a Poke Ball from his messenger bag. He gently tapped her on the nose and watched as she got absorbed into the red light. The ball didn't even shake once before it dinged.
"Pikachu has been caught. Would you like to give her a nickname?"
the Rotom Dex dinged.
"Hmmm… How about Aries?"
"Aries has been successfully added to your party"
He grabbed his other two Poke Balls and tossed them in the air. Aquarius and Libra leaped upwards and landed dynamically.
"Girls?" he released Aries from her ball. "This is Aries, and she's joining us from here on out!"
"Pika-pika!" Aries chirped out, wagging her tail as she gleefully ran in a circle with her new teammates. Seeing the Pokemon play with each other warmed Kidd's icy heart. No Raymond around to scold any of them for acting like Pokemon, he thought happily.
Kidd may have lost his first contest, but instead, he won a new friend in Pikachu.
He took a deep breath in as he watched his new Pokemon bond with her teammates. The realization hit him- trainers always took contests more seriously than Pokemon did. It wasn't worth all this stress. He knew what he had to do.
Kidd walked back to the contest hall's lobby. He stopped in front of his friend.
"Um, Tank?" the goat's face turned red. "Sorry I yelled at you earlier"
"It's fine dude"
Tank grabbed both his hooves
"...How'd you calm down so fast though?"
Kidd chuckled awkwardly
"Well, uh, my Pokemon helped me get it together. Speaking of which"
He pulled a Poke Ball out and held it out, releasing the Pikachu in front of everyone.
"Her name's Aries"
"Pika pika piKA!"
Aries waved both her paws in the air. She hopped forward, rubbing her head against Tank's hoof
"Well hello, Aries!" Tank petted her on the head. "Oh, funny enough, dude, Benedict and I had a Pikachu sitting next to us the whole time"
Aries put a chubby paw on her chest, nodding in pride
"Pi-ka-chu!" she exclaimed.
"Speaking of which, where IS he?"
Kidd crossed his arms.
"Hey guys!" Benedict hollered and waved from the door. He held a large bouquet filled with bright and colorful flowers; roses, cosmos, tulips, pansies, lilies, hyacinths, mums and windflowers. One of the windflowers fell to the ground, but Benedict scrambled to pick it back up.
"Benedict?!"
Kidd ran up to his friend. He squinted at the bouquet
"...Where did you get those flowers?"
"Raymond smacked me in the face with it" Benedict shrugged. He held it out to Kidd "But, uh, I figured y'all needed somethin' to cheer y'all up from that contest, so uh-"
Kidd snatched up the bouquet
"...It's beautiful. Thank you..."
Tank was confused
"Um, why did Raymond hit you with a bouquet?"
Benedict shrugged
"Beats me. Probably 'cause I asked him to calm down?"
Raymond stomped towards the contest hall entrance
"Stupid rigged contest and stupid Klaus's face" he muttered to himself. "Ugh, I only lost because I'm a cat"
The boys snickered after watching him leave in a fit.
"At least I'm not THAT immature" Kidd pointed out.