Chapter 21: Swinging Into Action!
Vermilion City Contest Hall
"Ladies and Gentlemen! It is time for the semi-finals!" said Joy. The crowd cheered excitedly as the indoor fireworks were set off. As they went off, I looked around the room and saw how excited the crowd was. I blinked my eyes, lightly smiled, and then looked at Yuya as he looked at his Mom in the crowd. He waved to her, watched her wave back to him, and then looked back at the stage. I blinked my eyes twice, looked away from the stage, and then gently grabbed a water bottle. I opened it, and began drinking it silently. After a few seconds, I put the bottle down, took out my Phone and my earpods, turned on one of my playlists that helps me calm my anxiety and nerves, put my earpods in my ears, and relaxed to the music. I grabbed my water bottle and finished it as Joy talked to the crowd. I tossed it in the recycling bin, and then saw a text from Zach on my Phone.
Zach: Congrats on making it to the semi-finals! What's your plan now for going against Yuya?
Me: Thank you. As for my plan... I'm not entirely sure what I want to do?
Zach: Well... I'm sure you know what you want to do. That is, if you want to win it all.
Me: That's the thing... I don't want to win this one. This is their Contest. I don't wanna steal the spotlight from them on this event.
Zach: Really? That's... that's very honorable of you.
Me: Thanks. But... how am I supposed to tell my team that we have to lose this one? It's going to crush them.
Zach: Just go backstage and talk to them. Once they hear it from you, they'll understand. Just make sure that Yuya and Zuzu don't follow you. If they see you leave all of a sudden... they'll know you're upto something.
Me: Got it. I'll just wait until the room gets dark and the field has the spotlights on it.
Zach: That's perfect. Once the stage is dark, then you quickly go backstage and talk to your team. Or just the ones you will use against him.
Me: Right. By the way... how's the group doing? Have they tried to ask you where I am?
Zach: The group's fine. They've asked a couple times, but I haven't told them the truth yet. Oh! You really got Celina and Sora a little mad and upset after you beat Dennis.
Me: I did? I know that they were rooting against me... but damn. I never knew how much they cared about him.
Zach: Me either. I wouldn't worry about it. Once this event is over and you reveal your identity to all of us, then they'll understand.
Me: Yeah.
After I sent the text to him, the stage lights began to dim and go dark. Once I saw this, I quietly stood up, and quickly went backstage to my dressing room.
Dressing Room
I sat down on my chair, breathed a sigh of relief, and then let Aurasoul and Zoroark out of their PokéBalls. They blinked their eyes and looked around the room curiously; wondering what was going on. "Aurasoul? Zoroark? Can I talk to you guys for a minute?" I asked them in my normal voice. They turned to me, blinked their eyes, and nodded their heads yes to my question. "So... you guys know we're going up against my friend, Yuya, right?" I said. They nodded their heads yes to my question. "And we've the footage of the show of how good he is, correct?" I said. They nodded their heads yes again, and then they saw get off my chair and pace around a bit. They made sounds at me; asking if I am okay. "Me? Oh. Yeah. I'm alright. It's just... there's something about this battle that I want to talk to you two about." I said. They looked at me curiously for a moment, and then sat down on the floor; wondering what do I have to say. "Well... this might be a little painful to say, but... I think this where our Contest run ends." I said. Their eyes widened in shock to my words; wondering why I'm saying this now.
"You see... I never truly intended to win this thing. The only thing I wanted to do here was to face either him or Zuzu in this event, and let them advance in the event instead of me. I know that might sound very selfish of me to say it... but it's true. Contests are never really... my thing... when it comes to being a Trainer. I never thought of how stressful these events can be. The judgemental looks in the eyes of the crowd and judges really swallows you up like crazy. I don't even understand on how Coordinators can do this. Making preparations for costuming, make-up, team coordination, training move combinations, and moving around the stage when Pokémon are around you. That's just something that I can admire them for doing, because they love it and show off their Pokémon than just battling. Meanwhile... I'm the complete opposite. I'm the one who likes to show the true strength of Pokémon and help them reach their full potential. Whether it's in battle, or helping out in missions that save lives everyday. That's the kind of Trainer that I want to be. A Trainer that will inspire others in my own way on how powerful the bonds of people and Pokémon, and show them how we can make a better world... together. Not only as creatures on this planet.. but as partners. That... is my ultimate dream." I said.
They blinked their eyes, took my words to heart, and then nodded their heads in understanding; making me do the same. They then reached out their paws to me, and I gently held them in my hands. We stared into each other's eyes, felt our Aura's connect, and then warmly smiled at each other. I stood up slowly, returned them to their PokéBalls, and then went back to the stage.
Contest Stage
The crowd cheered as the lights moved around, and then stopped on the battlefield. As this went on, I went back to my seat and sat down. "Hey. There you are, Aaron. We've been looking for you. You okay?" Yuya asked me. "Hm? Oh. Yeah. I'm alright. I just had to go backstage and answer a quick call from my family back home." I replied in my disguised voice. "Oh? Okay. That's good to hear. Has your family been watching the show?" he replied. "Mhm. They've been loving it so far. Especially my grandparents. They're proud to see me show the world our heritage." I replied. "Really? That's awesome! I'm glad that your family is loving what you're doing. And how you are representing your people. You're making them proud." he replied as he patted my shoulder. "Thank you, Yuya." I replied with a warm smile. He smiled back, and then we saw both Zuzu and Alexis stand up.
"Looks like it's time." I said. "Yep. It sure is." Zuzu replied. "Hey, no need to worry right? You got this, Zuzu. Your friends, family, and I got your back. You can do it." I replied. Both her and Yuya looked at me surprised; wondering where this came out of me all of a sudden. "Uh... thank you... Aaron." said Zuzu in a soft, surprised tone. I nodded my head to her, and we watched her walk to the stage. "Hey..? How did you know that?" Yuya asked me. "Hm? Know what?" I replied. "Her catchphrase? She always says: No need to worry to me and my friends all the time when we're in a situation. How did you know it?" he replied curiously. "I've heard it from a friend of mine back in my hometown. She would always say that catchphrase to me when I was beginning my training years ago." I replied. He was honestly surprised to what I said, blinked his eyes, and then looked back at the stage; watching Zuzu stand on her side of the battlefield. "You got this, Zuzu... you can win this. I believe in you." he said to himself.
He then looked to our group in the crowd, and noticed that my seat was empty. He raised his eyebrow curiously to this, and then began looking around from where he was sitting; wondering where I could've gone. Zach noticed this immediately, looked at me in shock, and then quickly texted me. I felt my Phone vibrate, and I saw the text.
Zach: Tay! Code Red! We have a Code Red! Yuya's trying to look for you!
Once I read it, I internally quickly began to panic. I quietly turned to Yuya and saw him looking around; making my anxiety slightly worse. I blinked my eyes, shook my head, and then snapped myself back into reality. "You looking for someone?" I asked him. He looked at me curiously for a moment, and then nodded his head yes to my question. "Yeah. I'm looking for my friend, Tay. I know I saw her watching me and Zuzu's performances, but she's missing this one... where did she go?" he replied. "Well... maybe she went to the bathroom before Zuzu walked onto the stage for the semi-finals. Look at some of the seats. People probably have to go to the bathroom, or some Moms had to go there and change their baby's diapers. She probably just got caught in the line for it." I replied. "You sure?" he replied. "I'm sure. She'll come back. She's rooting for you two in spirit. I promise." I replied.
He breathed a sigh of relief, and then patted my shoulder. "Thank you, Aaron. That means a lot to me to hear you say that." he said. "You're welcome." I replied. We smiled at each other, and then looked at the stage again. Once we looked at the stage, my Phone vibrated again. I took it out and saw that Zach texted me again.
Zach: *Breathes sigh of relief* That was a close one. Nice save.
Me: Thanks. Now all you have to worry about is the group. If they pressure you, just let my Mom and brother know. They'll cover for you.
Zach: You got it, girl. I'll try my best.
Me: You got this, Zach. Don't let them get to you.
I put my Phone away, and then saw the spotlights shine on Zuzu and Alexis. "Here we go. I wonder who they will use this time?" I said to myself. "Coordinators! Please send out your Pokémon!" Joy replied. "I'll go first! Nidoqueen! Lilligant! Come on out!" Alexis replied as she took out two sealed PokéBalls, threw them up in the air, watched them open, and reveal her Pokémon. "Lilligant!" said Lilligant. "Nido!" Nidoqueen replied. "What!? She's using Nidoqueen again!?" Yuya replied surprised. "Yeah... but what does Zuzu have to counter it?" I replied. "It's either her Milotic or Roserade. It has to be one of them. If she sends out her Pikachu or Ninetales... it's going to be tough." he replied. "Wait... can Ninetales counter Lilligant?" I replied curiously. "Yeah. She can counter her... but that Nidoqueen is something that she has to worry about for now. That one is the real threat for her." he replied.
Zuzu stared at Nidoqueen in shock for a moment, and then clutched her hands into fists. "Nidoqueen... so she's really going with her again. No wonder why Celina calls her the ace of her team." she said to herself. She then took out two sealed PokéBalls and looked at them silently. She took a deep breath, looked at her opponent, and then prepared herself for the fight. "This is it. If we beat her, then we go to the finals. I'm counting on you! Milotic! Roserade! Spotlight!" she said as she threw the sealed PokéBalls up in the air, watched them open, and reveal her Pokémon on the field. "Milo-tic!" said Milotic as she sparkled. "Roserade!" Roserade replied. "Yes! She made the right call!" Yuya replied happily. "Yeah she did! While Roserade handles Lilligant, Milotic can counter Nidoqueen. Let's just hope that she keeps them in check." I replied. "She will. She's seen them perform well this whole year. She's studied their movements and timing. She's got this in the bag." he replied.
I nodded my head in agreement, and then we heard the group in the crowd cheering for Zuzu. "You got this, Zuzu! You can do it!" Celina cheered. "Go, Zuzu!" Sora cheered. "Show that Nidoqueen who's boss!" Pat cheered. Zach whistled as they cheered; making us smile. "Looks like they're unanimous to who they want to win?" I said. "Yep. They sure are." he replied. We then turned back to the stage, and then saw Joy raise up her hand. "Here we go." he said. "Battle, begin!" Joy replied.
Battle! Zuzu vs. Alexis!
"I'll go first! Lilligant! Use Seed Bomb on Milotic! Nidoqueen! Ice Punch on Roserade!" said Alexis. "Lilli! Lil-i-gant!" Lilligant replied as she used the attack. "Nido! Ni-do-queen!" Nidoqueen replied as she used the attack. "Dodge it!" Zuzu replied. Roserade and Milotic moved out of the way of the attacks after being hit a few times, and watched Nidoqueen stumble a bit; making both Coordinators gain and lose some points. "What!?" said Alexis surprised. "Now! Roserade! Use Poison Jab on Lilligant! Milotic! Combine Aqua Tail and Ice Beam on Nidoqueen!" Zuzu replied. "Roserade! Rose-rade! Roserade!" Roserade replied as he used the attack on Lilligant; making her push herself back a bit. "Milo! Mi-lo-tic!" Milotic replied as she used her two attacks on Nidoqueen. As she did this, Nidoqueen's tail and feet were frozen. "Nido!?" said Nidoqueen surprised. "Oh no!" Alexis replied worriedly.
"Now! Roserade! Synthesis! Milotic! Aqua Ring!" Zuzu replied. Roserade and Milotic nodded their heads and used their healing moves; surprising the crowd. After that, Roserade then jumped into the Aqua Ring, and began to feel its healing effects. "Whoa! She thought of that quick!" I said. "Yeah! After the damage they took, she had to make them heal themselves fast." Yuya replied. "Yeah... smart move on her part. Especially with Aqua Ring. It's going to keep healing Milotic no matter what comes her way. And now with Roserade in there... they're invincible." I replied. Yuya nodded his head in agreement, and then saw Alexis stare at Zuzu's team in shock. "Wow... I've never thought of this strategy before..." she said. She blinked her eyes, and then saw Roserade in the Aqua Ring. "What!? When did it get in there!?" she said.
Zuzu smirked at this, and then pointed at her opponents. "Now! Milotic! Trap them with Whirlpool!" she said. "Milotic! Mi-lo-tic!" Milotic replied a she used the attack; surrounding her foes in it. "Yes!" Yuya cheered excitedly. "Hold on." I replied. "Huh?" he replied curiously. "Alexis is up to something. She's not done yet." I replied. He blinked his eyes twice at me, and then we saw multiple glowing leaves surround the Whirlpool. "What!? What is she doing!?" he said surprised. "Escaping the Whirlpool. Now that she sees this... she's gotta do something fast." I replied. He looked at the Whirlpool worriedly, and then saw Alexis smirking. "Now! Jump out of the Whirlpool!" she said. Nidoqueen broke free from the ice, and then jumped up out of the Whirlpool with Lilligant. As they reached the top and looked down, they saw both their opponents had disappeared. "Lilli!?" said Lilligant surprised. "Nido!?" Nidoqueen replied surprised.
"What!? Where did they go?" Alexis replied in shock. Nidoqueen and Lilligant landed on the ground, looked around, and then they saw Milotic and Roserade floating up in the air. "Gant!?" said Lilligant surprised. "Nidoqueen!?" Nidoqueen replied surprised. "What!?" Alexis replied. "Gotcha! Roserade! Use Petal Dance to fly down at Lilligant, and combine both Poison Jab and Vine Whip! Milotic! Use Water Pulse!" Zuzu replied. "Roserade! Rose-Roserade! Rose-rade!" Roserade replied as he used his attacks as he jumped out of the Aqua Ring, and attacked Lilligant. "Milo! Mi-lo-tic!" Milotic replied as she fired her attack. "Nidoqueen! Mega Punch!" Alexis replied in shock. "Nido! Ni-do-" Nidoqueen replied as she charged up her attack. As it came close, Nidoqueen began to feel a chill in her body; making her flinch and shiver. "What!? Nidoqueen! Are you alright?" said Alexis replied. Nidoqueen shook off the cold, and then was hit by Water Pulse in the face; making me, Yuya, and our group stand up with excitement. As the attack faded, Nidoqueen charged up Mega Punch again and hit both Milotic and Roserade; sending them to the ceiling. As they got close, Roserade used his vines to save him and Milotic from the impact. They looked at each other, nodded in thanks, and then swung around the ceiling.
"What the? What are they doing?" said Yuya curiously. "Finding the right spot to get down and strike back." I replied. After I said that, Zuzu looked at Alexis and smiled at her. "Hey, Alexis! Have you seen a battle like this before?" she asked her. "Nope. I haven't. How are you doing this?" she replied. "Let's just say that I learned something similar from a good friend of mine when I watched her Gym battles." she replied. Alexis looked at her surprised, and then saw both Roserade and Milotic begin to descend. "Lilligant! Solar Beam! Nidoqueen! Hyper Beam!" she said. Both her Pokémon let out their battle cries, and charged up their attacks. Zuzu smirked at this, and then pointed at her opponents. "Now! Combine Water Pulse and Energy Ball!" she said. Both her Pokémon let out their battle cries, charged and combined their attacks, fired it, watched it dodge the beams, and then hit their opponents. "Lilli!" Lilligant cried. "Nido!" Nidoqueen cried. "Lilligant! Nidoqueen!" Alexis replied worriedly. As the attack hit, both Roserade and Milotic dodged the two beams, and safely land back on the ground.
The smoke settled a moment later, and we all saw both Lilligant and Nidoqueen still standing; now all tired and exhausted. As they stared at Milotic and Roserade, the timer beeped. "And, time! The winner of the first semi-final match goes to: Zuzu Boyle!" said Joy. We and the crowd cheered excitedly at the results, and then celebrated together. Zuzu smiled happily at her Pokémon, ran onto the field, and hugged them. "Roserade! Milotic! We did it! We really did it! We made it to the finals! I'm so proud of you two!" she said. They let out happy cries and hugged her back making her happy. Nidoqueen and Lilligant looked at Alexis sadly as she walked onto the field, and then were surprised when she hugged them. "Nidoqueen... Lilligant... I thank you. Thank you both for giving it your all out there. I'm very proud of you." she said. They let out happy sounds, and hugged her back. After that, they saw Zuzu and her team walk upto them. "Zuzu. Congratulations. You and your team were incredible." she said. "Thank you, Alexis. You and your team were great as well." Zuzu replied. She smiled warmly at her, and then they shook hands.
"Alright! She did it! She did it!" Yuya cheered excitedly. "Way to go, Zuzu!" I replied excitedly. The handshake ended, and then Alexis and her team went backstage. She then turned to us happily, ran over to us, and then hugged us. "Zuzu! Congratulations!" said Yuya happily. "Thank you, Yuya." she replied happily. "Yeah! You and your Pokémon were incredible! The strategies that you used in the battle were amazing!" I replied. "Thank you, Aaron." she replied happily. We smiled at her, and then we looked up at the screen; seeing now that we are next. Zuzu turned to us, saw the looks on our faces, and then saw us look at each other. "Well... I guess this is it. Me vs. You." said Yuya. "Yeah. This is it. I wish you luck, Yuya." I replied as I extended my hand to him. "Yeah. You too, Aaron. May the best man win." he replied as he shook my hand.
"Yuya? Aaron? Good luck to the both of you. I know that you two will make the crowd go wild." Zuzu replied. "Thank you, Zuzu." we replied. After that, we let our hands go, and walked onto the battlefield. Zuzu watched us silently as we took our places, and then looked out to where our group was sitting; seeing my seat empty. "Huh? That's weird... why isn't Tay here? I know I saw her on camera during my first two rounds... where did she go?" she said in her thoughts. She blinked her eyes, turned to look at me and Yuya, and then noticed the small smirk on my face. "Huh? Wait a second... that smirk on his face... I know that smirk... no... no way... it couldn't be... it couldn't be her. Her eyes are brown... not blue. And she has a scar on her face... while this guy doesn't have one at all. Could it be her..? Or is he a near lookalike to her?" she said in her thoughts.
She blinked her eyes, sat down on the bench, and watched us closely; wondering what we will do now. "Coordinators! Please send out your two Pokémon!" said Joy. "Okay! Charizard! Inteleon! Time to Swing into Action!" Yuya replied as he took out two sealed PokéBalls, threw them up in the air, watched them open, and saw his Pokémon appear. "Inteleon." said Inteleon. Charizard roared loudly at me, and then saw the smirk on my face; making him smirk back. "Alright! Lucario! Zoroark! Unleash your power!" I said as I took out two sealed PokéBalls, threw them up in the air, watched them open, and saw Aurasoul and Zoroark appear. They let out their battle cries, and looked at their opponents; ready to battle. "So... I'm fighting Lucario and Zoroark, huh? Well this should be interesting." said Yuya. He blinked his eyes, saw the smirk on my face, and then smirked back.
"Ready, Aaron?" he asked. "I was born ready." I replied. Our groups watched us silently, and then leaned forward in their seats; ready to see how we battle against each other. "Battle, begin!" said Joy.
Battle! Aaron vs. Yuya!
"Lucario! Aura Sphere! Zoroark! Shadow Ball!" I said. Aurasoul and Zoroark let out their cries, charged up their attacks, and then fired them at their opponents. "Inteleon! Use Snipe Shot!" said Yuya. "Intel! In-teleon! Teleon!" Inteleon replied as it used its attack; destroying the attacks in front of it and making me lose some points. Yuya smirked at this, and then pointed upto the ceiling. "Now! Charizard! Up in the air! Inteleon! Jump up on Charizard's back!" he said. Charizard made a sound, and flew up in the air. As he did this, Inteleon jumped up on Charizard's back; ready to strike. "Zoroark! Use Shadow Claw! Lucario! Blaze Kick!" I said. They nodded their heads, jumped up in the air, and began using their attacks. "Perfect. Now! Grab them!" said Yuya. "In-teleon!" Inteleon replied as it grabbed Zoroark; surprising him. Charizard grabbed Lucario by his arm, and looked at the surprised look on his face.
"Whoa! What a grab!" said Pat. "Yeah! But now what will Aaron do about this?" Celina replied. "Maybe Tay might know. Right, Tay?" he replied as he and the group looked at my seat; seeing it still empty. "Huh!?" said Celina, Pat, and Sora surprised. "Hm? What's the matter, kids?" Mrs. Sakaki asked them. "It's Tay! She's gone missing!" Sora replied worriedly. "Missing? Are you sure about that?" she replied. "Well... we... we don't know..?" he replied. "But it is weird. She was here a while ago during Yuya and Zuzu's performances... but after they were done... she disappears for a while, and then comes back only when they are on stage." Celina replied. "Yeah! It's true!" Pat replied. Zach quickly looked away from the group after they said that, and looked at my Mom and Red worriedly. "Okay. I'll go look for her. If that eases your minds for a while, I'll check and see if she's okay." said Red as he stood up.
"Huh? Red? Are you serious?" Celina replied. "Yeah. I'm sure she's not far. She's probably at the gift line or at the snack line. Don't worry, I'll find her." he replied. He then patted Zach's shoulder, and watched him look up at him. "Nice save." Zach whispered. "Thanks." he whispered. He nodded his head to him, and then watched him leave the room. He breathed a sigh of relief, and then looked back at the stage. "Now! Inteleon! Combine Aqua Jet and Liquidation against Zoroark! Charizard! Seismic Toss on Lucario!" said Yuya. "Intel! In-tel-eon! Inteleon!" Inteleon replied as it used the two attacks on Zoroark; sending him flying up and then down to the ground. Charizard roared, spun around in circles, and then threw Aurasoul down to the ground. He flew down to Inteleon's side, and saw both Zoroark and Aurasoul stand up.
"Charizard! Flamethrower! Inteleon! Dark Pulse!" said Yuya. "Teleon! In-teleon!" Inteleon replied as it used its attack while Charizard roared and used his attack. "Dodge it!" I replied. Aurasoul and Zoroark dodged the attacks, and then charged at their opponents. "Lucario! Meteor Mash! Zoroark! Shadow Claw!" I said. Aurasoul and Zoroark charged up their attacks, and then saw both Inteleon and Charizard block their attacks. "What!?" I said surprised. "Heh. Sorry, Aaron. But this is where your strategy comes to an end! Charizard! Send them flying with Dragon Pulse!" Yuya replied. Charizard roared, and used the attack on Aurasoul and Zoroark; sending them flying to the ceiling. "Now! Inteleon! Use Liquidation!" he said. "Inteleon! In-tel-eon!" Inteleon replied as it used Liquidation on them; sending them down to the ground. "And now for the grand finale! Charizard! Use Flare Blitz! Inteleon! Aqua Jet!" he said.
They slowly stood up, looked around themselves, and then saw both their opponents charge at them, surrounded in fire and water come right at them and hit them; making an explosion of steam. After it disappeared, they saw my team hold onto each other's shoulders, stare at them, and then they heard the timer beep. "And, time! The winner of the final semi-final match goes to: Yuya Sakaki!" said Joy. The crowd cheered excitedly to the results. "Alright! He did it! He won!" Sora cheered. "Way to go, Yuya!" Celina cheered. "Yeah! That's our boy!" Pat cheered. Zuzu and Zach stared at us silently, and then smiled at us; knowing how far we came here. "Alright! We won! Charizard! Inteleon! We did it! You guys are the best!" said Yuya as he ran to his team and hugged them. They made happy sounds and hugged him back; making him laugh happily.
I walked over to Aurasoul and Zoroark, and saw little sad looks on their eyes. "Aurasoul... Zoroark... I thank you. Thank you for everything you and our team have done together. I am proud of you all." I said. They smiled at me, and gently hugged me. I quickly healed them with my powers, and then saw Yuya walk upto me. "Yuya. Congratulations. Well done." I said. "Thank you, Aaron. You've raised your team well. I know that they have gave it their all to be here." he replied. "Yeah. They sure have. But you and your team found a way to beat us in a way we've never seen before. It was... incredible. I thank you... for giving us the best battle we've had in a while." I replied. "You're welcome." he replied. We shook hands, and heard the crowd cheer for the both of us. After that, I went backstage with my team. As I walked away, Yuya and Zuzu watched me closely; wondering where I would go after this.
"Hey. He got third place. That's not bad." said Pat. "Yeah... it's not bad at all. I have to admit... he is a good Trainer." Celina replied. "Mhm. The way he battled throughout all this was intense, but Yuya at the end had the upper-hand after watching him battle Dennis and Mai. It felt like when I was watching him... it felt like I was watching Tay a little bit." Sora replied. "Yeah. It did feel like it in a way. Maybe those two know each other?" Pat replied. "Maybe..." Celina replied. Zach, my Mom, Red, Lorelei, Yuya's parents, and Zuzu's parents looked out to the backstage entrance in silence; knowing now my Contest time is over. They then looked at each other for a moment, and then back to the stage; ready for the finals to begin. As the stage was getting ready, both Yusho and Skip stood up from their chairs, and walked over to Yuya and Zuzu. They hugged their kids, and walked them to behind the curtains. As they went there; my Mom, Red, Mrs. Sakaki, Mrs. Boyle, and the group followed them.
"Yuya. Zuzu. Congratulations on making it to the finals." said Skip. "Thank you." they replied happily. "So? How does it feel? Both of you are 1 Ribbon away from winning it al?" he replied. "It feels great! We've both learned so much since our journeys started last year." Zuzu replied. "And now that we are in the finals, facing off against each other... it feels surreal." Yuya replied. "It sure does. Skip and I know exactly how you two are feeling. The feeling of excitement and enthrallment. But now, it's time for you two to show the world what you can do. Not only as our legacies... but as Coordinators in your own right." Yusho replied. "Right!" Yuya replied. "Yeah!" Zuzu replied. Both fathers smiled at their children, and then they saw their Moms walk down with our group. "Hm? Yoko? What's up?" Yusho asked her. "Yusho..? I think it's time." Yoko replied.
"Huh? Time for what?" Yuya replied. "Time for them to know the truth about Aaron." she replied. "What!?" Yuya, Zuzu, and most of the group replied in shock. "It's true. I think they should know now before the finals begin." Mrs. Boyle replied. "Huh? Honey? Are you sure?" Skip replied. Mrs. Boyle and Yoko nodded their heads yes to his question. "Well... Yusho... should we tell them?" he asked. Yusho thought about it for a moment, and then nodded his head yes to him. "Uh... what's going on?" Zuzu asked curiously. "Kids..? Did you notice anything about Aaron that felt familiar to you?" Skip replied. Yuya and Zuzu were surprised of the question, and then began to think about it. "Well... we noticed that before he battled Alexis and me... that he would jump side to side before the battles started?" Yuya replied. "And that he had three Pokémon like she did. A Lucario, Scyther, and a Galarian Rapidash." Zuzu replied.
"Mhm." Yusho replied as he nodded his head. "And he found ways to outsmart his opponents before my battle with him. Creating new battle strategies that we have never seen before." Yuya replied. Zuzu nodded her head in agreement to his response. "And, both our Pokémon kept on inspecting him and staying close to him when we were watching battles and performances backstage. It felt like they knew him from somewhere." she said. "Really? Well... a lot of Pokémon can tell each other someone's identity based on scent. Maybe they smelt a familiar scent on him?" Skip replied. "Really?" she replied curiously. They nodded their heads yes to her response. "Zuzu? Have you and Yuya noticed someone missing in the crowd after your performances and battles?" Yusho asked her. Once he said that, both Yuya's and Zuzu's eyes widened in shock. "Oh... I think they know now!" said Mrs. Boyle happily.
Yuya and Zuzu looked at each other in shock, and then looked at their parents. "Tay!" they said in shock. "Ha ha! Yep! You got it!" Skip replied. "What!? Tay was in the Contest the entire time!?" Celina replied surprised. "Yep. It's true." my Mom replied. "What!? You knew!?" she replied. "Mhm. I knew for a couple weeks now. And, I am the one who entered her in the Contest." Mom replied. Celina, Pat, and Sora looked at her in shock, and then looked at Zach as he crossed his arms. "Zach..? Did you know about this?" Pat asked him. "As of today... yeah. I knew. She told me while she was getting ready backstage during the performance round." he replied. "What!?" the group replied in shock. "It's true. Here. You guys can read the texts for proof." he replied as he gave them his Phone and watched them read our texts.
"No... way... Aaron was Tay all along!? What!?" Yuya replied surprised. "Yeah! This is crazy! How did this happen?" Zuzu replied. "It was me and your father's idea." Yoko replied. "What!? Mom!?" he replied. "Yep. We thought that it would be a little fun idea that Taylor did the Contest and surprise you two, and see what she could do as a Coordinator." Yusho replied. "Really..? You guys did that... for us?" Zuzu replied. They nodded their heads yes to her question; making them smile and turn to each other. "So that's why she's been acting weird for the past few days! She was practicing in secret!" said Yuya. "Yeah! No wonder why she kept disappearing when we training and performing! She really wanted to surprise us!" Zuzu replied.
The adults smiled happily at them, and then both Yusho and Skip gave Yuya and Zuzu a gentle push. "Huh? Dad? What are you doing?" Zuzu asked. "Well... what are you waiting for? She's in her dressing room right now. go on and see her." Skip replied. "Really? We can go see her?" she replied happily. "Sure. Go right on ahead. We gotta get everyone else back in their seats and tell them how this all happened." Yusho replied. "Right!" she and Yuya replied. After that, they booked it to my dressing room.
Backstage
I sat down in my chair and breathed a sigh of relief; now back to my normal self, speaking in my normal voice, and in my main outfit. "Finally... it's over. Though I have to admit... the costume was very comfortable. I'll keep it around for safe keeping just in case." I said. Aurasoul nodded his head in agreement to my response, and then we heard my Phone vibrate. "Hm? Who could it be this time?" I said. I picked it up and saw a text from my Mom.
Mom: Hi, sweetheart. I just want to let you know that Yuya and Zuzu now know about your persona. Their parents just told them a few minutes ago. And you had them very surprised! They were very excited that you did this for them.
They know now!? Man... I was kinda hoping to show and tell them in person... but I guess they couldn't keep the secret for long. Oh well... at least they know about it now than after the show. I sent her a heart emoji, and then put my Phone in my jacket pocket. After I did that, we heard a knock on the door. I raised my eyebrow up, got off my chair, walked to the door, opened it, and saw no one in the hallway. "Huh? That's weird? Someone just knocked on my door." I said as I stepped onto the hallway. I looked around curiously for a moment, and then heard a bark echo. "Hm?" I said as I turned to my left; seeing Boltund run towards me. He barked happily, jumped onto me, and made me fall to the floor; scaring Aurasoul. He ran over, and saw Boltund licking my face; while making me laugh at the same time.
"Now that's what I call a surprise entrance, huh Tay?" said a voice. "Huh?" I replied curiously. Boltund got off of me, and I saw Yuya and Zuzu looking down at me. "Hey, guys." I said. "Hey." Zuzu replied. They helped me back up on my feet, and pulled me into a hug. "Hehe. I guess you now know, huh?" I said. "Yep. We sure do." she replied. We shared the embrace for a moment, and then ended the hug. "Tay... I... I'm still in shock... how did you do this?" Yuya asked me. "Your parents sent me a package when me, Zuzu, and the group were Cerulean City. When I opened it and saw the costumes for me and Aurasoul, I found a letter from your parents, asking me to join the Contest in secret and surprise you guys. When it mentioned you two... I knew that I couldn't refuse the offer." I replied. "So you did sign up in secret? And our parents knew the whole time?" Zuzu replied. I nodded my head yes to her question, and then we saw Aurasoul walk up beside me.
"Hey, Aurasoul. You were amazing in the Contest." said Yuya. "Yeah! You were incredible out there! You looked like you had a lot of fun!" Zuzu replied. Aurasoul made happy sounds to them, and then let them fist bump and high five his paws; making us smile. "Pika-Pi!" said a voice. We turned around and saw Tetrax run upto us. "Hey, buddy!" I said happily as he jumped up on my shoulder. "Cha~" he replied happily as he nuzzled me. He then jumped up on Yuya and Zuzu's shoulders, nuzzled them happily, and then jumped back onto my shoulder. "Looks like he just wished us luck for the finals." said Yuya. "Yep. He sure did. Right, buddy?" I replied. "Pi!" he replied happily. "Aww~ Thank you, Tetrax." Zuzu replied happily. "Pika-chu!" he replied happily. "Yuya! Zuzu! It's time!" said the stage manager. We looked out to the stage entrance, and then turned to each other.
"Well... this is it." said Yuya. "Yep. Me against you." Zuzu replied. "Yeah. And this is the first time that we are facing each other in the finals." he replied. "Yep. It sure is." she replied. They smiled warmly at each other, and then saw me pat their shoulders. "Good luck, guys. Give it all you got out there, and make all of Pallet Town proud." I said. They felt their eyes widen a bit, took my words to heart, and then smiled at me. "Thank you, Tay." said Zuzu. "Yeah. Thank you, Tay. With words like that... we'll make Pallet Town proud. Together." Yuya replied. I smiled warmly at them, shared one last hug with them, and then we went our separate ways; me back to my seat, and Yuya and Zuzu onto the stage.
Contest Stage
"Ladies and Gentlemen! It's the moment that you all have been waiting for! It is now time for the Vermilion Contest Finals!" said Joy. The crowd cheered with excitement to the announcement, and then saw both Yuya and Zuzu on the battlefield. "And now! It's time to introduce to you, our two Finalists! Both hailing from Pallet Town: Yuya Sakaki! And Zuzu Boyle!" she said. Our group cheered loudly for them alongside the crowd, and watched them happily wave to the crowd. "Man... I can't believe we're witnessing this live in person! Yuya vs. Zuzu in the Finals! This is awesome!" said Pat. "I know right! And this is the first time they are facing off in the Finals! This is wild!" Celina replied. "Yeah! I guarantee all of Pallet Town is standing up back at home and rooting for them!" he replied. "They sure are, man! This is the biggest representation of our town that we have ever seen in a long time!" Zach replied.
He and Celina nodded their heads in agreement, and then looked at me in my seat; showing off a proud smile. "Coordinators! Please send out your two Pokémon!" said Joy. "Okay! Ninetales! Pikachu! Spotlight!" Zuzu replied as she took out two sealed PokéBalls, threw them up in the air, watched them open, and saw her Pokémon appear on the battlefield. "Ninetales!" said Ninetales. "Pi-ka-chu!" Pikachu replied. "Ninetales and Pikachu, huh? Okay! Charizard! Boltund! Time to Swing into Action!" Yuya replied as he took out two sealed PokéBalls, threw them up in the air, watched them open, and saw his Pokémon appear on the battlefield. Boltund barked, and Charizard roared at their opponents; ready for the challenge. "So? You using Fire and Electric types as well?" said Zuzu. "Yep! I thought that we would give the audience a shocking and blazing battle!" he replied.
She smiled happily to his response, and then prepared herself for the battle; making him do the same. "Ready, Yuya?" she said. "Ready. Let's show the world the true strength of our hometown!" he replied. "You got it!" she replied. "Battle, begin!" Joy replied.
Battle! Yuya vs. Zuzu!
"Ladies first!" said Yuya. "Thanks! Okay! Pikachu! Use Quick Attack on Boltund! Ninetales! Use Energy Ball on Charizard!" Zuzu replied. "Pika! Pika-Pika-Pika! Pi-ka!" Pikachu replied as she used her attack on Boltund; pushing him back a little bit. "Nine! Nine-tales!" Ninetales replied as she used her attack on Charizard; hitting him in the gut, and making Yuya lose some points. "Whoa! That had to do some damage!" Sora replied. "Only a little bit. But now Zuzu needs to get the defense. She knows how strong they are. So she has to use a defensive move fast before he can do some heavy damage on her team." I replied. "She's right. I know that her Pikachu knows Light Screen... but if she or Ninetales has Reflect... they can withstand his team's attacks for a while." Celina replied. I nodded my head in agreement to her response, and then looked back at the field. "Boltund! Wild Charge! Charizard! Flamethrower!" said Yuya. Both Pokémon let out their battle cries, and used their attacks. "Dodge it, quick!" said Zuzu.
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu replied as she moved away from the Flamethrower. "Ninetales!" Ninetales replied as she dodged Wild Charge. "What!?" Yuya replied surprised. "Pikachu! Use Light Screen! Ninetales! Use Reflect!" Zuzu replied. "Pika! Pika-chu!" Pikachu replied as she used Light Screen. "Nine! Nine-tales! Nine!" Ninetales replied as she use Reflect. "Yes! Now he can't do that much damage to them!" Pat replied. "Yep! She's got this in the bag now!" Celina replied. Once Yuya saw this, he smirked confidently at her; making her curious. "Sorry, Zuzu! But those barriers won't last for long! Charizard! Use Brick Break!" he said. "What!?" Zuzu replied in shock. Charizard roared and used the attack; breaking the barriers and making Zuzu lose some points. "What!? Charizard knows Brick Break!?" said Zach surprised. "No way!" Pat replied surprised.
Pikachu and Ninetales backed away for a moment, and then saw Charizard smirking at them. "What the..? How..? How did you know that, Yuya?" said Zuzu. "Remember when Electivire broke Electabuzz's shield when he used Protect?" he replied. After he said that, her eyes widened in shock to it. "No way! You made him learn that move after the Gym battle!?" she said. He nodded his head yes to her response, and then pointed at her Pokémon. "Boltund! Use Swift! Charizard! Dragon Pulse!" he said. Both Pokémon jumped up in the air, and then used their attacks. "Dodge it!" said Zuzu. Both her Pokémon jumped out of the way, and then looked at their opponents. "Boltund! Electro Ball!" said Yuya. Boltund barked, and used the attack. "Pikachu! Use Electroweb to catch it!" said Zuzu. "Pika! Pika-Pika-Pika-Pikachu-Pi!" Pikachu replied as she used the attack; catching the Electro Ball coming towards her. Boltund barked in shock, and then Yuya looked at her surprised. "What!?" he said.
"Now! Ninetales! Use Fire Spin!" she replied. "Nine! Nine-tales! Nine!" Ninetales replied as she trapped her opponents in the attack. "Whoa! She caught them quick!" Sora replied. "Yeah! She's trying to wear them out!" Pat replied. As the fiery tornado spun around, Yuya clutched his hands into fists; wondering what to do next. "Boltund! Use Dig! Charizard! Fly out of there and use Dragon Pulse!" he said. Boltund barked and used his attack; digging his way out from underground. Charizard roared, flew out of the Fire Spin, looked down at his opponents, and used the attack. "Ninetales! Energy Ball!" said Zuzu. "Nine! Nine-tales! Nine!" Ninetales replied as she used the attack; stopping the Dragon Pulse. After she did this, Boltund appeared from underground and hit Pikachu with the attack. "Pi-ka!" Pikachu cried. "Pikachu!" Zuzu replied worriedly. Pikachu fell back a little bit, and then stood by Ninetales. They looked at each other, nodded their heads, and then she jumped up onto her head.
"Now what? What are they upto?" said Yuya. "Pikachu! Ninetales! Combine both Volt Tackle and Fire Spin on each other! Fiery Volt Tackle!" she said. "Ah!" Yuya replied surprised. "What!?" me and the group replied surprised. "Pika!" Pikachu replied. "Nine!" Ninetales replied. After that, they surrounded themselves in their attacks; ready to strike. Once Yuya looked at them... he knew that he had to do something fast. "Charizard! Boltund! Combine both Wild Charge and Flare Blitz! Blazing Electric Strike!" he said. Both his Pokémon let out their battle cries, surrounded each other in their attacks, and then both them and Zuzu's Pokémon ran towards each other, and clashed; creating a powerful explosion. Everyone in the room covered their eyes from the explosion as the smoke began to take over our lines of sight. The fans turned on and the air vents opened; taking away all of the smoke.
We all uncovered our eyes, and saw the four Pokémon standing tall on the field; breathing heavily from exhaustion. Yuya and Zuzu began to breathe heavily too, and then we all heard the timer beep. "And, time!" said Joy. We looked up at the screen, and saw that both Yuya and Zuzu had lost the same amount of points. "What... just happened? How are their points still the same?" said Sora. "I know what that means." I replied; making the group turn to me. "What does it mean, Tay?" Pat asked me. "...It means they tied." I replied. "What!?" they replied surprised. I nodded ms head yes to their response, and then we saw the screen showing both Yuya and Zuzu as winners of the Contest! "Ah! Ladies and Gentlemen! This is is a historic moment! For the first time in 25 years, we have an official tie! Both Coordinators have officially won the Contest!" said Joy. The crowd cheered at the announcement; while Yuya and Zuzu stared at each other in shock.
"We... we did it..." said Yuya. "We... we won..." Zuzu replied. They looked at each other silently for a moment, smiled excitedly, and then ran over to each other. "We won!" they said excitedly as they hugged each other. They celebrated the victory together with their teams, and looked at their parents; seeing how proud they are of them. We cheered for them alongside the crowd happily for a few moments, and then the Ribbon ceremony began. They stood on a podium, and saw their Dads walk upto them with Ribbon cases in their hands "Yuya. Zuzu. As winners of the Vermilion Contest, here are your Vermilion Ribbons." said Yusho as he and Skip handed them their Ribbons. "Thank you very much." they replied happily. They gently took the Ribbons, stared at them, laughed happily, and then raised them up in the air. "Alright! We just got-" said Yuya. "Our final Ribbons!" Zuzu replied. Their Pokémon joined in on the celebration, and heard the applause of the crowd. Zach and Celina whistled happily to them, while Pat and Sora cheered happily for them. I stood up silently and smiled at them proudly; knowing how far they have come.
Taylor's Beach House- Nighttime
After the event was over, we all went back to my beach house, had a celebratory dinner, and then me and the group went upto my room. We sat down around the room, and turned on the TV; watching a show that we all like together. As we watched it... my Mom, Yuya's parents, and Zuzu's parents stood by my door, and watched us having fun together. "Having fun there, kids?" my Mom asked us. We turned to the door, saw them, and nodded our heads yes to her question. "That's great to here." said Mrs. Boyle. "Yeah. After a day like today... you all deserve to have fun and relax before you head off for your next location." Mr. Boyle replied. "Yeah." Zuzu replied happily. "So? Where you all heading off to next?" my Mom asked us. "Celadon City." Yuya replied. "Celadon City!?" the adults replied in shock; scaring the group.
"Ah! Mom! Dad! You okay?" Zuzu asked her parents. "Yeah... we're alright... but..." Mrs. Boyle replied. "But what?" she replied worriedly. "Zuzu... there is a reason that we all don't really talk about Celadon City that much..." Mr. Boyle replied. "Huh? What are you talking about, Mr. Boyle?" Yuya asked curiously. "Oh dear." Mrs. Sakaki replied in a sad tone and turned to her husband. "Yuya... that city was where Taylor was held captive by Team Rocket five years ago." Mr. Sakaki replied. "What!?" the group replied in shock. They turned to me, and saw my Mom holding me close. "Team Rocket had a secret base built inside the Game Corner, and they experimented on her for hours on her abilities." Mr. Sakaki replied sadly.
The group's eyes widened in shock and anger to what he said, and then looked back at me; seeing me clutch my hands into fists. "Tay..." said Zach. After that, it was time for everyone to prepare for bed. As we did this, Yuya and Zuzu said goodnight to their parents, and watched them leave safely. A couple hours later, everyone went to bed... except for me. I stayed up and played some calming videos on my laptop; trying to ease my mind for a while. As I watched and listened to them, I saw a video that caught my eye. "Hm? Wait... no way... is that... my favorite theme park show? I haven''t seen this in a few years!" I said happily. I clicked on it, and then began hearing the intro to the show; making my heart happy. I couldn't help but smile as I heard it and the music beginning to play. It felt like I was 6 again, at the theme park with my family, watching this show again like the good old days.
Once the music got stronger, I smiled happily and began snapping my fingers to certain parts of the music; acting like a conductor of some sort. After nearly a half hour later, it got to the finale. I smiled to myself and wiped away some happy tears; knowing how much this show always made me happy. "See it in your mind, and you can find in your Imagination. Mysteries and magic, visions fantastic, leading to strange and wondrous dreams! Dreams are make believe, but do they all come true?" I sang to myself. I watched the finale happily and saw the fireworks sequence go off; making me shed more happy tears. After that, the video ended. "Wow... that just got me emotional. It felt so... nostalgic... and heartwarming. Is this what... happy memories feel like?" I said to myself as I wiped my tears. After calming myself down, I sent the link of the video to Red; knowing this will make him smile.
After that, I walked out of my room, went downstairs, and went to get a snack from the pantry in kitchen. As I got my snack, I felt someone poke my shoulder. I jumped in shock for a second, and was prepared to fight. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Tay! Take it easy! It's me!" said the person in a soft, hushed tone. "Huh? Yuya? What are you doing up this late?" I replied as I looked at him. "I was about to ask you the same thing. Were you just grabbing a snack in there?" he replied. I nodded my head yes to his question. He nodded his head in understanding, and then grabbed a snack for himself. "So? Can't sleep after the victory?" I asked him. "Mhm. It's mostly because of the excitement of it all." he replied. "Because you won it with Zuzu?" I replied. "Yep. It felt a lot more special to win it all with her." he replied. "Because she's been the one friend who was always rooting for you, and helping you boost your confidence?" I replied. He nodded his head yes to my question; making me lightly smile.
"Now what about you? Did the whole... Celadon City thing... keep you up?" he asked. "A little bit. I was mostly shook by it from our parent's reactions... knowing how much it still affects them to this day." I replied. "Yeah... that's a day that will never disappear in my mind. Seeing you all pain and traumatized from those experiments you went through... it scarred me inside. It made me really on how humanity can be so cruel to others. And I will never forget how our group's parents were angry at your Dad after all of what they told them." he replied. I nodded my head in agreement to his response. "And ever since that day... they all have been very protective of you... especially at public events and the big family parties." he said. "Yeah... but it showed me, my Mom, and Red how your family and the group's families how much you all care about us." I replied.
He nodded his head in agreement to my response. "But... back to Celadon City. There's something that is related to that I want to ask you." I said. "Sure. What is it?" he replied. I blinked my eyes, took a deep breath, and then looked at him in the eyes. "Yuya..? Would you... would you like to join us on our journey?" I asked him. His eyes widened lightly to my question, and he began to think about it. After a moment of thinking, he blinked his eyes, smiled happily at me, and nodded his head yes to me. "Tay... it would be a honor to join you and our friends on your journey." he said. "Really?" I replied happily. "Yep!" he replied happily. We gave each other a hug, and lightly laughed happily together; making sure not to wake anyone up. After that, we sat down at the kitchen table, ate our snacks, said our goodnights, and went to our rooms; ready to sleep for the night.
The Next Day
"So? You guys are ready to go?" my Mom asked us. "Yep. We sure are." I replied. "Time to go face Erika and get your fourth Badge, right?" Red replied. I nodded my head yes to his question; making him smile. "Erika, huh? Isn't she a Grass type Gym Leader?" Mom asked. "Yep. And her ace Pokémon is Vileplume." he replied. "A Vileplume, huh? I thought Tangela was her ace?" she replied. "Nope. It's Vileplume." he replied as he patted her shoulder. "A Vileplume, huh? Okay. I think I know who I'm going to train for this one." I replied. "Atta girl." he replied happily. After that, we shared a hug, and then left the house with the group. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Red! Love you!" I said. "We love you too! Bye, sweetheart!" Mom replied as she waved. "Bye, Tay! Train hard, and stay safe!" Red replied as he waved. "Will do!" I replied as I waved back.
After that, I ran upto the group, and we began our journey to Celadon City; ready to see what the city has in store for us. "So, guys? Where should we go to now?" Sora asked us. "Hm..? How about Diglett Cave?" Yuya replied. "Diglett Cave?" he replied curiously. "Yeah! It's famous cave where you can only find Diglett and Dugtrio!" Yuya replied. "Wow! That's sounds awesome! Did they make that cave all by themselves?" he replied. "Yep." Pat replied. "Whoa..." he replied as he looked at Pat and Yuya. "Well. I guess it's settled then. We're heading to Diglett Cave." Celina replied. "Alright!" Sora cheered happily. We smiled at him happily, and went our way to Diglett Cave. As we walked, I gently looked at my necklace and held the feather that hanged there. I smiled at it for a moment, and then tucked it under my shirt; wondering what kind of luck will come my way soon.
Thank you so much for reading Chapter 21 of the story! And this concludes the mini Contest Arc! *Phew* Man... this was a fun little mini arc to do. Though I have to admit... this Chapter of the arc was my favorite one to write. Now only just for the build-up towards the finals, but mostly for Yuya and Zuzu's battle. They have been in the Contest scene for a year prior before the present timeline of the story started, and this has been a battle I have been planning since ARC 2 started. Plus, those two needed more Duels against each other in the ARC-V anime. So, I decided to do it with some justice... even though they both won the Contest together. That's personally fine with me. We've seen Ash and May tie in that one Contest in the Battle Frontier arc of the anime, so why not do it here? Besides... the main big Contest is where no ties will happen. Once that part comes, they'll have to prove that they can stand tall on their own in order to win.
And as the Chapter comes to a close, Yuya has now officially joined the group! The first time the main group has had a permanent addition for quite a while! I can already tell that he's going to fit in just fine with the group. Not only will he try to provide some laughs for them, he will also help out in certain battles against certain opponents in the future.
Anyways, thank you so much for reading Chapter 21 of the story, and have yourself and awesome day!
Next time, Chapter 22: A Prehistoric Awakening. After the group revives the Fossil Pokémon from their Fossils during their time in Pewter City, Weevil returns with a friend of his own! Wanting revenge on what happened to his former Pokémon: Pinsir! Will he get his revenge? Or will he face defeat from the one who stopped him before? Find out in Chapter 22!