Chapter One - Decisions
Steel gouged wood as the two Pokémon fought. Psychic against Dark, Fairy against Steel - Ralts against Pawniard. By all means, the dark type Pokémon should've had the advantage, yet the psychic type refused to allow the Pawniard to hit him.
Taking advantage of the Pawniard's metal claw, the Ralts managed to - just barely - wedge the chess Pokémon's deadly blades within his training sword. Naturally, the Pawniard would be able to break free without much effort, but…
"Starburst!" The Ralts' free left hand, soon placed before the distracted Pawniard's face, released a flash of light. Whilst the reeling Steel type took the training blade in its claws, the Ralts allowed himself to lose his weapon. It served better as a distraction for his opponent, anyway. A smile played at the fairy's mouth as he stepped forward, right fist igniting itself.
Punching a Pawniard was risky business for sure. Even with a fist that was burning like a roaring hearth, steel types were hard. Yet, battle often called for an ignorance of convenience for doing what was right in the moment. And with a steel type opponent dazed by a sudden bright light in its face, he was all too sure of what it was.
"Infernal… Fist!" Roaring with all his might, the ralts' fist landed on what accounted for the pawniard's jaw, striking the bottom of the steel type's helmet with an almighty uppercut.
Already off-balance from his strike, the Pawniard could do nothing. The poor steel type Pokémon being thrown onto the floor by the fairy type. The Ralts using a slight tug of psychic power to recover his grip on his training blade, right foot resting on the Pawniard's leathery belly.
"Do you yield, Erin?" He pointed the wooden blade to the base of the pawn's neck. Whilst it didn't provide much of a challenge to her, it was a clear message to Erin. A message that she could do no better against her opponent. With a resigned sigh, she closed her eyes and nodded.
"...I yield." With those two words, an arrogant smile turned into one of elation - as the Ralts dropped his wooden blade and offered Erin a hand to stand with.
"LLLAAAADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE MERCIAN JUNIOR TOURNAMENT HAS A WINNER!" A booming Exploud made its presence known once again to both the pair of duellists and the watching audience, which erupted with applause. Applause for a battle well-fought, and applause for a battle squarely won. Though, he wouldn't stand in the glory alone. Taking Erin's hand, the Ralts waved to the audience, bowing and holding their free hands out to take the praise. Of course, this battle was more than just the final of the junior tournament. For the Ralts, it was the beginning of a whole new life.
For some time, he stood there, waving at a disappearing crowd. Pokémon of all shapes and sizes filtered out of the arena, going to enjoy the festivities of the rest of the night before probably returning to watch the start of the senior's tournament.
With the crowd's roaring cheer dying out to become more of an excited murmur, the Ralts made his leave. Bowing one final time before disappearing into one of the tunnels that made up the arena's entries and exits. Waiting for him there was another Ralts - one who practically threw herself into him with a high-speed hug.
"You did it, Helio! You won!" Her voice could barely contain the excitement that she was experiencing. How else would you feel when your twin has won the biggest tournament in his life, and you barely managed the semi-finals?
"Calm down, Hy. You didn't really think I wouldn't, did you?
Erin was a tough opponent, but she wasn't anything I couldn't handle." Helio's voice rung with arrogance and respect, both. The male Ralts understood that Erin was a competent opponent, for sure, but Helio knew his own talents and training. There was no way he was going to let himself lose.
"Well, no, but it was an option. She was like the perfect counter to you-" Yet Hylia knew that there was no use in doomsaying, releasing Helio from his hug and beginning to walk her way out of the arena, and… back home.
That journey home was much easier said than done. Whilst the junior tournament was complete, festivities for the Solar Festival were still in full swing. Hell, they were probably only going to get more energetic.
Already, the streets of Whitecap were filled with market stalls, selling near everything. Baked goods were a favourite for most of the city livers - not having to return home to enjoy a sweet treat or an afternoon meal as the day's festivities went on was an absolute godsend. But baked goods weren't all. This was a chance for craftsmen to prove their skill, smiths setting up stall just outside their own store with a wide variety of blades on offer.
A particular shining blue blade caught Helio's attention as he walked on past. It looked wickedly sharp, and the Aggron that manned the store was reportedly a trusted craftsman. …though, he wouldn't head there. No, Hylia was guiding him home and even then, he didn't have enough favour with his parents for both what he wanted and to get that fancy blue edge.
Shopping wasn't the only thing on offer for the Pokémon in the city of Whitecap. Oooh, no. There were games aplenty available, too, of all manner. One mon offered various levels of strength testers - for small, medium and large Pokémon. Many others had games of skill - three balls to get as many points as possible from throwing them into hoops. Whilst… not using species specific abilities, of course.
The atmosphere that the shops and games provided was simply intoxicating for Helio and, as he arrived at the largest house at the centre of the city, he wore a huge grin on his face. The door to his own home opened, and both Helio and Hylia entered.
For most Pokémon, the huge foyer would've been intimidating. A chandelier hung from the ceiling, the glass that adorned it generating a sparkling pattern on the floor and stairs alike. For Helio, Hylia and the staff that worked here I'm the manor, however, it was home. Helio returning home brought with it a wave of energy to the few attendants working here. Various people nodded and smiled at the pair, giving congratulations for Helio's tournament achievements. Others still asked the pair if they needed to eat, or any work doing. Unfortunately for them, neither Helio nor Hylia had any work for the attendants that their parents had hired.
No, the two Ralts had business with their parents - the younger psychics making their way up the stairs and turning left, entering the work chambers of their mother and father. Sat at their own desks were a Gardevoir and a Delphox. The former's desk was filled with various papers, with an abacus propped precariously by the edge. The Delphox, meanwhile, had stacks of books lining hid desk - and even a few books floating through the air. Whatever his father was doing looked… important, to say the least.
Their mother spoke first, a Gardevoir with pastel pink streaks in her hair, a genetic present from her grandmother and something Helio thankfully didn't share.
"Helio, Hylia. Welcome home, dears. Did you have a good time at the tournament?" Her words were kind, and she wore a smile on her face. But… there was something about it that irked Helio. She was probably just saying it to not congratulate Hylia for a job she didn't do, right?
"Yeah! I got to the semi-finals, but… Erin beat me." Before Helio could reply, Hylia spoke up. Despite her loss, she still had a smile on her face as she spoke. The tournament was clearly still an enjoyable time for her. "Helio, though…" Hylia looked across to Helio and smiled, nudging him with her elbow, as if trying to make him speak.
"I won. The arena might need some new training swords, but I beat everyone in the arena handily." His words were filled with confidence, but his tone betrayed that. Looking at his mother and father working like this… Solgaleo, he knew he could trust them, yet it was still intimidating. Like asking for a new games console after doing particularly well on an exam.
His result did bring a surprised, yet delighted, look to both his mother's and father's faces. He made sure to tell them just how much he had been training, yet his battle competency seemed to even shock his parents.
"What can I say, Karstedt is a good teacher." After a moment's awkward silence, however, he continued to speak. Confidence seeming to fade with each word.
"Remember when we were eating dinner at the close of the Moon Festival, Mother? And… how I requested to leave Whitecap for some time?"
His mother slowly nodded and gestured for him to continue talking, her gaze piercing.
"Well, you said that if I could prove that I can handle myself that… you would consider it."
Helio closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He'd proven he could handle himself. His training under Master Karstedt had been so enjoyable, his time in the junior tournament so satisfying. Yet… no. He needed this one request from his parents. He and Hylia, both needed it, truthfully. To experience the world outside the stone walls of Whitecap.
"Please, Mother, allow myself and Hylia to explore the world. That we might be more fit to govern our fair county when we return!" A final burst or confidence gave birth to a roar, a final stand against a cruel final boss. Would his mother accept his plea? Solgaleo, he could only hope so-
Her silence as she looked across to his father was not exactly encouraging. The delphox quietly nodding along to something or other. They must have been communicating with telepathy, huh? How convenient that must be.
After an agonising amount of time, his father spoke. Shutting his book and placing it down on the table.
"You have done well indeed, Helio. The best I could ever do is the quarter finals, but with competition like the head of the knights, I can't quite complain, can I?" He gave a laugh and his stoic face returned to gaze upon his son. Somehow, Helio always found his mother's stare to be much more terrifying than his father's, but it was still unnerving to have a delphox staring you down, especially in such an important moment.
"In lieu of your excellent performance in the tournament… and considering the competition you have had to deal with, your mother and I have come to an agreement. Ceres?"
The Gardevoir nodded and drew up a sheet of paper, something like a contract. As she spoke, she wrote down her words.
"You will be free to leave the realm on the condition that you act as emissaries for the land of Mercia in your travels. You will also be required to send one silver coin every week starting from next year. In addition to this, you must travel with three companions, specially selected by the pair of us, giving you a total party of five.
As a final requirement, both of you are to be ready to leave on the final day of the Solar tournament, am I understood?"
Helio just stared back at his mother. She'd given him permission to leave on his most epic of adventures, a quest that he would truly love and adore… yet he wouldn't be allowed to be by himself. He'd be stuck with so many other Pokémon on his various missions and travels, not to mention being forced to return messages with silver home.
He knew it was just his mother caring for him, he understood that his family only wanted the best, but on the other hand… Solgaleo it was a huge task. A gigantic task. Yet, his freedom and adventuring spirit was on the line here. He looked across to Hylia, who had what he imagined to be a similar puzzled expression on her face, clearly thinking this whole thing through. With a smile and a nod not long after, however, Helio had his answer.
"Alright, mother, father…
We accept your offer. Thank you… thank you so much for this astronomical opportunity. I'll do my best to make you proud."
