So I've found myself oddly motivated to work on this chapter, which is why this one is coming out so soon after the last one.
The number of views and positive feedback I've gotten from these past few chapters have been humbling, to say the least. This may just be a small hobby of mine, but I still care about this story and where it goes. All I can really say at this point is: Thank you all for reading this story. It genuinely means a lot to me.
Please, enjoy the new chapter!
The atmosphere inside the royal carriage was in complete opposition to the streets of Prism City. Outside, Pokémon were loud, cheerful, clinking mugs of alcohol and playing in the streets. They cheered the names of the royal family as the golden carriage passed by, brazenly showing their support for the king and his family.
On the inside, though, it was silent. Azaelia could not see the faces of her family members, as she had long since looked down to her paws to avoid eye contact. Her sister had propped her elbow onto the window of the carriage and held her chin, looking over the celebrating citizens and their joyous actions.
While the two sisters could not directly see it, they felt the stern gazes of their parents on them. While Azaelia could not speak for her sister, she felt as if a flame was burning her skin where her mother and father were staring.
"What?" Blazeira broke the silence, the shiny Ninetails now glaring back at the King and Queen. They both seemed unfazed at the action.
"Was that so hard, dear?" The Queen, Ophelia, rhetorically asked the silver fox that was her daughter. Azaelia could hear a guttural growl emanate from her sister, just quiet enough that the two Pokémon across from them couldn't hear. Ophelia huffed. "Honestly, it wouldn't kill you to act like a proper Princess for once."
Blaze frowned. "That's all you really want, huh?" She mumbled under her breath. Unfortunately for her, Fiero caught the comment.
"What was that?" He asked her in a hard tone.
"Nothing."
Fiero let out a harsh sigh and pinched the bridge of his snout. He then voiced the question that had weighed on his and his wife's mind. "Blazeira." The utterly serious tone in his voice had both daughters immediately bring their attention to the Pyroar. "Where have you been?"
Blazeira clenched a paw. "Out." She simply said.
"Out?" Ophelia repeated. "Out?! You have been gone for weeks! 'Out' does not cover it!"
"What does it matter?!" Blazeira retorted back. "Sis went on her little excursion, no problem! But as soon as I want to leave for somewhere, then it's like the sky is falling down!" Azaelia flinched as she unexpectedly brought into the conversation.
Fiero maintained an even tone, if not tense. "Azaelia had asked us first and was only permitted to go as long as she had the appropriate protection. You, on the other hand, disappeared one day and left naught but a note."
"What, you can't even trust me to protect myself?" Blaze accused her parents. "You can't bear the thought that I can think for myself, that I'm not just your tool for the Arkos line to continue?"
"Blazeira von Arkos, do not even entertain that thought again!" Ophelia raised her voice, concerned at what her daughter thought about her parents.
Fiero's eyes softened just a bit. "Despite what you seem to think, we care about your well-being. But we are also concerned with the rule of this country. The Arkos line has ruled over Arkant for 450 uninterrupted years, only we can be trusted with such a position."
Blaze grimaced. "You care about my well-being? Please." She looked out the window once more, seemingly finished with the conversation.
Azaelia had stayed quiet throughout the exchange. She didn't want to interrupt, hoping that they would sort out their issues on their own. No, that wasn't it. She was too scared to interrupt. She was scared that she would somehow make the argument worse. She was afraid that they all would somehow turn their attention towards her instead. It was bad enough that she got a talking to when she returned home.
They had obviously heard about the attack on Glass City. After revealing that she was essentially in the thick of the situation of her own volition, she was quickly and easily reprimanded for her actions. That she shouldn't have gone out in the first place, that Joltier was also to blame for letting it happen.
Azaelia shakily brought a paw to the bracelet she wore on her right foreleg. It was a plain-looking gold bracelet with a small, pink jewel placed in the center. The shade of pink reminded her of the Mind Plates color. At this, she couldn't help but wonder where Rainbow and Vera had ended up. More so if they had seen her true form on the main stage. Vera had already seemed suspicious of her when she lied about her name, now how would they feel that she essentially lied to them about her whole being.
These thoughts had the Alolan Ninetails subconsciously reaching for the pink gem on the bracelet. She was about to tap the pink gem before she was interrupted by her father.
"Azaelia, there is really no need to hide now, is there?" He had noticed her reaching for the gem.
Azaelia froze, a bit embarrassed at what she had been doing. "No, father. I was just thinking about how useful this illusion gem was in my travels. Not once did anyone suspect I was under an illusion."
He smiled lightly at her. "Very good. I would expect so, as that Illusion Gem was quite hard to get our hands on."
Blaze looked at Azaelia out of the corner of her eye. "Like a real Zoroark, aren't you now?" She immediately realized the comparison she was making and stiffened.
Azaelia looked down to her paws once again, her sister unintentionally reminding her of the enemy she faced in Glass City. "I guess so, although I can only look like a normal Ninetails."
The carriage quieted down. The noise of the festival was growing more distant with every second that passed. They were finally nearing Castle Arkos, where Azaelia could finally retire after such a long day. She shifted her paws uncomfortably. Before she retired, she still had to ask her parents one thing.
"Father? Mother?" She piped up, anxious at what she wanted to propose. The gazes of her parents fell back on her, pressuring her to extend her question to them. "May I join the festivities tomorrow? Um, disguised, of course."
"You wish to spend time with those commoners you traveled with, don't you?" Her mother instantly latched on to Azaelia's secret wish, seeing right through her daughter. Azaelia's silence was all Ophelia needed for an answer. "Azaelia, please do not grow so attached to such people. It is best that you leave them to their own world, as the same goes for you."
Azaelia shifted her gaze back down. "Right, of course." And that was the end of it. She had all but expected this answer, she mentally kicked herself for hoping for any other answer. Why would they ever allow their Princess to mingle with common outsiders? To them, the very idea contrasted to what she was meant to be, and Azaelia was too timid to argue with it.
Blaze huffed from her side of the carriage, watching the quickly approaching castle gates. "I, for one, will be staying in the castle for the remainder of the festival."
"As you should be." Ophelia pointed out. "You have been sneaking out far too much recently, this most recent time has crossed the line. It will do you good to stay in the castle."
The carriage suddenly stopped. Glancing out of her window, Azaelia could see that they arrived home. Fiero opened the door and stepped out, followed by Ophelia, Azaelia, then Blazeira. As they all made their way towards the massive door that was the entrance to Castle Arkos, they heard a voice calling out to them.
"My King, my King! Please wait one moment!" A quick look revealed Magellan Megnias hurrying towards them, hands waving in the air like a madman. Blaze sighed and went inside, uninterested in whatever the Watchog had to say. Azaelia lightly smiled as the history nut drew closer. She shared the same interest in history and the old legends, and she always enjoyed it whenever the Watchog paid them a visit.
"What is it, Mr. Megnias?" The King asked tiredly, already dreading what the head of Megnias Archaeology wanted now. Magellan approached the three members of the royal family, bowing to the king while catching his breath.
"My Lord, that was a truly rousing speech. It makes my heart flutter whenever the past is honored like so. And Lady Ophelia and Lady Azaelia were as beautiful as ever." Magellan praised the king and the two girls first and foremost. Azaelia blushed a bit at the sudden compliment, but Fiero looked impatient.
"Do not butter me up with flattery, Mr. Megnias. What is it you've come to me for?" Fiero bluntly stated, wanting to get to the point of this meeting already.
Magellan cleared his throat. "Yes, well, something unexpected has come up and I need to delay the auction." He said, honoring the king's wish and cutting to the point, albeit hesitantly.
"Delay?" Fiero repeated. "What could have possibly come up to have you delay the most important event planned for the festival?" He narrowed his eyes at the Watchog.
Magellan waved his hands in a defensive manner, trying to calm Fiero's harsh tone. "It's a slight mishandling of our products, my Lord. It was an honest mistake on my employees' parts, but it has come with some repercussions that cannot be fixed by tomorrow."
Ophelia scratched her chin. "So much so that the whole event must be delayed?"
Magellan bowed his head in shame. "Unfortunately, that is the case."
Fiero stared at the Watchog for a few moments before sharply exhaling, involuntarily letting out small flames in the process. "You have until the day after tomorrow, we cannot afford to push it back any further."
The Watchog looked ecstatic at Fiero's answer, clearly relieved that he would have some extra time to sort things out. "Thank you for your understanding, my Lord. I will be sure to be ready by then."
"Pokémon from all over Arkant made the pilgrimage here to see this festival, and many have come in the hopes of participating in this auction." Fiero glared at Magellan, who shrunk back a bit. "I'm assuming this grand 'mystery item' of yours will sate their expectations?"
Magellan quickly nodded. "Yes, yes. Indeed it will, my Lord." With that, Magellan Megnias excused himself and went on his way, presumably to get a headstart on whatever problem his organization has found itself in. The three family members then turned and went inside the castle.
"This does pose a problem, however," Ophelia stated as the three continued on through the large and open hallways of the castle towards their bedrooms. "Many Pokémon have come here for the auction, as well. They will not be happy to hear of its sudden delay."
Fiero looked to the ground in thought. "That will be the case. This means, to settle their indignation, we must hastily put together an event before afternoon tomorrow. That will keep the masses busy, at least."
Azaelia spoke up. "Father, may I suggest something?" At his nod of approval, Azaelia continued. "While the festival may be a joyous time for the city, and many Pokémon are happy with it, it is also a time where roughhousing and fighting are at an all-time high. Pokémon don't know what to do with their energy and direct towards fighting each other."
"What exactly are you suggesting, daughter?" Fiero asked her, interested in her analysis.
"I believe we should direct that fighting spirit into an event itself. I'm suggesting we create a battle tournament." Azaelia finished.
Fiero placed a paw on his chin. "That is quite an idea. A battling tournament should quell some pent-up energy in the citizens, as well as occupy them for tomorrow."
Ophelia shared her thoughts as well. "It can also be done in a quick manner. We would only need to advertise it tomorrow and hold it later in the day."
"A first-come-first-serve basis for the fighters, as well." Fiero was quickly latching on to the idea. "But we would need a proper venue."
"Indigo Plaza should fit perfectly, I'd imagine," Ophelia suggested. "I believe there are already small battle arenas used for recreation there. It can easily host an event like this."
Fiero looked proudly at Azaelia, though still holding a stoic expression. "This idea of yours seems more feasible by the second, daughter. Well done." Azaelia covered her face with one of her tails, embarrassed at the rare praise from her father.
"We are forgetting something rather important, however." Fiero and Azaelia turned back towards Ophelia as she voiced a concern. "We require a prize. Pokémon wouldn't compete in something like this without a reason."
Fiero agreed with his wife. "That is a very good point. We need something valuable to the Pokémon of Arkant, something they would want enough to fight for it."
Azaelia then thought of a great idea. She knew Rainbow and Vera were still in the city, waiting for the auction and their chance to obtain another Plate of Arceus. If she could convince her father to put up the Flame Plate for the tournament, it would make Rainbow's mission a lot easier to complete. Or at least, it would give him a huge chance.
"What about the Flame Plate, father?" She asked, hopeful that he would accept this idea like he seemed to accept the tournament.
Unfortunately, he immediately shook his head. "Absolutely not, daughter. The Flame Plate has been in the Arkos family for many generations. I refuse to give it up for an impromptu event such as this." Fiero thought for a moment. "Something any Pokémon would want… " He thought back to his speech that night, remembering the crowd's reactions to his words. One moment seemed to stick out to him. He looked over his daughter once more, a light of realization shone in his eye. "Daughter, you mentioned how you wanted to take part in the festivities?"
"Um, yes?" She confirmed confusedly, wondering why he would bring something like this up now.
Fiero continued. "I will grant your request." Azaelia's eyes suddenly lit up, getting excited at the sudden acceptance. Before she could thank him, however, he interjected. "On one condition, however."
Azaelia slightly frowned, a nervous knot filling her stomach. Somehow, she didn't like where her father was going with this.
Rainbow: Espeon
The morning air was crisp and cool, the rays of the rising sun blanketing the waking city. The inhabitants of Prism City still found themselves waking up from the previous night of partying, many still having shops to run and chores to do. It was exceptionally quiet, as the events of the day wouldn't start until later. The Pokémon that were already up, however, were in for a surprise.
"The auction has been delayed?" Vera asked in mild surprise, reading a poster that had been set up outside of a storefront.
Rainbow, who stood next to her, scratched his head. "At least that gives us a bit more time to come up with a plan."
After the opening ceremony of the festival last night, the two had found an in to stay at. It was a long walk, however, as most of the inns near the center city were already at full occupancy or were simply too expensive. The two could not get much shut-eye anyway because of how late the initial partying went. Even still, the two rose early to get a head start on the day, which included browsing shops for a souvenir, at Vera's suggestion.
It was quite a bit shocking to find out about Lia's true identity. Not so much that she wasn't a Ninetails, but an Alolan Nintails, as Vera had explained that some powerful psychics could produce illusionary accessories. It was the fact that they had been haphazardly traveling with one of the only two princesses of Arkant. The use of an illusion to hide her identity only made sense, as well as her hesitance to reveal her true identity. It also explained the Lombre, Garland's, reaction to her yesterday.
Vera looked further down the poster. "While it may be a blessing in disguise to have the event delayed, loom what they are replacing it with for today."
Rainbow took her advice and looked further down the poster, reading it aloud: "To those that are disappointed by this recent news, King Fiero has opened a fighting tournament in replacement of the Megnias Auction. This tournament will be held in Indigo Plaza at 5:00 PM, with sign-ups opening at 10:00 AM this morning and accepting only the first 32 applicants. Vera, what time is it?" He asked the Gardevoir.
Vera opened her Adventurer's Pouch and pulled out a small watch. She had recently bought this watch earlier, stating that it was very useful to keep track of time. "It is currently 8:37 AM, meaning the tournament sign-ups begin in one hour and twenty-three minutes. Are you interested in competing, by chance?"
Rainbow nodded to her question. "It's not like we have much else to do. The auction isn't until tomorrow and I'm still not sure how we're going to get our hands on the Flame Plate. Plus, I think it'll be fun. I haven't had a good battle in a while."
Vera raised an eyebrow and smirked in playfulness. "Is that the case? Or have you seen the grand prize?"
At Vera's question, Rainbow looked back at the poster. "The competitors that reach second, third, and fourth will be rewarded… 2500P each?!" He yelled in shock. "That's, like, a small fortune!" He continued down. "First place will consequently be rewarded 5000P, as well as a personal reward from Princess Azaelia."
"Oh my." Vers covered her mouth with her hand. "With how excited the crowd was last night at her introduction last night, I could imagine how popular this tournament will turn out being with a prize like that."
"Yeah, she was like some sort of celebrity. They were calling her something, right?"
"The 'Star of Arkant', I believe."
Rainbow let out a breath. "She must be insanely popular, then. I can't even begin to imagine what that's like."
"So are you still thinking of entering, then?"
Rainbow nodded. "Of course I am! I'm even more motivated now, to be honest with you." Rainbow raised a paw to the three Plates of Arceus hidden in his fur, fiddling with them absentmindedly. "I mean, this is a chance for us to speak with her again. In her situation, she's completely separated from Pokémon like us. Hiding things from us or not, she's still our friend, and I want to talk to her at least one more time."
Vera noticed a certain spark in her partner's eyes as he spoke. He seemed wholly intent on winning this tournament now, if not only to meet with their friend one more time. She smiled at his determination, thinking that Arceus had made the right choice in choosing him.
"Alright then, we should get moving. I'm running low on spending money, anyhow." Vera followed further along the wall of stores until she found a town map sprawled across one of the walls.
Prism City was completely circular. Castle Arkos stood at the center, with Prism City Tower standing just east of it, halfway between the castle and the wall. All around Castle Arkos were 10 open circles, the plazas. Going around clockwise starting from the northernmost one they read: Black Plaza, Red Plaza, Orange Plaza, Yellow Plaza, Green Plaza. White Plaza was the southernmost, followed by Aqua Plaza, Blue Plaza, Indigo Plaza, and Violet Plaza. The two were currently nearest to Aqua Plaza, so it shouldn't take too long to reach Indigo Plaza from their current position.
Plotting a course and keeping it in mind, Vera motioned Rainbow to follow. "Let's go."
The duo walked side-by-side as they made their way through the city towards Indigo Plaza. By Vera's calculations, they should make it just before the registry opens up. That is, if they didn't get sidetracked at all.
"I wonder… " Rainbow said in thought as they walked along.
Vera glanced at the Espeon beside her. "What are you thinking about?"
Rainbow brought a paw up and felt the silver band around his neck. "You said that some psychics can create illusions. I was wondering if I can create an illusion to hide this." He motioned to the band, and subsequently, the plates that hung from it that were still hidden in his fur. "I mean, I could still hide the plates in my fur, but I'm not too sure that they will remain that way in battle. It would be a lot easier if I could just, like, make them invisible."
Vera crossed her arms. "It would be convenient. However, illusionists can only do the things they do with many years of training. It apparently requires an extensive amount of power to pull off, as well as the need for a medium."
"What's a medium?" He asked her, curious.
"A medium is an item that holds the illusion enchantment. The most popular mediums are jewelry, for example. An illusionist casts the specific illusion onto a piece of jewelry, and the illusion becomes active whenever someone wears that piece of jewelry."
"Is that how Lia, er, Azaelia could disguise herself?" Rainbow now wondered.
Vera nodded. "Most likely. She probably held a piece of jewelry that cast the illusion of a Ninetails onto her. Unless that piece of jewelry broke or was otherwise deactivated, we would have never even known she was an Alolan Ninetails the whole time."
Rainbow held the three small plates out in his paw, still dangling from the band around his neck. Perhaps he had no training in the ways of illusions, but it couldn't hurt to try. He looked hard into the darkness of the Dread Plate, the steely gray of the Bond Plate, and the vibrant purple of the Mind Plate. He soon came to the realization that he had no idea exactly how to create an illusion. So, with a slight frown and a shrug of his shoulders, he concentrated on the plates and willed them to disappear.
To his complete surprise, startling enough for him to jump back, the plates actually disappeared. He still felt them resting on his paw, but he could see right through them. They were, visibly, just not there anymore.
"I did it?" He asked no one in particular, unsure of what he did. Vera walked backward until she was by Rainbow's side once again, looking at his handiwork.
"I don't believe this is a proper illusion… but how exactly did you do this?" She asked.
"I just kinda told them to disappear, I didn't even put any energy into making it happen or anything."
Vera put on a thoughtful expression. "Very interesting. Would you mind doing the same thing again, but telling them to reappear."
He nodded. "I can try." Once again he held the now invisible plates in hand and concentrated. Although this time, he willed them to appear. Once more to his surprise, the plates appeared back in his paw completely normal. He commanded them to disappear once again, and they did just that. "Huh, looks like I don't even need an illusion."
"It would seem not. I believe we should just chalk this up to an add-on of Arceus's power. Although this does nothing to your fashion sense." Vera joked, realizing that while Rainbow could disappear the plates, the band did not. Rainbow now just had a permanent silver collar around his neck.
"That's great," he said sarcastically. "But I guess it can't be helped." Rainbow was about to continue on his way but he was suddenly bumped to the side by a passing Pokémon. He recovered from the sudden jolt, turning to address the Pokémon responsible. "Oh, excuse me, for sta-" The words fell in his mouth as he saw the one who bumped him. It was the same Milotic from Prism City Tower, one of the representatives from the Eastern Province, with the red and gold ribbon still tied around him.
The Milotic casually turned to Rainbow seemingly unaware, or uncaring, at what he had just done. "I'm sorry, were you saying something?"
Rainbow furrowed his brow. "You bumped into me."
The Milotic blinked at Rainbow's accusation. "Is that a problem?"
"It wouldn't be if you apologized." Rainbow retorted.
The Milotic sneered. "Apologize? To you? Pokémon like me don't apologize to Pokémon like you."
Rainbow grit his teeth. Just like the guards in Glass City, this Milotic was looking down on him for his apparent social status. "And what is that supposed to mean, exactly?"
The Milotic elegantly raised his head, looking down upon Rainbow. "You are graciously standing in the presence of Polelto Gracia, the heir of Prismarine City in the Eastern Province. And I am in the presence of a simple Espeon that doesn't seem to know of his place in the world. This means that, if anything," Polelto then got up in Rainbow's face, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "You should be apologizing for getting in my way."
Rainbow dropped into a defensive stance, feeling the slight hostility coming from the Pokémon. "You sure like to hear yourself talk, maybe I can fix that for you. Then, you'll be thanking me instead."
The two growled at each other. Something about this Milotic just seemed to piss Rainbow off, more than anyone else he'd encountered with this mindset. He was usually against unnecessary confrontation like this, but right now he wanted to punch Polelto in his sneering face.
Polelto retracted his face, standing upright. "With the way we both seem to be going, I'd say you're heading towards Indigo Plaza as well?"
"What, you're looking to join the tournament, too?" Rainbow grimaced.
Polelto smirked. "Of course I am, who wouldn't? No one in their right mind would miss a chance to meet the Star of Arkant in person, least of all me." The Milotic leaned back and swayed. "The sheer beauty of Princess Azaelia is a true sight to behold, Pokémon would kill for a chance like this."
Rainbow stood from his defensive posture and glared at Polelto. "You better hope you don't meet me, then, because I am winning that tournament."
The two stood and glared at each other once more, completely disregarding the fact that Vera was sidelined in this conversation. She sighed at her partner's antics and pulled out her watch, checking the time. "Well, you both may want to hurry." She warned the two arguing Pokémon, who both turned to look at her. She held out the watch for them to see. "You're going to be late."
The two widened their eyes when they read the clock. They had barely ten minutes until the registry opened with a fair way to go between them and Indigo Plaza. In a heartbeat, the two Pokémon simultaneously gasped. Without so much as one word between the three of them, Rainbow and Polelto shot off towards Indigo Plaza side-by-side.
Vera sighed and scratched her head. She wasn't competing, so she was in absolutely no rush to make the allotted time. With this in mind, she casually started following the two at a casual pace. Hopefully, those two will make it in, at least.
"Okay Mr. Rainbow, everything is in order. Good luck, entry number 22."
Rainbow quickly thanked the attendant and backed away from the entry stand, breathing a sigh of relief as he seated himself on one of the many stands that lined Indigo Plaza. The Plaza itself was circular in shape, with a large pit in the middle that was used for a battleground. Surrounding the pit were many rows of stands, seemingly used to watch the action below. He had made it just in time, it seems, but by extension that also meant:
"You may have won that little race of ours, peasant," said that annoying voice that accompanied him all the way here. He turned to look at the still breathless Milotic. "But pray to Arceus you do not face me in the tournament."
Rainbow caught his breath before responding. "Oh yeah? Somehow I think Arceus will be on my side."
Polelto clicked his tongue. "We'll have to see about that."
Their squabble was quickly silenced as their attention was drawn to an outcry by the registry stand. There they found a Buizel shaking his fist at a hulking mass of a Pokémon in front of him. "Hey man, I was here first! Cutting in line isn't cool!" The Pokémon he was yelling at seemed didn't even acknowledge the Buizel, ignoring him. The Buizel seemed to get even angrier at the realization. "Hey, are you even listening to me?!"
The Pokémon still didn't even bother to turn around and acknowledge the angry Buizel. This seemed like the final stray to the water type. "Alright, buddy, you asked for it!" Suddenly, the Buizel's tail glowed blue. The Buizel jumped up and struck the Pokémon in an Aqua Tail in a downward strike.
The Buizel rebounded off of the Pokémon after his attack faded. He crossed his arms and looked smug with himself. "Bet that'll teach you." But much to the surprise of the small audience they had made for themselves, including Rainbow and Polelto, the Pokémon didn't have a single scratch on him. In fact, he looked as though he wasn't even bothered.
The Pokémon suddenly turned towards the shocked Buizel, revealing the hulking face of a Hippowdon. The newly revealed Pokémon looked around, seemingly confused as to what had happened. He then spotted the Buizel next to him, still shell shocked that his move had no effect at all.
"You there." The Hippowdon addressed the Buizel with a deep, booming voice.
The Buizel flinched at the voice, suddenly finding himself standing upright. A cold sweat ran down his body. "Y-yes?"
The Hippowdon stared right into the eyes of the Buizel. "Did you see someone hit me just now?"
The Buizel made eye contact with the large Pokémon. He could feel himself shrinking back. He felt small, inadequate, afraid. This Hippowdon wasn't just asking a question, he was demanding an answer. The Buizel felt as though his very life could be forfeited if he did not answer this Pokémon right here and now. "N-no, I don't t-think so." He stuttered out.
The Hippowdon stared into the eyes of the Buizel for a few seconds before eventually turning away. "I see." He simply said. "My mistake."
And with that, the Hippowdon focused back in line, once again completely ignoring everything else around him. The Buizel seemed to shake where he stood. He was outclassed. No, he was completely out of his depth with this Hippowdon. If he had to go against someone like this, he would die.
The Buizel slowly backed away, step by step. After a few strides, he turned tail and ran away and out of the Plaza like a scared baby Pokémon. The crowd eventually came to mind their own business, leaving the Hippowdon alone.
Rainbow whistled in impression at the sight. "Woah, that is one tough Pokémon. He took a move like that Aqua Tail like it wasn't even an attack."
Polelto followed up. "Hmph. Is that Hippowdon tough, or was that Buizel just a weakling?" He sneered in distaste. "Judging by the Buizel's cowardice, I can guess which one is most likely true."
"I'm not too sure. Something about that Hippowdon just seems… off."
"Speculate all you want, it won't change your fate in the tournament, peasant." The Milotic started to slither away from the Espeon, turning his head around for one last jab. "Be sure to watch your back, Espeon. For both me and that Hippowdon."
Polelto slithered away, leaving Rainbow to stew on his thoughts. He observed the Hippowdon once more, watching him slowly lumber over to another section of the stands. He was chatting with an Absol, probably a friend. What he wasn't expecting was for the Absol to suddenly lock eyes with him, giving Rainbow a huge and toothy smile. Quickly feeling uncomfortable, Rainbow looked away. He still had around seven hours until the tournament officially started, what was he going to do?
Azaelia frowned as she was escorted to Indigo Plaza. It was nearing the start of the tournament, and she was riding in the royal carriage to fulfill her duty of overseeing the tournament. While she was a bit peeved that her father had forced her into this, she couldn't really stay that way. It was her idea to have this, after all, so it was only right that she be responsible for it as well.
She pawed at the Illusionary Band. One push of the gem, and she would once again be Lia, the no-name Ninetails. A Pokémon with no royal obligations or a tense family situation. A Pokémon who could freely explore Arkant and learn about the history of the world with no other responsibilities. A Pokémon where she could just be herself, without anyone telling her otherwise.
But she isn't Lia. She is Princess Azaelia von Arkos, second in line to the throne of Arkant. Are her parents right? Can she not mingle with other Pokémon because of this fact? Will she have to stay in her life of isolation, simply because of the circumstances of her birth?
As Lia, she wouldn't have to worry about any of that. But that would mean leaving everything behind. Was it right to leave her family, most likely worrying them, just for her own selfish happiness? She honestly didn't know the answer, and she couldn't dwell on it, either. She had a duty to do, she could worry about all of that later.
The carriage stopped, signaling that she had finally arrived at Indigo Plaza. She took a breath and readied herself. She always hated this part.
Azaelia opened the door and was immediately met with the overwhelming noise of the crowd. The audience stands were all filled to the fullest, every Pokémon with their eyes on her. They chanted her nickname, the one the people had tied to her since she first made her public appearance.
"STAR OF ARKANT! STAR OF ARKANT! STAR OF ARKANT!"
She held her grimace inwards to herself, not daring to show her current negative emotion. Public appearance was everything in her world, after all. Instead, she smiled at the crowd and waved. They ate it up, just like they always did.
She arrived at the private box that overlooked the arena and overlooked the Plaza. She let the crowd go crazy for a few more moments until she decided it was time. With one paw raised, the crowd quieted down.
"Citizens of Prism City and of Arkant! I thank you for joining me today for the first official Autumn Festival Battling Tournament!" They cheered the declaration. "Before you all are thirty-two valiant warriors of the kingdom! They have come from every corner of Arkant, pitting themselves against one another for the glory of battle!"
Laying in wait below, in the center of the arena, were the thirty-two contestants that were to participate in the tournament. "These contestants range from small to large, compassionate to brave, fathers, sons, mothers, and daughters! But one thing unites them all together." She now looked to the contestants, immediately spotting the form of Pololto Gracia, as well as other Pokémon with recognizable forms, such as a Hippowdon. "They are all Pokémon that have deemed themselves skilled enough to dominate this event!
"But only one may prevail! Only one will win the grand prize! Only one Pokémon will-" That was when she faltered. As she was viewing the contestants while making her speech, she noticed one that seemed to stick out from the others. Among all the large and intimidating Pokémon that were in the arena was an Espeon, one with a distinctive silver band around their neck.
The Espeon stared up at her with a determined glare, a fire behind his eyes that showed he was willing to win this tournament by any means. She could feel a smile begin to grace her lips as she looked at that Espeon, a small smile that only some of the nearest Pokémon could point out. She now continued her speech with vigor.
"Only one Pokémon will achieve victory over all others today! Today, we will be seeing some of the strongest fighters that Arkant has to offer! Now!" She threw a paw in the air, clenched in a tight fist, as she made eye contact with Rainbow.
"Let the first official Autumn Festival Tournament commence!"
It's been a while since we've had a proper fight. It's finally time the action in this story gets a showcase. Until next time!