Chapter 37:
Battle for a Smile
Legen Town
The group managed to arrive at their next stop in their journey, Legen Town, at noon, with a whole day to spare before Serena's next contest.
As usual, a sign welcomed the newcomers to the town:
Welcome to Legen Town
The Birthplace of Heroes
"Birthplace of Heroes, huh?" Clemont asked, looking at the sign.
"I guess they called it that way because this is where you go to where the Tandor League takes place," Serena said, reading from her tablet, before raising her eyes and pointing to a large mountain to the south. "At the top of Mount Actanite."
"So that's where the league will take place? Great!" Ash cheered, as he and the others walked in.
Legen Town was rather odd compared to the other towns and cities of the region so far: it was divided into three levels, each one build on top of the other, like a very wide and flat pyramid, with each level surrounded by a wall of white stone, each level connected by flight of stairs made of the same stone as the walls. While the ground was paved with stone and concrete, there were also many green areas and trees planted on them.
As they entered, they noticed the lack of buildings, only some here and there, such as the Pokemon Center or the Contest Hall. It took them a while to notice that most houses were built into the walls, giving the place a rather quaint but unique look.
"This place looks so beautiful! It's nothing like any other town or city we've ever been to!" Serena said, admiring the town's unique layout and décor. "Say Ash, how about if we take a look around town together?"
"Sure thing! There's still some time until lunchtime," Ash agreed. "Though, now that I think about it, we haven't eaten together since the cruise, right? Maybe we can do that if you like to."
"I'd love to!" Serena excitedly replied. She then turned at Clemont and Bonnie. "I hope you guys don't mind..."
Clemont, however, shook his head and smiled. "Not in the slightest."
"Go and have fun on your date!" Bonnie said, smiling widely at them.
"Then it's settled! Let's go to the Pokemon Center first, then we'll have our date," Ash said.
…
Sometime later, after dropping all their Pokemon at the Pokemon Center for a checkup, Ash and Serena went on their date. Walking hand in hand, the two teens admired the town as they crossed it, while trying to find a nice place to have lunch.
From time to time, Ash couldn't help but steal a glance at the top of Mount Actanite, which loomed in the horizon. The boy wasn't subtle in this, something Serena took no time to notice.
"Be patient, Ash. You'll be there eventually," she giggled.
"Hehe, sorry. Guess that being so close to the site of the League got me a little excited," Ash apologized, chuckling lightly.
"Pika..." Pikachu shook his head.
"Hey, don't apologize. Like I said before, that passion of yours is something I really like of you," Serena said.
"Still... Bonnie told me that when on a date, I shouldn't ignore you for the sake of things I only like," Ash told her. "And well, I think she has a point."
"Bonnie seems to have very little faith in you when it comes to dates, doesn't she?" Serena asked.
"Well... I can't blame her," Ash admitted.
"In that case, let me tell you that I had a great time at every single one of the few dates we had gone together, so you shouldn't worry too much," Serena said. "I wouldn't like you to stop being you, Ash."
"Great to hear that, hehe," Ash said. "So, speaking of which, do you know where the Grand Festival is going to be held? Given that you're close to winning your last ribbon, we should make preparations to go there."
"Now that you mention it..." Serena pulled her tablet from one of her pockets, and began to look through the web. "Here it is. The Tandor Grand Festival is held annually in Venesi City's Contest Hall. That's on East Tandor."
"Venesi City? That's the city where the contest judge lady with the black and white hair and funny accent has a Pokemon Gym, right?" Ash asked.
"Indeed," Serena confirmed, as her finger tapped the screen lightly. "Guess we can knock two Pidgey out with one stone once we get there."
Ash peeked on the tablet, and his eyes grew wide when he saw the pictures displaying on the current page.
"Whoa! Is that Venesi City?" Ash asked, sounding a little louder than usual.
"So it seems. Do you like it?" Serena asked, intrigued by Ash's reaction.
"That city's... really pretty. Especially with those little rivers crossing the streets and people going on boats..." Ash said, his voice still holding awe.
"They're called 'canals', Ash, and the boats are called 'gondolas'," Serena gently corrected. She smiled and blushed a little upon seeing a picture of a couple on a gondola crossing a river, which was being manned by a Floatzel. "Heh, I'd love to try one once we get there."
"Sure, they look like a lot of fun," Ash agreed. "So, anyway, I think we should-"
Then, without any warning, Serena grabbed Ash by the wrist and pulled him around a nearby corner and pushed him against a wall, much to the boy's confusion and slight worry.
"Serena-?"
"Shhhhhh!" the honey blonde urged, placing a finger on her lips. She was looking at something on the street they just left.
Ash discreetly peeked from the corner, and took no time to see what got Serena so distressed: a raven haired girl her age wearing a red and black ninja costume.
"That's Sayaka..." Ash said.
"Of course she would be here," Serena grumbled, as she glared at the kunoichi, who was checking a clothing store. "She still has one ribbon to win, and this is the closest town to Vinoville that's going to host a contest. Just my luck."
"Why are we hiding from her?" Ash asked, Serena's arms still pinning him. The honey blonde sighed in relief as her rival continued walking and disappeared behind a corner, and released Ash. "Are you really that afraid of her?"
"Not afraid. Just... I just really don't want to deal with her right now," Serena stated. "Especially not after how her last two contests ended."
"It seems she's gone. Shall we check now for a place to eat?" Ash suggested.
"Sure, let's."
They chose a small café with a terrace. Given that the weather was so good, they chose to eat outside and enjoy the bright sunlight and warm weather.
Though Ash and Serena still had a great time on their date, Serena's mood didn't quite become as bright as it had been the moment they entered the town.
…
Sometime later, once they were done with their date, Ash and Serena returned to the Pokemon Center, where Clemont and Bonnie were waiting for them. The checkup had finished, so Bonnie was grooming some of Serena's Pokemon, in preparation for tomorrow's contests, , while Clemont was doing some training with his Pokemon at the Center's battleground, as well as to make sure nobody else would take it by the time Serena returned, something the Kalosian teen girl appreciated.
And thus, Serena spent the rest of the day training hard with her Pokemon, with Ash back as her sparring partner. Serena had asked Ash to take the kid gloves off, and requested him to face her with his two strongest Pokemon right now, Greninja and Metalynx. Ash agreed even if he stated that he wouldn't use Mega Evolution and Battle Bond, something Serena was okay with.
"Braixen, Fire Blast!" Serena shouted.
"Brai, brai!" Braixen aimed her ignited wand at her two opponents, releasing a powerful mass of flames shaped like the kanji of fire.
"Greninja, stop it with Water Shuriken!" Ash countered. "And Metalynx, Energy Ball, rapid fire!"
"Ninja!"
"Lynx!"
As Greninja jumped into the air and pelted the Fire Blast with a barrage of watery shuriken, shrinking it until it disappeared into a cloud of smoke, Metalynx opened her mouth and fired a barrage of glowing emerald orbs.
"Selkid, stop them with Hyper Voice!" Serena commanded. "As loud as you can!"
"Seeeeeeeel-KIIIIIIIID!" Selkid let out a powerful sonic scream that made the Energy Balls burst like bubbles, producing some rather visually pretty shower of green sparkles.
Both Greninja and Metalynx jumped back in order to avoid the attack's range, while Braixen stood protectively next to Selkid, wand raised ready to attack again. All four Pokemon were panting and sweating a little.
"Very well, Serena! Your Pokemon have become much stronger since they began to train for contests," Ash praised her.
"Thanks! They're really great, aren't they?" Serena replied, looking at them with pride. "They may not be able to beat yours, but to keep up with them, it speaks volumes of how much they have improved!"
"Though... we've been going at it for quite some time," Ash began. "How about we call it a day? Otherwise your Pokemon may be too exhausted for tomorrow."
"I guess you're right. Good job, guys! Let's take a good rest today so tomorrow we can put on a great show and win our final ribbon!" Serena told her Pokemon.
"Sel, sel!" Selkid cheered.
"Brai," Braixen nodded.
"And we'll finally make that arrogant ninja eat all her hurtful words!" Serena added, her eyes lit with an inner fire.
"I thought you already did that when you beat her in Vinoville?" Bonnie asked.
Serena, however, shook her head. "That was a tag team battle. Knowing her, she'll claim that that victory didn't count because her partner dragged her down or something like that."
"That's nonsense. It was a victory as valid as any other," Clemont replied.
"I know, but... I kinda agree with her, in a way," Serena said. She gently grabbed the blue ribbon on her shirt. "So far, I have never been able to defeat Sayaka on my own. And if I want to win the Grand Festival, I feel like that's a wall I need to climb sooner or later. My Pokemon and I need to be at our best in this contest. There's more than a ribbon at a stake here."
"I see. Still, with how much you've been training and how much you and your Pokemon have improved, I have no doubts that you'll beat her this time around!" Ash confidently proclaimed.
Serena smiled at the raven haired boy's unwavering faith in her. "Thank you. Though, one last thing, do you mind if I borrow the PST tomorrow?"
"The PST? What for?" Ash asked, though clearly out of curiosity.
"I think I could use it to make more accurate plans with my Pokemon," she replied.
"Very well. Take it tomorrow with you if you want," Ash agreed.
…
The day of the contest finally arrived. The group got up early and headed to the Contest Hall. As usual. Ash, Clemont and Bonnie joined the queue to buy tickets while Serena got in through one of the backdoors, where she was led to the dressing room. Once she was there, she quickly moved to the waiting area.
And much to her displeasure, Sayaka was already there. The Tsukinami Village native noticed Serena, but all she did was sneer at her.
Good. Serena wasn't going to let the ninja get inside her mind like she allowed other times, but it would be much better if Sayaka didn't try anything to begin with.
…
Sometime later, Ash, Clemont and Bonnie were on their seats, waiting for the contest to begin. This time around, they managed to get a spot in one of the front rows. Perfect to see their friend win her final ribbon.
Soon, the lights dimmed, and the spotlight fell onto an orange haired woman who walked into the stage with a confident stride.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Legen Town Pokemon Contest! I'm your host, Jillian Meridian," she began , and as usual the crowd exploded into loud cheers. "Thank you! Also give a warm welcome to the judges that will evaluate our wonderful coordinators: Legen Town's own Nurse Joy, the Venesi City Gym Leader Rosalind, and the S-Class connoisseur Ambrose Reigns!"
Jillian then went to explain the rules of the Pokemon Contests for those in the public not aware of them, even if at this point in the season most people already knew what a contest was about, and then showed the ribbon the contest winner would take with him or her, finishing off with introducing the very first contestant, beginning the Appeal Round.
Thankfully, Ash and the Lumiose siblings didn't have to wait much to see Serena in action this time around.
"And our next coordinator is Serena from Vaniville Town in Kalos!" Jillian announced.
Serena entered the stage, waving at the public who applauded at her.
"Yes! Go Serena! Show them what you can do!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist.
"You've got this!" Bonnie added.
Two pokeballs were already in her hand, and tossed them forward. "Pancham, Quetzoral, go!"
The capture devices opened, one releasing a flurry of golden stars, the other a tornado of green leaves and red flower petals, from which Pancham and Quetzoral emerged, respectively.
"Cham!"
"Que!"
"Let's begin! Quetzoral, fly around Pancham and use Energy Ball against him!" Serena commanded. "Pancham, grab them with Thunder Punch!"
"Tzoooo!" Quetzoral cawed, as she fired an Energy Ball at Pancham.
"Cham, pan!" Pancham cried, as he coated both paws with electricity, using them to grab the Energy Ball. The emerald orb quickly absorbed the yellow sparks Pancham's paws were producing, increasing in size and taking on a more yellowish tone, while sparks crackled around it.
"Great! Now Pancham, toss the ball into the air! And Quetzoral, burst it with Drill Peck!" Serena ordered.
"Pan-CHAM!" Pancham cried, before heaving the electricity-imbued Energy Ball into the air.
Meanwhile, Quetzoral dove downwards at the yellow and green orb, her beak covered by a white glowing aura double its size, which spun like a drill. The moment the drilling peck smashed against the combination attack, it exploded in a shower of green and yellow sparkles, wowing the audience.
"You're doing great, guys! Now Quetzoral, use your tail to launch Pancham into the air!" Serena commanded.
Quetzoral swooped in towards Pancham, letting the Playful Pokemon grab her tail, before sending him flying with a powerful swipe.
"Pancham, fire a Dark Pulse from above! And Quetzoral, Drill Peck again!" Serena ordered.
Pancham thrust his paws downwards, firing a stream of purple and black energy at Quetzoral, whose beak was covered in the drilling aura again. When the two attacks met, the Dark Pulse was split into multiple smaller threads of blackness, which caused the yellow and green sparkles still in the air to glow even brighter.
As Pancham began to fall, Quetzoral expertly picked him mid air without Serena having to tell her, before gently placing him on the ground.
"And done!" Serena said, smiling widely. The public, delighted, rewarded her with a loud applause.
"A great performance by one of our regulars! Let's see if our judges agree!" Jillian said, motioning to the judge panel.
"A performance that was equal parts spectacle and excellent teamwork," Nurse Joy said.
"A magnifico display! Mixing lights with acrobatics, it was sublime!" Rosalind excitedly said.
"Tell me Serena, have you seen a performance so amazing, it leaves you stunned in place for hours? A performance so incredible, anything else coming after it is pointless? A performance that's simply impossible to top?" Ambrose began.
Some people in the audience gasped at Ambrose's seemingly out of nowhere praise. Was Serena's performance that good?
"Let me guess, you're about to tell me that my performance was the complete opposite of that, right?" Serena deadpanned, while crossing her arms.
Ambrose opened his mouth, but didn't say anything, staying there as if somebody had slapped him. "Just for that, I'm going to deduct five more points from your score."
Serena didn't say anything. She merely rolled her eyes, recalled her Pokemon, and left.
"Err... that was Serena, ladies and gentlemen!" Jillian said, hoping to rerail the contest. "Now, let's give a warm welcome to our next coordinator...!"
…
Serena returned to the waiting area just as the next coordinator walked into the stage. Ambrose's harshness may have worried her in the past, but Serena was sure her performance was good enough to pass to the Contest Battle round. Deciding not to mull about it any longer, she sat on one of the empty benches.
She watched her fellow coordinators come and go, seeing their performances through one of the waiting area's screens, though she didn't pay them that much attention.
"Great work out there."
Serena was startled upon seeing Sayaka sitting next to her. When had she done that? How is it that Serena didn't notice her until now?
"I always love when somebody denies that idiot the satisfaction of humiliating somebody," the raven haired girl continued talking, just as the screens displayed Ambrose verbally tearing the latest performance apart. "I hope that doesn't cost you advancing to the next round. After all, I want the pleasure of kicking you out of this contest myself."
"How did you...?" Serena sputtered.
"How was I able to sit next to you without you being none the wiser?" She asked. "I'm a ninja, remember? Moving without being seen or heard is child's play for me."
Serena just rolled her eyes. "So, now you're trying to intimidate me or something?"
"I don't need to. I know you already fear me," Sayaka confidently said, as she crossed her legs. "You wouldn't have hidden from me when you saw me yesterday in the street. Even if I was alone and you were with your boyfriend. What, don't you trust your big and strong man to protect you from little old me?"
"You saw me?" Serena asked, taken aback. She would have sworn that Sayaka hadn't noticed her. "I-I wasn't afraid of you! I just didn't want you to ruin my date with Ash! A-And I don't need Ash to deal with you!"
"Of course. Spending time with your boyfriend instead of training for the contest," this time, it was Sayaka who rolled her eyes. "No wonder you're unable to keep up with me."
"I did train a lot yesterday and- wait, why am I even justifying myself to you?" Serena asked, as she angrily got up from the bench. "I have nothing to talk with you about!"
And she stomped to the other side of the room.
"You cannot escape from me, Kalosian peasant," Sayaka said matter-of-factly. "Just like how you can't escape from your inherent inferiority."
That made Serena stop on her tracks. Grinding her teeth and clenching her fists, Serena turned around and walked back towards her rival. "Okay, just what's wrong with you!? What have I ever done to you? Why are you so fixated on me? Because your attitude goes beyond normal rivalry. What do you see in me that makes you hate me so much?" Serena shouted, drawing the attention of several other coordinators.
Sayaka appeared surprised by Serena's outburst. She was about to open her mouth to answer, but then the screen on the waiting area displayed Sayaka's name and picture, notifying her as the next one in the Appeal Round.
"Lovely chat. Let's do it again sometime. Now, if you excuse me..." Sayaka said, before getting up and walking into the stage, just as the previous coordinator returned.
Serena sat again on the bench, and watched Sayaka's performance: she had her Glaceon blew a massive chunk of ice with Blizzard, and then, alongside a Baaschaf, used it as a base to sculpt an impressive ice castle, before giving the final touch with Hail.
She had to admit it was a pretty good performance (even if Ambrose found nothing good to say about it).
"She's right, I was hiding from her. I'm afraid of her," Serena admitted, looking down as she grasped the hems of her dress. "How I'm supposed to beat her if I let her intimidate me?"
That moment, both Braixen and Selkid emerged from their pokeballs, much to the honey blonde's shock.
"Braixen? Selkid?" Serena asked, looking at the two Pokemon. "Do you... do you want something?"
Wordlessly, Braixen walked towards Serena's backpack, opened it, and began to rummage inside it until she fished something: the Pokemon Speech Translator.
"Braixen...?" Serena asked, taking the device the moment her starter handed it to her. She turned it on and aimed the microphone at the Fire-type.
"Brai, xen, brai, braixen," she began. [Don't be afraid of her, Serena. Otherwise, you'll lose sight of what truly matters..]
"Losing sight of what truly matters...?" Serena repeated, while trying to figure out what the Fox Pokemon was talking about.
"Brai, braixen, brai, bra," Braixen continued. [Sayaka wants to use fear to beat her opponents. But we have something much stronger than fear. Remember why you are doing this.]
"Why am I doing this..." Serena repeated again. Then, as if by magic, the words she was looking for echoed inside her mind. "I'm doing this... so I can help others. So I can uplift them. So I can make people smile."
"Brai, braixen!" Braixen happily nodded. [Exactly! That's how you will defeat Sayaka. Show her that your kindness and your smile is more powerful than her arrogance and rudeness.]
"Sel, selkid! Kid, selkid!" Selkid added. [We're with you, Serena! We'll do our best to show the world what a great trainer you are!]
Serena's inner fire shifted. It no longer burned with the desire to beat Sayaka for the sake of rubbing victory in her face, but now it burned with the pleasant warmth she felt when she thought about her dream and goal.
"You're right. I can't believe I almost lost my way like that," Serena said, before pulling Braixen and Selkid into a hug with each of her arms. "Thank you guys. Let's show Sayaka, and everybody who watches us, the power of our smiles!"
"Braix!"
"Sel!"
…
About half an hour later, the Appeal Round came to an end, and both the audience and coordinators alike were waiting expectantly to see which ones would pass to the Contest Battle round.
"We had great performances today. Unfortunately, only the best eight contestants can go onto the next phase, the Contest Battle!" Jillian said with her usual gusto. "Now if you turn your attention to the monitors, you will see which coordinators earned the highest score!"
One by one, the eight finalists' pictures appeared on the screen, Sayaka came out first, while Serena was seventh.
"Good, Serena passes." Ash said, sighing in relief, and leaning back on his seat. "I was afraid that Ambrose jerk would kick her out for daring to speak against him."
"Still, this has to be the lowest Serena has scored on an Appeal Round, so I think that his threat wasn't just a bluff," Clemont noticed, his eyes looking at the rude judge.
"Maybe Serena impressed the other judges enough to give her a ton of points, huh?" Bonnie asked.
"Nene!" Dedenne agreed.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Serena passed, and that's the important part," Ash said.
Next, the screen displayed the matches lineup, Serena fighting the second match and Sayaka fighting the third, meaning that they'd only meet in the finals.
Jillian explained that this time, coordinators would have to use the same two Pokemon for all their matches.
Serena chose Braixen and Selkid for the Contest Battle round, the two of them having proved to work very well together, given that Braixen's caring nature made Selkid easy to trust her as her sister in combat. Her opponent, a purple haired boy, used a Flager, and a Pokemon Ash had never seen before: it was a small, bipedal, beige-colored dinosaur with an elongated head, wearing a purple leotard and pink headphones.
"Paraudio, the Audio Pokemon. Normal/Psychic. It is highly sensitive to sound and can perfectly replicate any sound it hears, even human speech. It loves to hear fast, rhythmic music," the Pokedex explained after scanning the new Pokemon.
Paraudio turned out to be quite the obstacle for Serena, as its Soundproof ability made it immune to Selkid's Sing and Hyper Voice. Still, she managed to snatch a victory when the five minutes passed by and she had a few more points than her opponent.
Sayaka's first battle was against an orange haired girl that used a Corsoreef and Ludicolo, while the ninja chose Voltasu and a shrimp-like Pokemon that resembled the Shrimputy she had used for the Appeal Round on the Vinoville Town Contest. Perhaps an evolution?
"Krilvolver, the Sharpshooter Pokemon. Water/Fire. Called "The Ranger of the Sea", its reaction times are nigh-instantaneous and its aim with its pistol is excellent due to its highly advanced eyesight," the Pokedex droned, confirming Ash's guess.
Sayaka's Krilvolver lived up to its impressive Pokedex description, dishing out impressive Flamethrowers and Octozookas, while Voltasu fried the two Water-type opposing Pokemon with powerful Discharges, quickly earning Sayaka a victory by knockout.
In the semifinals, Serena beat a boy who wore a costume with lots of white and blue feathers who employed an Aveden and an Eshouten, while Sayaka's opponent faced her with a Terlard and a Drilgann, but faced the same fate as the ninja's previous opponent.
And thus, Serena and Sayaka would meet in the finals for the first time since Kevlar Town's contest, the very first contest Serena had taken part in.
A reprieve of ten minutes so the finalists could get ready was announced..
…
Back at the waiting area, Serena didn't have any hopes of enjoying the ten minute rest until the finals, much of which she had to spend with Sayaka. Something the ninja didn't take long to prove.
"Well, well, look at this. It's you and me alone again. Just like in Kevlar Town," Sayaka said, spreading her arms as if to emphasize the emptiness of the room. "And just like in Kevlar Town, I'll be the one walking out with a ribbon, while you'll fall before me."
Serena didn't deign to dignify that with an answer or retort.
"Though, I prefer it to be this way, since I don't want an audience for this," Sayaka said. Serena tensed upon hearing those words, as genuine fear slowly crept upon her. What was this girl planning to do that she didn't want any witnesses? "You asked me what I see in you that makes me dislike you so much, right? Well, the answer is simple: myself."
"You see yourself in me?" Serena asked, as her fear slowly faded into incredulity and even outrage. "Excuse me if I find that hard to believe."
"Of course, I wasn't talking about my current self. This might come as a surprise to you, but I used to be like you, you know? It was why I decided to become a coordinator in the first place," Sayaka began. She sounded chipper, but Serena could sense a bit of bitterness in her voice. "I'll never forget the sheer wonder I felt the first time I saw a contest on TV when I was little... and when my parents took me to one live, words simply can't describe what I felt that moment... seeing the coordinators with their Pokemon doing all sorts of amazing tricks and spectacular displays, and how the audience, myself included, was so awed by them... it made me say 'that, that's what I want to be when I grow up'," she explained.
Serena didn't know what to say. While it wasn't a perfect comparison, Serena had similar reasons to choose the path of the performer. Seeing how performers made people smile and helped lift their spirits... that was something that motivated Serena enough to weather all the hardships that were thrown at her.
"That was a great outlook to have. What happened?" Serena asked, feeling genuinely curious.
"Reality happened," Sayaka said, her tone cold and cutting. "I haven't told anybody about this, but this isn't my first time in the contest circuit. My debut was two years ago. Like the stupid girl I was, I went into the stage, thinking that I could win while having fun and wow the audience with what my Pokemon could do. I was so wrong..."
Sayaka clenched her fist, as her legs trembled a little, as if reliving those memories caused her distress.
"No matter how hard I tried, it simply wasn't enough. You have no idea how much it took me just to pass the Appeal Round. And when I finally did, I got utterly trounced in the Contest Battle portion," Sayaka bitterly said. "I tried to convince myself that it was just a blunder, that I was just starting out, that I would eventually get the hang of it and soon victories would follow... but they didn't.
"But then I realized that I simply wasn't trying hard enough. I needed to train more. Put more thought into performance routines. Push my Pokemon to their limits. And most importantly, forget about childish dreams and accept reality: that the world of Pokemon Contests is an extremely harsh and competitive environment where only the best can thrive."
"That's not true! Your childhood dreams were perfectly compatible with being a Top Coordinator!" Serena protested. "Look at me! I made it to the Master Class Showcase finals in Kalos, and have four ribbons already!"
"So now you realize why I can't let you best me, right? Because if I do, it will be like negating all my hard work, all my experiences, all my pain," Sayaka began, her bitterness slowly turning into anger. "You represent everything I left behind. You're my past. That's why I can't let you win, because I would be letting my past win! So no, I'd rather release all my Pokemon than let somebody like you beat me with the power of 'kindness and smiles'!"
Serena gasped at the outburst, but there was something else that stuck out. "Wait... you hear when I was talking to my Pokemon? But you weren't there..."
That moment, the screen inside the wiating area announced that the final match was about to begin, and for the finalists to head into the stage.
"Only the last part, but yes. And yes, I was. Ninja, rememeber?" Sayaka mockingly reminded Serena, before her smirk turned into a mask of fury. "Hearing you make that sickening declaration pushed me into sharing that painful part of my past with you. But enough words. It's time for us to battle again. It's time for me to crush you again!"
And with that, Sayaka turned around and walked towards the stage at an angry pace. Before following her, she let out Braixen and Selkid.
"Braixen, Selkid," Serena said, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "Did you hear all that, didn't you?" she asked. The two Pokemon nodded. "Then, you'll understand why winning this match is so important. Not just because of the ribbon but... this is why we're doing this. Sayaka, she... she lost her smile. Let's do our best, so she can smile once again."
"Sel!" Selkid said, nodding fervently.
"Braix!" Braixen agreed.
The honey blonde smiled. "I know I can count on you."
…
The ten minutes eventually ran out, and Serena and Sayaka walked towards the battleground, taking their spots at the opposite ends of it. The public cheered wildly, eager to see the final battle of the contest.
"Serena had never defeated Sayaka before in a one on one battle," Clemont stated, sounding somewhat worried. "Will she be able to overcome her this time around?"
"You know what they say, third time's the charm. I'm sure Serena will do great," Ash confidently said.
"Now, the moment you have been waiting for!" Jillian excitedly announced. "The Legen Town Contest final battle! On one side, we have Serena, from Vaniville Town in Kalos!"
The public cheered, with Ash, Clemont and Bonnie being the loudest. Pikachu and Dedenne cheered as well.
"And on the other side, from Tsukinami Village, Sayaka!" Jillian continued.
The public cheered once again, almost as loud as for Serena, much to Ash's surprise. Even if the ninja girl lacked Serena's charm and kindness, people still admired her talent and ruthless determination.
"Coordinators, send your Pokemon!" Jillian told them.
"Braixen, Selkid, go!"
"Voltasu, Krilvolver, heed my call!"
A torrent of flames and a wave of crystal blue water came from Serena's pokeballs, which condensed into the shape of her Pokemon of choice, while Sayaka's Pokemon emerged from beneath a thunderstorm and a barrage of yellow fireworks, respectively.
"The final Contest Battle begins now! Five minutes on the clock! Begin!"
~Serena (Braixen & Selkid) VS Sayaka (Voltasu & Krilvolver)~
Serena wasted no time to issue the first order. "Braixen and Selkid, combine your Flamethrower with Hyper Voice!"
"Braix!" Braixen cried, shooting a powerful stream of flames from the tip of her ignited wand at Sayaka's Pokemon.
"Seeeeeel-KIIIIIIIIID!" Selkid let out a powerful sonic scream, which combined with the Flamethrower to form an impressive attack of sound and flame.
Sayaka lost a few points.
"A desperate move so early in the battle? Heh," Sayaka snorted dismissively, as she opened a fan and covered her mouth with it. "Krilvolver, Octazooka, Voltasu, empower it with Discharge."
Krilvolver aimed its arm cannon at the combined attack made by Serena's Pokemon, before firing a large missile of water, while Voltasu sent a barrage of lightning bolts at it, covering it in electricity. Both attack combinations clashed in the middle, producing a visually stunning and loud explosion.
Serena's points dropped to match Sayaka's, much to the honey blonde's frustration.
"Our turn. Krilvolver, Lock On on Selkid, Voltasu, fly above them and rain Dragon Rage upon them!" Sayaka ordered.
As Krilvolver carefully aimed at Selkid, its eyes glowing red as a crosshair of the same color appeared on Selkid's chest, Voltasu took off as amethyst and purple flames billowed from its beak, before exhaling a cone of fire of the same color from above at Serena's Pokemon.
"Braixen, counter with Fire Blast! And Selkid, prepare for Krilvolver's attack!" Serena ordered.
Braixen aimed her wand upwards, forming a massive wall of flames shaped like the kanji of fire that not only stopped the Dragon Rage on its tracks, it carried enough momentum to keep going upwards towards Voltasu, forcing the Three Legged Pokemon to fly back, before exploding in a shower of red and orange sparks.
"Good! Now Selkid, Sing!" Serena ordered.
"Krilvolver, Flash Cannon on Selkid!" Sayaka shouted.
As the inside of Krilvolver's arm cannon began to glow with a silvery light, Selkid began to sing. Ethereal musical notes began to float around the battleground, causing both Voltasu and Krilvolver to get sleepy. The Sharpshooter Pokemon was having a hard time keeping its gun straight at its target, while the light inside the barrel flickered.
"No! Fight it! Don't fall asleep!" Sayaka shouted at her Pokemon. "Come on, you can do it!"
Sayaka's encouragement seemed to work, as Krilvolver was able to power through the sleepiness and fire the Flash Cannon at Selkid.
"Braixen, use Hidden Power as a shield to protect Selkid!" Serena ordered.
"Brai, brai!" Braixen said with a nod, as she stood in front of her junior protectively, waving her wand to summon several multicolored energy orbs that spun around them, forming an impromptu barrier. While the Lock On made sure the Flash Cannon would always home on Selkid, it didn't give it the ability to bypass such a barrier, and the attack crashed uselessly against the spinning orbs. Sayaka's points dropped.
"Now Braixen, launch the remaining orbs! And Selkid, freeze them with Ice Beam!" Serena ordered.
"Brai!"
"Kid!"
Braixen waved her wand once again, sending the remaining Hidden Power towards Krilvolver and Voltasu, while Selkid froze them with Ice Beam. The attack smashed against Sayaka's two Pokemon, shattering into tiny shards of ice that glittered under the spotlights, and while it didn't have much of an effect on Krilvolver, it caused no small amount of harm to Voltasu.
Sayaka's points dropped again. She had lost thirty percent of her points, while Serena had barely lost fifteen percent.
"A clever way to use a normally offensive move into a defensive one, then use it as offense anyway!" Jillian excitedly commented. "Serena has a pretty big lead in points. Will Sayaka be able to turn the battle around?"
"Watch me as I do exactly that," she seethed, glaring at the announcer as if it was her fault that the ninja was losing. "Voltasu, Rain Dance!"
"Vooool!" Voltasu cried, raising its head, as its whole body was surrounded by a blue aura. Soon, artificial clouds began to form above the stage, before the rain started to pour down.
Meanwhile, in the audience, Serena's friends tensed up. They saw that strategy not long before, during Serena's battle with Sayaka aboard the cruise.
"The Rain Dance again. Now Serena will have to deal with empowered Thunders and Hurricanes," Ash said, as he leaned forward.
"It's even worse this time around. Not only does the rain empower Krilvolver's Water-type moves, but it weakens Braixen's fire attacks," Clemont said.
"But... the rain also helps Selkid, right?" Bonnie asked.
"Yeah, but Selkid only knows one Water-type move, so it's not that she will gain that much advantage of the rain..." Clemont replied.
"Good, now let's begin," Sayaka said, hiding a wicked smirk behind her fan. "Krilvolver, Octazooka on Braixen!"
"Kri, volver!" Krilvolver cried, as it aimed its gun at Braixen.
A sphere of water formed at the tip of the cannon, noticeably larger than the previous one, before firing it like a missile at the Fox Pokemon.
"Selkid, stop that attack with Ice Beam!" Serena ordered. "Braixen, destroy it with Flamethrower!"
Selkid quickly nodded, and fired a freezing beam from her mouth, turning the watery missile into an icy one, while Braixen shot a stream of flames, visibly smaller than before, at the frozen projectile, destroying it.
"Voltasu, Thunder," Sayaka said while checking her nails.
"Ta, tasu!" Volatsu cried, its body crackling with electricity, as it sent a bolt of lightning into the clouds above.
Said bolt fell down a second later onto the intermediate space between Braixen and Selkid, the ensuing explosion blasting the two Pokemon away in opposite directions.
Serena's points pummeled below Sayaka's score's level.
"And what an amazing comeback, folks! That Thunder made an even bigger number on Serena's points than it did on her Pokemon!" Jillian commented.
"Braixen, Selkid, quickly get back together!" Serena urged their Pokemon, who got to their feet and ran towards each other.
"Together or separated, it won't make a difference. Krilvolver, Lock On on Selkid! Voltasu, Hurricane!" Sayaka ordered.
Krilvolver aimed at Selkid, its eyes glowing red as yet another crosshair appeared on the Sea Nymph Pokemon's body, while Voltasu began to furiously beat its wings, sending powerful gusts of wind into the clouds above. However, Serena knew what was coming, and was prepared.
"Selkid, fire an Ice Beam above you!" Serena ordered.
As the tornado fell upon the two Pokemon, Selkid fired another freezing ray from her mouth, flying through the eye of the forming hurricane. And much to everybody's awe (and Sayaka's frustration), the nascent attack disappeared before it could fully form.
Sayaka's points dropped, but so did Serena's, with the ninja still in the lead, with only forty percent of her points lost while Serena had lost more than half of it.
"Hey, how is Serena losing points too? She stopped Sayaka's attack!" Bonnie protested.
"She used Ice Beam two times in a row. Spamming the same move is something penalized in contests," Ash explained, before he was assaulted by a doubt of his own. "Wait... how did Serena stop that Hurricane with Ice Beam?" Ash asked, scratching his temple.
"Tornadoes form under special weather conditions involving different air temperatures," Clemont began to explain, looking a little excited. "By using Ice Beam, she froze the air above it, upsetting said conditions and dispelling it."
"Whoa! How did Serena know to do that?" Ash asked in amazement.
"My guess is that she knew that Sayaka would try such attacks again, so maybe she studied ways to counter her strategies," Clemont explained, and nodded in approval. "Serena has shown everybody the power of science!"
"Science is so amazing!" Ash agreed.
"You won't be able to avoid this one!" Sayaka said, thrusting her open fan forwards. "Krilvolver, Flash Cannon! Voltasu, channel Thunder into it!"
Krilvolver trained its gun forward, the inside of the barrel glowing with a silvery light, before firing an energy missile of the same color, while Voltasu called forth a lightning rom above. The lightning merged with the silvery projectile, coating it in an electric yellow aura as sparks crackled around it.
Serena gulped loudly upon seeing such a menacing combo, but she wasn't going to back off. "Braixen, Fire Blast! Selkid, Hyper Voice!"
Selkid let out a sonic scream, while Braixen cast a massive wall of fire from her wand. The two attacks combined into a fire coated destructive soundwave, which barreled towards the incoming Steel/Electric combo. Unfortunately for Serena, perhaps because of the rain weakening Braixen's fire attacks, Sayaka's combination being that strong, or both, the Thunder-enhanced Flash Cannon plowed through the Hyper Voice and Fire Blast combo like a knife cutting through soft butter, before reaching Serena's Pokemon, resulting in a huge explosion upon impact.
"Braixen! Selkid!" Serena cried in horror, as her points dropped below twenty percent.
When the smoke dispelled, Serena could see that, even if Braixen and Selkid weren't out of commission yet, they would the next time Sayaka hit them with another attack like that. Pelted by the incessant raindrops, the Fox and Sea Nymph Pokemon tried to ignore the pain and got back on their feet.
"Honestly, how you were able to win four ribbons is beyond me," Sayaka began, looking at Serena in disgust. "But this is what happens when somebody who doesn't take Pokemon Contests seriously fights against somebody who does! This isn't some playground game, but a competition! And that's why you'll always lose to me in a fair match! Always! So save yourself the humiliation and give up already!"
"Never! I won't give up until it's over!" Serena shouted back. "Unlike you, I'm not a quitter!"
"What did you call me!?" an outraged Sayaka asked, her fingers gripping her fan with more force than necessary.
"A quitter! And yes, you're one, since you gave up on your past dreams!" Serena called her out.
"I didn't! Being Top Coordinator is my dream! That's why I'm going to do everything in my power to achieve it!" Sayaka yelled back, her face becoming increasingly red.
"Yet you forgot the reason that made you pursue that dream to begin with! You only see contests as some competition to win, when there's so much more to it! I don't want a mere trophy, I want to be like the people who filled your younger self with awe, who inspired you to follow in their footsteps!" Serena passionately said. Braixen and Selkid looked less beaten up and ready to battle more, as if their trainer's speech was reinvigorating them. "You lost your smile, Sayaka, but mark my words: I will not rest until I can make you recover it!"
"BRAI!"
"Sel?"
There was a crackling sound, as Braixen's entire body shone with a potent bright bluish-white light, and began to grow and change. Selkid watched the process with her mouth agape.
"Whoa! Look at that! Braixen is evolving!" an excited Bonnie shouted, bouncing on her seat.
"Serena's speech might have motivated Braixen so much, it helped her break her limits in order to gain more power to help Serena win!" Clemont said, sharing his sister's excitement.
"Yeah! Serena has this in the bag!" Ash agreed.
Serena already knew what Braixen would evolve into, given that she had seen the Pokemon multiple times, and indeed, when the light went out, a Delphox stood in Braixen's place.
Sayaka's points dropped a little.
"Delphox!" the newly evolved Pokemon softly said.
"Sel... Selkid! Kid, sel!" Selkid excitedly said, stars twinkling in her eyes as she looked at her partner.
"Okay, so your Pokemon evolved. Big deal. You're still going to lose," Sayaka nonchalantly said. Not without reason, given that the ninja knew firsthand that a Pokemon evolving mid-battle didn't ensure victory.
Then, before Serena could issue an order, Delphox aimed her wand upwards, casting a huge Fire Blast into the air. The barrage of flames crashed against the rainclouds, dispelling them completely in one fell swoop.
"Amazing! Delphox's greater power allowed her to clear out the clouds! What a way to make a first impression!" Jillian gushed, as Sayaka's points dropped even further.
Serena looked at the scoreboard: she had a fifth of her points, while Sayaka had little less than half.
"Come on guys, we can still win this!" Serena roused.
"Selkid!"
"Phox!"
"Selkid, cover the ground in ice with Ice Beam! Delphox, Psybeam into it!" Serena ordered.
"Sel!"
"Delphox!"
Selkid fired an Ice Beam into the stage as Serena had said, covering the floor in a sheet of ice, making Krilvolver to fall back and Voltasu to hover over it. Delphox then fired a multicolored beam from her eyes into the thin, reflective surface, making the beam bounce and refract into dozens of smaller beams that smashed into Voltasu and Krilvolver, making the two Pokemon cry in pain.
Sayaka's points dropped below the forty percent mark.
"I won't lose to the likes of you! Krilvolver, melt that ice with Flamethrower, and Voltasu, Discharge!"
Krilvolver aimed its arm cannon at the frozen floor, and poured a torrent of flames over it, melting it, and turning it into a puddle that spread towards Delphox and Selkid's side.
"Delphox, help Krilvolver with a Flamethrower of your own!" Serena happily ordered.
"What?" Sayaka asked in shock.
Delphox nodded, and shot another stream of fire at it, evaporating the puddle into a cloud of steam just as Voltasu hit the now dry floor with Discharge, to no effect, causing her to lose even more points.
"Selkid, Ice Beam! Delphox, Hidden Power!" Serena ordered.
"Quickly, dodge them!" Sayaka desperately ordered.
However, given the ensuing cloud of steam blocking their vision, Sayaka's Pokemon couldn't see where the attacks came from, and soon Krilvolver was pelted by a barrage of multicolored energy orbs while a beam of chilling energy hit Voltasu squarely in its chest.
Sayaka's points were reduced to a quarter of her initial total. Almost there!
"And now, for the big finish, Delphox-"
BZZZZZZZZZZ!
The buzzer rang, snapping Serena out of her frenzy. Looking at the scoreboard, she realized that the timer had run out. And while Serena had removed a lot of Sayaka's points, the ninja's score was still superior to hers.
"And time's out!" Jillian declared after the buzzer rang. "The winner of the Legen Town Contest is Sayaka!"
"No..." she said in a whisper.
The scoreboard changed to show Sayaka's picture next to a smaller ones of her two Pokemon below it, with the word "WINNER!" written under it.
Sayaka let out a sigh of relief, as her mouth curved into the usual smug grin she often sported.
"Do you get it now, don't you? No matter what you do, you will never beat me," Sayaka said, as she walked past Serena.
As Sayaka headed to the podium, where the three judges were ready to award her with her final ribbon, Delphox and Selkid walked towards Serena, both looking apologetic.
"Del..."
"Kid..."
"Hey, don't worry, guys, it's okay," Serena said, pulling the two of them into a hug on each arm. "You did your best. We'll do better next time."
Her Pokemon didn't say anything. They just returned the hug back.
Then, after the hug broke, Serena turned around to see Sayaka accepting the ribbon, rising it above her head, and vowed that she would win the Tandor Grand Festival.
"Congratulations, Sayaka!" Nurse Joy said. "With this ribbon, your spot on the Grand Festival is secure! You're now much closer to make your dreams true!"
"Thank you. However, I must disagree with you," Sayaka said, before fixing Serena with a piercing glare. "Dreams have no place in reality."
However, despite her loss, there was no sadness on Serena's face, only resolve.
Serena had also made a vow, and she wouldn't rest until it was fulfilled.
Author's Note: And another contest down, even if Serena didn't win this time around (heh, that rhymes).
Yeah, many of you guessed that Serena would lose since it's a bit too soon for her to get all her ribbons, given that Ash isn't even close to get his fifth badge. I'm sorry if this chapter made it look as if Serena was finally going to beat Sayaka this time around, especially with Braixen finally evolving into Delphox, but yeah, it wasn't Serena's time just yet.
Speaking of Sayaka, I hope this chapter helped shed some light on her character with the reason as for why she acts the way she does. Some of you expressed discontent with her, so while I'm not asking you to like her, she should at least come off as a more interesting character. And if not, well, at least since she won her fifth ribbon (that makes two of Serena's rivals to do so) you can take solace in that you won't have to see her again until the Grand Festival.
Also, I originally planned for Braixen to evolve into Delphox much earlier, during the Burole Town contest. But given that said contest focused more on Selkid, having her evolve there felt wrong. That's why I made sure to give Braixen more focus here and reaffirm her role as Serena's main Pokemon and all how much she supports her trainer.
Thanks a lot to cricketlaxwolvesbandy, Jake, Fox McCloude, MegaSalamence64, 61394, hirowriter and Viroro-kun for reviewing the last chapter, as well as special thanks to Viroro-kun for betareading this chapter and making it so much better with his edits and suggestions.
Next chapter, our heroes plan their next move and resume their journey. Until then, keep those reviews flowing, since I love reading them :)