Episode 13: Barry-ing the Hatchet
Huzzah! After so long, it's finally time for a new chapie! Apologies for my tardiness.
That guy: Thank you very much. Sometimes, a challenge will merely feel like a backdrop for all the character dynamics and character growth.
TheMasterKat: Light isn't like other villains. He doesn't mess around like DIO. He gets stuff done. And yay, Pokemon today!"
1602jaw: Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it. There was a lot to take in last time, and Zach made for a fun culprit. The Mystery Inc. gang would be proud.
thenewsubwayguy: Huh. That's a valid point. It surely felt like a Mystery Incorporated episode. Even if you think Alucard switching teams felt so sudden, you can't disagree Light's reaction was priceless.
ThelastCyberKnight: Poor Ryu can't catch a break, it seems. And I do love me a battle of wits. Sometimes a battle of strategy and tactics is just as fun as a battle of fisticuffs.
Happiness studios: Well, at least you thought it was better than last time. I've already answered a lot of your complaints elsewhere. Maybe this one will appease you. Or not. I'm not psychic, but I'd be cool to be. I out a lot of hard work into this one.
MonkeyBot54: Thanks, man. Glad you were able to enjoy it very much. Light's definitely got one of the strongest competitors under his thumb at the moment. And hopefully our resident lovebirds can eventually figure things out
Now then, let's get on with the show!
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"Last time on Total Drama, our cast met the famous Jack Skellington, who invited everyone to dinner. Pete is suddenly abducted by Jack's old foe, Oogie Boogie. Our contestants split up to track down the fiend, and are abducted one by one. Shermie earns the ire of nearly everyone when she goes behind Bernadetta's back and kisses Ryu in front of her. What a shame, I was really rooting for them.
Thanks to Alucard's quick thinking, the remaining Bulls capture Oogie, who is revealed to actually be reporter and Total Drama fan, Zach Xigma. And as an added award, Alucard transfers to the winning team. Unfortunately for him, he and Futaba discover Light's schemes, but he quickly nips it in the bud and blackmails them to back off. With so much conflict, who knows what's next. Find out the answer today on Total Drama Infinite: Bon Voyage!"
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"Ahh….what a relaxing aroma. The scent of Earl Grey is like a swan song to the nose."
We see both Light and Percy relaxing in the dining hall, just the two of them. They say together, drinking freshly brewed tea as they conversed.
"Agreed." Light admits. "I know my way around a few recipes. Next time I should probably make oolong tea."
"If I may ask, why invite me here?" Percy asked. "You don't strike me as someone with ulterior motives."
"What's wrong with just chatting among friends?" Light said. "Besides, we're arguably the most competent, most law-abiding members of our teams."
"Be that as it may, I still hold a lot of respect for Yami." Percy explained. "Though it seems our team has fallen into disarray as of recently."
Light raises an eyebrow. An opening. "Really? Do tell."
"As you already know, the whole debacle that occurred in the last challenge between Ryu and Shermie. Apparently, Bernadetta had witnessed the whole thing, and is now refusing to leave her room or speak to anyone."
"Is that so?" Light asks. "Why's that?"
"She told us she had romantic feelings for Ryu. In layman's terms, your teammate had gotten to him first. I have no doubt the poor girl was crushed, and has now isolated herself even further. It's a shame, as I've seen her leave her room more often and communicate more with our team before this happened."
Light pondered over this news. Bernadetta was someone he'd hardly thought about. Like everyone else, he viewed her as beneath him, but in her case, he's surprised to see she's made it this far. Regardless, her isolationist nature would no doubt get her eliminated soon, he thought. What did intrigue him is why Shermie played a role in this.
What is her aim? Why try and seduce that man? What are your goals?
These were the big questions Light had circulating through his head during this conversation.
"And how has your team been handling this news?" Percy asks, snapping Light out of his thoughts.
"Oh, uh…..well, some of them…. don't really care for the most part." He answered. He knew Pete, Bender, and Draco didn't care. In fact, they found it hilarious. And he knew Kronk and Ryu were thick as thieves. Barry was rather indifferent to the situation. But his other alliance members didn't really seem to question why Shermie did that. Only he was seeing the big picture.
"And now, some of our team is quite upset at her." Percy explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if Yami is setting his sights on her. He doesn't tolerate anyone messing with his teammates.
Before he could say anything else, Bender approaches them, holding a large crate.
"Hey man! Care to join me for…some fun?" Bender asked mischievously.
"What's in the box?" Light asked.
"Fireworks, meatbag! And the really good ones, too! All the way from Mexico! Wanna go launch them with me?!"
"And…why would I want to do that?" Light asked.
"I mean…we're friends, right?" Bender said. "Thought I'd want to share something fun with my closest bud here."
Light sighs internally. If it's what it took to keep someone as reliable as Bender on his side, what the hell?
"I'm sorry to cut this short, but I'm gonna hang out now with my…best friend." He screams internally as he says those last two words.
"It's quite alright.", Percy assured. "I'd best better be getting back to my team. It was nice chatting with you."
As they leave, Bender and Light see Yami walking down the hall, laughing as he was talking with Alucard. Yami then takes notice of Light.
"You better watch out, tough guy." Yami laughs. He elbows Alucard in the arm. "Otherwise I'm gonna steal your whole team from ya!"
While Yami laughs his ass off, Light makes eye contact with Alucard. Despite wearing shades, Light could feel the cold glare the vampire gave him. Al hated how Light basically had him under his thumb at the moment.
"You guys doing a staring contest or some junk?!" Bender asked impatiently. "C'mon, let's go light these bad boys!"
Light snaps out of it. "You're right. Let's get going."
As they leave, Yami could feel the animosity both Alucard and Light emanated.
"Yeesh, what's your problem with that guy?"
"Oh, how I wish I could tell you." Alucard chuckled. "Let's just say we don't see eye to eye."
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"It's not often I find myself in a bind like this." Alucard said. "Especially from a mortal as despicable as him. But I wouldn't want to let that young lady's loved ones be put in danger. For now, the best bet is to stay out of his radar as I find another way to get rid of him. If it weren't for the rules placed on me, that wannabe god would be ground into dog food. What I'd give for the chance to slaughter something right now."
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"I have little to be worried about." Light bragged. "Yes, two former teammates know who I really am, but I've got them both to back down for now. They know what I'm capable of. My only concern at the moment is Shermie. I want to know why she did what she did. I can hardly get a read on her."
He laughs a bit to himself. "And now, Percy is basically my eyes and ears on the other team. Like the god I am, I have complete control. When you're the hammer…everyone else looks like a nail."
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We now transition to a room with a sign saying, "The Doc is In" on it. Inside, it appeared to be a therapist's office. Molly sat at a desk, while Scratch was rummaging through the fridge. Meanwhile, Shermie sat in the chair across from the desk.
"I've messed up badly." Shermie explains. "I've hurt them badly. And I like these people. Ever since I joined this show, I forgot what it's like to finally have time to myself. I wanted to meet new people, and finally have some fun after being dead for so long."
"I see…" Molly said, pondering after listening to her talking for so long. "The answer is easily right in front of you. You need to talk to both of them, clear things up between them."
"If only it were that simple." Shermie sighed. "I've not seen Ryu anywhere. And Bernadetta isn't talking to anyone. I haven't seen her outside her room for two days. You have no idea how difficult she can be."
"She's my most frequent visitor." Molly said. "So I get it. She can't hide forever, though. Next time you guys have a challenge, talk to her. And Ryu too. He's sure to listen if you can get him to give you a chance. He's a reasonable guy."
"That's easier said than done…" Shermie mutters.
"Just trust me." Molly assures. "Your opportunity is waiting for you outside that door. I promise."
"Well…thanks, anyway."
"No problem. Feel free to stop by anytime."
With a quick wave, Shermie gets up and leaves the office. As soon as she's out of there, she bumps into someone, knocking them both down.
"Ow! Watch where you're going you-" She gasps as she realizes it was Ryu she bumped into.
Ryu himself was looking pretty rough. His hair was down, and his face was looking a bit scruffy. Looks like someone neglected to shave the past couple of days. And his eyes were a bit red.
"Oh….hey." He said glumly.
"W-where have you been?!" Shermie stuttered.
"I've mostly just been in my room. Crying, mostly." As he says this, he's looking down, refusing to make eye contact. "It'd probably be best if you just left me alone."
"I'm so sorry…"
"Just save it. It's also my fault. If I hadn't of let myself end up in that situation, none of this would've-"
He's interrupted as Shermie slaps him across the face. Molly was right. Opportunity did present itself.
"Now you shut up and listen to what I have to say!" Shermie orders. "Got it?!"
Ryu straightens up, a bit intimidated.
"I'm sorry, alright?! You were right that it's my fault." She quickly regains her composure. "And I'm sorry I hurt you guys. I didn't mean for this to happen."
After a moment of silence, Ryu finally responds. "Are you really sorry? Are you sure you're not lying?"
Shermie nods. "I am. I…have a mission here I'm tasked with seeing to completion. I can't tell you what it is, but…I promise to leave you and Bernadetta out of it from here on out. I swear. You guys have been really good friends, and I wouldn't have done all of that if my life didn't depend on it."
Ryu ponders this for a moment, and accepts her apology, with slight hesitation. "Alright. I forgive you. Though Bernie is another story. She's not even talking to me or anyone right now. No doubt she hates me."
"That's not true at all." Shermie said. "She really likes you. And I mean really likes you."
Ryu scoffs. "Now I know you're lying. Quit messing with me."
"I'm not lying! She told me herself before all this happened! She's in love with you, too!"
"S-seriously?" Ryu asked with the utmost seriousness. "No wonder she was so upset. *Sigh*...but that ship's probably already sailed by now."
"Don't just give up. How about this? I'll talk to her first, and explain explain everything to her. If my hunch is right, she's mostly upset at me. If all goes well, then she should be able to trust you again. Sound good?"
"Yeah…yeah, it does. Thanks, Shermie. I'm sorry I misjudged you again."
"Good." She plugs her nose. "But before you do anything else, take a shower. You reek right now."
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Ryu sighs, now cleaned up and well shaved, with his hair now back in it's usual ultra pompadour. "I love it when a woman tells me what to do. But did you hear that, Tokageroh?! Bernie really does feel the same!"
"Too bad it's not a guarantee if she still feels that way now." Tokageroh points out. "Besides, what do you think this special mission that Shermie chick talked about is?"
"Don't know. Right now, I got bigger fish to fry. And filet. I just hope Bernie's doing alright."
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"At least I cleared things up with him." Shermie said. "Once I get through to Bernadetta, my next step is to find someone else to use to complete the mission. Someone I have no prior attachment to. Just need to find the right person."
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Now, we move to the ship's greenhouse. We see our favorite recluse Bernadetta, humming away while she sews and admiring the plants.
"So serene…" she peacefully sighs. "If only people could be more like flowers. They don't talk, they don't get angry, they don't hit you…"
The plants and flowers, the only things you could always trust. Tending to them so much in her past, it only felt natural. It had been the first time in a couple of days she left her room, and where else to go but her second favorite spot on the ship.
She had also used that time to reflect upon the events of the last challenge. While definitely hurt, she didn't hate nor bear any ill will towards Ryu. At the end of the day, he was still encouraging and patient with her. It just hurt that he seemed to be interested in someone else. Then again, maybe it was for the best. They did come from backgrounds that could just never come together.
The one who she felt truly wronged her was Shermie. After she told her about her feelings, she goes and basically beats her to it. She wasn't entirely sure what to do now.
She looks at her piranha plant, which had unfortunately had now withered away and died. She'd been so busy lately that she hadn't had time to take care of it. It's death only made her feel worse.
"How symbolic of my life." She sighs
"Well well well, looks like she still does live among us."
Bernadetta jolts as she hears an unfamiliar voice. She looks around, only to see Pete leering down at her.
"W-w-w-what do you want?!" She squeaks.
"Just admiring the greenery." Pete responds. He plucks a nearby daisy and sniffs it. "Same as you. I must say though…you've been having a rough time lately, haven't ya?"
"I-I don't see why that's your concern." She stutters.
"Oh, I think it is." Pete tells her. "Remember when our teams were being picked? It was down to only you and me. And that bullhead chose you over me. He passed over true talent and skill over some scaredy cat little brat. That really hurt my pride, ya know."
Bernadetta wasn't exactly sure how to respond. She wouldn't have been bothered if she were picked last. She'd probably tell herself she deserved it.
"Then what do you want w-with me?" She manages to get out.
"Nothing that I want, per se." Pete explained. "I just wanted to pass a little message, that's all."
He then gets up in her face, asserting his dominance and intimidating the poor heiress.
"Life is giving you a reality check. You're nothing special, and I still can't understand what that Yami saw in you. And now, it looks like your whole world has come crashing down. Why, even the guy you like seems to not care about you. Why, I saw him and his new lady friend talking just mere minutes ago."
Bernadetta lets out a small whimper. As harsh as Pete's words were, he was speaking the honest truth. She imagined the whole scenario in her head.
*Inside Bernie's Mind*
She imagined Ryu and Shermie dancing under stars, both wearing elegant formal wear.
"Any gal would be lucky to have someone aa big, brave, and cute like you!" Shermie gushes.
"You flatter me, my darling!~" Ryu coos. "I dont need anyone else but you! Speaking of which..."
He walks over to where Bernadetta stood, watching them with sadness amd envy. Ryu picks her up, and carries her over to a nearby trashcan where he proceeds to drop her in.
He closes the lid, and returns to Shermie. "I almost forgot to take out the TRASH! My darling...let us elope tonight!"
As Bernadetta sat in the trashcan, all she could hear was the cold laughter of her father.
"What did i always tell you, you stupid girl?!" His voice booms. "You're a hopeless and unmarriageable failure that not even a lowly beast could love..."
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Pete mocks, snapping her out of her dreadful fantasy. "Oh wait, that's me!"
"If you're gonna pick on someone, do it with someone your own size!" A voice ordered. "Though that may be hard, considering you're a rather big guy yourself."
Pete turns around, seeing Futaba, arms crossed and glaring the guy down.
"Futaba…" Bernadetta muttered.
"Excuse me, shrimp?!" Pete chuckled. "This has nothing to do with you, so buzz off!"
"Oh, I think it does." Futaba said smugly. "That's my friend over there, and I won't stand for you messing with her anymore!"
"Relax, kid! I was just leaving anyway! I got my point across to this brat, so I'll be taking my leave!"
Pete laughs to himself as he leaves the greenhouse.
"You didn't have to do that." Bernadetta said bitterly. "I deserved it, anyway."
"That's a really weird way to say thank you." Futaba says. "I see you for the first time in days, and that's how you act?!"
"But it's true. I got my hopes up for nothing. He doesn't like me back. And here I am, hiding from the world even more than before. He's made his choice. Besides, he's too good for me anyway."
"That's not true at all!" Futaba cried. "He absolutely adores you! He practically worships the ground you walk on."
"How do you know?! Have you asked him?! Have you talked to him?!"
"I've…actually had quite a bit of problems myself." Futaba said awkwardly. She's been unsure of what to do about being blackmailed by Light. Truly believing his threat, she hasn't told a single soul about that. "So I haven't had time to do much else."
"Like what-"
She's interrupted by the sudden appearance of Alucard behind her.
"Apologies for butting into your conversation you two, but it's time for another challenge."
"EEP! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" Bernadetta cried.
"Just like a magician, I'd rather not reveal my secrets." Alucard said. "There's no fun in that."
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"I thought it'd be impossible for someone to be scarier than Hubert." Bernadetta says. "This guy gives me the creeps."
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"What am I gonna do?" Futaba sighs. "Light's got me between a rock and a hard place right now. It feels like things around here have spiraled into absolute chaos back home. It's times like this that make me wish I was back home.
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Minutes later, everyone filed out onto the main deck. Several of the contestants were glaring daggers at Shermie. She knew full well what they thought of her, but tried her best to not let it get to her.
"Their looks mean nothing if we know the truth." Ryu quietly tells her. "I know what it's like to be viewed as a pariah."
Bernadetta could see them talking, and watched with envy and utter disgust. Pete leans in real close and whispers something.
"See what I mean, runt? I wasn't blowing smoke or nuthin'."
Luckily, Barry manages to break the awkward tension.
"Alright, what have you got in store for us this time? I'm ready for whatever you throw at us!"
"Must you be so loud?!" Draco complained. "That was right in my ear, Muggle!"
"Funny you should ask that, Barry." Don says. "Because I think you're personally going to get a kick out of today's challenge."
"Why's that?" He asks.
"Today's challenge is the first one where the destination is the home of one of the competitors. I don't count that fiasco with the Marines, as that was not a challenge at all."
Barry's eyes light up with excitement. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?!"
"I am. Today's challenge will be in your home of Twinleaf Town, in the Sinnoh Region."
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"This is great news!" Barry pumps his fist. "I've got the home turf advantage this time! Realizing it now, it's been so long since I've been in Sinnoh. I hope everyone's doing fine."
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"We're actually going to the world of Pokemon?" Futaba said excitedly. "It's every gamers dream! It almost makes me forget all my current problems."
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"Ah, so the world where all those fancy little monsters you have come from, right?" Yami asked.
"That's right." Barry answers. "But we'll be going to my hometown. The place I grew up. Can't wait to see what it's been up to since I left."
Don nods and pulls out a small, disk shaped device. A green portal sprouts from the device.
"Then let's not waste any more time. Everyone, through the portal!"
He leads them all through the portal. Once on the other side, everyone takes in their new surroundings.
It was a rather quaint looking town. A nearby sign said "Welcome to Twinleaf Town: Fresh and Free." Though on this particular day, things appeared to be different.
Many of the townspeople were out and about. There were many stalls and booths set up across the town. The smell of all kinds of delectable foods wafts through the air, the sound of performing bands reverberate through the air, and the laughter of children playing games could be audibly heard. Other assorted creatures appeared to be running around and enjoying themselves, being Pokemon many of them were unfamiliar with.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say there's a party going on." Panty says.
"Is it already that time of year around here?!" Barry asked excitedly.
"What do you mean?" Light asks.
"It's the annual festival we have in Twinleaf Town! Can't believe I'm here just in time!"
"A festival, eh?" Yami said. "Sounds like something I can get behind."
"Before we do anything here, we need to get the details of today's challenge." Don explained. "Before that, there's someone we were supposed to meet here. Ah, I think that's him."
Don notices an older man approaching them. He had spiky white hair with sideburns and a mustache, a gray jacket over a white shirt paired with a light blue vest, a dark tie, dark teal pants and gray shoes. Barry quickly realizes who it was and runs up to him.
"Heeeeeeeey! Professor Rowan! It's me, Barry!"
The professor notices Barry, and a small smile creeps across his face.
"Ah, Barry. It's been far too long. Just as hyper as ever, I see."
The others finally catch up to Barry.
"What's with the geezer, kid?" Pete pants, clearly out of breath.
"Show some respect, or I'm gonna fine you!" Barry snapped. "This man right here is the foremost Pokemon researcher in the whole Sinnoh Region, Professor Rowan!"
"So he's a pretty big deal, I take it." Ryu assumes.
"You bet!"
Don shakes Rowan's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Thank you for having us here today."
"It's quite alright." Rowan insists. "I hope Barry hasn't been too much to handle."
"More like pain in my arse." Draco mumbled.
"Professor, is Lucas or Dawn here?!" Barry asked. "I haven't seen them in so long."
"Friends of yours?" Draco scoffed. "They'd have to be pretty weird themselves to be friends with you."
"Yes, actually." Barry smugly responds. "Dawn is the professor's assistant, while Lucas is my childhood friend and rival. His mom's famous for being one of the top Pokemon coordinators in the region."
"I'm afraid they're not able to make it here, today." Rowan answered. "But they told me to tell you that they wish you the best."
"Well, that's a bit of a bummer." Barry said. "Doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself today."
"Speaking of which, what kind of challenge you got planned for us here?" Yami yawns. "And make it quick. I gotta see if there's a port o' potty around here or something."
"Ah, yes." Rowan takes out two Poke Balls. "I have a Pokemon for each team in my hands. Your task is simple. Throughout the day, you'll look after your Pokemon. You'll care for them, and they'll learn from you. Later today, a representative from each team will have their Pokemon battle each other."
"The team that's victorious will not only win immunity, but will get to keep the Pokemon they were assigned."
The reward did sound pretty tempting to some of them.
"So why not battle now?" Pete asked. "Why do we have to wait until later?"
"One of the key things to being a trainer is the bond between trainer and Pokemon." Rowan explains. "A battle where both parties have full trust and cooperation in each other leads to victory more often than not. I'm sure Barry knows this by now, but this info pertains to most of you, seeing as how this is your first time in our world."
"Whether we win or lose, I'm not cleaning the shit of whatever little gremlin the old fart gives us." Yami states.
Futaba rubbed her hands with anticipation. "C'mon, bring them out!"
Rowan nods and throws out the first Pokemon. The Fairies were given an avian Pokemon resembling a parrot. It had a colorful body, with it's head resembling a musical eighth note.
"Chaaa!" The bird caws.
"Sweet, we got a Chatot!" Barry exclaims.
"Chatot?" Light asked. "Is that what that bird's called?"
"Yep. A normal and flying type. Chatot can mimic and replicate any noise or voice they hear."
" Any voice they hear!" The Chatot repeats, sounding exactly as if it was coming from Barry.
"Hey, now that's a pretty nifty skill." Pete remarks. He gets up close to Chatot's face. "Now say, "The other team is a sad sack of doodoo heads!'"
The Chatot looked pissed off having Pete all up in his business. The bird angrily squawks as he pecks at his head.
"Ahhhh! Get this peasky pigeon off of me!"
Barry quickly returns Chatot to his Poke Ball.
"I'll hold onto him for the moment."
"What kinda business you running here, bub?!" Pete asks the professor. "That thing tried to kill me!"
"In his defense, you got all up in that bird's personal space." Kronk said. "I know a thing or two about birds from my Junior Chipmunk Scout training, and they don't like it when people do that."
"Grrr…who asked you, ya big lug?!" Pete complained.
"I've seen owls that acted more ornery." Draco scoffed. "This bird's nothing."
"And if it misbehaves, we'll fry his ass like a turkey!" Bender suggests, much to everyone's shock. "Right?"
Light puts a hand on Bender's shoulder. "Better dial back the discipline, man."
"Well then, what kind of creature are we getting?" Percy asks.
"Maybe one with no feathers." Alucard says preferably.
"Or a plant." Bernadetta pipes up. "A nice, cute, carnivorous one."
She gets a few weird looks from people.
"You're scared of all kinds of things, and that doesn't faze you?!" Panty exclaimed.
"The only kind that'd fit your description around here is a Carnivine." Barry said. "Professor, did you give them a Carnivine?"
"No, actually." Rowan answers. "The other Pokemon is one that's a tad more common."
The professor throws out the next ball, and from it pops out a small, pudgy, rodent-like creature. It had four stumpy legs, a fluffy tail and two large buck teeth, like a beaver.
"Say hello to Bidoof."
"Bi!" The Bidoof happily cries.
Futaba was immediately overcome with how cute he looked, and quickly snatched him up in a hug.
"He's so cute!" She coos.
"Looks like he's eating up all the attention." Panty points out. She walks towards them and scratches Bidoof's chin, which he loved. "You're a lot less annoying than the pet we have back home."
Looks like we got our representative." Yami said to Futaba. "I hope you'll win for us, kid."
"Looks like this one's taking a liking to you guys, compared to the other team…" Don remarks. Meanwhile, Chatot was being ornery and pecking at Pete.
"Gah! Get away from me, you multicolored turkey!"
Barry quickly takes Chatot's Poke Ball and returns him back.
"Looks like we're in for a rough one…" Light sighs.
"Look guys, I'll represent our team." Barry said. "I've got the know-how on Pokemon battling. I've got this in the bag!"
"I hope you do, kid." Pete growls. "Because if not, it's your keister that's going home tonight. You better ice this nerd later!"
"Hello, I'm standing right here!" Futaba snaps.
"I know."
"The match will commence at five o' clock." Don informs them. "Until then, have fun. Enjoy the festival." He looks at Futaba and Barry. "As for you two, make sure you bond with your Pokemon in the process. This match is for all the marbles."
Don and the professor leave, leaving everyone to do whatever they so please until five.
"I don't know about you all, but I'm finding a bathroom." Yami said as he was the next one to leave.
"What does that guy eat to use the bathroom so much?!" Barry wondered.
"I don't think it's that." Draco said. "The bloke smokes like a damn chimney."
Barry shrugs and throws Chatot back out. He still looked a bit pissed off.
"Alright, Chatot." Barry said. "You and I are gonna go get some good bonding in time for the big match. And I think the best way to do so is getting acquainted with my team."
"Hold on, muggle." Draco said. "Let me come with you." He snickers. "I've gotta see where this goes…"
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As most everyone went off to explore, we see Light, Bender, and Pete hanging back.
"Alright, boys." Bender rubs his hands with mischievous glee. "What's our game plan?"
" We don't necessarily have to do anything." Light said. "Today's challenge falls on Barry. If he wins, good for us. If we lose, we know who to eliminate. But for now, I'm gonna find Shermie. She left a little too quickly for my taste."
"What? Got a problem with her?" Bender asked.
"Remember what she did in the last challenge? She's hiding something from us. Not just us, but everyone here. And I'm gonna get to the bottom of it."
"That lady never sat right with me." Pete brings up. "Even working her way into my alliance."
"Your alliance?!" Bender looked offended. "If anything, I'd say it's Light's. He's the brains of this whole operation."
"Please don't speak on my behalf." Light sighs.
"Originally, it was supposed to be me and that Malfoy kid." Pete huffs Then Shermie overheard us and weaseled her way in. Then you two ended up joining. If anything, I'm leading this group, whether pretty boy over there is team captain or not."
"Alright, then." Light says smugly. "Then what are you going to do today?"
"I'm gonna go find that purple haired gremlin and have some fun messing with her. And Yami too, as soon as I catch him outside of a bathroom."
"Why them?" Light asked. "Bernadetta is literally no threat whatsoever. And Yami, while he is strong, isn't as smart as us."
"Between biding my time and all the crazy things that have happened lately, there hasn't been much time for me to be scheming."
"Whatever. If that's what you want to do, then by all means. Just remember there's bigger fish to fry."
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We now move close to the outskirts of the town. Barry had found a good clearing to train. He had Empoleon, Staraptor, Roserade, Heracross, Rapidash, and Snorlax out and tried to bond with the Chatot. Draco sat on a nearby log, quietly watching all of this while eating some cotton candy.
"Now you've gotten to meet the whole gang, Chatot." Barry said. "I hope you're willing to befriend them, as I hope you'll do with me."
Chatot dismissively looks away from him in a huff. "Cha!"
"C'mon, I'm trying my best here to be nice to you!"
Chatot flies to Snorlax and snatches the Sitrus Berry it was about to eat, angering the slumbering giant.
"SNOOOOORR!"
Snorlax rises up and tries to throw a Mega Punch at the bird, but Barry tries to intervene and is accidentally punched into a tree.
"Oof." Draco snorts. "Looks like bird brain's one smart cookie. He's got you lot fighting amongst yourselves."
Chatot laughs as he eats the berry. Barry gets up and painfully feels the knot on his head.
"Gggrrr, you're really testing my patience, bird!"
"Wait, you have patience? That's news to me, muggle." Draco jokes.
"You're not helping!"
"I'm sorry, kiddo." A voice said. "Have I caught you at a bad time?"
Both youngsters feel dust kicking up, and hear the flapping of wings. Looking up, they see a man atop a Dragonite. He had blonde, spiky hair. He wore a long green coat with a symbol on the back, a white shirt, brown pants with a black belt, and black boots and gloves. Barry is left utterly shocked as soon as he realizes who it was.
"Dad?! Is that you?!"
"Yep." He hops off the Dragonite and returns him to his ball. "Long time no see, son."
"That man's your father?!" Draco said with disbelief. "Looks like a hood rat to me!"
Barry quickly slaps the wizard in the back of the head.
"Show some respect! That's Tower Tycoon Palmer of the Battle Frontier! He's one of the most powerful trainers in Sinnoh! He's one of the people closest in power to Champion Cynthia herself!"
"So he's quite the big deal, I take it?" Draco asks.
"If the Frontier Brains are the cream of the crop, he's the cream of the cream!"
"Yeesh, tell my whole life story why don't you, kiddo." Palmer jokes. "Not to say that anything you said is wrong."
Still, Barry had one question. "What are you doing here, dad?"
"I'm here for the festival, what's it look like?" Palmer answered. "Plus, a little birdie told me you'd get to battle."
Barry puffs out his chest with pride. "That's right. I'm going to be using this Chatot to battle Futaba on the other team in a one on one Pokemon battle."
"That's great to hear. I'll be there to watch myself. I wanna see just how much stronger you've gotten as a trainer."
The news that he'd be watching made Barry, well….a bit uneasy.
"R-really? Then I promise I'm gonna win! You won't be disappointed!"
Palmer smirks. "Looking forward to seeing the fruits of your labor, kiddo. Anyway, I'd better get going. See you at the fight."
Once his father leaves, Barry begins to panic.
"As if things couldn't get worse, now dad shows up! The stakes couldn't be any higher!"
"What's the big deal, muggle?" Draco asks. "It's just a battle. So what if he's watching?"
"You don't get it! All I've ever wanted was to surpass dad in battle! And with how unruly this Chatot is, I'm gonna go out there and make a fool of myself in front of him! He'll probably think I'm still nowhere near his level if I go out there and lose! I want to show him I've gotten much stronger."
Draco scoffs. "Big deal."
"Do you know what it's like?" Barry asked with the utmost seriousness. "To try and impress your father? Do you ever feel like you're… never good enough to impress him? No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try? And all you want to do is live up to his reputation?"
This question really struck a chord for Draco. He understood that feeling all too well. He felt the exact same with his father, Lucius. He practically worshiped him And a big reason why he aided Voldemort in the first place was to protect his family and avenge his father's incarceration. And even then, he failed at that. He failed his family. But worst of all… he failed his father.
"You know what?" Draco declares. "You've actually impressed me, muggle. If you want, I'm willing to help you tame this pesky bird!"
Barry was left rather stunned. "Really?! You're willing to help me? Even after everything-"
"Look, don't try to read too much into it, alright?" Draco huffs. "Do you want my help or not?"
He offers out a hand, and Barry eagerly shakes it in return.
"You've got it!"
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"I've got to say, he's really impressed me." Draco said. "He's got ambition and dedication. He'd honestly fit right in with the Slytherin House."
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We see Ryu and Kronk, admiring the sights of the festival as they enjoyed some snacks.
"Wow, these honey cakes are absolutely to die for!" Ryu gushes as he eats another one. "Straight from the hives of Combee. What do you think, big guy?"
"Gotta admit, they make some pretty good food here." Kronk said, taking a bite out of a candy apple. "They don't have stuff like this back home."
"I know, right? For a wandering soul such as myself, festivals like this are a little bit of heaven on earth."
"Glad to see you're feeling a lot better after what happened in the last challenge." Kronk tells him. "I was really worried about you."
"Well, I had a little talk with Shermie, and that made things better somewhat. I had her totally all wrong. She felt awful about it all, and told me she's going to clear things with Bernadetta. Fingers crossed it works out on that end."
"Oh…" Kronk was still confused about a couple of things from this, but overall he was glad to see his best friend in much higher spirits. "Well good for you. I wasn't too happy to hear about what she did, but it's good she's trying to make everything right."
"You said it. Everyone deserves forgiveness, as long as they truly feel bad for what they've done."
"Even a cheating scumbag like me?" Kronk thinks to himself. As of late, he'd been having more doubts about Yzma helping him in the game. He practically cheated his way through multiple challenges, and got another competitor unfairly eliminated. And it was one who ultimately didn't deserve it. The inner turmoil he felt about it was eating him up.
"You alright, dude?" Ryu asked. "You look like something's bothering you. You can tell me."
Mayby, just maybe….he could tell him.
"It's just that-"
"STEP RIGHT UP, FOLKS! YOU WON'T FIND GOODS LIKE THIS ANYWHERE ELSE!"
Kronk immediately recognizes the voice, and runs ahead of his friend to see what was going on. To his shock, he sees Yzma out in broad daylight, running a stall with many potions, knickknacks, and other trinkets strung around the table.
"Everything must go, folks! These goods are sure to change your life!"
"Yzma, what are you doing here?!" Kronk asked in a hush whisper.
"Glad you could make it, Kronk." Yzma tells him. "Welcome to Yzma's Emporium. I'm trying to make a little extra money, regardless of whether we win or lose. It's a side hustle, as the kids would put it."
"And…how's that gone so far?"
"It's been wonderful." Yzma beams. "These rubes are easy to manipulate. I've got the makings of a great salesperson, I tell you. Just before you got here, I sold this man a "potion" that'd make him irresistible to the ladies, but it's just pepto bismol mixed with Sprite."
"What about your actual potions?" Kronk asked.
"I'm not gonna sell the good stuff to these buffoons. I'm saving those and my best gadgets for you. You've got to make that all last for the rest of the competition."
"What was that about?!" Ryu said, finally catching up to them. "You should have given me a heads up about-YEAGHHH!" Ryu recoils in utter disgust at sight of Yzma. Never had had he seen a woman scary beyond all reason. Yzma did look a little offended at his reaction. Kronk gets extremely nervous watching all of this.
Ryu quickly composes himself. "Ahem…sorry, miss. Just trying to catch up to my friend here."
"It's quite alright, young man." Yzma says with faux sweetness. "Might I interest you in one of my tonics? This one here will make sure you never get sick a day in your life ever again. And this one will let you communicate with rats."
"Eh…I'll pass."
"Are you sure? I'm pretty sure I have another one of those tonics that'll make ladies fawn over you. I'll even give you a special deal! Ten percent off!"
"A tempting offer…but I'm still going to have to pass." Ryu tells her. "Why would I want to be the ultimate Casanova when my heart's set on one little lady? I'm looking for something more than that kind of lifestyle."
"Ugh, what a hopeless romantic." Yzma thinks to herself. She could hardly fathom the idea of anyone, man or woman, falling for this loser. "Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me."
"C'mon, Kronk." Ryu said as he quickly ran a comb through his pompadour. "There's this nice looking takoyaki stand we passed by that's looking pretty tempting."
"Oh, really?" Kronk said. "Never heard of takoyaki."
"It's a popular snack in Japan. C'mon, let's go."
As they start to leave, Yzma grabs Kronk by the ear.
"I hope you're not getting too chummy with these people." She whispers. "They're your enemies at the end of the day. It's better you don't get attached, so it hurts less when it's time to cut them loose. Got it?!"
Kronk frantically nods in response.
"Good. Now get out of my sight! I have wares to peddle!"
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"Things are getting a lot harder for me." Kronk sighed. "Do I even deserve to be anyone's friend here? If only they knew…"
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"There are times where I feel like I was born in the wrong time." Ryu said. "Growing up poor and homeless will do that to you. But I consider myself lucky to be living in this time. I've been able to meet plenty of amazing people on this show."
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We now see the trio of Panty, Bernadetta, and Futaba, with Bidoof in tow. They're walking around the festival grounds, enjoying the snacks and prizes they've won from various games.
"Another level cleared!" Futaba says triumphantly, holding an anime figurine she just won. "And it's all thanks to you, little guy!" She pats Bidoof on the head, and gives him a piece of her honey cake. Bidoof's face lights up with absolute glee.
"He's really taken a liking to you." Panty points out. "I don't know dick about Pokemon, but I think we got this challenge in the bag."
"I've played many a game when I isolated myself from the world. I know what I'm doing."
"Wish I could do that." Bernadetta said bitterly. "But no. I'm stuck here, and miserable, with no one who cares."
"Quit being a baby." Panty tells her, a bit annoyed with her cynicism. "I get you're going through a lot right now, but at least try to have fun."
"Maybe if you were betrayed by people you thought you could trust, then you'll know my pain." Bernie shoots back.
"Geez, take a chill pill. What Shermie did was a dick move, after everything you told her. But I highly doubt Ryu feels the same with her. I've seen you two looking at each other with the "fuck me" eyes more than once."
Bernadetta spits out her drink in utter disgust.
"D-don't say such indecent things, okay?!"
"You're one to talk, little miss "I like to write smut all alone in my room!'" Panty teased.
…
…
…
"...Touche." Bernadetta responds in defeat. She curses Maynard under her breath for revealing that secret to everyone.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite little gremlin and her band of merry misfits." The slimy voice of Pete says behind them.
"What do you want, fatass?!" Panty warns.
"I thought you were gonna leave me alone!" Bernadetta said worriedly.
"I lied." Pete said proudly. "It's just too much to pass up seeing you miserable."
"Just ignore him, Bern." Futaba tells her. "Hey, why not try this game over here?"
Meanwhile, we see Shermie watching all of this behind a sign.
"I finally found her." She says. "But what's that fat bastard doing now?"
Futaba leads Bernadetta towards a nearby game that was a punching machine.
"One of you small fries looking to test your might?" The man running the game asks.
"C'mon, Bern. Give it a try." Futaba suggests. "Let that anger out."
"Aw, is little Bernie gonna try and throw a punch?" Pete mocks. "Do you even know how to throw a punch?"
"Shut up." Bernadetta mumbles.
Pete now steps in front of her.
"I'm sorry, squirt? I couldn't hear that over the sound of your whole world crumbling down in front of you."
"I said shut up."
"Or what?! What are you gonna do, huh?! That shaman guy isn't here to save you this time! He wants nothing to do with you! Maybe you wouldn't be such a little pansy if your folks used the belt on you more-"
"I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Bernadetta throws a left hook with all of her might at Pete. She hit him so hard he sent him through the punching game, completely destroying the stand, and flying all the way to the other side of town. Everyone around them was left utterly in disbelief that this small lady caused that much damage. As Shermie watched this, she had the kind of shocked expression you'd find in One Piece.
"This just made apologizing to her a lot harder." Shermie groans.
After she threw the punch, something flew out of Bern's pocket and hit the owner of the game in the face. He unravels it and sees it was the wanted poster Bernadetta had earned many episodes ago, making him fear for his life.
"Damn, girl. What god did you pray to to get that kind of power?!" Panty asks proudly. "You've been holding out on us!"
"Holy crap…" Futaba muttered.
Bidoof was still absentmindedly eating his snacks, not paying attention to what was going on.
Bernadetta quickly realizes what she did, and begins to panic once she sees the crowd she garnered.
"Oh man, what have I done?! I'm so sorry! I regret everything!"
She reaches into her pockets and pulls out a small pouch of gold for the game owner.
"H-here. Take it. This should cover the damages I-I think."
"Keep it!" The owner cries. "I don't want it! I don't want any trouble miss! Just keep it and go! I beg of you!"
"Oh….okay."
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Pete groans in agony, with an ice pack on his head.
"Gggrrr, this isn't the end, you little gremlin. That was a lucky hit. The wind was probably blowing in the wrong direction or sumthin'."
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Man, this reminds me of when those Cipher Pol agents attacked us." Futaba said. "Bern is scary when backed into a corner."
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"Well, if she and Ryu ever end up actually getting together, I think we now know who tops in the relationship." Panty says jokingly.
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They all walk away from the destruction, with Bernadetta still feeling a little shook.
"Feel any better after that?" Panty asked.
"I feel…weird." Bernadetta said. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that. I can't remember the last time someone got me that upset."
"Don't be sorry to us. That pile of smegma had it coming."
"I'm not even going to ask what that word means."
It was then that Shermie walked in front of the trio, much to their dismay.
"Hey, you guys."
Panty already had her gun aimed at Shermie.
"What do you want, bitch?! After the shit you pulled, you're not welcome around us! Take one step closer, and I'm putting a hole through your voluptuous chest!"
Shermie raises her hands in defense. "Please, I come in peace!" She pleads. "I just want to talk to Bernadetta for a moment!"
"Haven't you hurt her enough?!" Futaba growls. "Just leave her be."
"I promise I have no ulterior motive!" Shermie assures. "I know what I've done, and I just need a few moments of her time!"
"You're in no position to ask for shit!" Panty snaps. "So take your pretty little backstabbing ass somewhere away from here and-"
Bernadetta silences her by putting her arm in front of her.
"It's fine." Bernadetta tells them. "I'll handle this. You girls go on without me. Besides, I'm sure Futaba needs to put her focus on the battle later."
"Okay…" Futaba says skeptically.
"If she tries anything funny, just yell for us, okay?" Panty tells her.
Bernadetta nods adamantly.
"I promise."
They walk off, leaving just her and Shermie.
"Alright. I'll listen to what you have to say." Bernadetta says. "But only a few minutes, so make it count."
Shermie inhales deeply. "Alright. I've gotta make this count. But just to make sure I get my point across…"
Shermie drops to her hands and knees and bows her head to Bernadetta. The recluse was very unsure of what was going on.
"W…..what are you doing?! Why are you bowing to me?!"
"I'M SORRY, ALRIGHT?!" Shermie cried. "I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU! THAT WAS NEVER MY INTENTION!"
Poor Bern was still confused.
"Excuse me? What do you mean?"
"I joined this show tasked with a special job only I could accomplish. And while I can't say what it is, I had to get close to people here."
"Special job?" Bernadetta eases up just a slight bit.
"Yes." Shermie answered. "When you saw me kiss Ryu…that was all part of it. I came onto him and tried to seduce him. He was just as unknowing about it as you. And…he really let me have it once you ran off."
"Wait wait wait! You mean…you two… aren't a thing?" Bernadetta asks hopefully.
"No. He was just another victim of it all, like you. He had no idea I'd try to do that, and he took it hard when you wouldn't talk to him."
Things finally began to make sense for Bernadetta. And upon hearing this, she felt awful herself.
"And there I go jumping to conclusions again!" Bernadetta cried. "I should've tried to talk to him about it. I'm my own worst enemy yet again. I really don't deserve someone as kind as him."
Shermie gets up, and puts a comforting arm on her shoulder.
"That's not true. Unlike some people, at least you can own up to your mistakes, like I'm trying to do right now. I don't expect you to forgive me, but….I just wanted you to know the truth."
"But…what about this job you came here to do?" Bernadetta asks.
"Regardless, I still have a job to do." Shermie says. "But I promise to leave you and him out of it from now on. Coming to this show….has really given me a lot of new things to think about. Things I didn't realize I wanted. I've had more fun on this show than I have in a long time."
"If that's the case…" Bernadetta says. "Then I forgive you. And I'm not usually a trusting person, so that's quite an accomplishment. And if it's any consolation, I'm sorry for how I responded."
"Please. It's all my fault at the end of the day. Well, I gotta get going. And I know there's a certain weirdly dressed man who's been waiting to hear from you. Go to him."
Bernadetta quickly wipes away the tears that were starting to form.
"I will. Thanks for talking to me about it. I hope your mission, whatever it is, goes well. See you later."
" À toute à l'heure!"
Bernadetta runs off, feeling newly invigorated, and takes a lesson from this fiasco, especially when it comes to assuming the worst.
Shermie sighs proudly. "Well, that's a huge load off my shoulders. Now to continue focusing on my job."
She turns around, and is suddenly face to face with Light, which startled her.
"Oh, Light." She says nervously. "What brings you here?!"
"Quite an interesting conversation you two were having." Light says calmly. He tears off a piece of the cotton candy he had and eats it.
"H-how much of it did you hear?" Shermie nervously asks.
"All of it." Light says menacingly. "So tell me…what was the job that you were sent here for?"
Shermie begins to internally scream. She never expected Light to be this unnerving. Why did he want to know?
"Um…. I'm a……a….a secret agent! That's it!"
Light raises an eyebrow. "Really? Then why didn't you tell Bernadetta that? You're not lying to me, are you?"
"O-o-of course not!"
"You're a terrible liar." Light chuckled. "I always thought there was something off about you. My intuition is never wrong."
"B-but we're allies!" Shermie says. "What do you have to gain knowing about my personal business?"
"Nothing in particular. Except that I hate not knowing things. You never know when a lack of knowledge will save your life. If you're gonna keep secrets from the rest of the alliance, then why should we keep you around?"
"You need me." She spat. "We've got the numbers advantage, and I'm sure you'd hate to lose that."
"True." Light eats another piece of his snack. "Regardless, I'd watch my step from now on, if you're truly on our side like you say. Otherwise…it's bye bye for you. Do not pass GO, do not collect five million dollars. Capiche?"
"Y-yes." Shermie mutters.
"Good. I'm glad we had this little talk. Well, see you at the fight…teammate."
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"That was more nerve wracking than talking to Bernadetta." Shermie groaned. "Where's this side of Light been? Maybe I've found my new target for my job after all..."
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"Someone's been quite naughty." Light mused. "Whatever she's up to, I'll be damned if it's gonna get in the way of my plans. If I could get Alucard to back off, I can get her to fall in line. A god must have complete control, after all."
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Time passed, and it was now five o'clock. A whole crowd of spectators gather around an area of the festival grounds dedicated to Pokemon battles. There was set of bleachers just for the contestants and host to watch the battle up close.
Percy notices the ice pack Pete had with him.
"Oh dear…what happened to you?"
Pete didn't want her to know Bernadetta whooped his ass, so he quickly comes up with a lie.
"I got mugged. But I quickly fought the crook off with my own bare fisticuffs."
"I see."
Panty leaned over and whispered something in the cop's ear.
"Oh. I see, then. Well….how dare you try to lie to me?"
"Crud! I forgot there were witnesses!"
As Futaba heads out towards the arena, Yami pulls her aside.
"Good luck out there, kid." He tells her. "Really hope you win."
"Thanks." Futaba says.
"No, seriously. I need you to win. I made some bets with some people that you'd beat that other kid's ass, so….make sure to win, alright? I'll."
"Oh……um, okay."
"I mean it. I'm gonna make a killing if you win. No pressure, though. Kind of. Hell, I'll give you twenty percent of my winnings."
Behind the bleachers, we see Barry and Draco talking to each other.
"So, do you think we're ready?" Draco asked.
Barry could feel Chatot's Poke Ball shaking violently.
"We pretty much have to be now. We're out of time. We tried the best we could. I just hope our hard work is enough."
Draco nods. "I know it's not much, but…good luck out there, muggle."
"Thanks. Hopefully, I don't need it."
The voice of the referee echoes across the festival.
"IT'S TIME FOR TODAY'S EXTRA SPECIAL POKEMON EXHIBITION! TRAINERS, PLEASE MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE BATTLE AREA IMMEDIATELY!"
"It's all or nothing now." Barry said. "Time to go out there and give it my all!"
Malfoy nods. "Knock 'em dead. Make your dad proud."
Finally, both challengers were at opposite ends of the field, staring each other down with determination.
"I hope you're ready for a real showstopper, folks!" The referee announces. Once the audience's cheers subside, he continues. " Today, we have a special battle today for all of you! We have Twinleaf Town resident Barry, son of Tower Tycoon Palmer, facing challenger Futaba Sakura!"
Barry looks at the crowd and sees Palmer, giving his son a thumbs up.
"This will be a one on one battle with each side using one Pokemon!" The ref continues. "The winner will be determined once one side's Pokemon is unable to battle! Challengers, are you ready?!"
"You know it!" Barry shouts.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Futaba responds.
"Then let the battle commence!"
Futaba throws out her Poke Ball. "Come on out Bidoof!"
"Bi!" Bidoof happily cries.
"Chatot, I choose you!" Barry says, throwing out his Pokemon.
"Cha! Cha!" Chatot angrily caws.
"If we win, who's keeping the bird?" Bender asked his team.
"I'll be darned if I'm letting that thing near my room!" Pete complains.
"And I'm not really much of a bird person." Light adds.
"Chatot, use Wing Attack!" Barry orders.
Chatot flies towards Bidoof, ready to swipe him with his wing.
"Bidoof, counter with Hyper Fang!"
As soon as Chatot gets close, Bidoof chomps down on the bird's wing with his buck teeth and refuses to let go. Chatot flies into the air, with Bidoof still latched down on his wing.
"Shake him off, Chatot!" Barry says.
Chatot flies around in circles at high speed, but Bidoof hangs on for dear life.
"That little rat's got guts." Ryu said proudly. "You'd think she's a natural at this."
"Pff, she's got nothing on Barry's skills." Draco scoffs. Most of the other contestants give the wizard a weird look. "What? I'm just pointing out what I see."
"Knock him out of the sky with Double Edge!" Futaba orders.
Bidoof quickly let's go of Chatot, and in that brief interval, knocks Chatot to the ground with a powerful tackle with all of his weight.
Chatot lies in a small crater. While not down just yet, he was looking more pissed than ever. He flies out, and squawks in absolute rage. Bidoof on the other hand appears winded and disoriented from being spun around like a merry-go-round.
"Use Fury Attack!" Barry shouts.
Chatot pecks furiously at a disoriented Bidoof, who tries swatting him away to no avail.
"Bite him again with Hyper Fang!" Futaba cried.
"Not so fast!" Barry said. "Chatot, counter with Boomburst!"
Chatot inhales deeply, and lets out a powerful sonic scream that sends Bidoof flying.
"Geez, that thing's loud!" Futaba said, covering her ears. "Well, not as loud as Ryuji, but still!"
Bidoof falls in front of her, looking exhausted now and panting heavily. This was the small creature's first ever Pokemon battle, and Barry had him and Futaba on the ropes.
"This isn't looking good…" she mutters.
"C'mon, Futaba!" Ryu cheers. "You got this!" Followed by the rest of the Bulls cheering him on.
"Finish her, kid!" Bender chants with the Fairies cheering on Barry.
"C'mon, Bidoof." Futaba said. "I believe in you. Let's try and finish this in one more attack, alright?"
Bidoof looks back at her and gives a confident nod. He didn't want to fail her. And he hoped to win, and join her on whatever adventures lie ahead for her.
"Looks like we've almost sealed this match!" Barry said. "Chatot, one last Boomburst with all your might!"
Chatot readies lungs for another powerful scream, but Futaba was ready.
"Bidoof! Use Rollout!"
Bidoof curls into a ball and starts rolling at high speed like Sonic the Hedgehog. He barrels towards Chatot like a cannonball, and launches himself into the air. Chatot fires out another powerful sonic scream, pushing Bidoof back while he was still rolling in the air.
"Muscle through it!" Futaba cried. "One last push!"
Bidoof spins even faster and manages to push through in one last hurrah, slamming Chatot right in the beak, leading to a powerful explosion.
"I can't see anything!" The referee cried. "Whatever just happened it can go either way!"
The smoke clears, and we see Bidoof land safely on his feet. Meanwhile, Chatot drops to the ground, unconscious.
Barry drops to his knees in despair. "No…."
" Chatot is unable to battle any further!" The ref announced. " Bidoof wins, and the victory goes to Futaba!"
The crowd goes wild as Futaba slumps down in exhaustion. She looks at Bidoof, who smiles at her triumphantly.
"We did it." She said, "And you're coming with me…partner."
Bidoof leaps into the air and they both high five.
"Now that we're officially partners, how about I give you a nickname? How about….Bibo? I think it sounds pretty cute."
Bidoof nods, accepting his new name wholeheartedly.
"Alright, then. Welcome aboard, Bibo!"
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"Mwe heh heh." Futaba laughed. "Everyone back home will be so jealous I have my own real Pokemon. Considering what I've been going through lately, this makes things a lot less stressful to go through."
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The Bulls run towards Futaba and lift her and Bidoof in celebration. Meanwhile, Barry still sat there, dejected and bummed.
"Good going, kid." Pete spat. "Thought you were good at this crud. Guess you're just a big fish in a small pond. And that includes this game."
Draco looked a bit crushed seeing Barry lose. In a way, he felt like he failed too.
"I can't believe I lost…" Barry cried. "I'm still not good enough…"
He looks up and sees Palmer looking at him.
"That was a good match, son." Palmer tells him. "Even if you didn't win, you put up one heck of a fight, I'll see. Still, you've got much to learn on your journey."
Palmer walks away, but Barry didn't want it to end. Not like this. He stands up, and points at his father, and tells for ever
"DAD, I CHALLENGE YOU TO A POKEMON BATTLE…..RIGHT HERE AND NOW!"
Everyone gasps at his declaration.
"What a shocking turn of events!" The referee cried. " The Tower Tycoon himself is being issued a challenge by his own son!"
"Oh, is that so?" Palmer said. With a confident smirk, he responds, "If that's the case, son…THEN I ACCEPT!"
"Well, looks like he's still full of surprises." Draco said.
"Don, do we still have time for one more battle?!" Barry asks.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt." The host said. "If you're that adamant about it, then why not?"
"Great, thanks!"
"Looks like the fun isn't over folks! Now we have a match between Palmer himself and his son Barry!"
The crowd goes wild with excitement. It's not everyday that you get to see a battle against one of the Frontier Brains.
"Wait, now there's another fight?" Bernadetta wonders.
"Looks like that kid's gonna be battling his old man this time." Yami points out.
"I hope you're ready, kiddo." Palmer warns. " Because I'm not gonna hold back!"
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Mere minutes later, Barry and Palmer now face each other on opposite sides of the arena.
"This will be a one on one battle with each side using three Pokemon!" The ref informs. " Once one side's Pokemon are unable to battle, a winner will be decided! Our challengers are Tower Tycoon Palmer, and his son Barry! Trainers, are you ready?!"
"Yes!" They both say in unison.
" Then let the battle commence!"
"Milotic, you're up!" Palmer throws out an aquatic, serpent like creature that carried an air of elegance and beauty.
"Roserade, I choose you!" Barry throws out his first Pokemon, a small plant-like creature with blue and red flowers for arms.
"Rose!" Roserade cries.
"Ah, so you're going based on type advantages, eh?" Palmer remarks? "It's gonna take more than that to best me!"
"I'll prove to you the hard work I've put in during my time on this show!" Barry declares. "Roserade, use Sludge Bomb!"
Roserade fires a small ball of Poison, but Milotic uses her serpentine body to weave around her and wrap her body around Roserade.
"We've got him trapped now!" Palmer said. "Keep him constrained with Wrap!"
Milotic tightens her body further, crushing Roserade more and more.
"Gotta think of something!" Barry said, beginning to panic. Suddenly, he gets an idea. "Use Bullet Seed!"
Roserade fires seeds from his mouth, hitting Milotic in the face. It worked, as the super effective attack made Milotic loosen her grip and let go of Roserade.
"Smart thinking, kiddo!" Palmer mused. "But I'm far from done! Milotic, use Aqua Tail!"
Milotic cloaks her tail in water, ready to swing it at the enemy. But Barry was quick to react.
"Counter with Poison Jab!"
Roserade cloaks his arm in poison, and it clashes with Milotic's Aqua Tail. Both refuse to budge, but Milotic starts to grow weak.
"Just as I planned from the start!" Barry said triumphantly. "Your Milotic is poisoned! Now it's battling on a time limit!"
Palmer chuckles. "Guess I didn't give you enough credit! Milotic, use Ice Beam!"
Milotic fires a blast of ice, hurting Roserade drastically. But he managed to tough it out.
"Use Petal Blizzard!" Barry orders.
Roserade spins round and round, covering the arena in a flurry of razor sharp flower petals!
"Dodge them!" Palmer said.
Milotic whips and weaves, dodging some of the petals, but is overwhelmed with the flurry of petals, on top of the poison she sustained. Once the attack stops, Milotic is left weaving from side to side, disoriented. Suddenly, Milotic collapses to the ground, defeated. The crowd roars with excitement.
"Damn, he's really holding his own against him." Draco said. "So far, so good."
"He hyped his father up as an unstoppable force." Light points out. "I can clearly tell Palmer is still not going all out. Yes, Barry has the advantage at the moment, but he's sure to be saving his better onesfor last."
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"As much as I hate Light, he's right." Futaba said. "No way Palmer would start with his strongest. My biggest question was, what else does he have?"
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"Milotic is down for the count! Palmer is now down a Pokemon, but can he catch up!" The ref announced.
"Take a good long rest, Milotic." Palmer says as he recalls Milotic. "You've fought well. Now it's time for the rest of our crew to carry on in your place. Dragonite, you're up next!"
Palmer throws out his next Pokemon, the Dragonite both Barry and Draco saw earlier.
"Dragonite…" Barry mumbles. "Just like what Wendy has."
"Allow me to even the odds!" Palmer says. "Dragonite, use Fire Punch!"
Dragonite's fist combusts into flames, and flies towards Roserade.
"Roserade, get out of the way!"
But Roserade was still a bit exhausted from the Ice Beam and wasn't fast enough, taking a flaming punch to the face. Roserade is sent flying, and crashes down, unconscious.
"Roserade is down! Palmer evens the score! What Pokemon will Barry use next?!" The referee wonders .
Barry knows which one he's gonna use next. If he wants to beat Dragonite, he's gonna have to hit hard.
"Heracross, let's do this!"
Barry throws out a familiar large rhinoceros beetle.
"Ah, the same one that defeated a Vice Admiral." Draco said. "He means business now."
"I don't get it!" Bender said. "What's an oversized bug supposed to do against a literal dragon?!"
"I'll show you!" Barry says. He raises his arm, as the small stone on his wrist band begins to glow. "Heracross…MEGA EVOLVE!"
Heracross is engulfed in a bright light, emerging larger, bulkier, with one large spiked horn with huge forearms.
"Huh. Didn't expect you to have Mega Evolution." Palmer remarks. "But I don't need Mega Evolution to win my fights! Dragonite, use Dragon Claw!"
Dragonite swipes at Heracross, but catches his claw with his arms.
"Heracross, give him a good spin!"
Heracross spins round and round, tossing Dragonite into the air once he's gained enough momentum.
"Dragonite!" Palmer calls out. "Come crashing down with Dragon Rush!"
Dragonite roars and comes flying down like a meteor at high speed, engulfed in a purple aura.
"Use Pin Missile!" Barry shouts.
Heracross fires a barrage of green needle-like missiles from his body at Dragonite, but the mighty Dragonite smashes through all of them with ease.
"What?!"
Dragonite crashes into Heracross with immense force. Even with Mega Evolution, the attack still hurt a lot. Barry realized his dad wasn't kidding when he said Mega Evolution made no difference to him. But he knew Heracross was one of his hardest hitting Pokemon.
"Hit him with Megahorn!"
Heracross tackles into Dragonite's gut with his horn, pushing the large dragon back.
"Yeesh, that was a nasty hit." Palmer remarks. "Use Dragon Rush again!"
"Use Megahorn again as well!"
Both creatures clash, with electricity sparking all across the battlefield. The crowd just couldn't get enough of it. Another explosion happens, and both Pokemon are left panting.
"Use Close Combat!" Barry quickly reacts.
"Throw out as many Fire Punches as you can!" Palmer says with equal enthusiasm.
It becomes a flurry of fists, as Dragonite and Heracross barrage each other with punch after punch. They were moving so fast they were throwing hundreds of punches each a minute. Finally, both land a strong punch to each other's faces, and are both sent flying. Once they hit the ground, neither gets up, and Heracross devolves back to his original form.
"Incredible!" The ref shouts. " A double knockout! Both challengers are now left with one Pokemon! It all comes to this, folks!"
Palmer recalls Dragonite, and gives a long whistle. "Gotta admit, I'm truly impressed with how far you've come, son. It's been a while since I've been pushed this far."
"Thanks, dad." Barry said. "But I've still got gas in the tank! And I know you've saved the best for last!"
"That's true. With this next battle, winner takes all. Rhyperior, I choose you!"
Palmer throws out a Pokemon more imposing than the last two. It had a large, bulky, dark gray body with horns on its head. It had a club like tail, large arms that were like cannons, with rocky orange plates all over his body.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Bernadetta cried.
"Rhyperior…" Barry said solemnly. "Dad's strongest Pokemon. "This is the ultimate test. If I can beat it's then I'll finally achieve one of my dreams. "If I'm gonna win this, I'm gonna do it with my oldest friend. Empoleon, it's all or nothing now!"
Barry throws out Empoleon, he's ready for the toughest fight of his life.
"That's the Pokemon the professor let you keep when you started your journey, right?" Palmer said. "I'm impressed. I can tell just by looking at him he's strong. But let's see if he's strong enough to best me!"
"Empoleon, use Hydro Pump!"
Empoleon fires out a powerful geyser of water from his mouth, hitting Rhyperior dead on.
"Alright, that's gotta hurt quite a bi-HUH?!"
Rhyperior stands there, having taken little damage.
"My Rhyperior's ability is Solid Rock, kiddo." Palmer explains. "Super effective attacks are weakened for him."
"Crap! How could I forget?!" Barry says worriedly.
"Now watch this! Rhyperior, use Rock Wrecker!"
Rhyperior makes an extremely huge boulder from the holes in his hands. Everyone gawks in horror, as the rock is so big it boots out the sun for Barry.
"This is the power of a Frontier Brain." Palmer says darkly. "Now!"
Rhyperior chucks the rock at full strength, Empoleon unable to dodge it. He's hit point blank with what's basically a meteor.
"That's the kind of power he possesses?" Percy says. "Barry wasn't kidding when he talked about his father being a powerful trainer."
"It can't end like that, can it?" Shermie wonders.
Despite the move being not very effective type wise, Empoleon still looked to be in rough shape.
"We've really hit a rock wall, haven't we?" Barry says with concern. He notices Rhyperior panting. "Oh, that's right! If Rock Wrecker hits, the Pokemon can't do anything the next turn! Empoleon, if you're able to use Flash Cannon!"
Empoleon fires a shiny metallic blast from his mouth. Luckily, this attack appeared to do quite a bit more damage to Rhyperior. He couldn't do anything to dodge the attack.
"You may have had the perfect opportunity to do major damage there, but I've got another powerful move with no drawbacks!" Palmer says confidently. "Use Earthquake!".
Rhyperior stomps the ground, causing the arena to crack and crumble all over. The ground erupts and shakes under Empoleon, causing severe damage. Unlike Rock Wrecker, this attack was a super effective hit.
Once the earthquake subsides, Empoleon is wobbling all over, ready to keel over.
"You can call it quits here, son." Palmer said. "Your Empoleon doesn't look like he could take much more."
As much Barry didn't want to admit it…he was right. He was so close, and yet still not quite enough.
"You're right." He says dejectedly. He begins to sob. "I'm still not good enough! Now matter how hard I try, I'll still never be good enough-"
"YOU SHUT UP RIGHT NOW!" Draco snaps.
"Huh?" Barry goes to see his rival yelling at him.
"If you throw in the towel now…then you really are pathetic!" Malfoy continues. "You talked all this big game of wanting to surpass your father, and you're giving up now?! When there's still a chance?!"
"Draco…"
"If you give up now, you'll never live it down. In Slytherin House, we never give up, even if things look bleak! We achieve victory by any means necessary! So you better not quit until it's all over, you got it?!"
"Wow…what a beautiful motivational speech." Ryu said, getting a bit emotional.
Malfoy's words were just enough to get Barry to snap out of it.
"You're right! I can't live with myself if I'm a quitter! I've come too far to do so! It's not over until the fat lady sings!" He looks over at Empoleon. "Empoleon, I hope you've got enough energy for one last attack!"
Empoleon lets out a mighty cry, and is engulfed in a blue, sparking aura.
"Of course!" Futaba figures. "His ability is Torrent!"
"Can you explain that in non nerd terms?!" Bender yawned.
"When severely weakened, his water type attacks gain a massive boost in power!"
"But will it be enough?" Alucard wonders.
"Empoleon….It's time to unleash your strongest move!" Barry says. "The strongest water type attack there is. USE HYDRO CANNON!"
"Not so fast, squirt!" Palmer says. "I'm not handing over the win that easily! Rhyperior….one last Rock Wrecker!"
Rhyperior makes another huge boulder, and chucks it at Empoleon. Empoleon creates a large ball of water even bigger than the Boulder. We see a split screen of father and son, throwing out their most powerful attacks.
"LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Both attacks fire at each other, and push back and forth like a game of tug of war. Luckily, the giant Rick begins to erode, and the huge water ball hits Rhyperior and sends him crashing into a wall. The dust settled, and Rhyperior was utterly defeated. The shocking news was announced to all.
"I DON'T BELIEVE IT! PALMER HAS BEEN DEFEATED! I REPEAT, TOWER TYCOON PALMER HAS BEEN DEFEATED! BARRY WINS!"
The audience cheers loudly, and all of the contestants run up to congratulate Barry, who still hadn't quite processed what just happened.
"Did…did I….win?"
"You sure did!" Ryu cried.
"You had us going there for a second." Light adds.
"He defeated a Frontier Brain!" Futaba said. "Not everyone can say that!"
Barry looks up to the sky, ready to cry again.
"I did it. I finally did it. Thank you…everyone."
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Finally, after some time passed, the sun began to set. The festivities began to die down, as people were either heading home or packing everything up.
"I'm sorry, you want to what?!" Don exclaimed.
"I'm nominating myself for elimination." Barry reiterates. "I've accomplished what I came onto this show to do. And besides, I lost the challenge for us, anyway. I'd say it works out perfectly."
"If that's the case…then I guess we don't have to go through an official elimination ceremony. Regardless, it was nice having you on our show."
"Thanks. It was try an honor."
Barry then walks over to Draco who was expecting him.
"I know we didn't start off on the right foot, but….thanks for helping me out." Barry tells him. "For a stuck up, pompous wizard, you're alright."
Draco smirks. "And for an impulsive, reckless muggle…you're alright yourself."
"Thanks. Good luck with the rest of the game."
"Much appreciated. Mark my words, I still plan to win."
Barry suddenly feels a hand on his shoulder.
"Gotta admit, son. It's been a long time since I've had a battle that intense." Palmer says. "You've definitely proven yourself more than enough, today."
"Thanks, dad. But I can't take all the credit. I've met many wonderful people on Total Drama. And I couldn't have accomplished anything without my team. Speaking of which…"
Barry calls out his entire team.
"Thank you, everyone. None of this would be possible without you guys."
His Pokemon all embrace him in a group hug.
"Since you've beaten me…what's your next goal?" Palmer asks.
"That's easy." Barry answers. "I'm gonna become the Champion!"
Meanwhile, we see Ryu and Futaba fawning over Bibo.
"Aww, who's such a cute boy?!" Ryu coos as he gives Bibo a belly rub.
"Um…Ryu?"
The shaman turns around and sees Bernadetta.
"Oh…Bernie." He says awkwardly. "How...how are you doing?"
"A lot better, actually." Bernadetta answers. "Shermie told me everything."
"She did?!" Ryu said excitedly, but quickly toned it down. "I mean…she did?"
"Yeah. And I'm sorry for not talking to you about it. I'm still getting the hang of this trust thing."
"It's quite alright." Ryu assures her. "Let's agree that if we ever have problems, we'll calmly talk it out with each other, okay?"
Bernie nods. "Yeah. Sounds perfect."
"Oh! Before I forget…"
Ryu pulls out a small potted Venus flytrap. "This is for you. Futaba told me that your plant in the greenhouse died earlier...so I got you a new one. I got it from a merchant that rode in earlier. I hope it's close to the right kind, because I'll go back get a different one if you want."
"It's perfect!" Bernadetta says excitedly. "This'll go perfect with the rest of my collection! Thank you so much!"
Ryu starts blushing as Bernadetta gives him a hug. "Aw, it was nothing, really. You've been feeling down lately, so I thought I'd make you smile."
"You're so kind to me. And patient and understanding. There's gotta be something I could do to repay you."
"Please, you don't have to…"
"I got it! Let me cook a meal just for you for a change! How does that sound?!"
"Really?!" Ryu asks. "That's really sweet of you. Just name the time and place, okay?"
"O-okay."
"Awesome. Now, if you ladies will excuse me, I'm gonna get some more food before the shops close down."
Bernadetta watches him with a big grin on her face. Suddenly, she realizes something.
"Wait! Did I just…..ask him out on a d-d-d-d-date?!"
"Um….I think?" Futaba answers.
"Ohhh shit, Bernie. What have you gone and done now?!"
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Well, this one has been a long time coming. And I really believe I cooked with this one. So much emotional drama, epic battles, schemes, conspiracies, and surprising displays of character could all be found here today. (Looking at you, Malfoy. That's quite a nice side to you)
Today, we say goodbye to Barry. It may have seemed obvious to the preview, but he probably got the best send-off thus far. He's defeated Palmer, and proven how strong of a trainer he's become since joining the show. And now Futaba has herself a cute little Bidoof. A new face for me to write.
Here's what's in store for next time. The next episode will be the mid season finale. We're going back to Fodlan, but to Garreg Mach this time. Our cast mist search for a legendary treasure that's being guarded by… a giant turtle?! We encounter a mysterious criminal pirate group that looks familiar, and with them is a group of outcasts who reside underneath the Officer's Academy. And one of them seems to have a close connection to Bernie? Who is this beautiful looking assassin, and what does he want? And what are those pirates after? All of this will be answered next time.
Until next time, please read and review. This is MemeKing, signing off.