Note- After a couple months of writing, Heart and Soul is back! We've entered my favorite time of year as of the publishing of this chapter! The flowers are blooming, the weather is warming up, the days are getting longer, and my soul is singing with joy having played through Legends Arceus! I don't even have to tell you what starter I went with! The different Hisuan forms, the immersive gameplay, the exploration, and the quick world and battle interactions were all wonderful. Not to mention the intriguing story and excellent post game. And now we have Gen 9 coming this year. Despite some of my frustrations with rushed productions and the assembly line nature of the product, I can't deny that it is an incredible time to be a Pokémon fan!
As for our chapter today, it is quite a doozy! With the screening round now complete, we enter the brief period before the first elimination round of the tournament. What are our trainers feeling about their performance? What confidence, joy, fears, or uncertainty are they now facing? What does the road ahead now look like for Chris and his friends? Let's jump in and find out!
Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 61
Trainers poured out of the stadium and into the evening's deepening darkness. Some fanned out in pairs, others headed off alone, but all of them were swallowed whole by the lively crowd already enjoying the evening's festivities. The full stadium on opening night had shown just how many people had come and it appeared none of them had left. Lines stretched out from vendor stands and restaurant lobbies remained packed even after the final trainer had left the stadium.
Dobbs had certainly not been the last trainer to exit the pool placement meeting. He'd made for the tunnel not thirty seconds after the reveal, the barbecue establishment he'd passed earlier more pressing on his mind. Unfortunately, even with a head start, he now found he'd become another victim of the wait list. That wouldn't be the case for much longer, as he finally remembered who he was. He jumped out of his seat and was nearly trampled by an older couple as they came through the door.
"Watch it, young man," the older gentleman warned, grasping the wall for support.
Dobbs brought a hand up, but had to hold back a frown as he locked eyes with the scowling older woman. Drawing on a sizable portion of his humility, he kept his expression neutral. "Bad timing," he managed.
The couple looked slightly stunned at that for some reason, but Dobbs was already moving toward the host desk. He had shown courtesy despite his disdain for elderly women and their anger problems.
"Hey, hello."
The young woman at the front desk glanced up at. "Yes, how may I help you?"
"I had put my name on the list earlier," Dobbs explained. "I had forgotten to mention that I am competing in the Silver Conference." The woman stared back, unblinking. "I won all three battles today. Since there are only a select few trainers who did that, I figured the Silver Conference would give priority to those who performed best and made their tournament a bigger deal. Is there a fast pass for top trainers like myself?"
"Uh, well… I…" the hostess was having the hardest time getting her words out. She just didn't seem to get it. Dobbs had no doubt she was a new worker.
"You know what, don't worry about it. I can tell this is a lot on top of how busy it is. Just tell your manager when you get a chance that I am here and that I might be willing to sit down and hear a pitch about a potential sponsorship deal."
"O—okay."
Dobbs gave the desk a soft pat and returned to his seat. He couldn't be too frustrated about these companies not giving him the elite trainer treatment. This was only the first day of the competition after all. He'd only gotten to show off three Pokémon in three short battles. Even so, he still would have thought his reputation would have preceded him. His Bug Catching Contest victory had been over nine months ago and it had been nearly two months since his last Gym victory. You'd think the event runners and Gym Leaders would have had time to get the word out by now.
Whatever the reason, lines wouldn't be a problem for him after this next round. Dobbs had no clue how the lowest ranked trainer in his pool would battle, but it didn't really matter. As for the second trainer, payback would be a b-word.
Luke glanced down at the weather app on his Pokégear one more time as he rummaged through his satchel of clothes. The warm spring day they'd had today wouldn't be receiving an encore. The Tohjo Falls native didn't mind the nippier side of spring. In fact, he'd take a cold day over a hot one every time. It also didn't hurt that the few pairs of stylish clothes he'd brought with him were definitely suited for the cold. He found one of the nice sweaters he'd bought at the bazaar in Mahogany Town and matched it with his favorite pair of chinos.
"Pidgeo'."
Luke turned and found the massive bird holding a pair of his socks in his large beak. They didn't match the rest of his outfit, but…
"I don't know what I'd do without you looking out for me," Luke said, snatching the socks and running a hand over his teammate's feathered head. That had been true in both the mundane and the intense situations they'd recently faced. Along with Charizard, Pidgeot could claim to be one of the primary reasons they had even made it to the Silver Conference. As many mistakes and setbacks as Luke had faced, he never could have traversed the region on foot in time to qualify for this competition. His eyebrows may still be thawing from the blistering speeds and he still had to check for his ears after every dive bomb, but his avian companion had provided them this opportunity. And that was to say nothing of his aide in securing several gym victories and a win in one of their screening battles yesterday.
Luke tossed the socks beside his bag and motioned for Pidgeot to go grab a snack on the other side of the room. Trying to make a decision about team building always got trickier when one of the participants tried to sneak in their input. And with Pidgeot's victory in the screening round, the bird's involved nature would elevate from subtle suggestion to a confident, relentless chirping.
He pulled back the zipper on one of the bag's side pouches and let the five Poké Balls inside fall onto the bed. Speaking of screening battles, he still needed to decide which of his other victorious teammates he might partner up with for this next round. Even with Pidgeot likely being in this group, he still wanted to let Charizard finally get in on the league action. It would be dangerous to have two-thirds of his team be weak to the same types though. Maybe he could divide them up between the two Pool round battles. He for sure wanted to bring back Dusclops for one of those teams. The Ghost-type's strengths played best to a multi-Pokémon battle with switches. That still left three spots open between the two teams and seven teammates to choose from. Filling those spots with the right balance of coverage and experience would be pivotal.
Even with the "highest odds" of advancing from his pool, Luke knew better than to see it as an advantage. As the top seed, he'd have the biggest target on his back. He'd be facing two trainers desperate to make up for their mistakes in the screening rounds. The thought sparked an unpleasant tingle in his lower back. Luke shook some of the loose strands of hair away from his eyes and scanned back over the five Poké Balls, their metallic frames glowing warmly in the lamp light. Their opponents' Pokémon would be a mystery, but Luke forced his focus to stay on what they would know. Desperation would have their opponents looking to swing big. Combined with his status as the top trainer, Luke felt he could expect more aggressive typing and strategies to go along with those heavy hitting moves.
He began to sort the five Poké Balls into two groups, shifting a couple of the devices back and forth as his mind processed the possibilities. He wasn't sure how long it took, but he eventually found himself content with how the two teams looked. At least for now. As for finishing up his outfit for tomorrow…
Luke scooped back up the socks he'd used to divide the two piles. Pidgeot really had picked out one of his nicer pairs. They might have been his most comfortable. If he wore his tall gray boots, it'd be easy to cover up the brown—
"Pidgeo'."
Luke let his eyes slowly close. He took in a breath, turned, and opened his eyes. There stood the Bird Pokémon, his matter-of-fact expression twisted only slightly by the black tennis shoes that rested in his beak. The same shoes he'd set aside because of their uselessness in the cold. The very sneakers he'd worn today, in fact.
"For good luck, right?"
"Pidgeo'!"
Not a cloud remained once daybreak arrived. A chill nipped at those few brave souls who roamed the streets. Most windows remained dark as the rest of the populace slept in on this off day. Even the breakfast spots remained closed as the sun fought to get a glimpse of the makeshift village.
"Which means there's no salvaging this walk," David muttered, condensation wisping from his lips.
His teammates didn't seem to mind the lack of options. Jolteon led the way, zagging between the silent buildings as if a battle were going to break out at any time. Scyther and Alakazam were the only two capable of keeping up with her, but they looked to be enjoying the stroll at a more leisurely pace. The pair seemed to be in deep discussion, which David found odd. His Psychic-type teammate had been weary of Scyther from the day the two met. It had been Alakazam—then a Kadabra—who had helped weaken the wild creature enough for David to capture it. The Psi Pokémon had fainted in the process, which might have played a part in that wariness.
David stepped up his pace to try and listen in. He hadn't taken four steps before his foot caught on a round, smooth object. He tumbled and just managed to get his knee down to absorb the blow instead of his face. A string of curses hissed from his mouth as a sharp wave of pain radiated from his leg up through his spine. He blinked back a tear and turned his attention to the object that had tripped him. Or rather, the individual.
David tried to cover up his pain with an apologetic smile. His dragon companion's sideways stare carried none of that warmth.
"Sorry."
Dragonair slithered forward without any notion he'd heard him.
David let out a sigh, the long condensation trail whipped away from his lips by a bone-piercing gust of wind. The trainer stayed down for an extra moment to pull his coat collar up to his chin and recover whatever dignity Dragonair had left him. Shit, what did he have to be proud of? Winning only one of the three screening battles? Was it his laurels that had kept him tossing and turning all night? Were they the reason his sleep deprived ass was currently freezing?
That drew a chuckle and another burst of vapor.
Hey, he did have some stuff to be proud of. He and his team had managed to earn all eight badges. Granted, it had taken a couple tries on a few of them. Still, he could overlook that because of how quickly they'd been able to accomplish such a difficult feat. He'd been adamant about applying and working for the Safari Zone, but a part of him had known that it might derail his chances at competing in the Silver Conference. But thank Arceus, he'd somehow managed to make it here.
Shit. The Silver Conference.
He might have made it here, but he could just as easily be gone in a day. He'd have to utilize his whole team to make it through these pool rounds. And that meant using…
David stood up and watched as his team approached a large fountain. The street opened up around the centerpiece, making a makeshift square, with buildings forming the edges. The space around the fountain looked to be devoid of anything aside from a handful of benches that surrounded the half frozen structure. And of course it was the benches that Jolteon immediately took to and began jumping on. Scyther didn't look to be far behind. Dragonair pulled up short, his tail coiling around him in a pose David had quickly learned meant 'annoyed.'
That had been his favorite pose since evolving. The sweet, timid Dratini he'd caught in the Dragon's Den was long gone. Upon evolving, his power had risen exponentially, making it a no-brainer to stay true to his word to Amalia. His four-on-four battle with Clair had ended in a painful loss that saw his Dragon-type easily bested by Clair's own Dragonair. David's most recent capture didn't fare much better in their second attempt, though the team managed to win that one. Alakazam's quick thinking and Nidoqueen's toughness had been the real MVPs there, he remembered.
Clair's stern warning to him after both battles still stood out more than anything else, though. Her critique of his subpar dragon taming had really driven the final blow into Dragonair's already hesitant perception of him. David wholeheartedly believed that. And he knew he'd be wise to listen and learn from those words, but damn, they had cut like knives.
He took a couple steps after his team, but his legs felt almost frozen. He honestly couldn't tell if it was the cold or the sheer exhaustion of whatever roller coaster his brain was riding. That analogy felt very apt when a rush of heat nearly took his breath. Was his mind really cracking this bad under the pressure? But then he felt a very real pair of arms wrap around his torso. The contrast of their bulky nature and soft grip left only one option.
David made sure a smile graced his face before turning over his shoulder. "I was wondering where you had gotten to."
Nidoqueen's hug tightened in response to that. Stretching his neck further, David found the source of the heatwave. "Shoot, you had the right idea hanging back with Magmar. I've been over here freezing my buns off for no reason."
The Spitfire Pokémon stood somewhat awkwardly beside his teammate, arms down at his side. David was thankful he didn't use those arms to follow Nidoqueen's lead. He'd take a slightly uncomfortable stare over third degree burns any day. And besides, despite his Magmar's frequent slip into derpy behavior, the compassion in his Fire-type's eyes filled David with a warmth that even these freezing temperatures couldn't touch.
"Now if we can just wrangle the rest of our team."
The Drill Pokémon lifted one of her massive arms and pointed a claw toward the square. David turned to follow it.
"Nido'."
Jolteon had completed her trip around the fountain and now zigzagged back toward them. Alakazam and Scyther made the u-turn a moment later. A real kernel of doubt popped into David's head as he watched Dragonair navigate around the iced over decoration. He half expected the Dragon-type to continue through the square and vanish into the morning mist. Thankfully, his serpentine companion actually circumnavigated the roundabout.
Maybe he's not through with me just yet, David thought as he watched Dragonair slither back. I damn sure know I'm not finished with him.
A yellow light flickered to his right. A second later the team stood bathed in a warm glow. The smell of fried eggs and baking grease hit David's nose like a tidal wave. David gave Nidoqueen's arm a squeeze and nodded toward the 'OPEN' sign.
"Looks like this trip wasn't a bad idea after all."
Chris felt a shiver run up his spine as he stepped out of the restaurant. I can't imagine being out here without the sun, he thought, pulling on his gloves and using his elbows to gesture his team through the door.
It'd been amazing to find a brunch spot so close to his hotel, especially one that allowed a full team of Pokémon to eat and roam. Maybe these businesses believed the trainers here would be of a quality that had fully disciplined teams. If so, Chris found that to be a brave assumption, as Nidoking had nearly knocked over an entire decorative shelf in search of a dropped poffin. Thankfully he'd managed to capture the lumbering fellow's attention with a recap of their performance in the screening round and praise for the team as a whole. That had been the only real stressor this morning, so the Cherrygrove native wasn't about to complain. He'd slept surprisingly well despite his nerves from the previous evening. Whatever reservations he held about having to wait an extra day for the next round had vanished halfway through devouring that delicious gourmet bagel.
"Don't go too far away," he told his team as they began down one of the main streets. Its eastern bend meant Chris had to squint to even see where they were going, but he wouldn't complain too much about having the sun on a chilly morning like this. Besides, his focus would be on someone short enough to keep him from looking directly into the light.
"Hey, Weepinbell."
The Flycatcher Pokémon hopped back to Chris and matched his stride. Trainer and Pokémon looked at one another for a moment as the former tried to think of how to broach a nagging question that he realized could be put off no longer.
"How are you feeling this morning?" he asked.
The Grass/Poison-type gave his version of a nod and flipped one of his leaf appendages up.
"Good." They took a few more steps as Chris tried to find the right words. "You know, I really liked what I saw in our battle from yesterday. Your movement has gotten smoother. I still can't believe how good you've gotten at attacking out of a roll." He paused to let that sink in.
Weepinbell gave another affirmative gesture, but his eyes never wavered from the ground in front of him.
"I know the way the battle ended didn't really give us a chance to talk after. I hope you're not mad at me for withdrawing you there at the very end." He felt a wave of relief upon seeing Weepinbell shake his head. "Awesome. You battled so hard, fighting through that burn like a champ. It made it really tough for me to want to pull you. Did you feel pretty good throughout the battle?"
Weepinbell gave another positive gesture with his leaf, but Chris noticed a limpness in the appendage.
Chris found himself giving an equally weak nod. "Cool."
The silence that followed stretched for a painfully awkward amount of time. They passed several other restaurants, shops, and living quarters during that time. The ambiance they created somewhat masked the uncomfortable end to their conversation, but Chris refused to leave it there.
His team hadn't walked ahead of them, but they'd still managed to put distance from their trainer through fanning out. It felt like they'd taken up half the busy street, which only added to his now growing anxiety. As he went to call them back, he caught sight of a sign that might just resolve the other issue at hand.
"I'm gonna bring you guys back out a bit later when we talk strategy for tomorrow," he told the team after roping them back in. "Until then, let that delicious food settle in your belly and enjoy a nice afternoon nap." He thumbed the opening buttons on the Poké Balls in his hands, giving each teammate a grin as they dematerialized back into the device. As he tucked them away, his lone remaining Pokémon voiced his confusion.
"'Bell?"
Chris widened his grin. "I wanted to keep talking with ya'. Let's head over to that bench."
The trainer paused when they'd reached it, letting his teammate choose which side to sit on. After plopping down beside him, Chris fought the urge to immediately begin speaking. He let a breath pass and leaned forward, his eyes scanning their surroundings. People and Pokémon passed. Vendor owners called to them. A woman stood outside of a restaurant on the opposite end of the street, her big smile and wave working hard to entice anyone nearby. Even though they'd just eaten, Chris could use another bite to distract from the question he knew needed to be asked. The one that seemed to gain weight with each passing second.
"You know," he finally said, taking a breath, "it's been close to four months since you joined our team. Crazy how that time flies, huh?"
Weepinbell's eyes went wide at that.
"What's been your favorite moment in that time?" Chris winced before the question had left his lips.
A crease appeared across the Flycatcher Pokémon's round body. Chris found a smile as the Grass/Poison-type turned his scrunched face back toward him. Weepinbell waved one of his leafs and mimicked spinning.
"Our first time landing a great Poison Jab? Yeah, that was awesome." Chris reclined back, exhaling as he rolled his shoulders. "Seeing you work so hard to perfect that has been a highlight for me. It really embodies your effort, you know? How hard you work. I guess playing catch up has been a necessity where you joined us this deep into the journey. I think Marill is feeling that a bit too." Except Marill's already got the confidence of a seasoned warrior, Chris silently added. The point still stood though.
The thought of his newest capture brought this entire conversation back to where it had always been going. He took a deep breath. "Even with all your growth over these past 4 months, I'm sure the losing has been frustrating. Trust me, I get it. I hate defeat. I know there's that mantra about it being a great teacher, but that doesn't mean I want to learn those lessons on the biggest stage. Every battle we've fallen short in has left me feeling like I could have done more. More to maximize your abilities in battle. Even outside of combat, I could have given you a more long term road map. I hope you don't feel like I've lost confidence in you."
Weepinbell shook his head but kept his eyes down.
"You're a needed member of this team. You always will be. And I want to keep battling beside you. You had an awesome showing yesterday and I believe you can get some major victories here in this tournament." Chris's teeth pressed together tightly, his jaw clamped like these next words were taboo. "But… is that what you want?"
The Flycatcher Pokémon turned sharply toward him. "Weep'?"
Chris smiled back. "What do you think is best for you?"
Weepinbell's eyes darted left, then right. He tilted in his seat, left leaf brushing against Chris's hand. His open mouth twisted and contorted.
Chris forced himself to let his teammate wrestle with the question for as long as he needed. There could be no moving forward if the two weren't on the same page.
The brown, hook-shaped stem that sat atop Weepinbell's head began to twitch. It was a reaction Chris had never seen. The crowning appendage suddenly straightened out, while at the same time below, it looked as though Weepinbell's face had swollen. Then, the stem relaxed back, and tears began to flow.
Chris brought both arms around him.
"It's fine. It's perfectly fine."
A few of the people passing by turned to look at them. Chris didn't care. He kept his embrace firm as he found his watery-eyed companion's stare. The Grass/Poison-type's leaves had fallen loose at his side as the rest of his body shook weakly. Chris could feel the sting of his own tears. He splayed his fingers out and tried to rub the creature's back.
"I'm so happy you let me know. It means so much to me that you're able to share that." Not having Weepinbell would undoubtedly make their road to the championship more challenging. From a coverage perspective, they now had less answers, if any, for certain types. Gyarados would be a necessity now for any Ground-types remaining in their way. Powerful Electric-types now had one less opponent to resist their moves.
"And there's so many other ways you can help our team," Chris added, pulling back to look at his teammate. Weepinbell's soggy expression couldn't mask his intrigue. "You can be the iron that sharpens our teammates. They'll need you to help them prepare for all the Grass-type and Poison-type moves to come. And we've already seen so many opponents trying to land status conditions, so you'll be the perfect sparring partner to help us prepare for more of that."
Weepinbell gave as best a nod as he could with the limited space between them. His blinking eyes worked to fight back the tears. Chris thought he saw something else being hidden as well. The trainer brought his head up and caught sight of what had caused them to stop here in the first place. "Follow me."
Chris stood up, but paused to give his teammate time to wipe away the tears with his leaves. Then the two were on the move again.
The vendor's stand brought back memories of Chris's first return to Ecruteak. The long ornately dressed table held countless trinkets, all of them freshly polished, glistening in the morning sun. More common items like status healers, poffin containers, and Poké Balls lay around the edges. Just past them and secured underneath a clear screen, rested vitamins and top brand supplements. But it was the heart of the table that captured the trainer's attention. The ornate Poké Balls were beautiful in their own right. Some possessed gold plating, others an ancient wood like frame, and even one steeped completely in darkness. Chris's eyes slid over them and came to rest on the stones latched securely on the table. No chance of a clumsy Pokémon yanking one of these away and evolving.
"I'll take that one," Chris said, pulling out his wallet. He could sense Weepinbell's confusion as the money in his hand was replaced by a dark green stone. "Oh, and could I have that wire that connected it to the underside of the table?" After the man handed it over as well, Chris motioned his teammate back to the bench. Upon finding someone else now occupying it, they settled on an unoccupied alley.
"Almost got it."
"'Bell?"
Chris looped the wire for a third time around the stone and wiggled the tip through a small opening in the stone. "Just about—there!" He dropped to a knee beside Weepinbell and let the stone fall from his hand. It dropped toward the dirt but stopped well short, suspended and swaying by the metallic wire. "This is for you. I want you to hold this when you're not battling."
Weepinbell's eyes shifted from the dangling stone to his trainer and then back. "Weep'?"
"It's a Leaf Stone. It's something that can trigger your evolution."
The Flycatcher Pokémon's rounded mouth moved but no sound came out. Chris felt guilty for putting him through this gauntlet of emotions. He was already so easily startled to begin with. Chris slipped the makeshift necklace around his teammate's right leaf and tightened it.
"I want you to wear this as a constant reminder of my commitment to you. A promise that you will always be a part of this team. This thing wasn't cheap, especially at a place like this where they know they can jack the prices up. But it was worth every cent. Because when the time comes that you're ready to take that next step and lead us to victory in a future campaign," Chris paused to tap the stone's embedded leaf pattern, "we'll break that thing open and bust all sorts of ass."
More water looked to be pouring into Weepinbell's eyes by the second. Or maybe that's just what it looked like through Chris's own watery lenses. "Just make sure you don't press too hard against it while helping us these next few days. I'd hate for everybody to think you're as clumsy as Nidoking."
"They weren't lying."
"Hm?"
Sarah raised the cup in her hand. "About the tea."
Seth looked down at his own, then at the banner outside the shop window. It was difficult to see with the late afternoon light pouring through the window, but its imagery was unmistakable. Among the gold and green writing rested the picture of a mountain that stood far taller than the one the two trainers currently sat in the shadow of. "Yeah, I can't say it was false advertising. That barista must be from some part of southern Sinnoh."
"Speaking of which, how are your folks?"
"Not too different from the last time we talked. Mom is getting close to retiring from her job at the school. Maybe a year or two away."
"Your dad isn't still working in the mines, is he?"
The tea in his mouth suddenly turned sour. Seth swallowed and licked his top row of teeth. "He's a stubborn old Mandibuzz. Somehow he's still working five days a week."
"Even with you sending back money from your sponsorships?"
"Yep."
Sarah shook her head and rested the mug back on the table between them. "He's an absolute trooper. Maybe you can talk some sense into him the next time you see him."
If I see him again, Seth silently corrected. His father's health complications had only worsened during his absence. Working in those damn mines hadn't made things any better. Fifty years old and still working the hours of a man in his thirties. If only that damn fool trusted me.
"Dad was the same way for a while, even after Candice took her position." Lines crossed Sarah's forehead as she stared down at the steam pouring from the cup. "I think he did it just to have something to do. A way to keep his mind on something else."
Seth nodded. "He and your sis doing well?"
"I think so. Dad finally had enough of the cold and 'retired to Sunyshore.' Last I checked, he was sailing around with some older guys on Route 223. Trying to pick up fishing, I think he said."
"He'd make a shit fisherman."
That got a laugh out of Sarah. "Like father, like daughter."
Seth brought both hands up. "You said it." He sat back in his chair, the Poké Balls in his jacket pocket clanking together. The Oreburgh native quickly slid a hand back down to cover them. "Your sister give you any advice for this next round?"
It was difficult to classify the look Sarah gave him. If he had to guess, he would say it fell somewhere between cold hatred and malicious intent. "You think I asked her?"
"No." Seth showed her a grin which she didn't return. "But I'm sure she tried to give you some anyway."
That seemed to break Sarah's frosty stare. She tilted her head to the side and glanced out the window. "It's definitely going to be an intense round. Two three-on-three battles makes or breaks all the work we've put in this past year. Do you feel good about your pool?"
Seth felt better than he probably should have. Even with the second ranked trainer winning two battles during the screening round, the third competitor in their section hadn't won a single one. That was a luxury few pools had. It meant that unless that man had just gotten incredibly unlucky with matchups, it would most likely be a two horse race to the finals.
"I'm nervous," Seth said.
"You'd be stupid not to be. Even so, I think we both have a strong chance of making it through. I got to watch the second ranked trainer in your section battle. She's good, but one of her victories came against a trainer that didn't look too impressive."
"Somebody probably could have said that about me. The second Pokémon we faced had exactly one move that could even damage the teammate I went with." Seth watched Sarah's face closely as he asked, "So you feel confident about moving on to the Finals?"
"I know I'm the best trainer of the three, so that helps. The battles moving to three-on-three will also be a plus."
"Being able to implement real strategies and counters is a huge deal, for sure. You have your two teams already picked?"
Sarah let a small smile show. It was the face she made when she realized she couldn't sneak a lie past him. "I just have one or two decisions left for the second team. You know, minor stuff."
Seth nodded, but cocked an eyebrow. "What are you going to do if you lose?"
The color seemed to recede from Sarah's face, but her expression remained neutral. "I don't have a plan for losing."
"Chris said something similar when I talked with him last month. I'm not sure how wise it is to bank on one outcome when the chances of winning from here are one-in-a-hundred. "
"Goodness, Seff'," Sarah said, frowning as she leaned forward. "I know you're a bit paranoid, but we can't be thinking about losing right now. It'll have you second guessing every decision you make. Your team can't have that in their trainer at this level."
Seth shifted and the Poké Balls clinked together again. He pulled one of the devices from his jacket and sat it beside his drink. He eyed it while his hand returned to take hold of the other in his pocket. As much as he valued the confidence the team had in him and vice versa, it didn't seem like the worst idea to have a plan in case things didn't work out. Seth would love to win the whole damn thing and send a massive check back home to his parents. But he'd already been sending a portion of his sponsorship money that way in case things didn't work out. "I don't see what's wrong with having a plan whether we win or lose."
"That's fine. I'm not going to argue about it." Sarah brought the cup to her lips. "But one thing I can say for Chris, as gullible as he is, is that he and his team have prepped like their lives depend on this tournament. It's going to give him an edge over those who just see this as another competition; people like my sister, who had the talent, but not the need to win."
"Things didn't turn out so bad for her, though," Seth countered.
"Hmph. I'm reaching for something greater."
"So I guess Chris won't have that edge over you then?"
Sarah chuckled, but the humor didn't reach her eyes. "He won't have anything over me."
Seth stayed quiet as she took another sip of her tea. She'd only just begun to gulp by the time her cup smacked back against the table. She grimaced and looked down at the mug as though she'd just found a Burmy living in it.
"What is it?" Seth asked.
"This tea is awful."
He lifted the cup to his lips, but found his taste buds shutting down before the liquid had even made it through. He pulled the drink away and smiled. Sarah was grinning too.
"Shit, why did we even get this?"
The following morning saw pool play kick off with the rising sun. These battles were hosted in actual stadiums, though none of them were as large as the main arena at their center. And despite them hosting actual seats for observers, few of them were filled as the early battles got under way. It seemed though that as the noise of the battles traveled, they caught the ears and attention of the surrounding populace. Each passing clash saw fans climbing the steps and taking the open seats overlooking the battlefield. By the time trainers had begun to reach their final Pokémon, the growing light had revealed real crowds of cheering spectators.
Prinny hadn't had the chance to notice.
"That's it!" he shouted as Weezing's Toxic attack found its mark.
"Close the distance with Double Edge!"
Their opponent's Stantler took off at a full sprint, horns angled toward his floating foe. As he watched the charge, Prinny knew he should be pleased with himself. With this being their opponent's last Pokémon, he could let this all play out: have Stantler wear himself down, knocking Weezing out in the process, and then grind it out with his last, mostly fresh teammate. But as he watched his Poison-type hold steady in the face of the oncoming blitz, he knew that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let it happen.
"Pain Split!"
Stantler's full speed tackle brought him directly into the now surging Weezing. A white glow flashed around the gaseous creature right as Stantler's horns stabbed into his round exterior. Stantler soon took on a similar aura as the rest of his body plowed into Prinny's teammate. The exchange sent Prinny's floating teammate spiraling back. By the time he'd stopped the backward momentum and stabilized his orbit, he was nearly close enough for Prinny to touch.
What strength, Prinny thought, his eyes shifting from Stantler to his own teammate, but you couldn't tell by looking at each of them.
Stantler's hunched back stood in stark contrast to the poised expression on Weezing's two faces. Prinny's stare shifted back to the opposing Pokémon at the sight of a violent shake. The Big Horn Pokémon recoiled backward, his feet churning like he'd stepped in quicksand.
Prinny brought the Poké Ball in his hand up and thumbed the activation button. He had already pulled another device from his jacket by the time the red beam of energy had begun dematerializing his teammate. Stantler had only just regained his composure by the time Prinny launched his new Poké Ball. Scrafty hadn't even fully materialized from it by the time Prinny's next direction came through.
"Begin things with Bulk Up!"
Scrafty kept one hand on the shedding skin around his legs, but managed to give a nice flex with his other arm. That swagger had been there since his first meeting with Prinny. The added confidence was worth whatever seconds it may have used up in battle. Especially now when…
Stantler doubled over, a chunk of purple goop dropping from his side. The sight interrupted whatever command his trainer had been trying to convey. Their direction switched to encouragement as Stantler fought to regain his strength.
Scrafty had nearly finished his strength boosting maneuver, prompting Prinny to consider an all out assault. He never much enjoyed that style of battle, and it showed in his general preference toward defensive and opportunistic teammates. Ruthless aggression and dominating attacks had always been the trademark of his younger brother. One of the many reasons Prinny had never feared that idiot's challenges. But this late in the battle, with momentum, type advantage and boosted strength, even he had to acknowledge it was the optimal strategy.
That was, until he caught the opposing trainer eyeing him; not Scrafty, but Prinny himself. It kept the eighteen year old from acting on this apparent opportunity. As he returned his opponent's stare, he could sense his teammate's backward glance. Every second they waited gave Stantler a chance to get a head start on his desperation comeback.
Wait… a head start.
"Bulk Up!"
"Sucker Punch!"
The simultaneous commands melded together, but there was no mistaking either. As Scrafty switched to pose with his other arm, Stantler's legs danced, bringing him nowhere. He just bobbed, back hunched, looking ready to charge... all while his opponent flexed at him.
That brought a smile to Prinny's face.
"Drain Punch!"
Their opponent called for another Sucker Punch, this one proving to be successful. Prinny's teammate had only just drawn back his arm when Stantler pounced forward. The Normal-type pivoted to his opponent's side and threw his body against Scrafty all in one smooth motion. Despite his fluidity, he'd have been better off charging into a brick wall. Scrafty, with two Bulk Ups under his belt, and a quadruple resistance to the move, would have felt more pain from stubbing his toe. The Big Horn Pokémon recoiled from the collision, his legs shifting every which way as Scrafty let his glowing fist fly.
The punch caught Stantler in one of his puffy cheeks, whipping the deer's head to the side as the rest of his body moved in a different direction. As the creature's body twisted it gave the strange illusion that he was floating in place. The spell broke a second later as Stantler's body crumpled to the floor.
Prinny let his eyes close as the judge pronounced the end of the battle. He took in a slow breath and felt his tense shoulders drop back into a relaxed position. One battle left. Then the real tournament would begin. He could hear Scrafty shuffling back to him, but he still needed a moment before he could open his eyes. A few more seconds to find his center and then he could wish his opponent—
"Hey, shithead!"
That voice. The same damn voice he heard when he closed his eyes some nights. A voice that belonged to the most malicious individual Prinny had met… and the one man who had swore to knock him out of the Silver Conference.
Prinny let his eyelids peel back, but he focused his attention on his victorious teammate. "You executed that perfectly. Great work." Scrafty gave an appreciative nod, but didn't look to have anything to add. He had an eye toward the stands as Waz fired off another comment, but Prinny returned the creature to his device before he could respond. Prinny didn't need his team trying to fight his brother. Wanting to beat his brother's ass was something he could admit to being selfish about. Plus, he couldn't give Waz any ammo about Prinny needing help to fight him.
The victorious trainer took another breath, then began his approach toward the center of the battlefield. He forced his gaze to stay on his former opponent and the judge beside him. Still, out of his peripheral he could see his malcontent of a brother walking down the stands. With each step he took, more insults spewed from his mouth. His brother usually avoided public places, using even more discretion when it came to talking in them. But apparently Prinny was the cure to it all.
The judge had his head half turned toward the commotion as Prinny reached him. He then brought his frown and furrowed brow toward the older brother. "Do you know that man?"
"He's unfortunately my brother."
"Would you like me to call security?"
Prinny snorted. "No, that won't be necessary," he replied. There's no way he would ever give Waz the satisfaction of thinking his older brother was afraid of him. Prinny turned away from the noise and concerned judge, nodding toward his fellow trainer and extending a hand. "That was a great battle. I won't be surprised at all to hear you've won your next one."
A sad smile spread across the twenty-something's face as he shook Prinny's hand. "I hope you're right. And for my sake, I have to root for the opposite to happen for you."
"That's understandable."
"Since… since you chose to battle first," the judge interjected, his attention now split between Prinny and his tablet, "your second battle will be this afternoon at four. As for contestant seven," the judge paused as he checked his device and turned toward Prinny's beaten foe, "you'll be battling the other trainer in your pool at noon. Don't forget trainers, all your battles in this round will be at this location."
With no other questions, Prinny was dismissed. He made it a point to walk back the way he'd come, passing by his brother, who had now reached the steps that led from the stands to the battlefield.
"You come to watch how a real trainer does battle?" Prinny asked.
"Arceus, no," Waz snapped. "I had to be here because fucking fate made us share the same battlefield."
"Did you at least take some notes?"
Waz spat on the ground. "I held off coming here as long as I could. I was hoping I could miss you entirely."
"I know you get off on powerful attacks. Bet you loved seeing that knockout punch by Scrafty."
"It's amazing how much Pokémon can do in spite of their shitty trainer."
Prinny smirked. "Are you speaking from experience?"
His younger brother's glare could have frozen a Glalie, but Prinny continued on. He knew his brother would have nothing left to say. For all Waz's malice toward him, it couldn't extend toward his teammates. His fellow Sevii Islander truly loved Pokémon, even the ones that were directed by his least favorite person in the world.
Prinny brought up a fist as he headed for the exit, his middle finger extending. "Just make sure you don't embarrass our family."
This was supposed to be his coming out party. The moment he declared his greatness. His master had told him that when the stage was biggest and the lights brightest, that was to be the moment that made it all worth it. When opportunity finally met preparation.
So why had Dobbs started off the pool round with a loss? Sure, he hadn't used Machoke. And yeah, he had woken up with tightness in his back. But a trainer of his quality couldn't rest on excuses, even perfectly good ones like that. He shouldn't have to be in a position where he was rooting for the third trainer in their pool to win just so he had a chance to reset the odds. And yet…
Dobbs grimaced as he shifted his weight from one side to the other. Metallic bleacher seats were the worst. Their chill somehow worked its way to your skin no matter the number of layers, and their stiffness kept one from ever getting completely comfortable. He wouldn't complain too much though. After all, they'd had no seats to watch the screening round battles. And the luxury seats would come. Once he made it to the Finals, he'd be battling in one of the four pristine stadiums on the north side of the complex. And once they'd made it to the quarterfinals, they'd be battling in the finest venue in the whole region. But first, they really needed—
"There we go!" Dobbs half shouted, half whispered. He allowed himself a fist pump as the battling Togekiss crashed to the ground.
That left the trainer who had beaten—snuck by, really—Dobbs with just one Pokémon. And as the worn down Primeape emerged, Dobbs turned his attention to the third trainer in their pool. The one he now knew he would have to beat to reset their pool.
"Keep the pressure on, Espeon! Psybeam!"
Chris.
Despite never winning a major event—aka joining the winner's circle—Dobbs had still managed to find some level of respect for the Cherrygrove native. His master had taught him that even the smallest fish in the sea, once hooked, could put up an incredible fight. As he watched Espeon's psychic barrage wear down his already drained foe, Dobbs felt a kind of chill growing. And no, he realized, it wasn't coming from these freezing bleachers.
This next battle would shape his entire future.
That's right! I bet you weren't expecting the extra icing that was the start of the Pool round! With so much on our trainer's hearts and souls, one day couldn't possibly hope to resolve or hold them over. We now find Prinny and Chris starting off strong in this crucial round, but with the latter trainer having one last partner going forward! How will the rest of our trainers fare? How long will it take before Waz and his older brother come to blows once more? Who will survive this elimination round and who will have the future of their journey called into question? Such big questions will be answered in another giant chapter of Heart and Soul! Please Review and Subscribe!