Note- So happy to get this chapter out before that 3 month mark! I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the second half of the year! I'm much more of a Spring and Summer boy, so I'm feeling a little bit of the Fall blues here in the States. Still, the school year has gotten off to a great start, I've fully beaten Legends Arceus, and Scarlet and Violet are only a month away! There's so much to be excited about and I hope this new chapter can add to that.
This newest installment of H&S was probably the most challenging to write. I wanted each character's sections to really carry the weight of the moment while also setting up future developments. This was probably the most rewarding chapter I've ever written despite the challenges and several rewrites. I'm so excited to continue writing for you all as long as the Good Lord allows. I promise I won't let Scarlet and Violet take up all my free time ;) They'll just serve as added motivation to continue writing in my favorite fantasy world!
So let's jump back into the end of the pool round and see what awaits Chris and the other trainers!
Hope you enjoy! Please Review and Subscribe!
Chapter 63
"Now, Attack Order!"
With her Defog having removed Stealth Rocks and her health now nearly back to full thanks to Heal Order, Vespiquen's attack served as the final nail in the coffin they had maneuvered their opponents into. The bright green energy around his charging teammate pulsed out, swarming the dazed Weavile. Seth had to grin at that.
You know you're in good shape when Vespiquen is catching a Weavile.
The Sharp Claw Pokémon swung widely at the attacking hive, but even with his quickness, he couldn't hold off the flurry of stings. He'd collapsed before the swarm had even begun to dissipate.
The judge wasted no time in declaring the verdict. "Weavile is unable to battle! Vespiquen is the victor! Contestant forty-nine will be advancing to the finals!"
Seth sprinted over to his victorious teammate, a look of surprise etched on her face. "Were you expecting a longer battle?" She nodded back and he gave her a knowing look. "You didn't think we'd put you in a winning position?"
The Beehive Pokémon's eyes did something resembling an eye roll. "Vesp'."
"Ah, but you knew it was a good plan. How could it not be with you involved?"
Seth met up with the judge after returning his teammate to her capture device. He shook hands with the defeated trainer, whose strong grip belied the queasy expression on his face. His face looked slightly discolored, making Seth think he might be ill. Then again, Seth wasn't one to talk. Between the cold, dry air cracking his skin, the trouble he'd had sleeping, and the lack of food in his stomach, he probably didn't look any better.
The man managed to wish him well in the finals, but it looked like it took every ounce of strength to mouth the words without vomiting. The Sinnoh native found that on top of having an empty stomach, he now had an unsettled one. Would this be how he would feel if he lost?
"Contestant forty-nine." Seth found the judge staring at him. "I've received reports that several of the pools have ended in ties. That means this round will last at least one more day. We'll send out more details later, so please continue to check your messages for updates. Thank you."
As Seth approached the tunnel, he heard a familiar voice echo through the quiet arena. "I knew you could do it, Seff'."
There she is. Seth hadn't been able to drag himself away from his preparation to watch any battles, so he'd of course missed both of Sarah's. He should have known she'd make it to one of his. Hell, knowing her she'd probably watched both.
Seth lifted his head and found her standing at the front of the bleachers. She beamed at him with that all-too-genuine grin that meant she'd gotten her way. Then again, she wouldn't even be standing there if she hadn't. A swirling mix of emotions left him without an immediate response, and she didn't waste time pouncing.
"Well, how are you feeling?"
Seth shook his head, then shrugged his shoulders. "I…"
"—can't believe it," Chris muttered.
He once again found himself in a crowded arena, though this time as a spectator. And he really was trying to live up to that role. David was in an absolute war with a trainer fully committed to Trick Room. It should have been fascinating watching a speedy Pokémon like Jolteon move in slow motion, but the Cherrygrove native couldn't see past the cloud of… shock? Relief? Or was it actual elation?
It couldn't have been more than an hour since his battle had ended. Not enough time to process much beyond the movement of his feet. Finding David could have been considered a small miracle.
Have I ever felt this way? Chris silently asked. Getting his first gym badge might have been the closest. He could have made the case for earning his eighth as well. After that… Well, he was finding it difficult to remember much else. At least he'd remembered to drop off his team at the Center. Shoot, he needed to get back and pick them up. There hadn't been any healing stations in sight after his battle and the Center's pick up line had been out the door. He'd wanted to wait to do a team meeting and celebration till everyone was healthy and—
"Hey bub."
"Luke!" Chris motioned to the empty seat beside him. "Where have you been hiding?"
"I just got here," he said, plopping down into the chair. "Battle just finished a bit ago."
Chris leaned forward. "You take care of business?"
Luke let air pass through his pursed lips. "We did, but it wasn't pretty."
"I'm sorry I didn't make it over to see any of it."
"You really shouldn't be. That battle was an absolute slog. I thought Hypno and Kangaskhan were both going to faint from boredom." He brought both arms up and let them fall. "Somehow I've managed to consistently draw opponents who battle at an even slower pace than myself. I really didn't think there could be this many."
"Apparently it's a winning strategy," Chris said with a shrug. "I don't see how any of you guys can go at that pace though. I'd be out there scrapping myself just to help speed things up."
"I think Waz is the only trainer I've seen who could pull that off. Although, he definitely battles more at your speed." Luke glanced down at the battlefield, his eyes narrowing. "Speaking of slow, why does David's Alakazam look like it's hovering through marmalade?"
Chris blinked and squinted. When had he brought out Alakazam? Before he could answer, a translucent box shimmered into being around the battlefield. The dozens of panels glowed in the early evening light, bathing the exterior in a torrent of rainbows.
"Fucking Trick Room," Luke snapped.
"Are you sure you don't already use it?" Chris laughed and jerked away from a halfhearted swing of Luke's arm. "I'm just saying, I feel like Dusclops might benefit from it."
"Hypno and Quagsire wouldn't mind it either," Luke replied, before suddenly jumping from his seat. "There we go!"
Below, the spinning ball of destruction that was Shuckle had finally had her rotations brought to a halt. She now floated in Alakazam's psychic grasp, her small yellow limbs popping out of her shell to flail wildly. David gave a shout and the spoons in Alakazam's outstretched arms bent sharply forward. Shuckle dropped like a cruise ship had just been placed onto her back. Dirt exploded up as she smacked the earth. Cracks splayed from the crash zone. It took only a couple seconds for the judge to make it official. "Shuckle is unable to battle! Contestant seventy-one is the victor and will be advancing to the finals!"
Chris jumped up to join Luke. The former followed the latter as they scrambled down the steps, weaving between departing spectators, with scattered applause ringing in their ears. They reached the railing, but had to wait another minute for David to finish the post-battle wrap up. Chris laughed as he watched his friend nod away as the judge spoke, a preposterously large grin on the Cinnabar native's face.
I probably looked just like that. I just hope Dobbs didn't take offense.
The quirky trainer had stayed quiet during their meeting with the judge. If Chris had been in his shoes, he might have done the same, but seeing Dobbs react that way had made him feel oddly… sad. He didn't know the Violet City trainer was even capable of somber feelings. Not that Chris could be solely blamed in his ignorance; Dobbs had never strayed too far from that trademark brash confidence of his.
He did initiate the handshake after our battle, Chris reminded himself. That might have been one of his biggest highlights of the Silver Conference so far.
"Hey, David!"
The Cinnabar Islander glanced up as he approached the tunnel, his smile growing wider as he caught sight of them. He brought his hands up to his head. "Can you believe this shit?"
"You in the finals?" Luke shook his head. "Hell no."
"Well then I guess I should be thanking Arceus that at least my team believed in me," David said with a laugh. As he reached the stadium seats, he looked between the two trainers expectantly. "Shit, what about you two? I better not hear you lost after that snide remark."
"We had to crawl, but you better believe we made it."
Luke and David turned their attention to Chris, who had to leave them waiting a moment longer as he continued to try and process what had happened. Words to recap the battle never came, so he decided to just keep it short and simple. "I won with a tie."
The sun had sunk below the peaks of the western mountains, leaving the streets of Silver Conference Village bathed in a faint orange glow. Trainers and spectators flooded the walkways. Many bounced between vendors, some entered restaurants, and others returned to their lodging. Despite their varied destinations, the crowd seemed more like an amorphous wave moving between light and shadow, with clarity only coming from the occasional flash of a face beneath a lantern.
This was still far too much light for Kayla's purpose. Tonight she'd chosen a spot in the northern sector of the village. It had been a bit further of a walk from her room, but she found it to be less trafficked and have minimal lighting: a perfect recipe for anyone who might be up to something. She sat alone on a bench that sat a bit off the street. The nearest light sources resided far enough away to leave the seat in shadow. She had her PokéNav open, her fingers tapping away on the blank screen, but her eyes remained on the sparse crowd of passersby. She didn't know what exactly she was looking for. Hell, she never had. That's why she never did this alone.
Kayla leaned back, her head titling just a fraction to the side. In the shadow of the building behind her, she could just make out her Medicham. The Psychic/Fighting-type stood so still against the wall that he might have been mistaken for a painting. She turned her attention back to the street once she caught sight of his closed eyes. Meditation was something important that shouldn't be interrupted, especially when it allowed her teammate to sense what others were thinking.
Her gaze drifted up to the roof of the more traditional building across the street. The wooden structure had two eaves, each jutting out in the beautiful, ornate style of Johto's older architecture. A wooden carving of a bird—most likely a nod to one of Johto's legends—rested atop the roof of the second floor. Another, much larger bird sat atop the first eave of the pagoda. This one happened to be new to the space and very much temporary. Kayla nodded as her Noctowl's head twisted slowly to scan the streets below. They had a good set up. And that was to say nothing of her Swampert's watchful presence in the pond that stood between the end of the street and the wilderness that lay beyond. Something had to come from this.
An hour passed. Her eyes never wavered from the streets and the dwindling crowds except to take the occasional sip of water. Night had fully settled over the valley, but the streets here still had some life.
Another hour passed. She called each teammate back one at a time to eat a quick meal. Then they returned to their posts. After Swampert had finished eating and returned to his post, she allowed herself a small bite as well. The streets were almost empty now. Most of the travelers that remained looked to be some mixture of exhausted and inebriated. A woman clearly not in the right frame of mind to see Kayla's hidden bench had tripped over it and nearly cracked her skull against the pavement. The Hoenn native had managed to reach out a hand and soften the woman's fall. She'd received a suffocating hug and an even more uncomfortable sloppy kiss on the cheek as gratitude.
Her will power dwindled rapidly after that, bringing her to call back her team before the third hour had fully passed. As they gathered around her, she gave each of them a nod. "Thank you for your diligence," she said. Forcing back an oncoming yawn, she added, "I know we usually go a bit later, but I figured we might better get some sleep before our second round of battles tomorrow."
As annoying as it was to have to go battle the same two opponents again, she had no one to blame but herself. After winning her first battle that day, she had assumed her second would go similarly, especially after watching him lose to the same trainer she had just beaten. But the man had completely switched up his battle style and Pokémon, opting for a Baton Pass strategy that brought in a buffed Dark-type. None of the three teammates she had chosen could do much to him.
Oh well, she thought. For what we might face in the future, the more battles the better.
Nights like tonight were her priority, but the league battles did serve as nice breaks. And it felt good to work and bond with her team in that arena as well. Her grandfather had always insisted that the coexistence of Pokémon and humans painted life's most beautiful picture. She just wished their teamwork didn't have to extend to this kind of desperate endeavor.
A white light poured out from her clenched right hand. She opened it to reveal her PokéNav, the glow from its center jewel now almost blinding. It was strange to be getting a message so late. She opened the device and found three missed messages. One from the league, no doubt providing the updated schedule. She didn't have the mental energy to read through all the details and made a mental note to skim it in the morning. The second message came from Chris. She felt equal parts warm and guilty as she read his invitation to hit up the village with him and his friends. She would have much preferred seeing the town that way; Arceus knew she would have seen a lot more of it. But she had a mission to carry out. Chris would understand, but she owed him a thank you response. As she went to type it out, the name at the start of the third message made her pause.
She'd blocked or muted every relative's number in her contacts the night she'd fled Goldenrod. She'd done the same when new family members or those claiming to be family had attempted to reach her. It had been months since she'd had a message like that.
"Uncle Carlos," she whispered. Had he been the uncle who was a detective in Mauville? Confirmation came a couple sentences into the message. She felt a cold sweat forming on the back of her neck as she continued to read. She knew it had been a risk to continue the Johto Gym Challenge. The leaders were as plugged into their communities as anyone and would be quick to act on catching a missing person. She now realized that competing in the Silver Conference had been a bridge too far.
"It's fucking televised," she hissed, drawing concerned looks from her team. She shook her head and held up her free hand. "It's alright. We're not in danger and no one's coming to take us from here." Yet, she added silently. They had to find a lead before this tournament ended.
From somewhere deep down—a place she hadn't had the time or strength to reach in a while—she brought out a reassuring smile. "Let's focus on the present. While we're here, we might as well whip some ass and make it to the finals."
From the moment Luke's eyes snapped open, he knew.
"Shit."
Even the blanket over the curtains couldn't stop the light from pouring through. It was late. Very late.
He fumbled through cracked eyelids for the night stand, knocking over a bottle and something metallic.
"Fuck."
A white flash flooded the room with even more light. Luke rolled back over and pulled the covers up over his head.
"Might'?" came a low growl. Then a high pitched whine.
"I'm here," Luke sighed, dropping the covers to reveal the very top of his head.
A weight pressed down on his side and warm breath on his blanket-clutching hands. The covers were dragged back a moment later and Luke had to fight off the urge to shout as light rushed to meet him.
"I'm fine," Luke hissed, rubbing at his eyes. How had he slept this late? Not that he didn't have a history of it, but these last few months had seen him forge a better sleep schedule. Completing the Gym Challenge hadn't given him much choice in that. He'd slept the morning away a few times once he'd completed it and made it back to his parent's place, but his father had made sure it hadn't happened too often. That man had always found something for him to be busy with.
Luke wrapped a hand around Mightyena's snout as it nuzzled into his hip. He gave the Pokémon a reassuring pet and rolled onto his side. "It's okay, boy. We don't have a battle today." He risked one more squinted glance toward the nightstand and caught sight of what looked to be his glasses. He found his Pokégear right beside them. The protective pooch studied the screen as Luke opened it and adjusted his glasses. He caught sight of a message from the Silver Conference and his heart nearly stopped. He read the first couple lines with trembling hands until he finally realized it was just an update.
Luke smiled down at his whining canine. "We have the whole day off," he said. "Let's get out and find some food."
Later that day
"I knew you were a late sleeper, but does that also have to be followed up by the world's longest shower."
"I have a lot more hair than you."
David shook his head and took a bite of his sandwich. "I'm thinking it has less to do with length and more to do with styling."
"Putting in contacts takes time too," Luke replied. He smirked as David let out a snort.
The two had only met up a couple minutes prior, but they'd already made it to the edge of the trainer village. The street traffic was pretty light despite it being late afternoon. They could clearly see past the final couple of blocks and out to the shimmering western lake.
"I'm surprised Chris didn't want to meet up," David said. "You think he wanted to catch these last few battles today?"
"Maybe." Luke doubted it though. The Cherrygrove native loved battling, but his face the night prior had exuded exhaustion. In their weeks of accumulated travel time together, it might have been the most tired he'd seen the lively trainer. "Or maybe he needed some time to recover after hanging out with us so late.
"He always was the first to fall asleep during those late night campfire sessions."
Luke rubbed at the puffed up skin under his eyes. "Not to mention the marathon of battles we've been put through."
"I'm definitely feeling some fatigue," David said, stifling a timely yawn, "but it feels good to get out and celebrate. We didn't get many chances to do that when it was the three of us. I feel like there were a couple of times a few months back where me and you went out late after a victory."
"We definitely hit the town after my win against Whitney. We were all over that city. I remember being on the third floor of that department store at two in the morning."
"Surviving against that damn Miltank deserves a late night celebration. The adrenaline alone from that battle will keep somebody up past midnight."
Luke looked down at the canine beside him. Riolu might have been the one to take down Miltank, but he had needed Electabuzz in his corner to make it happen. And that had only happened thanks to Mightyena humbly bowing out to make room for him. Glancing back, he found the aforementioned Riolu, now evolved, listening intently, probably having heard Miltank's name. Beside him walked another hero from that battle. Fraxure looked as zen now as he had back then. Luke had never met someone as calm as the Axe Jaw Pokémon. It felt like the dragon had burst from his egg with that disposition. It was no small comfort having teammates like him and Pidgeot to keep Luke levelheaded. He'd need them even more with the creeping anxiety of potentially battling one of his friends in the next round. He hadn't been as worried about it when there were a hundred other trainers to match with, but with only a third remaining, the odds were considerably higher.
I'd have to battle them anyway to win the whole thing, he reminded himself. But shit, he really hoped it wouldn't be in his first battle. He forced himself to vocalize the thought. "You worried about matching up with anybody in the first round?"
"I'm hoping we can get you." Luke's surprise quickly turned to relief upon seeing his friend's smirk. "Nah, I'm really not thinking too much about it. It's outta our control, and to be honest, I'm just really happy to have made it this far." The grin stayed on David's face but something had changed. "It's allowed me to meet some interesting people. A few had connections with Kanto and one dude even worked the salvage operation on Cinnabar. I managed to snag his number."
"That's awesome. He could have some contacts you can get in touch with."
Grass changed to soft dirt as they reached the bank of the western lake. Several trainers rode across the large body of water on their teammates and a few brave souls even swam alongside them. None of them strayed too far from the makeshift beach though. Even standing on the bank, one couldn't miss the large fencing that stretched across the entirety of the opposite shoreline and vanished into the trees. Signs, presumably of the warning variety, had been erected every so many feet in front of the barrier, with undoubtedly more scattered up and down that entire stretch of land.
Route 28. And just beyond: Mt. Silver. Together, they made up the most dangerous location in either of the connected regions. Luke had lived about as close to it as anybody, but he'd still had a massive waterfall and a mountain as a buffer. His parents would have never settled in that area without some prominent natural barriers.
When he'd been younger, the thought of exploring the treacherous area had excited him. He'd heard tales of incredibly powerful Pokémon roaming the areas, with some even saying that legendary Pokémon came to roost there during certain seasons. Luke didn't know if he believed the latter claim, but any spot that could hold mysteries or carry that much lore was worth a visit. Or at least that's what he had thought before his brush with death in northern Johto.
No matter how much he and his team had grown, there were still places in the world they weren't ready for. And he sure as hell wasn't trying to repeat that terrifying episode in a more isolated location with even scarier creatures. A shudder rippled through his sun-drenched shoulders.
"Hey, I think I recognize that guy."
Luke followed David's gaze further north along their side of the beach. The traffic here was far greater than out in the lake, with a mix of exercisers and those simply out on a stroll. The one exception looked to be a man and his team down at the water's edge. These six Pokémon sparred in a circle that stretched dozens of feet away from the bank. It pushed the walking path so far inland that Luke wasn't surprised to see walkers simply turn around once they reached it. At the heart of the circle stood a man, Pokégear in hand, surveying each member.
"That's Waz's brother," Luke said.
"Oh yeah. Didn't Chris say he won that tournament up at the Lake of Rage?"
"I think so." Luke watched as the older brother typed away on his device, his eyes never moving off his Staraptor. "And I think he also placed really high in the Indigo League tournament last year."
"Man," David said with a whistle, "and here I thought Waz was scary enough."
Luke shook his head and glanced across the lake, back toward Route 28. "He is. This place just happens to be the gathering spot for all kinds of monsters."
"Alright, back together."
Prinny dropped to a knee and opened up his satchel. It only took him a couple of seconds to retrieve his notebook, but that still managed to give his team enough time to surround him. As he stood up, he found a pair of yellow eyes staring a hole through him. Shit, when had Cradily gotten this tall? Sure he'd found his fossil years ago back home, but he hadn't been revived until Prinny's trip to Cinnabar Island. And that had been at the end of his Kanto journey.
"What are you looking at?" Prinny asked him.
Cradily's head bobbed back and forth, but the Rock/Bug-type remained silent. A metallic jingle filled the silence as Klefki swooped over the Fossil Pokémon's shoulder.
"Oh, I know what you're watching. I think you were looking more at me than Slowbro during that last drill. You're not going to catch me slipping." That drew a higher pitched ring, which brought a grin to Prinny's face. "Alright, back to business." Prinny directed his team into three groups of two. He glanced down to make a quick note at the top of the page, then gave them their directions. "We're going to rotate through one-on-one drills. I want the partner who isn't battling to vocalize support and give some feedback post-battle." Prinny turned to his starter. "Did you catch that, Venusaur? Post-battle." Prinny's first teammate snorted but made sure to nod. "Then let's get started."
Prinny dropped into a seated position as his team spread out to begin. He set his Pokégear into the dirt beside him and got to work rewriting the words there into his notebook. He paused after each sentence, occasionally adding an extra note he had forgotten to record earlier. It felt good to get these ideas onto something… tangible. The words just seemed to come through clearer and stick in his brain better. Not that he'd always known that. Despite being much more cerebral than his brother, Prinny had never had a good conduit to solidify his thoughts. Not a consistent one anyone. His room back home was littered with everything from journals to half functioning PokéNavs. It hadn't been till that fateful visit to the Seafoam Islands that he'd found the right method. He'd learned a lot in his battle with Blaine, but the older man's greatest lesson had come after. The double note taking strategy. In particular, translating from one medium to another. Blaine had actually preferred to work from physical to digital, but Prinny had found this way worked best for him.
"This is what it's all about," Prinny whispered as he watched his teammates. Battling was the one thing in the world that was as much an art as a science. It was that latter subject that resonated the most with Prinny. The puzzle that was team construction. The chemistry developed between teammates in knowing how to play off each other's strengths. The move selections that became the variables that made up the unique equation each battle presented.
Prinny looked on as his teammates continued their drill, eventually noticing that Venusaur had been returning his stare. The Seed Pokémon held that same relaxed smile that he would most likely take to his grave. Prinny narrowed his eyes back at his starter, but couldn't keep a smile from slipping onto his face. The science of training and battling might have been real and wonderful, but that incalculable connection… that's what made it all worth it. The losses, the monetary struggles, that feeling of hopelessness that one had no chance of making it to the top… The weight of it all didn't feel as heavy when you had a team of like minded friends to carry it with you.
Still, the expectations they'd set for themselves in this tournament weighed a good amount. A good showing in last year's tournament meant Prinny expected to see even better results this year. Otherwise, were they even heading in the right direction?
Evening came, then night. The sound of life from the streets never fully stopped, just dwindled as night turned to the wee hours of the morning. A few laughs echoed down nearly deserted streets. Hoots from a Noctowl echoed from somewhere above the hotel room. Light poured in through the open blinds, coating the room with a pale white glow. It made it impossible to sleep, but that didn't really matter. Dobbs couldn't have even if he'd wanted to.
The one thing he didn't think was possible had come true. He'd lost. Well, he'd actually tied. And if the league was being really fair, tying with the winner of the pool should constitute a sudden death battle. Still, even with the tournament's twisted rules, he shouldn't have found himself in that situation. He could forgive himself for tying with Chris, as the trainer had brought a team that just so happened to be an almost perfect counter to their Spikes strategy. But that loss to the other trainer—the one who had been ranked last in their pool—was something Dobbs would never forgive himself for. His team had done everything they could, but he had ultimately not lived up to his champion-level ability.
Chuck had been in the stands for this most recent battle. He'd stopped the trainer as he was leaving and given him props for fighting through the disadvantages they'd faced in the battle. But his sensei's words couldn't pierce whatever funk had globbed onto him. That same bubble of numbness seemed to have covered his appetite as well, as he'd skipped dinner and headed straight for the bed that he had occupied for hours since.
Amidst the wave of artificial light, a faint golden beam pierced through. Dobbs squinted toward the window and could just make out dawn's glow far above the eastern mountains. They were on the verge of a new day.
"Frig," Dobbs muttered as he sat up. His back felt about as pliable as a concrete block and his right arm had completely fallen asleep. He lifted his shoulders and eased his back against the bed frame.
For the first time in several hours, his eyes looked somewhere other than the spinning fan or window. First, he flipped open his Pokégear. There were no new messages, but that wasn't exactly new. He turned his head and caught of the six Poké balls that lay in a heap on the chair by the door. He thought of Machoke, his final Dynamic Punch blasting through Ampharos's desperate electrical onslaught. But then the image of his first Pokémon's blank stare as he spun around…
Dobbs threw the covers up and jumped out of bed. A loud thump drew his view back toward the ceiling. The fan had disappeared behind the blanket, which had drifted up into the spinning apparatus. With each passing second the fan's rotation slowed as the covers stretched tighter. Dobbs had never really worked with Chuck on speed—with the Gym Leader often admitting that he lacked much of that ability—but he scrambled for the off switch like the final runner in the Pokéathlon's Relay Run. He reached the door just as the sound of whining gears filled his ears, his hand whipping out to throw both switches on the panel.
A golden light much brighter than the faint morning sun filled the room, forcing the trainer's eyes shut. When he worked them back open, he caught sight of the large blanket fluttering slowly back to the floor, a couple of large rips clearly visible at both ends.
Thank goodness that wasn't his blanket.
He looked down and found those six Poké balls in the chair below. These were his teammates. They deserved more than just the healing at the center they'd received. Even if he'd only met some of them a few months prior, they'd become closer to him than any actual family. He should talk with them.
"Amph'."
"I know. I can feel it too." Chris took hold of his Electrical teammate's paw on his shoulder. He gave her a gentle smile and patted the bench beneath him with his other hand. "I promise I'm alright; I think I'm just a bit too amped up."
Ampharos didn't look even remotely amused by that pun.
"Nido'!" The Drill Pokémon roared and pounded his chest. The way he bared his fangs reminded his trainer of the numerous times the Poison/Ground-type had a wild Pokémon on the ropes. He'd been like this since the team had found out they'd made the Finals.
Chris pointed at him. "See, I could be a lot more intense." That still didn't ease the worry on Ampharos's face, so he took a breath to change his tone. "I really am feeling okay. This is a big meeting tonight with some of the most prominent people in the region. I think taking a minute to stop and mentally prepare is perfectly natural."
That drew a slow nod from Ampharos. As she lifted her paw off Chris's shoulder, she caught Nidoking watching her. The Light Pokémon brought her paw down and pounded it softly against her trainer's chest.
"Nido'!"
Scizor and Crobat scattered as Nidoking went into what Chris prayed was a joyous frenzy. Typhlosion jumped up and managed to grab the creature's massive forearm, steering him away from a couple of confused passerbys. Maybe the most concerning part of the ordeal came from their sixth member. Hopping back and forth, his round tail bobbing with excitement, was Marill. His wide grin and narrowed eyes unsettled Chris more than Nidoking's dangerous dance. The Aqua Mouse Pokémon looked eager to get into some trouble.
Guess that's the sign for us to get moving again, Chris thought, heaving a sigh as he stood.
"Alright!" Chris said, slamming his hands together in a more intense manner than he'd meant.
Typhlosion had managed to convince Scizor to help him 'guide' Nidoking back, but the Drill Pokémon still moved like he was looking for a fight. Chris jumped to his feet and extended an arm toward the Poison/Ground-type. Nidoking seemed to catch sight of that and his movements slowed. The creature's angled eyes locked onto Chris's neck. The trainer brought his hand back and touched the area.
"Nido'."
"Hey, I get it," Chris said. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm really fired up too. But energy level isn't going to be enough. We're going to have to be disciplined, not just on the battlefield, but also in the lead up to each match." Chris thought back to his conversation with Waz a couple days prior. His friend took every opportunity to learn and help his team grow. That wouldn't have been possible had the young man not kept a level head at all times. Well, besides when he's around his brother.
"Ty'," his starter growled and nodded.
Chris gently guided his paw and Scizor's pincer away from Nidoking. The Drill Pokémon reached the back of one of his claws up to softly touch the cut at the base of Chris's neck. His trainer fought off the strong urge to back away and remained still.
After a moment, Chris risked curling his hand into a delicate thumbs up. "We're going to have to keep our emotions a bit more in check on this stage. Our opponents are going to look for any weaknesses or ways to get an advantage. The last thing we need are self inflicted wounds. I know that's not what any of you want." Avoiding self made pitfalls had been his father's mantra dating back to Matt's days as a trainer. He'd even carried it over to his most recent call with Chris the previous night. The excitement in his father's voice and the praise he had for him had drowned out any negativity in those staunch reminders though. Maybe his father was also to blame then for this energized feeling. It really felt like his heart was going to explode through his chest.
Chris finally took a cautious step away from Nidoking's claws, but placed a hand on the creature's extended arm. He glanced back down at their newest teammate, a dangerous gleam still in his eye. "Let's keep modeling the qualities of an exceptional team. That means we're really going to need to hold ourselves accountable over this next week and help keep each other grounded." Chris flashed a toothy grin and pointed a finger toward their next destination. "Except when we're soaring to that championship."
A geyser of water plumed into the air, forcing Chris to pull his jacket over his head as what went up began to rain down.
"Marill!"
Sarah came to a stop in front of the stadium entrance. She didn't even need to look up to feel the eyes of the Gym Leaders studying her. Even after years of putting up with that in her home, she still couldn't help but feel annoyed. Surrounded by several of her teammates, she did her best to not let a scowl show.
"I'm going to have to return you guys for this," she told them.
There weren't any complaints from her team, though Mamoswine looked disappointed. The Twin Tusk Pokémon had been spoiled these past few months. Ending the year in northern Johto and then traveling during these late winter and cool spring days had the Ice/Ground-type as happy as Sarah had ever seen him.
Meanwhile, it had been months since she'd seen Roserade smile. The Grass/Poison-type already had a bit of a primadona complex, as bad as her trainer hated to admit it. Arceus help her, she might just freeze when they returned to Sinnoh. Sarah made sure the Bouquet Pokémon was the first to return to her device. Gastrodon was next, and as always, went without any fanfare. She still couldn't quite figure out how to read the Water/Ground-type's expressions. He just seemed to go about his business. Mamoswine followed, his overt disappointment standing in stark contrast to the sea slug.
Heracross stepped forward to be the next to return, drawing a smile from Sarah. She had wanted her first capture in Johto to be a challenge, passing on numerous opportunities to catch weaker and more common Pokémon. Her first two full weeks of travel had not yielded any worthy companions. Only after her Chimchar had finally evolved—two full months after she'd set out from Sandgem town—had the Single Horn Pokémon dropped from a nearby tree, presumably intrigued by another Fighting-type. He'd yet to lose that assertive attitude. It was what she admired most about him. Well, that and the absolute crushing power of those forearm shots during Close Combat.
That remaining pair of teammates also happened to be her first. Luxray had been an inquisitive Shinx when Sarah had first encountered him. That curious nature had served them well, even if the Electric-type often got a little more friendly toward others than she'd like. What mattered most is that he knew when to focus and take care of business. He'd really proven that when he'd taken down Morty's ace.
As for Sarah's ace, he looked up at her with that relaxed expression, the hint of a smile never far from his lips. That cool demeanor had won them more battles than his trainer could count. And it had saved them several times off the battlefield, as much as Sarah hated to admit it. Even she needed help sometimes.
"'Fern."
The Flame Pokémon brought up a hand and took hold of his trainer's upper arm. He gave it a tight squeeze, pounding his chest with his other hand.
She nodded. "I've got this."
After returning her starter, she strode through the stadium entrance. She could practically smell the confidence oozing from every pore. A rushing warmth met her skin as she left the chilly evening air and entered an already crowded space. She recognized many of them as trainers, but as she passed through she began to notice a commonality among them. A lot of these are trainers that lost in the pool round. Those individuals looked to be heading toward the exits, with many of them carrying identical baggies. A consolation meeting, maybe? She passed through the initial foyer and headed for the hall that would take her into the heart of the stadium complex. A heavy shoulder caught her own, nearly knocking her into one of the support pillars. She glanced back and caught sight of the culprit continuing on without stopping. The glasses and short, spiky hair seemed so familiar. Had he been one of Seth or Chris's opponents?
She tried to shake off her annoyance and made for the closest official.
"Yes ma'am, you're heading the right direction," he said, pointing toward the center hallway. "You're a little early but they should be ready for you guys in the media room."
Sarah gave him a quick thank you and continued on. She didn't mind crowds but being surrounded by a bunch of losing trainers had her wanting a scenery change ASAP. She brought out her trainer ID and handed it to the guard stationed at the hallway's entrance. Sarah snatched it back the moment she received confirmation and had taken off before the guard could utter another word.
As soon as she entered the center lobby it became clear why the official had referred to it as the media room. The space was fairly barren of people, but still had plenty of occupants in the form of cameras. A stage, much more immaculate than the one that had introduced the chief supervisor of operations, took up the entire front half of the space. Outside of a few technicians working through last minute checks, there wasn't much to look at beyond that same gigantic screen that had revealed the matchups for pools. So Sarah instead made her way over to the section marked for trainers and took a seat in the closest chair. Despite getting to the space fifteen minutes early, she was surprised to see four other qualifying trainers already in their seats. She'd of course scouted several of them already, but she had yet to talk to any of them.
The first hole in her shield of confidence surfaced around her fingernails. An initial pick turned into something constant. It was a habit she absolutely loathed but still couldn't keep from doing when anxious. It doesn't make sense to be nervous though, she told herself. Her team had been well trained and trusted her completely. That gave her as good a shot as anyone here. And on top of that, she'd continue to work her magic to ensure that her odds ended up being better than anyone else's. She caught the eye of one of the nearby trainers, a young man about her age. He was not attractive in the slightest, but that had never stopped her from being able to direct a bashful grin their way. As she went to step over to join him, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Sarah instinctively grabbed it but caught sight of a familiar face before she could toss it off.
"You look like a Sharpedo that smells blood in the water," Seth said as he dropped into the seat beside her.
"That's not a very nice way to describe someone in a social setting," she replied, before giving a shrug. "Maybe on the battlefield."
"I think we both know that your battlefield goes beyond painted lines."
She took a moment to study him. His hair now rested below his shoulders, its red hue even darker with the lack of sunshine. His hair wasn't all that had grown; the young man had never been very tall, but the Oreburgh native had grown at least a couple inches since she'd last seen him at the Winter Classic. He still carried that same composed posture, but it couldn't hide the faint lines on his forehand and under his eyes. That hurt to see. They both were sojourners in a foreign land. Seth could be a bit of a loner by nature, but even he must have been struggling after months away from his family. The fact that he had sought Sarah's company now all but proved that. And that added pressure to provide financially had to weigh heavy on him as well.
She liked Seth. He was a good guy. She really hoped she wouldn't have to be matched up against him and take advantage of all of these stressors.
"Anybody you're hoping to be matched up with?" she asked him.
Seth glanced around at the slowly growing crowd. It looked like he could barely keep his eyes open. "Not really. I don't know. The weakest trainer here, I guess."
"I hope that's not you."
"If it is then it won't matter and I'll deserve to lose."
Sarah bit hard on the side of her lip. She saw the pale, cracked skin on the back of Seth's hand and awkwardly—but gently—placed one of hers there. "How are you, Seth?"
His brown eyed stare hardened. "Do you really want to know?"
Sarah slowly swiveled to sit back upright in her chair. "Is there… is there anything I can do to help?"
"Mom called me last night," Seth said, shaking his head, "thanking me for that last sponsorship payment. She, uh, said she was going to be getting a second job."
"You had said she was just a year or so from retirement. What changed?"
Seth's lips twitched one way, then another. "Dad is sick."
Sarah frowned. "He'd been sick on and off, right? Is this something else?"
"It is."
No surprise. No fear. Instead, a cold numbness spread through Sarah's body. As the years had gone on, the Oreburgh Mines had become far safer, with air vents and automated machinery making the process far safer for workers and the environment. These renovations had only occurred in the last twenty years, however. Sarah had always feared that Seth's father would end up like many of the older men of the town who had worked in the mines decades before all of the safety measures. But those other men weren't Seth's dad. What he lacked in height he made up for with muscle, a dry sense of humor, and the bushiest mustache Sarah had ever seen. He was a man's man. Someone who the mines would never break. "I'm sorry, Seth." Damn. That had sounded far too emotionless. She fought off the urge to clear her throat as a lump slowly started to form there. "Have the doctors figured out what's going on? Like to treat him?"
"They know what it is."
A fiery knife pierced through that numbness. That heat made it up to her eyes, where she blinked hard to fight off the stinging tears. "Seth…"
"I'm glad I've been able to send money back their way. They were able to use some of it to help pay for this latest follow up visit."
Sarah grounded her teeth. "I can't believe they have to pay for that. How is Sinnoh still so far behind the rest of the regions?"
Seth shook his head, but said nothing.
Sarah's mind drifted to her dad. He'd never had any health scares, though he had been through his own trials with Sarah's mother. She clenched her right fist, her eyes darting around to find anything that would change the trajectory of her thoughts. Thankfully, the distraction came to her.
"Congratulations trainers!" Sarah turned and found a tall, well dressed man smiling down at her and Seth. He reached a hand out to both of them. "Sorry if I startled you two. It just looked like you could use a little pick me up!"
"Wouldn't think we'd need that after making it here," Sarah answered, pushing out a smile of admittedly low quality.
His eyes narrowed but his smile remained as he turned toward Seth. "For better and for worse, life doesn't revolve around this tournament. There are some battles that have to be fought on other, even more challenging fields."
Seth's voice held steady despite his glazed over expression. "We were actually just talking about that a little bit ago."
"Well, how about that?" The grey haired man clapped his hands together. "You know, on top of surprising trainers with random congratulations, I'm also coming around to see if any of you talented souls would be interested in job opportunities post tournament."
Seth's expression seemed to change. He blinked several times, then looked up at the man. "I'd be open to hearing what might be available."
The man nodded and turned his grin toward Sarah. "How about you, miss?"
"No, thanks." Sarah gave as polite a wave as she could and stood up. "I appreciate the congratulations and the potential offers. I'll leave you guys to discuss things though."
She let her feet sweep her away from the two men—all that tension and all that pain. It was awful, but she couldn't have that now. Besides, the noise in the room had grown uncomfortably loud. Not only did it look like all the trainers had arrived, but special guests looked to also be filing in. A good sized pod of people had gathered on the left side of the room to talk with Violet City's Gym Leader. She couldn't actually remember his name, but the memory of his Honchkrow would stay with her. The Big Boss Pokémon had knocked out two of her four teammates in their battle for a sixth Badge.
The crowd for him didn't compare though to the scene that was unfolding on the other side of the room: a mob of people, continuous camera flashes, cheers and begs for autographs. Sarah found herself drifting towards the commotion, stopping just before the crowd as she caught sight of silvery-blue hair.
Damn. It's the new champ.
Karen never stopped moving, but she kept such a subtle pace that the crowd followed without even realizing. Smiles, waves, and even several autographs, all while continuing her slow march toward the main stage. As the crowd swallowed Sarah, she caught sight of another familiar face—one who could not have been less aware of her presence.
Chris's shoulder found Sarah's own, snapping the young man from whatever trance Karen had put him under. He gave a quick turn. "Oh, excuse…"
Sarah didn't even attempt to hide the disgust on her face. "Looks like you've found your highlight of the tournament."
The embarrassment she expected didn't show. Instead, the bastard actually snorted. "Maybe. It's either this or the opening celebration… which now that I think about it, she was at too."
"She's twice your age."
"She's a Johto legend," he countered. "I'm drawn to her passion for Pokémon, her love of our region, and her style of battle."
"I'm sure you do love her style," Sarah replied, catching sight of the champion's gorgeous black dress. The tight outfit had undertones of red running throughout, giving the woman an absolute smoldering appearance. She almost couldn't blame Chris for being drawn to her, despite his lame excuses. She looked like a damn Hex attack.
"It's okay to be jealous." Sarah found a smirk plastered on Chris's face as he continued. "Back home I'm sure Cynthia is the envy of our profession. Heck, she probably is here too." He tilted his head to the side. "Man, I bet a battle with those two would be—"
"Who are you nervous about getting matched up with?"
"Asking me about my nerves," Chris replied, a knowing look in his eye, "sure seems to imply that you have some of your own." If she could say one thing for Chris, he had grown a bit less gullible. Not that Sarah was actually going to acknowledge it or his retort.
"I'd be terrified of running across a team with multiple Rock- and Ground- types if I were you," Sarah answered, shaking her head. "Almost every member of your team would be at a big disadvantage." Sarah's smile appeared just as Chris's faded. His expression hardened, brow furrowing. Her smugness lessened somewhat once he leveled that intense stare at her.
"I hope we get matched up with you in the first round," he said. "We'd welcome the chance to show what we'd do to your Mamoswine and Gastrodon."
Sarah paused and drew in a breath. When she spoke, a thick layer of ice emerged. "Us meeting in the first round really wouldn't be too bad for you. It would mean that your last positive memory here was standing in a crowd of people drooling over Karen. You said yourself that would be a top highlight."
Chris's counter was cut off by the sharp static of mic feedback. In sync, all heads turned to face the stage. A crowd of people had gathered up there, including the champion herself. She stood at the microphone as the others watched from the chairs behind.
"Let's get everyone in their seats and we can get this show on the road," she said, giving a half-wave.
Sarah threw one last glare toward Chris, who did his best to return the look in kind. It didn't matter that the Cherrygrove native was a good guy; she would put that fool six feet under if given the chance. And Arceus please, she wanted that opportunity.
The tension, the pressure for success, and the fear of failure. And that's just what our trainers face on the battlefield! As we find our trainers on the edge of the Finals, we see that each is carrying a lot of weight. This moment wasn't guaranteed and no one is trying to squander it. What will the matchups look like in this round of 32? Who will make it through and whose journey will be shaken?
Thank you so much for continuing to read and hopefully enjoy Heart and Soul! I know there are thousands of stories out there and I appreciate you taking the time to check mine out. Look for a new chapter most likely before the end of the year. Can't believe we're only two months away from that! Tune in then for the beginning of Heart and Soul's Silver Conference Finals! Please Review and Subscribe!