Note-Well now, how about this? Being on summer break has many perks, including a heck of a lot more time to write. This chapter may be a bit shorter than we've grown accustomed to during this section of the story, but I think it might be a nice change up.
We pick back up our story with the first round of the finals finishing up. There are still a couple of prominent trainers fighting to make it to the sweet sixteen. Will they survive and advance? What will our heroes who survived the first round get up to during their off day? Have you ever drank a little too much in a karaoke room? I promise that last one is relevant.
No more delaying! Let's get into our next installment of Heart and Soul! Please consider dropping a review and follow/favorite for updates!
Chapter 66
The sun didn't rise over day two of the Finals. Grey clouds had moved in that morning, only growing darker as time passed. By the time the judge announced for the first battle of the day to begin, puddles had begun to form around the village grounds. That problem hadn't extended to those inside the stadium itself. The same protective barrier that kept the Pokémon battles from spilling into the stands now stretched over the stadium like a translucent dome. Seth was grateful for it on multiple fronts. It allowed what natural light there was to pass through and make the environment feel a little less artificial. But more importantly, it had not opened the literal floodgates to his opponent's strategy of using Rain Dance.
Poliwrath had been one of the few Pokémon who could take advantage of the weather. But even he had run into a pair of walls that had required desperate switches. If it hadn't been for Umbreon's bulk and his ability to pass Wish to an ailing Magnezone, Seth could have found himself sitting out in the rain wondering what was next. As it was, he now stood at a concession stand, one hand clutching a cinnamon roll and the other a coffee. As much as he loved the spiced pastry, he did feel bad getting up during Sarah's battle. She had found him after his win and, among all the teasing, had given him props. He'd have held off till her battle ended but the vendors stopped selling breakfast items at eleven o'clock. On top of that, Sarah had said he looked 'ghoulish' the last time they talked. It was a fair assessment. With most of his money going back home, he didn't have the luxury of fine dining or even full meals. So he was just following her recommendation on this one. And besides, when he'd gotten up from his seat, Sarah's team had held a commanding four-to-two lead.
A roar rose from the crowd as he approached the tunnel. Passing through it, he found a very different energy in the trainer's section. He didn't see anyone looking down at their devices anymore. The relaxed postures of those witnessing a foregone conclusion had been replaced by strained necks and sitting on the edge of their seats. Seth glanced up at the scoreboard.
"What the hell?"
Sarah's two Pokémon lead had completely dissolved. The Honchkrow that had looked ready to fall from the sky now soared over Sarah's Mamoswine, the latter's ice barrage unable to close the distance between the two. The Ice/Ground-type just managed to avoid the Dark Pulse in response.
The cinnamon roll seemed to turn sour as Seth chewed. He squinted back up at the scoreboard and frowned. Why wasn't she using Luxray in this battle? It didn't look like Mamoswine had any way of reaching the flier. And with ranged moves at its disposal, Honchkrow could just stay back and take them out from a safe position.
Seth's eyes moved to his friend's trainer box. She stood straight, her posture, per usual, not revealing her true feelings. Then he caught sight of her right arm tucked behind her, its hand stuffed into a back pocket. Seth felt a chill run up his spine.
"Do you need help finding something?"
Seth twisted to find a security officer eyeing him. The man glanced down at his ID, but it didn't seem to change his annoyed expression.
"No sir. Just zoned out." Seth slid to the side as a couple trainers came up the aisle by him. "Just finding my seat," he quickly added.
"Very good."
As he went to sit, he caught a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. Chris sat a couple rows back on the other side of the aisle. He sat alone, his body leaned forward like the rest of the captivated crowd. Seth hesitated, his body suspended in a squatted position that made for a hell of a workout. He'd been so guarded with the Cherrygrove trainer, despite the numerous olive branches the latter had offered him. Added on top of his clashes with Sarah, Seth wouldn't have been surprised if Chris had a negative perception of Sinnoh natives. He wouldn't have blamed him. The people of Sinnoh were not a monolith, but there was a grit instilled in many. Whether that was baked in from the old Hisuian tradition, the blue collar nature of the region's industry, or just a survival mechanism needed to brave the harsh elements year after year, Seth didn't know.
Fuck it, he thought. He rose back to his full height, took a bite of his cinnamon roll, and stepped out into the aisle.
He found a smile amidst his chewing and prepped a somewhat witty greeting. Only the first word made it out before he caught sight of Chris's face and turned right around.
It was never wise to overlook any opponent. That's when most upsets happened in sports and the same could be true for trainers. Respect had to be shown to everyone, especially at this level. But the more Chris watched Sarah battle, the more his mind raced with possibilities on matchups and advantages he could exploit. He still had to win his battle tomorrow before he'd have a chance to do any of that though. And even if she pulled out this victory, Sarah still had to win another battle before she'd earn the right to meet Chris.
That outcome had seemed much more likely when Sarah held a five-to-three advantage. But her Lavaridge Town opponent hadn't let the early deficit affect her. Her three years of experience placed her into the camp of veterans that made up the majority of the Finals' participants. She had shown that savviness through a key switch in the matchup that saw her trap Sarah's Xatu with a Mean Look from her Absol. A Sucker Punch had put the Psychic/Flying-type and her trainer on their back foot, providing Absol with the opportunity to boost her strength with a Swords Dance. Xatu's Air Slash reply had landed, but not scored the flinch Sarah had desperately needed. After losing an exchange to the boosted Dark-type, Xatu found himself barely holding on as Absol used Baton Pass to bring in her next teammate.
When a Blaziken appeared, Chris thought Sarah's opponent must have made a mistake. They'd given up a type advantage to take on a disadvantage from both of Xatu's types. Even after Sarah decided to keep her teammate in the battle and Blaziken deflected Air Slash with Protect, Chris couldn't figure out the Lavaridge native's plan. It wasn't until an Agility-like energy surrounded the Blaze Pokémon that things became clear. Blaziken used that speed boost and the added power passed down from Absol to immediately dispatch the struggling Xatu with a Thunder Punch.
It had taken everything Gastrodon could muster to finally bring down Blaziken in a brutal double knockout. The opponent's Honchkrow had scored a critical hit shortly thereafter to even things up at two Pokémon a piece. And just when it looked like Mamoswine would be able to give Sarah the advantage, the Big Boss Pokémon had used Roost to heal itself and prevent the Ice/Ground-type's move from dealing super effective damage.
The uncertainty of it all had Chris unsure about even sticking around to find out what happened. A part of him knew he should be focusing on his own battle. He'd be going up against Nathan in less than twenty-four hours. Not only did he want to get some revenge for David, but much like Sarah, Nathan had also defeated him in the past. And just like his first loss to Sarah, Nathan had beaten him in the deep rounds of a tournament. Shoot, both trainers were also natives of Sinnoh. Even if Sarah lost here, Chris would still have to face someone very much of her ilk, condescending personality included. But not having Sarah to take down after just wouldn't—
His wrist began to buzz. Somebody was calling him? He twisted his wrist around to look at the Pokégear screen and his eyebrows rose. What did his mom want?
He stood and made his way up the aisle as he clicked to receive the call.
"Hello?" A rush of static filled his ears, followed by a broken up voice. "Hang on a sec," Chris said, scrambling up the remaining steps and through the tunnel. Being inside the bowl-like stadium, surrounded by thousands of other devices and with bad weather outside, he was amazed he could even hear his mother's voice. He rounded the corner and made for the higher level seating. "Sorry mom," he added, taking the steps three at a time, "The service inside the stadium must be awful."
Through the static he thought he could hear her say, "Oh Chris, you're not battling right now, are you?"
That drew a laugh from him. "Do you think I would have answered if I was?"
"You would have ignored your poor momma?" Jennifer asked, the shaky connection unable to hide the humor in her voice.
"I promise I would have called you back as soon as it was over." Chris made it to the top of the steps and stopped at the tunnel's edge. The upper ring of the stadium held significantly more seats. Chris was amazed how little traffic there was, and even more stunned at how full the seats were. "Can you hear me alright?" he asked.
"Yes. Is my voice coming through better now?"
"Think we're good. Is everything ok with you, though? I expected you to be at work right now."
"I'm taking an early lunch break," she said. With the better connection, Chris could hear the faint barks of a Pokémon.
"Sounds like you've got Torch with you today."
"You nailed it. We're going to be doing a quick patrol around Dark Cave."
"Be extra safe," Chris said, his mind drifting back to his own trips in the dark. "You have a Water-type too just in case, right?"
"Listen to you," she said, chuckling. "It's my job to worry about you."
"Well you shouldn't have much to worry about. I'm not planning on going anywhere else for a while."
"That's actually why I was calling. I just got off the phone with your dad. He said he managed to get some time off so he could come see you."
"Woah," Chris said, blinking back shock. "When is he coming?"
"He wouldn't be able to make it for your battle tomorrow. But he should be arriving on that next day."
"So I'll have to win tomorrow for him to get to see me."
"Now Chris," his mother's tone grew sharp, "don't go putting that pressure on yourself. He would just be happy spending time—"
"Are you going to be able to make it over too?" Chris asked
His mother sighed. "No. I'm on patrol the rest of this week. I thought I would be off for the second half, but we've had a spike in reported crime around Violet City. With so many officers tied up in Goldenrod and Olivine, they're trying to focus on deploying those of us who live closer."
"Man, that sucks."
"Hey, I'm just glad you and your dad will get to spend time together. I know he'll love getting to watch some battles with you."
Chris's brain was already running through all the possibilities he'd need to consider for his battle tomorrow. Even more than before, they had to win now. He couldn't have his dad leave work and come all the way out here just to not see him battle. They would need to start prepping the minute he got off the phone.
"But I'll let you go, sweetie," his mother said, her voice rising as radio chatter started up from somewhere nearby.
"Thank you for calling and letting me know, mom." He took a deep breath and rubbed at his forehead. "Please be careful. I need you safe and sound so you can watch too."
"I'll be as safe as I can," she answered. "These two will help make that a lot easier." Excited breathing and a sharp bark passed through the Pokégear's speakers. "I've got a new buddy with me today. Chomp the Granbull."
"I'm glad you'll have some backup."
"Woah there," his mother said, her voice fading as barking filled the speaker.
Chris pulled his wrist back and grinned. "Sounds like you might be the one who's busy at the moment. I love you, mom. I'll update you once dad makes it over here."
"—love—too. Take—sweety."
"See ya."
Chris closed the device and lowered his arm back to his side. He took a long, deep breath. His father would be here in two days. He'd finally get to see what Chris and his team could do in person. All the Cherrygrove native had to do was win his match tomorrow. That thought stirred up a heat in Chris's stomach that spread to his chest. He began to bounce on his toes like he'd just chugged a cup of coffee. The trainer couldn't call it nervousness or excitement. Maybe anxiety? It reminded him of that feeling he used to get the night before his birthday.
A loud clap and a giant roar from the crowd pulled him away from his thoughts. He took a few steps forward and looked over the balcony railing. Even with the trainer section residing near the top of the lower bowl, it shocked Chris how much higher up this half of the stadium sat. The battlefield looked tiny from here, with the Pokémon on it appearing as small as a Sentret at the top of a tree. Chris could just make out one of them laying flat on its stomach, but he couldn't tell what species or who it belonged to. He turned to look at one of the scoreboards at the end of the arena. Each trainer's party of six Pokémon had been revealed along the left and right side of the board, with the center screen showing a live feed of the battle itself. The camera had fixed on the defeated creature, which Chris now could see was a Zangoose. The Normal-type disappeared in a burst of red light, as did the Drapion across from him.
The cold certainty of the outcome sank in as Sarah strutted out to the battlefield's center to shake the hand of her defeated opponent. She said something to the judge and threw a wave to the crowd. Chris leaned against the railing and watched her as she made for the tunnel.
Even with one battle still left that evening, the street lights revealed bustling crowds all throughout the village. The humidity left behind by the rain didn't seem to affect them. And as had been the case every night, the restaurant district held the most traffic.
"Why am I this hungry?" Luke asked, grabbing his stomach. He was positive he could hear it rumbling, even with the street noise blaring all around them. "It's an off day, so I don't have my usual excuse of burning calories due to stress."
"Never stopped me before," David said. He shouted at Jolteon, who had been sniffing around a snack stand, then turned back to Luke. "So you said this was a sushi spot?"
"Yeah. Are you sure that's alright with you?"
David shrugged. "For sure… as long as they have cooked options."
Luke laughed and motioned them down a lane on their left. Like Jolteon, Fraxure nearly missed the turn completely. The Axe Jaw Pokémon looked equal parts overwhelmed and mesmerized by the lights and sounds. The young Dragon-type had spent too much time out in the country at Luke's parents. His trainer could definitely empathize with him there.
"You really couldn't talk Chris into making it out?" David asked.
"I tried. He said he just needed some rest before his battle tomorrow morning."
"I guess he is the only one of us that has to battle early."
"I don't think his is till eleven."
"Psh," David said, throwing a hand up. "That'd give him plenty of time to rest. Unless," David pointed toward the building in front of them. Luke turned and saw it was the restaurant they'd be dining in. The wide structure didn't just consist of a restaurant, however. The building had been divided into two businesses, each sporting vibrantly different exteriors.
"Oh no."
It was David's turn to laugh. "Oh man. You didn't tell me we'd be doing karaoke. Now I know why Chris declined."
"If Mitch had told me I might—"
"LUKE."
A monstrous torso slammed into Luke's own. He would have tumbled backward had an equally beefy set of arms not scooped him into a bear hug. If the man's voice and size hadn't given him away, the chest hair poking Luke's chin and a hint of grease screamed his identity.
"Mitch, were you the wise sage who picked this spot?" David asked.
"Yes sir," the large trainer boomed, releasing Luke from his clutches. He slapped David's shoulder, drawing a wince from him. "Somebody has to teach you boys how to sing!"
Luke sniffed the air. "Have you been pre-gaming here?" he asked.
"They had a happy hour deal on their sake," he said, smiling sheepishly. "I couldn't afford to wait for you boys and let it expire." Mitch twisted his head one way, and then another. "Where's the C-man at?"
"Couldn't make it tonight," David said, blowing out a sigh. "Said he had to play some 4D chess to get ready for his battle in the morning."
"Is that what he calls it?" Mitch asked, scratching his scruffy jaw. "That can't take him more than ten minutes. And we can wake him back up with our beautiful singing voices."
David broke into uncontrollable laughter. Luke shook his head, a smile burning hot on his face.
"I'm telling you right now, that's what he's doing!" Mitch howled, slapping David's back as he tried to catch his breath.
"You're definitely in the zone," David managed between wheezes. "Have you been playing any long games of chess lately?"
"Oh brother, you've got no idea."
"Alright, fellas," Luke interrupted, trying and failing to stifle a chuckle. Mitch's boisterous behavior had passersby shooting them bizarre looks. A couple staff members from the restaurant had even poked their head out to see what the commotion was about. In the short chunks of time he and Mitch had hung out over the past eight months, he'd learned quickly that his friend had no middle gear. Whether at a beach, in a restaurant, or even someone's home, once Mitch got on a roll, you'd just have to wait for the boulder to reach the bottom of the mountain. "I'm not trying to stand out here all night."
"Me neither," David said. "I'm trying to get full enough that I spit up my Clauncher claw in the middle of a duet."
"Then let's get you boys feeling right," Mitch said, motioning for them to follow him into the restaurant. After David and Luke had returned their teammates he added, "I'm stoked you guys are down for some karaoke too."
"I am for sure. We'll have to do a little work on Luke."
Luke held up his hands as they stopped at the host stand. "Hey, somebody has to take our battle tomorrow seriously."
"C'mon man. Your strategy and Pokémon aren't going to improve at this point. We might as well relax and enjoy the time when we're off the battlefield."
Tell that to Chris, Luke thought. When his friend had opened his hotel door earlier that evening, his face had carried only the ghost of a smile. As they talked, Chris had hesitated and struggled to come up with very detailed replies. He'd apologized for not being able to come out and had motioned to a string of papers laid out on the desk in the corner of his room. Luke had said he understood, but it felt strange to see his friend wound so tight. He wondered if Chris felt added responsibility to get payback on the man that had beaten him and David.
After loading up on one too many sushi rolls, and three too many drinks, the boys stumbled their way over to the karaoke bar. The wait was longer than any of them had expected, but Mitch's impromptu comedy routine kept them preoccupied until a room finally came open. The dark space had a shimmering disco ball hanging from its center and a wrap-around couch that provided the three boys with room to stretch out. David took a look at the list of songs in the directory as Mitch ordered another round of drinks. Luke just sat back and watched the spinning lights of the ball overhead.
"You having a good time?" Mitch asked, slapping Luke's leg. The Tohjo Falls native had to lean back to keep from gagging at his friend's foul breath.
"Oh yeah, man." Luke rubbed his eyes. "I think these drinks have just got me a little tired."
"Nothing my singing can't fix!" Mitch replied. He pointed a finger toward the screen. "Woah, stop it right there. Yes sir, David. Alright." He staggered to his feet. "Stand back boys!"
David motioned toward the wall behind them. "How are we supposed to do that?"
Mitch grabbed the microphone on the table as the song started up. "Fuck. It's not on." Luke laughed as David stumbled over and they both squinted to find a switch on the device. "Got it!" Mitch shouted, his arm swinging back to knock David over. It only took a second for Mitch to begin singing in rhythm as though he'd been doing so since the song began. He grabbed David's shoulder as the trainer made it back to his feet and the two began rocking back and forth. David quickly pulled back once Mitch started to yell the chorus.
"Hand it over," Luke said once Mitch had finished. "Let's go back a couple songs in the list. I know what I'm going to be singing."
Luke's throat started hurting twenty seconds into the song, but he pushed through, belting the chorus as loud as he could, all while Mitch wailed behind him like a back up singer. By the time he'd thrown the mic back onto the table, he was covered in sweat and his throat felt raw. He grabbed one of the drinks as a server went to place them into the cupholders by the door. He had it drunk before she'd even left the room.
"Maybe one more of those," he called after her.
Mitch swiped one of the drinks, spilling quite a bit off the top, and plopped down beside Luke. "You want a couple more?" he asked.
"I think so, but let me get those."
"No sir. I'm not letting y'all pay for a thing."
Luke tilted his head. "Okay, Mr. Moneybags. Where did all this wealth suddenly come from?"
Mitch glanced up as David began the opening verse to an absolute classic. Luke knew he must be dying to jump up there and do a duet. When he turned back to Luke, even the darkness couldn't hide his excitement.
"I got offered a paid internship," he paused for dramatic effect, his quivering mouth hanging open, "at the fucking Goldenrod Media Tower."
"Woah," Luke said, sitting back in his chair. "That's incredible, man. So would that have you stepping away from being a trainer?"
"I couldn't do both." Mitch dumped half his cup into his throat. "Don't get me wrong. I've enjoyed this journey more than I ever could have imagined back when dad first started pushing it on me. I still think he's afraid I'm going to become a shut-in techie the minute I press pause on this thing."
"Press pause? You think you might pick it back up?"
"Absolutely. I think it would be really cool to try another league someday. It's just not my passion. And this opportunity in Goldenrod could have me on the fast track to become the head of a lot of rad shit."
"That's true. I think Chris's dad does something with tech there. You may want to talk to him about it."
"No shit? If I remember you telling me that, I'm hitting up the C-man tomorrow."
"If you're going to ask him about it, you may want to drop that nickname," Luke said with a grin.
"I'm definitely not going to remember that."
Both trainers laughed.
"No wonder you're so relaxed about our battle tomorrow," Luke said.
"What about you? Do you have anything good lined up after this thing is over?"
Luke reached over and grabbed the last cup. In truth, he'd thought too much about that question. Continuing a gym challenge elsewhere, pursuing his interests in legends and lore, or anything else… it all required money he didn't have. His options in the short term might have to be much more mundane. The cafe he and Morty frequented had placed a 'help wanted' sign in the front window the last time the two had met. That might be the best he could hope for. "No, not yet," he finally said.
"You mentioned connections with Chris's dad. Have you thought about talking with Morty?"
"He's already done so much for me. I don't want him to feel like I'm exploiting our friendship."
"Get up here big fella!"
David spun over and grabbed Mitch's arm. "Only somebody with a set of pipes like yours can join me on this chorus."
Mitch jumped to his feet. "Duty calls."
Luke grinned as the two began a truly unique duet of a song about three octaves higher than either of them could reach. He took a deep breath, then a sip from his cup. The drinks had helped him relax, but this feeling of unpreparedness refused to back off completely.
He shook his head. Mitch was right; nights like this were meant to be lived in and cherished. And he really did feel better about their battle tomorrow. Luke took a large swig of his drink and stood up right as his friends finished their song. He wasn't going to miss anything.
"Hey," David yelled, a sour look on his face, "who took my drink?!"
The third morning of the Finals arrived with a heavy layer of fog. The cool temperatures brought in by the rain had stayed, adding extra chill to the damp air. With the sun yet to rise, the street lamps provided the only faint golden hope amidst the grey blanket.
It made for a surreal walk as Waz headed to the stadium. Staying true to his nature, he wore a t-shirt and athletic shorts, despite the cool air. He had thought about going for the jacket in his backpack, but had been unable to stop himself long enough to bring it out. That was made all the more frustrating since he'd been walking circles around the village for nearly an hour—a nervous gesture completely foreign to him. He had worked hard to kill any anxiety surrounding winning and losing. It had been a practice started in the years before he had begun training Pokémon. Growing up on the island, he had little choice in the variety of playmates. Being the youngest kid there meant growing accustomed to the older kids treating him as a liability. Despite his older brother's best attempts to lean into that, Prinny's friends had found a certain intrigue with Waz. They had invited him to the swimming hole and to play sports. It took a couple of years, but Waz eventually figured out their reasoning.
The Hariyama Wrestling competition had been the event of the year on the island. Wrestlers from all over the isles had come to compete in the tournament. The adult draw had brought the most viewership, but the junior division had been just as intense. In those last couple years on the island, Prinny and his friends had been old enough to compete. That had been around the time they'd started including him. Despite being younger, Waz had been just as big and even stronger than his brother's friends. It had made him the perfect candidate to train against.
All those sparring sessions had resulted in more losses than he could count, but it had taught him just as many lessons. His only regret had been his inability to put what he had learned to use in the competition. Waz had been just a year under the age requirement when his family had moved to Viridian City.
Waz gritted his teeth and came to a stop beneath one of the lamps. This was ridiculous. Even if he lost this battle, his team still had his back. Their journey wouldn't be over. They still had so much more to see, to accomplish, and to become. An elite team required a bond beyond blood and the results of battle. It needed a synergy that couldn't be undone by defeat. That's what they were shooting for.
Movement drew Waz's eye to the grey in front of him. Other people had finally begun to hit the streets over the past few minutes, so Waz wasn't surprised by the approaching shadows. He did find himself staring at the two figures as the outer ring of lamp light revealed familiar outlines, then recognizable faces.
"You're out here early," Waz said.
Chris moved fully into the light, his Typhlosion a step behind him. The Cherrygrove native stopped, his eyes finding Waz, and a smile replaced his serious expression. "Good to see you, man. Are you heading over to the stadium?"
"Yeah, I guess it's about that time," Waz said. He glanced at Typhlosion, whose shoulders were flameless. Would have made it a lot easier to spot them if they were lit. "Your battle isn't till around noon, right?"
"Right," Chris said. He looked over at his starter, whose gaze had become fixed on Waz. Even without a blaze to cast it into fierce shadow, his stare was as intense as ever. "I would tell you they scheduled our pre-battle interview four hours early, but I'd be lying. It was just tough to sleep last night. I've been doing a lot of thinking—a lot of planning."
"I would tell you to not overthink it, but I've been pacing all morning."
Chris frowned. "Really? I didn't know you got nervous."
"I'm not sure what's going on," Waz said, lifting the Poké Ball in his hand, "but I know I can trust my team. They'll help me get out of my own way. We'll be fine."
"You will. Your opponent is strong—really strong. But he isn't ready for what you guys have been working on."
"I just wish you could get another crack at him," Waz said. "I would have enjoyed seeing you get some revenge."
"It would have been nice now that we've got some real experience, but the Goldenrod Tourney was a long time ago. I've got my sights set on somebody who beat me much more recently. Then he went and beat David just to really piss me off. And besides," Chris stepped forward to punch Waz's bicep, "you're going to kick his ass worse than I ever could."
"I'm planning on it."
"You'll do it." Chris's fist opened and he slid his hand onto Waz's shoulder. "You've shown me what you guys are made of. What you can do. There is nothing he and his Rhyperior can throw at you that will shake you. He's got nothing you can't take." Waz had never seen or heard Chris this serious. Even when they were lost in the Ice Path and their lives were threatened by constant death from exposure and wild Pokémon, he had maintained some humor and a good spirit. "It's been an honor to be your friend and to learn from you. You've got what it takes to make it to the Championship battle." Chris's jaw relaxed for just a moment and that familiar grin flickered onto his face. He tipped his head toward Typhlosion. "And we plan on meeting you there."
Chris gave Waz a final, firm pat on his shoulder. Then he and his starter strode past. Waz twisted around to watch the pair become wispy outlines, then shadows, and then vanish once more. He slowly turned back to face the direction of the stadium. A burning sensation in his nose alerted him to just how hard he'd begun to breathe. He glanced down and found his arms shaking, fists squeezed tight enough for his fingernails to draw blood.
We're not fucking losing.
We'll see about that! We've brought the first round to a close, but not without some causalities along the way. Many of our trainers have more experienced opponents on the horizon. Will these veterans be too much to overcome? Will Luke or Mitch be going home?
How will Chris fare against an opponent who has beaten him on a big stage before? Will he be able to get payback for his and David's defeat? Will this pressure and his father's looming visit get to him? I'm very excited to answer these questions in our next installment of Heart and Soul. I hope to see you there NEXT MONTH, Lord willing!
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