Summer and Weldon returned to Mauville City to attend the Battling Family Convention with Weldon's mom, Camilla. With some encouragement, Weldon agreed to participate in a highlight of the event: the Parent-Child Tag Battle Tournament. Summer encountered stuck up battling family members at the event as well as hostility for not being one of them. She escaped to a room focusing on the Unova families but found herself in another terrible situation with the head of the oldest family from the region, Craig Alaric. Will Summer be able to escape and see Weldon and Camilla battle? Or will she remain trapped in fear?

Chapter 34- The Battle of the Batfams

Craig Alaric's laughs echoed in my head. I was so paralyzed, all I could do was to curl up and protect myself. Suddenly, it stopped.

Confused, I saw a strange Pokémon, a black, green, and white striped body and thin orange wings tipped with blue and red, using her psychic powers to make the Craig illusion disappear. She looked back at me, her eye on her thin head watching me with concern. The room returned to normal, and I stood back up.

"Thank you, umm…"

I tried to scan her with my Pokédex, but it said, [Pokémon data unavailable. Please see the Unovan Pokédex for entry.]

"There you are, Arramut. I was wondering what happened to you."

A middle-aged woman with thin glasses entered the room. She was an olive-skinned person wearing a purple long-sleeved blouse and dark blue slacks. A colorful woolen shawl was draped over her shoulders, and a leather satchel was fastened around her left side.

After her Pokémon flew back to her side, she noticed me and smiled. "Oh, hello, dear. Who might you be?" she asked in a strong melodic tone.

"O-Oh, I'm Summer Scorcher. I was invited by the Leland family."

The woman adjusted her glasses. "I see. So you're the one who's traveling with Camilla's son, Weldon. I'm Vansea Svetlana, a biographer for several battling families, including the Lelands."

That's right. Camilla mentioned people like her would also be attending this event. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Svetlana. I would like to thank your…uh…Pokémon for helping me, but I don't know what species she is."

Vansea petted her partner. "Ah. She's a beautiful creature, isn't she? Arramut is a Sigilyph, a Pokémon that survived from ancient times in the Unova Region."

Smiling, I turned to the Sigilyph, "Thank you, Arramut."

She replied with jingling sounds, but she looked happy.

Vansea looked around the space then at the center exhibit and muttered, "That rotten Craig Alaric."

"Do you know Craig Alaric, Ms. Svetlana?"

She sighed. "Not personally, but I prefer to keep it that way. He may be a strong Trainer and fighter, but he does not have the best personality."

"I see."

Arramut whispered something to her Trainer.

"Oh, really? Interesting."

I raised an eyebrow. "You can understand Arramut, Ms. Svetlana?"

"Not in words per say, only her emotions and movement. It seems that she sensed Craig's presence was trying to harm you, which was why she came here. But how did that happen?"

I started to sweat. "Uhh…I'm not…sure…"

I thought I saw her smirk, but she changed the subject. "Well, anyway. He's a rotten Trubbish, especially with what he did to Camilla and Stanley."

Oh, right. From what I remember, Stanley is Craig and Camilla's son.

"Can you tell me more about Craig?"

Noticing my legs were a little wobbly, Vansea motioned me to sit on a nearby bench. "I'm not sure if I can tell you much about him since I'm not the Alaric biographer. But from what Camilla told me and from listening to others, he is a selfish, prideful man who only cares about himself and his standing in the Pokémon and combat sports world. As such, he is usually away from home training or participating in matches."

Wow… Stanley's childhood must have been lonely and stressful, like that vision I saw in Ice Path. But I wonder why Craig is so invested in Stanley's progress as a Trainer if he's not as present in his life overall.

I felt Vansea's stare, making me feel a little unnerved. "I-Is something wrong with me?"

"I'm sorry, dear. It's just, your necklace… I couldn't help but get lost in the beauty of the gemstones. They truly reflect the owner of the Seishin Nekkuresu."

How does she know about the Spirit Necklace? I instinctively touched my jewelry, but I could tell she didn't have any ill intent. "You…know about the Legend Guardians as well?"

Vansea chuckled. "Learning about them was one of the reasons I became a researcher in genealogy and family history. It's quite fascinating, and all of them have different origins and roles in their respective regions." She then took out a gold pocket watch. "Oh, my! Look at the time. It's almost 8 o' clock."

Eight o' clock?! I bolted up, but the sudden action made my feet hurt.

"Oww…"

"Are you all right, Summer?"

"Y-Yeah… I was going to watch the Parent-Child Tag Battle Tournament from the beginning."

"Well, that makes two of us! We must head there posthaste!"

Looking at my shoes, she pointed to a hidden button at the outer heel. "The heels should be able to raise and lower with a push of that button. That should make your feet feel better."

Once I did so, I felt a huge relief. "It definitely does, thank you, Ms. Svetlana."

"I need to do something real quick, so I'll join you in a bit."

I sped over to the outdoor battlefield at the center of the building. It was empty, but people were either sitting in the bleachers or moving back and forth from the main event room.

I walked over to Weldon and Camilla, panting. "S-Sorry I was late…"

The Leland family head smiled. "That's all right, Summer. I'm sure you lost track of time with the exhibits."

That's one way to put it. "What's happened in the tournament so far?"

"Well…we're in the finals!"

"That's great! Who are you up against?"

"That would be us, Snorkeler," Mr. Ackbar Sr. said as he and Andy approached.

"It's Scorcher, Mr. Ackbar Sr."

He ignored me and focused on Camilla. "It looks like it all comes down to down to this, Camilla. We'll see who truly is the top student of our graduating class."

Camilla sighed as she placed her hand on her hip. "Still hung up on the past, aren't you? You should really focus on the present, Andrew. Otherwise, things will just slip away."

"For you, maybe. Come, Andy. We must make our final strategy."

"Right, Dad."

After the two walked over to the other side of the battlefield, Weldon and Camilla began their strategizing. Not wanting to interrupt, I waved goodbye and tried to find a place in the stands. I was able to find a good space in the center, but people scooched away from me. Ignoring them, I let out Lightning.

She yawned. "That was a good nap. What did I miss?"

"A lot actually…but I'm glad you caught up on sleep."

The Raichu glanced at the empty spaces around us. "What's up with this? Does no one really want to sit with us?"

I weakly smiled. "It's okay, Lightning. I expected as much."

Vansea and Arramut climbed up the steps. "Oh, there you are, Summer. I'm glad I made it before the match."

"Ms. Svetlana. There you are."

After she sat next to me, I introduced her to Lightning. She happily petted the Electric type, and though the Mouse Pokémon was a little weirded out by the Sigilyph, they began to chat.

"Did you hear who was battling, Ms. Svetlana?"

Oh, yes. And it'll be quite exciting. The Lelands versus the Ackbars, just like back then."

"Back then?"

Vansea continued, "Michael Leland was an unstoppable Trainer back then, but so was Anthony Ackbar. It was a friendly rivalry, just like other battling family relationships. But it seems the new generation has made it less so. It's a shame, really."

"How so?"

"Well, it's not really my place to say, but-"

{If I can have your attention, please. We are about to start the final match of the Parent-Child Tag Team Tournament, so please take your seats.}

We ended our conversation, and the spectators gathered in the bleachers. I noticed Viola and Ms. Voss were sitting on the left side, where Mr. Ackbar Sr. and Andy were.

The announcer, a man in a black suit, shouted over the microphone. {Thank you all for your patience. And now, we will begin the exciting conclusion of this year's Parent-Child Tag Battle Tournament!} After the crowd clapped, he continued, {Our final pairs are Andrew and Andy Ackbar from Celadon City and Camilla and Weldon Leland from Pallet Town!}

The crowd cheered, and I was happy to see Weldon more relaxed compared to when we did our tag team battle months ago.

The referee entered his box and said, "This match is a tag team battle where Trainers are allowed to use one Pokémon each. The match will end when both Pokémon on one team's side are unable to battle. Per this year's theme, the Pokémon you will use must be your starter or the Pokémon you started with on your journey. The Lelands won the coin toss, so they will have the first move. Now, Trainers, send out your Pokémon!"

The four Trainers threw their balls in the air. Rhoda, Camilla's Sceptile, and Venusaur stood on one side, while Andy's Blastoise and a Kangaskhan within a strange breastplate stood on the other.

So Mr. Ackbar Sr. started with a Kangaskhan. But what's that orb she's wearing on her chest?

Vansea smirked. "So, they're both flaunting them, I see. Their Mega Stones."

"Mr. Ackbar Sr. knows how to Mega Evolve too?"

"Of course. That's how he's gotten so far in his career."

The referee then waved his arms. "Battle begin!"

The mother-son pair nodded at each other.

"Rhoda, use Leaf Blade on Blastoise!"

"Venusaur, Razor Leaf!"

Razor Leaf? Since when did Venusaur learn that move?

The Sceptile charged forward with the leaves on her arms extended as the Kanto starter shot a flurry of leaves past her.

"Is that the best you can do?" Mr. Ackbar Sr. taunted. "You know what to do, Andy."

"Yes, Dad. Blastoise, Iron Defense!"

"Kangaskhan, Flamethrower!"

The Water type tucked into his glowing silver shell as Rhoda struck him with the super effective attack. Meanwhile, the stream of fire scorched the leaves to a crisp. The Sceptile was about to return to her Trainer's side as Blastoise reemerged.

"Kangaskhan, use Aerial Ace on Rhoda!"

"Blastoise, Ice Punch Rhoda!"

Camilla gritted her teeth. "Protect yourself with Dragon Pulse!"

The Grass type shot a green orb at her attackers. Blastoise was hit, but the Normal type was able to evade it. Kangaskhan pushed Rhoda back towards the Kanto Grass starter, but Weldon reacted quickly.

"Venusaur, stop Rhoda with Vine Whip!"

He shot out several thick vines from his body and grabbed the Hoenn starter. Venusaur braced himself from the impact and was able to stop his teammate from colliding into him. Rhoda gave Venusaur a thumbs up before he let her go.

Mr. Ackbar Sr. smirked. "Looks like you still have that competitive spirit, Camilla."

She returned the smile. "Just because I'm not active, doesn't mean my skills have declined. Rhoda, Rock Slide!"

The Forest Pokémon looked to the sky and roared, causing boulders to rain over the field.

"Andy!" his father shouted.

"Right! Blastoise, Dig!"

The Water type burrowed into the dirt, avoiding an oncoming rock. Kangaskhan, on the other hand, waited for her Trainer's command.

"Aerial Ace Venusaur!"

The Parent Pokémon dashed forward and maneuvered around the boulders, despite her large size. But when she got close, Weldon uttered his command.

"Sludge Bomb!"

The poisonous orb struck the child, forcing the mom to step back and almost hit the reemerging Blastoise.

The Ackbar family head gave a quick glare towards his son before turning it to his opponents. "Looks like I have no choice." He pulled out his multi-colored handkerchief with a Key Stone embedded in the fabric. "Kangaskhan, Mega Evolve!"

Several arcs of white light streamed out from the Key Stone and latched onto Kangaskhan's Mega Stone. She became surrounded in an orange light and roared. I expected to see her change her appearance, but she didn't. When she took out her baby, however, it looked older. The pair made a pose just as the Mega Evolution symbol briefly appeared.

As both groups regrouped, I crossed my arms.

"That's a little…underwhelming. I thought the transformation would be much cooler."

"I wouldn't write that off so quickly, dear," Vansea cautioned. "Mega Kangaskhan may not look much different from its normal form, but it has one of the most powerful abilities there is for a Mega: Parental Bond."

"Parental Bond? I've never heard of it before."

"It's an ability that allows Mega Kangaskhan to attack twice, once from the mother and once from the child. The child's move will be less strong, but could easily change the tide of a battle."

"I see." I hope Camilla and Weldon have a strategy to deal with this.

The Leland family head placed her left hand on her hip. "Mega Evolving, already? You must be seeing the battle not going in your favor."

"Hah, as if!" Mr. Ackbar Sr. scoffed. "We're just showing you why the Ackbars are the stronger family! Kangaskhan, Mega Punch Venusaur!"

Both mother and child jumped towards the four-legged Pokémon.

"Oh no you don't! Rhoda, protect Venusaur with Fury Cutter!"

The Sceptile leapt in front of her partner and unleashed her glowing light green, sharp leaves.

As the female Pokémon exchanged blows, Andy decided to take advantage of the chaos.

"Blastoise, use Brine on Rhoda!"

"Andy, what are you doing?!" his father scolded.

Before Andy could stop the command, his Pokémon fired a stream of water at the dueling pair.

Weldon waved his left arm. "Venusaur, stop it with Sludge Bomb!"

His mom immediately knew why he issued the command. "Rhoda, fall back!"

The Sceptile backward somersaulted to rejoin her Trainer's side just as the two attacks collided. Mega Kangaskhan was hurt by the combined Poison and Water type moves, but they were still eager to continue.

"Why did you interfere, Andy?!" Mr. Ackbar Sr. hissed. "Kangaskhan got hurt because of your recklessness!"

"I-I was trying to help, Dad!"

I bit my lip. Arguing in the middle of a battle? And with your own son?

Camilla frowned. "It seems you haven't learned anything since the academy. Weldon, is it all right if…?"

He nodded. "Go ahead, Mom. I'll back you up."

Smiling, she touched the Key Stone on her flower hair accessory. "Rhoda, Mega Evolve!"

The same colored energy surrounded the Forest Pokémon. She grew taller, and her tail became longer and bushier. The tips on her leaves turned red while pine-like appendages emerged from her chest. She roared as the Mega Evolution symbol appeared in front of her.

"Now that's a drastic transformation," I stated.

Vansea grinned. "It's been years since I've seen Rhoda Mega Evolve. Camilla's getting serious now."

"Okay, Mom," Weldon said. "Let's show them what a real Mega Pokémon can do."

She laughed. "Yes, let's. Dragon Pulse Kangaskhan!"

"Venusaur, use Sludge Bomb on Blastoise!"

The two orbs shot out of the Grass starters, though the Dragon type move morphed from a sphere into a dragon.

Mr. Ackbar Sr. commanded, "Kangaskhan, Flamethrower!"

Andy, after receiving a glare from his father, added, "Use Brine on the Sludge Bomb!"

The four attacks collided in midair before exploding into a thick black cloud. Everyone, including those in the stands, coughed. Though my vision was blurred, I could hear the Ackbars shout out their commands.

"Mega Punch!"

"Ice Punch!"

Just as the smoke cleared, both bipedal Pokémon were in the air, preparing their right fists.

Camilla turned to her son, her face filled with worry, but it disappeared when she saw he still remained composed.

"Mom, can you follow my lead?"

"Of course. Go ahead."

He nodded. "Venusaur, grab Kangaskhan and Blastoise with Vine Whip!"

The Seed Pokémon roared and unleashed several thick vines. They wrapped around his opponents' outstretched arms and lifted them above the ground. The Ackbars' Pokémon struggled to break free, but Venusaur stood firm.

The Leland head smirked. "Rhoda, use Leaf Blade on both Kangaskhan and Blastoise!"

The Sceptile leaped up and slashed them with her extended leaves. Venusaur then threw them onto the ground, with Blastoise showing more obvious signs of damage.

"I can't believe this…" Mr. Ackbar Sr. growled. "This is why I told you not to pick Squirtle, Andy."

"But…I like Squirtle…" his son pouted. "You know I don't like Charmander, Dad!"

I frowned. I never expected this rivalry to hurt people who weren't directly involved with it.

"Whatever, Andy. Just finish them!"

"Y-Yeah…" The younger Ackbar refocused. "Blastoise, Dig!"

As the Shellfish Pokémon burrowed underground, Mr. Ackbar Sr. turned his attention to Rhoda. "Aerial Ace!"

The Normal type lunged forward with both mother and child raising their right arms.

Seeing that Weldon had something in mind, his mom shouted, "Rhoda, block Kangaskhan with Rock Slide!"

She unleashed the raining boulder barrage over the field again. Kangaskhan tried to dodge around them, but the larger sized rocks hampered their maneuverability.

"Mom, have Rhoda jump onto the falling boulders!" Weldon instructed.

"Rhoda, follow Weldon's command!"

She did just that and no longer touched the ground.

Now confident of the changed circumstances, Weldon shouted, "Venusaur, Earthquake!"

Andy was stunned. "Wh-When did you-?"

The shaking earth interrupted his sentence. Blastoise emerged from below, roaring in pain as Kangaskhan flinched from not only the cracking earth, but also the boulders on the ground shattering and striking them. Rhoda, on the other hand, was unharmed as she kept jumping from falling boulder to boulder until the shaking stopped. She returned to the field as Kangaskhan and Blastoise struggled to their feet.

"I'm not giving up!" the Ackbar family lead roared. Ignoring his son, he shouted, "Use Flamethrower on Venusaur!"

"Venusaur, protect yourself with Razor Leaf!"

The stream of fire blocked half of the flying leaves, but the other half continued their way towards Blastoise. Andy looked panicked, but seeing his father not helping him, he resigned himself to his fate.

"Blastoise, Iron Defense!"

The Pokémon tucked himself into his shell, but the super effective attack was too much, and he sprawled out on the ground. Meanwhile, the Flamethrower struck Venusaur, and he panted hard.

"Time to end this," Camilla said, determined. "Rhoda, Leaf Blade!"

The Forest Pokémon leapt up with her right arm cocked.

Mr. Ackbar Sr. shouted, "Kangaskhan, Aerial Ace!"

The mother and child made the same motion and jumped at Rhoda. The opposing Pokémon struck each other and landed on opposite ends of the field. After a few seconds, Kangaskhan collapsed, reverting the child back to its infant stage.

The referee shouted, "Kangaskhan and Blastoise are unable to battle! The winners of this year's Parent-Child Tag Team Tournament are Camilla and Weldon Leland!"

The crowd cheered, and I felt like I clapped harder than everyone else.

Vansea wistfully smiled. "It's been a while since a tag team tournament ended like this." She looked at the happy winning pair. "Trainers who are genuinely happy."

As I saw Mr. Ackbar Sr. storm off the battlefield with Andy following behind, I could see where Vansea was coming from.

The announcer returned to the field and said, {We will now conclude this year's Parent-Child Tag Battle Tournament by awarding the Leland family with this trophy and a $10,000 check to Camilla's selected charity, the Leland Family Battling Foundation.}

The crowd clapped as Camilla held the enormous check and Weldon the trophy. After placing the check by her right leg, she accepted the microphone from the announcer.

{Thank you, everyone. I hope you all enjoyed the battle.} She waited to continue when we finished cheering. {I especially want to thank Weldon, who battled alongside me despite being on hiatus. You were amazing today, as always.}

He blushed and smiled at his mom.

Camilla then took a deep breath and said, {I also would like to say something else before ending my speech.} She looked at everyone in the stands. {Participating in this tournament made me confirm a growing problem occurring among us.}

The crowd grew silent.

{I'm sure all of you have experienced it. High expectations, perfect win records, marriage arrangements. We have become unapproachable to non-battling family members and amongst ourselves. We have lost sight of what being a battling family member means. We may be part of the rare group with special battling abilities, but we should encourage our kids to grow in a healthy environment. Not just physically, but mentally and socially as well.} She clutched the microphone. {I just wish the next generation can fulfill my hopes for the future of all batfams. Thank you.}

She bowed and handed the microphone back to the announcer. Then, she and Weldon returned inside.

The announcer cleared his throat amongst the whispering onlookers. {Well, that was certainly an unexpected speech from Camilla Leland. We have one more hour left, so please enjoy the remainder of the event and have a safe journey back.}

The audience exited in groups until it was just me, Vansea, and our Pokémon. The biographer motioned me to follow her, and we walked towards one of the exhibit rooms. During our walk, I heard the guests murmuring about Camilla's speech, but I couldn't make out their words. Vansea opened the door to the Kanto room and let me inside.

Camilla and Weldon stood in front of the prominent Leland family exhibit. She turned around when she heard us approach.

"Hi Summer and Vansea. Did you enjoy the battle?"

I nodded. "It was really exciting. I'm just glad that I wasn't on the receiving end of a Mega Sceptile."

After we all chuckled, the older woman adjusted her bag and said, "It seemed like it was just yesterday when I watched you and Michael battle with Anthony and Andrew."

The Leland family head blushed. "Well, it was my favorite event growing up."

"Is it because of the battling?" I asked.

"Well, that is one reason. But…" She took a deep breath. "The main reason was to battle with my dad. Those are memories that I still kept with me, the wins and the losses. And with Stanley being under…Craig's care, I really wanted to do the same with Weldon."

"Mom…" Weldon said, a tear forming under his right eye. "I-I'm sorry I-"

She chuckled as she hugged her son. "I wanted you to make the decision to participate on your own, not force you into this."

The older woman took some notes after the pair separated. "That speech was also wonderful, Camilla."

"I don't know, Vansea. People are still not receptive to it."

"But you stated the truth. There needs to be change in how the batfams behave if they truly want to peacefully co-exist with non-batfams."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

Weldon's mom looked at the picture showing her father, Michael. "Do you remember the new rules the PLA issued a few years ago?"

"Yeah, I remember it was the three new divisions for the regional leagues."

She nodded. "That's right. But there's another rule they added at that time. If a Trainer wins two regional leagues, then they cannot battle in another regional league tournament for three years."

Weldon was stunned. "N-Now that you mention it, that's what they told me after I won the Indigo League. But I didn't understand why."

Camilla crossed her arms. "Those rules were implemented to give non-batfams a better chance at winning since the latest regional winners have been those from battling families. It also doesn't help when those people boast about their victories instead of teaching others."

Vansea adjusted her glasses. "And that certainly does add to the growing list of problems plaguing the longevity of the families."

"Anyway, it's getting late. We should head back to the hotel. I'm sure you two will be up early to go to Petalburg City."

Weldon yawned. "Yeah, good idea, Mom."

After saying our goodbyes to Vansea, we walked back to the hotel.

Just before the event ended, Vansea made her way back to the Unova room. As Arramut wandered around, guarding her owner, the biographer pondered on the bench.

Summer Scorcher… Fate has led you to this room. But for what purpose? I should look more into her family history, just to make sure.

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Confusion, Hypnosis, Air Slash, Heat Wave (learning)

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Olive (Grovyle, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Fury Cutter, Screech, Mega Drain, Quick Attack

Weldon's Pokémon:

Venusaur (male): Serious Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Razor Leaf, Earthquake, Sludge Bomb, Vine Whip; in rotation- Solarbeam, Body Slam

Fearow (male): Adamant Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Drill Peck, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace, Heat Wave (learning)

Golem (male): Bold Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Rock Slide, Earthquake, Rollout, Double Edge

Gyarados (male): Sassy Nature, Intimidate Ability, moves: Surf, Ice Fang, Payback, Waterfall

Arcanine (male): Naughty Nature, Flash Fire Ability, moves: Hyper Beam, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast

Electabuzz (male): Rash Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunder, Mega Kick, Thunder Punch, Shock Wave

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of Vansea Svetlana and Arramut?

What did you think of the battle between the Lelands and the Ackbars?

What did you think of Camilla's speech?