Hitori took a deep breath, one more, just one more battle and she would be able to participate in the Pokemon League. She, just needed, to go out there once more onto the arena. Before her nerves could totally betray her, Hitori walked onto her side of the battlefield, doing her best to not make eye contact with anyone in the audience, or the judge, or the girl who would be her opponent who seemed to be kind of red in the face.
"Welcome everyone to the final round of our tournament. One of these talented trainers will win our recommendation to the Pokemon Gym Challenge! On our left, with her loud partner, It's Hitori Gotoh!" The judge started. Hitori froze up and shut her eyes as she heard people, the audience clapping for her. Some were even cheering, she could hear Kita, and the trainer with the Nickit who was yelling something she didn't understand.
She felt like apologizing, she was going to mess things up somehow. Maybe she'll end up losing so quickly that everyone will demand refunds and she'll banned forever from Pokemon battling for being such an embarrassment to Pokemon trainers everywhere. Hitori's body was shaking but she still forced herself to take the Pokeball and hold it at the ready.
"On our right, With her ever-stalwart partner, Natasha Bathory!" The judge continued. The girl, Natasha had a confident grin on her face as she posed with her hands on her hips. There was another round of applause for her, something she seemed to bask in at least from what Hitori could tell after she forced herself to crack an eye open to look at her.
"Trainers, release your Pokemon," The judge said.
Natasha was first to comply, "Let's go Dottler!" She announced before nearly dunking the Pokeball onto the ground of the arena. The ball opened and released the bug type who didn't let out any sort of cry. Instead sitting where it was released, eyes looking around. Hitori did notice that it must have been an intentional move to release Dottler as close to the edge of the arena as possible.
Right, it was her turn, she lobbed her Pokeball as she had been, her Whismur coming out with a cry before quieting up to focus. "Aa-h, W-Whismur c-come o-o-out," She muttered out after releasing her Pokemon. Ah, she was supposed to do that in the other order, will she get disqualified for that?
Thankfully she didn't and even more thankfully, no one commented on her obvious mistake as instead, the judge gave Pokemon a look to confirm their readiness. "Whismur vs Dottler, let the battle begin!" The judge waved their hand down to herald the start of the battle.
"Light Screen, Whismur will attack from a distance," Natasha immediately declared. Right on her command, Dottler sprung into action. Well sprung would be the wrong word to describe it as he didn't budge from his spot. Instead, his eyes began to glow a blue hue and around him, yellowish light began to weave.
"S-S-smokescreen," Hitori whispered out. It was shameful she knew, but as long as she could use smokescreen to hide herself everything could come later. Thankfully it looked like Natasha was giving her time to get the smokescreen ready. Whismur let out a small cry before opening her mouth and starting to blow out the smoke.
For a few seconds neither side did anymore, the smokescreen continued to expand and spread out over the arena. Covering Whismur, Dottler, and most importantly of all, Hitori. Allowing her to take a breath feeling safe and hidden. Though in that time, Dottler had more than enough time to finish weaving his light screen, the hexagonal barrier covering the Pokemon in a half dome.
"Now, Confusion blow that smokescreen away!" Natasha commanded with what sounded like a rather mean tone from what Hitori could hear. Through the smokescreen, Hitori could see the light emanating from Dottler's eyes intensify before a similar blue glow envelops parts of Whismur's smokescreen. Then it began to shift and fan away in inconsistent bursts. Like one was using a broom to sweep away the smoke.
"A-Ah, Whismur E-Echoed voice," Hitori called out to try and stop Dottler. Already pockets of the smokescreen had been pushed aside, at least Whismur and herself were still hidden under it. Whismur let out a small cry, giving Hitori the bit of time she needed to put her headphones back on. Then the volume came, slowly gaining in volume as Whismur's voice bounced off the walls.
Briefly Hitori thought she may have already done it, Dottler was still far away and Whismur would have time to get her attack nice and powerful. This was cut off in a moment as suddenly her partner was knocked into the air and out of the smokescreen. At least from what Hitori could tell by lightly peering out of her cloud.
It took her a moment to get her headphones off, only to hear what Natasha was commanding next. "Now Confusion again! Back to the smoke to clear it away from Whismur's trainer," She had said.
"Eh?" Was all Hitori could say before a sudden wave of force pressed against her. Well not a full force but more like a sudden breeze or gust of an attack landing near her. Murmurs rose from the audience and Hitori couldn't help but notice the light now covering the arena from the ceiling, the eyes on her murmuring what she no doubt was assure were, she shook her head and tried to focus on the battle.
"W-whi, I-Icy. N-no um E-e-e-e-e-" Hitori stuttered and nearly bit her tongue as she let herself be distracted. "Smokescreen…" She eventually managed to whisper out.
"Don't let them! Interrupt their strategy it keeps them off balance, Confusion again!" Natasha ordered. While Whismur opened her mouth to let the attack loose, the same bluish light enveloped her before at once she was sent flying to the side as though Whismur was sucker punched.
Hitori wanted to apologize, this wasn't part of any strategy she just couldn't handle the light of the arena or the gaze of the audience. Maybe she should have taken a box then they wouldn't be able to get it off her so easily. Whismur got herself back up onto her feet and started to blow out smoke again. Only to once again be enveloped in light and knocked away.
More than that, a few seconds later the smoke was enveloped and pushed away keeping the field as clear as it had ever been from any of Hitori's battles. No, she needed to focus, it was Whismur getting hurt out there while she was worrying. "A-ah W-whismur- I-icy w-wind" Hitori forced herself to whisper out any attack to hopefully make it not so bad on her partner.
Whismur was just recovering from another sudden hit of psychic energy. Hitori's own uncertainty was reflected onto Whismur as she spent a second looking back at her trainer for confirmation. In that time another hit of confusion had time to build up and knock the Pokemon aside. At least when Whismur pushed herself back up again she began to let out the icy wind.
The hexagonal barrier of Light Screen was blocking the white bluish energy filling the air as it mostly parted around Dottler. "Confusion again!" Natasha said. The light began to build up once again, but this time Hitori noticed, as Whismur was tensing herself for another attack the light didn't match Whismur completely.
"D-d-d" Hitori started but her nervousness and anxiety slowed her down. Once again Whismur took an attack that Hitori knew only happened because she was being a failure of a trainer. Whismur was even starting to look more beat up after taking so many. Maybe she should give up before Whismur got too hurt.
"Confusion again, we're almost done here!" Natasha confidently exclaimed with a swing of her arm. The glow in Dottler's eyes intensified once again. This was it, Hitori thought. She maybe could at least say she tried to be a trainer. Her hands went to the Pokeball, thumb fiddling with the device as she came closer and closer to just returning Whismur.
"I-" Hitori started slowly holding the Pokeball out but stopped when she noticed Whismur. Her Partner was shivering and looking just as nervous as Hitori was. Ah, that's right, Whismur was just as much of a shy, anxious girl as she was. She was just acting bravely, for her. Because Whismur had the same dream as she did, because Whismur trusted her, and she was, and she was going to let her down by giving up.
"D-dodge back now!" Hitori called out, voice crackling not used to coming out with any volume. Hitori coughed a moment later as well, but Whismur perked up and kicked back just as the glow was reaching its more intense. A moment later the psychic force slammed against empty air, the thin smokescreen still over the arena providing a nice visual aid in showing the clear miss of the attack.
There was a pause as everyone took in how Whismur dodged the intangible psychic attack. The audience, the judge, Natasha, and even Hitori were surprised that Whismur could do it. "Tch, we've been found out. Dottler reinforce your Light Screen!" Natasha broke the momentary silence with her command. Dottler quietly obeyed as it built up more psychic energy feeding into the fading hexagonal barrier.
"W-Whismur, E-echoed voice," Hitori called out, her attention focusing more narrowly on the battle. Tuning out the other voices, their gazes, to focus on Whismur. Whismur's confidence seemed to return as it wasted no time opening her mouth wide and crying loudly. Hitori flinched as she realized she hadn't put her headphones on.
But under the loud ringing of Whismur's attack, Hitori continued "N-Now, G-get in close and use Astonish,". Whismur stopped her crying and began to run forward towards Dottler. The run-up allowed Whismur the time to put more energy into the attack, to the point that her ears began to faintly glow a purplish color signaling the ghost-type attack.
"She's getting close, swap to Reflect!" Natasha shouted back. The glow of psychic power emanating from Dottler's eyes flickered a few times like an LED light. After it stopped, the hexagonal barrier began to shift, from hexagons to squares, and from a yellow light to a blue one. "Now get ready to use confusion!" Natasha added on right after.
Whismur leaped to cross the last distance, ears extending and slamming down onto Dottler. Rather than hitting the bug-type Pokemon, the barrier stopped the attack in its place. All the while the bluish hue of psychic energy had been building up once again. "Dod-" Hitori started, but her timing was off and Whismur was suddenly pushed back as she took the attack.
As Whismur sailed back, landing on Hitori's side of the arena, Natasha was already shouting more orders, "Switchback!". Again, Dottler's eyes flickered and the barrier shifted back towards Light Screen now that Whismur was no longer close by.
"W-Whismur, I-icy wind," Hitori called out, an idea starting to form in her head. It didn't seem like Dottler could keep both Reflect and Light Screen up, and it wasn't Protect, so Dottler should be feeling some of the attack. Whismur nodded and opened her mouth wide and began to bellow out the attack.
Predictably the wind was once again parted around the barrier. "Confusion while Whismur is still!" Natasha called out. The light built up and Hitori watched it carefully, she'd seen the attack enough times to know when it should go off.
"Dodge forward, go in for Pound," Hitori called out her voice steadying as her focus continued to close in around Whismur and the battle. Whismur obeyed and jumped forward as the psychic force slammed against empty air once again. Then Whismur was on the run towards Dottler.
"Again, switch. Then have confusion ready!" Natasha responded the moment she saw her confusion missed.
"E-echoed voice, once you're close," Hitori whispered out, looking to intentionally take advantage of Whismur's hearing to give a command that no one else would hear. Whismur let out an understanding cry, even as she ran forward, and the barrier shifted from hexagonal to square.
Whismur leapt up as she got close enough and already the blue hue was forming close to the Reflect around Dottler anticipating where Whismur would land against the barrier. But as Whismur reached the apex of her jump she opened her mouth wide and screamed. The force of her sound pushed her and kept her momentarily airborne. The Confusion dissipated without going off as the soundwaves rocked against Dottler, his perpetually open and glowing eyes closing as he endured the attack.
"Struggle Bug! Get Whismur away!" Natasha called out, panic starting to show in her voice. Immediately Dottler's eyes snapped open and from the points in his carapace, yellow-green lights emanated out and erratically moved out. Converging around Whismur as she was landing.
"Whismur! H-Hang in there and T-take it, Please," Hitori replied uncertainly. Whismur had already taken so many hits, that she didn't know if Whismur could endure anymore. But if she could, Whismur's Rattled could activate and she might be able to close the battle out. Whismur let out another cry as she braced herself. While the lights seemed rather slow and harmless, the moment one contacted Whismur it burst with energy nearly knocking Whismur back.
Hitori fought against telling Whismur to dodge after each attack hit her, the lights continued to fire off from Dottler. Three more to take, two more to take, one more to take, "W-Whismur c-come back and use i-icy wind," Hitori called out. Whismur rushed back, kicking up dust as she sped back. As she came to a stop next to Hitori it was clear that Whismur was agitated and jumpy from Rattled having been built up. Not only that but it was clear that Whismur looked beat up and was low on breath.
"Light Screen, then Struggle Bug minefield style!" Natasha yelled out. Dottler shifted his barrier once again, all while continuing to let out struggle bug. The lights rather than approaching Whismur, instead spread out around Dottler, none of them wholly stopping creating a field of moving lights.
Whismur opened her mouth wide and began to bellow out the icy wind. As the wind reached Dottler's side it began to push the struggle bug out of the way though they pushed back against the wind as the attack tried to take their spots back. As well like before the Light Screen shielded Dottler from the brunt of the attack.
Both trainers watched carefully as their attacks continued. Dottler's struggle bug slowly creeps forward toward Whismur. While Whismur's wind blew them off course. Seconds passed before it was Hitori who broke the seeming stalemate. "P-pound!" she nearly screamed, voice cracking.
Whismur stopped the wind and rushed forward. The struggle bug, no longer held back by the icy wind, began to converge on Whismur. Whismur dodged through the barrage of attacks thanks to her increased speed, closer and closer she got to Dottler. Natasha gave an order, and the barrier was already starting to shift.
But it was too slow, Whismur reached Dottler and slammed her weight into the bug-type. Whismur's body moves right past the hexagonal barrier. Dottler let out a cry for the first time as he was pushed off his feet. "Forget defense, Struggle bug Whismur is so close!" Natasha shouted out. Dottler's eyes focused again, regaining his footing and beginning to release the lights once more.
"Astonish!" Hitori called out focused to the point that she paid no attention to any audience or the growing cheers. Whismur extended her ears and brought them down onto Dottler's body. The sound of the attack echoed out as everything came to a halt. Dottler went still, and Whismur fell back panting from exertion.
Things were quiet, the lights of struggle bug had gone out and both Pokemon lay in the arena. Seconds passed, but in the end, it was Whismur who pushed herself up. "Dottler is unable to battle! The winner is Hitori Gotoh and Whismur!" The judge spoke up and called the match.
Hitori blinked, Whismur had done it, she won. Only now did Hitori realize just how fast her heart was pounding, the sweat covering her palms. Then the audience erupted into cheers, their focus entirely on her. She was almost too tired to care, almost. She froze up for a second before stumbling to grab Whismur's Pokeball, quickly returning her partner and running straight for the door.
Hitori had only gone as far as turning a corner into an alleyway before slumping down behind a trashcan. Her heart was still going a mile a minute and she was taking deep breaths to try and calm herself down. It, it probably wasn't the best way to make her exit. She still left her Guitar case behind as well, so it was going to be more embarrassing regardless to have to go back for it.
Regardless she couldn't help but laugh, a nervous laugh mind you, but laughing either way. Hitori brought her hand up to cover her mouth and muffle herself lest she attract more attention to herself, there she realized that despite her anxiety at how it'd look when she walked back in, her worries over maybe losing her recommendation over that action, she was smiling.
It took Hitori fifteen minutes until she felt calmed down enough. That and she watched as people had started to leave the Café, maybe she could just wait until it was empty to get her things. With that hope, she justified those fifteen minutes she took to build the courage to go back in. As she opened the door, it thankfully looked like she was right, there were much less people and no one suddenly trying to talk to her.
Carefully she approached the counter. "I-I-um, Sorry. Um, for- I'msorryforrunningofflikethat" Hitori quickly said to the clerk who was still being so patient and just smiling at her.
"Your first tournament win must have been overwhelming for you, either way, congratulations you did well! Please, take this as your recommendation for the Pokemon League Gym Challenge," The clerk replied and Hitori took a small breath of relief.
"It's already partially filled out, but please have it filled out before handing it in at Hammerlocke Stadium," The clerk continued.
Hitori blinked, ah right, she'll have to enter such a large building with people no doubt so much better than her. Would they even let her in? Would they make her battle 100 people in a row to prove she is a worthy trainer? Or it- it's the Dragon-type gym, did she have to go catch a dragon just to enter?
"Pardon me? Did you understand?" The clerk asked and Hitori suddenly shook her head back and forth as she snapped back to reality. "Oh, things like your trainer ID and name have already been filled in. Along with things like the Café's information regarding your recommendation. There's more to fill out but you can do that whenever before handing it in," The clerk helpfully explained again. Ah, Hitori was beginning to think this clerk was an angel to socially anxious girls like herself.
"Ah, T-t-thank you," Hitori answered finally noticing that some paperwork had been pushed forward towards her. She accepted the luxurious seeming paper and hurriedly made her way to her guitar case. It wasn't that bad, all things considered. Maybe, maybe it wasn't that bad at least dealing with people at counters.
"Hitori you did so well!" Kita suddenly called out from Hitori's table. She hadn't been paying attention and didn't see her at all.
"AAAIIEEE!" Hitori suddenly screamed out at being surprised. Grabbing her guitar case and bolting. She was wrong, Cafes are far too dangerous for timid girls like herself. Without thinking she ran out the door and once again into the safety of the alley. However, she needed to go further and hide herself in a trash can. At least it was empty.