Himura

I have to admit that the girl knows what she is doing. It took her less than 2 days for her Pichu to get a good hang on how to do things at an acceptable level. It’s not as coordinated with her as the Oddish is but she is good enough that it doesn’t look bad to the common person.

All my pokemon seem to like to watch as they dance, especially Asura, my Mankey. Music of any sort seems to calm him a lot, even more than the spicy berries he loves so much. Valkyrie, my Pidgey, seems to like to sing every once in a while. More than once she just started to sing along with any music Ann was using for training.

“Tomorrow is your big day, right?” I asked before we went to bed. Today, by pure luck, we are sharing one of the free rooms in the pokecenter.

“Just the first step in my career as a start.” She proudly said.

“It’s the normal rank one, right? If everyone in that rank is as good as I think you are, I might have to check what is happening in the higher ranks.”

“Why would you do that?”

“You know Wallace, right? He was the champion of Hoenn for a while and he always said that contests were one of the most important reasons he managed to be so good at battling too. He could see and feel things other trainers couldn’t because of his experiences.”

“Why did I expect anything else from you? I am going to sleep, don’t wake me up or I will kill you.” She said annoyed and then seriously. We quickly fell asleep after that.

We woke up somewhat early the next day. I did my morning run with my pokemon before breakfast and found her in the kitchen when I got back.

“Why are you nervous?” I asked. She seemed to be fully confident in her chances but suddenly she was very nervous.

“Lisia is going to be one of the judges. They just announced it.”

“...Ain’t that Wallace’s niece? I know she is pretty famous in her own right before you say anything to me.” I say, trying to calm things down in case she is a super fan or something.

“Yeah, that’s her and she is really strict when she is a judge. Also, she is probably changing the rules so no one will know what we need to do until the contest starts.”

“Can someone even do that?”

“She can. The Contest Association is very open to anything that might help their image a little. The world still is mostly of battle junkies like you or people that like to watch they do.”

“Hey, I am not a battle junkie. I am not picking fights with anyone I see.”

“Whatever you say. Sparkly, I wanted to have you watch the show but I will need to have you on hand. Sorry for the pressure but if I have to use you, please try your best.” She said as she took one of her pokeball and began to speak to it.

We quickly moved to the avenue. It was a stadium just as big as the Gym, that was comparable to a football stadium size wise. Every participant could give a free entry ticket to someone so Ann gave one to me. After the entire place was filled the contest began.

Ann

I am so nervous! At least they didn’t ask for costumes at the last minute. I have no idea what I would have done for Sparkly. I am still thinking about what to do. I also have to keep in mind that she will evolve at one point or another.

“Alright contestants. Plase all move to the stage and don't let your pokemon out.” A member of the staff said to all of us in the dressing rooms.

We moved through the backstage corridors to the stage. Thousands of people cheered as Lisia just finished her song and began to announce that we arrived as well as the rules.

“Now that all the participants are here, let me explain the rules of this first stage. Everyone, no matter their rank, will send out one of their pokemon and you will have to tell everyone here why you are participating and why you want to win.” She excitedly said. The audience seemed intrigued by what she said. She took her place in the judge corner and one by one people were being called, from highest to lowest rank.

The Master Rank coordinators all pretty much just admitted that they are there just because it was the first contest of the year. As for why they wanted to win, it varied a little. One wanted to prove he was worthy of the master rank he had and winning this contest made him one step closer to the Master Conference at the end of year. The second one wanted to test himself in this new rank of competition. The third one was there for the money and the last one wanted to show her pokemon. It continued down the ranks in more or less the same manner. People had all kinds of dreams or reasons to participate. The judges asked questions to the pokemons themselves to see if they really wanted to be there, most responses looked positive.

When it was my turn I sent Sunny out and we walked in front of everyone. It was dazzling in a nice way.

“Hello, my name is Ann and this is Sunny, my partner. We are here to win the contest we are taking part in. The reason we want to win is because we want to be superstars and shine like the sun!” I said with all my conviction as did one of our poses with Sunny.

“Well, you sure have big dreams. And you Sunny, are you going with the crazy dream your trainer has?” Lisia asked.

“Odd! Oddish!” Sunny angrily shouted back. That 's right. It isn’t my dream, it’s our dream, right Sunny?

“I guess that answers my question. Sorry for making light of your dream.” Thanks for your time, may the next contestant come please.” She said. We quickly left the stage.

A few minutes later we were finally divided by our ranks. Only 60% of the people in my rank, the normal one, actually passed that first stage. Since we had the most people, there were 22 people left.

Once we were called back to the stage, Lisia began to speak again. This time from the judge corner.

“Now, for the second part of the contest, for the normal rank, the contestant will have to find someone willing to battle for them in the next five minutes. In case they don’t find anyone, a random person willing to participate will be chosen from the audience.” She explained and quickly, everyone began to look around.

I could try to bet on a random person but it’s better the devil you know. I looked around and found Himura. He is a battle junkie, he is waving at me like a crazy person. I quickly motion for him to come and the idiot jumps out of the seats and comes walking to me like it’s nothing.

“You could have come the normal way, you know?” I said, somewhat embarrassed.

“This is faster. Also, this place is more complicated than you would imagine.”

“Whatever you say. Stay here and wait. And try to not make me look strange if possible.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Less than half of the participants manage to find someone so a few willing people in the audience are chosen. It takes a few more minutes for everyone to be moved to the stage.

“Alright, here are the rules for the battle. The Contest participants will have to do the dance that was expected of them in the first stage while being protected by the trainer that they are paired with. The performances will be judged in real time. As your score rises some hidden pokemon will help the one battling. The music you choose will also become more clear to the audience the higher you score is from your opponent. Everyone in the audience will find headphones below their seats. They are specially made so that either them or the staff will be able to change the music they hear at the beginning. A small band will also be put on the contestant that in case it’s destroyed he will be immediately disqualified. The battlers can use more than one pokemon but only pokemon may be out at a time. Besides that, go wild.” Lisia explained.

I was nervous. We didn’t return to the dressing rooms and watched the battles from the back stage. By sheer unluck mine was the last of this set. This was probably going to be a small tournament. Battles didn’t go more than two minutes so far because of the rules with almost everyone being disqualified because the bands were being destroyed.

“The next participants, please go to the stage” A member of the staff said and we quickly went there.

In front of me was a small arena with Himura in front of me. On the other side was an old man with a teenage girl behind him.

“Battlers, announce yourselves please.” The announcer said.

“I am Himura.”

“I am Chester and I am sorry for what is about to happen boy.” The old man said.

“Begin the dance. The battle starts in 15 seconds.” The announcer said.

I could only hear the music I chose even if I knew that not too far from me my opponent was in the same situation. Technology is really interesting.

My music is a very active idol song about a bunch of Sunfloras bringing the sun into a night of fun in the city. The music started a little slow. Me and Sunny just moved a little, doing a few basic moves but when the music began to really start, the battle also did.

“Fake Out!” Himura shouted as he threw his pokeball. Bolt appeared and quickly flinched his opponent. A giant Venusaur if you compared the two.

I continued to dance and saw he quickly returned Bolt and sent out another pokemon before the Venusaur used a Vinewhip in my direction. There was nothing that could be done. He said to me that it has been barely a month since he started. There is no way he would be able to do anything against that pokemon. But then he jumped in the way and was sent flying.

“FLAMETHROWER!” I heard him shout as he was sent flying out of the stage. Blaze used the move and stopped the Venusaur for a few moments. Enough for me to get back into the rhythm of the music.

I saw two Vinewhips coming my direction again but I heard him again.

“Dragonbreath!” He shouted as he ran past me. He had a piece of metal in his hand that he used to deflect the attack enough that it didn’t hit me or Sunny.

The music continued. I did my best to not get too distracted. He was crazy, he would defend me, right?

I didn’t see how the battle continued for a few moments but then the Venusaur was running in my direction. I was about to begin panicking when he let out his Mankey.

“Low Kick!” He commanded his Mankey. The attack was perfectly timed, it made the Venusaur trip and flip. Shame it didn’t stop him one bit and now he was flying in our direction. Me and Sunny were in the middle of a particular difficult part of the music so we couldn’t stop what we were doing. We were going to be slammed by that thing.

When the Venusaur hit the highest point, I heard the cry of a Pidgey and a strong gust of wind, like a tornado, engulfed me. The Venusaur was sent flying back towards his trainer that had to take him back into the pokeball.

During the next few seconds I did my best, without fear of retaliation. I signaled Sunny to begin to use her various spore moves as she danced with me so we would look more beautiful. We trained enough to not get hit, at least for this song.

As I danced I saw him with that crazy smile of his. It became wider as the old man sent the Venusaur out again.

“Bolt! Fake out!” He shouted, sending Bolt out, who quickly flinched the Venusaur again. This time, it didn’t seem like he was going to be switched. A minute to go. Time for the finale.

He joined the battle and began to dodge various Vine Whips that were going in his direction or the direction of Bolt. I think that the old man saw that it would be a losing bet going after me. Shame that now Humura was trying to attack the girl with Thundershocks and had to focus on the defense a little.

As the music reached the final part, Sunny used Sunny Day to clear the skies and make us seem shinier. I saw Himura returning Bolt and sending Blaze out.

As the music was reaching the end, I could see that his battle was also coming to a close. The Venusaur charged energy in his big flower and launched it in my direction. He and Blaze stood in front of me.

“You can do it!” I don’t know why I said but he had this manic grin of someone who was about to do something stupid. The music was coming to an end so their clash, whatever it was, would finish with the music.

“Blaze. Fire Blast! Full Power!” He shouted as I saw Blaze be engulfed in a strange fiery aura. A fire in the shape of the ‘大 ‘ symbol shot out and collided with what was clearly A Solarbeam. For a moment they were both strangely equal in power but the Venusaur suddenly froze in place.

“Now!” He shouted again. Blaze put even more power into his attack and his fire overpowered the solarbeam. The Venusaur was consumed by flames and clearly fainted. Soon after I heard the signal that it was over. I could finally hear the audience and they were cheering very loudly.

“I don’t think anyone here will go against this decision. Ann, congratulations. Your iron will and technique captivated everyone here. We present you this ribbon as a show that you won this contest of the normal level.” Lisia said as she suddenly jumped on the stage and handed the ribbon to me. Everyone began to clap for me and I guess for Himura too. I made sure to smile and wave to everyone.

“Well, I guess I can take my leave now.” Himura said smiling, before promptly losing consciousness along with Blaze and falling to the ground.

“Help!” I said as they fell on the ground.

Lisia

“So, how is he and his pokemon?” I asked the girl named Ann.

“Alive. Very hurt but alive.” She said, somewhat angry.

“Well, you don’t see what he did every day. Especially with someone dancing for him.” I tease her a little.

“He is crazy! A battle junkie! Do you know the first thing he did after waking up?”

“No.”

“He began to celebrate that he defeated a fully evolved pokemon with all his pokemon and then to say that next time he would make them strong enough to take an opponent at that level alone. The Joy and the doctor had a few very strong choice of words when they saw the scene.”

“So, how long is he going to stay there?”

“Until tomorrow. They all just have a lot of bruises, things easily healed in a day. He also wants to go to Pewter to challenge the gym there.”

“Getting his second badge?”

“First. It seems like the gym here is very strange and he isn’t strong enough to challenge it.”

“If that boy doesn’t have a single badge, I shudder to think how strong he will be when he gets a few.”

“He will probably hunt a legendary pokemon or something to fight.”

“Anyway. Sorry for holding you up. I hope to see you in a conference one day. You have potential.”

“...Thanks. I will try my best.” She earnestly said to me before going back into the pokecenter.

After returning to my hotel I picked my phone and called the one who put me to this.

“Hello, uncle? What did you send me to watch?” I asked my uncle Wallace.

“Oh my dear Niece. So, how is this boy everyone is talking about?”

“Sincerely? He is a beast and his pokemon are not behind. But for someone like him, someone else should have been sent. I don’t think he is someone I will be able to monitor that closely.”

“Well, you are the only person I trust enough for something like this that was available.”

“What is so special about him?”

“It’s not something I should actually tell you over the phone. I will send an explanation via text so it can be properly explained. But as for things I can tell over the phone, the first is that he is from Hoenn. My good friend Steven actually knew the kid and when he found out what happened, it became something important for our region.”

“He knows Uncle Steven too?”

“Well, Steven knows him, they are from the same city and he constantly visits the schools there. The father of the kid used to work for Devon too. Look, a lot of important people need an eye on the kid and I trust you enough to do it.”

“I have a kid of my own to look after, you know?”

“Treat this as a vocation then. Go see Kanto, this time not as an entertainer but as a person.”

“But…”

“Good bye. Have a good vacation.” He said laughing as he finished the call. What did I get myself into?