CHAPTER 158.5

This is the last bonus chapter that I wrote to get through all the OCs my Discord submitted. The second battle is somewhat relevant to the plot, so you should at least skim it. I'm through all of the OCs submitted now.

"This is a battle between Lauren Goodwill and Sebastian Foster. Trainers, send out your Pokemon."

Lauren had heard many things about the tournament lately. That it was rigged by the Hunters. That Team Galactic was involved with Harry Rodriguez and wanted him to win. That BattleZone was rotting from the inside.

Yet she did not care whatsoever as long as she got to battle. Like every trainer, Lauren was willing to say that battling was her passion, but she went even further than that. She could not imagine a life without it. She felt the invisible restraints that kept her subdued and meek evaporate as soon as she sent out her Seismitoad and Sceptile onto the Grass Field. She still wanted to battle on the Water Field at least once, but she kept getting unlucky. Sebastian sent out a Luxray and a Pikachu.

Sceptile immediately snapped up and excitedly slammed his tail against the floor. He had only gotten to battle once since the tournament started, so he was a lot more chipper than usual. Seismitoad sized up her opponent with a wary eye, but she still exuded confidence. Against electric types, she would shine more than anyone else.

"Begin!"

"Prime, set up your Aqua Ring and go get 'em!" Lauren snapped. "Volis, fuck them up!"

Aided by Quick Attack, Sceptile dashed forward until he became a blur of motion. He opened his mouth to spit out a Dragon Breath, catching Luxray off-guard and grazing the electric type.

"Pikachu, Double Team and Swift!"

"Forget that rat, get the bigger rat instead!" Lauren grinned. "Leaf Blade!"

The leaves on the grass type's wrists grew sharp and shone with a bright neon green. He slashed across Luxray's throat, drawing blood. The electric type tried to fight back, and its trainer shouted out for an Ice Fang, but Sceptile was too quick. He reappeared behind Luxray by dodging Pikachu's Swift with Detect and cut again.

But that wasn't it. Seismitoad was in the picture now.

"Prime, Earthquake until they both fall," Lauren ordered.

"Shield!"

Pikachu summoned a thin barrier that Lauren recognized as a combination of Reflect and Light Screen. Luxray wasn't so lucky. The ground under both Pokemon's feet shook, and it grew uneven. Chasms and cliffs formed. Sceptile had run far enough away to avoid most of the localized Earthquake. All of Pikachu's clones disappeared in a flash.

"Luxray, you've got to do something—"

Sceptile jumped and landed on the electric type's back. A wild grin stretched across Lauren's face.

"Drain Blade!"

The grass type had labored day and night to perfect the move. It was a combination between Mega Drain and Leaf Blade that would heal Sceptile while dealing devastating damage. Electricity enveloped Luxray's body and electrocuted Sceptile in the process, but he was tougher than that. He cut deep inside of Luxray's back, and the attack combined with Earthquake brought the rat down.

It wasn't a rat, but Lauren didn't care. Sebastian sent out a Magnezone next, which wouldn't be affected by the Earthquakes. Oh well, she could still fuck up that Pikachu with it. The little runt was exhausted from shielding itself from Earthquake for so long.

"Sceptile's too quick! Signal Beam the Seismitoad! Magnezone, Flash Cannon!"

"Volis, get in there and Mega Drain," Lauren snapped. She didn't even need to tell Prime anything. She was a tough girl, she'd get over it.

The multicolored beam slammed into her belly and was quickly followed by another ray of metallic light. Sceptile quickly rushed toward Pikachu, who had to stop maintaining its attack to run. It lashed out with Thunderbolts, and it was surprisingly slightly faster than Volis was. The electric attacks didn't do much but annoy him though, and it wasn't like he needed to be anywhere near Pikachu to use Mega Drain.

The electric type withered and fell to the ground as Sceptile drained its energy from afar. He used the opportunity to finally cut that damn Pikachu down with Drain Blade, healing a bit of the damage that had been dealt. A loud clang rang out when Seismitoad's Water Pulse hit Magnezone's armored skin. Both Pokemon had been exchanging blows from a distance, but Prime would outlast it with Aqua Ring. Sebastian grimaced and sent out a Furret.

"Get him."

"Slam!"

Sceptile cracked his neck and rushed toward Furret. His body twisted unnaturally, dodging the Slam, and then he cut across its back with Drain Blade. The normal type quickly recovered and let an Ice Beam loose. The attack caught Sceptile off-guard, since he hadn't expected it to get back on its feet so soon.

Not that it mattered. The floor under Furret began to shake, and Lauren ordered Sceptile to hit Magnezone with a long-distance Bullet Seed. They had stopped working on the move consistently long ago, but it was enough to push Magnezone and throw its aim off. Lauren didn't even care about friendly fire.

"Drain Blade. You'll recover more than you're hurt," she said.

Sceptile mirrored her grin and used the move on the helpless Furret. The normal type quickly fell, and there was only Magnezone left.

"Bullet Seed, Water Pulse, finish it off."

The steel type fought surprisingly well. It opted to target Seismitoad with everything it had instead of Sceptile, since it was never going to land a hit from that high in the sky. It dodged the Water Pulses rather easily, but Bullet Seed was too quick. The Magnezone crashed to the destroyed field, clipping onto the edge of an Earthquake-made cliff and falling deeper into the chasm, but Sebastian recalled it before it could go any further.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Victory to Lauren Goodwill!"

All of her life, Lauren had watched her big brother accomplish things magnitudes above what she thought she was capable of. Her parents kept comparing her to him growing up. She was less of a hard worker, not as smart, not as nice to people, weird, not accommodating enough, not loud enough, too shy, too reserved, too—

She was tired of being compared.

"Thanks for the battle, I guess..." she whispered.

—

One day later.

For the last four years, Mira Compton had been sad.

There were highs and lows to her sadness. It came in waves, but when it did, it submerged every other feeling and it made it almost impossible to play pretend. She had thought that she was finally doing better now that she had made a lot of friends, but nothing could have prepared her for what she would find in this town. Team Galactic was involved in the Hunters' scheme. Team Galactic. The thought spread like wildfire in her mind, consuming everything in its path until her head was filled with nothing but sorrow.

"Nice to meetcha, man!" She grinned at her opponent. "Hope we have a good one."

"Uh, same to you."

Smile. Be happy and grateful for what you already have. You don't know when you're going to lose it again.

Yet, was she not already losing it all? She was fighting with her friends, and most of all, Maeve and she hadn't spoken. Mira bit her lip and forced herself to smile. She'd always been a fuck-up.

"This is a battle between Mira Compton and Jake Holland. Trainers, send out your Pokemon."

She would arrive at Veilstone soon, and she would stay there until she found her uncle, Circuit be damned. She had only signed up as an excuse to travel there and gain in strength. Team Galactic apparently had their main base hidden there, Mira wasn't going to let that opportunity slip past her fingers. Mira sighed as she grabbed her Pokeballs. Funnily enough, she might have been one of the only people who had known of Team Galactic before the League announced their existence after the attack at Valley Windworks. She had known for years now. Apparently her uncle had been there too.

And she hadn't, because she had opted to go to Canalave instead of going straight to Floaroma. Regret. It burned.

Mira sent out her Kadabra and Kirlia while Jake Holland sent out his Politoed and Seismitoad. Mira had been so depressed that she hadn't even bothered to do any research. It was a constant, sinking feeling that she couldn't get rid of unless she had something to distract her, but it was hard to be distracted when the answers she seeked were right there, nagging at her.

If only she hadn't been such a coward, she could have met Lisa Hunter today.

"Begin!"

"Let's do this gently— but not too gently! Kadabra, Energy Ball and Teleport! Kirlia, Psybeam from afar!"

"Politoed, dodge with Bounce! Seismitoad—"

In two Teleports, Kadabra had already crossed the field with a ball of green energy in the hole of his spoon. It would have been more powerful if they had been on the Grass Field instead of the Rock Field, but it would do the trick. The Energy Ball slammed into Seismitoad's huge stomach, and Politoed jumped so high it was like it was flying. Kirlia brought her hands together and tried to shoot it out of the sky with Psybeam, but it was too high.

You are unwell, Mira. I can feel it, Kirlia's voice rang out in her head. Kadabra, Mira is depressed. What should we do?

Who did this to you—

Kadabra cut himself off to dodge Seismitoad's attack. It drenched its two fists and punched where he had just stood, but he was already gone, and another Energy Ball hit the water type in the head. Politoed crashed against Kadabra, slamming his head against the floor, but the psychic type Teleported before more attacks could hit.

Telepathy was a funny thing. Kadabra was no mind reader, but Kirlia was an empath, so she could feel Mira's emotions and intents. She technically didn't have to order the fairy type around, but she did it anyways for flair unless the battle got really difficult.

"Kadabra, hold it with Psychic until Kirlia can take over!" Mira grinned.

Do not try to avoid me, Kirlia chided. You told us you were getting better the last time we spoke, but your mindscape is getting worse by the day.

Kadabra Teleported himself upward and seized Politoed before it could jump again. The water type groaned and struggled against Psychic's hold. Kirlia ran forward, sliding against the floor with her delicate legs and used Psychic on the water type as well.

"Seismitoad, go and help!"

"Kadabra, deal with it."

Mira was fine. This was just a deeper slump than usual. She just needed to wait until Maeve forgave her, and then she'd help her apologize to everyone for her outbursts and end this awkward atmosphere. Kadabra summoned another Energy Ball, splitting it in five and sending them forward with a gentle wave of his spoon. Seismitoad dodged the first, but was hit by the rest.

You lie to us and yourself. Let us finish this battle. I will take care of you, Kirlia brushed against her mind.

Kadabra's spoon bent and his eyes flashed. Tiny orbs of condensed psychic energy appeared around Politoed and buried themselves in his body. Psyshock.

Kirlia tells me that you fought with your associates. Is this true?

It is true. A fairy does not lie.

Have some self-respect. You are more psychic than fairy, Kadabra sighed. Although only a fairy would delay their evolution for some personal nonsense. It is completely illogical.

I will not evolve until I am in perfect condition.

A conversation between two psychics was mind-bendingly quick, especially for a human. Mira winced, and the usual headaches that she had grown past came back. Kirlia and Kadabra took notice and cut off the link. The fairy type slashed across Politoed's gut with a Psychic Kick, and Kadabra finished off Seismitoad with an Energy Ball. Jake Holland cursed and sent out his last two— a Bellibolt and a Toxicroak. Mira had only seen the former once a few years ago and it was certainly cute in a weird, ugly way.

Jake screamed out orders, but Mira didn't even pay any attention.

"Just Psychic and Teleport around and stuff," she sighed. Her head wasn't in the game at all.

Mira, Kirlia said as she hastily dodged a Water Gun from Bellibolt. I will speak for Kadabra here. I explained the situation to him, and he is of the opinion that you should go and apologize to your friends.

Kadabra thought so? Well, maybe it was just because he was worried about her. The psychic type narrowly avoided Toxicroak's Venoshock and retaliated by slamming the frog's face against the floor with Psychic. He held it in place and Kirlia finished it off with three Psybeams.

Bellibolt gurgled, and electricity exploded outward in a Discharge. Kadabra easily dodged, but Kirlia was caught in the blast, interrupting their conversation. She was still getting the hang of Teleport thanks to Kadabra's tutelage, but it was too risky for her to use it in the middle of a battle. Kadabra quickly used the small window of rest that Bellibolt needed after such an attack to grab him with Psychic. It was only a matter of time now.

My apologies. I was hit, Kirlia said. Even when wounded, a psychic's voice would be smooth and clear, with no stutters, groans of pain or blemishes.

Mira forcefully exhaled— which was almost a laugh. Obviously she had seen that she had gotten hit.

I felt the need to apologize anyway. Let us return to the previous topic. We will not idly stand by while you sink deeper into your depression. Pretending to be happy will not work.

She turned her head away from Kirlia and scoffed. One last pain-filled scream from Bellibolt signaled the end of the battle.

What do I know, you ask? I know a lot. You have told us everything, and we are quite worried about your well-being. Even that horrid, ghostly thing. Alas, I am not foolish enough to think that you will get better simply by talking to us. Since you refuse to speak to one of the Nurse Joys, then your friends are the next best option.

"Victory to Mira Compton!"

Mira snapped out of her daze and noticed that the battle had finished. She hadn't been paying attention at all.

Do not recall me. I will accompany you.

She sighed, recalling Kadabra and Kirlia, but released the latter next to her immediately. She was going to apologize soon— tomorrow.

She would start tomorrow.