Violet used most of our time in the warm up area discussing what sort of advice I should give to Slakoth during the next round of the tournament. And funnily enough, I didn't have to give very much, Slakoth had most of it figured out.
I had expected Magby to be a much tougher match for Slakoth than he seemed to be, but Slakoth handled him beautifully.
His trainer, Mark from Viridian City, clearly knew what he was doing, as did Magby, but Slakoth completely outmatched the Fire Pokémon.
I knew the fight was finished when Slakoth took the full brunt of Magby's Ember head on, merely crossing his arms in front of his face to block, and he barely cared about it. In fact, it looked like Slakoth was more amused than anything instead of singed or burned.
Magby's Tackle was decent, and he even had the beginnings of a good Fire Punch, but trying to outstrength Slakoth was not going to work.
Slakoth was simply quicker, stronger, and more effective with all of his strikes, especially both Faint Attack and his incredibly refined Scratch. In just one tournament, Slakoth had massively improved his fighting over several rounds.
Mark's Magby was tough enough to continue fighting without any injury at all despite the clean hits he took, it was clear though. Slakoth was completely beating it, Magby could barely keep up at all with its best move, Ember, clearly ineffective against Slakoth.
From what I understood, Slakoth was simply too strong physically to really be damaged by Magby's flames. Its skin and muscles too well built from all the practice I had put him through and his stance to withstand the impact of the Ember itself.
And that was even if Magby could time an Ember on a Pokémon like Slakoth with footwork as great as his.
The buzzer rang and then all three judges stood at attention from their boxes.
The whistle rang once, two judges voted in favor my side, red, and oddly, one in favor of blue, Mark's side. The whistle rang again, and the center judge raised a hand towards me.
"Winner!"
2-1 wasn't what I felt happened, this match was 3-0, even if Slakoth opted to drain Magby's confidence in his abilities to take his Embers head on instead of dodge or counter them with Faint Attack like I knew he could've done easily.
I rested with Slakoth on the side of the ring watching the next match up close.
Buneary versus Pichu was actually much more competitive.
The fighting style of both Pokémon was so similar, that even with Pichu's Iron Tail and Thundershock, that it was a pure speed based match.
Pichu was trying to time Buneary's head and body movement to land very strong spinning Iron Tails to the midsection as Buneary in turn was trying to counter. Buneary's Quick Attack was like a bullet, the best Normal physical attack I'd seen during the entire tournament.
Gold's advice and training was so good with his Buneary, that it was able to figure out when Pichu was about to start charging up a Thundershock, and interrupt it with a very solid Pound in the form of a right cross to the body.
Buneary was so fast, such an explosive Pokémon, that it was easily the quickest Pokémon I'd ever seen with my own eyes. I guess Clair helped Brody, who in turn helped Gold train it that well.
Grace Heeley's Pichu was tough enough to continue battling after taking a nasty flying kick directly to the jaw. However it was clear it had been hurt and the judge's took note of the clear drop in Pichu's performance nearing the last thirty second of the match.
All three judges voted in favor of Gold and I agreed, Pichu had put up one serious fight, but Buneary clearly had hit it critically once, when Pichu hadn't come close to landing such a significant strike.
…
Violet had too much to say during the time the judge's let us talk.
"Hey."
Violet stopped. "Yeah?"
"Can you give us a minute?"
She nodded instantly, taking her spot in the stands next to Inoru.
I knelt, speaking to Slakoth. "Your performance today out there was probably unlike anything these people have ever seen. That Buneary's fast, strong, and very smart, but you're faster, stronger, and smarter."
"La."
"I need you to tap into something I've never asked of you before. Your anger. You- you may not remember where we come from. But our home is just a monastery, from villages like Kamarino and the town at the bottom of Takujimi mountain."
Slakoth nodded.
"Don't fight angry. But remember, everyone here is expecting you to lose. Their fancy simulations can't ever beat that Scratch of yours. This is also the first round I need you to start using Counter, but save it for the most decisive time."
I then looked aside and then right back at Slakoth. "The knockout. This goes to decision, and we might actually lose okay?"
"La!"
"Go get 'em."
I stood up, looking to the other end of the ring.
Gold was done talking to Buneary, the bunny Pokémon bounced off its feet and hi fived Gold as I'd already seen before.
The center judge gestured forward, Buneary entered from his left on the blue side, Slakoth from his right on the red.
"Ready!? Begin!"
Slakoth and Buneary began to bounce on the balls of their feet, circling each other.
The amount of cheering in the stands was astoundingly loud, but I could clearly hear the hopping from both Pokémon.
Buneary attempted a sudden Jump Kick but Slakoth was already dodging and changing angles by the time her front leg was throwing a roundhouse.
Buneary kept putting pressure on Slakoth, and I realized something very frustrating. Buneary could use Endure.
Sure, the judges liked how Slakoth landed the first strike of the match, a very solid Scratch with his left claw, his front hand, right on Buneary's chin. But it wasn't remotely damaging.
Buneary seemed to tense up just as the jab was about to land, lessening the damage when it was able to Endure the hit completely with a very well trained move.
Slakoth was able to counter Buneary's Quick Attack with a slip off angle and by trying to punch with his rear hand to Buneary's sternum. But the bunny Pokémon was far too quick, it had already flown past, trying to throw a kick to the head from a new angle.
Slakoth dodged and then kept his hands up, still pressuring Buneary.
"Faint Attack go!" I shouted.
As Gold began to give advice of his own, Buneary already countered.
It was so quick that it was able to catch Slakoth during his attack. His hand was glowing bright red about to bury his Scratch in when Buneary hit him with a spinning back kick.
Slakoth took the blow to the midsection at full force, but his bigger and stronger body was able to take it a bit easily. He slid back a bit, too staggered to finish his attack.
"There you go! Beautiful!" said Gold from the other end of the ring.
I shook my head. "Keep your distance for a second Slakoth! Time him!"
It was impressive just how fast and effective this tiny bunny rabbit was attacking with its hands and feet. Its Jump Kick, Pound, and especially its Quick Attack were all so strong that Slakoth was having trouble countering them at all, all he could do was keep his distance.
Slakoth threw a random Scratch with his rear leg to Buneary's midsection, and the crowd roared when it smacked loudly off Buneary's tiny forearm as it angled away, blocking.
I sighed, Slakoth was having trouble connecting with anything serious. Granted, Buneary was too, but there had to be a way to pin this thing, despite how light on its feet it was.
"Just use Quick Attack, your hands Buneary, nothing else!" said Gold.
Buneary began to seriously pressure Slakoth with the jab and the reverse punch, and wow. Was it explosive.
I could hear two very loud pops on the mat when Buneary was launching off the mat onto its front leg, trying to throw a one to straight punch combination directly to Slakoth's face.
He dodged both but I didn't like it, he was on defense.
"Remember your basics Slakoth! The body."
That was able to snap some sense into him, and now Slakoth was playing it closer to the Buneary. An odd decision against a smaller Pokémon, but it didn't matter.
Buneary began to punch and it was already hit.
I heard another pop on the tatami as Slakoth transferred all his weight onto his front claw, his left. He turned his entire body into the reverse punch, the right cross to the midsection, his claws glowing white.
I smiled with pride. Judging from its technique and power, this Scratch had just become a Slash really.
"Stop!"
The crowd was roaring.
Buneary had gotten hit cleanly across the body so hard it had flown across the mat and hit the white barriers marking the walls around the puzzle mat squares.
The judge checked on it before turning and nodding to the judges behind him.
I thought he was going to call the fight and give me the win before he yelled back at his post.
"Continue!"
Slakoth got popped right in the face with a right hand. Buneary had literally jumped onto his left arm, and socked him right in the jaw using Pound.
Slakoth was able to dodge the next attack and fling Buneary away, easily starting to circle out to regain his bearings.
I could hear all the local Blackthorn City citizens continue cheering as Buneary spun into a Jump Kick.
Slakoth blocked with both arms, and a loud crack was heard splitting the air as Buneary's foot smashed into his guard.
This rabbit was more than impressive, I'd never seen anything land so consistently or so strongly directly on Slakoth's blocks right next to his head or body since he battled that Tyrogue from Kamarino village.
It was so fast, so clean, it only focused on four attacks, kicks and punches from both hands and feet, but it was so effective with them.
One second Slakoth was facing one direction, Buneary had attacked him from a different one, Slakoth turned to counter as Buneary again missed, the crowd roared. And then Buneary had already gotten away.
Buneary fired two quick strikes to the midsection, both missed as Slakoth angled out and then dove right back in with Faint Attack.
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I was so proud. "Theeeere!"
Buneary went flying again from the blow and then easily dispersed his fall by dragging its front paw across the mat to slow down.
Buneary growled, its ear twitching before releasing a deadly fast combination.
Slakoth blocked a Jump Kick right to its rib cage easily, but Buneary was fast and explosive enough to spin mid air to crack Slakoth in the temple with a Pound using its other foot.
Slakoth staggered back after that, dodging further attacks before being able to time a grab on Buneary's fist, dragging its wrist across the air and flinging it away.
This wasn't good.
Slakoth and Buneary were certainly even, but Buneary was certainly going to win this by decision. Slakoth was just barely behind on the number of effective strikes he landed, and Buneary was ahead.
"Go after it! Hands! Combinations!"
Slakoth listened and did so beautifully.
Buneary buckled as it was pinned against the edge of the ring, blocking another fully powered Slash right to the body.
It slipped away, ducking its head away from the right hand Scratch to the face before bouncing away easily to the center of the mat.
Slakoth followed planting itself in its fighting stance, waiting for Buneary's response.
Buneary tried faking an attack to bait a counter from Slakoth, but unsurprisingly, Slakoth was so quick and adept at reading strikes at this point he knew when to actually attack.
And he did so so well, that he activated Counter for the first time in this entire tournament.
Buneary attempted to throw another one two attack, popping forward loudly across the mats, its feet transferring each bit of power perfectly, before being knocked out.
Buneary was beginning to use its Quick Attack, and throw a right hand to the face, still flying forward when Slakoth hit him with a perfectly timed spinning hook kick. His right claw glowed for a moment and I was certain it was a Fighting type attack.
This was far more effective than anything else Slakoth had managed to land on this freakishly quick Buneary.
The heel of Slakoth's claw smashed right into Buneary's face, and the crowd simultaneously went ballistic when the kick made contact.
Slakoth stopped roaring with his Laaa, and Buneary fell, hard, rolling away.
I could see Gold watch from his chair slightly jaw dropped. It looked like his Buneary had rarely gotten hit in general, if ever, but never this fast or hard.
The center judge saw Gold's Pokémon not move for about ten seconds.
He stood at attention, hands at his sides before speaking. "Buneary is unable to battle. Winner, red side!" he raised a right hand towards me.
I blinked in disbelief, Slakoth was turning back at me with a smile as Gold drew a Pokéball and recalled his Buneary from his Trainer's box.
"All competitors!" the head judge of the tournament, the one who was just in charge of my match said. "Line up."
I could tell Gold was more confused than upset at why he lost, but him, Grace, Mark, and I all lined up on the side of the ring.
All three judges presiding over the past three fights all turned in one direction.
"Face that way. Bow."
We did so with them.
"Face us."
We did so, and bowed when ordered to do so.
Then, the mat and trainer's boxes were removed by the same machinery from earlier in the tournament, and then the entire arena began to applaud.
"In third place!" the announcer said as we were on a podium on the same center stage. "Grace Heeley."
Everyone applauded for her, myself included.
A bronze medal was placed on her shoulders, including a certificate showing she placed in this event and was given prize money of some kind.
"Also in third, Mark Stafeld!"
Everyone applauded too.
"In second place, Gold!"
A silver medal was given to, an ironically named Gold.
"And in first place, Nico Takujimi!"
I bowed my head forward, shaking the hand of one of the corner judges of my previous two matches after he placed a gold medal around my shoulders.
I was also handed the same certificate including the amount of money I'd won.
"Representing the WCPL, our very own Clair. The winning-est Gym Leader in the history of the Johto region, will be presenting one of the chosen twelve Youngsters this year shown to be skilled enough to become an official trainer in the Pokémon League."
Clair walked forward, still wearing her black suit and tie like all the other judges, and bowed to us.
All four of us on the stage instantly bowed back.
Clair handed up to me a glass placard and trophy, inside of which laid the physical copy of my new Trainer's badge. The picture on it was the one the Pokémon center needed to be taken of me in order to compete in today's tournament.
Clair turned, smiling and posing with the rest of us on the podium when everyone snapped pictures. Including an official photographer of the event who was likely going to add this to the walls of tournaments I saw in this arena earlier this month.
I saw Inoru in the stands, shaking his head in disbelief and smiling at me. I had never seen Violet cry before, and I don't think she was doing so, but this was the closest I'd seen her.
…
The judges had allowed us all to talk in the warm up area, I took this as an opportunity to talk to Professor Oak who was talking to one of the judges. From what I understood, they were friends.
"Excuse me." I told Mark. "Is it okay if I talk to your coach?"
He shrugged, not appearing to be one for words. Mark merely fixed his green Viridian City Gym team tracksuit jacket and gestured ahead with a slight nod.
I walked forward and shook Professor Oak's hand.
"Ah. Excellent performance today young man," said Oak. "My name is Professor Samuel Oak, I am a um." he cleared his throat. "Mostly retired competitor in the Pokémon League as well as a full time Pokémon researcher."
"You're from Kanto, right? What're you doing leading a team all the way up here in Blackthorn City?"
Oak smiled at me, nodding to the judge who he was talking to who clearly had to leave.
"Well my grandsons are constantly pestering me to use the bits of Pokémon knowledge I have to give their gym an edge in competitive battling."
"Grandsons?" I asked.
"Of course," said Oak. "Blue might be several years older than Gary, but I assure you. Those boys will do anything to help improve the performance of their team. Even if it means taking me out of Pallet Town every once in a while."
So if Gary was Blue's younger brother, which made sense, they were technically different people. Didn't that mean Ash should be here too, even if Red was here?
"Tell me about who's on your team."
Oak chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "You have quite a bit amount of interest in a team that barely proved to be as much of a challenge to you as Clair's was."
"Please Professor, I'd really appreciate it."
He sighed, thinking for a moment.
"Well we have Mark here of course, he started about six months ago. As a condition for helping train the team and coach at competitions, I insisted young Ash Ketchum join Viridian City Gym's team as well. Then we have Bryce, Lana, and Kim, all of whom like Mark joined through scholarship programs around western Kanto."
"Small team considering Blue's accomplishments."
He smiled. "I know, Blue's livid with himself at the few number of medals he's actually accrued in the few years he's run the gym. What sparks such genuine curiosity over my team?"
"I've heard you were a really great Pokémon trainer, and still are right?"
"Not necessarily. I started a bit like yourself, almost raised my Tauros first before my Charmander. Always found Normal types much simpler to raise than most others."
Violet appeared with Inoru.
"These must be your friends. It's good to meet you, I'm Professor Oak. Who might you two be?"
"I'm Inoru." he said, still holding his Bellsprout. "I'm from Nico's shrine in the mountains."
"I'm so glad to see the Order of the Sprout Sages finally competing for once. Bringing some much needed diversity to Pokémon battling. And you?"
"I'm Violet, Nico's coach."
Oak checked his watch. "I'm afraid our train heading back to Viridian City leaves in only a few hours."
"Can I hear from you again?"
"Pallet Town is largely closed to visitors. I'm afraid news of Red's fame and accolades has turned it into the most famous village in the entire world. The tourists are downright too much sometimes."
I could see that happening.
"However, if you wish to contact me, talk to my grandsons in Viridian City. Blue is rather busy these days, what with trying to get his title back from Leaf and running a Gym. But I'll let you know you plan on stopping by sometime."
"Thank you Professor."
"A pleasure meeting you three." All three of us bowed to Oak and the Professor bowed back a bit.
I could barely get a word in to either Violet or Ino when someone else appeared.
A lady in a CFG uniform appeared, speaking to me sternly. "Gym Leader Clair would like to see you now."
"Can't I, you know. Talk to my friends for a split second?"
"Now." the lady repeated firmly but not loudly.
Violet smiled. "It's okay, we'll be waiting for you."
…
The elevator through Clair's gym up to her office wasn't too long, there were only six floors.
It was more uncomfortable than anything, and eventually the lady left me at the front door of Clair's office, I expected this woman to be Clair's secretary.
"The door's right over there, just go right on in."
"But I-"
She had already left.
Why did she want to speak to me?
The door was already ajar and I looked around her office when I walked in. I was given the impression Clair was basically the undeclared mayor of Blackthorn City.
Wow did this woman look rich, important, and powerful.
From afar I could tell Clair was beautiful, but from up close her attractiveness was almost threatening. She might've been well into her twenties, but this girl was sexy in a powerful, and intimidating way.
"Hello there Gym Leader Clair." I said promptly.
"Mr. Takujimi." she said in a smooth and calm voice.
"That's not technically my last name."
I guess I technically emigrated from outside Johto and Kanto to get here so I get it though.
"Then would you prefer me to call you Nico?"
"What should I call you?"
"How about your new coach and team leader?"
She cut right to the chase it seemed. I doubt she reached this position of power in her life by beating around the bush.
I glanced around her office and then back at her, taking a seat across from her at her desk.
"You want me to join CFG?"
Clair shrugged, leaning back in her large office chair. "Why not? You show an incredible talent for Pokémon battles. This is only your second event and you're already a trainer."
I instinctively curled my hand around the Pokéball containing Slakoth in my pocket. A part of me was a bit creeped out and felt safer knowing my Pokémon was away from her.
"How did you know this was only my second competition?"
"I called Franklin Reiher out in Kamarino. He said the last match he ever judged was yours. Despite his age and pride, he was able to admit to me how impressed he was."
"You know Franklin?"
Clair barely pushed her upper lip up. "Kama Valley was technically part of the same sub region I look over until Franklin retired. I had to know who he was. But I want to talk about you, specifically. What do you want?"
I was silent for a moment.
"Money? Fame? Any Pokémon you can think of? I can find that for you, I mean. Look." she chuckled in a very simple and deep laugh. "A few local newspapers already called when they heard someone beat this tournament in their first attempt."
"Can I just ask what my next step needs to be now that I have a trainer's card? Then, I'll give you an answer to your offer."
Clair nodded slightly. "Fair. The next step you have to take is to challenge Gym leaders, it's a simple process. You need to win a Trainer's Event every time before you challenge a Gym. It's a tournament just like this one, but Trainers instead of Youngsters compete."
I nodded back.
"I recommend you try to challenge Falkner's gym. He's not weak by any means, but the shoes his father left behind for him to fill are." Clair paused, shaking her head from side to side slightly. "Too big. A fine Gym for you to challenge first."
Clair smiled slightly. "Now. About my offer, what's your answer?"
I said nothing.
"You don't have to answer now. But I understand you don't even have a Pokénav, you have no money or equipment while traveling. No idea what sort of team you should build, no strategy in mind. I can offer all that and more."
I looked back at her. "You have the makings of a champion. Hundreds have been trying for years what it took you two months to achieve. Nico, you join my Gym's competition team, and I can make you the next Red."
I had made my decision.
"My answer is no."
Clair raised a light blue eyebrow. "No?"
"No," I repeated. "It's not because I don't respect you or how good your team is. It's because I don't like how you treat your students. Or, the students of your students."
"What's wrong with how I treat my students?" Clair asked, out of curiosity judging from her tone.
"Gold, what Pokémon did he use to train?"
"I believe it was a Quilava, he won it through Elm's Starter lottery system. He was skilled enough with it to get Brody's attention one day."
I took a deep breath, almost balling my fists. "The monks taught me that the first Pokémon you encounter tells you everything about who you are. Separating Gold, or anyone from that. That's, that's not right."
Clair chuckled a bit at me. It was starting to get a bit annoying.
"What?" I asked.
"You know what my first Pokémon was?" asked Clair in a patronizing, tired voice. "A Pidgey. I started training here in Blackthorn City when I was seven. It was a perfectly fine Pidgey, but it wasn't meant for me."
I kept listening.
"I trained with that Pidgey for almost two years, I actually still have it. And I barely ever won. One day I figured out that unless I took battling seriously, there was no reason to even try." Clair smiled. "And I went into the Dragon's Den that day, knowing the danger it posed to my life. And since then, I've been able to stand on relatively even ground with Lance on a couple days."
"That girl and that monk you're traveling with. They might help you win a few more matches sure. But when you've already gotten a couple badges and you're thinking about competing in the really important tournaments? Actually making a go for the Indigo League?"
Clair shook her head a tiny bit. "People like that can't ever get you far in life Nico. Some of us are destined for greatness. Most, just aren't. They can only ever be mediocre at best."
I sighed. "To be fair, I know how badly I need money. And strategy. But if I've gotten this far without much of the former, then I'll be fine."
"And what is your strategy exactly?"
"Why should I share that with you? You've made it clear you have no respect for the people I train with."
Clair's expression changed.
She visibly sat more stiffly in her chair now. "Alright then. You've made your point."
"Please don't make me have to make it again."
"Before you go, I found as much information as I could on you. Your age, Training style, Pokémon, all of it. And you know what my simulations said?"
I really didn't care but I didn't want to be rude. "What did they say?"
"It said your starter should be an Eevee."
I was a little shocked at this but didn't say anything.
"And even stranger, it said your starter could eventually become an Espeon." Clair chuckled at this in disbelief. "Now, this was only a preliminary test, but still. Does any of this seem odd to you?"
I hesitated, and then, I lied.
"Yes. Yes it does."
I didn't even ask for Clair's permission to leave her office. I was my own person, she couldn't just send me places like she was a school teacher and myself her student.
As I walked downstairs, I wanted to find Violet and ignore as much press Blackthorn City's reporters would have for me. This was the most important sport in the world, and I had just broken a local record just by winning this tournament in my first attempt.
I had no interest in the kind of game Clair wanted to play with me. In raising Pokémon purely as number based tools to become champion. Pokémon were so much more complex than a simulation, they were living breathing creatures that didn't deserve to be tossed aside and replaced just because a computer program said so.
No, I was fighting for a new reason now.
To always prove her wrong. One day when I was ready, I'd come back here to Blackthorn City and defeat her.
And then I'd eventually become as good as Blue and Leaf someday, hopefully.
…
That night, despite how thrilled Violet and Inoru were that I won, we decided to just eat dinner in our rooms. Just eating some simple noodles I cooked in a microwave.
Afterward, I fell asleep and something strange happened.
I woke up, and there was the same Espeon from my dreams, the one I hadn't seen in months. Sitting on my windowsill.
Before I could say anything, all Espeon did, was nod, from what I could tell, in approval of what I did today.
Then, Espeon vanished without a trace.
I looked down at my chest, I was still wearing the wooden pendant Elder Toji gave me carved into the shape of Mew. Something told me the connection the monastery shared to the spirits was so strong, I was talking to some sort of guardian of Johto. Or at least, Takujimi shrine.
Then, I returned to sleep.
…
…
…