Swole-POV:
"So." I scratch my neck, trying not to think about the rash on my skin. "That was your first contest win, right?"
Ursula stares at me, her cherry-red eyes lacking all shine and luster. She lets out a sigh, rips the ribbon from her hair, and holds it out. "I didn't win. Do you want to have it? Otherwise I'm just going to throw the ribbon away."
I grab it. Maybe she'll change her mind in the future. "Sure. Do you want to go to a café and exchange training tips?"
"... Are you saying I suck? You do realize that you didn't win either, right? The judges just handed out the win to Lucario for being pretty." She lashes out while Lucario's smile grows.
She received lots of praise during our... battles. Modeling shows are a better name for it. Hopefully her ego won't grow as large as mine.
"I think that you think you suck. Let's discuss this on the way. I spotted a bistro on the way here, and I'm really hungry."
She lingers behind for a moment, scrunched-up eyebrows shooting me a glare before her heels step on the smooth tiled flooring of the waiting room at a brisk walk. She hurries until she reaches my side before matching my pace.
"I don't suck." She whips her hair around, and one of her twin drills hits my arm... She's a little less than a full head shorter than me. "However, I wouldn't mind a few pointers."
"Well, let's start with the obvious." I speak while releasing Lopunny from her pokeball. Together we leave the stadium and enter the heart of the town. "How many hours are you training per day?"
"I'm not one of these slackers, you know?" Does she always interpret so much into random questions? "We train two to three hours on average per day. Sometimes five. Good enough for you?"
It's a beautiful town. Half-timbered houses with decorations along every wall. A marketplace for fresh produce extends itself halfway across the central plaza. Fresh scents of flowers, earthly aromas of potatoes, and a savory smell of smoked hams reach for my nose. At the same time, Ursula's glare wrestles for my attention.
"I'm not attacking you, Ursula."
Some decorated carvings show historic moments, like the battle of the train station mural or the signing of the independence treaty. Others are of Lucario and Riolu. Some decorative pillars along the outside of the plaza look more like statues than structural support-- they only support decorative arches. The pillars are decorative no matter what.
"By the way, I train an average of six or more hours per day. Sometimes twelve."
"Twelve?! How?!" Her shout echoes once before it's drowned out by the chatter of around a dozen shoppers. She glances around, worried she caught unwanted attention before fixing me with her gaze. "There's no way anyone can have the stamina to train for twelve hours a day."
"We use berries to keep up the whole day, and Dawn and Zoey help out by cooking for us. Speaking of berries, I might as well stock up while we're here. They look really fresh."
She eyes the stall where colorful berries are displayed in flat, wooden boxes. A few stacked crates in the back are filled with even more Oran Berry. The prices are really low too... just 5₽ per Oran, 10₽ for Leppa, and 50₽ for Citrus.
I end up splurging and spending multiple thousand pokedollar. The price is just too good to ignore. My berry case hasn't looked this well stocked ever since I went out for the first time, and Ursula bought a bunch too in the same ratio I did. 1 Citrus for every 5 Leppa and 10 Oran Berries.
When we leave, the stall doubles its prices while the locals holler and jeer at us.
Past the next stall is the bistro I spotted. It's a cozy little place, but the floor outside where the tables are placed is slanted. It doesn't look like it's on purpose.
"This place?" Ursula throws it a disgusted sneer, and I'm having second thoughts as well.
The foundation has been washed out by rain, and somehow the owners didn't bother to repair the damage. Any ground-type pokemon could do this in a day of labor at most. "Well, it's either here or we look around for a bit longer."
"Here is fine. My feet are killing me." She still wears her heeled shoes and the long, ruffled skirt and black shirt she wore for the contest. "You dragged us out of the changing room before we could get changed."
I'm still in my gym uniform. Luckily, the contest hall had a place to get it cleaned - despite it, some dust and damage from crawling out of a mountain still remains.
"Sorry about that. If it's any consolation, my shoes are chafing at my heels too." A lie. Aura prevents such minor injuries like blisters. "But I appreciate that you still went out with me looking like this. It's a very sexy-- good-looking ensemble."
She crosses her arms at my slip of the tongue. "We're not going out. We went outside."
"Right. Right."
"I'm not joining your harem. I have dignity, you know?"
"Of course. Dawn, Zoey, Akari, and Mars all have dignity too."
"Yeah, right." She huffs, taking a seat, reaches underneath the table to slip out of her shoes, and finally grabs the menu. "Either way, this isn't a date."
"Of course not."
"Stop saying it like that." Ursula looks up from the menu just to glare at me while I sit down on the other side of the table.
"Like what? I'm just speaking normally."
"You know exactly how you're saying it. Stop it."
Lopunny and Lucario, seeing how there aren't any more chairs nearby, each use one of my legs to sit down. Ursula looks up again, opens her mouth, closes it, and then watches the menu some more. She repeats that.
And again.
Eventually, the server comes along and takes our orders. Luckily, they serve steak, so I never even needed the menu.
As soon as he leaves, Ursula looks me in the eyes again. "You know you're weird, right?"
"Nah. I'm normal. Wanna see something weird?" I press the second button on my belt of pokeballs and Salazzle pops free. Her head swivels around, she flicks her tongue out, and her slit pupils widen.
~"Food?" She hisses before climbing up my body and draping herself over my shoulder.
Ursula bursts out with a few chuckles, hiding her mouth with the back of her hand. "Haha! Yes, that is even weirder. Are your pokemon always eating with you?"
"Always." I press the fourth button, and Swadloon comes out. I place her on top of the table...
"Swaaa--" And I catch her before she rolls off.
The table is too slanted. "Lucario. I have a great idea for an impromptu training. Use Confusion to keep Swadloon steady on the table until we've finished eating."
"Even your pokemon are weird. Why does your Lucario know all these strange moves? Is it secretly a Ditto in disguise?"
I chuckle as well but keep the leading theory to myself. I don't want to explain how her Aura was mixed with other pokemon's while she was still inside an egg - because I low-key went insane for a bit.
"And why do you always keep your pokemon outside their pokeballs? Don't you want them to rest and relax?"
"Because they are my best friends, and I like to treat them as people."
~"More than bessst friends." Salazzle hisses into my ear.
"One could even say we're more than best friends. Sometimes I think I'm closer to my pokemon than even my girlfriends. Do you have anyone with whom you'd trust everything? Even your life? No matter what happens, I know Lopunny, Salazzle, and Lucario will have my backs. Soon Swadloon too when she evolves."
~"You don't trust me?" Swadloon mumbles. Her face is covered by a napkin that flew into her face at some point.
"I trust you, Swadloon." I say while removing the napkin. "But between you and me, I trust myself more to win a battle."
~"Hmpf."
"Harrumphing is not disagreeing."
"I'm a little jealous..." Ursula speaks, only to interrupt herself when the server returns with our food.
The drinks nearly spill over because of the slanted table, and the sauce pools on one side of the plate. Ursula shakes her head. "This is ridiculous. Anyway, I'd say my pokemon... are my friends? But my best friend still lives in Floaroma Town. Isn't that a little sad for you though?"
"Sad? Why?"
"Your best friends are just-- I mean, most people think pokemon are just pets."
"Most people are wrong. These people probably don't even know that their pokemon can think and talk nearly just like them."
"They can?" Ursula looks at Lopunny for answers, and she nods in response.
"You didn't know that?"
She shakes her head. "My father never told me."
My mom kept it to herself until the day I returned with Buneary...
"I've just assumed they can understand us and follow orders like pets do. And fighting comes natural to them, so... I dunno. I never really thought about it that much."
"Try it."
"Try thinking? Ass."
"Haha. That too. But I meant you should try talking with your pokemon more. Aren't you traveling alone? Aren't you growing lonely?"
"I-- I always feel homesick. It's worst when I try to sleep. But I already cuddle with my Eevees at night."
"It's a good start." I smile and take a few bites from my food. Salazzle has already finished hers and begun eying mine greedily. Guess I'll order a second portion for everyone.
"So." Ursula speaks up again. "From what I gather, you're one of the types who believes in a strong bond between trainer and pokemon being the key to success?"
"I'm that type? Care to explain?"
"Yeah. Lots of trainers believe that. But their philosophical opponents point at people like Cynthia, who are nearly always training, as a counterargument. Those say training is everything."
"It's both. And more."
"Huh?"
"You can't become a good trainer without training. And you need an amazing bond with your pokemon; it's difficult to explain in few words, but Aura - which is basically magic - makes pokemon and trainers stronger. The Aura that connects you to your pokemon is your bond. And lastly, some pokemon are just born better or have been raised for success. The tougher they are, the more aggressive they become in the wild - and you're less likely to find those on the routes. Those are the three main ingredients to success. A strong pokemon, a strong trainer, and a strong bond between them."
Ursula thinks for a while before looking me in the eyes. "Where did you read that?"
I blink. "Nowhere. I learned snippets and pieced it together."
"So you made it up?"
"Nnnnyes? I'm not sure actually if anyone else has pieced it all together already. But I am right."
She laughs. "Sure, you are."
"I am. You want to get stronger, right? Let's have a battle after our meal, and then you can tell me again if I'm right or wrong."
"Being a stronger trainer doesn't make you right."
... It literally does. Might makes right in the world of pokemon.
But she didn't want to know about that... "Call out your pokemon and get them a nice meal too. Afterwards, we'll have a proper battle, and you'll see the truth for yourself."
---
Ursula-POV:
"You seriously want us to fight." I deadpan. "To duke it out like some noisy, bratty children on their first week of their pokemon journey."
He crosses his arms. "Yes. And I want you to take this seriously. You want to become a more respectable trainer, don't you?"
Of course I do. Who doesn't want to be a strong pokemon trainer? It's been my dream - every child's dream - ever since I could think. But I grew up.
Sweet dreams sometimes turn out to be more of a hassle than they're worth. Some dreams just aren't meant to be achieved.
Dreams are for children. Adults have goals.
And my goals... I don't have any right now. It's hard to strive for anything when the world is ending.
... My fork scrapes against an empty dinner plate. It was delicious... But the price shaved off another three days. If we didn't technically win today, I would have had to go home in a month. If I feed Gible, Eevee, and Eevee the same foods I eat... I'll be back to having just a month before I need to head home.
"Is it worth it?"
"Is what?"
I mumble to myself, just loud enough for him to hear. "You're a strong, respectable trainer, aren't you? I've seen you on the news and discussed on the pokeweb. Is all that extra effort you're doing worth it?"
"Yes. One hundred percent, yes." He unfolds his crossed arms and wraps them around the pokemon by his sides instead. "They are what keeps me going. Seeing them grow in strength along the journey makes every sacrifice worth it."
Siiigh. But my wallet...
My eyes drift to the side, and I take a look around the plaza. About fifty people still linger around while around ten pokemon help them with whatever tasks they have. A Mankey makes a mess of a food stall as it and the owner try to close shop for today.
A little girl around half my age shares an ice cream cone with her Skitty. The energetic pokemon stays still just long enough to eat some before it dashes off to jump in random directions as the girl laughs at the antics...
I guess I can try it out and see how it goes.
Making sure nobody watches me roll up the hem of my red, ruffled skirt, I pick up three tiny pokeballs clipped to a tight leather band around my thigh. They each expand within my palm as I press the button on the front and call Gible, Eevee, and Eevee out one by one.
Eevee takes the opportunity and jumps on my lap, while Gible chomps at the air and readies himself for a threatening screech-- he suddenly dashes behind my legs and hides himself.
Swole chuckles and pats Lopunny's shoulder. They look a little strange, to be honest.
I catch his attention. "You're extremely close to your pokemon, aren't you?"
"Yes. I love them." He says before waving and notifying a waiter for me. "Do you know what foods your pokemon prefer and need?"
"Of course I do. Why do I get the feeling you're thinking extremely low of me?"
A few emotions flit across his face. "I don't think extremely low of you." He's lying. How can anyone be so bad at lying? "I just think you've been misguided somehow. Are you spending too much time on the pokeweb?"
"No, Mom. I'm not scrolling all day. I'm just a regular old trainer, like any other. You're the one who's extreme."
"Nah. I'm the only one who's right. And I'll prove it in our battle."
Gible looks up at this. Then his gaze switches to Lopunny before settling on me with big, round, watery eyes. "Just because you're a stronger trainer doesn't mean you're right. Besides, I haven't agreed yet to be stomped on. What if I decline our little battle?"
The waiter interrupts us, and we quickly order a second round of food. Swole requests the same food again while I look for a spicy option for Gible and something else for Eevee and Eevee. They don't like to share, but they won't eat a full-sized meal either...
"Let me guess." Swole points at the Eevee on my lap. "She likes her food dry and crisp." Eevee nods energetically, and his finger switches to the Eevee who sits on her haunches near my feet. "And she likes it bitter and drenched in sauce, doesn't she?"
He points out the dishes he'd recommend, and we quickly finish up our orders.
"How did you know?"
"Because of their personalities. There's ample research that connects personalities with strengths in battle but also with food preferences. Also, I know which evolutions each Eevee would prefer. Flareon and Vaporeon, am I right again?"
Eevee and Eevee nod along again - Eevee on my lap even scampers up on the table before barking.
Lopunny then seems to talk with Swole.
"No, sorry, Eevee. I don't have a Firestone on me."
"No way. How? Are you messing with me? Eevee, are you in on the joke?" She shakes her head.
"How?" Swole repeats my question. A droplet of sweat pearls down his forehead. "Because I am right about everything I said. And it's definitely not because I am try-harding with Aura right now, haha!" He takes a deep breath.
"It could have been a lucky guess. For now, let's eat, and then you can prove it in a pokemon battle."
He's just going to stomp me, isn't he?
Food arrives. It's fish soup for Eevee, roasted herring for Eevee, and steak with hot sauce for Gible. He and Lopunny have the same dish, and right after she started eating hers, he began tearing into his food - large pieces, big enough to fill my whole mouth. One, two, three bites, and the meat is gone.
"Did you like that?"
"Gi!" He beams in gratitude, using his whole body to nod a yes-- "Gah!"
"Hihi!" He nodded so hard, he rolled off the slanted table. "Awe!" Now he stretches his tiny arms up while hopping in place, begging me to carry him back to the table. I help him up, and he gets right into his food, shoveling potatoes with meat sauce down his gullet.
Meanwhile, Eevee makes a mess of the table by splashing soup everywhere. Her tongue darts into the liquid and comes back up. My other Eevee eats the whole herring with tail, bones, and everything in just a few gulps.
... This is actually concerning. "Were they starving?" I ask out loud. "I thought pokemon food was supposed to contain everything they need."
Swole puts his cutlery aside, dabs his mouth with a napkin, and looks me in the eyes. "I haven't found any research suggesting that they don't. However, at the very least, flavor makes a huge difference. This food is simply a lot tastier than pokemon food."
My pokemon look up at him and nod before devouring more food. "I guess."
"And there's also a difference in the... I'd say quality of the nutrient source. The best nutrients you could feed your pokemon come from hunting other pokemon. Mundane meat is still good. And finally, plants are harder to digest properly."
"Hunting?"
"Yeah. Pokemon eat other pokemon in the wild. And... they are delicious."
"You ate pokemon before?"
He hums and nods. "I tried some in the wild. And there are a few higher-class restaurants that offer Magikarp fillet or Tauros steak."
An image pops into my mind of Swole and his pokemon digging through the carcass of a wild pokemon, tearing out pieces with their fingers, teeth, and claws and splattering themselves in blood. "Gross."
"It's really good though." He just continues to smile.
I find my hand seeking out Eevee to stroke along her back. Her fur shudders, and she moves away, revealing the half-empty bowl of fish stew in front of her. Wrong one.
Aiming for the correct Eevee, her large tail swishes back and forth as my fingers dig through her fur. She turns her head and licks the back of my hand before resuming to devour the whole head of the herring. Yuck. She left an oily stain on my hand.
"I can't imagine eating a pokemon. How could you? Don't you see how cute they are?"
"They become a lot less cute when a wild, just recently caught Buneary caves their skulls in. Magikarps bleed a whole lot more than you'd think."
"Gross."
"Exactly. But that feeling only lasted until we cooked it and tasted it. It was just so good, right, Lopunny?"
She smiles brightly and nods. But... there's something sinister about her smile, isn't there?
Now an image of his pokemon joining in the slaughter pops into my mind. Blood seeping from her teeth, fur splotched in crimson, and the stench of death following her around - just like the angered spirits of the dead pokemon she killed.
"OOOooo!" All of a sudden, a Banette appears right in front of my face!
"Ahhh!"
The frown on her face dissolves for just a moment before it resettles, and she dips below the table once more.
When I look underneath, all that's left are Swole's and my feet. "Sweet Arceus, you really are haunted by the souls of the pokemon you ate!"
"Haha!" Swole laughs. "Nah, she's just my Banette. I met her in the Eterna Forest, and she decided to follow me around ever since. We're looking for her old owner."
"Awe. That's sweet of you." His face doesn't convey the feeling that it's sweet at all... "It is sweet of you, right? ... Oh no. The way I know you, she was abandoned by her trainer, and now you're on a revenge trip to kill and eat that guy!"
"What? No! Do you think I'm a psychopath?"
Yes. "Yes-- I mean, no. Of course not."
He rolls his eyes, leans back in his chair, and crosses his arms. His second steak has long since been eaten. His pokemon are already done too. Lopunny and Lucario have put their cutlery aside and are on the lookout for danger.
Salazzle still licks some juices off her maw, and Swadloon... is she okay? She rolled over again and lies face down on a dinner plate. Swole spots my wandering gaze and rights Swadloon, patting the top of her head-- body and wiping some stains away with a napkin.
"If you were a psychopath, you'd be pretty good at it." I give him a thumbs up. Maybe that way, if he ever snaps, he will think of me as a friend.
His eyelid is already twitching. He uncrosses his arms, leans forward, and catches my eyes with a piercing gaze aimed for my soul. He braces his elbows on the table and rests his chin on his palm.
Gulp.
A finger leaves his formation and sweeps over the table, finally pointing straight at me. "Your pokemon have finished eating. Let's battle."
Oh. He was pointing at Gible, who sits on the table right in front of me. "Now?"
"Right now."
"Where?"
---
"Right here."
Huh? What? I was sitting down just a moment ago, and now we're in the middle of the town's plaza? I mean, we didn't move much, but how did we teleport like that? "How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Right that." I point at the obvious inconsistency.
He points his index finger at the ground. "Right this?"
"Yes! That's right!"
"... I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Never mind! We can't just have a battle in the middle of the plaza. There are people out shopping right now."
"That's not a problem. Lopunny, can you clear out a little arena for us?"
She does that. Some people leave on their own when she simply glares at them, while others weren't looking but quickly moved aside after she growled. One guy took it as an insult and turned around, clearly about to tell Swole to fuck off, but he changed his mind when he saw Lucario by his side.
"Sure, man. I'll move aside." The people here are strange.
Swole - dressed in his gym uniform consisting of a white button-up shirt and black suit pants, shiny leather shoes, and a good-luck charm around his neck - he crosses his arms and looks down his nose. "I challenge you! Lopunny and I will fight whoever you choose."
Prick. He just wants me to lose. Tsk, and I can't decline either; there are already so many people watching us. Rumors would spread that I'm not just weak but also a coward.
Damn it. "I accept your challenge!" I step forwards with my right foot and lift the hem of my skirt up to the thighs, exposing my band of pokeballs and selecting the innermost ball; Gible's pokeball.
Viewers stare; some whistle while others cheer as my embarrassment grows. The ball extends within the palm of my hand, I press the button, and Gible disappears in a flash of light.
With a sleight of hand, I quickly equip his pokeball capsule that's covered in seals. I take a step back, letting my skirt fall with a spin, and sway my hips to let its ruffles glide down my legs with wavy, hypnotizing motions.
Everyone's eyes are on me.
"Are you ready, Swole?" I ask, preparing an underhand throw.
He nods. "We're ready."
Lopunny is already on the field - typical gym battler - so I-- hold on. That asshole! He's closed his eyes! Hmpf! Well, he'll see where that gets him - or not! Since he can't see.
I'll style so hard on him.
Taking a full step back while spinning in a short pirouette, my ruffled skirt spins as well and hikes up to my knees from the centrifugal force. Then, I toss Gible's pokeball high up in the air - directly overhead - but I'm still moving, taking spinning steps in alternating directions out of his way. With every step the skirt hikes up higher, teasing the audience more and more.
Gible appears on the ground in a flash of red. Sparks of light tumble from the sky like snowflakes while music notes crash to the ground all around him, playing the first couple of notes of Cynthia's theme song.
"Draco Meteor!" A glimmer of his might sparkles in his eyes and spreads across his entire body. The orange, fluorescent glow collects in his chest before moving up to his maw, bundling up and becoming a tight sphere of dragon power.
He releases the attack, shooting a few meters into the sky, where it solidifies into a chunk of meteorite about the size of a watermelon.
Gible already has his mouth wide open as it falls back towards him. The timing needs to be perfect. "And now, Bite!"
He chomps, catching it between his teeth in the last moment, tearing shining fractures into the meteorite. With a loud crunch, it shatters into a thousand pieces that explode in a tight shower overhead, joining the sparks of light that still dance in the air like a swarm of fireflies.
Then, at the tops of their arcs, the chunks explode, releasing their stored power in purple, orange, and black flashes - a fireworks show.
The crowd cheers immediately, not even waiting for a sign that the show is done. It is done, but they don't know that. They are just so amazed at our performance.
I spread my arms wide as the sparks land around me and Gible to the noise of thunderous applause.
Swole... he still hasn't opened his eyes. "Are you ready now?" He says calmly, not impressed at all.
Infuriating. He acted the same way when we battled together. Nothing I or the other performers did could get a reaction out of him. But at the very least his Arceus-damned eyes hadn't been closed!
"We're ready! Gible, use Tackle!"
Gible startles from the sudden command - he jumps, and his feet paddle midair. When they touch ground, he smoothly turns his embarrassing display into a full-throttle sprint, sending tiny shards of rock flying in his wake.
Pat, pat, pat - his tiny, stubby legs go across the plaza's cobbled stones. Claw marks are left behind where he started his dash.
Swole still won't look or move a muscle. Neither does Lopunny.
Well, if they offer us the first strike, we'll take it!
Lopunny steps aside at the last moment, and Gible rushes past her.
Damn it! But what did I expect? We don't stand a chance. But, at the very least, we won't look bad while losing - all those poketch phone cameras in the audience will only get to see our best side!
"Turn it into a Twister!"
Gible bleeds off his speed by rapidly spinning in place. Wind picks up, dust is pulled from between the rocks in the ground, and dragon-type energy crackles within the storm as purple and black lightning charges up.
Open mouths and wide eyes stare from the sidelines, watching Gible glide across the floor like a spinning top over a thin film of air. He's the center of the storm - the center of the stage!
Again, Lopunny refuses to move from the spot. We're aiming for a direct hit. The edge of the twister tugs at her fur, and the wind drags her long ears along.
"Lopunny?" She asks, looking at her trainer for guidance in her time of need, but he still has his eyes closed.
The people in the crowds begin to whisper. Hushed tones echo over the noise of the storm, gossiping and deriding Swole.
Suddenly, Lopunny leaps through the storm, grabs Gible, and lands on the other side, where she slams his back into the ground.
Still, Swole's eyes remain shut. He doesn't speak, he doesn't move at all - he's still as a statue. Lopunny too; she retreats with a hop and strikes a casual pose. Overly casual even. They're making fun of us!
"Hey! Take us seriously!" He's such an asshole!
Suddenly, he snaps his eyes wide open. As if he just now realized he was being a huge, enormous, humongous prick, with an ego the size of Mount Coronet!
Then they tighten in a glare.
The audience watches on, waiting for one of us to make the next move.
"You're not taking us seriously either!" He shouts across the stage. "But I get it now. You're just trying to look cool!"
"What?! That's what you've been doing! Prick!"
"No, you! Why would you ever use Twister like that?! You've weakened the move so much just because you wanted Gible to remain in the center of it! And Draco Meteor too! You made it so weak that it's only coming out as measly fireworks instead of a hail of meteorites!"
"That's not true! Gible gave his best!"
"That's a blatant lie! And I can tell you're not giving your best either, Ursula!"
I gnash my teeth, making sure not to open or purse my lips. Consciously, I put on a smile. "I'm telling the truth. Maybe you're just too much of an ass to see it! An ass and an egomaniac!" A scowl snuck itself on my face, prompting me to take a breath and wrestle it under control again. "What do you even know about me, huh?!"
"I know you're lying through your teeth."
I shake my head. "You don't know me. Come, Gible. We're leaving."
"Gi?" He asks and briefly turns to me before staring back at Lopunny.
She has her arms crossed, flaunting her fluffy fur in a way that almost makes it look like boobs. Her trainer has the exact same infuriating pose.
It takes Gible some time to gather the willpower needed to surrender, but finally, he retreats, always keeping Lopunny in his field of view. Once he's by my feet, I turn around and wait for the crowd to part before me. These nameless, faceless leeches aim their cameras at my face while whispering toxic sludge among themselves.
Suddenly, Lucario jumps over my head, landing in the path and stealing the spotlight. The crowd gasps; some cheer while others try to touch her fur, all while keeping their cameras aimed on her instead of me. When I try to slip past, Salazzle joins Lucario, blocking my way.
"Fuck that..." Swole mutters just loud enough to not be drowned out by the crowd.
I turn around to glare at this ass-- Fear.
Lopunny slowly lumbers across the arena - steady, purposeful steps. Her eyes are on me, sharp, pink eyes looking down on me. She's taller than me.
Isn't she, like, far too big for her species?
"Use Pound. Aim for Ursula." Swole's words pierce through the crowd, silencing them in an instant.
Lopunny presses on, slowly. I stumble when my back presses against Lucario's chest.
"W-what are you doing?!"
"You wanted a serious fight, didn't you?! What's more serious than a few broken bones on the line?!"
He's insane. He actually went insane! What the fuck!
The crowd stays stock-still. The cameras twinkle like eyes as they wait for my brutal end.
The closer Lopunny walks, the taller she becomes, her shadows engulfing me with her strong frame silhouetted against the evening sun.
Her ears outshine it with white glowing normal-type energy. She's not stopping. My vision swims. My heart beats faster. My back hits Lucario's leg. There's no escape!
Lopunny swings her ear like an arm, aiming for my knee--
"Gi!--" Gible jumps in the way - "Gaaah!" - blocking the strike before smashing into my chest - my arms wrap around him in reflex.
"Gible! Are you alright?!"
"Gi!" He pulls himself free from my grasp and stares up at Lopunny. "Gible!"
Eevee and Eevee dash to my sides, flanking Gible as they protect me from the wild pokemon... Wild... He caught her in the deep wilderness, didn't he?
She's really dangerous! Oh, Arceus, how did I get myself into this?!
"Lopunny! Use Double Kick!"
Her feet take on a deeper color. She swings back her leg as if kicking a soccer ball--
"G-Gible! Protect!"
In the last moment, a sphere of light encases us, rattling when Lopunny rams her foot into it and pushes us once again against Lucario.
But Lopunny is pushed off too. Her other foot loses its power since the move aborted early.
"Quick Attack!"
"Eevee, use Protect!"
The same pattern repeats itself with Eevee's sphere.
"Again!"
Fuck! He's not letting up! "Eevee, use Quick Attack too!"
She blurs to a line with a flash of light, smacking into Lopunny in the middle of the air. Both briefly struggle against each other, but Eevee is flung back from the exchange.
"Eevee, you too, use Quick Attack!"
"Defend with Pound!"
"And Gible, use Bite!"
Eevee smashes into Lopunny but bounces off her ear. The next moment, Lopunny disappears and reappears just to punch Gible in the face, his dark-type power dissipating at the same time.
It must have been Fake Out.
Gible rolls backwards, tumbles overhead, and lands back on his feet, but his moves are locked!
"Eevee, use Baby-Doll Eyes, and Eevee, use Sand Attack!"
"Lopunny - Jump Attack!"
Oh no! "Faster!"
But Lopunny is too fast. Baby-Doll Eyes manifests after she has already jumped into the air. She bursts through Eevee's cloud of loose sand and strikes into Eevee's back, knocking her out instantly.
But the moves landed. She scratches and rubs at her teary eyes; still, she turns to Eevee as if knowing exactly where to aim.
"Double Kick!"
"Eevee, use Helping Hand! Gible, use Bite!"
Eevee doesn't stand a chance. The first kick lands...
And suddenly the world turns black. The battlefield is all that's left. A shining light in the shape of a Lopunny stands in front of me with her back turned and facing the opponents-- No, wrong, she's facing my pokemon!
Everything is so clear to me despite the darkness. Eevee finishes Helping Hand while Gible jumps and bites down on Lopunny's shoulder. He too is a bright light in this ocean of nothingness.
Wrong again. It's not nothing at all: I can see it - the life, the people, the fear. Ursula is terrified. I am terrified!
There's so much life in the world, but all that matters is the fight in front of us. If we don't fight, we might not survive!
~"Do you get it now?" His voice sounds clear through my mind. His intent resounds over and over again, and a smile flits over my lips.
Gible is evolving. I can feel it. I can feel the changes in his body; I can feel the intensity of his emotions as he fights for his trainer to live!
There's pride, there's amazement; I can't tell which feelings are mine and which are Swole's. I can see something new. Like a string - a bond that connects me and my pokemon. It's incredible.
My heart swells - the skin on my arms prickles with goosebumps as my smile grows wider.
I open my eyes, and the world returns to normal.
Gabite hangs from Lopunny's shoulder as blood drips down his teeth. Her blood. It's far too powerful to be Bite - Gabite has learned Crunch!
"Now! Use Twister!"
Lopunny finishes off Eevee with Double Kick before turning her attention to Gabite. The storm picks up around him - this time, without him spinning within.
It tears and pulls on Lopunny. She stumbles as the power chips at her health, bracing herself before grabbing Gabite by the back of his neck with a handful of dark fingers.
"Bite through the pain!" Swole shouts through gritted teeth, his hand gripping at his shoulder and his legs nearly buckling. "Tear him off and Fling him away!"
Twister grows stronger. Much stronger than we've ever managed before. Lopunny's ears flap wildly with the wind. Gabite's wings at his arms catch the wind, and his body begins to take off, but Lopunny suddenly yanks him off her shoulder, blood splattering as she throws him high into the air.
The moment Gabite's concentration shatters, the storm falls apart and the winds scatter, haphazardly dropping the pebbles and rocks it picked up. Some pelt my skin, but I'm too focused on the battle to care.
"Meet him on his way down with Jump Kick!"
She bends her knees and readies herself for a huge leap. Meanwhile, Gabite tumbles in the air, chaotically - the lingering winds pulling him back and forth, and his wings-- I've got an idea! "Use your wings, Gabite! Glide away!"
His panic quickly subsides as if my voice were a lifeline to a drowning pokemon. He stretches his arms wide and stabilizes his fall. The wings at the sides of his arm stiffen but fail to provide the lift he needed to fly; still, he glides away, out of Lopunny's range.
"Turn it into High Jump Kick, and aim carefully!"
Fuck. That will extend her range. Now, Lopunny braces herself with her fists on the ground, legs tensing for a burst of power.
"Glide in random directions!"
Gabite flaps his wings erratically, but it's no use. His aerodynamic body tries its hardest to remain on the same course.
At the same time, Swole closes his eyes again, and the glow shining from inside him intensifies. The bond between him and Lopunny strengthens.
Then, she jumps. With a knee pulled to her chest, cracking cobblestones on the ground as she lifts off, she pierces the air like an arrow and aims straight for Gabite.
He struggles to avoid the collision, but her aim is true.
My stomach twists on itself when Lopunny rams her knee into Gabite's belly. Spittle escapes his maw, along with a few strands of Lopunny's fur and droplets of blood.
My heart sinks as they fall from the sky.
Lopunny lands on her feet, the impact pushing her down to all fours, but she bounces up and rights herself a few moments later.
Thud
Gabite smacks into the ground. His eyes have turned into swirls.
Gabite is KO. Eevee and Eevee lie knocked out on the ground. We've lost the fight.
My heart falls. On all fours, I find myself crawling across the ground, reaching for my heap of knocked out pokemon.
Lopunny approaches from her side of the stage... battlefield... The whole arena belongs to her now.
Her form eclipses us. My pokemon are so small compared to her.
Footsteps approach. They sound so loud, while my pokemon breathe so shallowly.
My voice croaks. "I'm sorry." I'm a disappointment to my team. I am the weakest link. I dragged them down into our doom.
Swole appears by Lopunny's side.
"I'm sorry!" Please, Arceus, give me another chance! "I'm sorry for making you angry! Please don't hurt me!"
"Nobody is angry." Through teary eyes, I see Swole holding out his hand for me to grab.
"Y-you're not?"
"Did you sense any anger when we fought? You felt it, didn't you? My Aura."
Aura... "B-but you attacked me!" Why?! What did I do to set him off?!
"Take my hand first. We'll discuss this on the way to the pokemon center. Besides, I feel like an asshole looming over a crying girl like that."
"Nobody's crying! And you are an asshole!"
... Still, I reach out for his hand.