Part 1: Heated Competition
#1 of Pokemon Related
It was late in the evening, dusk to be exact as the sun was getting ready to fall beyond the horizon. Here at Eric's Pokemon ranch activity for most were beginning to die down as most of the Pokemon would begin retreating to their homes for a nights rest, while the nocturnal Pokemon would just be waking up and going about their ways. Sidian, the Lugia who was trusted with the task of keeping the more mischievous Pokemon in line during the night was one of those awakening as well only to spot the Shiny Lopunny, Fran, rush by. "Fran?" Now legendary Pokemon are not meant to have a gender, but in Sidian's case, when she grew up with majority women she used her psychic power to alter her body just a little as well as her voice to appear and sound more feminine. When Fran caught wind of the guardians voice, she came to a stop in her hopping and glanced back over her shoulder. "Oh? Bonsoir Sidian! You are just waking no?" As the large legend raises her head off the ground, sitting up in the process she nods silently before lifting a wing to hide a yawn. Shortly after did she speak. "Why yes, and good evening to you too." Noticing two slips of paper in her hands Sidian became curious. "What is that you have there?" When Sidian pointed out the tickets, Fran glanced down at them in her paw before looking up at her again with a smile. "Oh these? They are tickets to go to Nova's show tonight! I was going to ask Napoleon to come with but he is going to be busy with the boys... So maybe I can get Luna or Cynder to tag along with me hehe." Hearing the little rabbit speak brought a smile to Sidian's face. Oh how she wished though that she would be able to go herself but no, she was stuck here day and night sleep or awake with very little time to herself. With a sigh she shook her head, a smile still upon her face. "Ah well you go and have fun then Fran and when you return, tell me all about it okay?" As Fran got to giggling again she clasped her paws together over her chest and gave a nod. "Uh-huh! Oh oui je le ferai! J'ai sûrement!" Leaving Sidian with a wave, Fran began hopping her way through the ranch towards where the log cabins were built up for some of the Pokemon residents.
"Chinatsu! You better be getting ready for dinner and then bed right now!" The shout could be heard a mile outside the home of Cynder, the Infernape, and her son Chinatsu, the Monferno, but maybe that would be exaggerating it... A bit. I mean Cynder is the type to make a lot of noise from time to time from her rants. That beside the point, her son Chinatsu had been laying upside down in a soft chair watching TV in the den. How is it that they have power in such a place? Well with one generator powered by a Rotom that goes by the name of Hax, he kept the many homes nearby full of electrical juice. Though he had some help from several other electrical Pokemon on nights when he himself had to take a break. "I swear boy! If I don't hear that TV go off I'm going to make those cheeks of yours redder than they need to be! In Three... Two... Oooone!" As she paused in making her own bed, her ears would flutter a little, pushing back her ivory white hair as they did and turn her head just a little as if she could see through the doorway of her room behind her and out into the den where Chinatsu lay. With a huff the young Monferno took up the remote and shut off the TV before rolling off the chair and onto his feet. With a bored expression on his face, which rarely changed throughout the course of the day, he would begin to grumble and moan to himself before making his way to the bathroom to wash up. "It's always been to early to get ready for the next day..." "What was that!?" "Nothing!" "I thought so." Leaving it to that, Cynder would continue to fix her bed until there was a knock at the door. "Now who the hell is that?" Just as Cynder was getting up to go answer it, Fran had took it upon herself to open the door and slip inside herself, closing it behind her.
"Fran!" "Cynder! Guess what mon ami! Nova sent to me two tickets to her show tonight!" As Cynder approached her, when she eventually stopped within several steps of the Lopunny she crossed her arms under her chest and glared at her. "Nova..." This she grumbled under her breath. "So why should I care about little miss perfect at everything's show?" "Aahuu." As Fran heard this from the Infernape she seemed to look a little upset before thinking of something to convince her to go. Well almost everyone in the ranch knew that there was always this rivalry between the two even though Nova really didn't see it as such so... "Oh! Well I really hope it doesn't happen but..." As she began to speak again she was glancing down at the floor until finally looking back up at Cynder, clasping her paws together. "But if she looses! You can rub it in her face tonight!" "Humph..." Cynder rolled her eyes in response to this. "W-Well if you don't want to come then I can always ask Luna." "Luna's not here. She left to tend to her dojo and that in the opposite direction from Hearthome City. So I doubt you would make it to the show if you went to get her." As the Lopunny began to whimper she hopped forward wrapping her arms around Cynder's waist while on her own knees. "The hell!?" "Oh please please please please come with me! I don't want to go alone!" As Cynder would reach down and push on Fran's head to get her to let go. "Fine FINE! I'll go! Damn... You sure are annoying..." Turning her head to glance back over her shoulder. "Chinatsu! I'm going to go out for awhile tonight. Make sure you get your butt on over to Grace's home so she can watch over you, you hear?" "Yeah, sure, whatever..." "What was that!?" "Yes mom..." As Fran would begin to crack a smile she hopped up on her feet again, wrapping her arms around Cynder in a hug and nuzzling her cheek to cheek, Cynder looking quite disturbed. "Oh yay! Ladies night out! Oh and Bonsoir et bonne nuit Chinny!<3" While Chinatsu never understood the words that came out of Fran's mouth when she spoke like that he did hear that baby-ish nickname that he really didn't like to much and shuddered though neither of them could see it. "Yeah, not comfortable with this at all... And I don't think its exactly ladies night when there is just the two of us and one destination..." That aside it didn't take long before Cynder had gotten ready, and the two saw Chinatsu off to Grace's home before they would leave the ranch themselves.
Within a quarter till nine o' clock the pair reached Hearthome City. Fran bubbling with excitement as usual while marveling at the city night lights. "You must not have gotten out often..." Cynder pointed out as she noticed the bubbly bunny. "Oooh! It's so pretty! Hearthome is soooo lively! I love it!" "Yeah... Lets just hurry up and find the contest dome I wouldn't want to miss Nova's fail." Cynder responded rolling her eyes once more as she would look elsewhere seeing people walking to and from numerous other places. Eric's Pokemon were well known around here as some would wonder in and out of the city from time to time wearing badges of the sort somewhere on their body. It bore a picture of the side of a silver skull, the nose being quite bulbous and rounded, one nose pit being noticed and one golden eye in the one visible dark socket. He said it was from some game of some sort, but no one really knew what so they just pushed it aside and agreed to wear it when they left the ranch. While people took notice of the wondering Lopunny and Infernape they would whisper amongst themselves before continuing on their way. Noticing this Cynder would grit her teeth in frustration wanting to shout out a something, but did really and I mean 'really' hard not to and while Fran's window shopping was not helping a red cross vein would appear over her head, multiplying several times over. "I regret tagging along with you!" "Mmm?" Looking away from a window Fran was glued to to glance over in Cynder's direction, next thing Fran knew, she felt a tug on one of her long ears before she was being dragged across the ground. "Come on! We are going to miss the damn show!" "Ow ow ooow! I'm sorry!</3"
Eventually reaching the dome and showing their tickets, with much difficulty seeing as they could not be understood by normal human beings aside from their odd trainer, they were able to get inside and find their seats. It was rather loud inside as it seemed ever mouth in the audience was moving and spewing out nonsense much like Siren, the Chatot and his siblings back at the ranch, to which in response Cynder's left eye would twitch a little. Like Fran wasn't used to getting out to often, she wasn't used to so much noise. "I REALLY regret coming out with you!" "Qu'est-ce!?" Cynder gave a growl as she faced Fran and the Lopunny's eyes widened for a moment before she took on a sweat dropping expression. "Oh cheer up Cynder! You're here now and so you should enjoy yourself! Oh!" As Cynder slumped down in her seat, crossing her arms over her belly and glaring elsewhere, both she and Fran would notice as the lights began to dim all around the audience and in response the chatter died down in volume though it was still quite noisy. The stadium down below that the audience surrounded in a wide oval, was still fairly bright as those lights had not been tampered with. A figure from one of the tunnels was coming out into the light, the announcer.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen! Fans, Trainers, and coordinators alike! Welcome to tonight's Master Rank Beauty Contest Finals!" As the sentence was finished the crowd erupted in cheer, Cynder wincing and nearly growing dizzy as they did while Fran cheered herself until seeing Cynder and bearing that sweat drop expression once again. "Tonight we have several coordinators as well as a special entry so how about they come on out for you all to see!" The lady who continued to speak would twist her body as she outstretched her arm, and waved it in the direction of the tunnel she had come in from. Soon Several trainers and Pokemon made their exit and last but not least, a single figure that got Cynder sitting at the edge of her seat while the look on her face twisted into a gnarl. "Nova!"
As the crowds cheers increased in volume with each contestant that walked out into the stadium below, Nova, the Blaziken, seemed to get the best reaction while she waved out to her fans in the crowd with an outstretched claw. She was a well known contestant for both the Beauty and Cool contests, and not just for that. It's for the fact that she performs all her moves without her trainer but wears his badge, the same as Cynder's and Fran's. As she bore a smile and soot out in line with the other trainers she would look about the audience to see if she could spot Fran anywhere as well as whomever it was she brought, and almost immediately spotted Cynder's flaming crown and Fran sitting beside her waving. 'Oh the darlin made it here and even managed to bring Cynder. Hmhmm<3 How nice of her to put things aside and come to see my performance.' Soon after her thought ran through her head the announcer began speaking once again. "Tonight for the finals! We have Mike and Milotic! Page and Purugly! Steven and Sceptile! And last but not least... Nova the Blaziken!" With each group called the crowd would cheer, grow somewhat quiet then cheer once more and repeat. "With these four finalists, we will hold a knock out battle to determine our winner who will then receive the Master Rank Beauty Contest ribbon!" Once again the contest erupts into cheer while Cynder is left keeping her arms crossed over her belly and glaring off in another direction. She wanted the matches to begin and by the looks of things, Nova had this in the bag, all those other Pokemon Cynder knew she could take out herself from looks alone so this should be nothing for her. "So I'm just wasting several good hours of my life that I cannot get back. Great... They need to hurry up and get to the fighting." As everything was getting ready and the match ups were determined, team Mike and Steven were moved to one battle field, while team Page and Nova were moved to the other. "Now with everyone in position! Begin!" Hearing that word caught Cynder's attention, despite the one sided fights there was still some action going on and that was something she was looking forward to.
'Alright, a Purugly, this shouldn't be all to hard though that species can be faster than they look so I cannot under estimate it what so ever.' As this thought ran through her mind, Nova took up a basic battle stance, reaching out with both arms, one further than the other, and parting her legs. The Purugly across the field from her would glare back with the determination to win. "Alright Purugly! This will be a little tougher than a normal wild Pokemon battle, but lets shoot to win it!" "Purrr." After the trainer spoke out to her Pokemon both would begin at the call. Nova herself starting off with a dance. A Swords Dance, and while she would keep this up her strength would begin to increase. With the opponent taking notice of this she would call out her first attack. "Purugly! Stop that Blaziken by sneaking up on it with Faint Attack then execute a Shadow Claw!" "Purrr!" Hearing its command the large feline hunches down into a pouncing position before it began vibrating, two after images shaking beside it until it finally seemed to disappear. Within a matter of moments it was near Nova, coming back into sight and leaping at her with an elongated pair of glowing purple claws. The still dancing Blaziken manages to vertically stretch out and twirl on one foot to the side to avoid the first attack with her dance moves as she hummed to herself and the Purugly landed on the ground sliding until it turned around. "Purugly! Once more!" As it had charged at her once more, this time when it leaped at Nova to claw her, the Blaziken suddenly stops, takes a stance and in a flash, lifts a leg to kick up, the claw scratching her leg and causing damage, but not stopping her attack. "Got you darlin." "Rrrooow!" As the Purugly growled in pain, held in the air by Nova's foot she quickly hops up and twists her body bringing the other foot around to deliver the second kick sending the feline flying. "Purugly!" Its trainer would cry out as the feline slides across the floor. "Oh! A devastating Double Kick thanks to the attack boost from Swords Dance! A very dangerous combo if it was used on a Pokemon with a type disadvantage. Though because this was in fact not a beauty move, both Nova and Purugly have lost points on the final score, but look at this! It looks like Purugly might be down from this one move!" As the announcer spoke the large feline Pokemon was finding it quite hard to regain its footing for that attack was quite the punisher. "I'm sorry hun but I think it might be over." Bearing a sweat dropping expression herself as she watched the Purugly ultimately just lay there knocked out she sighs as the win was declared. "And with and upsetting single blow! Nova claims victory in this match and will be moving on to the next round!" Once again cheers erupted in the audience and Nova would turn and wave to her fans, then looking over to the next field she would find a speedy Sceptile dodging multiple Ice Beam attacks and when it reached its target, a Leaf Blade was hard to make contact. Eventually, the strongest moved were used, a Blizzard, versus a Leaf Storm and while boke pokemon were hit, Sceptiles determination and will kept it standing on one leg while Milotic had fallen to the floor with swirls in its eyes. "And over here! Team Steven and Sceptile have claimed victory and will be moving into the next round to do battle with Nova!"
Hearing the results, Cynder couldn't take it any longer. These weaklings were not a challenge that Nova would be seeking out, not at all. "Like hell she is. I'm going down there myself!" As Fran heard her she quickly looked over seeing Cynder up on her feet now. "Huh!? Oh Cynder you can- Cynder!" Before the Lopunny could finish her sentence Cynder had hopped down from row to row until she was looming over the stadium below. "Hey Nova! You think you are so great huh! Little miss good at every damn thing she touches! Well I'm about to kick your ass tonight and settle things between us you hear!" As Nova hear the familiar voice over the dieing crowd, although they could not hear their words they could tell something was up. "Ah and what is this? Someones Pokemon is stepping out of line?" Hearing this Cynder shot a mean glare at the announcer. "Oh shut your trap!" Shortly after saying this the simian hopped over the railing, working out a gasp from the announcer and the nearby judges. 'Cynder...' As Nova spotted her land on the stadium and slowly make her way onto the battle field she just shared with another opponent, Cynder would point out to Nova and call her out. "You... Me... Right here and now!" With a glare the crowd finally grew silent save for the woman speaking through the microphone. "I-It looks like we have a surprise opponent! Unless someone recalls their Pokemon now or we get security out then-" Nova would look over at the woman with a stern look, cutting her off before she shook her head, then turning back to Cynder who gave a toothy grin in return, she would blink and take up a stance once again. Ready to fight it out with who was at one time her partner, and now troubled friend, leaving Fran up in the booing crowd with her paws over her mouth and looking down onto the stadium with widened pink eyes.
'I am going to beat you down into the dirt and make you eat it Nova!'
'Cynder... We can't do this here, but it's to late to change that now.'
'Oh my! I didn't know this would happen if I brought her here!'