{"sf1_id":319721,"sf2_id":"AnKP8Pj1","title":"A Trainer's Tale - Chapter 26","author":"FoxStriker25","words":12187,"posted_at":"2011-12-24T05:33:00.000Z","tags":["Fighting","Gardevoir","Human","Pokemon","Weavile","deoxys","houndoom"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/319721-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-26","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/AnKP8Pj1","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/f6/a8/f6a81df3-7fc5-4170-9d74-a34ce4057841","description":"#26 of A Trainer's Tale","content":"Fox: _Huzzah!\u0026nbsp; Happy Holidays to everyone!\u0026nbsp; It's a little shorter than the previous ones... but it was so neat, nice, and self contained!_\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBrimcon:_I wish everyone happy holidays!_\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n**Disclaimer: Pokémon is copyright of Nintendo, Game Freak, etc.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters are my own imaginening, and are not intended to be any part of main cannon / plotline.\u0026nbsp; Individual characters like Aaron, Song, Zin, etc, are my own creations, so please ask before using.\u0026nbsp; Thank you.**\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nChapter 26: Cascade\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI motioned to stand and leave Misty alone, but she interrupted that process.\u0026nbsp; She insisted that I stayed, seeing as we were going to fight.\u0026nbsp; Her grin widened as she patted the chair that I had just vacated.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nervous?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I won't lie.\u0026nbsp; This is the first time dueling someone of League caliber.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't worry about it.\u0026nbsp; We'll see where you stand.\u0026nbsp; Just do your best, and don't let anything get in your way.\u0026nbsp; You have to fight to earn your strength anyway.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It's not like we haven't trained at all.\" I said in my defense.\u0026nbsp; Misty turned to me, her grin widening.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll admit, probably not as consistent as most, but we're not weak.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You think you're not.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"There's always someone tougher than you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't you think I know that?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"Because getting my face shoved in by Darkrai wasn't enough to explain that.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSilence fell in our conversation, but her grin didn't go away completely.\u0026nbsp; After a quiet moment, she continued.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Tell me about Darkrai.\u0026nbsp; If you don't mind, that is.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI looked at her a little surprised.\u0026nbsp; Uncertainty made me hesitate, and it wasn't until Iolanthe touched my shoulder did I shake my stupor.\u0026nbsp; Nodding, I started with my first meeting of Darkrai in Celestic Town.\u0026nbsp; I made sure to avoid anything relating my personal relationship with my own Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Somehow, she didn't strike me as someone that appreciated that.\u0026nbsp; She asked questions, about the town and what I saw.\u0026nbsp; It didn't feel like lying to this woman would be a good idea.\u0026nbsp; It was the same feeling that I got when dealing with Joy or Zin.\u0026nbsp; Steel hidden under a veil of silk.\u0026nbsp; In Zin's case it would be a layer of lava hiding under the silk, but all the same.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt took a while, trying to explain my thought process to Misty.\u0026nbsp; In hindsight, it felt like everything was barely under our control.\u0026nbsp; To be truthful, it still felt that we never have been.\u0026nbsp; Even when we finally made it to the monastery, it felt that we were falling into another hole.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Damn Aaron, you've been through the wringer, haven't you.\" she said, shaking her head.\u0026nbsp; \"I'd be worried too, if we were swapped.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You haven't heard the best part.\" I mused.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"There's more, huh?\" she said before laughing.\u0026nbsp; \"That's just what happened in Sinnoh?\u0026nbsp; Then what?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI continued from there, laughing together about Joy's theft of the singer's Pikachu doll from Jubilife to my air sickness while on the plane.\u0026nbsp; I skimmed over certain things that weren't mine to say, like Jon's relationship with the Zapdos, but she wanted to know everything about the fight.\u0026nbsp; As I gave a rather quick summary of the fight, footsteps echoed as someone came towards us from the way we came.\u0026nbsp; Misty groaned.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That has to be one of my sisters.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWho appeared wasn't just one lady, but three women.\u0026nbsp; All three of them were in bikini's, as opposed to Misty's one piece suit.\u0026nbsp; One of the sisters had a head of bright orange hair, while the other two had bright blue and pink.\u0026nbsp; How much did they have to pay for that?\u0026nbsp; Well, since they get constant customers, they might have enough to cover their lifestyle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBut pink?\u0026nbsp; I bit my tongue and steeled my face, not wanting to show my surprise.\u0026nbsp; They all wore a similar style of swim wear, just different colors.\u0026nbsp; The orange haired sister bikini was a solid gold color that slightly shimmered as she moved.\u0026nbsp; She definitely wasn't shy of attention being drawn to her assets.\u0026nbsp; The blue haired sister had a matching bikini color to her hair with only stripes of red and yellow breaking the solid color.\u0026nbsp; The pink haired one bikini color was a bright red with white hearts for decorations.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe lady with orange hair walked up to us, passing by my Pokémon with a polite smile.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes stopped on Iolanthe for more than a casual glance, but didn't say anything until she looked towards us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Hey sis.\u0026nbsp; Not planning on another trip without us knowing are you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Not on your life, Daisy.\" Misty retorted with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Just planning a little surprise for this next show.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"A challenger?\" Daisy asked, her green eyes wide.\u0026nbsp; \"Why didn't you say so?\u0026nbsp; At least you aren't going to dye your hair at the last second like last time, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI turned to see Misty give me a grin.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't know about that just yet.\u0026nbsp; Still think my orange looks good on you, by the way.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll have to see how well he does for later, though.\u0026nbsp; He's a breeder, really.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Interesting.\" the blue haired sister said.\u0026nbsp; \"But you aren't really a breeder, if you're planning on fighting.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shush, Violet!\" the remaining sister said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't you shush me, Lily.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And why not?\" she demanded.\u0026nbsp; \"Misty's the one that handles all the fighting.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI blinked.\u0026nbsp; \"Wait.\u0026nbsp; All four of you are the gym leaders for Cerulean City?\" I asked, confused.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nLily shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Just Misty.\u0026nbsp; Even since she's come back from training, we've managed to give Cerulean City a good standing gym.\u0026nbsp; It was hard when she wasn't here.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Here we go again.\" Violet groaned.\u0026nbsp; Daisy giggled, patting Lily on the shoulder.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It was tough times back then, but that's behind us now.\u0026nbsp; Sis is back, kicking ass and taking names.\" she said with a wink.\u0026nbsp; \"We haven't had anyone stroll through here with a cocky grin in... five or six years now, I think.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So Misty fights, and you three organize the shows?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; \"I'm sorry for asking questions.\u0026nbsp; This is actually my first time in a gym.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't worry about it.\" Daisy said, waving my apology away.\u0026nbsp; \"We're more than happy to answer, as long as you can put up with Violet's whining.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I am not whining!\" Violet complained, putting on a serious face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Right.\u0026nbsp; You're complaining.\u0026nbsp; It's what you say every time.\" Daisy said, turning to give her sister a smile.\u0026nbsp; She turned back to me again.\u0026nbsp; \"Still with us so far?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I think so.\u0026nbsp; Don't mind me if I lose the thought process.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You don't have that much time to think.\u0026nbsp; Misty, we wanted to let you know that the next show starts in a bit over an hour.\u0026nbsp; Just giving you a heads up so you can set up whatever it is you're planning.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty nodded, giving her sister a thumbs up.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't worry, I got this.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDaisy nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Come on girls, let's get ourselves ready.\" she said, grabbing the two other sisters by the arms and pulling them away.\u0026nbsp; Misty laughed at the display, shaking her head.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"They haven't changed.\" she said with a smile.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That's a good thing, right?\" I asked.\u0026nbsp; She nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Oh yeah.\u0026nbsp; Way better than things used to be!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThat didn't make any sense at all, but I nodded anyway.\u0026nbsp; It was probably for the best.\u0026nbsp; Understanding the woman mind wasn't in my to-do list today.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Anyway, Daisy did have a point though.\u0026nbsp; I have to work a few things out.\u0026nbsp; Don't chicken out on me now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Is there anywhere that you want me to wait?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Follow me.\" she said, standing up.\u0026nbsp; \"I'll take you to the waiting room.\u0026nbsp; By the way, do you have swimming trunks?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n============================/////////////////////=========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI had gone back to get my swimming shorts from the Pokémon Center.\u0026nbsp; By the time I came back, there was already a sign declaring that there was a challenger for the Cascade Badge propped up next to the ticket booth.\u0026nbsp; People were forming a line already, all of them with eager looks on their faces.\u0026nbsp; While having some problems going back inside, Misty appeared to part the crowd and let me through.\u0026nbsp; The crowd was on us instantly, asking all kinds of questions.\u0026nbsp; Misty pointedly ignored them all before turning around, with me in hand, and pointing first at the sign and then to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, this kid is the one that's going to challenge me.\" Misty said, without preamble.\u0026nbsp; \"It's going to be different than the usual affair, so maybe you'll be surprised.\u0026nbsp; You're gonna have to pay to find out!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBefore anyone could say anything, especially me, she turned around and pulled me along with her.\u0026nbsp; The hallways passed by in a blur, leading me to a door and pushing me inside without much time to adjust.\u0026nbsp; While I did manage to stay upright, Misty caught my attention by knocking on the door.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, your Pokémon are here.\" she said, pointing to my left.\u0026nbsp; Song, Iolanthe, and Xola were there talking quietly among themselves.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"They've been quiet enough while they waited for you.\" she continued.\u0026nbsp; \"One of my sisters is going to come and get you when it's time.\u0026nbsp; Don't freak out on us now.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wait!\" I exclaimed, scrambling for the door before she closed it.\u0026nbsp; \"Are all those people over there coming to see us fight?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"You bet your ass they are!\" she said, patting my shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"No pressure, right?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe left me there, struggling to come up with anything to say, as she closed the door softly.\u0026nbsp; Not even the clicking sound of the door closing jarred me to move.\u0026nbsp; It felt like I was in shock.\u0026nbsp; Not only were we going to fight a gym leader, but in front of a crowd as well?\u0026nbsp; And, not to mention that this would be the first time we fought someone that most of their focus is battling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shit.\" I mumbled.\u0026nbsp; \"This is bad, isn't it?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhat have I gotten myself into?\u0026nbsp; All of a sudden, the implications behind what we were doing crashed inside of me.\u0026nbsp; Panic settled in me, and it didn't leave until something pulled at me.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe held me tightly, her tentacles wrapping my body.\u0026nbsp; My struggle was half-hearted, fully knowing that it would be impossible to break out of it.\u0026nbsp; I stopped when her face pressed against my cheek, stroking my hands.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We will be fine.\" she said, holding me.\u0026nbsp; \"Believe in us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded slowly, my heart feeling like it was about to burst out of my chest at any moment.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe dragged me toward Song and Xola, making me sit on her lap.\u0026nbsp; Song held me as best she could, resting her head on my shoulder.\u0026nbsp; Xola leaned forward, resting against me and my lap.\u0026nbsp; My body shook uncontrollably for a moment, forcefully held still by Io's hold.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We'll be fine.\" Song said confidently.\u0026nbsp; \"It sounded more like she wants a show more than a serious fight.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"She's a gym leader.\" I pointed out.\u0026nbsp; \"If she doesn't take this as seriously as any fight before, she'll probably lose the intimidation that she's enjoyed.\u0026nbsp; It doesn't feel like she's going to hold back.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I wouldn't want it any other way.\" Xola said, nodding.\u0026nbsp; \"If it's a fight she wants, it's a fight she'll get.\u0026nbsp; We don't plan on just giving her an easy time with us.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"If she thinks we are an easy victory, she will be disappointed in what she will face.\" Iolanthe said.\u0026nbsp; \"We will do our best.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe stayed quiet, my nerves slowly calming down.\u0026nbsp; The situation wasn't that bad, in all honesty.\u0026nbsp; At the very least, compared to what we've gone through already.\u0026nbsp; Nobody's going to be permanently injured after this is said and done.\u0026nbsp; Compared to the alternatives that we could have gone through, that's a step in the right direction.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe realization of thinking in such grim terms was a bit shocking.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't even about winning or losing.\u0026nbsp; Survival was the reason we fought half the time, anyway.\u0026nbsp; Well, except for that Zapdos.\u0026nbsp; Though we did end up picking a fight with her instead of the other way around.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'd better tell everyone what we're getting into.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; Song grabbed the Pokéballs one by one, releasing everyone around us.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was nice to see everyone was well, but the surprised look on all their faces reminded me of what we were doing.\u0026nbsp; I shook my head, forcing my brain to think of something to say.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're about to fight a gym leader.\" I said without any preamble.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't really know how else to say it or what we're about to encounter, either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_But isn't that impossible_?\" Baast asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"It's supposed to be.\" I answered, nodding to the Lucario.\u0026nbsp; \"Apparently, Misty doesn't approve of that rule.\u0026nbsp; For what information we got from Misty, her request is that we fight her.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well then, that doesn't sound like a big deal.\" Zin said confidently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"She's a water-type Pokémon specialist.\" I said, frowning.\u0026nbsp; \"We're also fighting in front of a crowd.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist, Xola, Baast, Akalia, and Song didn't seem that bothered about that bit of news.\u0026nbsp; Zin didn't take the news well, her usual calm demeanor deflating instantly.\u0026nbsp; Aurora's claws clicked together.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe still looked impassive over the entire situation.\u0026nbsp; Spirit was shaking slightly, her wings making a soft humming sound.\u0026nbsp; I disengaged myself from Iolanthe's grip slowly, approaching the Flygon and holding her head within my hands.\u0026nbsp; Her wings stopped their humming as she leaned towards me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why does it always come down to me giving some rallying speech?\" I asked, smiling to Spirit.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes widened slightly, as if she was at fault.\u0026nbsp; She struggled against me for some reason, but my grip kept her still.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm not blaming you, so stop squirming and hug me.\" I said softly.\u0026nbsp; Spirit finally relented, holding me tightly.\u0026nbsp; I turned to face everyone, making sure that my Flygon's claws were across my chest.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We're going to fight a water-type specialist.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"It's obvious that this isn't new to her, and she gives the air of someone that just hasn't sat at home and trained.\u0026nbsp; She's experienced and perhaps more than us, but it's not like we've been sitting on our asses this entire time.\u0026nbsp; Sure, it isn't the same training she may have done, but training is training.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This isn't a life or death scenario, either, so we have that going for us.\u0026nbsp; We give it our all regardless.\u0026nbsp; Doing any less is a discredit to both ourselves and our opponent.\u0026nbsp; I highly doubt that she's going to go soft on us, so we have to bring our best.\u0026nbsp; All nine of you are fighting, most likely.\u0026nbsp; Also, we're fighting in front of an audience.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Pokémon murmured among themselves, but I kept talking.\u0026nbsp; \"Regardless of what happens, we'll give her a fight that she'll remember.\u0026nbsp; Win or lose doesn't really matter.\u0026nbsp; We get to see how we fair against a battle hardened opponent.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We can't back out, can we?\" Zin asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"Not really, especially after she made the trouble of announcing it to the people making the line outside.\" I said, frowning.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Figures.\" she said, snorting a puff of flame.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, it looks like I'm the weakest link for once.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, don't say that.\" I said, frowning.\u0026nbsp; \"You're not the weakest link in our team by far.\u0026nbsp; No one is.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"In this match I am.\" she said, narrowing her eyes.\u0026nbsp; \"One solid hit and I'm out for the count.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then we make it so you don't get hit.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; The look on her face told me she wanted to argue, but a knock on the door stopped her from talking.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe door opened to reveal Daisy and Lily, still in their swimsuits.\u0026nbsp; They took a look at me and smiled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Ready?\" Daisy asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"In a second.\" I said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Was giving my team a pep talk.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"The show starts in five minutes.\u0026nbsp; We're here to escort you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded as they closed the door.\u0026nbsp; A grin appeared on my face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Turn around, so I can change.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSong laughed.\u0026nbsp; \"Half of us have had sex with you, while all of us have seen you naked at one point or another.\u0026nbsp; Change already!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================/////////////////////////==========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And that was Lily and her spectacular musical, staring our beloved Dewgong and the crew!\" Daisy's voice said, almost being drowned by the cheer of the crowd.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were under the stage, my hands shaking slightly.\u0026nbsp; My heart pounded, the tips of my fingers slowly going numb.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe and Spirit were trying to keep me calm.\u0026nbsp; Io more than Spirit, as the Flygon was still as nervous as ever.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"And now, for something a little unexpected!\" Violet said, taking over the microphone.\u0026nbsp; \"Misty has accepted a challenger that just showed up a little while ago this morning.\u0026nbsp; We don't even know where he's from, so prepare for a little impromptu introductions and such.\u0026nbsp; Give us a second while we make sure that he's not shaking in his boots.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nLaughter from the crowd echoed to us.\u0026nbsp; It made me stand abruptly, still shaking.\u0026nbsp; Out of fear or outrage, I wasn't completely sure.\u0026nbsp; Maybe a little of both.\u0026nbsp; Daisy showed up, a big smile on her face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nervous?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah.\" I said, still shaking.\u0026nbsp; \"I've never done anything like this before.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Look, do your best.\" Daisy advised.\u0026nbsp; \"Misty's a little crazy, but all she wants is a good fight.\u0026nbsp; Give her that, ignore the comments that Violet throws, and you'll be golden.\u0026nbsp; That's all we're expecting, though if you beat Misty you'll have people chasing you to the ends of Kanto and Johto.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"We have a reputation as one of the toughest gyms in Kanto.\" she said, reminding me.\u0026nbsp; \"Misty made it this way.\u0026nbsp; Don't expect her to go easy on you just because you're a breeder.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"We're expecting that.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I hope so.\u0026nbsp; Come on, let's go introduce you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, everyone standing up one by one.\u0026nbsp; We followed Daisy up the stairs and reaching the stage.\u0026nbsp; We were still out of sight, and Daisy held out a hand before we passed her.\u0026nbsp; It didn't take long for Violet to look our way, and Daisy nodded.\u0026nbsp; Violet made a hand gesture up in the air, and the lights dimmed slightly.\u0026nbsp; A spotlight landed in front of us and Daisy motioned for us to follow her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe stage itself wasn't that different, viewing it from the stands or from my current position.\u0026nbsp; The only thing that was more obvious was how wide the pool really was.\u0026nbsp; Was that the fighting arena?\u0026nbsp; The water had floating platforms as well, so it looked like there was an even spread of land and water.\u0026nbsp; Though obviously this still favored Misty.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAs we stepped forward, we were followed by the light as well as by the crowd.\u0026nbsp; The cheering was deafening, making my ears hurt slightly.\u0026nbsp; How many people were in here anyway?\u0026nbsp; Was it sold out?\u0026nbsp; As we approached Violet, the spotlight faded and allowed me to see the rows and rows of people that were going to watch this.\u0026nbsp; I didn't hear the question Violet asked me, but I heard the crowd laugh.\u0026nbsp; Daisy tapped my shoulder, smiling at me brightly.\u0026nbsp; Violet coughed loudly into the microphone, getting my attention.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Like I said earlier, this is a bit unscripted.\" she said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"What's your name, and where are you from?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI swallowed, leaning towards the microphone slightly.\u0026nbsp; \"My name is Aaron Elazar from Solaceon, Sinnoh.\" I said, doing my best to keep my voice from wavering.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nViolet didn't look like she was going to give me any slack, though.\u0026nbsp; She grinned at me wikedly.\u0026nbsp; \"Nervous?\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; \"Don't be.\u0026nbsp; Just avoid getting slammed down by Misty too fast.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI frowned, but kept my opinions to myself.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't like that needed to be rubbed in.\u0026nbsp; Daisy looked she wanted a few choice words, but kept quiet as well.\u0026nbsp; Probably for the sake of the show.\u0026nbsp; Her face didn't look like she appreciated the heckling that her sister was giving me.\u0026nbsp; It was only after a moment that the laughter from the audience made it to my ears.\u0026nbsp; Fine, let them think that way.\u0026nbsp; They'll see what we can do.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that sure was exciting!\" Violet said, turning to the audience again.\u0026nbsp; \"I think I've heard of Elazar somewhere.\u0026nbsp; Maybe a book?\u0026nbsp; I dunno, but whatever!\u0026nbsp; That isn't all that important right now!\u0026nbsp; Ladies and gentlemen, kids of all ages, please welcome the Cerulean City gym leader!\u0026nbsp; The one and only Misty!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAn explosion of cheers made me wince slightly as Misty made her way to the stage, walking side by side with Lily.\u0026nbsp; The only difference on Misty's attire was the belt on her waist.\u0026nbsp; The Pokéballs gleaming from the stage light made it obvious what it was for.\u0026nbsp; As Misty made her way to Violet, she handed the microphone to the gym leader.\u0026nbsp; Misty grinned, patting her sister on the shoulder.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thank you all for coming today!\" she said, her voice echoing through the arena.\u0026nbsp; \"We're bringing you something a little different than the standard battle.\u0026nbsp; Instead, we're going to have a nine on nine fight.\u0026nbsp; We'll swap after every fight, and the best one overall is the winner.\u0026nbsp; Best out of nine wins.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty passed over the microphone back to Violet.\u0026nbsp; She grinned as she turned back to me.\u0026nbsp; \"By the way, we're fighting on the water.\u0026nbsp; No Pokémon here on dry ground.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI frowned.\u0026nbsp; This is bad from my perspective.\u0026nbsp; This is a complete disadvantage for Zin, and probably for most of my team.\u0026nbsp; I looked over to my team behind me, nodding to everyone.\u0026nbsp; Akalia, Zin, and Aurora nodded as my fingers touched their Pokéballs.\u0026nbsp; Before I could recall them, Zin stepped forward.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Send me first.\" she muttered.\u0026nbsp; \"I don't care what it is that I'll be fighting, but I want to get it over with.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded, recalling them and placing the Pokéballs in my pocket, Xola helping me get in the water.\u0026nbsp; Daisy walked up to me before I moved.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Are you alright?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I can't swim.\" I muttered.\u0026nbsp; She nodded immediately.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'll make sure that if you fall we can get you out.\" she said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"Our Dewgong and Cloyster are on the case.\u0026nbsp; Focus on fighting.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Thanks, Daisy.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHolding tightly to Xola, we headed towards a golden floating platform.\u0026nbsp; Standing on it, at the very least it was stable.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe and Xola climbed on top of it, their weight not tilting it.\u0026nbsp; I wasn't about to complain, that's for sure.\u0026nbsp; Baast and Song jumped towards us, using other platforms to stay near us but not crowd mine.\u0026nbsp; Mist and Spirit floated by, landing on another platform close by.\u0026nbsp; It still bothered me how large this pool is.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA cheer from the crowd made me turn towards Misty, seeing her standing next to a large shelled Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; With cannons on its shoulders.\u0026nbsp; A Blastoise.\u0026nbsp; Saw one on a tournament once.\u0026nbsp; It wiped the floor with the competition.\u0026nbsp; And Zin was going to fight it.\u0026nbsp; Somehow, I got the feeling that I would never hear the end of this one.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, here goes.\" I muttered, grabbing the Pokéballs in my pockets.\u0026nbsp; My hands froze, holding Zin's Pokéball.\u0026nbsp; We were probably going to regret this.\u0026nbsp; I let her out, throwing the ball forward.\u0026nbsp; The device landed ahead of me on another platform, Zin appearing without much fanfare.\u0026nbsp; I could swear I heard a laugh from the crowd.\u0026nbsp; All I could hear was my own breathing and heartbeat.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, this is interesting!\" Daisy said, apparently taking hold of the microphone at some point.\u0026nbsp; \"Aaron is using a Houndoom to combat Misty's Blastoise.\u0026nbsp; Alright!\u0026nbsp; First fight out of nine!\u0026nbsp; Give our audience the show they deserve!\u0026nbsp; Go!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Blastoise dove into the water as Zin moved forward using the platforms.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully it was still visible, not going underneath the surface of the water for some reason.\u0026nbsp; Zin attacked, spitting fire in the Blastoise's general direction.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Smoke Screen!\"\n\n\"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShit!\u0026nbsp; Zin disappeared in a cloud of black smoke, but it wouldn't stop the torrent of water headed her way.\u0026nbsp; The Blastoise jumped, clearing the surface of the water and using the water cannons on its back to saturate the platform that Zin was on with water.\u0026nbsp; Thank Arceus, Zin bolted out of the way and completely avoiding the attack.\u0026nbsp; She leaned forward, unleashing a gout of fire towards the airborne target.\u0026nbsp; Blastoise retreated into its shell quickly before disappearing inside the flames.\u0026nbsp; A loud splash could be heard as Zin stopped blowing fire.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSmoke Screen wasn't going to help much, unless she covered a wide area.\u0026nbsp; It looked like she came to the same conclusion, dropping clouds of black smoke as she moved from platform to platform.\u0026nbsp; This was obviously a match we couldn't win easily.\u0026nbsp; It was really a matter of wearing the Blastoise down, or getting hit and taking the loss.\u0026nbsp; Knowing Zin, though, she would rather take the Blastoise down with her if she could.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Blastoise, Flash Cannon!\" Misty yelled out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer Blastoise came out of the water, standing on a platform in front of Zin.\u0026nbsp; The problem with his positioning.\u0026nbsp; Zin could only evade going towards Blastoise, or falling back enough.\u0026nbsp; Or jumping into the water.\u0026nbsp; Oh, and it was in my direction, too.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Feint Attack!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nNot much wasn't going in our favor, so I decided to press what advantage we could.\u0026nbsp; Zin darted forward through the smog covered platforms.\u0026nbsp; Whether he was aiming for my Houndoom or not wasn't the problem anymore.\u0026nbsp; Twin balls flashing multicolored light headed towards us.\u0026nbsp; Zin jumped out of the black smoke, clearing the attack and nailing the large Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOf course, now the attack was headed towards us.\u0026nbsp; Before it got any closer, a large prismatic barrier appeared.\u0026nbsp; The attack landed on it, dissipating harmlessly.\u0026nbsp; I looked towards the stage, seeing Daisy smile at me.\u0026nbsp; I nodded, turning my focus again towards the battle.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFact: we weren't winning, but we weren't losing at the moment.\u0026nbsp; Fact: that attack took out all the smoke screens that Zin deployed in one attack.\u0026nbsp; I wasn't about to let Misty have all the glory.\u0026nbsp; That Blastoise was about to get a surprise.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Blastoise, Hyper Beam!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFigures.\u0026nbsp; This Blastoise seems like a range specialist.\u0026nbsp; Fine, we can both play that game.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Smoke Screen!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe looked at be dubiously, but I answered her anyway.\u0026nbsp; \"Show me what you showed Morph at Jubilife!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer eyes widened, before giving me a grin and disappearing behind a cloud of black smoke.\u0026nbsp; She leaped between platforms, doing the same tactic we did previously.\u0026nbsp; Zin was getting closer, though, doubling back to try to feint out the attack.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Fire!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAt first I was startled that there really was a fire in the building.\u0026nbsp; Then it hit me that it was Misty shouting to her Blastoise to actually shoot.\u0026nbsp; The twin beams rocketed in front of the Blastoise, colliding with the platform that Zin was last on.\u0026nbsp; Water exploded upwards, but the blur headed towards the overgrown blue Pokémon made me grin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Thunder Fang!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nLeaping towards the Blastoise from an angle, he didn't get a chance to avoid the attack.\u0026nbsp; Zin bit into his leg, electricity making the Blastoise light up the arena in painful whites and yellows.\u0026nbsp; After the attack, Zin jumped away from the Blastoise.\u0026nbsp; Still twitching from the after effects of the attack, we pressed what advantage we could.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Zin, Overheat!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy Houndoom's body glowed faintly for a moment, the flames in her mouth visible even at my distance.\u0026nbsp; A bright white and blue fire exploded forward, swallowing the Blastoise inside of it.\u0026nbsp; It was my real hope that it didn't fall forward into the water or anything.\u0026nbsp; Zin was putting way too much power into this one attack.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Blastoise, Aqua Jet!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWell, that didn't sound good.\u0026nbsp; The blue and white fire was parting slowly, revealing a spinning shell headed towards Zin.\u0026nbsp; It parted the flames slowly, pushing his way towards Zin slowly.\u0026nbsp; It picked up speed quickly, though, and pushed his way past Zin's flames and sending my Houndoom flying through the air.\u0026nbsp; Her body hit the shield surrounding the arena with a thud.\u0026nbsp; Before anyone said anything, my hands were on her Pokéball and recalling her.\u0026nbsp; Technology saved me from having a heart attack, as the beam reached her and got her to the relative safety of her home.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEven if we probably knew the end result, it still bothered me.\u0026nbsp; It was a losing battle, but I still held hope for at least a fighting chance.\u0026nbsp; Misty wasn't going to give us one, especially since she probably knew that she would win that one easily.\u0026nbsp; Even then, Zin wanted to fight.\u0026nbsp; My hands shook as I shrunk her Pokéball and placed it gently in my pocket.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI didn't wait for Violet or Misty to say anything.\u0026nbsp; \"Song, you're next.\" I said softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSong placed a hand on my shoulder.\u0026nbsp; \"Let's see what her next Pokémon is.\" she said.\u0026nbsp; I sighed, but deferred to her idea.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty recalled her Blastoise, to the loud cheering of the audience.\u0026nbsp; She grabbed another Pokéball, releasing a Floatzel.\u0026nbsp; I looked over to Song, who nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"I will take on this challenge.\" she said, holding her staff in her hands.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe walked forward, standing on the water as if it was solid ground.\u0026nbsp; With staff in hand, she stood in front of me calmly.\u0026nbsp; Even the Floatzel was slightly surprised, but didn't wait for long before diving into the water.\u0026nbsp; It moved quickly in our direction, but Song stood her ground.\u0026nbsp; The Floatzel jumped towards her, but Song brought her staff forward.\u0026nbsp; With one jab, she stopped the attack from reaching her.\u0026nbsp; Song stepped forward, swinging the staff in a wide arc and catching the Pokémon with the full swing.\u0026nbsp; The impact reverberated loudly, sending the Floatzel bouncing across water and platforms.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBefore the Floatzel could recover, Song ran forward using both water and platforms.\u0026nbsp; The Floatzel was already in the water, swimming extremely quickly towards Song.\u0026nbsp; She avoided contact, using the platforms as a makeshift barrier to slow down her opponent.\u0026nbsp; The swimming Pokémon turned hard, water flying into the air and shooting an Ice Beam towards Song.\u0026nbsp; She avoided the attack easily, though it wasn't the only one.\u0026nbsp; More beams shot from the water, the thin beams beginning to freeze the surface as the temperature dropped slowly but steadily.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Floatzel, Surf!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe Floatzel dove down under the surface before surging upwards.\u0026nbsp; A wave of water formed in front of me, the Pokémon riding it towards Song.\u0026nbsp; It grew rapidly, easily large enough to shadow the entire pool area and most of the stage. This was probably why they asked me to wear swimming trunks.\u0026nbsp; Song's only reaction to the wave was to stand straight and jump straight for the surfing Floatzel.\u0026nbsp; The staff swung, but the Pokémon avoided the attack, diving under the wave.\u0026nbsp; The attack seemed to shrink, the wave falling on itself.\u0026nbsp; My Gardevoir didn't seem bothered, landing gracefully on the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe instant she did, five Floatzels surfaced.\u0026nbsp; My voice died in my throat as they all piled on top of her.\u0026nbsp; A splash of water was all that was visible from my end of the fight.\u0026nbsp; When the frothing water calmed, only a Floatzel was visible.\u0026nbsp; Misty shouted something, but above the Floatzel was my Gardevoir.\u0026nbsp; With staff in hand, she swing downwards.\u0026nbsp; I don't know if she hit or missed, but the impact made the water rush outwards, splashing everywhere.\u0026nbsp; The wave almost knocked me off the platform, but Iolanthe prevented me from being swept away.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Floatzel, Agility!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFloatzel appeared, breaking the surface for a moment and shaking his head.\u0026nbsp; There was at least a hard blow to the side of the head.\u0026nbsp; I couldn't tell very well.\u0026nbsp; Before I could inspect any further, he almost disappeared from view.\u0026nbsp; Only the trail of water left behind was the indication where Floatzel was.\u0026nbsp; Before long, he was spinning around in circles around Song, who was standing still.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Whirlpool!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEven while the Floatzel swam in circles, before diving under water but continuing to swim in circles.\u0026nbsp; The dark shape of the Floatzel could still be seen, but now bubbles were forming around Song.\u0026nbsp; Before long a torrent of water shot up encasing the Gardevoir within the vortex.\u0026nbsp; Song, I hope you have a brilliant idea...\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Now, Ice Beam!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFloatzel jumped out of the water before glowing a bright white for a moment.\u0026nbsp; Opening its mouth, the Floatzel launched another Ice Beam.\u0026nbsp; Connecting with the water, he didn't stop immediately even after contact.\u0026nbsp; The ice climbed up the column of water, freezing it slowly in place.\u0026nbsp; When he landed, Floatzel took a few deep breaths.\u0026nbsp; Was this Song's plan?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Giga Impact!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWell, that didn't sound good.\u0026nbsp; The Floatzel spun around a few times before breaking the surface.\u0026nbsp; The supersonic Pokémon was engulfed in a swirl of purple and orange.\u0026nbsp; As soon as that happened, the ice shattered as Song rushed towards the charging Floatzel.\u0026nbsp; Her staff met the Pokémon's attack, the impact sending a wave of purple energy flying upwards.\u0026nbsp; A resounding crack reached my ears, as the Floatzel was sent flying sideways, slamming against the barrier and falling into the water.\u0026nbsp; Song stood straight, adjusting herself for a moment before nodding towards her fallen opponent and walking towards us calmly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was funny to see her smile, before leaning heavily on me.\u0026nbsp; She must be completely exhausted.\u0026nbsp; I offered her to rest inside her Pokéball, but she shook her head and hugged me tightly.\u0026nbsp; Smiling, my hands held her tightly.\u0026nbsp; If she wanted to rest here, so be it.\u0026nbsp; Though if things got rough she would go and rest where it was safe.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSo, one to one so far.\u0026nbsp; With seven to go, it looked like Misty was as shocked as everyone was when Song fought.\u0026nbsp; I don't know if she was waiting for her Floatzel to recover, but she eventually pulled out a Pokéball and recalled him.\u0026nbsp; Misty's face was hard to see from our distance.\u0026nbsp; I was sure that she wasn't expecting Song to do the things she just did.\u0026nbsp; Much less actually fight, or pose such a threat.\u0026nbsp; Pretty sure that she wasn't expecting a Gardevoir to be so physically strong.\u0026nbsp; Don't know what she was thinking about the staff, either.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty unleashed her next Pokémon, a purple star shaped Pokémon with a bright jewel in the middle.\u0026nbsp; I grabbed Aurora's Pokéball, the Weavile appearing in the platform in front of me.\u0026nbsp; The Weavile turned and nodded, before focusing on her opponent.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Starmie, Thunderbolt!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhat?!\u0026nbsp; The Pokémon spun in place, half of it spinning in one way while the other spun the opposite way.\u0026nbsp; Electricity began to form in front of the gem before blasting towards Aurora.\u0026nbsp; My Weavile jumped, dodging the attack completely and landing on another platform.\u0026nbsp; She began to run towards her target, claws gleaming from the spotlights above.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Aurora, Night Slash!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Starmie, Ice Beam!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty knew that Aurora was an ice type, right?\u0026nbsp; Aurora didn't even bother dodging completely.\u0026nbsp; She ran on top of the attack, her claws hidden beneath a sheath of darkness.\u0026nbsp; Aurora's attack left darkness across the body of the star shaped Pokémon in a cross shaped pattern before dissipating slowly into the air.\u0026nbsp; The Starmie reacted quickly even after the attack, spinning towards Aurora.\u0026nbsp; The roaring crowd was a bit distracting.\u0026nbsp; It was impossible to tell who they were cheering for.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora pushed off the Starmie eventually with a sweep of her claws.\u0026nbsp; The Starmie, unperturbed by being pushed around floated over to one of the platforms nearby.\u0026nbsp; A bundle of red energy began to pulse next to the Pokémon, followed by three more in quick succession.\u0026nbsp; We weren't left in the dark for long when Misty pointed towards Aurora.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Starmie, Hidden Power!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFlames everywhere!\u0026nbsp; Aurora jumped away, diving into the water to avoid the fireballs that Starmie's attack made.\u0026nbsp; Aurora surfaced but only for a moment, before diving and avoiding the fire.\u0026nbsp; The surface of the water burned where she was, and it was easy enough to see where she was.\u0026nbsp; Aurora rose once more, but Starmie spun through the air and tackled the unsuspecting Weavile.\u0026nbsp; A cloud of white smoke appeared instantly, obscuring the battlefield.\u0026nbsp; Something made me look up, and what I saw made me grin.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora was up in the air.\u0026nbsp; How she got so high was a question for another day.\u0026nbsp; Multiple Ice Beams launched from her position, hitting the water and freezing the Starmie in place.\u0026nbsp; A ball of dark energy formed in her claws, shattering whatever ice was along the way before enveloping the cage where Starmie was.\u0026nbsp; Balls of fire appeared alongside the pillar of darkness.\u0026nbsp; Aurora jumped away from her position, avoiding the fireballs aimed at her.\u0026nbsp; Misty's Pokémon flew out of the water, not even where Aurora had aimed her attack, and slamming its body hard against her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora recovered, retaliating with a slash that left a ghostly afterimage around it.\u0026nbsp; It didn't look like it did any physical damage, but it made Starmie back off immediately afterwards.\u0026nbsp; Another bunch of fireballs appeared, hurled towards Aurora as the Starmie fell into the water.\u0026nbsp; My Weavile dodged one, but couldn't see the one flying from behind.\u0026nbsp; That allowed the rest to follow suit, the fire pushing her into the air and landing unceremoniously into the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora broke the surface, climbing on top of a platform.\u0026nbsp; Turning to me, she smiled.\u0026nbsp; She had a plan?\u0026nbsp; I raised an eyebrow, but she clicked her claws together.\u0026nbsp; Nodding, it was the only thing to do and trust her judgement.\u0026nbsp; She winked at me quickly, before launching herself back at the Starmie.\u0026nbsp; The water froze under Aurora as she slid her way towards the Starmie.\u0026nbsp; Red fireballs flew in her direction again, but she avoided them this time.\u0026nbsp; A stream of bubbles shot towards Aurora, but she countered with an Ice Beam.\u0026nbsp; The bubbles froze in midair, falling as she skated around them.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Starmie!\" Misty exclaimed.\u0026nbsp; For the first time there seemed to be panic in her voice.\u0026nbsp; \"Take that Weavile out!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMore fire orbs appeared, joined by the crackling of lighting again.\u0026nbsp; When the fireballs moved, Aurora didn't dodge them this time.\u0026nbsp; She was engulfed in flame!\u0026nbsp; Without missing a beat, the Starmie shot the lightning towards the fire, the two energies pushing the air and water out.\u0026nbsp; Aurora was still standing, and rushed towards Starmie.\u0026nbsp; Her claws glowed with jet black energy, much darker than when she used Night Slash.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nStarmie didn't move, though out of what I have no idea.\u0026nbsp; Aurora didn't hesitate in slamming her claws into the jewel at the center of her opponent.\u0026nbsp; A loud sound, like the echo of ice shattering, could be heard throughout as the Starmie was flung backwards.\u0026nbsp; Misty's Pokémon bounded across the water and from the platforms, before landing next to her.\u0026nbsp; The crowd erupted in cheers as Daisy's voice finally reached its way into my ears announcing Aurora's victory.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAurora used the water to skate her way towards us, taking her time and even acknowledging the crowds cheering.\u0026nbsp; I blushed a little bit as Aurora reached and jumped into my arms.\u0026nbsp; The grin on her face made me smile widely, as she cuddled against my bare chest for a moment.\u0026nbsp; My fingers grabbed her Pokéball as she nodded, disappearing inside to rest.\u0026nbsp; Misty must have recalled her Starmie, as another Pokémon was in the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA bright yellow light came from eye level.\u0026nbsp; My eyes adjusted slowly, revealing that the light was coming from a Pokémon in the water.\u0026nbsp; It turned slightly, allowing me to see what was our next opponent.\u0026nbsp; A blue sleek body was on the surface of the water, with a tendril hanging from the Pokémon's forehead.\u0026nbsp; From the tip of the tendril was a yellow orb that hung low, almost to the surface of the water.\u0026nbsp; The tendril had a second yellow orb, but this one was much higher and closer to the Pokémon's body.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSpirit placed a hand on my head, nodding towards me.\u0026nbsp; I almost voiced my concern, but she smiled widely.\u0026nbsp; My complaint died in my throat, nodding towards my Flygon as she flew to the air and prepared herself.\u0026nbsp; For a moment, neither we nor our Pokémon made any moves.\u0026nbsp; Daisy's voice was the one that broke the sudden stagnation.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well!\u0026nbsp; Our fourth fight is already interesting, with our challenger presenting a difficult target with a Flygon.\u0026nbsp; But will Misty's Lanturn have a chance?\u0026nbsp; What does the audience think?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe wave of sound that hit me made me wince, but it didn't disturb Spirit in the slightest.\u0026nbsp; I couldn't hear for what Pokémon the audience was cheering for.\u0026nbsp; Misty didn't let me contemplate on much as she announced announced her first attack.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Lanturn, Ice Beam!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nFrom the Lanturn's position, the attack came right from underneath Spirit.\u0026nbsp; She tilted to her right, completely avoiding the attack though the ice beam created an icicle hanging from the barrier surrounding us.\u0026nbsp; Spirit grabbed hold of it, just in time to see the next Ice Beam be launched her way.\u0026nbsp; She idly dodged to the side again, throwing the held icicle in her paws down to her opponent.\u0026nbsp; The Lanturn cried in pain suddenly, as Spirit's impromptu attack landed on a part of the Lanturn's body.\u0026nbsp; Spirit was almost disinterested, especially from her opponents reaction.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nOut of all the times we trained, Spirit had trained the hardest.\u0026nbsp; If Misty didn't actually take this seriously, I was afraid of what Spirit would unleash against Lanturn.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Thunderbolt!\" Misty cried out loud.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nReally?\u0026nbsp; An electric attack against Spirit?\u0026nbsp; Electricity arced around the Lanturn's lights, before a bolt of lightning shot upwards towards Spirit.\u0026nbsp; It was slightly amusing how she didn't even bother dodging the attack.\u0026nbsp; Though she did react by giving a yawn.\u0026nbsp; Well, a yawn that turned into a Flamethrower headed downwards.\u0026nbsp; The Lanturn avoided the attack by going underwater, though it didn't stop the water from steaming slightly.\u0026nbsp; I almost wanted to laugh at Misty, but that wasn't right.\u0026nbsp; She better figure out something quickly, though.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Hydro Pump!\" Misty yelled.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA column of water sprayed upwards from the Lanturn's mouth.\u0026nbsp; Spirit looked downwards once and seemed to shrug.\u0026nbsp; She dropped from the sky, avoiding the attack and was instantly at my eye level.\u0026nbsp; Skimming the water towards the Lanturn, Misty's Pokémon turned the attack on Spirit.\u0026nbsp; A beam of purple and white fired from Spirit, cutting right through the Lanturn's attack.\u0026nbsp; Spirit's beam connected, stopping any further water flow.\u0026nbsp; Spirit grabbed her opponent by the tendril, swinging the Lanturn in wide circles before bringing her over her head and slamming her down onto one of the platforms.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBright red and blue flames flickered in her maw before she unleashed a torrent of flame on the helpless water Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Spirit grabbed the Lanturn up into the air again, but Daisy called a halt to the fight loudly through the microphone.\u0026nbsp; Spirit looked almost angry, her eyes almost glowing before placing her opponent on the ground almost reverently.\u0026nbsp; She flew towards me, landing softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was still frightening to see her fight like that.\u0026nbsp; She smiled at me though, rubbing her cheek against mine.\u0026nbsp; I did my best to reciprocate the affection with a Gardevoir still clinging to me.\u0026nbsp; My eyes met hers, and she knew what my words were going to be.\u0026nbsp; She nodded, cooing softly as she returned to her vacated spot before flying to fight.\u0026nbsp; It was an awkward silence that surrounded us when Misty released her next Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe large body and long neck of a Lapras was clear to me.\u0026nbsp; I frowned, looking towards who should fight this opponent.\u0026nbsp; Xola would be overpowered in raw strength.\u0026nbsp; Maybe something more tactical?\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe shook her head, but pointed towards Mist.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I will go.\" she said with a nod.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI nodded.\u0026nbsp; \"Do your best.\" I whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSomething told me that this wouldn't be an easy match for Mist.\u0026nbsp; She was my long range specialist.\u0026nbsp; The Mismagius has made it abundantly clear to me that she has no physical skills whatsoever.\u0026nbsp; If the Lapras had more powerful attacks, it would be obvious in the first few moments of the fight.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis is, of course, assuming that the Lapras is more powerful at range than physical.\u0026nbsp; We were about to find out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Lapras, Ice Beam!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist, Shadow Ball!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe beam of ice was almost instantaneous!\u0026nbsp; Lapras' attack was almost to Mist before the Shadow Ball met it in the air.\u0026nbsp; My Mismagius shook her head, a bit shaken but still intact.\u0026nbsp; Another Ice Beam launched from the Lapras, but Mist was able to dodge it easily while not preparing her own attack.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist, Ominous Wind!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Lapras, Surf!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA wave of water formed, reaching a height not previously shown before by Misty's Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; It was convenient that Mist's attack was successful, but the gigantic wave blocked the attack.\u0026nbsp; The wave continued over towards me and my team, but thankfully the barriers were still in place.\u0026nbsp; It was still a bit jarring to see water just slam into something invisible though.\u0026nbsp; Especially if it was a wave easily four times Xola's length.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThis wasn't going in our advantage at all.\u0026nbsp; I frowned, but wracked my brain for anything that could help Mist in this situation.\u0026nbsp; My breath was became visible.\u0026nbsp; Was it getting colder?\u0026nbsp; Lapras' mouth was emitting frost from the mouth before turning to Mist and exhaling.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Shadow Ball!\" I called out.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMist formed another Shadow Ball, unleashing it before the attack could make it any closer.\u0026nbsp; Thankfully the Shadow Ball was able to disperse the ice before reaching Mist.\u0026nbsp; Lapras had to dive underwater to completely avoid the attack.\u0026nbsp; I frowned though, still trying to think of _anything_ to help Mist.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Lapras, Hydro Pump!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAgain with the Hydro Pump from underneath.\u0026nbsp; Mist noticed the attack, but even with forewarning she was hit.\u0026nbsp; Not fully, but she wasn't fast enough to completely avoid it.\u0026nbsp; Time to stop thinking and try to put this Lapras on the defensive.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Mist, Thunder Wave!\" I exclaimed.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThin strands of electricity came from her jewels, lancing towards Lapras.\u0026nbsp; Lapras was hit, crying loudly as electricity hindered the Pokémon's movements.\u0026nbsp; It was my hope that this would work as best as possible.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Power Gem!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe jewels on Mist's dress glowed brightly again, glowing a brilliant white before launching towards Lapras.\u0026nbsp; The Lapras, unable to move, was hit full force with the multiple brilliant pellets launched towards it.\u0026nbsp; Lapras barely made any sound, but instead launched another Ice Beam towards Mist.\u0026nbsp; This time my Mismagius seemed ready, and was able to avoid the attack completely.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sheer Cold!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe temperature dropped to ridiculous levels instantly.\u0026nbsp; The Lapras seemed to glow a bright blue before opening its mouth and unleashing a flurry of snow and ice towards Mist.\u0026nbsp; It surrounded the ghost completely.\u0026nbsp; She even fired a Shadow Ball, but it didn't have any effect.\u0026nbsp; Before any words made their way to my mouth, the sound of a glass shattering rang through the air as a block of ice fell against the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe ice began to crack as it floated over towards us.\u0026nbsp; The frozen form of my Mismagius was inside that block of ice.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe and Spirit flew over to it, Baast shaking our platform as she landed to help bring the block of ice off the water.\u0026nbsp; With a solid punch, Baast shattered more of the ice and freeing the Mismagius from her prison.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I apologize.\" she said softly.\u0026nbsp; I shook my head, cutting off any more that she had to say.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You did your best, that's all that matters.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll train harder.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe smiled at me as I picked her up into my arms.\u0026nbsp; She closed her eyes and slowly merged inside my body.\u0026nbsp; With Mist safely inside of me, Iolanthe swept the remains of ice off the platform.\u0026nbsp; Baast pounded her paws together.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_My turn_.\" she said grimly.\u0026nbsp; I nodded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty recalled her Lapras, replacing it with the weirdest Pokémon I've ever seen.\u0026nbsp; A large spiral shell was most of the Pokémon's body.\u0026nbsp; Two large eyes sat above a mouth, with at least six tentacles writhing around.\u0026nbsp; Four of them were very thick, and looked attached near the mouth like beak.\u0026nbsp; I frowned, turning to the Lucario.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Please be careful, Baast.\" I said.\u0026nbsp; \"Whatever that is, it looks strong.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_It's an old relic of a long forgotten age_!\" she barked, laughing.\u0026nbsp; \"_One punch and that shell will shatter_!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith those words, Baast ran towards her target using the platforms as efficiently as possible.\u0026nbsp; The Pokémon didn't react to the rapidly approaching biped, only curling inside the shell when Baast made it to its platform.\u0026nbsp; Her punch was encased in energy before punching straight forward.\u0026nbsp; The Pokémon went flying, shell and all, hitting the barrier surrounding the arena before falling into the water.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nTwo bleary eyes popped out of the water, the shell seemingly intact after the impact.\u0026nbsp; Baast looked surprised, before growling loudly.\u0026nbsp; A blue sphere formed in her paws before rushing towards the odd looking Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Omastar, Ancient Power!\" Misty commanded.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA white ball of energy formed in front of the Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; Baast formed her own ball of Aura energy in her paws.\u0026nbsp; Like an unspoken agreement, both spheres launched from their respective owners, meeting each other halfway.\u0026nbsp; Omastar's attack was overpowered by Baast's Aura Sphere, headed straight for her target.\u0026nbsp; The Omastar didn't show any surprise, grabbing the sphere with one of its tentacles and flinging it back towards Baast!\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Baast, Extreme Speed!\" I called in response.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe disappeared from view instantly, a blue and black blur of motion charging towards the Omastar.\u0026nbsp; Misty's voice sounded surprised when she called to her Pokémon.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Omastar, Toxic Spikes!\" she shouted.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA dark purple and black ball appeared in front of Omastar's mouth.\u0026nbsp; It grew before exploding outwards.\u0026nbsp; Oddly shaped spikes landed around the water and on the platforms.\u0026nbsp; If they were supposed to slow down or hinder Baast, they failed miserably.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario just ran over them, the spikes disappearing as she charged by.\u0026nbsp; Approaching the Omastar, Baast was a flurry of kicks and punches as she pounded on the Omastar.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBoth Pokémon went under the surface momentarily.\u0026nbsp; Baast was the first to surface, before blue tentacles wrapped around her and dragged her down again.\u0026nbsp; A white light shined through the surface, the Omastar flying out of the water and Baast gasping for air.\u0026nbsp; A nearby platform allowed the Lucario to finally get out of the water and out of the Omastar's reach.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Omastar, Spike Cannon!\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA volley of white spiked projectiles flew towards Baast.\u0026nbsp; The Lucario didn't hesitate, either outright dodging the projectiles or meeting them with fist or kick.\u0026nbsp; If they missiles hit their intended target, they didn't do much to slow down Baast.\u0026nbsp; This exchange continued for a moment longer, before Omastar changed tactics.\u0026nbsp; A ball of blue energy swirled in front of Misty's Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; I raised an eyebrow, recognizing the attack.\u0026nbsp; Even from my angle, that Water Pulse was going to be huge.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nEven knowing the attack was forming, she charged forward.\u0026nbsp; Regardless of her speed, the sphere in front of the Omastar exploded forward.\u0026nbsp; Like a water balloon bursting, a surge of water flowed towards the Lucario.\u0026nbsp; It was a torrent that shook the water under us, nearly tipping us all.\u0026nbsp; Xola and Iolanthe made sure that I wasn't in any danger of falling.\u0026nbsp; Where was Baast, though?\u0026nbsp; A laugh from the other end of the pool made me look towards Misty.\u0026nbsp; It wasn't until a blur of motion on the side made the Omastar turn as well.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nDamn Lucario!\u0026nbsp; Whatever she held in her hands glowed a bright blue and looked like a rod or bone.\u0026nbsp; The first blow was an overhead strike that left the Omastar either dazed or confused.\u0026nbsp; The next one sent it flying towards Misty, though the shield stopped it abruptly in mid flight.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nBaast grinned as she finally made her way towards us.\u0026nbsp; She laughed at my surprised look.\u0026nbsp; \"_I took that last attack from you, Song_.\" the Lucario said as she shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"_It was definitely the right thing to do._\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMy hands covered my face.\u0026nbsp; \"How much of that fight was improvised?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Did I hear you give orders_?\" she asked.\u0026nbsp; \"_A bit of it, though it wasn't that hard to figure out.\u0026nbsp; Give me some credit at least_.\u0026nbsp; _By the way, I like the way that you battle_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI blinked, her words going way over my head.\u0026nbsp; She sighed, shaking her head sadly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"_Never mind_.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty recalled her Omastar, but she hesitated before releasing her next Pokémon.\u0026nbsp; I looked towards Iolanthe, and she nodded.\u0026nbsp; Song shook her head, pointing towards the main stage.\u0026nbsp; Misty was standing by her sisters as Daisy handed the microphone to her.\u0026nbsp; She closed her eyes for a moment before speaking.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"As gym leader of the Cerulean Gym, I concede defeat.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer words were heard in silence.\u0026nbsp; The crowds reaction looked like it was of pure disbelief.\u0026nbsp; Then the claps began to echo through the silent room.\u0026nbsp; Slowly but surely the sound could be heard.\u0026nbsp; Cheers came next, one after another until the entire crowd was frothing like the pool was not that long ago.\u0026nbsp; My knees gave out under me, hitting the soft platform.\u0026nbsp; If there was any pain it didn't register in my brain.\u0026nbsp; My reverie was only broken when Misty popped in front of us, climbing on my platform.\u0026nbsp; She picked me up from the ground and held up my hand for a moment.\u0026nbsp; The wall of sound nearly deafened me again.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWhen she brought my hand down from the air, she opened it and pressed something small into my hand.\u0026nbsp; As she pulled her hand away, a badge lay in the palm of my hand.\u0026nbsp; It was in the shape of three raindrops, blue in color and orientated in the same direction.\u0026nbsp; A bright green gem was in the middle of the badge, holding the raindrops together.\u0026nbsp; There were two letters etched on the green gem, a stylized capital P and L.\u0026nbsp; I looked at Misty, who grinned at me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You did pretty good, Aaron.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nJust pretty good?\u0026nbsp; I chuckled, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"What are the letters for?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"For the Pokémon League.\" she said simply.\u0026nbsp; \"Unless you change your mind.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I think I'm good on that.\" I said, shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"We have to inspect the Cerulean Cave and find out where Lance could have gone.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"At least I tried.\" she said with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; \"In any case, you should stay for the rest of the show.\u0026nbsp; At the very least, to avoid the mob that's going to be outside.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Wouldn't waiting make it worse?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nMisty shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Trust me on this one.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n=======================////////////////////////===========================\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Well, that was interesting.\" Iolanthe said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWe were in the same backroom we were in before we fought Misty.\u0026nbsp; It was just me and Iolanthe this time, Violet making it clear that she will come for us when the crowd thinned out.\u0026nbsp; We were both sitting next to each other on two stools, though she was leaning on me more than she was sitting.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Why would people wish to talk to us?\" she asked, turning towards me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"Well, the gym did have a unbeaten record until now.\" I said, pointing out what Misty said.\u0026nbsp; \"Pretty sure they're trying to make sure we don't get stalked by strangers.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"That would be rather inconvenient.\" she said, nodding towards me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Yeah, we don't need people following my every waking moment.\u0026nbsp; I have nine Pokémon that do that for me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIolanthe laughed, her hold on my hands tightening gently.\u0026nbsp; I shrugged, not entirely sure why she thought it was funny.\u0026nbsp; Regardless, her eyes were still focused on me with as much attention as Zin when she's getting what she wants.\u0026nbsp; Which, in all honesty, felt a little weird.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Is it that awkward to be around me?\" she asked suddenly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm trying to understand you, too.\" I said, frowning.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Was kissing you a bad idea?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shook my head.\u0026nbsp; \"No, that's not it Io.\u0026nbsp; I'm trying to figure it out, and it seems to me that you want to figure out things in yourself.\u0026nbsp; At least, before we do any more physical things like how Zin handles things.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"May I be candid with you, Master?\" she asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Of course, what is it?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What is it that you love of your mates?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nThe question caught me off guard for a moment, but it was a legitimate question all the same.\u0026nbsp; Mist was intelligent, always with an enlightening thought more often than not.\u0026nbsp; Song was Song, with all her crazy laughter and sense of humor.\u0026nbsp; Not to mention her dancing.\u0026nbsp; I don't know if I would consider being in love with Baast, but she was quite infatuated with me to say the least.\u0026nbsp; Zin.... well, she has her forceful personality.\u0026nbsp; I still care for her, though, even through her rather difficult thought process.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nXola and Spirit have always had my respect.\u0026nbsp; Spirit sees me as a son she's never had before.\u0026nbsp; It's a bit intimidating, especially when she gets so protective.\u0026nbsp; Xola feels like a sister I've never had before, keeping me safe from drowning.\u0026nbsp; Never mind that she was the one that almost made that happen.\u0026nbsp; Aurora was in a similar group as Baast, but she's made it rather clear that she doesn't want anything physical.\u0026nbsp; I still care for her though, as it doesn't have to be purely physical attraction.\u0026nbsp; Akalia has been like Xola, except we used to get in as much trouble as she helped me get out of it.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIolanthe waited patiently for my answer.\u0026nbsp; She sat up straight, vacating my side.\u0026nbsp; Her eyes looked into mine, as if my word was final.\u0026nbsp; How did I think about her?\u0026nbsp; I cared about her, but I cared about all my friends.\u0026nbsp; It was an abrupt meeting, to say the least, but she's aided us without asking for any kind of payment.\u0026nbsp; All she's wanted is interaction with all of us, or specifically with me.\u0026nbsp; Last time I checked, she's been getting plenty of that.\u0026nbsp; Making sure that my bones were located properly set a pretty high standard.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nAlso, knocking aside two Steelix like it wasn't a problem didn't hurt either.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Maybe it's better if I talked instead of leaving you to pick my thoughts.\" I said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; She blinked, suddenly sitting up straight.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I want you to know that all that you've done for us is extremely appreciated.\" I said with a smile.\u0026nbsp; \"You've never asked for much or anything.\u0026nbsp; Your only wish was to be with us, interact, and to learn.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"My hope is that you've been able to do that and more.\u0026nbsp; To answer your question though, it's hard to have one answer to it.\u0026nbsp; The love of my mates is as varied as they are.\u0026nbsp; I use the term mate extremely lightly, by the way.\u0026nbsp; I don't completely buy into Zin's mentality.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIolanthe laughed lightly inside my mind, which made me chuckle.\u0026nbsp; \"Regardless, they are all very dear to me.\u0026nbsp; Spirit considers me as a son.\u0026nbsp; Though I don't think of her as a mother, the affection is all the same.\u0026nbsp; Song is almost like my first girlfriend, while Aurora feels like the baby sister that's too spoiled for her own good.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged. \u0026nbsp;\"I love them all for completely different reasons.\u0026nbsp; Just like I love you, too.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe didn't verbally react, but her large eyes blinked.\u0026nbsp; Her reaction made me smile at her reassuringly.\u0026nbsp; I reached to her hands, her tentacles lying limply against the palms of my hands.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It doesn't take much for me to like someone.\" I said, looking at Iolanthe.\u0026nbsp; \"Heck, I've probably loved you for a long time and I've been too stupid, blind, busy, or ignorant to tell you before.\u0026nbsp; I'm leaning towards male stupidity, but that's my excuse for everything I do that doesn't meet the approval of all my Pokémon.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What do you then?\u0026nbsp; When you do not, I mean.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Apologize profusely and do my best never to repeat the same mistake.\u0026nbsp; Just like how I try to be sensitive around Mist and the whole breeder thing.\u0026nbsp; That's one topic that doesn't need to be brought up again.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIolanthe nodded.\u0026nbsp; I continued, fully aware that my time wasn't over yet.\u0026nbsp; \"I care about you Io, because you've been here through the worse of it all.\u0026nbsp; You've been extremely patient and understanding, just for an opportunity to be here like this.\u0026nbsp; It makes me feel like a jackass, in all honesty, because it feels like I'm using you though you came by your own free will.\u0026nbsp; I also feel like I haven't been living up to my end of the bargain, or at least not until recently.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You've been doing your best to understand me and my ignorance, and I haven't been doing my part to understand you and your needs.\u0026nbsp; Zin sees you as a candidate for this crazy pack... family... thing that she has.\u0026nbsp; Song seems to think the world of you, while everyone else doesn't seem to mind your presence.\u0026nbsp; Especially Aurora, who seems to use your head as a resting spot as often as my own.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I talk too much, too.\u0026nbsp; I care enough about you that if you left, your presence here will be missed.\u0026nbsp; It's not about your strength that will be missed, but you.\u0026nbsp; And I don't want that to happen.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at me.\u0026nbsp; It felt like she was thinking of something.\u0026nbsp; \"And what would you do in order to keep me here?\" she asked softly.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"If I can do it, and it doesn't harm anyone, if it's in my power I will.\" I said with conviction.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I want you to love me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Didn't I say that I did?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"Please, do not interrupt me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shut my mouth and waited for her to explain.\u0026nbsp; \"It is a bit complicated for me to explain, so if it is confusing accept my apologies.\u0026nbsp; I want to feel like how your mates feel, to feel... special and unique.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was honestly a bit confusing.\u0026nbsp; Special and unique?\u0026nbsp; By Arcues, she was Deoxys!\u0026nbsp; Well, one part of the whole being, but doesn't that make you rather unique?\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What is it that you're looking for, Iolanthe?\" I asked, leaning forward.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nHer body latched into mine, her stool flying as her body rested on my lap.\u0026nbsp; My own stool teetered precariously, but by some miracle we didn't fall in a heap of limbs.\u0026nbsp; Her face pressed against my own, the odd feeling of kissing a smooth surface making me feel a little awkward.\u0026nbsp; Her tentacles held me tightly, exploring my exposed back.\u0026nbsp; With my own arms wrapped around her body, I managed to free myself to breath for a moment or two.\u0026nbsp; It was a bit surprising to see her act so intensely, but it was enough that I was doing something wrong.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nWith an eye towards the door to make sure it was still closed, I began to trace... well... her jaw I guess, reaching her neck with my lips.\u0026nbsp; Her body stiffened suddenly, grasping me tightly.\u0026nbsp; It was a labor to keep breathing, but eventually she uncoiled her tentacles around me.\u0026nbsp; She shook her head, as if she was waking up from something.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I want you to complete me.\" she whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA grin wanted to form on my lips and I did my best to stifle the chuckle that wanted to escape me.\u0026nbsp; Pulling away from Io, our eyes met for a moment.\u0026nbsp; Her face colored deeply as she quickly turned to avoid my gaze.\u0026nbsp; Bringing my hand slowly to touch her cheek, she turned back to face me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I will, if that's what you want.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe shook her head.\u0026nbsp; \"I want you to feel like I do, too.\" she whispered.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Then look inside my head, because if that doesn't convince you nothing will.\" I said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nIt was already hard to control my arousal, and only the fact that we weren't in a safe location stopped me from acting on impulse.\u0026nbsp; The gentle tug on my mind let me know that Iolanthe was asking for permission.\u0026nbsp; It reminded me of how Song would do the same thing.\u0026nbsp; It felt funny having my mind actively being read again.\u0026nbsp; At first Iolanthe's touch was gentle, as if she was scared of what she found.\u0026nbsp; Whatever she saw, her hold on both my mind and body tightened as if afraid of letting go.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe rested her head on my shoulder as I slowly calmed my body down.\u0026nbsp; Her psychic grasp on my mind softened, but not releasing me from her hold.\u0026nbsp; It felt good to see her calm for once.\u0026nbsp; I felt like there was something always on her mind.\u0026nbsp; Perhaps whatever she saw put her at ease.\u0026nbsp; Her laughter echoed in my ears.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"It did, Master.\" she said happily.\u0026nbsp; At the same time, a knock came to the door.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Give me a second.\" I called as Iolanthe slowly left my lap.\u0026nbsp; We both stood side by side as I opened the door.\u0026nbsp; Daisy and Misty were both there, along with like fifteen or so others that I didn't recognize.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"These idiots didn't get the message.\" Misty said, using her thumb to point at her entourage.\u0026nbsp; \"They would like a word with you, if you don't mind.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Reporters.\" Daisy said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA guy pushed his way through, shoving aside Daisy to get access to the room.\u0026nbsp; Misty took that persons camera and shoved it into his face.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You shove my sister again, and your teeth get broken next.\" she snarled.\u0026nbsp; \"You're going to show proper respect around here, and that starts with my sister and me.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI approached Daisy as Misty helped her stand on her own.\u0026nbsp; Daisy winced as she put weight on her feet, and the look that was on Misty's face would kill if it could.\u0026nbsp; Violet and Lily came around the corner, hurrying over as if called.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What happened?\" Lily asked, pushing her way past the crowd.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"This retard pushed my sister.\" Misty said, looking towards the offending reporter.\u0026nbsp; \"Get Daisy to her room, please.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nViolet and Lily helped their sister stand, the crowd parting quickly to allow the three ladies space.\u0026nbsp; As soon as Daisy was out of sight, cameras and recording devices were pointed towards us.\u0026nbsp; Misty turned to me, frowning as she pointed again to the crowd beside her.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I tried to tell them that you weren't available.\" she said loudly.\u0026nbsp; \"But Violet thought it would be good for you to get some time in the spotlight.\u0026nbsp; Don't mind me if I stay and listen.\u0026nbsp; They're still convinced I threw the match for you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What?!\" I exclaimed, surprised.\u0026nbsp; Shaking my head.\u0026nbsp; \"No, there's no way Misty threw the match.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA woman with a recording device was the first to speak.\u0026nbsp; \"So, are you really Aaron Elazar, son of Daniel and Laura Elazar?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI raised my eyebrow and tried not to laugh.\u0026nbsp; \"Yeah, that's mom and dad alright.\u0026nbsp; They're still in Sinnoh, before you ask.\u0026nbsp; No, the next book isn't done yet because I was still helping them record information before I went to become a trainer.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What made you become a breeder?\" someone else asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Circumstances that are pretty personal.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"What kind?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I just said they're pretty personal.\u0026nbsp; I don't want to share.\" I answered with a shrug.\u0026nbsp; Misty laughed for a moment as the reporters looked at each other dubiously.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How did you capture a Deoxys?\" someone else asked after a moment.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I didn't.\u0026nbsp; She chose to come along with me under her own free will.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How many Pokémon do you have with you?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Nine.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"How did you come by your method of battling?\" a quiet voice asked.\u0026nbsp; Everyone looked to see a young reporter with a steno pad and pen in hand.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI shrugged.\u0026nbsp; \"They know themselves better than I do.\" I answered.\u0026nbsp; \"They know what they can or can't do.\u0026nbsp; They don't need me shouting orders all the time.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"So you take a more passive role in a fight.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Like I said, it's better than shouting myself hoarse.\u0026nbsp; I trust them, and they trust me.\u0026nbsp; It's more than I ever wished for.\u0026nbsp; My path as a trainer isn't the same as everyone else.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Sounds like you have a story to tell.\" the lady said, a grin forming on her face.\u0026nbsp; The reporters all jumped on the chance of a possible answer.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nSomething tightened around my left hand.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe was looking at me intently, two of her tentacles wrapped tightly around my fingers.\u0026nbsp; I smiled at her and she nodded to me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"I'm sure there is one, but it's probably not my own.\u0026nbsp; My story isn't going to make anyone famous, and just because I beat Misty doesn't make me something to expect in the next tournament or whatever.\u0026nbsp; Don't expect to see me again, because I don't plan to stay here for very long either.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI turned to Misty, smiling at her.\u0026nbsp; \"We'll be taking our leave.\u0026nbsp; Don't worry, I'm pretty sure Iolanthe has me covered.\u0026nbsp; Will you be alright?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"As long as Daisy is fine.\" she said, shrugging.\u0026nbsp; \"If not, someone's gonna pay.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI laughed as I turned to Iolanthe.\u0026nbsp; \"Can you teleport us back to our room?\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nShe nodded.\u0026nbsp; My world blurred together, Misty's laugh and the clamoring of the reporters the only things that echoed throughout.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe's teleporting felt slightly less disorientating, though maybe I was just getting used to the effects.\u0026nbsp; As soon as my world stopped spinning, my back landed on the bed as Iolanthe rested on top of me.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nA tentacle stroked the side of my face.\u0026nbsp; Iolanthe's face was in front of mine, eyes looking straight into mine.\u0026nbsp; She lowered her face against mine, her smooth skin meeting my lips again.\u0026nbsp; No part of my body was safe from her touch.\u0026nbsp; A sliding tentacle hooked around my trunks, pulling them down and off my body.\u0026nbsp; She pulled away for a moment, her eyes peering into mine.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Since when was the light on?\" I asked.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Don't change the subject.\" she said sternly.\u0026nbsp; \"I want to be able to look at you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\nI chuckled, but another concern surfaced in my thoughts.\u0026nbsp; \"I have already mentioned to Nurse Joy that we should not be disturbed.\" she said.\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"You think of everything, don't you.\"\n\n\u0026nbsp;\n\n\"Song suggested that I take what I want from you.\" she said softly.\u0026nbsp; \"I intend to follow on that today.\"\n\n  \n  \n\n","series":{"name":"A Trainer\\'s Tale","previous":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/316528-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-25.json","next":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/349076-a-trainer-s-tale-chapter-27.json"}}