"Vicky!"
"Wassa?" I blinked awake at the yell. Looking up, Ivy was hurrying over and then grabbing me "Hey!" I yelped at the rough treatment.
"You’re late! Stupid!" She yelled at me and started trying to drag me along but I fought her for a second.
Mouth wipe, yep that was drool. Alright I was cleaned up.
"Okay I’m going, relax."
"You’re late! They’ve called for you!"
"It’s fine. Not like they’re going to have the finals without me." I joked which didn’t go well as Ivy turned to glare at me.
"Take this seriously! This is... Vicky, this isn’t something to joke about. You’re in the finals! In your first conference!"
"Yeah I know. I did the battles myself." I told her a little flatly but Ivy spun on me again and brought her face so close she was practically nose to nose.
"I know you’ll win Vicky, but this isn’t about just winning... You have to do more than just that. You’re in the finals, you could face the Elite Four! Vicky... You represent all of us. So don’t mess it up." Ivy said and then tapped a fist into my shoulder.
"Yeah alright." I said, taking a breath and letting it out I stretched and worked my neck for a minute.
A frantic nurse joy was there before breathing out in relief as she saw me as she entered the locker room. "There you are!" She yelped and offered me my pokeballs.
"Thank you." I told her as I hooked them on, patting them gently. "I represent all of Kanto right? Then I guess I should show everyone what a Kanto trainer can do." I told Ivy with a big smile.
"That’s right." Ivy said smirking and then she went behind me and started pushing.
"H-Hey!"
"Now hurry up! Being late is not cool!"
"The cool kid always shows up late for the tournament." I offered, and Ivy scoffed.
"Only idiots do that."
"Oh so Ash is an idiot? I’ll have to tell- Ow ow ow!"
"Move it!" Ivy hissed and I hurried away at her pinching hands. Jeez, was she part Krabby?
Rubbing at my ear I hurried down the hall until suddenly as I broke through onto the field the noise peaked and slammed into me, actually stopping me cold.
Lights pointed at me, and the crowd roared. So many people they were uncountable to me. Just a pure mass, all screaming and shouting. Noise makers went off, and I just looked up.
So this was what the final match of the conference was like?
I raised my hands and waved to the people shouting and cheering as I approached the trainers stand.
"And here she is! A little late, but Victoria Ferrous takes the field!" The Announcer called out. I walked up the steps finally arriving at my position.
Across from me was Terrance.
The boy looked annoyed at my lateness, but his face calmed down and he was soon focused and glaring.
"Before this match begins, President Goodshow will offer some words!" The Announcer called out and I just breathed as the spotlights shifted to show an old man with a big beard adjusting a microphone.
"Once more, we see the incredible talent of the youth. We’ve watched them reach the end of their first year journey, or their second, or third or more! Once more the Kanto Pokemon League has guided a new generation towards this goal, not just training pokemon, but discovering themselves along their journey. I am proud of every Trainer that took part this year, on a journey, or as a gym trainer, or Leader. If this generation of trainers prove anything it’s that Kanto’s future is in good hands! Now! I won’t hold you!"
The light cut off, once more leaving it as just me and Terrance.
A night battle under stadium lights.
The noise of the crowd was loud but it all fell away as I waited, my hand already wrapped around a pokeball. I knew who to start with.
"Let the final battle of the Indigo League Conference, Victoria Ferrous, Vs. Terrance Itsuki! Begin!"
My hand moved, and a pokeball was thrown.
Terrance did the same and both pokeballs fell into the bright light of the arena before exploding open.
Arcanine howled as she appeared, I could tell how excited she was with how many embers were floating off her fur.
But it looks like someone had tried to be sneaky.
"Gol! Golem go!"
"Arc! Arc!" Arcanine barked back as Golem slammed his fists into his chest.
It was a good choice. Heavy defense, and a type advantage. Golem against Arcanine was a great choice by Terrance. Except Golem was slow.
"Arcanine! Go!"
"Golem!" Terrance yelled and then it was on.
Arcanine blurred across the battlefield her zig zagging rush meant Golem couldn’t tell exactly when she would appear, and then there was a massive crash metal on rock.
The attack was brutal, and Golem was pushed back skidding across the grassy field, but to my surprise, Terrance had obviously planned for that.
Golem had grabbed onto Arcanine expecting the attack no doubt.
The fact she couldn’t bounce back like she normally did gave Golem all the time he needed for his own attack to burst out from the ground.
Slabs of Rock burst from the grass and slammed into Arcanine, earning a roar from my big dog.
Rock Tomb. Trying to slow Arcanine down? Not sure if that’s going to be enough!
Arcanine suddenly burst out of the rocks shooting into the sky as she jumped back and landed heavily. Rocks were still sticking to her, weighing her down, and more importantly making her gait a little off.
"That’s not enough! Arcanine Rush it down!" I called out, Golem wouldn’t last through another hit regardless.
"DO IT!" Terrance called out, and I blinked and had to cover my eyes as suddenly dust and grime washed over me.
Explosion.
He’d waited for Arcanine to charge in so she’d get hit.
That was certainly a choice. The smoke cleared slowly.
"Golem is no longer able to battle!" The referee called out, and Terrance returned his Rock Type. I watched as Arcanine became visible, she was breathing heavily, and looked battered. That was not a weak move.
If this was a normal situation I’d return her, but Arcanine didn’t want that.
Even if I did. She was hurt, and I hated seeing my girl hurt. I’d have to give her all the pets after this.
There was a pause and Terrance was looking from me to my Pokemon. The obvious concern on his face was kind, but I just shrugged at him. The action made his face harden and then he grabbed his pokeball.
"Go!" The ball bounced and then popped open.
"Maaaaachamp!" The four armed fighting type roared out arms raised to the crowds.
Hmm. Weird choice, but I suppose there wasn’t any point in letting this continue.
"Arcanine! Go!" I roared out and my girl howled as she instantly burst forward in a blitz. I kept watching all the way expecting some trick to land before she struck, but I blinked when Machamp guarded up but took the blow.
Just like Golem.
The fighting Type rocked back, obviously unprepared for the full out power of a Extreme Speed Arcanine, but then it was over,
"Revenge!" Terrance had yelled just as the strike hit.
And even as Machamp was pushed backwards by a massive strike, one of his lower arms arched upwards.
This time Arcanine yelped as the blow caught her below her diaphragm and launched her upwards.
Revenge was a powerful move that only got stronger if the user had just been hit. Or something like that.
I winced as Arcanine hit the dirt and then it went quiet.
"Return!" I called out before the announcer could even call out that she couldn’t battle any longer. Yeah she was done.
"Take a rest." I whispered to her ball before attaching it back to my belt. A sacrifice play, into a pokemon that was meant to take the first hit...
It was a workable strategy. Terrance had just been the first Trainer to actually knock out any of my pokemon, that was impressive but...
The problem with this sort of strategy is it wasn’t sustainable. What was Terrance planning? He can’t win like this.
"Go! Milotic!" I roared out, no longer willing to dwell on it. This battle wasn’t over yet, but no matter what tricks he planned it wouldn’t matter.
"And Milotic takes the field! Look at his scales, truly they earned the title of most beautiful pokemon!" The announcer called out, as the ref dropped the flag.
"Prepare!" I called out and Milotic disappeared into the ground in a burst of water.
"Bulk Machamp!" Terrance called out only after seeing Milotic disappear.
So he was going to try for a sweep now?
He tended towards synergizing moves. Using one Pokemon to roll into the next’s abilities. Was he planning on some sort of Baton Pass? Did Machamp learn Baton Pass?
I shrugged it off, I’d find out soon enough.
Milotic would be preparing, digging down and getting his moves started for his own Sweep, and I’d bet on Milotic every day.
The arena went quiet outside the faint rumble of people talking, all of them wondering when Milotic would appear, or what would happen next.
Then Terrance broke the stalemate. "EARTHQUAKE!" He roared out, and I just had to nod. Good choice, Milotic was underground which would make the Earthquake really hurt.
It was unfortunately something that while we’d planned for, didn’t have a perfect response.
The water would help cushion him a bit, and he knew what to do if he could get to it fast enough. Hopefully he could use Protect.
Either way like I said, we’d come up with a plan for if someone tried to mess with Milotics Dig again.
Stupid Koga and his stupid Psychic dig attack!
The arena jerked and rumbled as the ground shifted but other than water spurting out in geysers, nothing else happened, and Terrance looked around as if expecting something to happen.
But it didn’t.
Milotic would already be recovering if he took damage, and my boy could outlast the damage. Either Machamp would tire itself out with Earthquake, or Milotic would finish preparing and make his move.
"And Victoria’s Milotic is nowhere to be seen! Has it been knocked out by that groundbreaking Earthquake!?" The announcer called out and I rolled my eyes at the pun, but it became more serious a moment later when the referee looked at me and threw up a flag.
Shit.
Stupid tournament rules, they were going to call him K.O’ed unless he popped up soon.
I grabbed the guard rail on the stand I was on and took a deep breath.
"MILOTIC FULL POWER!" I roared as loud and as long as I could. Ugh. Throat is sore.
But then a moment later the ground rumbled under Machamp, and Terrance reacted.
"Dodge it!" He yelled out, his Machamp leaping forward. Doing a pretty cool sort of front flip using his four arms to keep him rolling as the ground exploded as Milotic burst out of the ground.
His entire body buzzed with power, and glowed white, but his tail carried with him a glob of water that as he reached his apex formed into an extension of his pretty tail.
Which then came rushing down towards Machamp.
There was the sound of flesh on flesh as Aqua Tail slammed down into the Machamps guard. Four arms all working together to try and stop the attack.
It was only partially effective.
Machamp made a grunt as the attack landed and the arena below his feet, already damaged by Earthquake, cracked and then crumbled. His footing lost, I realized it was over, and a moment later Milotic spun into another attack that Machamp was simply not capable of blocking.
The side blow, not even a full move, but just physical power blew Machamp away as he went tumbling across the arena.
"A powerful surprise attack!" The announcer called out but I tuned out the chattering.
Machamp rose up looking shocked at the strength of the blow, but then Terrance was there. "Get Close!"
Once again the icon on the screen showed an X, while Gyarados was simply returned, not that I planned on using him again in this match considering how bad those electric attacks would be against him.
I threw out my next pokeball. Unfortunately it meant a mirror match again.
Raichu was returned, and Lapras once more was released.
Very well, if he thought Ice would be enough he was wrong.
"The match returns! Furious Dragonite, vs. Beautiful Lapras! Who will win? Ice, or Dragon!?" The announcer called out, and I just threw out my hand.
"Dragonite! Thunder Punch!"
"Ice Beam!"
But Lapras was just too slow, and before it could even begin charging Dragonite slammed into her. The crack of thunder echoed out, and the poor thing squealed at the force of the blow, being knocked almost onto her side from the strike.
But this wasn’t a wild pokemon. This Lapras was trained well. She shifted and opened her mouth.
The Ice Beam struck and Dragonite flinched back as her shoulder was coated, but it wasn’t enough of a hit to freeze her, she beat her wings and disappeared from Lapras’s eyes flying straight up to get some space.
The battle was set.
Already Dragonite was using the space, beginning a Dragon Dance that would end this battle, even as Lapras used Recover to restore herself from that powerful strike.
"Lapras! Hail!" Terrance called out, as Lapras sang to the sky and the sky went dark, Sunny Day gone and the crackle of ice landing on the ground suddenly picked up.
"Dragonite! Prepare!" I called out, and I could see her nod at my order even as the hail started battering her, but she never stopped her Dragon Dance.
"Okay Lapras! Go for it!" Terrance yelled, I watched as Lapras began shooting Ice Beam into the sky at Dragonite.
It was easy for Dragonite to dodge, the beam shooting into the sky causing more and more ice to fall all over the battlefield as Dragonite continued to prepare for a sweep.
Then Dragonite roared practically blowing away the ice from around her as she was satisfied with her preparation!
"Lapras! Now! Perish Song!" Terrance called out in desperation, and the ringing dirge echoed out even as Dragonite simply disappeared from the sky and a blazing jagged cut appeared in the hail storm showing her path as she slammed into Lapras.
Perish Song? Why this late? It was late for that.
"And Victoria is on a timer! As Perish Song will knock out her Pokemon soon!"
Lapras was returned, the poor thing knocked out, and Terrance released his final pokemon. Probably one that was the most dangerous.
"Alakazam!" Called out the Psychic type Pokemon as he appeared on the battlefield.
The match restarted quickly.
"Go!" I yelled out, but even as Dragonite used Dragon Rush and buzzed across the battlefield, Alakazam disappeared in a static burst.
Ah. Teleport.
I looked around and couldn’t see him. Dragonite and I both began searching, up? No, the Hail clouds weren’t dense enough to block sight. Down? I looked into the cracked ruined arena, and realized this was the plan.
Sneaky, but I wasn’t going to just let Dragonite get knocked out! "Dragonite! Bring it all down! DRACO METEOR!" I roared out and she instantly spread her arms and energy burned inside her.
"Hail Storm!" Terrance yelled in return. And I blinked at the shout before I saw it. All across the battlefield, every bit of Hail all the Ice suddenly glowed, and then shot upwards towards Dragonite!
The flower of Draco Meteor exploded in the sky, the energy starting to fall downwards as it smashed into the hail that was shooting upwards, the ice chunks throwing into the sky slammed into the Draco Meteors, just one or two wasn’t enough, but a hundred? Each? The hail slowly disrupted the attacks.
Suddenly the sky of the arena was filled with explosions and sparkling lights as the Draco Meteors discharged early. Exploding and shaking everything each time.
It was our very own fireworks. I felt my smile stretch as the sky lit up with explosion after explosion.
How beautiful.
Then thanks to all the flashing lights, and the Ice lifting off, Dragonite must have spotted her target.
There was the sound of a roar, dopplered with how fast she was moving and a crash.
"I can’t see anything folks! Will we have a winner when the dust clears on this magnificent display!?"
And then it did clear, and I couldn’t help but break into a bit of giggles.
Dragonite had found her target but at some point she must have been knocked out by Perish Song.
Poor Alakazam was crushed underneath her, only his hands filled with spoons jutting out from her scales showed that he was there.
"Return!" I called out, Dragonite was obviously out, but...
Terrance was on the edge of the stand looking down, desperation and fear spread across his face.
And then the referee dropped the flag.
"Alakazam is unable to battle! The winner of the Indigo League is Victoria Ferrous!" The announcer practically shrieked, and the entire arena came alive cheering and shouting, and before I could think to do anything, as Terrance returned his pokemon, there were muffled pops and above us lights exploded into the sky.
Real fireworks this time. I looked up and watched as they exploded even as people shrieked and cheered, and even as I’m sure I should do something but...
It was done.
I could finally... I took a deep breath and let it out even as my knees gave way and I fell. I stared into the sky.
I liked Dragonites Fireworks more I thought. These were nice, but Draco Meteor exploding had been spectacular. Truly and utterly spectacular.
All of them had been. Even if I’m sure Arcanine would be utterly upset at her loss. But... I was done.
I’d spent more than a year working towards this. The Journey, the one thing that I’d been looking forward to and dreading.
It was over.
The finale to the entire trip was fireworks shot up into the sky on one of the tallest mountains in Kanto, and I felt...
I was happy, but more than that? I felt... Relieved. Sure I still had the Elite Four, and Lance but...
There was expectations around the Journey that I was finally free of. While Lance was personal. This was...
Ah, I remember this feeling. Graduating Highschool, finishing schooling, the expectation had flowed off my shoulder and I’d been free then too.
This wasn’t the end, but the start I realized. I closed my eyes, letting the lights of the fireworks explode over my eyelids.
This was the start of my life.
"VICKY!" I opened my eyes and smiled as I realized my friends and family were storming the stand. Ivy was already climbing onto the stand, as I turned and then I was tackled. "YOU DID IT!"
"I did it!" I cheered back and then I was swarmed as Papa was there, first helping Mama over the ledge before he reached down and just picked me up bodily from the ground disrupting Ivy for a moment as he spun me around, and then Mama was there hugging me from the other side.
Ivy was cheering, shouting and yet still barely heard over the noise of the crowd.
So. That was a Pokemon Journey.
Pretty fun, but now I had a Pokemon life to explore.
I felt my smile stretch wide as I raised my hands into the sky from Papa’s arms and roared in victory.
—--
While the final presentation was being completed, I found myself standing beside Terrance in the trainer waiting area. There was an awkward silence for a while as we watched the proceedings on the TV in the corner, waiting for us to be called.
But the awkward silence stretched out until finally as I glanced over, I noticed Terrance was looking at me.
"It was a good fight." I offered to him earnestly.
"You went easy on me." He finally said after staring down at me for a while. "You could have swept my team with Milotic, you had the time and prep, but you pulled him, and you used your Lucario which is weaker... You held back as well."
"A little." I admitted honestly after a few moments. If things had gotten any tougher, I’d have definitely stopped holding back and let Blissey take the field, or worked out some of the moves I’d learned from Koga to prepare a real sweep.
Instead I’d fought like I had mostly before fighting Koga. Letting my Pokemon brawl their way to a win.
"Even with all my planning I couldn’t beat you." He muttered despondently, and I stood there for a while. Losing... Sucked. Like really super sucked, and the winner offering condolences was...
Salt on the wound.
So I wasn’t going to do that, instead I took a breath.
"I didn’t expect you to take out Arcanine like that. Or the Perish Song thing. You tried to let Dragonite fail to do anything against Alakazam."
"I... Had planned on doing that against your Blissey. I was going to return Lapras after your Dragonite hit her, and then do the same thing. But Lapras got knocked out... None of my pokemon could keep up. I had to use Explosion, and tricks."
"So?" I asked honestly. "Tricks are just fine. If a trainer loses to a trick, it’s a trick they’ll never forget and learn from. It was a good match. I’ll worry about Arcanine rushing pokemon that can Explode from now on. I didn’t expect it."
"It was the only thing I could think of to take out your Arcanine. If I didn’t knock her out early, she’d be unstoppable. It didn’t even work, not really." He answered a bit bitterly.
"Heh. So you had to plan a lot to beat her? I’ll have to tell her that. It’ll make her happy that it took that much... Not that it’s going to stop the whining." I muttered. I was dreading dealing with her once she was healed up.
"How’d you-? Nevermind. I won’t stop, this won’t be my last conference, and next year I’ll take the win."
"Probably." Before I could say anything more one of the aides entered the little waiting area.
"They’re ready for you now!" The woman in a suit offered with a bow.
We followed after her, the third place trainer joining us in a rush, looking excited, as we headed for the exit.
There the announcer called us in.
"And here now are the top ranking trainers of this Pokemon League competition! Please join us in saluting them along with their pokemon for their skill and dedication to the ideals of the Pokemon League!"
We walked out onto the field directly onto a podium where we each took our position, all the trainers that had taken part of the conference were on the field alongside us, holding the Indigo conference badge that had been passed out to them beforehand.
As we took our places the field and stands erupted in applause. Cheering and shouting. I raised a hand to the sky and waved at everyone that was cheering, happy that everyone was happy.
Then President Goodshow stepped out and walked to each of us. He spoke to the others first. Offering them words of encouragement and then both a trophy, alongside a special medal, placed around their neck.
And then it was my turn. Even with the crowd quieting down it was still incredibly loud, but he spoke clearly and loudly enough I could catch it.
"Miss Ferrous. You’ve truly shown the heart of a real Pokemon Trainer today. Be proud stand tall, and grow even further in the future!" I smiled at his words and for once actually had to bend my head to someone else as he was shorter than I was!
When the medal was placed over my neck a large trophy was handed over and despite the aides around him struggling with it, and attempting to put it down I just hefted the massive thing up and threw it over my head.
"It’s finally over!" I couldn’t help but yell as loud as I could, laughing and cheering as the crowd once more roared.
—--
"Nooo. I’m sleeping in today!" I whined as a familiar tongue licked at my toes demanding I wake up as the sun rose despite the fact I’d been up super late last night!
"Arcany! I’m- DON’T YOU DARE!" I yelped as I felt his teeth gently wrap around my ankle that I was trying to hide in my blankets and then I was yanked right off the bed. I had just a moment to see Pillow sit up and lay back down on my pillow as I was pulled right off of bed and then carried kicking and yelling out of my room.
Arcany was a bit careful for a moment as I was dragged out around the new display case in the living room which might have been a bad purchase as the Indigo league trophy didn’t really fit on it.
Why make such a massive pain in the ass trophy?
But then I was outside and dropped into the damp grass.
"You know I’m going to make you regret this right?" I asked him, but Arcany just sat his tail wagging as I spit the bits of grass out of my mouth as I sat up.
The sun was rising. The Milotic were already up and singing to each other, and then to me as they saw me.
Dragonite was snoozing among the berry trees, with her hubby wrapped around her. Blue Heart peaked his head out of the water and gave a yawn noise which was his not growl greeting.
I looked over and Arcanine was still hiding in the hole she had dug last night. That was a bit too close to the porch though. I’ll have to get her to cut that out later today before she undermines the whole house.
"Bliss bliss!" Blissey greeted me as she jogged past, the cute little sweat band around her head that she liked to wear when she was exercising.
And I’m pretty sure I’d seen Lucario in the kitchen helping out Mama when I was dragged past.
"What a journey." I whispered to myself. I couldn’t have ever imagined I’d really do all that. Wander around Kanto, fight the gyms. Win the Conference. I’d done that. Nerd Vicky. The pokemon obsessed girl.
Well I shrugged and took it for what it is. This was my life, and I still had a whole lot more living to do.
But for now I really needed to go back inside and warm up, because my toes were hecking freezing!
Stupid dog slobber!