Selene
A flash of white and an abrupt movement caught Selene's eye, and with an audible groan the girl knew exactly what was happening before she even looked up...just to confirm her suspicions, however, her eyes flicked over to the approaching figure of Mackenzie Quigg with all the enthusiasm of a Charmander being dunked in a 6th deep pool of water. Of all the rotten...
"hello," she responded simply as the girl finally reached her, making contact with those creepy violet eyes ever so briefly before turning her attentions around her for any potential saviours. Ultimately she didn't want to be rude to the girl now matter how intense her dislike of her, for a number of reasons. First and foremost it just wasn't in her nature to make enemies, and Selene didn't like bad feeling between people and herself, even if she didn't hold them in the highest of esteem as it was already. However, she knew all too well that, should she choose to, Mackenzie could strain the already strange relationship between herself and Valorie even further, and she didn't want her friend to face these problems. Selene had the capacity to bite back and dust herself off easily should Mackenzie attempt her previous games with her, but she feared that Valorie may not be able to bounce back so unscathed.
This being said, after what Selene had just been thinking and worrying about since leaving the Icy Plains atop Blu, the last person she wanted to be in conversation with-stroke-analysed by was Mackenzie. To this end, her eyes scanned the crowd of students around them, ever expanding as it drew closer to the 10am deadline, searching for any escape for herself. As her eyes met the oddly sneering face of a blue-jacketed Suicune dorm student, she realised that she could be getting herself into a spot of bother here but deciding it was worth it to be free of that violet stare, she seized the chance with all the enthusiasm of a landed Goldeen diving into water.
"problem mate?" she asked loudly, silently praying her thanks to Arceus above when the student swivelled to face her fully, sneer still intact.
"you could say that, friend," the deliberately obnoxious voice returned as the girl stepped closer to Selene, arms folded and jacket riding up slightly to reveal pokeballs on her belt, almost like a badly-written Western movie where the cowboy reveals his concealed gun before he opens fire. "we've become aware of you, Selene Evans. You're...close with Valorie Ryder. Am I correct?"
Bristling, Selene raised an eyebrow. How did they know her name..? "what of it?" she questioned shortly, concerned suddenly by the turn this conversation was taking.
"Suicine dorm students aren't meant to be party to lowering their standards and associating with their inferiors. As a dorm, we do not like this. In fact," she raised her wrist and checked her Xtransciever with a smug smirk, "a few of my fellows will be teaching Ms Ryder that lesson right about now. While I have you here," she pulled a pokeball into her hand and enlarged it, face taking on an almost curious expression as she tilted her head to survey Selene, "i'll make sure you fully understand the severity of the situation. Prepare to be educated."
And with that she released her Garchomp, whose head instantly turned to Selene, wasting no time in actively trying to attack her with a Dragon Rush attack. Acting on instinct, Selene released Ri, who spent a fraction of a second surveying the Garchomp before meeting it's Dragon Rush head on with a Force Palm that sent it flying backwards. By this point, the students had formed a circle around Selene and the Suicune dorm girl, watching the battle raptly with mixed expressions of awe, excitement and surprise. Selene looked round for any teachers, seeing that none were around to interrupt the battle just as Garchomp dug underground. Sel frowned at the girl - how had she done that? She seemed fully in control - not like Valorie with Charmeleon - but she hadn't uttered a single command. Ri, fully using his ability to read auras, seemed to know where Garchomp was underground and was nimbly dashing around to confuse the Dragon, but it was too little, the Garchomp was too fast and as it burst from underneath Ri, smashing into him Selene knew he had fainted before his limp body hit the ground. ReturnIng him, there was no time for soppy congratulations as she released Ryan to incredulous laughter.
"your little lightning mouse won't do much to my Garchomp!" sneered the girl before Garchomp zeroed in on Ryan and rushed at him with claws outstretched, in a Dragon Claw. But whilst Garchomp was fast, so was Ryan, thus Selene instructed him to use his Quick Attack, swiftly dodging the Garchomp before wheeling round and flying through the air in an Iron Tail, that struck the back of the Garchomp's head and sent it sprawling face first into the ground. "good, now Double Team Ryan!" yelled Selene, only to watch horrified as from the floor the Garchomp struck Ryan with his Dragon Tail before he could muster any clones. Ryan cried out as he was sent sprawling through the air, but Selene could tell that Garchomp was tired after fighting Ri too. "Once more Ryan! Come on, you can do this!" she urged, smiling slightly as Ryan pushed himself to his feet and ran at Garchomp, who had pulled itself to it's feet, and couldnt react in time as Ryans Iron Tail struck the side of it's head, sending it fainted to the ground.
Growling, the girl returned Garchomp and smirked, sending out...Golem. Oh man. "we can do this Ry, use your Double Team!" she said faux-confidently, but even as Ryans doubles surrounded Golem, he launched into a ferocious Rollout that shook the very earth, mowing down each clone in the circle before smashing into Ryan, who flew backwards into the crowd of students limp and noiseless - he had fainted. Holding out his PokeBall, though she couldn't see him, she saw the dash of red light meaning he had been returned safely. Motioning with her head, Selene sent out Blu, her Altaria flying to the middle of the battlefield and eyeing up his opponent with a steady beating of the wings. With a sinking feeling, Selene remembered that she hadn't healed her Altaria up after her final battle on the Icy Plains...he was pretty tired, but still had plenty of strength to take on this Golem.
"Blu, Ice Beam!" instructed Selene, watching as the Ice Beam clipped the Golem's foot even as it leapt into its Rollout. It didn't seem to do much damage however, as the Golem flew into the air towards Blu in its Rollout, Blu swiftly dodging by flipping in the air. Selene smiled, Blu's flying ability could compensate for his tiredness, Golem's Ground attacks couldn't touch him and Golem wasn't fast enough to hit with Rollout. But even as Selene began to order Blu to use his Barrier, her heart sank as Golem aimed a precise Rock Throw from behind Blu. "UP BLU, DODGE!" shouted Selene urgently, watching as Blu swerved and ducked as the Golem threw the rocks relentlessly, clipped by some of the smaller ones, growing progressively weaker. As a larger rock hit his head, Selene watched as his eyes closed and he began to plummet towards the ground, returning him before he could hit the earth. Deciding to play this girl at her own game, she decided to use her own type advantages and sent out Sharpay, the Seadra eyeing the Golem sharply.
"Okay Sharpay, use your Water Gun, but combine it with your octazooka!" she shouted, watching as the combined jet of black ink and rushing azure water flew towards the Golem, who tackled it straight on with its Rollout attack. Just as Selene had hoped, it was her turn to smirk as the Golem's rolling progressively slowed as it became saturated in the thick black ink, until it had stopped directly. "Okay, now just Water Gun!" shouted Selene, ignoring the girl opposite her as she scoffed.
"What?! You'll just wash off all that ink! Then you'll be sor-" she trailed off as the Water Gun hit the Golem, creating a clear side where the water pummeled the Golem, progressively weakening it until it seemed to lose all its sturdiness and was thrown backwards, sending students flying to either side before the Suicune girl expressionlessly returned her fainted Golem in mid-air before the Pokemon could seriously maim anybody. She turned to Selene with all previous expressions of smug superiority vanished, and there seemed to be a pervading sense of a turning tide among all those witnessing the battle. Stopping herself from growing over confident, Selene reminded herself that it took 2 of her Pokemon to knock out each of this girl's, and so the odds were still stacked against her.
Wordlessly, she released a Victreebel, and a very vicious Razor Leaf suddenly flew towards Sharpay. "Aurora Beam!" Selene yelled briskly, watching as the rainbow beam intercepted the leaves and took away their momentum, making them float uselessly to the ground. However, Victreebel's Vine Whip had snuck around the Aurora Beam and smashed into Sharpay, sending her spinning through the air. Catching herself, Sharpay countered with Selene's instructions, a huge Twister brewing and flying through towards Victreebel who was not fast enough to get out of the way, being swallowed by the Twister and flying around in the vicious winds. Using its Vine Whip, however, it wrapped the green lines around a nearby pole and pulled itself out of the Twister, using its last bit of energy to hit Sharpay with the Razor Leaf she had previously defended herself against, succumbing to fainting.
Returning Sharpay, Selene's face set. Only Gordon and Cat now. Victreebel was weak...deciding on a spur of the moment, Selene sent out Gordon. "Incinerate!" she instructed firmly, knowing full well that this one attack would do the job. Victreebel had been too weakened by Sharpay to fight back, and was engulfed by the fire attack, fainting instantly. Switching Victreebel with a Haunter, Selene inwardly cursed. If Gordon fell to the Haunter, then Cat wouldn't have any effective attacks against the Ghost-type Pokemon...well, Selene decided with a steely resolve, she would have to ensure that Gordon didn't fall in this battle. She would teach this Suicune snob to mess with her and her friends.
"Gordon, Flamethrower!" shouted Selene, watching as the harsh jet of flame flew towards the Haunter who just...vanished into thin air! What?! How could it do that! Appearing behind Gordon, her fire monkey was hit with a sticky Shadow Ball attack, sending him face-forward onto the floor. Relentless, Selene understood why the girl was so smug in sending out Haunter, as it's Hypnosis washed over Gordon, putting him fast to sleep. In sleep his face was adorable...but not in battle, this is not a sight that Selene wanted to see. Searching in her bag, Selene couldn't find an Awakening in time and had to watch with a fallen face as Haunter's Dream Eater caused Gordon's face to contort in pain and small yelps be wrought from his throat, with Haunter becoming stronger and stronger with each passing moment that he fed off Gordon's dreams. In little time, Gordon's face turned painless and Selene realised, crestfallen, that he had fainted. Returning him, Selene was distraught...what to do now? Send out Cat knowing full well he would lose? But she couldn't surrender...
No. She wouldn't surrender. "You may have me," she said quietly, returning Gordon and clutching the Pokeball of Cat blankly, feeling somewhat numb, "but I will never let you do this to me or my friends without fighting you, tooth and nail, with my own fists if need be." She stared straight at the girl with hate in her face as she released Cat, trying to ignore the laugh that sounded from her.
"Is that it? Okay then, I'll make this quick for you," she smirked as Haunter sent out a Shadow Ball, Cat teleporting out of the way before it could hit. Selene couldn't help a small smile - oh yes. Two could play at the whole vanishing game. Re-appearing, Cat set up a Barrier as Haunter sent another Shadow Ball straight at her before countering with a Psybeam, Selene knew that it was pointless even as she commanded it but what else could she...oh hold on...Selene watched as Haunter shrieked, hands clutching at its own head as it was engulfed in the Psybeam. What?! She thought that Ghost-type Pokemon were...oh wow! Practically facepalming herself, Selene realised one crucial thing she had overlooked - Haunter was a Ghost- and Poison dual type Pokemon! And Psychic type attacks were very effective against Poison types! With renewed hope like a lit sparkler, Selene observed that the Haunter was still a danger as the Shadow Ball, weakened by the Barrier, hit Cat and made her flinch. In the break of the Psybeam, Haunter's eyes snapped open and it vanished slowly, appearing behind Cat who had sensed it's presence, firing a Psybeam even as Haunter launched its own Night Shade. Selene's eyes clenched closed as the two attacks collided with a blinding purple light...when the light subsided, Selene's heart sank as Haunter was laying on the floor with its eyes still open...whilst Cat had been knocked out.
Returning her Kadabra, Selene stared straight at the smug girl as she returned the Haunter wordlessly.
"Thought so." she said simply before stalking past Selene towards the Pokemon Centre. Humiliated, even though logically she knew she put up a good fight, Selene clenched her fists and glanced at Mackenzie with burning cheeks before staring back at the ground, her fury interrupted by a voice she knew all too well.
"You fought well, don't be too harsh on yourself."
The students all gasped collectively and began to disperse, revealing the masculine figure of Brock in their midst, arms folded with his impassive stare watching Selene, who was too shell shocked to look furiously at the ground anymore, gaping openly at Brock with her mouth wide open. He unfolded his arms and walked over to Selene, reaching his hand out. For a wild moment she thought he was asking for her hand, and was about to reach out for him before realising he wanted her Pokeballs. Clamping her mouth closed, Selene unclipped her belt and handed it to him with furiously flushed cheeks - she had always loved Brock, his battle style...him...everything about him really...and for him to be here, asking for her Pokeballs...
He pulled out a handheld computer and held it to each Pokeball in turn. There was a flash and a beep over each ball, his expressionless face seemingly concentrated. After he had repeated this process with each Pokeball, Brock handed the belt back to Selene with an almost curious stare, so intense that Selene struggled for words, unable to tear her eyes from him.
"I...uh..thank you..."
"You don't know what you're thanking me for," said Brock simply, raising an eyebrow. "But you would be right to - this is a handheld version of the healing machines in Pokemon Centres that I have developed myself. It is completely safe and it works. Your Pokemon are well trained, especially for an Entei student going up against a Suicune student..." he trailed off, watching Selene with his head slightly tilted. "Yes. I think I will battle you personally one day. Now, if you'll excuse me..." he nodded to Selene and Mackenzie before turning and walking towards the end of the Port, where a large horn blared suddenly, indicating that it was 5 minutes to 10 and acting as a final warning to any students who hadn't arrived at the Port yet.
Selene watched Brock's retreating back, her mouth wide open and face harrassed-looking...wow...however, a flash of bright light emerging from one of her PokeBalls drew snapped her attention back to the situation at hand, and Selene watched, astounded, as Sharpay emerged from her PokeBall of her own accord. Before she could ponder this, however, Sharpay was emitting that familiar light blue glow, growing ever brighter until it was all encompassing and had students shielding their own eyes...until where a Seadra once was, a Kingdra now stood...the Pokeon looked at her owner and the owner looked at her Pokemon briefly before the Kingdra crowed loudly and returned herself to her Pokeball, leaving Selene completely speechless. So much for the sweet, cuddly Horsea she had originally captured...
"WILL ALL STUDENTS MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE PORT IMMEDIATELY" came a voice over the tannoy system, blaring throughout the Academy and jolting Selene out of her reverie. She looked over at Mackenzie and shook her head, looking down at the ground and scuffing her boot against the ground.
"Don't start," she warned the girl, before she could even begin to bother her.