On top of that, this is the only fanfic I've ever read where a main character owns a Linoone-QUOTE]
Really? 0_0;
and the only one which does not start with a trainer beggining their journey. Good job, and don't stop!
Not suprising that I'm the first one you've read that started like that and not soemthing like "Hi, I'm Pete, I'm thirteen and I'm from Plaza Town. I'm going to get my first Pokemon today."
That is a REAL example of an ENTIRE first chapter. (The member's name on that site was "Perfect Pete", which defies reason).
btw:
Chapter 9:
Onix's head laid wearily on the silken grass. And there Lee stood, gazing down at his defeated Pokémon. Moonlight bathed him in a cloak of silver, reflecting in his watery eyes magnificently.
Overwhelming pity for Onix welled up inside him; the poor thing had been nearly killed by the hand of the Salesman twice now. First, it had been simple neglect that had wounded Onix so. But now, the Salesman had refused Onix as a Pokémon.
Lee knew the Salesman wasn't coming back for Onix when he caught it in a Pokéball; the Salesman must've destroyed Onix's ball as he fled, else the Luxury Ball would have been ineffective. But this was a whole new confrontation. Rather than ignoring the Onix, the Salesman had struck out. Had Onix not been as swift, the Salesman would have killed it without a second thought. Perhaps that was his aim in attacking Onix, even. Lee didn't want to know.
But this merciless assault on Onix had wounded it severely. Lee moved along the body of the great serpent, looking for the wound. And all of a sudden, there it was. A black hole in the regal body of the snake, sucking in the air and the germs it carried.
It didn't look too severe. But Lee knew better. Onix was in a fragile state, both in mind and body. This blow was undoubtedly a signal flare to the mighty Pokémon. One blow. One blow was all it took to take Onix down. And from an attack generally seen as weak on a Marowak!
How Onix would tolerate this indignity wasn't clear at this point. But Lee knew Marowak impaling his partner had caused a whole new problem. Onix was still susceptible to bacterial and viral infection from its energy-consuming Explosion a few days ago.
Despite the immediate pain the injury had brought, Onix faced a whole new problem and a whole new pain. A gateway had been opened, and Lee needed to seal it as quickly as possible. Lee walked up to Onix's head, and examined it. Onix looked peaceful as it slumbered, but Lee knew pain and torment wracked the mind of the mistreated creature.
Without wasting a moment, Lee pulled a Pokéball from his waist and returned Onix, revealing the flattened grass beneath it once more. Lee spun in a circle, trying to find his way back. One way led to the Lake of Rage. One way led to the town situated nearby. And any ways that were not those two ways would leave Lee lost and confused in the vast forest that guarded the city.
Lee rotated once more, but stopped as something caught his eye. Was it light? It looked like it. It could be a star, or it could be the moon, neither of which would assist him all that well. But it could be one of the telltale lights of the festival, lights which would guide him home. Energy igniting his bones, Lee began in the direction of the light, moving at a steady gait.
The trees leered down at him, obscuring his vision and mockingly preventing a clear view. The dreadful silence of the forest was just as unnerving. Surely the Hoothoot still called? Surely the Spinarak still chattered? Lee knew the absence of sound was a bad sign. What this indicated, though, he was unsure of.
And, all at once, the trees released their hold on the adolescent, allowing him to stumble into a clearing as a Torchic bursts from its Egg. The sight that met Lee's eyes was a disappointing one. Rather than the inviting lights of the city, Lee found the moon bleeding its colors upon the still lake.
Lee almost screamed in frustration, but was then hit by a very obvious realization. If the Lake of Rage was ahead of him, then the city must be behind him. Sure enough, as Lee twirled on the spot, he saw the elevated plateau that held the city in its careful caress.
Grinning in ecstasy, Lee ran forward into the forest. A twig snapped beneath his foot. Lee stopped, and heard the sound echo across the forest. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. What sort of forest was this, devoid of sound and life? No area on Earth could possibly be this silent, and yet, this forest laughed at that unwritten law.
Unsettled, Lee began to chant a song under his breath, hoping the sound would comfort him. It was slow and sweet, something Lee needed; a fast and furious song would only alarm him, and cause him to hallucinate.
But then, as he reached the high part, he stopped singing. The word 'reverse' was too high-pitched in the original for him to emulate. But then, as he stopped, the evil silence returned.
Lee felt foolish for singing; if any creature dwelled in this verdant void, it would've heard him coming a mile off. Moving more quickly now, Lee was careful to avoid any dried leaf or twig that might alert a resident of the woods to his presence.
And then, from out of nowhere, a streak of white shot by, less than an inch from Lee's face. Lee took a couple of steps before he realized what had just occurred. He turned around, a cold sweat glazing his face, and saw a bone impaling a young sapling.
But this was no ordinary bone. It was sharp, deathly sharp. The point had been honed to razor precision, designed specifically to pierce the hides of its victim. It was thin yet sturdy. Thin so it could slice through the air and kill before the victim realized what had happened. Sturdy so it would not break, so it would penetrate even the most impregnable of pelts; an Onix hide, for example.....
Just as Lee realized what had happened, something heavy bowled into him, knocking him off his feet. Stunned, Lee fell to the ground, and was pinned there as a muscular Marowak secured its legs on either side of his torso.
The Pokémon turned swiftly, and pulled the bone adroitly from the wounded tree. As Marowak raised the bone high above its head, Lee saw that a pale coating of blood tainted the white weapon. The blood of his Onix. It had survived, but if the next two seconds went in the way Marowak had planned, Lee would not.
Struggling to either side would prove useless. Pushing out would only expose his heart(the bone was slanted toward his neck). There was only one thing to do.
As the bone streaked through the air, Lee pulled with his legs and jerked to the side. The movement was small under the secure hold of Marowak, but it was enough. Rather than spearing Lee's delicate throat, the bone slashed through the threads of Lee's shirt(his favorite one, too. Normally, the damage would have upset Lee, but there were more important things on his mind at the moment).
The bone had barely missed slicing the skin protecting Lee's sternocleido mastoid, but it had saved his life nonetheless. As the Marowak's attention went to the bone implanted in the ground and in Lee's shirt, Lee took advantage of its distraction.
He jerked upward, sending the Marowak off-balance. The cold bone parted company with the black shirt, flying back with its owner.
Lee sprang to his feet, and literally ran for his life. A whistling sound signaled the approach of the bone as it propelled through the air. Lee ducked in numb panic, but it wasn't aimed at his head.
Lee felt the bone become ensnared in his loose jeans. Losing his balance, he incontinently lurched forward, landing painfully on his rib cage. The feeling was unpleasant, but as nimble and powerful footsteps came closer, Lee knew the real pain was fast approaching.
Lee tried to stand, but the bone had been thrown in exactly the right way; it had ripped through the leg of his pants, and positioned itself so that Lee would stumble if he tried to regain his balance.
Hurriedly, Lee sat up and tried to remove the bone from his pants. But by that time, Marowak was already upon him. Brushing his arms away like an overprotective parent, Marowak removed the bone and sense it ripping horizontally through the air, swinging like a scythe at Lee's throat.
Lee lifted his head at the absolute last second. The bone snagged on the back of Lee's throat, cleaving the skin easily due to the velocity it was going. Lee felt the cold, slimy weapon press against his skin and shuddered.
Here was the full evil of the Salesman. The lives of Pokémon was one thing, but the lives of fellow humans meant nothing to him as well. Nothing was above him as long as he could succeed in life.
Marowak tried to alter the course of it, aiming to stab Lee through the esophagus. But its position wasn't as secure as it had been before, and Lee was able to throw the bloodthirsty creature off him with relative ease.
Again, Lee began to sprint. The city was but a few feet in front of him. People swarmed in the streets, innocent and enjoying themselves as the festival began to settle. Could Lee make it in time? He was tired and frightened, and skillful aversions were now all but beyond his capability.
Lee charged forward with renewed speed. Ahead of him, a man drinking a cup of Sake through a straw turned to stare at Lee.
"Pardon me, sir," Lee said. He skipped around the man, and prepared to weave his way through the thronging crowd. And then the bone struck his throat.
Lee felt it make contact, and prepared for an immense burst of anguish. But it just bounced off. Lee turned around to look at the bone. Marowak was a skilled sharpshooter where its bone was concerned, and it wouldn't have lost that much speed over such a short distance.
The bone was bathed in blood, nearly all of the white obscured by a bloody crimson. The wound on the back of Lee's neck throbbed as if in reminder of the past injury.
But how could this javelin have cut him that badly? Lee felt the pain, but he was fairly sure such a small injury wouldn't bleed like that. Perhaps the bone had stabbed Marowak as Lee had evaded the jab?
Lee looked up to see, but instead, he saw something much worse. The man drinking the Sake had frozen on the spot. And in the center of his throat was a wide hole.
Weakly, the man turned to face Lee. His curly brown hair and swampy-green eyes weren't very appealing or interesting. But as the Sake mingled with the blood flowing from the man's throat, Lee knew it would be a long time before he forgot this man.
The sapling had been lucky; it didn't bleed as the poor man did. Nor did it have a jugular vein from which blood erupted. With a feeble groan, the man toppled forward limply, and took his last breath. Lee just stared in disbelief, oblivious to the cries of children and the screams of adults as they watched the thin man collapse.
A flash of brown leaped over the man's body and toward Lee. Before Lee could even prepare, there was Marowak glaring up at him. Its wide, evil eyes bored in his, daring him to make a move. They were narrowed in malice and fury, telling Lee clearly that their owner wanted him dead.
Worst of all, though, were the irises. They were red, the blood of Marowak's victims, past and present, seeping into its malevolent gaze.
Marowak leaned down, scooping up its spear in its hand. This was the ideal time to finish off Lee. But as spectators drew closer, with oaths of anger and misery, Marowak held back. Instead, Marowak bounded off, speeding toward the forest before anyone could capture it.
Lee just stared, totally dumbstruck. In that glare he had returned, Lee had seen no sympathy, for the life Marowak had just swept away. Only regret, regret it hadn't been Lee to succumb to the hungry tip of the spear.
* * *
Lee was trembling as he made his way through the crowd. His stomach threatened to send his food back up, and he felt like crying. His close escape had unnerved him badly enough, but the death of the bystander had shaken him to the core.
Lee hadn't killed him, nor had he used him as a shield. It wasn't his fault that the man had died. But he still felt responsible for his murder, and it was a hard burden to bear. The coagulation of the blood and Sake, the light leaving his eyes, and his strangled gasps....Every detail of those few terrible seconds was haunting Lee, branding themselves into his brain.
How could the Salesman be so heartless? Lee was annoyed frequently and strongly, but he didn't go after them and try to kill them. Nor would he end the lives of the innocent if he planned to. Try as he might, Lee couldn't understand the Salesman's point of view. It was too frightening to think on.
Eventually, the Pokémon Center showed up in front of him, situated at the base of the enormous tournament building. Lee ambled through the doors, and watched as the nurse's face flushed with horror.
"Good heavens, young man, what happened!?" she shrieked in alarm. Lee just stared at her, uncomprehending.
Did she somehow know about the murder of the man? Was there blood on his body somewhere? Lee looked down, and found his jeans stained with blood. Lee didn't remember being cut there. Unless....
With a quiet gulp, Lee rolled up one of the legs. His face blanched as he saw a bloody puncture near his Achilles' Tendon. As though just finding this out for itself as well, waves of pain shuddered through Lee, originating from the wound.
Lee winced, and said, "Ah, just a cut I got from hiking. It's nothing. But my Onix needs some tending to; I'm afraid it's rather badly hurt." Lee hobbled over, newly aware of the strain it put on his cut leg.
He drew the Pokéball, and placed it on Nurse Joy's desk. Nurse Joy took the ball, and stared at him concernedly.
"What happened?" she inquired.
"A fight got out of hand. Onix got hurt pretty bad; there's a big hole in its chest, and its immune system is bit weak. I'm afraid it might get sick or something," Lee explained, preferring not to go into detail. Nurse Joy nodded an affirmative, and took the ball in her hand.
"This operation will probably take all night, if it's a serious injury," she said informatively. Lee nodded, and watched as the nurse retreated into the back rooms of the Center.
Weary and aching, Lee dropped onto a bench, and rested his face in his hands. Hardship seemed to follow him wherever he went. His Pokémon were getting hurt, he was getting hurt, and he was wrecking things around him.
And he had little money, a threat he was constantly aware of. The upcoming tournament was quite important; if he didn't win, his life would only take another unpleasant turn.
Deciding to look at the more positive things, Lee released Slugma, realizing he needed to spend more time with it. Slugma appeared on the floor, facing the opposite wall. Confused, Slugma turned, and found the face of its Trainer.
"Hello, young master," Slugma said thickly. "Hi," Lee said, managing a weak smile. Slugma stared at Lee, a familiar pause separating its thoughts.
"Tr....Troubled?" Slugma asked, stumbling over the word.
"Yeah," Lee said, sighing, "Onix got hurt not that long ago, so we're spending the night here."
As he spoke, Lee was reminded of the last time Onix was injured. The poor Pokémon never seemed to be at ease. Slugma just slithered slowly back and forth, its eyes on Lee.
Curiosity filling him, Lee was about to ask what it was doing when Slugma's hesitant response came, "You have an Onix? Interesting. I'd like to meet an Onix."
Lee arched his eyebrows, and asked, "Is that so? Why, then?"
"Just because," Slugma replied with hardly any pause. Lee was somewhat surprised by Slugma's responses. It used the same sort of unquestionable answers Ziggy did, but it didn't seem to have the same biting wit that Ziggy did. Slugma's bulbous eyes moved down, and caught sight of Lee's leg.
"Goodness!" Slugma exclaimed. Lee was amused by Slugma's outburst, but he was grateful that Slugma was sympathetic.
"What.....happened?" Slugma asked.
"Some psychotic Pokémon came after me," Lee said simply.
He wondered a bit why he didn't want people to know about what had transpired in the past half hour or so. Was it because he feared they would blame him or not take him seriously? Slugma seemed sincerely concerned about its new owner, but oddly, Lee didn't want to tell it the real truth.
Without warning, Slugma drew closer to Lee and began to slither up his leg.
"What're you doing?" Lee asked, brow furrowed. Slugma finished its vertical ascent, and placed itself on Lee's lap.
"Concern, my friend, friendly concern......Beyond your physical pain.....I can feel your mental trauma.....I am here for your sake, young master, do not be.....afraid of me," Slugma said, stringing together a great many words for one so slow.
Slugma leaned its head against Lee's shirt in a comforting gesture. Lee felt the warmth immediately. Lava coursed through Slugma's body, but due to its thick skin, all Lee could feel warmth against his midriff.
"How can you tell? Am I that obvious?" Lee asked, smiling sadly.
"I don't know if I ever told you.....But my Hidden Power.....is Psychic. It......is an attack, yes, but....it defines who we are in......a physical form. My mind.....is advanced for a Slugma......So my Hidden Power.....reflects that," Slugma said.
Lee hugged Slugma lightly, and said, "Well, thanks for caring. That's really what I needed right now." Slugma nodded, and said, "I suspected so....." Lee leaned back against the wall, and, comforted by Slugma's wise presence, drifted into sleep.
Slugma's voice interrupted his dreams as morning came about.
"Young master.....Onix is well once more.....Retrieve it," it said loudly, trying to rouse Lee.
Lee's eyes opened, and he said groggily, "Already? I thought Nurse Joy said it'd be all night...."
"It was.....We came here a bit past midnight.....The tournament will be starting soon....It's an hour from noon.....right now," Slugma explained, throwing in a new factoid. Lee's eyes snapped open, and he sat bolt upright.
"Careful!" Slugma warned as it was almost flung from Lee's lap.
"Sorry. Mind if I carry you?"
"Not at all.....It saves me the trouble of.....keeping up.....and I prefer it.....to being in the ball...." Slugma said.
Lee carefully embraced Slugma, and stood up with it clutched against his chest. He walked over to the counter, where Nurse Joy was waiting.
"You certainly seem to have a bond with your Slugma; you seem to fully understand each other," Nurse Joy noted, looking impressed.
"Oh, yeah.....We've known each other for a while," Lee said, lying rather badly. Slugma gave a quiet cough of amusement at Lee's lie, but leaned over and picked up the ball for Lee.
"Thanks Slugma, that saves me a lot of trouble," Lee said.
"Dung 'enchin idd," Slugma answered, its somewhat small mouth occupied by the ball.
"Keep an eye on Onix. If its immune system is weak, that injury will make it vulnerable to a myriad of common diseases," Nurse Joy warned.
"Don't worry, I'll take good care of Onix," Lee said, smiling. Nurse Joy raised an eyebrow, but made no remark. Lee chose to hold his tongue as well, promptly leaving and heading for the building.
At the door, he let Slugma down, and let it relinquish its burden. Slugma dropped the Pokéball, and coughed slightly.
"Thanks," Lee said. Slugma nodded, its mouth apparently somewhat sore. Lee reached down, and tapped the button. It depressed, and Onix exploded from the ball, towering above both Lee and Slugma.
A big white band was wrapped around Onix's torso, blocking the gaping wound (though, presumably, Nurse Joy had done something to fill in the gap). Onix leaned over, and grunted a thanks to Lee.
Lee patted Onix on the nose, and said, "It was the least I can do. You've gone through too much in your life, and you deserve better. Even if you hadn't suffered in the past, I still wouldn't abandon you like that." Onix smiled dimly, and pulled itself back into the air, looking considerably happier.
"I have someone to introduce to you, Onix," Lee called to the serpent.
Onix glanced down at him, and then noticed Slugma for the first time. Onix lowered itself to the ground again, but curled up so that it was facing Slugma. Slugma suddenly found itself in a stony semi-circle, staring at Onix.
But Slugma didn't back away. Instead, Slugma spoke to Onix, using a tongue Lee couldn't understand. Onix responded a few times, while Slugma continued talking.
Soon, they had an entire conversation going. Lee sat down, and watched as the two bonded. He was surprised they had got on so well. He had assumed Slugma's deep thoughts would prove overwhelming to Onix, but Onix didn't mind at all.
On the contrary, it seemed eager to talk, sometimes starting topics in place of Slugma. Lee would've liked to know what they were saying. He had never made a decent attempt to connect with Onix in a friendly manner, though it seemed that would've been the right way to go. Maybe that was all Onix wanted, a friend to talk to. Either way, Slugma was communicating well with Onix.
Something struck Lee as he watched Onix grunting and growling at Slugma. He still hadn't asked Onix whether or not it would participate in the tournament.
He didn't know how he could've forgotten, seeing as the tournament was less than an hour away. Lee had Ziggy and Slugma, and they would fight well. But the tournament would have contestants with three Pokémon each, and it would be of great benefit to Lee to have three Pokémon as well.
"Hey, Onix!" Lee yelled. Onix halted its animated conversation, and stared down at Lee as though he were mad.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I need to ask you about this tournament that's coming soon. Do you want to be in it? I know it's a sudden question, but I need to know quickly," Lee said, his voice faltering by the second as Onix's scrutinizing stare tore into him.
Slugma said a few words to Onix, though Lee couldn't tell if it was persuading or dissuading it. Finally, Onix nodded at Lee, and returned to its conversation.
Lee grinned happily at Onix's response. He wanted to train the two Pokémon, but he didn't have it in him to cut short their evidently engaging conversation. Suddenly, behind him, a soft thump signaled the arrival of.....something.
Lee turned, and found a silvery smooth body bearing down on him. He looked up, and saw Skarmory staring down at him. As usual, there was the usual titter of fear inside Lee. But he was almost getting over it; Skarmory had never wanted to harm Lee when it came by, which was reassuring to him, and helped with his fear.
"Hi Skarmory," Lee said cheerily, glad to have someone to talk to. Skarmory didn't say anything. It just stared down at him.
"Something wrong?" Lee asked, a bit confused. It seemed that way to Lee. The amused smirk that usually characterized Skarmory's face was gone, and its eyes were colder and more calculating than before.
Lee's happy smile slowly faded. He stood up, and looked Skarmory in the face. Its eyes followed him, absorbing every move.
All at once, Lee was aware that this wasn't the Skarmory he was familiar with. An ugly burn discolored the side of its hide, and there was something different about the way it reacted to Lee's motions. Even Slugma wasn't this interested by Lee. Lee couldn't understand what he had done to capture this Skarmory's attention so fully.
Slowly, as a sense of foreboding and fear overwhelmed him, he backed away, moving toward the safety of his friends. Their chatter had stopped, and they were most likely watching the new arrival.
Skarmory stayed where it was, eyes glaring out from under its metal hood menacingly. And then, it made a move. One foot rose into the air, and moved forward. The other followed suit.
Skarmory was walking, and towards Lee. A dull yet audible hissing escaped its cruel beak as it moved, step by frightening step.
And then, it stopped, and hunched over. Lee tensed, ready to run if necessary. Skarmory slowly raised its left wing, leaving it crumpled together for some reason.
Then, with the sound of metal grating on metal, the feathers sprang outward, its wing now fully extended. Skarmory mimicked the motion with its other wing. With both wings raised and outstretched, it was still glaring at Lee, waiting for him to make a move. The hissing still filled the otherwise silent air, making the atmosphere tense and nervous.
Lee turned to climb aboard Onix. And that was when Skarmory moved for real. With one bound, it sprang high into the air. It stopped a good ten feet above Onix, and fluttered its wings, staring down at Lee as always.
Without warning, it dropped out of the sky, flying extraordinarily fast.....right at Lee! Lee yelled, and dove sideways as Skarmory flew straight at him, bloodlust blazing in its golden eyes.
Skarmory turned sideways, razing the ground with the tip of its wings. Bits of dirt fell away as Skarmory made an aerial loop. Lee looked at the spot where he had been standing. Deep gouges were implanted in the ground. The blow would've sliced him apart with little effort if Lee hadn't moved.
Skarmory finished its arc, and streaked headfirst at Lee. Lee tried to run, but Skarmory sloped its dive, making sure it wouldn't miss again. Lee looked behind him, and saw Skarmory's lethally sharp wing feathers flying at him.
And suddenly, a jet of flame sent Skarmory spiraling away, screaming in pain. Lee stopped running, and looked behind him. Slugma let the stream of fire die down, closing its mouth in satisfaction.
Lee turned to watch as Skarmory writhed on the ground, flames dancing on its pained body. Climbing angrily to its feet, Skarmory gave a hollow screech, unadulterated hatred burning powerfully in its eyes.
With another skyward leap, Skarmory leveled off and took off, soaring far, far away in less than three seconds. The flames were beaten away by the wind lapping at its body.
Lee watched as the bird cut through the air, taking itself far away from Lee and Slugma. Lee turned to Slugma, intending to thank it. He saw Onix slithering over, Slugma perched on its head. Both looked astonished, but neither seemed to want to speak.
Lee took out their Pokéballs and returned the two of them. It was about time for the tournament, and he needed to get inside.
For a moment, Lee stood where he was. In less than twenty-four hours, two attempts had been made up his life. But why? Why was Lee garnering so many enemies? Why was fate conspiring against him? Where these two attacks really coincidence, or was destiny itself out to kill him.
Lee had been spared twice due to the intervention of others, unintentionally or otherwise. But Lee wouldn't always be so lucky. Assuming the two Pokémon returned (and Lee was fairly sure they would), he might not have someone or something to keep him from having his throat slit.
Pushing away his morbid thoughts, Lee turned to the enormous coliseum, and charged through the doors. Whatever happened next, he was safe from the Skarmory in here.
Inside, Lee remembered where to go instantly. To the left of the counter, Michelle had said. And there was the door, waiting for him. Lee walked over, and went through.
* * *
His newest experience had shaken him, and he wasn't willing to think about it right again so soon. Theories, suspicions, and fearful thoughts chased each other inside Lee's head, some ridiculous, some chillingly plausible.
Lee ignored his thoughts for the time being, and looked around the room. It was square, just like the building it was located in. With its marble floor tiles and beige wallpaper, it was completely unremarkable.
A bunch of trainers were sitting on benches in the room, many of them fidgeting nervously in anticipation. All eyes turned to Lee as he walked into the room. Lee froze on the spot, his face burning. He hated attention like this, and he didn't see anywhere to sit.
"You can sit over here," someone said. Lee turned to his right, and saw Michelle smiling at him. He jumped over hastily, and sat down beside the woman.
With her hair down and glasses forsaken, Michelle was strikingly attractive. Her hair fell in waves of streaked gold down past her shoulders, and Lee could fully appreciate her bright green eyes without the glasses dulling them.
"Nervous, Lee?" she asked, smiling kindly.
"Yes, qu-quite," Lee stammered, referring not only to the tournament, but to the Skarmory's assault as well. But he didn't tell Michelle.
For one thing, Lee didn't feel like letting her know he was afraid of Skarmory. And, as always, Lee preferred to think on his own.
Slugma did have a point. Lee was reluctant to let most people and Pokémon gain insight into his life, even Ziggy at times.
"You? Is this your first tournament?" Lee asked, trying to start a conversation.
"No, I've been doing these for a long time. So no, I'm not nervous either. Jut exhilarated as I always am," Michelle said, grinning beautifully.
Lee nodded, and stared around. The same couldn't be said for most of the other people here. Though they were younger, it didn't seem as though many of them were feeling comfortable at the moment.
Nicholas was in the room, and he seemed totally laid-back. A redheaded boy a few feet from him seemed about to fall asleep, and a boy with brilliant, spiked lime green hair was grinning excessively. Apart from those three, though, nearly everyone else was tense and wide-eyed.
Suddenly, a man in a white suit poked his head in from a small corridor to the right side of the small square room.
"All contestants are to report to the dais, where the mayor will be giving a welcome speech," he said in a timid voice.
Nicholas was the first to stand, looking confident and ready to begin. Soon, others began to follow. After a good portion of the crowd was up, Lee joined them, following the people down the corridor.
A roar of sound greeted him as he stepped into the arena. It was huge, with a dais elevated at the opposite end. The seats wrapped around the room, and the coliseum itself had no roof, opening to the heavens. Men and women selling food and drinks were holding their products above their heads and advertising it excitedly.
Lee couldn't help but feel thrilled as well. So this is what it was like, being in front of a huge crowd, with hundreds of thousands of eyes trained upon him like so many spotlights. It was nerve-wracking, yet amazingly fun at the same time.
Lee walked across the arena, nearly deafened by the noise, and took a place on the bleachers of the dais. The metal groaned beneath him, irritated at the many people standing upon it.
As the last of the people took their places, a single man in a grand black tuxedo came from the same corridor. He was tall and had dark hair flying in all directions, wild brown eyes complimenting his crazy appearance.
Yet the crowd went wild at the sight of him, catcalls and praise sounding out from every corner. He waved his hand in the air as he approached the speaker's platform.
He climbed up the stairs, and signaled for the spectators to be silent. Every person obeyed; clearly, the man was highly respected to the inhabitants of the city. He walked up the stairs, and turned to face the audience.
"Ladies and gentleman, spectators and fans of all ages!" he cried, some hidden device amplifying his deep voice, "I, Benjamin Tarbrile, your mayor and friend, welcome you to this magnificent tournament!
Here, people of all heritages and strategies shall clash for your amusement, winning the hearts of many and charming the masses as they do so! The tournament will begin momentarily, after a brief word with the participants." Benjamin fiddled in his pocket as he turned to face the small crowd.
"Alright everyone," he said, his voice not as loud as it had been, "The rules of this tournament are fairly simple. You fight with your opponent until all three of either Pokémon are KOed. Endanger the audience, and you will be removed. Damage the stadium, and you will be removed as well.
But apart from that, this tournament is meant for fun. Battle and enjoy yourself while doing it! Make your attacks look nice, send excess attacks to the sky, do whatever you please so long as it entertains you. The audience will probably love it as well.
But don't get caught up with presentations. This is a battling tournament, and the point is to KO your opponent. So, have fun, but don't lose yourself in the surplus!
You will wait on this platform until your name is called. Come down and take a place on either side of the arena, and battle until all of your battles have ended. If you win, take your place on the dais and wait for your next battle. If you lose, we will ask you to leave quietly through the entrance. Which, technically, will become an exit, if you want to be specific about it! So, good luck to you all, and have fun!"
Benjamin turned, and walked off the stage, walking across the arena once more. Cheers and calls followed him as he departed, disappearing into the dark corridor.
Lee sat down, glancing everywhere and grinning sheepishly. Here were sixty-three battlers, many of which were competent and experienced. Could he really win this tournament?
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*phew* 3 more Chapter before this site is caught up witht the others :D
