Lightning-Driven Ambition

[dream's-epilogue]

(Enough with the filler, now I can get back on track.)

---Chapter Nine: Saffron and the Golden Dragonite Tournament---

As they walked, Ikiji noticed Matsuko was much more serene today. It seemed as though all the hostility she'd been emanating yesterday had evaporated. He felt a little unnerved by this sudden change.

"Matsu? Are you....feeling alright?"

<What do you mean?>

"Nothing. Never mind."

It's not like her to just drop something like that. I know her. She can hold a grudge for days or even weeks. Something is fishy about this...

They walked in silence as he pondered her. A dull roar of thunder echoed in the distance. As if on cue, Ikiji realized what must've happened.

Oh no, don't tell me she saw...

<What's wrong with you? Don't tell me after all the years we've been together that you're actually afraid of a little lightning...>

He realized that the shock of his revelation must have registered on his face.

"Of course not. I do, however, believe that it would be rather uncomfortable to be stuck outside during a thunderstorm. Let's keep moving."

Gaaah...I really hope she didn't see me last night....that's the last thing I need, her mocking me...
-----------------
By the time they finally reached the outskirts of Saffron, it was already drizzling. More thunder sounded; it was much closer now.

Matsuko shook herself, sending a shower of water over everything nearby, including Ikiji and several protesting passerbys. He ignored them. He found a hardware shop, and went inside. Matsuko followed, happy to be out of the rain.

It was a strange store. The shelves and counters were covered with the latest gadgets and gizmos, yet somehow there was a fine layer of dust on everything. A short, bald man stood behind a counter, sweeping. He looked up as the two walked in. He approached the counter and removed the disk he'd found.

"Excuse me, do you know what this might be?"

The short, chubby old man studied the disk for a moment, then shook his head.

"Sorry kid, never seen anything like that before in my life."

"Ah. I see. Farewell."

"Wait a second. You're a trainer, aren'cha? You gonna join that tourney they're hosting in a few days?"

Ikiji paused for a moment. He vaguely recalled something about a tournament being held soon.

"No, I had no intentions of joining. Why?"

"You hear what the prize is? A solid gold Dragonite statue!"

"Solid gold...statue? What use is that?"

"What use...? Why, that's the damndest question I've ever heard. It's a gold statue."

"I gathered that much, oddly enough. What purpose does it serve?"

"Purpose? Well, it's...it's made of gold, so..."

If he says that one more time...

The old man loudly cleared his throat and changed the subject. "So, we're getting one mother of a storm, you know?"

"Yeah."

In truth, Ikiji wasn't really paying attention anymore. He'd found no leads here, and it was getting late. Plus, a storm was en route. He'd best find a hotel for them to stay at.

He headed for the door. Matsuko, who was examining a new model of phone, hurried to catch up. She hesitated. It was really starting to rain outside.

<I don't suppose you'd be willing to spring for an umbrella, would you?>

He ignored her and walked outside. She let out a sigh and followed.

<Thought so...>

They looked around the town for awhile, all the while pelted by rain. Ikiji finally found a decent hotel, and reached for his wallet.

It was gone.

What?! Where's my...?!

<Kij? What's wrong? Quit playing around! I'm getting soaked!>

He froze. First the bus thing, now this...Matsuko was definitely not going to be happy...

"Nothing. Hold on a second."

He checked all of his pockets, but still no lucked.

Why...?

Matsuko had noticed his actions, and finally guessed what was wrong.

<Don't tell me...you lost all of your money?>

"Well...no, not exactly."

<What then, your wallet?>

"...sort of."

<Dammit, Kij! Alright, let's go find a bank so you can get some cash out of the account.>

"...my...uh, bank card...was...in the..."

<Kij...>

"Look, I don't know what happened, alright? My wallet is missing." He thought back, but couldn't recall even taking it out recently.

Suddenly, he became aware of an unnerving silence. He felt a sudden chill. Matsuko spoke behind him.

<You're telling me...>

He heard a crackling sound. Against his better judgement, he turned around.

Matsuko was staring right at him. Her eyes were furious. Sparks were flying off her, but thanks to the rain soaking her fur, the sparks were erupting into full-blown bolts of electricity, coiling around her like bright snakes. Ikiji deeply wished it wasn't raining. She talked again, her voice flowing with suppressed anger.

<...that we have to sleep outside. Again. In the rain.>

"...maybe?"

She took a step forward, and he matched it backwards. She took another step, and another. Ikiji suddenly felt a fear of Thunder that had nothing to do with the storm.

<How is it...that everywhere we go...you have to make things as uncomfortable as possible for me?>

He backed away from the advancing Chu, anticipating the coming shock, but then heard a voice behind him.

"Excuse me, um...do you need a place to stay?"

It was a young, mousy girl who looked to be only slightly older that Ikiji. Though normally he would be untrusting, the current situation didn't offer him the luxury.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we do."

"Well, I happen to own this hotel. I can let you stay free of charge, but..."

She hesitated. Her face turned bright red.

"Would you...consider being my partner for the tourney? No one else will do it. Please?"

(kinda rough, but it's late. I'll polish it up tomorrow before I write up the next chapter.

 

[delongbi]

Sorry I'm so late. AP testing... actually I still have two more and have no business being on this website, but nya...

Anyway, this is the only grammar I found at 2:14 a.m.

st yet, either.

No comma.

Oh and be careful when you use "yet"- sometimes you use it when "but" would be the right word.

As usual, I like the chapter.

I do not think you needed to be so repetative with Matsuko saying she would be with Ikiji forever. We got the picture the first time it was mentioned.

I'm currently wondering if Ikiji was pick-pocketed by the old man. That would be a funny twist.

I love your characters and can't wait to see them some more! Nice writing! Hehe, and sorry if this review is a bit random.

 

[dream's-epilogue]

--Chapter Ten: Mikkitamura, Headache Extraordinaire!--

Ikiji just stared blankly at the woman. After that minefield of a conversation with Matsu, his mind barely registered the sudden interruption.

"Er...what?"

"Oh, right, I guess it would be polite to tell you my name first. It's Mikkitamura. Lame, I know, blame my father. But, it's okay, because everyone just calls me Mikki, 'cause it's easier to remember and say, and personally, I like it better than Mikkitamura anyways. Oh, sorry, lost my train of thought there for a second. So, will you do it?"

All tension had evaporated. Ikiji and Matsuko just stared at her, mouths agape. She spoke so fast, she might as well have been speaking Greek for all they understood. Matsuko was the first to recover.

<Uhh, Kij? What's she talking about?>

"Er, could you possibly repeat that? This time a bit slower?"

She looked momentarily hurt, but the expression vanished almost instantly.

"I asked if you'd be my partner for the tournament."

"So, you just randomly walked up to me and asked me to help you?"

"Uh-huh. Is that wrong or something?"

"But...but you don't even know my name!"

"So?"

"You...you don't just walk up to complete strangers and ask them to...how do you even know I'm a trainer, and not some sort of escaped serial kiler or something?!"

"Well, you've got a cute little Pikachu there with you, so I though 'hey, no one who has a Pikachu could be a bad guy, right? And he's probably a good trainer to boot!'"

"Matsu...cute?! Have you suffered a recent head injury or something?!"

"No, I'm very coordinated. This one time, I almost fell down the stairs, but managed to catch myself at the last moment on the railing. But, it turns out I sprained my wrist, so does that count?

His head was throbbing. This woman talked like she ate a bowl of sugar every morning for breakfast. Between trying to decipher her rapid-fire comments, and then trying to comprehend them, he was getting one monster of a headache.

"Wh...I...you...don't you realize I'm insulting you?!"

"You are?" Her face grew stern. "Well, that's not very nice!"

He was reeling. No one could be this stupid.

"That's the point!" He said, laughing partially out of frustration. "You make an idiotic request, I mock you for it, you retort...don't you know how this works?!"

"How what works?"

He started strangling air. He stopped himself; why was he getting so worked up over this? He forced himself to calm down.

"Nevermind. Now, explain."

"Explain what?"

Grr...must...not.....stab....

"Explain why you want me to be your partner for the tournament."

"Oh, that? 'Cause I need one. No one else will do it."

Gee, I wonder why...

"Well, unfortunately, I'm far too busy to flitter about in some fight club for kids. I have something very important to do."

"Come on, it'll be fun!"

Fu...is she completely insane?!

"No."

"Aww, come on! I know! Help me, and I'll let you stay at my hotel for as long as you want. Penthouse suite, too! Come on, please?"

Ikiji held the bridge of his nose and let out a long, exasperated sigh. He thought; this woman wouldn't take no for an answer. And they DID need a place to stay, so...

"Fine."

<What?!>

"Really?!"

"On one condition."

"A...condition?"

"Correct. While we stay, you don't disturb us. We do whatever we please until the day of the tournament. Don't follow us, don't ask questions, don't bother us, period. On the day of the tournament, show up, smile, and try not to fail too fast. In return, I'll win this stupid tournament for you. Satisfied?"

"Sure! But, you know, I'm also the chef, so I'll bring dinner up to your room every night. Whatever you want for breakfast, lunch, snack, or whatever, just order room service, and I'll bring it up, free of charge!"

"Uh, don't you have waiters to do that sort of thing?"

"Nah, I like seeing the expression on the guest's face when they take that first wonderful bite."

Oh, goody...

"Wait, you're a cook? I thought you were a trainer."

"I am! I'm going to be the world's greatest Chef-slash-Pokemon Master-slash-Hotel Manager!"

"...riiiight..."

<As thrilling as this conversation is, why don't we continue it inside, where it's less...wet?>

Mikki perked up at the sound of Matsu's voice. She knelt and picked up tthe shivering Pika.

<Hey! What the-!>

"Awww, how cuute! Come on, say something else!"

Matsu made sure to make her voice sound as cutesy as possible.

<I'm going to kill you, slowly and painfully.>

"Awww! He's such a cute little guy!"

<'He?' 'Guy?' It's official. I'm going to kill her.>

Mikki hugged the soaked Chu tightly, and began to swing her around. Ikiji saw the murderous look on Matsu's face.

<Kij, her life's in your hands now. In five seconds, she's ashes. Do something.>

"Alright, that's enough. Put her down. And yes, she's a 'her.'"

Mikki set her down. Matsu was sparking viciously, her face looking towards the ground.

"Alright! Come on, I'll show you the way to your room!"

She marched off happily. Matsu, shivering, looked after her and began building a charge. Ikiji stopped her with a palm.

"Hold it."

<Don't stop me. Please.>

"Save it. She may be of use. We'll stay here, learn what we need, and move on. And to hell with her and her little tournament."

<Can I kill her before we leave?>

"Sorry, but no."

<Well, can I at least hurt her?>

Mikki turned back towards them as she ran. "Hurry up, kiddies! The sooner we get inside, the sooner I can treat you to some of my yummy Potato Cheesecake! It's delightful, trust me!"

Ikiji watched her dash inside.

"I'll think about it," he said, as they trudged towards the tall, lightning-lit building, the street slick from rain.

 

[delongbi]

Hey, nice chapter. I like the new girl; she's really funny and random!

So grammar stuff:

escaped serial kiler or something?!"

Should be killer.

"No, I'm very coordinated. This one time, I almost fell down the stairs, but managed to catch myself at the last moment on the railing. But, it turns out I sprained my wrist, so does that count?

You forgot the " at the end.

Anyway, potato cheese cake!?! 0_0 Nice.

I was so sure Matsu was going to electrocute her...

 

[dream's-epilogue]

--Chapter Eleven: Hotel de Mikki--

"Well, here it is: the humble penthouse suite. So, what do you think?!"

"Humble" wasn't the first thing that came to mind. The room was anything but; the entire place had an ancient feel to it, like a museum of some sort.

The floors and walls were flawless wood paneling, and the furniture looked about as old as the League itself. There was a stone fireplace in one corner, near numerous bookshelves filled with old, dusty tomes. In another corner, a massive plasma screen television stood a stark contrast against the dull brown wall, encircled by a semi-circular sofa. In a nook below the television were several electronic accoutrements, including a DVD player and some sort of imported game console.

There was no kitchen, but a large dining hall set adjacent to the living room; Ikiji at first mistook it for a conference room. The centerpiece of the room was a massive, ornate slab of masterfully cut and polished marble, lined with a series of regal chairs straight out of a palace.

The walls everywhere were dominated by a number of priceless-looking old paintings, and busts and sculptures adorned every room.

"Well, what do you think? Pretty nice, huh?"

The voice snapped Ikiji out of his reverie. "Yeah, it's...nice."

"Dinner'll be done soon. I'll bring it up when it's ready, 'kay?"

"Fine" He added sarcastically, "will you be dining with us?"

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! You're waaay too young for me, and besides, I make it a point not to date rival trainers. I'm flattered by the offer, though!"

"Wha-no, I was being sar-"

"Oh shoot! I gotta go, I forgot all about the cheesecake! Sorry, I'll bring up a couple of pieces with dinner, okay? Bye! Enjoy the suite!" She shouted back as she darted down the hall, nearly knocking several people over. She almost tripped over a small table bearing a flowerpot, but caught herself and resumed her rush.

<That woman....irritates me.>

"You're telling me. A date?! Why in the name of..."

<Yeah, I know. You're little more than a child any->

"Besides, she's not that much older than me, anyway!"

<Wait a second. Kij, don't tell me you actually want->

He turned Bright red, and a look of absolute disbelief crossed his face. "Wha?! No! Of course not!! What's WRONG with you, Matsu?!"

<Alright, alright...you sure are acting irrational, though. Are you sure you're not->

"YES. Positive. Drop it."

<Fine. So, this place...>

"...yeah."

The entire place was very luxurious and lavish. Too lavish for Kij's tastes. Plus it was conjuring up a lot of memories, and not the warm, fuzzy kind, either. He just looked around in silence, before Matsu finally snapped him out of it.

<Well...shall we keep looking around, Kij?>

"Yeah, I guess."

There was only one bedroom, and it was dominated by a massive King-sized poster bed. Every other piece of real estate in the room was occupied by more fancy artwork.

<Wow...that bed is HUGE...>

"You're telling me. You could probably fit an entire family on that thing. Bet it's nice and soft, too..."

<Dibs.>

"Excuse me?"

<Dibs. I called dibs.>

"On what? The bed? Why?"

<Well...because I want the bed. You can have the sofa.>

"Why the sofa? Why can't we just both-"

<Wha, no way! What are you, some kind of pervert?!>

"P-Pervert?! Matsu, I just meant it like-"

<And if you say anything 'pet' related, I'll kill you.>

"All right, fine. Sofa it is. But I fail to see why you're making such a big deal out of this...you've never done this before..."

<That's because the few times we've actually slept inside and not out in the wild, there's always been either two beds or two rooms. One room, one bed, MY bed.>

"Geez..alright...spiteful little..."

There was a loud knock at the door. "Dinner's ready!"

<That was fast. What'd she do, fly up here? And how did she get it done so fast, anyways?>

"Who cares? I'm hungry. Go ahead in to the dining room, and I'll get the food."

Ikiji answered the door, revealing Mikki with a tray crammed with several covered platters. The smell was mouth-watering.

"Smells good. You cooked this?"

"Sure did! I'm a great chef. My mom taught me."

"Really..."

They walked into the dining hall, where Matsu was sitting on the table, waiting for them. Kij walked in first.

"Ready to eat."

<Yeah, you-hey, what's she doing?>

Ikiji turned around, and saw Mikki moving quickly across to where Matsu was sitting.

"Bad Pika! Off the table, now!"

She started spray Matsuko with a large bottle of water, drenching her in a matter of seconds. Matsu, caught off guard, tried to shield herself from the freezing water.

<HEY, WHAT THE-STOP IT YOU STUPID-KIJ-ARGH!>

She was about to ignore Kij's request and simply fry the girl. She felt a charge building, and prepared to fire, when she felt the spray stop. She saw Kij standing in the way, facing the girl.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"I-I was just-"

He moved with frightening speed and determination, and snatched the bottle out of her hands. He snapped the handle off, and tossed it across the floor. When he spoke, his voice was icy and filled with apprehension.

"Listen and listen well. You can have your little 'hotel', and your little 'tournament', but you do not treat Matsu like a pet. Do you understand?"

"...I..."

"Matsu is my companion. She is many things, but 'pet' is not one of them. In the very brief time I've known you, you've been nothing but a pest and a headache. That little act just now was very nearly the final straw. I suggest you think how dearly you want to win this tournament, because if you continue this way, you won't live to see it. You know, multiple times since I met you, Matsu has asked me to allow her to kill you. If you try anything like that again, I just might let her."

Mikki face was frozen. Kij was a good head below her in heighth, but his voice would've frozen magma.

"Do you understand?"

She nodded shakily.

"Good. Then get out."

She moved slowly for the door, than took off running when she reached the living room. Matsu simply stared at Kij in awe.

<Kij...>

"That woman would be very lucky indeed to survive to tournament day."

<You stood up for me. Again. After the way I've been acting...>

"Hmph. It's nothing. No one treats you like a pet. You are easily my equal in intelligence, and far surpass me in combat. No one has the right to treat you like that."

<Wow. I'm touched...>

"Again, don't read too much into it."

Silence, then,

<Hey....Kij?>

"Yes?"

<I suppose...I suppose you can sleep in the bed, too.>

He smiled slyly at her. "I thought I was a pervert?"

<Yeah, yeah. Just keep your blankets separate, and stay on your side. If you touch me, I'll turn you into charcoal.>

"Yeah, sure..."

<Oh, and Kij...?>

"Yeah?"

She gave him a sliver of a smile. For her, it was a dramatic moment. <...thanks.>

"Don't mention it. It's late; let's get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."

 

[delongbi]

Awww! That was cute!

I really like the character development here and the even stronger bond we see coming about between Kij and Matsu. I do think Kij was a tad harsh on the girl, but that's just his personality. He can really be a bit of a jerk at times...

Again, I was convinced the girl was going to be burnt toast. Ah well, maybe next chapter (jk).

Nice job, keep up the good work!

 

[dream's-epilogue]

--Chapter Twelve: The Distant Finale--

The moonlight penetrated the thin curtain covering the room's sole window, giving the entire room a surreal feeling, like something out of a dream.

Ikiji lay awake, staring at the ceiling. He was still fuming at Mikki; as tired as he was, he didn't predict getting much sleep tonight.

On the other side of the bed, separated by a wall of blankets, was Matsu. Her back was to him; by the rise and fall of her form, she must've been asleep already. He didn't blame her. They'd had a long day. Hell, a long week. He let out a soft sigh.

Five years...and no closer...if this town hid no clues, who knew how much longer...

He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. It was like chasing phantoms in the fog on a moonless night. He wouldn't give up; he'd never give up. He'd see this through to the end.

Ah, this is no good. I can't sleep. I've got nothing better to do...guess I'll go for a walk...hope the rain's died down. Just have to be careful not to wake Matsu...

<Hey, Kij?>

He nearly had a heart attack. He'd thought she was asleep.

"Ah...you startled me. Still awake?"

<Yes. I've...been thinking....>

"Really. That's a refreshing change of pace."

<Yes, very funny. But...>

"Hmm?"

<Kij...what do you remember about that night?>

He felt a sudden chill.

"What night?" he asked, though he already knew.

<That night, when...you know...>

He felt a cold sweat start, though he kept his voice level.

"...ah. That night. The night of the fire. The night everything began. The night you and I first met..."

<Yes. I was...young. I...don't remember much of it.>

"Well...what DO you remember?"

<...I remember the heat. And the loud noises. And...the fear. I was scared. And I didn't even understand why.>

"Yes. Heat from the fire. They set fire to the house. To get rid of the...evidence."

<...I'm sorry.>

"It isn't your fault. As you said, you were young; we both were. Neither of us could've done much."

<...that reminds me. You said you received me as a gift from your father, right? Then, that would've been the day you started your Pokémon journey, wouldn't it?>

"...yeah."

<...you know...you DO have a license. We can still try to earn a Badge or two, if you like...>

"I've already said it. I've got no need for Badges anymore."

<...right. Sorry.>

"Don't worry about it."

There was an awkward silence. Then,

<I'm sure you would've been a great master, Kij.>

"...hmph. Thanks."

Another silence. The question had been nagging at him for the entirety of the conversation; finally, he could fight it no longer.

"Matsu?"

<Yes?>

"...I'm going to die when this is all over."

<...I know.>

"Matsu?"

<Hmmm?>

He hesitated a moment, then spoke almost inaudibly,

"What will you do?"

<What...do you mean, Kij?>

"What will you do when this is all over? You'll finally have your freedom..."

<Freedom...? What are you talking about? Kij->

"Please. I want to know. What...will you do when we succeed, and I am...gone?"

<Kij.>

"...yes, Matsu?"

<Listen well. I'm not going to repeat this.>

"...alright."

<We will succeed. We will find Saiya, and you will kill the ones responsible for all of this. You will die as well.>

"Yes, I-"

<And.>

"'And...?'"

<And I am going to die right there beside you.>

"...Matsu...?"

<That is my fate. Nothing waits for me afterwards...because when this ends, I end as well.>

"...Matsu...why?"

<...I'm tired. I'm going to sleep. We can talk about this more tomorrow.>

"Matsu..."

She was silent. A few moments later, she was asleep. He knew she wouldn't be happy if he woke her just for the sake of the conversation, and besides, he was finally feeling sleepy himself.

But what she had said bothered him.

And I am going to die right there beside you. Nothing waits for me afterwards...because when this ends, I end as well.

That was never what I wanted, Matsu...I wanted you to reach the end of this with me, true, and I wanted you to be there with me when I die. But I don't want you to die with me...I want you to live...

As these thoughts trickled across his mind, he felt the world begin to fade, and his thoughts faded with them. He drifted into slumber, as one last thought escaped his weary head...

You'll die with me...but what if I live? What if I run? Will you run with me?

Will you live then?

 

[dream's-epilogue]

---Chapter Thirteen: "A Little "Training"---

Ikiji woke to find Matsuko gone. Dull sunlight filled the room.

He crawled out of the bed and stretched. He hadn't slept in a real bed for quite some time, and his back was thanking him for it. He felt refreshed and energized, and ready to get to work.

He took a look at the clock, and did a double take. 12:30, it read. No wonder he felt good; he'd slept through the entire morning.

"Ah hell...a quarter of the day, wasted..."

No point crying over spilled milk. I might as well take a bath, then find Matsu and get to work.

He walked out of the bedroom and turned down the hall. After some searching, he found it. He opened the door and started inside...

...and was greeted with a shout and a painful shock. The blast knocked him off his feet and out of the door.

"AAAUUGHHH!!"

As he lay dazed, a voice came from the door.

<Kij?>

Once his senses returned, he looked into the bathroom.

The first thing he noticed was how big it was. You could've played volleyball in it if you wanted. An old-fashioned pedestal sink sat in one corner, beneath a tiny mirror that looked completely out-of-place in the massive room. Next to it sat a thick marble toilet, complete with ornamental gold toilet paper holder a pile of reading materials. The floors and walls were a soft green marble that matched the furniture. A large chair identical to the ones from the dining room sat in one corner, with no apparent purpose other than to make the room look even more ancient and luxurious.

But of all the furniture in the room, the massive tub was obviously the centerpiece; it took up a whopping quarter of the gigantic room, and looked as though it could easily fit a dozen people and still have room for half a dozen more. An almost absurd number of jars, tubes, vials, and various other containers lined it's ridges, each of which was filled with liquids of every color in the visible spectrum, including one large jar holding a retina-scorchingly pink lotion of some kind. The entire thing looked like it belonged in some fancy spa, the kind of thing you'd pay a small mint for the privilege to use.

And a tiny pair of pointed ears were sticking out over the ridge, and just below them, a pair of minuscule eyes watching him.

"Yes...I can see you Matsu...ah...was that really necessary?"

<Don't you know how to knock?!> came her sharp reply.

"Like I expected you to be in here? When was the last time YOU took a bath?"

<When was the last time WE stayed someplace WITH a bath?>

"There are rivers for a reason, y'know."

<I'm not going to shower in a river!!>

"Lake, then. There are plenty of bodies of water to choose from, so there's really no excuse for you to walk around smelling like a Stunky all the time, is there?"

She gave a soft sigh. <Look, I just want to relax in her for a bit, so if the only reason you finally decided to re-join the living is to insult me, then you can just turn around and walk away. I AM surrounded by water, 'y'know...'>

"Fine, fine, sorry. Just let me wash me face..."

He started inside, but a bolt struck his feet, and he fell backwards out of the room.

"OW! What the hell?!"

<You really are a perv, aren't you? Trying to get in here while I'm in the tub!>

"What, have you been drinking the shampoo or something? You're naked normally anyway! Besides, all I want to do is wash my face!"

<Then wait until I"m done. I'm about to get out anyway!>

He started forward again, but she started to spark dangerously; he heard the sparks sizzle when they hit the water. He threw his hands up in frustration, and turned to leave.

As he headed into the living room, he noticed the food tray from last night still sitting in the middle of the floor; Mikki probably wouldn't be happy to learn her cooking had gone to waste, but he didn't particularly care how she felt right now. He picked a dish at random and saw a pair of thick steaks. He picked them up and found a microwave concealed in a corner of the room.

While they heated up, he found a phone and dialed up the lobby; he had an idea. After a few rings, someone picked up, and Mikki's hesitant voice sounded on the other side.

"Uh....hi."

"Miss Mikki. Is there a park near here?"

"...huh? Well, yeah, there's one down the street..."

"If we are to be partners for this little 'tournament' of yours, then I need to know what you are capable of. Meet me there in exactly one hour. Bring your Pokémon."

"Look, are you still mad about last night? 'Cause I'm-"

He hung up before she could finish. Behind him, he heard a "ding"as the microwave came to a stop. He turned, but saw Matsuko already on the table. She was struggling with opening the microwave and not falling off; she wasn't doing very well at either. He hurried over, and saw that she was still damp.

"Need a little help?"

She tried to turn around. Big mistake; she lost what little balance she still had and fell, hitting the floor with a wet thud. Ikiji gave a mocking flinch.

"Ouch. That had to hurt. You alright?"

<...peachy.>

"You really should be more careful."

<You really should consider how much you value your legs.>

Ignoring her retort, he took out the steaks and set the plate on the table. Matsuko hopped up, and looked at them with a hungry gaze.

"Yes, one's for you."

<It had better be.>

"Eat quickly. We're going to meet Mikki shortly for training."

Matsuko spit out the bit of steak in her mouth.

<Are you crazy? Why would you even consider something like that?! We're not even staying for the tournament...wait, don't tell me you actually WANT to fight in that stupid thing?>

"Of course not. But if it comes to that, it would be helpful to know what she is capable of." He gave a shadowy wink. "Besides, I have a little...shall we say 'plan.'"

A moment's silence. Then,

<Alright. I'll trust your judgment on this. But I swear to Arceus, if she so much as touches my face...>
---------------------------------
They spotted her on a large patch of grass by a small lake. She had a picnic blanket on the ground, and was pacing around; she looked up as they drew near. Nearby stood a small Plusle and a Piplup, her Pokémon.

A picnic blanket? Just what does she think this is?

They were barely within earshot before she started.

"Uh, hi. Look, I'm really, really sorry about last night. I even went and forgot the cheesecake, but I brought it today, along with some other stuff, too. I didn't know if Pika's were allergic to some stuff, so I brought some hypoallergenic things, too. There should be plenty for-"

She was cut off as Ikiji thrust a long pole into her hands.

"Take this."

"Uh, alright."

As she stared at the pole, he looked at the other Pokémon. "Those are yours, I take it?"

"Uh-huh."

"Very well; Matsu, go see what you can do."

<On it.>

Mikki watched her run over to the two Pokémon, when something occurred to her.

"Hey, shouldn't we be over there with them? To, y'know, train them?"

When he didn't answer, she turned and saw him stretching.

"Hey, what're you doing?"

"The key to any effective partnership is trust. One of the most effective methods of building trust is to train alongside your partner. It not only establishes you as equals, but it is also an effective method of staying healthy and developing your own strength."

"...I'm sorry. I don't follow."

He took a place opposite her, and raised his own pole in an obviously threatening manner. He had a very sinister smile.

"Huh?! Hey, wait!"

"Are you ready?"

"What?! N-"

"BEGIN!" he shouted as he ran towards her.