Chapter 22

"Pip, use Hydro Pump while Jo Jo, you use Electro Ball through it!"

"Hamycus, Heat Crash against the Hydro Pump! Penelope, use Razor Shell on the Electro Ball!"

Margaret watched White and Sky Blue's double battle with interest. Sowny, Petunia, and Fletcher were watching the battle as well, though they were cheering for the pokemon on the field.

It was two days after she signed up for the Ambrette Town Showcase, and she had very little inspiration. Mira was already working on her routine with her pokemon near Glittering Cave. However, she had also taken Amos with her so he could give her advise. Fortunately, White and Sky Blue agreed to help her by showing her a Double Contest Performance, where the goal was to use more unique and entertaining move combinations than the opponent. While Sky's pokemon were stronger than White's, her Dewott and Tepig were much quicker. The battle was taking place on the beach of Route 8, where the ravines and mountainous path were now above them.

Penelope the Dewott gave a loud battle cry as she took out one of her scalchops and darted toward the center of the Empoleon's Hydro Pump, which was heading straight toward her partner. Hamycus snorted and became surrounded by flames. It curled around him like a sphere. He too charged at the Hydro Pump after the sphere was twice the size of his body. The heat from the Heat Crash was so intense that the water from the Hydro Pump kept evaporating. It was like the rain turning to mist because of the sun's rays.

Then Sky's Galvantula, which was positioned under the Empoleon's attack, released an Electro Ball that had been forming between her mandibles. The Electro Ball could be seen traveling through the water tunnel because of the bright yellow glow.

A moment later, the Hydro Pump and the Electro Ball were sliced in half. An explosion blew up on the sandy battlefield. Penelope had cut through the attacks with her scalchops. Heat Crash was made in order to defend Hamycus from the Hydro Pump.

While the opposing pokemon were blown away as electricity flew everywhere, White shouted, "Let's finish them with Water and Fire Pledge!"

Both Penelope and Hamycus gave cheerful cries of agreement as each was surrounded by their own element. While the baby Tepig was now being guarded by tall pillars of fire, the Dewott was surrounded by pillars of water.

Before Pip and Jo Jo could recover, the pillars moved away from the attacking pokemon and clashed together. The Fire Pledge was absorbed by the Water Pledge, and the water pillar grew more powerful and began spinning faster. The twister of water spun into the Empoleon and Galvantula. Pip and Jo Jo made loud cries as they were flung backwards by the inferno and slid across the sand.

As the water inferno disappeared, a rainbow twinkled behind Penelope and Hamycus. The two starters cheered, jumped into the air, and they each did their own pose. Meanwhile, Sky Blue's pokemon were still on the ground, defeated by the Fire and Water Pledge.

"That was so cool!" cheered Petunia happily, her eyes glinting with their usual excitement. "We should soooooooooooo try that rainbow thing!"

"You can, we can't," Sowny pointed out as White and Sky Blue returned their pokemon. "Those moves can only learned by starters, like you."

"What?!" yelped Fletcher. "But I wanted to try that too! That's a real drag!"

"Margaret?"

Margaret jumped and looked up. White was now in front of her. She was clipping Hamycus and Penelope's pokeballs back onto her belt. Sky Blue was still returning his pokemon. He was now trying to walk without his pokemon's help, but after struggling to walk without support, White let him use her staff to help him move around.

"Um...yeah?" Margaret asked blankly, standing up from her spot on the sand.

"I was just wondering if you got the inspiration you need," said White, raising one of her eyebrows. "You did, right?"

"I got a-a little, I mean the rainbow was really good and beautiful, and I have an idea, but I need a little more..."

"More inspiration?"

"Just a b-bit more..."

Margaret waited silently as White thought about something. After a minute, the older trainer sighed and told her, "Well I'm kinda out of ideas on moves too. Let's just wait for Sky to get here since he's the only one besides Amos who's participated in a contest."

"Err...Sky Blue just fell again..." Margaret informed her quietly, tilting her head toward the one-eyed trainer, who had lost his footing and fell back on the sand with a yelp.

White looked over at him before snorting, "Don't worry, just give him a minute."

Even though White kept insisting that Sky Blue was fine, Margaret eventually took pity on him and helped him over to White and the pokemon after his third fall. She had noticed that Sky wasn't as "annoying" as usual. Ever since he and his group had made it to Ambrette Town, Sky had become distant with everyone, even his pokemon. Margaret could tell that his pokemon and White were all worried for him, but she didn't know why.

"Thanks, Margaret," Sky Blue huffed after Margaret helped guide him over to White, who had been watching him with an odd look on her face.

"Sky, I want you to give me every single idea in you." White ordered him immediately after noticing that he was present.

"Wait, what?"

"Contest combinations, you know, anything really."

"Woah, wait, I haven't been in a contest in years! Besides, it was only one contest!"

"You've been in more than me, so spill."

"Um...White, it's ok..." Margaret tried interrupting, but she was so quiet that no one heard her.

"Whit, listen, none of the move combinations I used would work for her team," argued Sky, who now was beginning to sound annoyed. "I used most of them in the battle just now! Lots of my combinations involve Electroweb, but then again, Leavannys have been known to be able to learn that move."

"Well what type of pokemon moves are in the other combinations?" White snapped back.

"Honestly? Then they're all Psychic Type, Steel Type, or Electric Type moves. I don't have a Fire or Grass Type."

"Yeah, not helpful."

"P-Please!" the rookie burst out, making the other two stop bickering. "I-I don't want to bother the two of you with this, i-it's just that I've never done a Pokemon Showcase before, a-and I just don't know where to begin with my routine..."

Margaret trailed off and continued to stutter to herself. She saw White turn her back on the other two while Sky tried to sit on the ground. Sowny, Fletcher, and Petunia were discussing the battle together.

"Ok, I think I have an idea," White finally sighed, pulling two pokeballs off her belt. "Get up, Sky, you're my enemy again."

"Seriously? I just sat down!"

"Then get up!"

"H-Here," started Margaret as she gently helped Sky Blue back on his feet while White went back to her spot on the drawn-out battlefield they made. "Let me help you a bit..."

"Thanks again," she heard him mutter as she helped him over to his spot on the field. "Sorry, for bothering you..."

"It's no problem really. I-I didn't want you to fall down again."

After Sky Blue got to his spot and Margaret went back to her pokemon, White pressed the buttons on the pokeballs, threw them, and yelled, "Tiny, Purr, let's go!"

"Shane, Alan, time to fight!" shouted Sky, taking out two of his own pokeballs and tossing them.

White's Espeon and Liepard and Sky Blue's Alakazam and Gallade appeared on the battlefield. A Psychic Type and Dark Type versus a Psychic Fighting Type and a Psychic Type. Margaret was confused on why they chose such odd types of pokemon. Besides Alan the Alakazam still looking exhausted and was still using his powers to levitate his body, she found it odd that all the pokemon were Psychic Types. None of her pokemon had Psychic Type moves.

"I give you the first move," White called from her side of the field while her feline pokemon crouched down as if ready to attack.

Sky Blue smirked and shouted back, "You may learn to regret that. Alan, Trick Room, while Shane, you use Helping Hand!"

The Alakazam closed it eyes and a large, pink, grid-like room surrounded the field while a yellow aura shed off the Gallade and wrapped around Alan like a cloak. Tiny and Purr both gave meows of surprises at the sudden grid room.

Trick Room increases the speed of a pokemon, Margaret thought, this room will make Alan faster than Tiny and Purr. But why Helping Hand? It only increases physical strength and moves, and Alan would only know special moves.

As she thought this, the aura that was holding Alan up dispersed, and the Psychic Type landed slowly on the ground. He was standing on his two legs, and Margaret finally noticed a red sash over his body. Two large spoons were hooked on it, but they were soon teleported off and appeared in the pokemon's long fingers. He kept moving them swiftly around like they were nunchucks. Helping Hand was not for his attacks, it was for his strength. Now he could move quickly and stand up right.

"Well then," White scoffed, looking to her own pokemon. "Tiny, use Hyper Beam! Purr, you use Dark Pulse!"

The Espeon gave a loud meow and a large white and pale red beam shot out of the gem on her forehead. At the same time, Purr gave a loud shriek and dark pulses surrounded the Hyper Beam. The Hyper Beam suddenly turned a darker red instead of pale red from the darkness pulsing from the rings.

Both Alan and Shane leapt away from the beam, and instead of making its targets, the Dark Beam slammed against a large rock on the field. The rock exploded, making shattered pieces, dust, and sand flow over the battlefield like a sandstorm. As the dust and light subsided, Margaret could see Tiny collapsed on the ground from exhaustion. The Liepard was guarding her team mate from the opposing pokemon, who had come out of the Dark Beam unscathed.

"Did she faint?!" squeaked Petunia, who was trying to see Tiny clearly.

"No," Sowny sighed. "Hyper Beam is such a powerful move that it takes at least five minutes for the user to recover."

"How is it that you know so much on battling?" piped up Fletcher.

"I watch and listen, plus I often watched Margaret do her homework."

"Booooooring!"

"Psycho Cut and Close Combat!" Sky Blue commanded his pokemon as Alan and Shane leapt into action.

"Use Assist!" White ordered her Liepard while the Alakazam and Gallade prepared their attacks.

The leopard-like pokemon roared as thorny vines burst from the ground. The vines moved like a heard of running horses as the plants overcame the Psychic Types were overwhelmed by them. Other vines surrounded Purr and Tiny like a great wall. The move appeared to be Frenzy Plant, a move of White's Serperior.

"Cut through the vines, Shane!" the one eyed trainer shouted. "Alan, use Psycho Cut again!"

The two pokemon gave obedient cries before slashing at the thorny vines. Shane's arms extended into long blades and cut at the plants. Alan kept sending skinny, light pink waves out of his fingertips and aimed at the Frenzy Plant.

"Tiny, Psychic on the vines!"

At the sound of White's command, the vines began to shutter. A pink aura wrapped around the vines as they floated above Alan and Shane. Tiny was now up on her paws, though she still looked weak. Her gem and her eyes were glowing with the same pink aura around the Frenzy Plant.

The vines then turned on the two opposing pokemon and coiled around Alan and Shane. The two pokemon gave loud, pained cries as the vines squeezed tightly around them. Tiny had used Purr's Frenzy Plant, and with her Psychic attack, turned it into a Bind attack.

"Teleport out of the vines and use Psychic on yourselves!" Sky ordered his two struggling pokemon.

There was a loud pop, and the two Psychic Types were no longer in the vines clutches. They reappeared near the top of the see-through room's ceiling. Their pink auras surrounded them as they levitated themselves above the sandy field. Now it was harder for Tiny and Purr to lay a hit on Shane and Alan.

"Purr, use Shadow Claw, while Tiny, try levitating Purr!" White called to her pokemon, who gave a shrieky meow and leapt up.

Tiny's gem glowed brighter as she used her abilities to surround Purr in her aura and lift her into the air. Purr's claws unsheathed and extended as a murky, dark, red, purple, and black aura surrounded her paw.

"Close Combat, quick!" shouted Sky as Purr took a swipe at Alan after reaching his height.

Shane's hands glowed as he threw a punch at the Dark Type. Purr yowled in pain, then clashing her Shadow Claw with his Close Combat. Since Fighting and Ghost type moves had no effect on each other, the attacks went through each other. Given the chance, each of the two pokemon hit the other.

The Psychic holding up Shane and Purr collapsed as each pokemon gave loud cries of pain. Purr fell through the air as Tiny's Psychic failed, but Alan caught his partner by using Psychic on him as well. Purr hit the ground with a thud. Margaret was impressed because the Liepard slowly got up. White's pokemon seemed very determined.

"Shane, try making an Aura Sphere out of Alan's aura!" Sky Blue instructed his pokemon.

"Tiny, use Protect, and Purr, get close to Tiny!" White ordered as Shane took some of Alan's pale blue aura and made a sphere out of it.

"Now throw it at the ground and use Psycho Cut!" He told them next, receiving cries of agreement in response.

Just as Tiny put up a barrier around her and Purr, Shane threw the aura at them while Alan sent a razor wave after it. The sphere exploded into mist as it was sliced in half a few seconds before impact. The entire field was now covered in a pale blue mist.

"I can't see!" Fletcher chirped angrily. "What's happening?!"

"That's the point!" snapped Sowny. "The mist is to keep the pokemon on the field from seeing where the other team is!"

"Tiny, try Flash!" shouted White's voice from the mist.

Margaret saw a glimmer of light from the mist, but it was too thick. The light faded, and the Aura Mist was still over the field.

"Alan, Shane, try to look for them!" called Sky's voice from the other side of the field as the Gallade and Alakazam landed on the misty sand.

"Purr, Assist!"

The mist suddenly blew away as Shane spun his blade-like arms around while Alan leapt and swiped at a spot. But Tiny and Purr were nowhere to be seen. All there was in their place was a deep but fresh burrow in the sand. Purr appeared to have used Dig.

The ground suddenly burst open a few feet from the sea waves. Tiny and Purr leapt out of the tunnel as White shouted, "Purr, Assist once more!"

Before anyone could do anything, Purr roared and the sea waves began to rise. The waves rose like a tsunami. It looked like the move Surf, a move from White's Gorebyss.

"Now use Psychic on the waves, Tiny!" White instructed next.

The Espeon meowed as her gem and eyes glowed. Her aura wrapped around the tsunami and began shaping it. After a moment, the tsunami was formed into a herd of water Rapidashs, running across sand toward the Psychic Types.

"Quick, dodge it!" yelled Sky Blue, but it was too late.

The Trick Room broke as the herd crashed through it. Tiny and Purr ran away from the stampede, but their opponents weren't fast enough. They were still in shock and amazement when the water Rapidashs ran through them, sweeping them into the waves.

After a minute, Tiny's aura broke as the waves misshaped. The
water Rapidashs lost their form and splashed onto the muddy field. As the waves crashed an soaked into sand, Margaret could see two unconscious forms fall from the Surf attack.

Shane and Alan were defeated, and Tiny and Purr stood victorious.

"That. Was. AWESOME!" Petunia squealed, hopping from foot to foot. "I wanna make something like that but an army of SQURITLE MINIONS!"

"Anymore awesomeness and she'll crack like a nut," Fletcher whispered behind his wing to Sowny, who nodded.

"I think she already has," hissed back Sowny, making the Fletchinder snicker.

"Well Margaret," started White as she reached the rookie. "Do you have enough inspiration now?"

Margaret thought for a moment before stammering, "Um... well I have a bit more, but how did you plan those attacks?"

"Truthfully? I didn't."

"Wait, w-what?!"

"I'll explain when Sky Blue comes over, then I can rub it in his face."

Margaret didn't really like the idea of not helping Sky Blue, who was struggling to stand as he returned his two fainted pokemon to their pokeballs. However, she didn't need to worry. Sky didn't fall down this time, but it still took him awhile to walk over.

"Why is it that you always beat me?!" Sky Blue huffed angrily after reaching the two girls.

"Aw, don't feel bad," teased White, patting his shoulder. "It's just common knowledge that I'm a better battler than you, Frankenstein. After all, I was Champion of Unova."

"First cyclops, now Frankenstein? Wow, you're harsh."

"It's nothing personal."

"Um...White, you didn't plan those moves?" Margaret repeated, trying to bring the conversation back to a ground she could understand.

"I didn't plan any of them, that's why I used Purr. Assist turns into an attack known by another pokemon on the team. Since I have several Fire Types, two Water Types, and a Grass Type, I thought Assist would be useful. Besides, you only have a Fire and Flying Type, a Water Type, and a Bug and Grass Type."

"So the Surf attack was made up too...?"

"Oh yeah, totally was. I wasn't even sure if it would work. So, do you have enough inspiration?"

"Err..."

"You still don't have enough inspiration?" asked Sky exasperatedly.

When Margaret shook her head, White huffed irritability and put her hand to her forehead. She heard her pokemon sigh as well. Margaret just couldn't think of any ideas for her routine.

"Ok," the one eyed trainer sighed, taking the staff as he began limping back to his spot on the field. "I'm taking this into my own hands."

"W-What?" Margaret stammered in bewilderment.

"Yeah, you need to get some first hand experience. I'll battle you, so choose two pokemon."

"I will!" squeaked Petunia, waving her paw around in the air.

"Me too!" Fletcher squawked happily.

"I'll pass," said Sowny flatly.

Margaret knelt down and asked her Wartortle and Fletchinder, "You're both sure?"

"Yup!"

"Oh well...let's go to the field then..."

Her pokemon beamed at her and ran to the field. Sowny went to stand near White, who sat on the sand to watch the match. Margaret shivered a little and slowly made her way to the spot on the field that White had occupied.

After Margaret reached her spot, Sky Blue took two pokeballs off his belt, pressed the buttons, threw them in the air, and yelled, "Junior, Chatter, come out!"

Sky's Mr.Mime and Chatot appeared on the field in red light. They both gave loud cries to express their readiness for battle. Petunia and Fletcher both got into defensive positions at the same time.

"So all you need to do is occasionally use unique move combinations, like what White just demonstrated," the one eyed trainer explained from across the field. "Don't be afraid to experiment with your pokemon's moves, that's the main point of the battle. Now, you may attack first."

"O-Ok," Margaret stammered nervously before ordering pokemon in a little more stronger voice, "Petunia, use Water Gun on Junior! Fletcher, try Flame Charge on Chatter!"

"Chatter, Junior, both of you use Mimic!" Sky Blue commanded his own pokemon as Fletcher surrounded himself in fire while Petunia shot a stream of water out of her mouth.

Both of his pokemon gave cries of understanding and glowed white. The Chatot suddenly became surrounded by intense fire and the Mr.Mime shot water out of his fingertips. Petunia's Water Gun hit Chatter, but some of the water evaporated, it's power weakening. However, Junior's Water Gun was more powerful than Petunia's, and it extinguished the flames around Fletcher's body. Fletcher squawked and fell to the ground. He made a feeble clicking noise and tried standing up, but he merely fell back down.

They are so much more powerful than my pokemon! Margaret whimpered in her mind as Petunia ran to Fletcher's aid. That Flame Charge of Chatter's was used exactly like Hamycus' Heat Crash! They used it to make themselves like the sun, evaporating the water.

She shook her head. She had to concentrate. She had to think. What combination could she use? What would help?

Then an idea came to her mind. It was risky, but Sky had told her not to be afraid of experimenting with moves.

"Petunia, start using Rapid Spin!" Margaret instructed her pokemon. "Fletcher, start using Ember behind Petunia, but try and turn it into a Heat Wave by using your wings!"

Her pokemon followed her commands without hesitation. Petunia retreated into her shell and began to spin around. Fletcher got up and began forming a fireball between his beak. He beat his wings with a rhythm, and the fireball's heat began to turn into waves. The waves coiled around Petunia's shell as she began to spin toward the opposing pokemon. Unfortunately, the heat waves disappeared before impact, but a great deal of damage was done to Chatter and Junior nevertheless.

"Not bad for a start!" called Sky encouragingly. "There's always room for improvement! Now, Junior, use Role Play on her Wartortle! Chatter, use Mirror Move when I say so!"

Margaret watched in amazement as the Mr.Mime's face morphed into Petunia's for a few seconds. She didn't know the point of the move Role Play. It only transformed Junior's face.

She took out her Pokedex, and it registered her pokemon, the opponent's pokemon, their health, and their moves. A description of Role Play appeared on the screen after she pressed the move's name.

Role Play

Type: Psychic

Category: Status

Description: The user mimics the target completely, copying the target's natural Ability.

Petunia's ability is Torrent, which raises the power of her Water attacks when she's on the verge of fainting, Margaret thought to herself. That ability won't do any one of them any good right now.

"Petunia, use Bubble Beam on Junior!" Margaret told her pokemon after a moment. "Fletcher, use Ember on Chatter!"

"Psybeam and Mirror Move!" Sky Blue ordered his pokemon as Fletcher and Petunia put their assigned moves into motion.

Chatter squawked as he put up a pink barrier. The Ember attack Fletcher sent out bounced off and hit the Fletchinder instead. Fletcher chirped in surprise and fell to the ground. A stream of bubbles floated out of Petunia's mouth and flew gracefully toward Junior. However, Junior lifted up his chubby, glove-like hands, and shot a pink, blue, and yellow beam out of his fingertips. The Psybeam popped the bubbles one by one before hitting Petunia in the chest. She gasped in pain after being thrown across the field from the force of the beam.

"Now use Mimic again!" the one eyed trainer told his pokemon before Margaret could respond.

Both pokemon gave loud cries as they prepared their attacks. Chatter became surrounded by intense flames again and flew toward Petunia and Fletcher like a torpedo. Junior lifted its arms and jets of water burst out. They swiveled around the flaming Chatot like ribbons. Chatter then rammed into Petunia and Fletcher while throwing them further back. Margaret's pokemon collapsed on the ground as Chatter flew back to his partner after the water and fire disappeared. Petunia and Fletcher were still conscious, but they were getting closer to the red zone.

"Please get up!" Margaret begged desperately to her Wartortle and Fletchinder. "Please get up, guys! Try Bubble Beam and Wing Attack! Fletcher, when using Wing Attack, spin around and fly into the Bubble Beam!"

To her relief, Petunia and Fletcher both got up, though they did so shakely. Petunia gave a weak cry before sending out more bubbles toward the two opposing pokemon. Fletcher listened to her instructions and his wings glowed to show he was starting his Wing Attack. He then zoomed through the bubbles and started spinning around. The bubbles popped as the Wing Attack sliced through them, but the water fragments spun around Fletcher like rain. Junior and Chatter both yelped as Fletcher zoomed straight into them and flung them backward. Fletcher quickly flew back over to Petunia before his opponents could recover and retaliate.

Though the Wing Attack had done quite a bit of damage, Sky Blue's pokemon still had a lot of fight left in them. They recovered quickly and stood their ground, waiting for either a command from their trainer or an aggressive action from Petunia and Fletcher.

"Junior, Rain Dance!" Sky Blue shouted to his pokemon. "Chatter, Mimic on Wartortle!"

Junior gave a loud cry and formed an orb of water between his long fingers. He then threw it into the air, making it disappear into a passing cloud. The cloud went dark and rain began to pour down.

That Rain Dance will power up Petunia's Water Gun and Bubble Beam! Margaret thought hopefully, but then her heart dropped. Fletcher's Ember and Flame Charge won't work in the rain! Only Wing Attack will do much damage!

A loud shriek from her pokemon snapped the rookie out of her thoughts. Petunia and Fletcher were being sprayed with a Water Gun from Chatter. This explained why he used Rain Dance. Since Sky Blue's Mr.Mime and Chatot were using her Wartortle and Fletchinder's moves against them, he was going to power up the moves they were mimicking. When Chatter stopped spraying them and fluttered back, both her pokemon fell down, trying to catch their breath. Margaret's Pokedex said that both Petunia and Fletcher were in the red zone now. After seeing this, the rookie began to panic.

What should I do?! She demanded inside her head, actually grabbing her hair and pulling on it. Any move we use will be used against us! Now there Water Type moves are even stronger, and if Junior gets to the red zone, his Water Type moves will increase in power even more!

"You can do it, guys!" called Sowny from the sidelines. "Margaret, remember everything Silver taught you!"

At the sound of her cousin's name, all of Margaret's knowledge and memories of her battle lessons with Silver came back to her. After he helped her catch Sowny, Silver had taught her how to battle. She remembered one piece of advice he had informed her before leaving.

"Sometimes to win a Pokemon Battle, you have to take risks, Marg," Silver had told her. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices, and other times you have to take the path no one else would take."

But there's nothing else I can do! She argued with herself. There's no more moves that we can use!

Then she remembered. Petunia and Fletcher each had one more move. N had given her three TMs to use for her pokemon. He had told her that he no longer needed them and thought they would be useful.

"Petunia, start using Rapid Spin!" Margaret commanded, a plan forming in her mind. "Fletcher, use Flame Charge, and stay above Petunia!"

Her pokemon gave obedient but weak cries and put their plan into motion. Petunia once again retreated into her shell and began spinning around while Fletcher started using Flame Charge and flew above Petunia.

"Now, Petunia, use Blizzard!"

A violent snowstorm began brewing around the Wartortle, and it continued to expand. It soon covered the entire field, and it was blinding Junior and Chatter. They were giving loud cries of pain as the cold scratched and bit at their bodies. The only one besides Petunia unaffected by Blizzard was Fletcher.

"Fletcher, now attack with Flame Charge and Steel Wing!"

The Fletchinder gave a loud shriek as the flames began to disperse, but his wings glowed a metallic color. He charged and smacked right into the Mr.Mime and Chatot before darting back.

"Junior, Chatter, hold on and use Psybeam and Uproar!" Sky Blue shouted desperately, but Margaret had already yelled, "Water Gun and Wing Attack!"

Petunia and Fletcher both attacked before Chatter and Junior could defend themselves. The Water Gun and Wing Attack sent the two pokemon flying through the air. After a moment, Sky Blue's pokemon landed on the ground with a thud.

Junior and Chatter had fainted.

"We...we won?" Margaret stuttered in disbelief, staring at the defeated Music Note and Barrier Pokemon. "W-We really won?"

"Would you like me to sign some conformation papers, or should I just tell you that you won?" White joked as she walked over to Margaret, Sowny tailing behind her. "Is this the first time you won a battle like this?"

"On the journey, yes, but-"

Margaret yelped as Petunia and Fletcher flung themselves on her. Their combined weight made the rookie fall back on the sand. The Wartortle and Fletchinder were both squeaking with glee.

"We won, we won!" They were both chanting excitedly. Then Margaret remembered that this was their first pokemon battle, unless they counted the fight for their lives with Team Flare.

She beamed at them and hugged then tightly before telling Petunia and Fletcher, "You both were great! I have a feeling that we'll do really well in the showcase!"

"WEEEEEEEE!"

A pale pink and white pokemon flung itself onto the rookie and two pokemon. The three of them yelped in pain from the extra weight, but Sowny quickly took the hug invader off them and threw him aside. Junior gave a loud squeak as he landed in the sand and got his head stuck.

"Junior, I'm afraid that the hug is for members of Margaret's team only," White told the Mr.Mime, who had a look of disappointment on his mime-like face. "Go hug your own trainer, he needs one."

Unfortunately, Sky Blue was struggling to make his way over to them when Junior decided to take White's advise. The Barrier Pokemon squealed and ran over to his trainer before leaping onto him, making Sky yelp and fall over.

"S-Should we help him?" Margaret asked as the one eyed trainer tried pushing his pokemon off.

"He's fine," White assured her. "He needs more hugs."

"Why don't you hug him then...?"

"Birthdays, holidays, and extremely bad days only."

After a moment, Margaret stood up and asked uncertainly, "Um...White...why are you sorta cold toward Sky? I know you both care for each other, but why do you act negatively toward him around others?"

"...I don't know, right now it's habit," White answered after a moment. "I guess after Team Plasma's first downfall, I became more distant with him and Mira on purpose. I was depressed, and it wasn't till one year ago that I got reconnected with them. Otherwise, I guess I prefer showing him any affection without people watching."

"I guess that's understandable, but maybe you should...show you care about him more often, I guess..."

White didn't reply as Junior finally got off Sky Blue and ran behind her. Sky had finally gotten up and limped over to the girls. His Chatot was perched on his shoulder, but he looked a little dazed and was swaying from side to side.

"Please tell me you have enough inspiration," panted Sky after he made it over. "I only have three pokemon left."

"Actually, I think I have enough ideas now," answered Margaret happily. "Thanks again for helping us, guys! I really appreciate it!"

"Just pay us back by getting past the Theme Performance," White told her with a smirk.

"We'll try our best! Sky, you ok?"

Sky Blue had collapsed back on the ground and threw the staff aside. Chatter squawked and flew off his shoulder as his trainer clutched his injured leg.

"My stupid leg is hurting from all that falling!" He snarled, hitting the ground with his fist. "I can't wait till I get this off, then I can walk freely again!"

"I thought you would go beat up the person who did this after getting it off," White snorted.

"That too!"

"Um, would you like some help standing up and getting back to the Pokemon Center?" offered Margaret nervously.

"No, it's-"

"I'll help, don't argue," White insisted, helping Sky Blue up and picking up her staff. "Let's get you back to the Pokemon Center."

"Wait, am I dying? Are you dying? Is Mira dying?"

"Good grief, can't I do one nice thing for you?"

Margaret smiled as she watched White help support Sky walk back to Ambrette Town. She saw White glance over her shoulder, a small smile across her face.

I guess she's not done caring for him in public quite yet, she thought to herself as she and her pokemon trailed after the two older trainers, Chatter, and Junior. But now I have to concentrate on planning and practicing for the showcase.