A/N: Hurray, the first song is here! It does involve some cursing, by the way.

7/5/20

7:33 am

Grassland Stadium

It's weird, I wasn't focused on my match at first. Phoenix just learned a new move I've never seen before, and I just had to ask her what it was. My paws shuffled towards the Houndour, who hesitantly walked off the dohyo. Her mouth was hanging open, still shocked from the previous match. "Did I just win that...?"

A chuckle came out of my mouth as my paw placed it on the back of my cousin. "That new move you just learned probably saved your skin. What was it?" Judging from 'Nix's impression, she had no clue what just happened, not even the move that just occurred. "Okay, just sit next to Cord and figure it out, alright?"

"G-Got it." Phoenix walked off towards the side to sit next to the Raichu. I wasn't sure if she was digging through her Pokémon instincts, but now was not the time to worry about that. There was a match I was called upon, and I seriously hoped it wasn't a Kantonian Marowak I had to face.

"Okay, if it's a Ground type, I can't use any electricity. If it's Alolan, I can relax." Jitters shook my entire body as the Marowak entered the ring. "Please don't be a Kanto variant. Please don't be a Kanto variant. Please don't be a Kanto variant..."

It wasn't.

"Oh thank God," I mumbled to myself. I might actually stand a chance now! "...Today's been a good day for you, huh?" My opponent didn't respond, only grunted while gripping his bone. Green flames on both sides ignited, making me blink in confusion. "That's pretty rude for small talk."

As I went down to four legs, something felt off. It wasn't the excitement I had fighting, nor was it the crowd as they started counting down. Something a part of me wasn't there, like a personality, habit, I don't know how to explain it. I... I think it's gonna appear when the match starts.

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

The horn suddenly blared, making the Marowak start charging towards me. His bone started spinning, trying to be unpredictable. I closed my eyes and let this new feeling take over.

Beats started ringing on my ears as I ran a few feet and jumped over the Marowak.

Drop top Porsche (Porsche), Rollie on my wrist (Wrist)

Diamonds up and down my chain (Aha)

Cardi B, straight stuntin', can't tell me nothin'

Bossed up and I changed the game (You see me?)

I quickly turned around to my tail heavier and metallic. It was shining so bright, it felt like I was ready for anything. My body shifted to four paws and charged towards my opponent, jumping in the air when the timing was right. Our moves contacted. Sparks and specks of bone sent flying toward the crowds. As they all ducked, the Marowak decided to give an extra punch. I was sent flying near the other side of the ring. "Ow..."

Ooh, don't we look good together?

There's a reason why they watch all night long (All night long)

My paws gripped the dirt as I did a push up for balance. That punch was a lot stronger than I thought, so I had to tread carefully; although I admit I didn't take that advice once. My body turned around to give a cocky smile. "That's all you got?!" I yelled at him.

Blame it on my confidence

Oh, blame it on your measurements

I let out a soft roar as I charged towards the Maroack, readying my paws for a fist fight.

We out here drippin' in finesse

It don't make no sense

Out here drippin' in finesse

You know it, you know it

We out here drippin' in finesse

It don't make no sense

Out here drippin' in finesse

You know it, you know it

...I just realized the difference between the punches of my right and left paw. My right paw has more power for targeting, while the left paw has more accuracy. I guess that's why I lead my punches with my left paw before moving to the right. Anyway, the Marowak decided to take in all my punches and use his club to knock me a few extra feet away.

It wasn't too bad; my body didn't fall painfully or anything, but it did prepare him enough to make his entire bone start flaming with purple and blue. He charged straight at me, and I was forced to dodge the upcoming attacks. It lasted about this long:

When I'm walkin' with you

I watch the whole room change

Baby, that's what you do

No, my baby, don't play

Surprisingly enough, I decided to dance my way dodging the Shadow Bone, and somehow was able to dodge all of the thrust and stabs of the Marowak's bone. A familiar yellow sphere formed twice the size of my paw, making me grab it by the tips. I ended up thrusting my paw towards the opponent, trying to force my opponent to give me space.

He didn't take it to my surprise, instead taking a few steps back to fire a Flamethrower. I jumped in the air to start charging my electric pouches quickly. For some reason, my opponent just stood there looking up, clenching his bone without flames. As soon as I launched my Thunderbolt towards the Marowak, he literally threw his bone towards me.

Fellas, grab your ladies if your lady fine

Tell her she the one, she the one for life (Woo)

The bone canceled my Thunderbolt and followed me when I dropped to the dirty floor. I had to duck once before realizing the bone was like a boomerang...

Oh, it's Bonmerang. That makes sense now. I had to dodge again when it came back to me, making sure my tail didn't scrape the tip of it. It went straight back to the paw.

Yeah, we got it goin' on, got it goin' on (Hey)

Don't it feel so good to be us, ayy? (Feels so good on you)

Yeah, we got it goin' on, got it goin' on

For some reason, an idea formed when he grabbed the bone again. His attacks mainly use the bone as moves. So I can somehow get the bone from him, it'll make me have more of an advantage. "Why don't you throw that again," I shouted at him. "I dare you. No, I double dare you!"

The Marowak blinked a few times before throwing the bone again. I positioned myself to catch the bone horizontally, sliding towards the end of the ring when actually catching it. I didn't know what I was doing: my left paw formed an Electro Ball and tossed it on the air. Both of my paws gripped the large bone, and I got into a stance that was ever so familiar to me. I swung at the Electro Ball, hitting it towards the Marowak.

You know it, you know it

Everyone in the stadium stood there watching the attack work, sending the Marowak flying towards the same metal wall Phoenix sent her opponent in. I took that moment to literally notice what my end position was now. My right foot was currently in a pivoted position, while everything minus my arms were leaning towards the Alolan Marowak. I was still holding the bone, except realizing I did a swinging motion.

Oh crap, I just swung the bone like a baseball bat. This is even worse than the Riolu that actually has a bat in his possession. At least in that story they know baseball exists. I have to live with my decisions of trying to at least bring Universe One culture to this world...

Why am I even ranting about this? SinningFlame hasn't even decided to post his first story by then.

Castform already acknowledged me winning the battle, so I slid the bone towards the Alolan Marowak before going back to my seat next to Cord. "...Okay, I admit. The bone/bat part was a bit excessive."

The Raichu shook his head as Phoenix swung over to the other side. "Look I get it was kind of instinct, and 'maybe' it felt similar to a bat..." He paused to make sure no one else was eavesdropping. "But come on, man. You can't just reveal your humanity to a crowd of Pokémon."

As I apologized, Phoenix tilted her head while looking at my yellow, perked ears. "That's weird..." She moved her paw to grab something out of my ear, making one of them twitch.

"Huh?" I blinked a few seconds before looking at the Houndour looking down at her paw. "'Nix is there something..." She was gripping a white object that was echoing a soft beat that was louder in my other ear.

Work it, make it

Do it, makes us

Harder, better

Faster, stronger

"...Daft Punk?" The Raichu mumbled before looking at the white object again. "...Isn't that the wireless earphones that were released before I left?"

"They're called AirPods," I corrected him. I took out the other one in my right ear out to inspect it. It was literally hiding in my fur, muffling it enough so no one outside could hear it. "Someone had to place it before the match..." My head decided to look at the crowd, since they were focusing on the next match going on. "And I think I know who."

***

7:51 am

Grassland Stadium

It's weird; I keep on seeing Abby as this young Eevee who didn't know any better. Walking down the stairs to Abby's seat, I could feel some of the shenanigans from when I was a Pokémon come back to me in a weird way. That went along with memories I've never seen before. My head shook them off before tapping the back of the Glaceon.

She turned around enough for me to notice her carrying the Treasure Bag, which was hiding something familiar to me. "Oh hi Manny!" Abby said with a smile. "I thought you were going to be with Cord and Phoenix, watching the matches."

I shook my head before taking the seat next to her. "They said we can't leave the stadium in the memo. They never said we can go to the stands..." For some reason, my body decided to shift closer to the Glaceon. "I believe you might have something that is mine."

Abby looked at me for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. "I don't why I can't do Harmony's directions when it involves you." She opened the bag to reveal a blue device still on, but it wasn't playing music currently. "She wanted me to give this to you after the qualifiers as a gift. I wasn't sure why, but when I tried to figure out what this thing was, your match went on."

"Well, it did what it was supposed to do..." I picked up the device to scroll through the list with my thumb. All my songs I downloaded were in here, making me grin. "This is my music player I've had in the Dream and human world."

"Really?" She tilted her head to notice the two AirPods in my paw currently. "What's that then?" I quickly explained the purpose of the headphones, which didn't take too long. I decided to place the MP3 and both AirPods into the Treasure Bag, hoping it would hide itself. "...I'm not sure that's the only reason you're up here, right Manny?"

...Man, people really see through me, huh? I let out a sigh before nodding. "I can't really explain it... But I can't wrap my head around it." My body hopped down so the Glaceon could only see me. "I told 'Nix I wasn't gonna use Turbo Boost this qualifier. I obviously know it's cheating, but if a Pokémon from the Darkness is in this like Bisharp..." I shuddered at the thought. "Do I break that promise?"

The Glaceon didn't get to respond, because I shook my head before walking up the stairs. She just stood there, watching me go up with a content sigh. "I guess you don't like breaking promises to family, huh?"

My head nodded before walking down toward the battlefield. "...I hate lying to my mom too."

*Game File Saved*

A/N: Well, I know some of you might not have heard the song for Manny's battle scene, but here's a fun fact! If you time it right, you can actually get through the entire song while reading without stopping. Took me a while to get it though.