//------------------------------// // Chapter 31 – Royale Pains // Story: Pokémon Eclipse // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Gladion led the group down a closed-off road with many brightly-lit shops and restaurants tightly packed beside each other on either side of it. Though the afternoon was getting late, the street was still very sparse with people, many of whom didn’t seem to take too much notice to the four ponies walking close to Sam and Alice. Rainbow Dash seemed particularly wary about this. “Hey, Starlight, how come no-one’s paying attention to us?” “Shh!” Starlight turned her friend's head forward with her magic. “Most of the people here assume we’re Pokémon too. Just act natural and stay quiet.” Though Rainbow Dash understood, she felt a bit insulted by the last statement. “…I thought I was acting natural.” As they continued down, they were about to approach an intersection, the crossing street also containing people loitering or sitting along the roadside benches. Gladion shifted to the right, signaling to the others that they would be turning soon. “Gladion?” Alice asked. “Where are you taking us?” “We’re almost there.” Gladion did not make eye contact with her, turning right at the crossing, and when the others did the same, they were compelled to stop and look up at the massive building now facing them. Though still about a hundred feet between them and it, everyone but Gladion were still in awe at the towering dark-blue stadium whose sides were adorned a giant LED display that displayed trainers calling out a variety of different Pokémon from Poké Balls of various designs with a colorful backdrop animated behind them. The path to it was an elegant, polished black stone that curved around a large white-marble fountain halfway down. “What is this place?” Sam wondered aloud. “Looks like a party central if I ever saw one!” Pinkie Pie commented. “This is the Battle Royal Dome,” Gladion answered. “It starts to get really busy around five, so we should go in and reserve a spot before we get booked out.” “Booked out?” Sam quickly followed Gladion to swing around him and block his path. “Why are we even here? You said you knew where the two ponies on this island are, so we should be heading there before it gets too late!” “To answer your question…” Gladion shoved Sam aside and faced the whole group. “…you all need to get stronger.” “Well what do you think Sam and Alice have been doing all this time?” Starlight pressed. “I agree the Island Challenge has made both of you stronger, but you barely survived that onslaught as it is, and if I may be so frank, you may not have made it out of there without my help.” Starlight breathed in heavily, wanting to retort, but quickly understanding that nothing she would say would negate what she knew to be correct. Gladion turned to face the arena once again. “This place is designed to have trainers face each other in a four-way battle with three Pokémon each; one trainer versus three others. While you two have fought well by each others’ sides, you must be able to fight with yourself and yourself alone.” Sam sized the arena once more, contemplating and suddenly appreciating Gladion’s purpose. “Hey, Alice?” Alice, along with the four ponies and their Pokémon, turned to him expectantly. “I think we should do it.” Sam was met with a chorus of “huhs” and “whats” from his friends, Gladion neutrally standing still with his stone-face. Alice approached him. “Sam, you do remember that this isn’t our adventure anymore, right? This is about reuniting their friends!” Sam shook his head. “I know, but we can’t exactly do that if we aren’t strong enough to see it through.” “Are you kidding, dude?” Rainbow Dash flew in front of him and held him by the shoulders, putting her face close. “You and your sister just defended yourselves against nearly a dozen of those Prism guys! No offense, Gladion, but Sam, you should seriously tell Gladion to take a hike!” Sam felt another set of arms wrap around from behind and the side of a pony's face to press into the back of his head. “Just making sure you aren’t under too much pressure,” Pinkie Pie whispered. Sam couldn’t help but laugh, brushing Rainbow Dash’s arms off of him. “I assume you’ve seen Gladion fight before, right? Did you see how he wiped out each one of our Pokémon in a single hit when we first met? Did he even tell you about when we first met?” “Yeah, we did,” Rainbow Dash scoffed, crossing her arms, “but I think we can all agree that he’s not the bad guy here!” “And yet here you are wanting me to tell him to take a hike, as you so eloquently put it!” “Sam, Rainbow Dash, that’s enough!” Alice ran in front of the two, and while there was ample distance between them, she put her hands up to separate them. “We certainly aren’t making progress arguing here, so let’s put it to a vote.” “There’s nothing to vote on here!” grumbled Gladion. Alice ignored him completely. “Starlight, Fluttershy, what do you think we should do?” Starlight and Fluttershy looked behind them to the south at the park and large statue on the other side of the avenue, seeing a path that would quite possibly lead them to their friends. Starlight’s lips pursed, unsure of only one thing. “Gladion, do you know where Rarity and Applejack are on this Island?” Gladion nodded once. “When we flew here, we saw two things with auras similar to yours down in the Ruins of Life.” “Ruins…” Starlight put a hoof to her mouth. “Does that mean that they’re being protected by–” “An island guardian, yes.” Starlight’s face became sterner. “Then I say Sam, Alice, go in there and fight.” “Starlight!” Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie both exclaimed. Rainbow Dash flew close to Starlight. “You seriously aren’t going to let them do this, are you?” “Rainbow Dash, I’ve seen one of the creatures that guards the ruins of the island. They are incredibly strong. Stronger than Sam or Alice, perhaps even stronger than Gladion. If Applejack and Rarity are with one of them, we should let Sam and Alice get themselves stronger while we have the opportunity.” Alice smiled and nodded, instantly inspired by her speech. “In that case, I’m for it too.” “Okay fine!” Rainbow Dash flew herself up and threw her arms out. “You can do your little four-battle thingy, but you gotta’ make it quick!” “I agree.” Gladion turned on his heel to face the Dome. “Let’s get inside before you cause even more of a scene.” Gladion briskly walked to the stadium, Rainbow Dash swooping back down and trotting beside her other friends. Sam and Alice let them pass to follow, looking behind and to the sides at anyone who might have overheard. The sliding doors opened on their own once Gladion got close, the ponies stopping and looking about it to find whoever or whatever let them in. “It’s just the sensors,” Gladion hummed. “Wait off to the side while I go exchange some Pokémon.” “Go… exchange some…” Gladion didn’t wait to answer Sam’s question, stepping away to the PC on the desk at the back of the lobby. “Okay then?” “He’s probably getting some weaker Pokémon so it’s a fairer fight for us,” Alice surmised. “Don’t you also have a fourth spot to fill?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It’s you, Sam, and Gladion, and there’s one still missing.” “I could do it!” Starlight stepped forward. “Gladion said we use three Pokémon; Sam, you have three, Alice you have four, so whichever one you leave out, I can use with Lady and Comfey!” “Really?” Fluttershy then turned to her Pokémon. “Comfey, you wouldn’t mind battling with Starlight, would you?” Her Pokémon responded with a firm two shakes of its head. “That’s some good thinking, Starlight!” Pinkie Pie lightly swung her hoof into Starlight’s shoulder, her friends smiling at the reinforcing comment. “I’m sure you’d do great out there!” “As helpful as that would be,” Sam said a bit wistfully, “you would need a Pokédex with a valid registered ID in order to participate, and you have neither of those things. Not to mention, Gladion would probably not want any of you to literally be in the spotlight.” As Rainbow Dash groaned, pulling down on her face with her hoof, a older-teenaged woman wearing a frilly black tank-top, a white knee-length skirt with a wavy decal, and a pair of shiny black slippers approached them, her shoulder-length brown hair held out in place by a wide-brimmed straw fedora. “Excuse me?” she said, lightly tapping on Sam’s shoulder. “I couldn’t help but overhear you need a fourth trainer to do a battle with?” As Alice began listening to the young woman’s accent so subtle that she could not put a finger on where it came from, her face stretched into one of realization. “Oh my crap… you’re Kaj!” The young woman turned to Alice as if mildly shocked, suddenly smiling at the recognition. “Yes, so happy to meet a fan!” Reaching forward, Alice eagerly shook the girl’s hand. The ponies looked to each other, unsure if either of them knew of a “Kaj.” “Um, sorry,” Fluttershy softly spoke to Sam, “who is she?” He leaned close to her ear, speaking just as quietly. “She’s a Master-Rank Pokémon Coordinator from the Hoenn region.” “What’s a–” “It’s someone who trains their Pokémon for contests, using their moves to create the most dazzling displays and performances to win.” “Oh! It sure sounds a lot nicer than battling.” Kaj continued looking about the other three ponies nearby her, unsure whom to talk to first. “I’ve heard of talking Pokémon, but that’s usually through telepathy. Your mouths are moving and everything.” “Uhh…” Rainbow Dash glanced to Starlight, her standing there serving as a reminder. “…yeah! We were just traveling with these two trainers here!” She motioned her arm to Alice and Sam. Kaj then looked to Lady, gasping at her. “Oh my gosh! Your Sylveon is just beautiful!” “Thank you!” Starlight blushed a little. “I actually evolved her earlier this afternoo–” Starlight cupped her hand to her mouth and set it back down, hoping it was a quick enough stop. “You… evolved her? I’ve never heard of Pokémon training other Pokémon before…” Pinkie Pie leapt in. “That’s because she’s not really a Pokémon and she and me and my other two friends here are actually ponies who were pulled from our world to this one!” Kaj’s eyes and mouth shot open while Sam, Alice, and the other ponies stared at Pinkie Pie fearfully. “…What? I thought the jig was up already!” “So, you’re…” Everyone in the group looked around, realizing it was pointless to deny. “AHH! Oh my god! I just… I just can’t!” She rummaged around in a large shoulder bag, pulling out a small device with a large screen and a Poké Ball designed button on the bottom. Pressing it and sliding her thumb from the bottom of the screen up, she held the screen to her face, her camera putting her smile in the corner and getting the ponies with either of their hooves on their faces or a tired expression as well as Sam and Alice, the latter of whom pushed her glasses up to pinch the bridge of her nose. After snapping the picture, she looked down to see how it turned out, pouting disdainfully at the result. “Sheesh, that’s depressing.” “You!” Gladion’s bark froze Kaj’s spine and pulled her up straight, frightening her even more as he got closer. “What do you think you’re doing?” “I’m sorry, Gladion!” Pinkie Pie hopped between them. “I kind of spilled the beans about who we really are.” Starlight breathed out, knowing her friend couldn’t be fully to blame. “To be fair, I said that Lady was my Pokémon, and that’s what led Kaj to suspect me.” Gladion frowned, though upon seeing no one else in the lobby take notice or concern with them, he breathed a calming sigh, putting his hand to his forehead. “So… your name is Kaj?” The question felt rather awkward to her. “Uh… yeah? Don’t you recognize me?” “Vaguely. I don’t follow Pokémon Contests and pageants as much as most people.” “Oh… that’s okay! I always like to add to my fanbase!” “Hmph… just don’t count me in as one of your new converts. Sam, Alice, follow me!” As Gladion suddenly walked away, Kaj finally reacted in offense, pouting strongly while stretching her arms down and squeezing her fists in anger. As the ponies also passed her, she suddenly realized that she was alone, jogging forward to join the group as they made their way to the lobby desk booth. Gladion stepped aside to let Alice and Sam up to the counter where a smiling female clerk with brushed medium-length black hair and a formal uniform looked to them. “She needs your Pokédexes. Also, if you have more than three Pokémon on you, pick the three you want to battle with.” Sam shrugged as he reached to his belt with one hand and inside his pocket with the other. “Easy enough.” With a well-timed set, Sam laid his three Poké Balls and Pokédex for the woman. “Thank you!” she said. “It’ll be just a moment.” As the clerk slipped Sam’s Pokédex in a slot in a drive connected to her computer and placed his balls on a small three-spaced platform, Alice looked between the two balls she held in in each hand. After only a few seconds, the woman removed the Pokédex and returned Sam’s balls to him onto the counter. “Thank you,” she said as he took them back. “Your turn, ma’am?” Alice groaned as she flicked a ball from her left hand to join the two in her right. “Okay here!” She set her own Poké Balls down with her Pokédex, looking at the ball she would leave behind. “Sorry, Pikachu. My Rockruff needs a turn too.” The clerk removed Alice’s Pokédex and put it on the counter. “I’ll take that other Poké Ball for you. You’ll get it back once you’re done.” She huffed as she did as she was told, leaving the clerk to replace Alice's chosen three Pokémon on the platform and put the fourth onto it. With a few keystrokes, Alice watched from over the counter as the ball glowed white before it crackled seemingly out of existence. “Okay, then!” the clerk chirped. “I already registered your friend over there, which means we need a fourth trainer…” “Right here!” Kaj broke through the ponies, holding her Pokédex, a wide-octagonal shaped device with a large screen in the center and a large white Poké Ball shaped button on the left, in her right hand and three black Luxury Balls with an orange-red ring around the top. She slammed them down on the counter, frightening the clerk. “I’m not too late, am I?” Once the shock subsided, the clerk’s face widened with the same realization as Alice had. “Oh. My. God! Kaj herself is in our dome!” “Happy to meet a fan!” She held a wide two-finger pose over her right eye, winking for better measure. Gladion, Sam, and Alice moaned almost inaudibly as the clerk eagerly scanned her Pokédex and Poké Balls. “So,” the clerk asked, incredibly invested with the answer she was sure to receive, “are you taking a break from the contest stage or something?” “Yeah, I’ve been trying to branch out into training lately.” Kaj then turned to Alice and Sam. “That’s why I asked if you needed a fourth trainer!” “Well…” Alice deadpanned, “we sure got one.” “My daughter is a very huge fan of yours, and hopes to follow in your footsteps.” The clerk returned Kaj’s Pokédex, prompting Kaj to hand her other three Luxury Balls to her, getting her chosen Pokémon in return. “And you’re all set! You’re the very next match, and the ongoing one will be over in just a few minutes!” “Wonderful.” Gladion pulled out his wallet from his side bag. “Lastly, can I purchase five front row seats, preferably ones to the very right of the yellow corner?” “Let me check…” With a couple of clicks from her mouse and a pressing of keys from her keyboard, the clerk pulled up an image of the seating, a little better than half the seats showing up with lower opacity. Looking to the yellow section, she smiled. “You’re in luck, the whole front row is open! Five tickets, Section 301, Row A, Seats 1 through 5…” With five clicks on her mouse and a final subsequent one, five tickets quickly came out out from a printer inside her desk beside her keyboard, tearing the last ticket out and handing the ribbon to him. “And here you go, Gladion!” “Thanks, but I’d rather help do my part.” He pulled out a plastic card from his wallet and tapped it against a circular pad built flush into the counter, hearing a positive-sounding ding with the pad’s outer edge lighting up green to signal the successful purchase. “Well, thank you so much! I’ll call you when you’re ready!” “I appreciate it.” Gladion stepped aside, Sam, Alice, and the ponies doing the same. Kaj went over slower, looking to the clerk. “In case I don’t have a chance to talk before the match, if you want me to sign something for your daughter, I’ll happily do so.” “Oh, would you?! Bless you! I wish you the best of luck!” Kaj blew a double-handed kiss to her before running to join her fellow battle mates and ponies, who sat in metal seats placed in the corners of three circular tables not too far from the desk. Gladion and Sam couldn’t also help but notice as more and more people began to spill inside, most of them around Kaj’s age. “So, uh…” Sam wondered aloud. “Is the rush coming early?” “Not really.” Kaj pulled out her screened device and opened an app on it, showing a selfie of her outside of the Dome and an bell-shaped icon on the bottom showing dozens of notifications on it. “I chatted about me coming here about ten minutes ago!” “Chatted?” Fluttershy wondered. “To who?” “You know, Cha– Oh…” Kaj turned her screen to show the ponies the picture of her, several comments appearing beneath it, each one making some show of support by announcing their attention to be there or root for her in spirit. “I use Chattytot. It’s an app on my phone that allows me to tell people who follow me online what I’m doing.” She then closed out the app to show the app’s icon, which appeared as a black eighth-note with a light-red bird’s beak and a single eye on the side. “See?” Alice tried to pull up a smile from the frown she had garnered almost since they walked in. “Well, I mean, at least we’ll have a nice, big audience!” “That reminds me.” Gladion tore off each of the five tickets and handed them to each of the ponies and Lady, Comfey holding Fluttershy’s. “Have Lady and Comfey lead you inside to your seats. We don’t need anyone else knowing about your true origins.” “Why’d you even buy us these?” Rainbow Dash wondered. “Shouldn’t we be hiding someplace… you know, not in a massive stadium?” “My usual spot is the blue corner. You’re directly across from me, and that way I can keep a close eye on you at most times.” “Oh… he’s good.” Pinkie Pie fanned her face with her ticket as she glanced between Gladion and her friends. “So,” Starlight turned to Kaj, “forgive me if I sound blunt, but where’d you get the name Kaj?” Kaj could not stifle a giggle. “It isn’t my real name, if that’s what you’re wondering. I just felt like I needed something with a little… pizzazz! I liked it, and so it stuck.” “Wait, hold on!” Alice gently tapped Kaj, Sam, and her other friends on the arm as she and they looked to the front desk booth, seeing four people inside of it. The first of them had his Pokédex scanned as he placed his three Poké Balls on the platform, a light flashing beneath them. “They look to be finishing up. Starlight, you’re probably going to need to guard yourself and your friends until we get out in the arena, okay?” “Got it,” the unicorn responded. “Also…” she pulled her Pokédex from her bag and slid it to Starlight. “If you see any weird Pokémon, feel free to use it. Just pull the two ends apart and keep the Pokémon you want to scan in the middle.” “I’ve seen you use it a couple of times. I think I’ll be good.” “Good.” “Are you sure about that?” Gladion wondered. “Unless you have a trainer ID handy, you won’t be able to collect your battle points afterwards. Who knows, you may win.” Alice reached into her bag, picking inside a small slot where a card would fit and pulling out her Trainer ID with her photo in the corner, holding it up for Gladion to see. With the third trainer in the booth having finished their business, Sam, Alice, Kaj, and Gladion stood out from their chairs, Alice slipping her card into her vest pocket. “You should get to your seats,” instructed Gladion. “Better now then having to fight through a sea of people.” “Okay then,” Rainbow Dash said, following Starlight and Lady toward the closest staircases winding up around the lobby desk booth. “Good luck, guys!” “Thanks!” Kaj instinctively responded. The ponies quickly and wordlessly slunk up the stairs, Sam, Alice, and Gladion unable to help keeping their eyes on them as the usher checked Lady and Comfey for their tickets. “Gladion and guests,” the clerk's voice called over an intercom, “please report to the front desk!” The four trainers shared a look to each other before making their way there. Gladion led Sam, Alice and Kaj down a dim hallway, lit only by the one-way window looking out to the stadium floor with four colorful gates designed like wrestling ring-ropes appearing halfway between the seats and the large, square platform in the center. Each of the corners of the arena were shaped like the gaping mouths of four Pokémon: a Charizard, a blue, aquatic dragon-like serpent, a forest-green, stone-skinned dinosaur, and a black dragon with golden plating on its back and two large sabers jutting from the sides of its upper jaw and running along the side of its head. The four of them reached the glass, the two hallways on either side of them laden in red carpet and light-blue walls wrapping around the perimeter of the arena, two lights shining from the openings of the green and yellow corners. “Which corner would you like, Sam?” Alice asked. “It doesn’t really matter, does it?” Sam shrugged, knowing that wasn’t a proper answer. “I’ll take the Charizard if that’s okay.” “Okay, then I’ll go through the Haxorus!” “Alright!” Kaj hopped in the air and threw her fists up. “That means I’m in Tyranitar! I love green!” Gladion glanced to Kaj, hoping his icy glare would be enough to get her attention, though it didn’t. “Kaj.” She turned to him, looking unsure. “I brought Sam and Alice here to strengthen them for their journey ahead. I would highly appreciate it if you brought your all to this fight.” She paused for a moment, now even more unsure if she heard him right. “Huh? You didn’t think I was going to take this fight seriously? Brother, I never give anything less than a hundred-ten percent!” “Please don’t call me brother again–” “Just for that, I’m going to be sure that I’m the one that takes you out!” Gladion gasped, and his nervous expression lingered to know that even this excitable young woman could surprise him so. He couldn’t help but smile. “You can certainly try.” “Trainers,” the preprogramed voice of the intercom suddenly blared, “the match will start in sixty seconds. Please make your way to your corners and stay there until we call your names.” “Well, good luck you two!” Sam ran backwards to wave, spinning back around shortly after to lead his sister down their hallway to their corners. Kaj turned to Gladion and put her hand up. “May the best trainer win.” Gladion was quick to accept the gesture, clasping her hand firmly with his own and giving it a single shake. “Don’t disappoint us.” Before Kaj could respond, Gladion turned back and ran down the hall to the blue corner. With a frustrated pout, Kaj had no other choice than to go stand in her own corner and wait. At their seats, Rainbow Dash, Starlight, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Comfey and Lady peered over the ledge, the pressure mounting as the start of the match grew closer. “Eee…” Pinkie Pie whined, hugging her legs in. “This is so exciting! I wish I had some bits for some popcorn and cotton candy!” “I don’t imagine we’ll be staying very long after this,” Starlight replied. “We’ll probably get some better food for dinner when we leave.” “But I don’t want to wait that long! The match hasn’t even started yet!” The lights began to dim and the crowd, which now filled about eighty-percent of the seats, began to roar, Pinkie Pie’s ears dropping down as she looked about her, surprised with herself and her uncanny timing. “Eh, you’re right; I can wait!” “Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Pokémon of all kinds and sizes!” The smooth, but commanding voice of the announcer thundered through the massive speakers suspended above the ring. “The next match is underway, and we can guarantee you this is going to be a special one!” “Heck yeah it is!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, her voice all but drowned out by the other spectators’ applause and cheers. “In the blue corner, returning to the ring after many years, one of Alola’s most feared, yet talented trainers! Put your hands together for Gladion Mohn!” Gladion stepped outside of the Gyarados’s mouth, seemingly untouched by the piercing cries of support. As he put his feet up and stood in his corner of the arena, he looked directly ahead, spotting the ponies, Lady, and Comfey all cheering for him. Seeing them safe, he looked around the crowd, finding it in him to smile and wave at the people chanting out his name. “Making their debuts in the Dome, in the red and yellow corners…” “Guess we don’t get our own intros, huh?” Sam kept out of the crowd’s sights, standing against the back wall directly before his corner’s entrance. “…the brother and sister who hail from Lumiose City in the Kalos region, please give a hot Alolan welcome to Sam and Alice Brier!” At the announcement of their surnames, Alice and Sam both jogged out from their corners’ mouths, slowing to their spots and looking up to the people cheering for them, unable to hold back grins as they basked in the adoration. “Let’s go, Sam! Alice!” Starlight shouted through the verbal fray. “Woo, you go!” Fluttershy squeaked out, the volume of the crowd unnerving her. “And finally…” the announcer's voice audibly perked up. “She may be making her own debut today in the dome, but most of you probably know her as the Princess of Lilycove!” The crowds shrieked even louder than before, Fluttershy’s teeth clenched as she put her hooves over her ears. “She hardly needs further introduction, so let’s bring her out. The one! The only! Kaj!” Kaj ran out, instantly turning back to the crowds sitting in her corner, blowing them all a flurry of kisses before spinning around to wave to the other members of the crowd. As the cheering began to finally die down, Kaj removed her hat from her head and spun back to the spectators in the green corner, frisbeeing her hat out to the first couple of rows. The first to catch it was a smaller girl half of Kaj’s age, and when she acknowledged that she caught it, Kaj formed a pointing pistol and winked to her, turning around to stand in her corner as she heard the girl’s excited laughing behind her. All four trainers were now facing each other, now only awaiting the signal to begin. Lady and the ponies scooted to the edges of their seats, ready to see what would undoubtably be a very interesting battle. “Alright, trainers!” Each of the four put a hand to one of their Poké Balls on their waists, ready to draw. “The match will now…”