Galar. The Isle of Armor. Master Dojo The Pokemon Festival. Late Afternoon.
After successfully drinking the Max Soup, those who have passed the second trial were returning to the Master Dojo. As for how many of the students managed to retrieve the Max Mushrooms, it wasn't much. At best, some managed to get two Max Mushrooms while a majority came back with nothing. Despite the lack of mushrooms, the Max Soup was still made and consumed by Ash, Sci-Twi and Fluttershy's Pokemon.
"Congrats on finding some Max Mushrooms and already having a meal," Mustard said to Sci-Twi's group. "Trial number two was no problem for you, it seems. All of my other students got lost in the forest. Turns out finding Max Mushrooms was the least of their problems. It's a shame but I guess everyone other than Twilight's group will fail the trial."
"I spent so much time getting nowhere..." A student said, lowering her head. Many of them were gutted after being unable to get enough Max Mushrooms.
"Now, it's getting late. So get some rest before the final trial, alright? The Secret Armor is something that requires your full attention after all."
"Wait!" Bursting indoors was Klara, who didn't want this to be over yet. In her arms, she received some Max Mushrooms, which were dirtying her white coat. "I've got some Max Mushrooms too!"
"Oh, nice work, Klara. You must've searched hard for those." Mustard chuckled. "That makes you the next and last person to pass the second trial."
"Waaaah! I did it! I did it!" Klara was relieved. She immediately let tears flow out as she was over the moon to succeed in the second trial. She started sobbing and sniffing as she was truly dedicated to this trial. "I shouldn't have stuck around spying on Twilight. I would've done it sooner! That was too close for comfort!
"Chin up. You did well." Sci-Twi said, trying to cheer her up. But as soon as she spoke to Klara, her tears quickly subsided, fading away. She didn't want to hear it from her.
"Curse you, Twilight...1Upping me again. I need this more than you do, that's for sure!" Her internal thoughts ranted about Sci-Twi once more. "I know what you're doing...trying to play nice. I'm all too familiar with it. Just you wait and see. The last trial is where all of your progress melts away.
With the second trial ending, before the third one could even begin, everyone would have to get some sleep until tomorrow arrives. Most would sleep well, but not Klara. Now that she passed, she was fearful of the third and final trial. Sci-Twi looked like she might win it since she has been showing herself as the more capable trainer than her.
Nightfall.
The Moon had hit the Isle of Armor. Courtesy of Princess Luna. As for where the students would sleep with the Master's Dojo being the only place they could go to, thankfully for them, it had guest rooms that could occupy plenty of people. After a long day of work, chasing Galarian Slowpokes that were way faster than they should be and finding Max Mushrooms, they deserved this rest.
The one person who wasn't asleep just yet was Sci-Twi. Instead of sleeping, she wished to spend some time with her Pokemon. Specifically, getting to know Bulbasaur better and form a stronger bond with him. And of course, she promised to feed Munchlax all the food he wanted after his battle against Scione's Grimmsnarl. Sci-Ti would spend a little more time outside before heading back in.
But Sci-Twi wasn't the only person awake. Walking outside, still worried about tomorrow was none other than Klara. She tried clearing her head, only to spot Sci-Twi. "Y-You...? Out at this time?" Klara grimaced.
"Oh, hey Klara. You're still awake too?" Sci-Twi greeted while rubbing Bulbasaur's chin.
"Why am I not surprised you're here? Of all the rotten timings..."
"I guess we're going to the finals together. My friends and I are going to continue working as a team. Or...maybe not. Maybe the third trial is where our teamup ends." She approached Klara.
"I hope so..." Klara grizzled her teeth. "That'll leave me with a better chance to win."
"Really? I don't know. I'm feeling good about this one." Twilight grinned, adjusting her glasses while thinking about the third trial and how she could execute it. "I might get the secret armour ~! Oh, but you've got a good chance at it too, Klara, I'm sure of it."
"I should've been the only one with the best chance to get it until you showed up."
"Huh?" Sci-Twi paused. At that moment, Klara was ready to express how she felt this entire time.
"I could've been at that final trial by now. Today was going to be my lucky day until you strolled in all of a sudden." Klara twitched, showing off her disdainful expression. "But the moment you got here, you've been stealing my thunder. You should've been back on that train immediately."
"You tried driving me off? But I thought you were being kind." Sci-Twi was reasonably confused. She didn't expect Klara to switch up on her, even though this is how she's always been.
"Pssh. No way, mate. As if I'd let someone else get the better of me. I just couldn't spill the beans to Mrs Honey about what happened. I was afraid you'd do it but you obviously aren't the type to do that." Klara scoffed. "Now, I can't let you win. Not when this is my big chance to get somewhere since everything else I did failed."
"Well, I knew you wanted to win badly but...I didn't think you wanted to get rid of me..."
"Getting rid of the competition is something I should've done long ago, but never had the chance." At that moment, Klara began reminiscing about the past and how she got here. There was a reason someone like her was here at the Isle of Armor.
I was an underground pop singer with traits of absolute cuteness, naturally and the virulence of poison. I was going to make it big and become the next pop sensation. Surpassing my idol Roxie and making it to the big leagues, believe me.
Klara at this time was not sporting a Galarian Gym Leader Uniform. Instead, she pursued a different career. Her first career. An aspiring dream to become a pop star while also looking up to her idol. The Gym Leader Roxie of Unova, who was also a Poison-Type specialist. She was a solo artist, of course, using technology to make her instruments while she sang everything. Klara was lucky to get a deal as an upcoming artist, publishing her debut album, "Krazy for Klara".
Alas, she did not get far. At all. Despite her attempts at promoting herself, she only sold about eight copies of her debut album. Klara gazed at the eight copies she received on her laptop, absolutely gutted and blown back. This was a total failure. Possibly the biggest in the music industry. Klara's hair was completely dishevelled because of this.
Climbing up her arm to try and comfort her was Venpiede, who she's had alongside her side for the longest. But even Venipede couldn't cheer her up. This was something that Klara wished she could excel at and get somewhere with. She slammed her face against her table, at a loss for words.
I didn't understand it myself. My music should've been a smash hit but only eight copies sold. And seven of those came from my family. From parents, cousins and grandparents. I wasn't making it anywhere and my deal was ended in an instant. But I refused to give up. I had to achieve something else, even though being a pop star was my ultimate dream. Something that I could still be good at. And it was the one thing everyone was good at.
Failing to become a pop star, she turned to what was seen as the next best thing. A Gym Leader. She attempted to become a new Gym Leader in Galar as her new goal was to boost her popularity. Klara gained new confidence, throwing away her music career and tackling the Pokemon Battling career.
In Galar, Gym Leaders were seen as a bigger deal with plenty of proteges around. In this case, Klara was pursuing the role of a Poison-Type Specialist. That was her speciality after all. Klara made her way to the Poison-Type Gym available at Galar, ready to get somewhere else in life. She chose the Poison type because it matched her image and there was less competition.
It was my chance to start fresh. I could really stand out and be known by many as the Cute and Powerful Klara. Pokemon Battling is a cinch. But that Poison Gym was the absolute worst, giving me rough training sessions.
Obviously, there was competition. There will always be competition. Even this was a struggle for Klara. The Poison Gym was not kind to her, making Klara undergo training sessions that she couldn't handle. Trainers are always instructed to undertake training, but the Poison Gym, in Klara's own words, was too much.
In reality, Klara just didn't have the capabilities to do so. She relied so much on her cuteness to try and make it there, but that did not work. Her cuteness was a factor she tried selling even with her music career but that obviously failed too. Even if she had the looks, Klara was missing something.
She gave up on that goal after two days of harsh training at the Poison Gym and immediately threw the possibility of becoming a Gym Leader out of the window. But she did keep the uniform by the end of it.
It sucked too. And I really wanted to be a Poison-Type Gym Leader. No other type was going to work for me, that's for sure. Right then and there, I was ready to give up on standing out and getting out there in the world. In what could be considered Klara's lowest point, she sat in her room, eating chips to try and stave away the sadness.
Klara's dreams have been shattered not once but twice. And they were both rather huge dreams with one massive thing in common. To stand out. Klara simply wished to be a sensation. Crying and eating away her crushed dreams, she didn't have much to do. That was when she saw something on TV. When watching a Late-Night TV Show, a mention of a certain island was brought up.
The Isle of Armor.
It appeared in the form of a commercial and spearheading it was Mustard, who was the owner of the island. Klara didn't think too much of it and didn't even have the strength to change the channel. But when listening to it, she would be informed of what this island had to offer.
Mustard in the commercial looked incredibly kind, encouraging others to come over just so he could train them. He promised them that there would be enjoyable activities at the Isle of Armor and the opportunity to grow as a Pokemon Trainer. Both in strength and skill.
At that moment, something new sparked in Klara's mind. A new dream to pursue. Mustard promised things that Klara most definitely wanted and it certainly seemed better than the Poison Gym she tried focusing on.
This is what I needed. After I saw how kind Master Mustard, looked in the commercial, I believed she could become stronger without trying too hard. I quickly called the Dojo to apply and get myself to the top in the easiest way possible. And I was right. He was definitely kind and the lessons here at the Isle of Armor were way better than what the Poison Gym offered me so I had to stick around. I didn't have to do much at all.
In reality, Klara was just lazy. While she may have been determined to become a pop star, it as clear that the Gym Leader path was also seasoned with laziness. She focused more on being doted on by others and barely worked on her training and this was even present when Sci-Twi joined the frame.
"Don't you see? I'm this close to getting to my ultimate goal. Once I pass that third and final trial, I'll get the secret armour, high-tail it out of her and tackle the world!" Klara expressed. "And you're going to take it away from me, Twilight!"
"So that's it..." Hearing it all, Sci-Twi finally understood Klara and what she was all about. Her dedication to stand out was very much something Sci-Twi could understand. "And you want me out of the way because I threaten you? I don't threaten you, Klara, I swear."
"You certainly do." Klara hissed. "The fact that you're the closest to winning can't happen."
"I'm sorry, Klara. But I'm looking to win this too myself." Sci-Twi was upfront, not backing down even after Klara's comments.
"That's what I was afraid of...!" Klara groaned as her hands were twitching. "I can't stand girls like you. I was hoping you would've given up when you lost to Master Mustard and especially Bea! I almost got lost in that stupid forest and I was hoping you'd get lost and never come back! But it looks like I'll have to be the one to do it."
"I'm not leaving." Sci-Twi frowned. She was already taking Klara seriously from the start but now she had to take her even more seriously than before.
"Stand out in your own world, princess." Klara vigorously held out a Poke Ball as her hand was aggressively twitching. "I need to stand out here and you're stealing my thunder. Let's have a Pokemon Battle and I'll see if I'm good enough to reach the third trial. When you lose, that'll confirm that to me."
"I'm not going to battle you, Klara. It's late. It can wait another time." Sci-Twi picked up Bulbasaur, refusing the Pokemon Battle for another time. She stayed calm, not playing into Klara's trap. She returned all of her Pokemon, officially calling it a night. Klara scoffed, putting away her Poke Ball.
The tension between the two was now very much present. Klara expressed her disdain for Sci-Twi while Sci-Twi didn't seem to share it all. But there was no way she was going to let Klara beat her. Not when she promised to get stronger herself. And at the same time, Sci-Twi couldn't help but see where Klara was coming from.
Compared to her, Sci-Twi was incredibly successful in life, mainly when she was a student at Crystal Prep. While she was distant from others, she did stand out and was known for her skills. Klara was the exact opposite though. She was not afraid to try and stand out so that everyone knew she was there and didn't even know how to be distant from others. But unlike Sci-Twi, she seemed to lack the skill and found little success at all.
For Sci-Twi to be here and for her to be related to Princess Twilight Sparkle as her counterpart, Klara felt threatened. Sci-Twi could obviously see that, even if that wasn't her intention. She wasn't sure how she was going to stave away that bad blood that Klara was now possessing.
Watching all of this play out was none other than Mustard. He was also awake and took the time to view this scene for himself. And right next to him was none other than Kubfu. The same Kubfu that randomly attacked Ash and Sci-Twi and wasn't seen for a while.
"Well, that settles it," Mustard commented, coming to a conclusion on this whole scenario. Unlike Sci-Twi, he had the answer to all of this and knew how to settle it. "Tomorrow morning is when those two can put a rest to this. I hope you're ready for that moment, Kubfu."
"Kubfu!"
"I should speak with Ash about this. Knowing what Leon has told me about him and what I've seen, I think I know what my answer might be."
The Next Morning.
A new day had come. Both for the Isle of Armor and the entirety of the Pokemon Festival. And with this, came the third and final trial. Some wouldn't make it there. While others would. However, for this last trial, there was something in the air that was telling them, that this would only be accomplished to one individual at best.
"Twilight. Klara. Master Mustard wishes to see you both in his room." A student said to Sci-Twi and Klara as they were both chosen. "It's about the final trial."
With those two being selected, they would make their way towards Mustard's room. Pinkie Pie shuddered as she could feel the tension, making her mane and tail tremble. "Eeugh...Is it me or is there some bad blood in the air?"
"Is there?" Rarity questioned. "I couldn't tell. No one here seems to hold it."
"Audino..." But Audino felt like she knew where it was coming from. She narrowed her eyes at Klara, suspecting her. Thanks to her spectacular hearing, Klara's silent words managed to reach Audino since yesterday, even if a majority of them were in her mind. Audino already saw Klara as odd, especially when Sci-Twi and her friends showed up at the Master's Dojo. As they approached, they didn't even give each other any eye contact, especially after what happened last night. The tension was most definitely potent, but it was mainly leaning towards one side.
When entering Mustard's room, Sci-Twi and Klara saw a plethora of trophies sitting there. Their jaws dropped after witnessing these awards which were telling of Mustard's accomplishments. Most likely in the past considering his age. Pictures of medals, and trophies of similar shapes and designs, showing that they were the same trophy but for a different year. On the wall, the symbol of the Galar League was also present, indicating that he was involved in it at some time.
"Twilight. Klara. Thanks for coming. I've decided that you two...will now take the Master Dojo's Final, Last and Ultimate Third Trial!" Mustard bellowed with a wide grin.
"The Final...Last...Ultimate... Third Trial?!" Klara pulled back after making a prolonged gasp. This sounded incredibly serious based on how Mustard presented it.
"That's the gist of it. Twilight. You've done everything in a group but for the most part, you've caught the Slowpoke and obtained the Max Mushrooms. So, you've been chosen. I even spoke with it to Ash last night."
"You did?
"Indeed. He has high faith in you, Twilight. Normally, I'd see him as the one passing all the trials but he was confident in you getting further."
"Oh, well..." Sci-Twi was greatly pleased when hearing that, even blushing. To receive a compliment from Ash was always nice but to have it come to the point where he wasn't in the third trial and instead passed it on to Sci-Twi was lovely.
"And you Klara. You've surprised me."
"I have?" Klara blinked
"Oh yes. You did it all by yourself without any help. Great work."
"W-Well...It was nothing." Klara twirled her hair. "It's only natural that I'd make it this far. Was there ever any doubt?"
"Both of you pushed each other to greater heights and helped each other grow. So I'd say it's finally time to see who is stronger...in a Dynamax Pokemon Battle." The last trial had been revealed. Straightforward for both of them to understand. "Whoever wins will be granted the Secret Armor of the Master Dojo.
"This is it...Finally..." Klara closed her eyes. This was the moment she was waiting for. Her moment to truly shine and become the best in the Master Dojo. The first to complete the trials. However, there was one ultimate roadblock in her way. Sci-Twi. "But can I...?" Her eyes shifted, glancing at Sci-Twi. A battle with her was imminent.
"The Battle will be held in the Battle Court behind the Master Dojo. The court is a Power Spot so you can Dynamax to your heart's content."
"I-I've gotta get going!" Suddenly, Klara sprinted out of the room. One thing was for sure, she would be ready for this upcoming battle. "I need to go there right away and prepare my pure heart for this! I'm going on ahead, K, Twilight? You can laze about like a Slowpoke and take as much time as you need." Just like that, she was gone, most likely heading to the court.
"Klara...She's got talent, that's for sure. But, it's caused her to slack off." Mustard commented. "I saw your conversation last night, by the way."
"You saw it?!" Sci-Twi gasped. "Our argument?!"
"I wouldn't call it much of an argument. I heard Klara express everything and she's never done it before here at the Dojo. The truth is, she's never felt the need to try hard at anything, I guess. Perhaps her singing career, maybe. Even with her training at the dojo, I can tell she's been doing the bare minimum. But things have changed since you arrived."
"Me?"
"Yes. Maybe you've helped awaken some sort of passion and drive in her, eh? A drive that she's always had but no one's been able to trigger it. Until you showed up. Still, I only hope that motivation isn't put towards anything mischievous. Now, head out there and prepare for battle."
"Yes sir!" Sci-Twi was ready. Ready to get things over with between her and Klara before it escalates and to complete the final trial, thus granting her the Secret Armor. But one thing was for sure, this was not going to be a friendly battle like the rest of them.
Just as Mustard said, because of Sci-Twi's arrival, something awakened in Klara, and her deep feelings to stand out have been greatly elevated. And with it, came an obsession to be better than whoever would dare try and outdo her. And Sci-Twi was the exact embodiment of that.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 305 End.