"Greetings, everyone. Our class will present a short skit entitled: Daughter of the Sea. Please enjoy."
Furina, accompanied by the male lead Dawn and all their classmates, bowed towards the audience.
"LADY FURINA!!!"
The crowd burst into cheers. At some point, the auditorium had been packed to the brim with students and Pokemon. Like Pikachu, some of them had glow sticks in their hands. A group even had a large poster of her held up.
"...wow."
That was all Dawn could say as she beheld the scene in front of her. Furina on the side didn't change her smiling expression as the curtains began to close. But as she gazed at the front row seats, the smile on her face stiffened.
Dawn sensed a brief burst of malice from her partner. She followed her gaze, curious what made her so mad. And when she saw what Furina was looking at, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
With his head down on his seat, Dante slept, uncaring of the performance on stage. As the curtains closed, Dawn and Furina were saw Focalors gently shaking Dante's shoulder to wake him up.
"Come on, everyone. Let's get into positions."
Furina smiled at Dawn, no trace of dissatisfaction on her face. If she hadn't felt the negative emotions from earlier, Dawn wouldn't have noticed anything wrong with her. As for why she could sense Furina's emotion…
Dawn entered the private dressing room made out of four curtains, her form shifting. Her height increased, her dark-blue hair turned white and red, and her face…became that of Dante's.
"Ugh, Dawn's lucky she has such a good friend."
Dante sighed as he took out the script from under his clothes. He flipped through from the middle of the pages, at the bookmark he left from where he last left off.
His increased IQ from all the Gummies he drank made his memory and calculation abilities very sharp. Although it's not a photographic memory, he can still easily memorize just 100 pages of script.
However, unbeknownst to both Dante and Dawn, when Dawn volunteered to be the male lead, Furina changed some parts of her script to show more intimacy between the 'male' and female lead.
Dante continued reading the script until a voice outside reminded him.
"Dawn, it's almost your turn."
"Coming!"
Dante replied, folding the page of the script at where he was at while his form shifted to Dawn. Luckily, he was able to easily replicate her voice, especially since she herself was maintaining a more masculine tone as practice for the male lead.
As he walked out of the room, he gazed at the stage where Furina was looking around in confusion.
The story which they were performing wasn't too complicated. It goes something like…
Once upon a time, there was a Brionne named Mylene who longed for the surface and the colorful human world. However, her father Kingdra expressly forbade her from going, stating that it was unsafe.
Mylene pleaded and pleaded, but Kingdra was unmoved. Angry at her father, Mylene stormed out of the palace, running away from her guards- Seadra and Corphish.
She wandered into a forbidden territory of the ocean and met the sea witch, Jellicent. Then, under her bewitchment, Mylene made a pact.
In exchange for her Pokemon identity and power, Jellicent will grant her a human body so she could fulfill her wish of walking in the world of land dwellers.
(All of the Pokemon's dialogue was voiced by Furina and her other classmates behind the scenes.)
Mylene, who was now played by Furina, woke up on the beach.
She stared at her body, her arms moving clumsily as if adjusting to her new body. She looked up at the blue skies, and stretched her hands to feel the gentle rays of the sun (stagelight) on her skin.
"I-is this, the surface?"
Furina's innocent voice made the audience hold their breath. Even her diehard fans tried to remain as silent as possible to hear her voice, only waving the glow sticks in the air.
She walked around the stage, her expression shifting from the initial confusion to wonder. Just at this moment, three rough looking guys marched towards her.
"Young lady, what are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere all by yourself?"
"Oh! Greetings, fellow human beings. Why, I came here on my own to admire this magnificent scenery!"
Furina showed an innocent smile, her bare feet drawing lines on the white sand.
"Is that so? Why don't you temporarily stay back at our camp? The scenery there is also wonderful!"
"Is that so? How delightful! Please, lead the way, kind strangers."
"Keke, it's no trouble."
The three men grinned maliciously.
The scene shifted. Furina was led to a camp and saw two girls tied to a post. Now, even though she was naive, that doesn't mean Furina is stupid. She yelled at the three men who brought her here, her tone indignant.
"You dare trick me? Face the wrath of the sea!...huh?"
Furina stared uncomprehendingly at her hands. Then, she remembered- she gave her powers to the witch!
With only the body of a normal female human, Furina was unable to resist the three men. She sat on the ground as they grinned maliciously at her, her face twisted in terror.
"H-help. HELP! Please! Somebody, help!"
"Hehehe, it's useless, princess. We're in the middle of nowhere. Your screams would reach nobody!"
"Is that so?"
From behind the bushes, Dante appeared. A scabbard hung on his waist, and his tone remained casual as he leisurely approached
"The Jericho brothers, kneel down and surrender. Your time of reckoning has come."
"Oh yeah? Let's see you reckon this!"
Dante sighed as the three charged towards him. Then, with a series of quick steps, he bypassed them, his sword flashing in the air. The three men paused, and fell simultaneously to the ground with a thud.
"My lady, there's no need to fret any longer. I am here."
"I-indeed."
Furina took the hand offered by 'Dawn', suppressing her inner shock. In their final rehearsal, Dawn's movement wasn't so smooth.
"...my saviour, may I have the honor of knowing your name?"
"Me? My name is Dandy. How about you, fair lady?"
"I'm Mylene. Thank you for saving me, Sir Dandy."
Thus first met Mylene and Dandy.
Dandy is an adventurer from the nearby city. With his help, Mylene was able to familiarize herself much faster in the human world. She also followed Dandy in his adventures to see more of the surface world.
"Here, I think this suits you."
"A hat?"
Mylene stared the large, blue hat given by Dante. From its design and ornament, it must not have been cheap.
"Yes. After all, the weather has become hotter recently. It would be a shame if the sun ruined your skin."
"Hmph! You don't have to worry about that! …but thanks, anyway."
Mylene took the hat and put it on her head. She twirled in place for Dandy to see.
"How do I look?"
"...simply mesmerizing."
In time, the man and the woman formed a relationship beyond that of friendship…
"Mylene, will you be my eternal companion?"
"Oh, Dandy! Yes!"
Mylene rushed and embraced Dandy, tears of joy falling from her eyes as she stared foolishly at the silver ring on her ring finger.
A few months after Mylene's engagement, she experienced something called the season of drought. According to Dandy, it would soon pass, to be replaced by the cool season. However, after almost a year, the dry season still remained.
"Dandy, dear. Are you going out again?"
"Yes. I want to try my luck in the wild. This period of drought has gone on for much longer than anticipated. Crops have started to wither and food in the market has become scarcer and pricier."
"I see…take care of yourself."
One year. Two years. Three years passed. The dry season never disappeared, but the love Dandy and Mylene have for each other has never withered.
"Mylene, look! I obtained clean water from the caves!"...
"How is it, Dandy? This jacket should protect you from the hot weather."...
"Dandy! Are you alright?!"
"Ugh, I-I'm fine. The berries in the wild have also disappeared. Pokemon have become more and more aggressive."
"No way…"
However, even with their love, Dandy and Mylene's living condition worsened as the drought continued on. And not just them, every person in the city experienced the same.
Just as it seemed this suffering would continue on for years more to come, the ruler of the city shared with everyone the cause of this drought that was divined by Slowking.
Deep in the ocean, a Jellicent lies dormant.
With abilities from the princess of the sea,
Water energy, she devours like a torrent.
Her demise would the climate return guarantee,
Or the Pokemon turned human named Mylene.
Thus, the whole city started a fervent witch hunt. Every person named Mylene was brought to be tried. And when Mylene, played by Furina, learned the news, her face quickly turned ashen.
"What's the matter, dear? Don't fret, they wouldn't hurt you. The esteemed Slowking can prove your innocence with a single glance."
"D-dandy. It is me. They are searching for me."
"What?!"
There, Mylene finally told Dandy the truth. Of how she traded her identity and power to become human. However, she didn't even know her decision would lead to something like this.
Dandy didn't blame her. Instead, he prepared a bag of essential items, planning to run away with Mylene.
"R-run? But, what about the people?"
"Didn't Slowking say we can also solve the problem if Jellicent dies? There's no need for you to sacrifice yourself!"
"B-but-!"
Mylene had no time to rebut as Dandy grabbed her hand and ran away.
However, on their way out, they were discovered by his friends from the same Adventurer's guild who knew Dandy's wife is named Mylene. Dandy stayed behind to hold them back, giving Mylene the opportunity to escape.
—
"Is she here yet?"
"When will she get here?"
Dante knelt on the wooden floor, mobs holding pitchforks and torches surrounding him. His hands were tied behind his back. Even so, he gazed at the people around him with a fierce expression.
"She's not coming!"
Dante yelled, snarling.
"You're wrong…she's here."
At this time, a classmate dressed as an aristocrat pointed towards the side of the stage. There, Furina came over, a solemn expression on her face.
"Let him go. It is me that you want."
"No! Mylene!"
"Seize her!"
Furina closed her eyes. Then, it seemed as if time had stopped. The lights on the stage dimmed and the mobs froze in place. A single spotlight remained, one that only shined upon her. Furina opened her mouth, and her angelic voice resounded throughout the auditorium.
Ah, if I become one with the springs
Can the world's wonder be restored?
Will you forgive us our sins, dear mother?
She slowly walked forward, bypassing the frozen people. Then, she stood before Dante and freed him from his shackles.
The dancing water flows, so life can go on
It nurtures our city
And thee, my beloved
"But, what about your wish?"
Dante said, his voice trembling. He held Furina's cheeks as he stared deep into her eyes.
"My…wish?"
Furina's gaze turned dull. Then, her face broke out into a heart-wrenching smile. She kissed Dante on the cheeks and walked away.
Oh, if only true love was enough
Alas, I have to bid goodbye
Our love but a bittersweet fairytale
Specks of light flowed out from Furina's body, and the spotlight increased in intensity.
And yet I am here, and here I shall remain
To behold the world in all its beauty
Until the end of time
At this time, the mob regained their ability to move. Furina gave them a final glance, before her body exploded into smoke. When it dispersed, all that was left of her on-stage was her hat.
Clap clap clap
Dawn was awoken from her sleep by the deafening cheer. She yawned and looked around, only to find the students around her standing up and clapping.
Huh? What's going on?
Dawn turned her head to where everyone was looking. There, on the stage, she saw her classmates lined up and bowing towards the audience.
Her eyes widened, and all her sleepiness disappeared. The play! What happened to the play?!
She hurriedly stood up to rush backstage. However, when she heard Furina thank everyone for watching, she stopped in confusion. Listening closely to the crowd's murmur, it seems…the show was already over?
Dawn looked at the stage in stunned silence and saw Furina smiling at her.
Now, even though she only knew her for a few months, Dawn still learned to recognize some of Furina's emotions behind her smiling facade. And right now, the petite girl was definitely pissed.
Was it because of her absence? Oh, who was she kidding, of course it was! But if so, how did they manage to finish the performance? Did they replace her? But with whom?
She looked amongst her classmates, and was stunned to see…herself???
…ah, of course! She must be dreaming again! She remembered her earlier dream, where she was woken up by Focalors to watch their class' play.
Dawn pinched her wrist to wake up. She felt the pain, but other than that, nothing changed. In fact, looking closely at her surroundings, it seemed like she was already in reality.
Dawn felt more and more confused. She scratched her head in annoyance, which was when she finally noticed her different skin color and unfamiliar clothes.
She looked down at herself, then back at the stage. Did she perhaps fall victim to a Pokemon's prank? A kind where she switched bodies with someone?
But if that is so, then who was the one on stage? And who is she now?
She looked to the side, and found herself sandwiched between Focalors and Shinobu. Seeing all their other friends, combined with the Pikachu on her shoulder, Dawn got her answer almost instantly.
"I turned into Dante…"
—
"That. Was. Amazing!"
"Yeah! Dawn, I didn't know you could act so well! I cried when I saw your heartbroken expression at the final scene."
In the Gillig restaurant's private room, Mualani and Candice gushed over Furina and 'Dawn'. Their whole group came here to eat lunch after the opening ceremony finally finished.
"Indeed. You were a natural! If only I had known earlier, you should have been the male lead from the beginning!"
Furina turned to Dawn and also praised.
"Aw, shucks. Quit it, guys. You're embarrassing me tehehe~"
'Dawn' covered her mouth and giggled, her actions making someone else in the room shiver with disgust.
"Hey, stop it! That's not how I act!"
Dante's outburst attracted everyone's surprised gaze. This was especially the case for his voice, which became shrill like a girl's.
"W-what are you talking about, Dante? I don't understand. You're scaring me."
Dawn shivered and hid behind Furina, her one eye peeking at Dante like a timid cat.
"Calm down, Dawn. Dan's just joking."
Shinobu placated the blue-haired girl while giving her boyfriend a reproachful stare.
"Yeah. And I still remember you sleeping through our entire performance! You won't even know how amazing Dawn was!"
Furina placed her hands on her hips. She pouted in dissatisfaction at Dante. Her plan to amaze him failed just because this buffoon stayed up all night and didn't get enough sleep- probably due to doing something stupid like playing video games.
"I-it's alright. Actually, the real reason I was able to perform so amazingly was because of Dante. As long as I think about his handsome and cool appearance, I'm able to forget the crowd and do my best."
The room fell into awkward silence as they stared at Dawn, who had a blush on her face while peeking at Dante.
"... GRAHHHH!!! DON'T USE MY BODY TO SAY THAT!!!"
Everyone had been waiting for someone to speak up after Dawn's remarks. Most of them looked at Shinobu, expecting some kind of reaction from Dante's girlfriend. However, they didn't expect the only male in the room to lunge at Dawn.
"Kyaa~ He's sexually assaulting me!"
"Dante! What are you doing!?"
The girls recovered from their shock and quickly stopped the two people who were wrestling on the ground. Shinobu and Focalors each held Dante's hand, while Furina and the others came to comfort the sobbing Dawn.
"Uwaaa! He touched…he touched my boobies~"
"Seriously Dan, what's wrong with you?! You've been acting weird since earlier!"
Dawn felt aggrieved at being scolded by Shinobu. She glared viciously at Dante who was crouched on the floor. And when she saw him secretly smirk back at her, she finally snapped.
Okay, okay, two can play at that game.
Dawn's eyes became sinister, and she turned to Shinobu with a guilty look.
"Ehem, Shinobu, the truth is, I've been cheating on you."
"Huh?"
Shinobu gazed suspiciously at her boyfriend. What the hell is he talking about?
"Yes! That's right! In fact, from the moment I saw Dawn, my heart always longed for her. Whenever I'm with you, all I can think about is her. This time, I was unable to control my beastly urges…I'm sorry."
'Dante' lowered his head in shame.
Silence once again befell the room, only to be broken shortly after by Shinobu's tired-sounding voice.
"...sigh Dan, stop it with the jokes."
"I'm not joking!"
"I'm not talking about you, Dawn."
"Huh?"
Dawn gazed at Shinobu, and finally noticed that the 'Dan' she was addressing was the impersonator. Except for Focalors and Mualani, the others were also confused.
"Haha, alright, alright. I was just taking a little payback for earlier."
A male voice resounded behind Furina. She turned, and saw 'Dawn' chuckling as her form shattered like glass. Then, a second Dante emerged in the room.
"Huh!??"
Except for Mualani, the girls around Dante backed away in stupefaction. The confusion only grew when the other Dante also shattered and became Dawn.
"What's going on!?"
Furina looked back and forth between her friend and the man she was tasked to seduce, her head steaming from thinking overload.
"Yes, Dan. What's going on?"
Shinobu crossed her hands in front of her chest. Even for him, this was too much for a prank.
"Hmm, long story short, I met Dawn on the way to the bathroom. She passed out and wouldn't wake up, and their class's performance was about to start. I saw the script in her hands, and the rest, you saw for yourselves."
"Wait, YOU were the one acting as Dandy??"
Furina tremblingly pointed her fingers at Dante. Suddenly, the uncanny feeling she had about Dawn's increase in acting skills made sense.
"Indeed, my fair lady, Mylene."
Furina's face turned red. She remembered all their intimate interactions on the stage, when she thought she was acting with Dawn.
"B-b-but, how did you do that? Switch identities with her?"
"Like this."
Dante's form shimmered. His red-and-white hair turned blue-and-white, his frame became larger, and a long cane appeared in his hand.
"Settle down! I will have order!"
He tapped his cane against the floor, and his piercing purple eyes glanced across everyone in the room.
"...really? Of all the people you could turn into, you turned into Father?"
"Your objection is overruled! Focalors, you are sentenced to your room for 420 days."
The corner of Focalors' mouth twitched. She found it funny seeing her 'Father' acting so…uncharacteristic of himself.
Dante shifted once again. He turned into different people multiple times, trying his best to do his impression of them. As he did so, he explained the basics of his 'newfound' Ability to his friends.
"Talking to Pokemon, increasing their training speed, and now an instant fashion makeover? I call hax!"
Candice shouted, her statement earning an agreeing nod from the other girls.
"Don't forget his increased physique. You really won the genetic lottery, Dan."
"Hahaha, I guess luck has always been with me since birth."
Dante smiled back at the girls. Inside, he was honestly surprised that except for a slight jealousy, none of them exuded much negative emotion. Instead, the way they looked in admiration made Dante feel a bit fuzzy.
Interlude - Talk between Sisters
"Mouuuuuuuuu…"
"…"
"Mouuuuuuuuu…"
"Sigh What's the matter, Furina?"
Focalors put down the book she was reading. She turned to her sister, who had been staring at her with a pout since earlier.
"You knew."
"Knew what?"
"About Dante's ability!"
Furina sprang up from her bed, and then…stumbled. Her hands waved in the air to balance herself. When she regained her bearing, she coughed and acted like nothing happened.
"When he told us about it earlier, you weren't even fazed. Speak up! When did your relationship become so close?"
Furina narrowed her eyes, her hands crossed in front of her meager chest as she did her best impression of the prosecutors in their Dad's trial.
Focalors stared at her sister for a moment…and smiled.
"It's simple. I completed the task. We had our first date yesterday- that's when he told me about his illusions."
"Yesterday?"
Furina groaned. Stupid! She had been so busy preparing for the play that she let her guard down!
"Why look so disappointed? Now, you can live your life the way you want. I'll make sure the family won't give you tasks like these again."
"But what about you? You think I'll be alright? Knowing you sacrificed yourself for me?"
Furina whispered, her heterochromatic blue eyes starting to glisten.
"Pfft! Sister, do you really think I'm sacrificing myself?"
"Huh? Isn't it?"
Furina wiped the corner of her eyes, staring in doubt at her giggling twin.
"No. I like Dan. Getting married to him is a joyful occasion, not a sacrifice."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
Focalors maintained her smile under Furina's scrutinizing gaze. Although a bit exaggerated, what she said was indeed the truth. Among all the male of the same age she met, even including other aristocrats, only Dante left such a lasting impression- that she even dreamed about him occasionally.
"If that's the case, why didn't you say so earlier? I would have backed out and blessed your relationship!"
"Would you have believed me?"
Furina stammered and averted her gaze. Indeed. If her sister told her to give up on Dante because she liked him, her first thought would be that she was lying for her sake again.
She peeked and noticed a small, fond smile on Focalors' face. Is she…thinking about Dante? Is she really in love?
Furina should have been happy; that her sister finally found the love of her life. However, when an image of Dante and her sister holding hands and laughing emerged in her mind, Furina's chest constricted.
As they start to date, she and her sister would have less and less time to hang out. And when she and Dante get married and have a child in the future…would she even remember her?
Furina began to panic. She tried to think of a thing, anything, to steer her mind from that dark scenario.
"W-what about Shinobu? I saw them still being intimate earlier. Did you even tell her? or are you and Dan cheating behind her back again?"
"...she knows. We agreed to share Dan."
"What?!"
Furina opened her mouth in disbelief.
"H-how… you both agreed?"
"Yes. We're still finalizing the terms, but she doesn't have any problems with sharing Dante."
"That's…"
Furina was speechless. Based on her observations, Shinobu and Dante are deeply in love with each other. How could they easily include Focalors in their relationship just like that?
However, a dark, unbidden thought arose in her mind. If she asked…would they also agree to include her?
Interlude - Mega Evolution in the PMD World
"You ready?"
"Mawile!" (Always!)
"Heh, good."
Dante took a deep breath. It was currently midnight, he and Mawile were sitting on the bed. Surrounding them was Pikachu and the others, a look of curious anticipation on their faces.
Normally, they would have traveled to the PMD world by now. However, as they were about to do so, Dante had a sudden thought. If Mawile can't undergo Mega evolution in that world, then why not do so before travelling through?
"Let's start."
Energy flowed into the gloves on Dante's right hand, and the familiar connection with Mawile returned. Just like usual, he felt her excitement, longing, and adoration.
Mawile also received Dante's energy feedback and hummed in satisfaction. Her body glowed, and she transformed into her Mega form.
"Good. Now for the moment of truth."
Dante pressed the continue game button on his phone and blacked out. He woke up in the familiar haystack, and his eyes quickly turned towards a corner of the room.
"It worked!"
Dante cheered, his tail wagging in delight. There, Mawile sat up while rubbing her eyes, the two large jaws behind her head opening and closing.
"I don't know, Dan. This feels…weird. I don't feel the same connection."
Mawile interrupted Dante's celebration. The two jaws above her head had sagged as she fidgeted in discomfort.
With her reminder, Dante finally noticed the missing flow of energy between him and Mawile.
"What's wrong? Didn't it succeed?"
Pikachu asked as he gazed at Mawile's Mega form.
"We don't know yet. Something seems…different. Do you feel any discomfort, Mawile?"
"No? I even feel…natural. Like this is just my normal form."
Even though it was so, Mawile still preferred having the feeling of constant pain as her body was pushed beyond its limits; when Dante's energy was intertwined with hers.
"Ah! This should be due to the different world rules. I remember Chatot had once mentioned Mega Evolution being permanent and irreversible."
Dante said as he opened up the menu to look at Mawile's stats. As expected, since there's no support from outside, there's less of a boost in her stats. However, he did find an unexpected surprise.
Mawile (Mega)
Type: Steel/Fairy
Abilities:
Intimidate (Reduces the Physical Attack of opponents)
Huge Power (Doubles the power of Physical Attacks)
Level: 41
HP: 109/109
Attack: 89 (+10) Defense:76 (+20)
Sp. Atk: 91 Sp. Def.: 80 (+20) Speed: 76
Item: Mawillite (Absorbed), None
Noting the additional item slot, Dante grinned.
Interlude - Pokemon Coordinators: Furina vs. Dawn
With the end of the opening program, the Ranking Week for the Pokemon Coordinator course started.
Unlike Trainer battles which only require knocking out the opposing Pokemon, Pokemon Coordinator battles work in a point-based system. Three judges will watch each match, adding or deducting points from the participants depending on their performance.
There is a 10-minute timer for each match. During this period, the Coordinator can freely switch their on-field Pokemon. When the timer ends, the match is stopped and the winner will be decided based on who has more points. Of course, the battle can end earlier if one is able to knock down all of their opponent's Pokemon.
However, having all of one's Pokemon knocked out does not necessarily mean they would lose, points would just be deducted. If they have more points than their opponent by the end, they would still win the match.
Dante and the others came to watch Furina and Dawn, the two having decided to square up for a friendly match.
At this point, Furina still only has Horsea as her Pokemon, while Dawn has Piplup. Both girls and their Pokemon have no intention of evolving- which was the primary reason they became close friends.
"Dawn's really at a disadvantage here."
Dante looked around. The stadium was currently packed with students and Pokemon alike, the volume just a level below as when he fought Mualani for 1st place. And most of them were cheering for Furina.
"Hmm, it doesn't look like it. She must have prepared for this outcome."
Shinobu said, gazing at the smiling face of their blue-haired friend in the arena.
…
"If I defeat you, will they shut up?"
Dawn asked while smiling, the corner of her eyes twitching at the noise all around.
"Hahahaha! Jealousy makes for an unsightly sight, Dawn."
Furina, who had donned her public persona, haughtily laughed. The two exchanged a playful glare as the Rotom Referee raised its flag.
"Both Coordinators ready? Let the match…begin!"
"Piplup, let's show them what we got!"
"Please, Surintendante Chevalmarin!"
Piplup and Horsea appeared, both Pokemon having a confident expression.
On the side, the judges: Ms. Bella (School Nurse), Ms. Xylia (Beauty Professor), and Mr. Leslie (Battle Coordinator Professor) stared closely, their pens at the ready for the scoring.
"Ms. Xylia, Mr. Leslie, can you tell me about these two students of yours?"
Bella asked curiously. Her eyes were especially focused on Furina, the well-known diva in their school.
"Hahaha, I daresay the two of them are the most talented amongst the students I taught throughout the years! Furina, with her dazzling move combinations, and Dawn, with the creative use of her moves."
Leslie replied with a hint of pride as he twirled his mustache.
"I don't know as much about their style of battle as Professor Leslie. However, the two girls do take quite good care of their Pokemon."
Xylia's glasses gleamed as she calmly replied. Her eyes were focused on the battlefield as the match began.
"Marin, Pouls d'aurore!" (Aurora Pulse)"
Horsea spat out rainbow-colored rings. By combining Aurora Beam and Water Pulse, the Ice-type move gained a larger coverage while keeping its aesthetic appearance.
"Piplup, use Drill Peck and jump through the middle of the rings!"
Dawn quickly followed through. Based on her observation, the attack's energy was focused at the edge of the circle. Piplup should be able to disperse the move by hitting its weakest point.
"Piplup!"
Piplup yelled, her beak getting covered by a bright white light. Then, a wonderful scene was created. Piplup, spinning through the air, passed through the hoops of ice, shattering them and leaving a shower of rainbow glitter in her wake.
"Urk…"
Furina flinched. Without having to think much, she knew she lost a lot of points in that confrontation. She needs to take advantage when Piplup is still airborne to regain some back.
"Marin, Twister!"
Piplup was just about to reach Horsea, when a vicious tornado appeared in her path. She tried to disperse it with the remaining power of Drill Peck, but failed.
Watching Piplup fly through the air, Furina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Although not as elegant as desired, the move did its job well.
Next, the fight devolved into a constant back-and-forth between the two.
Furina and Horsea used their dazzling move combination to amaze the crowd and the judges, while Dawn and Piplup did their best and countered their opponent's moves to showcase their own charm.
At last, just as the two Pokemon were panting from exhaustion, the timer ran out.
"And we've come to the Judging Phase! Both Coordinators, please stand in the middle of the arena. Judges, please give out your verdict."
The first to speak was Nurse Bella, who voted for Dawn based on the remaining energy and injuries sustained by each Pokemon.
Then, the Beauty Professor Xylia voted for Furina due to the gorgeousness of her Pokemon's moves.
Finally, the remaining decision was left to the Battle Coordinator Professor, Mr. Leslie.
"Hmm, it was a close match. Ms. Furina, your moves were outstanding, and I daresay worthy even in Professional Coordinator battles!"
Professor Leslie praised, before his tone shifted into one of disapproval.
"However, blindly using moves just for the sake of being appealing is not the way to go. Take for example, Ms. Dawn. Although she used only simple moves, she fully showcased the beauty of her Pokemon. Thus, my vote goes to her."
"With a score of 2-1, the winner of this match is…Dawn!"
"Hehe, congratulations."
In the middle of the arena, Furina turned to her friend and congratulated. She had a smile on her face, with no sign of being disappointed at her defeat.
"Thank you. It was a great game."
Dawn beamed and stepped forward to hug Furina. Seeing this scene, the crowd burst into applause.
Interlude - Evolution in PMD
"Boss! Boss! It's the Omnipotent Travelers! They did something again!"
"Slow down. They did something, what does it have to do with you?"
Gengar looked up from the letter he was writing, his face scrunched in displeasure.
"But boss, you said to tell you all the news we heard about them…"
Ekans said aggrievedly. Then, his face shifted back to its hurried appearance as he quickly told what he found out.
"And it does have something to do with me. You remember Ursaring, boss?"
"Yes, their new member. What about him?"
"Didn't we talk about how he evolved a while ago? This time, the same thing happened again!"
"Oh? Which member is it this time?"
"It's Mawile, the newly joined guy!"
Gengar hopped down from the stone chair. He walked back and forth, his hands steepled together as his face broke into a wide grin.
"Interesting. Very interesting…Ke. Kekeke. KEKEKEKEKE!!"
"...boss, you done with your sinister act yet?"
Gengar stopped. Looking at Ekans' eager expression, he clicked his tongue. If it weren't for their friendship, he really wanted to hit this snake's stupid face for interrupting him.
"What do you want?"
"Well~ Boss, there's another piece of info. They said their team can evolve because of the help of a powerful Legendary Pokemon- someone who could temporarily restore time to normal. And this Legendary can help others evolve for a price…"
Ekans trailed off as he stared at Gengar with hopeful eyes. When their team first heard about Teddiursa's evolution, he eagerly asked for news about it. But hearing the townspeople say that Teddiursa evolved only due to luck, he became dispirited.
You know, he had reached his racial limit for over a year now. Although he was much stronger than a normal Ekans due to his move mastery, compared to Gengar and Medicham, he was more of a drag to their team.
But if he can evolve, everything would change.
"You want us to pay that price?"
"Please, boss! Think about all the sacrifices I made for the team!"
"It's not about the price..."
Gengar grumbled. He really wanted to avoid being in close proximity to Omnipotent Travelers if he could help it.
Still, looking at the groveling Ekans, he sighed in resignation.
"Get up. You act like I'm some sort of black-hearted leader."
"Hehe, don't you like this atmosphere, boss?"
Gengar clicked his tongue. He sat back on his stone chair to finish the letter he was writing.
"Call Medicham and wait for me at the entrance. Kekeke, he should also be interested in this news."
"Aye aye, boss!"
Ekans cheered, and he quickly slithered to another room of their base, whistling merrily all the way.
"...seriously, Pokemon's are too gullible. They don't even bother to question such a dubious statement."
Gengar clicked his tongue as he folded the letter he had finished writing and placed it inside his stomach.
"Knowing a Legendary out of the blue that can help evolve others for a price, heh. Is there even such a carefree and kind Legendary? Omnipotent Travelers should have found a specific method to evolve and want to milk other Pokemon of their money without risking their reputation..."
Gengar paused, remembering a specific record he read long ago.
"And even if there is a Legendary like that, it is impossible to ask others a price for their service, not to mention...what can a normal Pokemon even possess that will interest a Legendary?"
Shaking his head, Gengar decided to stop thinking about it. After tidying up, he slipped through the shadows and reached the entrance of their base. There, he found Ekans and Medicham already waiting for him.
"Boss! Is it true? Can we really evolve now?"
Medicham asked, his tone a mix of hope and disbelief.
"Kekeke. I'm not sure whether everything the Omnipotent Travelers said is the truth. However, helping others evolve should be real. After all, their reputation would suffer a massive blow if they failed to fulfill what they promised."
Interlude - Dante Zulueta
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♦ Topic: Dante's sixth Gym Badge!
In: Boards ► Places ► Philippines
Zachary (Original Poster) (Verified Alliance Personnel)
Posted On September 1, 2024:
He did it again, people! Dante Zulueta, 18 years old, first year Trainer, has once again sweeped a Gym with a single Pokemon!
This time, it's the Fairy-type Gym led by Miss Elaine. For those who missed it, this is the video of their recent battle.
Now, I try to be objective as much as possible, but goddamn was that a massacre! And Ursaring didn't even seem fazed after! Paired with Dante's previous matches, it is clearly inevitable that this country, no, this world, would soon enter his era.
PS. Here is the video of his other Gym Challenges and the Pokemon he used.
Grass Gym: Dante vs. Erika (Shiny Azumarill) - link
Ground Gym: Dante vs. Pacal (Pikachu) - link
Normal Gym: Dante vs. Norman (Ursaring) - link
Bug Gym: Dante vs. Zierich (Shiny Azumarill) - link
Water Gym: Dante vs. Marian (Pikachu) - link
Fairy Gym: Dante vs. Elaine (Ursaring) - link
(Showing page 1 of 98)
►Jason
Replied On September 1, 2024:
First!
Edit: I watched his latest battle live. Damn, Ursaring was a literal monster. The chatroom literally went quiet when he slapped Elaine's Dachsbun to unconsciousness. I can't wait what he'll become when he finally evolves into Ursaluna!
►LassLuna
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Is anyone else curious who's Dante's other pokemon aside from those three?
►Anonymous1042
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Thanks for the links OP! Yeah, Dante is Philippines hope to finally snag the World Master's. I mean, who else in our country can beat multiple Gym Leaders with a single Pokemon?
►WifeOfDante
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Hehehe, you people can only stand in awe at my husband's awesomeness. Meanwhile, I'll make him stand while I show him my appreciation in bed later.
►Pokemaster
Replied On September 1, 2024:
@LassLuna from my sources, Dante has currently registered Mawile, Riolu, Alolan Vulpix, and Eevee as his Pokemon.
@WifeOfDante I've seen you in several threads related to Dante. Are you really his wife? Or just a poser?
►WifeOfDante
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Of course I'm his wife! @Pokemaster, how dare you question our love!?
►Garchompinyou
Replied On September 1, 2024:
You're always such a lifesaver, @Pokemaster. If Dante has such a large roster of Pokemon, why does he not use any of them? I'm really curious whether they are on the same level as his other mons.
►Pokemaster
Replied On September 1, 2024:
@WifeOfDante from what I know, Dante already has a girlfriend. If that is you though, then I apologize.
@Garchompinyou I'm also unsure. I heard some info about him being able to Mega Evolve his Mawile, but I can't confirm its veracity. If anyone has more information about this, can you confirm?
►WifeOfDante
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Apology accepted. And yes, I'm his girlfriend. It's also true he can Mega Evolve Mawile. In fact, not only Mawile, he even has the Mega Stone for Lucario! The reason he's not using them is just because there's no one worthy to use it against.
►Chonkyboi
Replied On September 1, 2024:
Damn!!! That match was lit af!
…
(Showing page 26 of 98)
►Greenja
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Please don't spread misinformation @WifeOfDante. We don't even know you.
►WifeOfDante
Replied On September 2, 2024:
And who the hell are you @Greenja? I don't know you either.
►Greenja
Replied On September 2, 2024:
…I'm Dante's real girlfriend. And unless he can somehow split his body, I doubt you were able to blow him last night. Here's what he was really doing. image1, image2, image3.
►WifeOfDante (Banned)
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Deleted
►PHORYGON (Moderator)
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Please refrain from using vulgar obscenities and curses in an SFW sub. As a first offense, user WifeOfDante is banned for 2 hours.
►TondoKid
Replied On September 2, 2024:
lolololol
►Garchompinyou
Replied On September 2, 2024:
@Greenja, as Dante's girlfriend, can you tell us why he doesn't use his other Pokemon?
►Greenja
Replied On September 2, 2024:
@Garchompinyou, Dante's goal this past few weeks was to get as many Badges as possible- to have more slots in his team. And since he's obtained what he needed, for the 7th and 8th Badge, he'll challenge the Gym much later and use his other Pokemon.
►Pokemaster
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Ah, it makes sense now. Thank you, @Greenja. The Gym Leaders would surely appreciate this information. Hahaha, they've been dreading every challenge application that came since yesterday, scared it would be Dante's.
►Gym_Leader_Itztli
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Who the hell are you @Pokemaster and where did you obtain that clearly fake information?!
…
(Showing page 27 of 98)
►Pokemaster
Replied On September 2, 2024:
…
►TondoKid
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Lolololol
►MasterOnAllThingsPokemon
Replied On September 2, 2024:
Can we talk about the fact that he hadn't even trained his Pokemon for more than a year yet he keeps crushing those that did for more than a decade? Where is the justice!??
►EliteFive
Replied On September 2, 2024:
That's talent for ya. Doing what we plebs can't without any effort. Look at the Champions across the globe, most of them got their positions at an early age.
►EliteOnAllThingsPokemon
Replied On September 2, 2024:
@EliteFive Bullshit talent!
►Pokemaster
Replied On September 2, 2024:
@EliteOnAllThingsPokemon Although it's painful to admit, this is the reality. Humans and Pokemon-alike are born different. However, it's not like there's no precedent of normal human Trainers gaining the blessing of a Legendary and gaining powers. And we also have someone like Professor Samuel Oak. He's a completely normal human who won the World Master's just due to his deep knowledge about Pokemon.
In short, don't lose hope. As long as you don't give up, anything can still happen.