Pokémon Obsidian | An Orre Fanfiction

Chapter 92: No Concern

The last time Holly saw the grounds of the Pokémon HQ Lab so crowded was when she began her Gym Challenge. This crowd wasn't clamouring for starter Pokémon. It was for Toru's autograph.

Wisteria already had hers. She shoved past ageing scientists to charge at Holly and Aiko.

'Why is Toru Oak here?!'

'I set up a battle date for his kid and Amaryllis...'

'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! He's even hotter in person! ...Wait. Why are you setting up battle dates for Toru Oak?'

'I met him on the subway...'

'Whaaat?! Why don't I meet any super-hot guys at work?'

'Because you work in a lab in the middle of nowhere?'

'...Oh, well. Once I'm a battle facility boss, all the hot guys will be mine!'

Wisteria had finally decided what to do when this Cipher incident blew over. She already climbed Mt. Battle and defeated Lyndon. At Wyndon's Battle Tower she lost to Leon, but she defeated Victor to win her Tower Master Ribbon. So next, she would take the Boltund all the way to Unova – despite Chalcedony's warning that the journey was nothing but dull – battling every Trainer she met along the way, to challenge the Battle Subway when she finally arrived in Nimbasa City. Then she would fly to Alola. With a Battle Tree Master Ribbon under her belt, she would continue on to challenge the Hoenn and Sinnoh-Johto Battle Frontiers. After defeating all those top Trainers, the Battle Maison in Kalos would be a walk in the park.

When she came home, she would have all the experience – and money – she needed to found her own battle facility in Orre. The colosseums and Mt. Battle were great, but with the renowned Gym Challenge gradually turning Orre into a hot battling destination, Wisteria thought they needed even more facilities.

'In fact... hey, Toru!'

Holly sighed. 'I think I should go back to bed...'

The crowd began to dissolve. Amaryllis had already found Perry. Zane was trying to encourage her to only use her Eevee for a fair fight.

'No! He needs to learn not to be so cocky! A loss will teach him!'

'It's his first battle!'

'Who cares?!' Perry insisted, 'I'll whip you anyway!'

'You wish, Kanto boy! Prepare to lose!'

'Rowlet! I choose you!'

'Let's go, Combusken! Use Flame Charge! Eevee! Use Bite!'

'Rowlet! Use Leafage!'

If anyone still wanted Toru's autograph, which Chess decided he did, they couldn't get it yet. Flames and flying leaves blocked the way. Rowlet must have loved Perry, because it was a display of sheer determination when it didn't instantly faint upon being set on fire and slammed to the floor by Combusken. It even weathered Eevee's Bite to retaliate, only to faint from its burn. Perry looked stunned.

'You... you just lucked out!'

He folded his arms. 'I took it way too easy on you.'

'You're way too cocky.'

'You're way too cocky! My Rowlet is the best Pokémon ever. It won't be the same next time!'

Toru reached for his wallet, because Perry didn't have any prize money to give, but Zane shook his head.

'That wasn't really fair...'

'No, come on. He insisted on battling. He needs to understand what a loss is. See this, Perry? Don't think it doesn't matter because I'm paying. When you set out on your adventure, I'm not gonna help you if you lose all your pocket money, battling opponents you're not ready for.'