A Tale of Two Rivals

Talking to Soledad About Sinnoh Contests

Soledad and I had stuck with this little routine of ours since the day we had first met. It quickly went from being routinely and daily to being traditional and religious as the next whole year went by, though. Even when we were not together, Soledad and I would set up video phone calls after every contest we had been in and talk about it. Even if we were not able to talk about it afterwards, we would always arrange at least a day to do so.

Texting via PokéNav was also a regularity between the both of us. On the mornings of the contest days, we were always sure to send one another messages of 'good luck' and the occasional 'I'll be watching', reassuring the other one of us that we would always have someone cheering us on, but it is not as though it was ever a real issue.

Both of us had steadily built ourselves fanbases, even if we both avoided the spotlight as much as we possibly could. It was completely insane how close we were; anyone who thought we actually were related would always think the two of us were brother and sister. Soledad finally picked up on the fourth dial tone, and her bright face lit up my video phone's monitor.

Soledad: So, is this ribbon number three for you?

She did not even bother to even say 'hello', although it did not even matter anymore since such greetings were simply a thing of the past for me and Soledad nowadays. They was also just a too much of a way for us to waste our precious time.

Yours Truly: Of course, it is. You expect anything less?

I smirked and flicked my hair as I spoke.

Soledad: I just cannot get over the Solar Beam and Petal Dance combination you pulled off today. The television cameras really did it no justice at all, I'm so sure it was a hundred times more exhilarating in person, and I really am sorry that I could not be there for you today. At least, you finally pulled it off by today, though.

Yours Truly: Don't sweat it! I'm pretty sure I had a big enough audience.

Soledad: I don't doubt it, not even for a minute.

Yours Truly: Alright, Soledad. We can't not talk about that incredible Water Pulse and Psychic combination that your Slowbro had pulled off. I had never seen a combination so well timed and perfectly executed. Slowbro's water-attacks have gotten very refined and well-controlled. Really, Soledad, I was surprised when you didn't get a better score than a twenty-nine-point-six. You deserved a perfect thirty.

We would also make sure that we had watched one another's contests on the screen. Of course, there were some days when we both had to perform. Thanks to the time zone differences, however, it was not that much of an issue when trying to catch the other's contests in time to watch one another's performance.

Even if there were times in which our contests did happen to conflict with one another, the both of us would either get on the contest organization site and watch the live streaming feed of the other's contest or just set our hotel rooms' DVR to record the other's contest. There were even times when the both of us would just do both of those things to make sure as not to miss a single second of it. One way or another, we had always found a way to watch one another's contests.

Soledad: Yeah, well, you know, the rules in the super contests of the Sinnoh Region are a lot different than the rules of the contests within the Kanto and Hoenn Regions. Even the Jhoto Region's contests are a lot less complicated than the standards they set up for the super contests here in Sinnoh.

Yours Truly: I don't doubt it. You've recently earned four of your ribbons over there now, right? I don't suppose you'd happen to be going for the title of a Top Coordinator, would you? I know that the Grand Festival in Sinnoh is coming up soon.

Soledad: I don't think I want to go for Top Coordinator, actually.

She paused for a moment while I only looked at her skeptically.

Soledad: At least, not in the Sinnoh Region, that is. It would be my first title as a Top Coordinator and I really want my first ever title as Top Coordinator to come from my home region in Kanto. Sinnoh's super contests aren't really for me, I don't think.

Yours Truly: I agree. They don't really seem to be your style by enough to matter.

Soledad: The dressing up is a bit too much for me, and using the seals is kinda weird, too. I don't want the audience to focus on me or what happens to my pokéball the minute I release my pokémon from it. The pokémon is always supposed to be the main attraction of my show in any contest, anyway. They're the one who the audience needs to truly appreciate. It's been cool seeing Sinnoh and everything, but I think I'll only stick around for just one more ribbon and leave from there.

Yours Truly: That's a pretty bold move to earn a spot in the Grand Festival and not even enter it.

Soledad: I wouldn't be the first to do such a thing.

Yours Truly: Touché.

Soledad: Alright, alright. Enough about me. Why don't you tell me a bit about the people you met in your contest today. Did anyone in particular interest you?

Soledad could only manage to watch bits and pieces of my contest that day, however, since she did technically have her own contest to worry about.