Pasio University: Sophomore and Junior Years

Chapter 90- Where Dreams Come To Die

Elio POV

The team is now headed for Castellia City, Unova. It's been a long season, and this is the last match. It's kind of deflating honestly. A lot of the team is already under the belief that we're nothing more than sheep to the slaughter. We don't stand a chance. Paulo's calls are too good, and Mauville's roster is the most talented they've ever had, even without him. There is no feasible route to victory. But I just can't go quietly. I've fought, and I've fought, and I am so sick of it. One last battle to end it all. I've thought about it a lot, and I may hang up the trainers gloves after this season. It's truly what I love to do, and my career in gym leading suits that, but I don't know if I can take the constant rivalry anymore.

Brendan and I sat in a row on the plane and he seemed thoughtful. I asked him, "Thinking of anything interesting?" He nodded, "Oh, sorry. It's kind of rude of me. I saw that thing you had in your hand a second ago and was wondering what it was." I pulled the thing he was talking about out of my pocket, it's a pin with the letters NG on it in bold red and blue colors "This?" He nodded, "Yeah. I've seen that logo before. But I can't think of where. Where'd you get it?" I narrowed my eyes and looked at it, "Dear old Dad dropped it when he dragged Paulo off. I was hoping it would give me some kind of dirt on him." Brendan scanned it over, "NG... What could that be? Did you get any leads?" I shook my head, "No. can't say I did..." I spaced out for a bit as I looked out the window of the plane. I opened my locket and stared at the picture of Lillie and I. All this... I've been gifted with all this even though I was discarded as an imperfect and worthless son...

We're staying a night at the hotel before our last practice day tomorrow on the field here. Calem said he's played on it a few times and that it's super nice, and packs tons and tons of people. Sounds like the perfect venue. I sat on the balcony of our room overlooking the center of Castellia City, where people were walking home on the dimly lit night time streets after a hard day's work. Selene joined me on the balcony and sat by me. "Hey." I looked up, "Hey Sis." She leaned back, "Lillie's out like a light. I guess she shares her brother's quality of being really good at sleeping deeply." I nodded, "Yeah. She's very peaceful." I stared out to the streets and asked Selene honestly, "You ever think about... Why things happened to us?" Selene shook her head, "I've heard a million different reasons, none of them make sense. To me, I just keep moving forward. Not much else to do, is there?" I put my hands under my chin, "I just... I've been discarded by people so many times... I just... Sometimes get the feeling that there's a reason." Selene reeled, "You can't be serious. Nobody deserves to go through what we've been through. What's making you say this?" I shook my head, "I don't know. Why do we always get pushed to our limits, while people like Paulo and -... Him... Get near unlimited success." She tilted her head, "Elio. They didn't win yet." I shook my head, "They may as well have."

Selene stood up, "What's wrong with you!? You said it yourself, you've only lost totally when you give up yourself!" I stood up, "I'M SCARED OF HIM SELENE!" Selene's eyes widened at my outburst and I put my hands on my head, "I'm scared... Terrified. I can't beat him. And... Dad will always hold it over me." Selene leaned over the railing, "You're not usually scared?" I shook my head and leaned over on the other side, "Of course I am. But the worst that could happen to me in any other match is a little scar to my pride. And that's something I can bear. But having every single doubt rotting the back of my head proven right, and having every evil action of our Dad's paid in full, that is something I don't think I would be able to let myself live with."

I heard the screen door open and Lillie walked out dressed in her nightgown and rubbing her eyes. She leaned over the railing next to us and sighed, "You guys ok?" Selene looked at me and gave me a face that said, 'tell her'. I looked at her, "I-... Lillie. I'm afraid." Lillie blinked her eyes and stared at me, "I know." I shook my head in disbelief, "Huh?" She looked down at the streets below, "I'm not oblivious Elio. You don't think you can afford to lose. And you don't either Selene." Selene shrugged, "I'll give you that." Lillie pondered and began, "You know. I wonder where my dad is sometimes too. I wonder what made him leave. But you guys are thinking about it too much." I blinked, "Honey, what do you mean by that?" She explained, "Well, if my dad came back, and he hated me, I would be proud of myself for simply standing in front of him. Life has attacked us all, it's been rough, but we've made it through and we're all stronger than we ever thought we could be. And simply being able to stare in to his eyes and show him that even though he didn't think I was worthy, I still made it... It shows that we were always worthy, he just never saw it." Selene nodded, "Exactly. We're a nuisance to him simply by existing. We win by going about our lives in spite of him. Even if they get all the glory." I smiled, "I don't know what I'd do without you two. Even if we can't win tomorrow, we've all got each other. You guys are a better family to me than he ever was." We all went back inside shortly after and got some sleep, tomorrow we have our last practice, and are going to see the sights all over town before the final.