A Tale of Two Rivals

What is Soledad Getting at This Time?

Her reaction of my correcting her got me to purse my lips.

Soledad: At least, May knew enough about pokémon contests to, at the very least, head into said contest with the right type of pokémon. I actually think she just might have what it takes to make it in the world of pokémon contests once she's gone a little further into her practicing and training for them. That's how it is, after all, and I'm pretty certain that that's how it'll always be.

Yours Truly: Well, I don't know about that. I do know one thing, though; I've yet to see her perform in any contests since then. I watch every contest in Hoenn, and so do you, yourself. I'm pretty sure that unless I've managed to miss even one of them, I still have yet to actually see May pop up in another contest.

Soledad: I've yet to see her, myself. It could be that she's just reorganizing herself and getting herself better prepared for future contests. I certainly do hope that she didn't just up and quit after just one loss; it's always a shame when someone gives up on their life's dreams so easily.

Yours Truly: I'm not really sure just how much of it actually is her life's dream, but she did mention to me after the Slateport contest that she was gonna enter more of them. So, I suppose that the former you mentioned before about her reorganizing herself could be the truth. Then again, however, the latter in which you said that she simply gave up after her first loss has just as much of a chance as the truth.

It was just about then that I took a moment to just kick back and lean on the legs of my desk chair as I took a sip of my coffee. Soledad suddenly felt the need to interrupt me with her own opinion of May, though.

Soledad: Oh, so she went to see, and you found the time to talk to her after the Slateport City contest? And she also inspired you to catch a pokémon just so that you could perform with her Beautifly's Silver Wind better than she can do it?

She just raised her left eyebrow as she thought further about it.

Soledad (continued): What could all of that possibly mean, do you think?

It was then that I basically choked on my coffee and nearly spat it out. I also lost my balance and fell backwards in my desk chair. My remaining coffee sloshed around in my mug while most of it was spilt onto my desk. I only cursed at my own sudden clumsiness. Afterwards, I just reached for the conveniently placed napkins which were on my desk right next to the video phone computer and began wiping up the mess.

Soledad (continued): How can you drink straight black coffee? Even I can't do that, and I love coffee.

Yours Truly: What about you, huh? How can you drink... whatever that stuff is that you're drinking?

OK, fine. I know it was definitely not one of the best comebacks I ever came up with for her. In fact, it would probably go on my list of top five worst comebacks ever... and that idea was just a best-case scenario. In a worst-case scenario, such a mediocre comeback would most likely haunt me as my worst possible comeback ever. In my defense, however, Soledad did catch me off guard and fluster me to no end with her comments about... the girl from the Slateport contest in the red bandana.

Soledad: It's chamomile tea, and it's got tons of health benefits. And if you must know, it is better for your relaxion center while you sleep than plain black coffee could ever even hope to be. Besides, you would like if you tried it.

I only ignored her as I just continued to clean up the mess of spilt coffee, which was on the desk. I did all of this while trying everything I could think of to dispel the feeling of my face becoming just like it was infected with something that caused it to warm up too quickly for my own good. I had to get this sudden heat off of my face, whatever it took. Soledad, however, only laughed even harder at this.

Soledad (continued): Relax, Drew. It was just a joke. I was only kidding around.

Yours Truly: Have I ever told you just how unfunny you are?

I finally had a comeback that she would have to acknowledge, even if I could only mutter it. Then, I tossed the coffee soaked napkins into the trashcan next to the desk at which I sat during our conversation.

Soledad: I've been I'm hilarious, actually.

Soledad then stuck her tongue out at me while holding right lower eyelid with her pointer finger.

Yours Truly: I can honestly promise you that whoever told you that was definitely lying.

Soledad's only response to me came out in the phrase of...

Soledad: Doubtful.

For the next few minutes, it became as silent as the grave. While Soledad just continued to smirk away, I busied myself in wracking my brain trying to think of something, anything to keep our conversation from going back into the direction of the girl in the red bandana. There was no way I was going to let May become the steering wheel of the whole conversation.

I also was definitely not going to let Soledad in on the rose I gave to May. The rose did not mean anything for her, anyway. Just as I told May in the Slateport contest, the rose was for her Beautifly's incredible performance while it had the worst coordinator in the world training it.

Of course, however, Soledad just refused to let it go.

Soledad (continued): Well, I, for one, think it's nice that you took some inspiration from her. It's just as I've always said; coordinators never stop learning. I think you can always learn something from every contest performance you battle in. Who knows, maybe she'll take an inspiration of some sort from you and better herself as a coordinator.

Yours Truly: Please, she's no chance in the contest circuit, and you know it.

Soledad: Oh contraire, mon frere, I think she just might have a chance. She could surprise you.

Yours Truly: And I'm telling you that she won't make it far.

Soledad: Said the green-haired boy who keeps talking about her whenever she's brought up.

Yours Truly: If I do keep talking about her every time you bring her up in our conversation, it's to remind you of how little she could do in contests.

Soledad: Oh, sure, and I suppose that your sudden want for a pokémon such as a Masquerain just for the sake of outdoing the Silver Wind of her Beautifly has nothing to do with that, then.

Apparently, Soledad seemed like she was more than just a great coordinator. She also seemed to be a master of the exchanging of words. I was never even once annoyed with Soledad in the moments of which I had known her since I met her, but at that very same time, I was certain I had gotten really close.