Love in the Time of Trials

Chapter 7: A Shuriken

I can really only say one thing about a big part of this chapter: break out the XY&Z. Also, I have a new poll on my profile page that I'd love to see my readers vote on! In the meantime, however, Chapter 7 time!

Chapter 7

A Shuriken

"And the participants moving on to the Battle Portion of the Wela Leilani Ceremony are..." Maika said, drawing it out for the crowd, or at least those who could not see the screen. Serena could, though, and she just waited to hear the announcement to confirm it wasn't some sort of illusion. "Serena and Kiawe, along with Keoni and Ash!"

"We knew Kiawe would win," sighed a girl from the crowd dreamily.

"Sweet, a trial battle this evening!" cried another from the crowd, slightly piquing Serena's interest. She looked to Ash, who was grinning wildly, as usual whenever something great seemed to happen.

"We did it, Pikachu! We're moving on to the trial battle!" Ash said, grabbing Pikachu as he spun around with him in almost childlike glee. Keoni was obviously rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, with my help," he scoffed loudly. Ash stopped, letting Pikachu settle onto his shoulder. He instantly held a hand out to the boy that had been his partner. Keoni stared at it, like he didn't expect to see it.

"Thanks. You're right, I couldn't have done it without your help." It was a show of humility that made Serena smile; really, it all helped her to remember just how much she loved him. Keoni scoffed again, flipping his hair once more before he took the hand. There was still disdain in his expression, but at the very least he could accept Ash's hand.

Now, their own battle was next.

Serena swallowed, and she took a step towards the stage. Heahea City kept replaying in her mind, like little flashes that she couldn't control, the questions that had appeared there swirling around. And Zinnia's words. They simply wouldn't stop playing in her head, locking her down in chains, causing her hand to almost imperceptibly shake. Could she really defeat Keoni? More than that, was there any way to put a smile on everyone's face, when doing so would take the smile from her own...?

Stop it, Serena, she admonished herself. Now was not the time for self-doubt. "Never give up until the very end". That had been their motto, the one thing that drove them forward. She knew that Ash believed in it, too, so now wasn't the time for faltering. Now was the time for battling, and she was going to do the very best she could to secure her second Lei.

"It's time for the finale, that last movement of the Wela Ceremony," Maika was commentating to the crowd, having cleared the stage. The other fellow contestants, including Ash and Kiawe, had also cleared away to parts unknown as Serena focused. On the screen above, all of the pictures had cleared, replaced, as usual, with her and Keoni's portraits along with the seven translucent flowers. "Who will walk away with the coveted Lei? Serena? Or Keoni? Only this battle will tell!

"For those of you who don't yet know, or perhaps have forgotten, the rules of the Battle Portion are simple: make your moves beautiful. A beautiful move in the eyes of the judges will earn you a flower, but one that is, perhaps, not so beautiful will lose you a flower. The first of our battlers to reach seven flowers takes the battle. Each trainer is allowed the use of only one Pokémon. Now, good luck!"

"So, we finally meet on the battlefield, my dear," Keoni said, making Serena realize that the boy was, indeed, before her. She smiled softly, nodding, as she fully realized that Ash and Kiawe had actually left for the edge of the enclosure to watch, now that they were no longer participating. "We weren't able to in Pua Town, though I wonder if you'll be able to keep up with me. By now, I'd start to fear Ash's poor coordination skills would have started to take an effect on you."