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Hard Enough - Chapter 253 - After the show
🕑 Added 2024-09-03 04:43:02 +0000 UTC“—and now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! The award ceremony!” The announcer grinned as the crowd around us went wild
I smiled to myself, knowing how these big events really went and thus wasn’t surprised when the announcer adopted a serious pose and said, “As brought to you thanks to our sponsors—” the man slowly began to list off a rather long list of gold and platinum level sponsors.
Around the stands, the various billboards and screens flashed with the icons of the various companies.
I rolled my eyes, “Called it,” I muttered to myself as I looked for something to distract myself with. Even if I knew it was important to give the sponsors their moment in the sun, that didn’t make it annoying.
I stood off to the side on the now-fixed battlefield with stairs leading up to the podium that had been hastily assembled.
Atop the platform, several important-looking people in business suits and formal-looking kimonos were standing. It was in a word, the standard set up that was used for sporting events.
The winners, and the losers of the tournament, in this case myself and Karen, were to stand off to the side and let the various cameras circle us and our pokemon. While this went on the announcers drummed up the post-match hype. For the viewers watching from home on their transceivers or televisions, this would be the best time for the various professionals to run breakdowns and analysis of the various crucial points.
Between Karen and I’s back and forth with momentum and tactics, I had no doubt that they had a lot to talk about.
Which… might also be contributing to the lengthy pause as we waited for the actual ceremony to start.
Around me, my pokemon were shifting about nervously or happily soaking up the attention. Jorm didn’t seem to know what to do with himself as more than a few people wanted him to look their way for various photos with him in them. Sanchez saw this and decided to ‘help’ with his friend’s shyness by hoping atop Jorm’s head and standing atop like he was a rider.
He fed his exuberant attitude to Jorm and soon enough the pair of them were making yet another lap around the arena with Betha trailing after them in annoyance. I shot her a feeling of amusement before feeding her the impression of a goedude sitting on top of an ekans’ head.
Jorm might be strong, but if Bertha hopped up there he wasn’t going to slither away with merely a headache.
Bertha turned up her nose at this and proceeded to waltz over to Hypnotoad with Bertha making a point to ignore me by turning her back in my direction.
Titan laughed at our antics from next to me before glancing at his mother who was still standing nearby, taking it all in.
It hadn’t escaped my attention that she’d been… rather thoughtful since I’d demonstrated my improved bond and aura capability to link with my pokemon.
I’d have to ask her what that was about later, as when I’d asked in the past she waved me off and turned her focus onto Teddiursa. Now that Teddiursa wasn’t here she was stuck on some thought that must have something to do with me as she kept inspecting me as though only seeing me for the first time.
I decided to leave her be. I could handle whatever it was later. I got the feeling it wasn’t bad, quite the opposite from the impressions I got through the bond but it wasn’t something I should push. So I instead turned my attention elsewhere.
Next to me, Karen stood with a pout.
“You know my brother tells me that if you make a face and the wind changes you’re face will be stuck that way,” I say playfully.
“Go teach your brother to suck eggs,” Karen replied. “Don’t try that cutesy shit with me now. I’ve got to work out my next move after this loss.”
I shot her a look. “I thought it was pretty obvious. Win the end-of-season tournament.”
Karen rolled her eyes. “Not that. There are a bunch of high-profile trainers who are about to most likely take up residency as Gym Leaders. I’m not unaware of how much of a boost that will be for them.”
I considered that for a moment. She wasn’t wrong as some of the constraints lifting with regards to the size of their pokemon teams. They’d be able to house more going forward with stable rights not being a large concern for them, nor the risk of losing their sponsorships…. Well unless they did a terrible job of their duties. Especially if they went for Viridian or Cinnabar Island. Both had well-established facilities.
Still, it wasn’t all perks for being a Gym Leader.
“Eh,” I said with a wobble of my hand. “I doubt that they’ll be able to hit the ground running quite that well,” I said. “There are going to be a lot of trainers looking to challenge them, so Ace matches might be tough to pick up.”
Karen snorted. “Please, by placing well in this tournament Bruce will start off in at least third if not second by the end of everything. You might jump to first thanks to the tournament Ace points but a few of them will have time to relax and find their bearings.” She also shot me a look. “It's not like you’re going to just leave them to flounder, are you?” she said.
I opened my mouth only to shut it as my mind flashed with Visquez’s face. I’d left her to flounder… in more ways than one.
I shrugged and Karen frowned, unsure what to make of my sudden silence only to blink. “Oh, right Surge,” she said before looking away. “... fuck that guy,” she said as her way of showing support.
I snorted and nudged her. “Careful now, people will think you care,” I said teasingly. “First you restrain yourself, and now this?”
“Don’t go sullying my name by trying to polish my hard-wrought tarnish!” said Karen with a flick of her grey hair. “I’m a bad bitch and people should know it.”
I nodded along and she glowered off to the side in a manner that I had to wonder about. Did she practise that in the mirror?
The image of her practising her glare and glower seemed to fit Karen rather well. I bit my lips to stop myself from laughing and only just caught the next thing Karen said as I pushed the image of her scheduling in ‘pout practice’.
“—there’s only going to be the three Gyms within Kanto that I can go for. Cinnabar is a write-off for me as it's too isolated and wouldn’t help any with my dark types. Viridian is going to be hotly contested due to fucking Kaede who is everyone’s sweetheart. Arceus I swear if that bitch has a sad backstory to go with her orphan status I’ll scream.”
I pointedly glanced to the side and Karen turned her head slowly. She narrowed her eyes at me and I coughed. “She… might?” I said, trying to hedge my bets.
“Oh fuck that bitch right off. Fuck her! Seriously!” Karen threw her arms up in the air in exasperation. “I’m going to announce that I’ll put my hand up for Viridian. She can fuck off to the minor gym.”
I coughed. “There’s going to be some politics involved,” I said quietly. “Lance and Pryce will need to know about her background… Bruce is also… involved, albeit not directly,” I said.
Karen shot me a look. “Sounds juicy,” she said.
I just sighed and shook my head. “It’s… a bit of a tangle of knots that I think I will gladly make someone else's problem,” I said.
Karen hummed. “I’ll have the old hag keep me informed,” she said dismissively. And I almost opened my mouth to say, ‘You mean granny’, but I held myself back, if barely.
“And now! The runner-up! Please give a warm Chrysanthemum City welcome for Karen of Lavender Town!”
Karen trooped up onto the stage with her Gengar slinking along in her shadow. An attendant tried to shoo the dark shadow away but Gengar merely phased through them. Seeing that Gengar had made it through the other five pokemon that Karen had brought with her trotted after Karen and the attendant could only slump in defeat.
Karen stomped up the stairs and when she reached the top she made a show of shaking the hands of the officials. Although she made sure to do so with her own flare. The men all got what looked like a shake, backhand slap and then with a twist she had then in a ninety-degree hand clench. None of the elderly gentlemen seemed to have a clue how she’d manipulated their hands into the positions. It took me until the fifth man to notice that Gengar was manipulating them from Karen’s shadow to follow her directive.
When she reached the women Karen was practically playing patty cake with them as she tickled fingers and performed some of the smoothest sequences of hand claps, fist bumps and even a small-scale thumb war.
The cameramen zoomed in on each exchange and the crowd at it up.
The main announcer and the President of the Pokemon League handed Karen a medal signifying her placement in the tournament which Karen glanced at nodded over once and then led her team off to the side before she raised up her fingers in a peace symbol for the crowd. Her pokemon fanned out behind her as she made a show of biting into her medal and winking right at a cameraman.
It took me a moment to notice that all of her pokemon were also now wearing ribbons on their bodies. Huh, I hadn’t thought they’d get those. A quick glance at a man fretting over a now empty case revealed her pokemon hadn’t been the intended recipients of those ribbons.
Huh, she certainly knew how to draw eyes and keep them on her. Those were some pretty slick moves.
I was rather impressed, to the point that I considered not calling her out. I signalled Bertha to wander around and give Karen a look only for the pokemon President to surprise me as the man reached into a pouch at this die and drew out another set of ribbons which he handed to the attendant.
Huh, turns out that Karen wasn’t the only smooth operator tonight. I quickly had Bertha hurry back.
The announcer coughed to clear his throat. “And now! This year’s victor for the mid-seasonal Ace tournament. Please give it up for Brock from Pewter City!”
I advanced and this time I noted that a team of attendants were standing by to block my pokemon.
I waved for my team to walk to the side of the podium where they’d be level, and not at risk of breaking the recently assembled stand. The officials quickly readjusted to accommodate them as I made my way down the businessmen and sponsors, shaking their hands and accepting polite congratulations from them.
A few were relieved when I didn’t follow Karen’s example but I could tell some were disappointed at not getting another ‘cool’ handshake from me. Apparently, I needed to up my game.
When I reached Kruger, the President of the pokemon League he clapped me on the shoulder and nodded amicably. “Well done young man,” he said as before gesturing for me to take up the podium next to the trophy.
He then marched over to begin awarding my pokemon their own ribbons as I was left to give a speech.
I shot Bertha an annoyed look as she handed Kruger what looked like a security tape she’d snipped up and folded into her own ribbon. With how thick her fingers were I was amazed she could tie the knot. Kruger took the ribbon with a serious nod and thanked her for it before putting it on his chest where it took up the entire side of his suit.
“Ahem, Brock, you had something to say didn’t you?”
I jolted. “Sorry! My pokemon distracted me!” I said aloud.
The crowd shifted and Bertha spun shooting two fingers over her eyes in a cutesy pose. Everyone laughed and I shook my head before running through what I now considered my stock standard speech of giving thanks.
I made sure to change things up at the end, however.
—my team of support staff has also seen some interesting inclusions with Kaede, Walker, and Falkner all joining in to help me discern key tactics I would need to be aware of. They are extremely skilled trainers, each and every one of them and their insights made things a lot more streamlined. I want to take a moment to thank you and highlight that the bonds we form truly can change our lives. You’ve certainly enriched mine,” I said looking towards them in the crowd.
Kaede looked rather touched by this while Walker and Falkner were both preening like a pair of proud pidgeots.
“I’d also be remiss to not thank my little sister as while she didn’t formally sit down at the meetings she still gave me some overlooked insights,” I said, nodding towards Yolanda.
“I’d also like to thank Sabrina for giving me…” I slowed as my eyes glanced around looking for Sabrina only for a flash to appear next to my family. Huh? She’d been somewhere else?
I held back my frown and continued my thanks to her. Although I did tilt my head slightly. She tapped her head and I relaxed what dark energy I had floating around.
“I’ll have to tell you later,” she said.
I nodded slowly. Wondering what was up with her to say that, I let my mouth disgorge pleasantries and compliments that my mind wasn’t even aware of.
When my mind registered that I was complimenting how she helped motivate me I quickly ended it there lest I start moving away from what was considered PG thirteen.
I then led a round of thanks to all of my pokemon before signing off with a thanks to the crowd.
The announcer was quick to jump in and wave for me to take up the trophy and I did so with glee raising it up over my head and sending the crowd into roars of celebration.
I quickly ran over to where my team were waiting and began to offer it to each of them.
When it was Titan’s turn to hold the trophy aloft he grabbed me up onto his shoulder and raised both me and the trophy while the others punched the air around us.
Cameramen took it all in and I grinned before signalling that we should march towards my family to share the victory with them.
When we reached them they poured over the wall and my pokemon snatched them up with laughter. Yolanda led Flint down Jorm’s head and soon my family were tumbling aorund, hugging and grasping for the trophy which they held while I rested atop Titan’s shoulder.
Heh, this was what it was all about and the moment only got better when Sabrina landed in my lap.
I was just leaning in to kiss her when some ‘mankey’ with a microphone intruded.
“Brock what do you say about the rumour that you’re not going to be able to make the end-of-year tournament?” he shouted trying to shove the microphone as close as he could get to me.
I shot the man an annoyed look. They probably had listeners to my chat with Karen earlier but now wasn’t the time for that.
Which… was right actually. I shrugged. “Eh, who knows,” I said airily, taking my attention off him and back on Sabrina to have my victory kiss. I could worry about the small stuff later.
“Hey you,” I asked. “Where have you been?” I asked.
“Later,” she whispered into my lips and I nodded, pushing the thought. She’d tell me in good time.
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Sabrina watched Brock chat with Karen as they each waited to be paraded across the podium. Both seemed annoyed at the necessity of the action but Karen certainly seemed more agitated with how she was being asked to remain for the ‘growlithe and ponyta show despite having lost.
Thankfully for everyone, Karen possessed enough social grace to stick around.
Sabrina looked over Brock’s various pokemon and found Empress, the towering matriarch of the Silver ranges watching on with uncertainty.
Her mind… what Sabrina could glean from it, showed that she was an old pokemon that had experience with humanity in a very different capacity.
Sabrina suspected she was at least sixty years old but it was hard to tell with how the pokemon was a living mountain.
Still, this victory of Brock’s had Empress observing Brock more closely. There was an intensity there and a level of acceptance that hadn’t been there previously.
It was like she had been holding herself back before, like a new person to a group of friends. She hadn’t felt like she’d belonged before only for Brock’s new… depth of ability with aura to inspire her that she was right to stay with them.
Or was it that she looked to Brock with a tinge of respect now, even as Empress’ mind conjured up thoughts of an older, more time-worn woman that despite the ravages of age and a harsh lifestyle, still stood proud?
Sabrina could admit that she found herself more and more intrigued by Empress. There was a history there that seemed much deeper and richer than one would assume of a pokemon that had spent most of its life in the Silver Ranges.
Empress’ focus shifted to that of her son in Titan and pride and sadness flowed through her mind. Ah, the hurt was still there from losing her last clutch.
A flicker of something in the air above the arena had Sabrina snapping her head up and her breath hitching as an all too familiar presence made itself known to her.
Sabrina swallowed and rose, handing Suzie off to her older sister. “Be right back,” she said carefully before vanishing in a Teleport that placed her next to Mewtwo in the air above the arena.
“Mewtwo,” she said with her mind, slowly linking them just enough to converse.
“Sabrina,” greeted the powerful psychic legendary. Mewto’s eyes slowly shifted about the stadium, taking in the crowd and the spectacle. “I have been observing this… festival that you humans organised. It is a… odd event.”
Beneath them Karen marched across the stage, confounding the various representatives with her tricks.
“How is it odd to you, perhaps I can explain it through a human’s eyes?” Sabrina asked.
“The fighting… you people laud it even as you shy away from the more… natural expressions of pokemon fighting. You worry over injuries and death but yet you have your pokemon fight,” Mewtwo stated. “Why?”
“It is seen as a display of skill for trainers to reach this level. More is required of pokemon to falter at this level and having trainers like this display their skills is something people see as praiseworthy. Instead of pushing it away and out of sight we celebrate it, and yes we don’t want the injuries or deaths that happen within nature. But this setting is not the wilds where pokemon need to fight other pokemon for food or resources. This is meant to be something better,” Sabrina said.
She then considered Brock. He often spoke of being a barrier for younger trainers but this tournament and indeed the entire Ace challenge series could be seen as an extension of that.
“These fights also help to create tension and further challenges for the trainers and pokemon to allow them to grow rather than stagnate. With the more controlled settings and rules the League implements it is enjoyable and mostly safe for everyone involved.”
Mewtwo nodded and watched as Brock strode across the podium to accept praise. He was much more straightforward in his exchanges with the dignitaries, mostly to the older women’s disappointment.
As Brock’s pokemon accepted ribbons from Kruger Mewtwo watched them only to glance at Brock as he thanked Kaede and the Violet Gym father-and-son pair. Sabrina wondered what had caught his attention. Her own gaze paused on Empress who was holding up a ribbon and smiling in her own slight manner.
For a moment neither she nor Mewtwo moved or spoke. With their mind slightly linked, Sabrina almost detected a hint of… shame. She turned to try and sight what was drawing Mewtwo’s focus only for Mewto’s gaze to shift quickly.
Mewtwo gestured at Brock. “He speaks of bonds… I… felt the change in him during the match a few nights ago… he did grow through pushing himself so I cannot refute your words.”
Sabrina nodded, knowing it to be a conversation change and accepting it politely.
Mewtwo glanced over the stands. “Others have grown as well over the few days I have observed them as well.”
Sabrina inclined her head only for an idle thought to occur to her. Mewtwo’s tail flicked as he was made aware of her line of thought.
“The Carr boy is not a positive example from what I have seen. He is juvenile to the extreme and poorly tempered in his… vices,” said Mewtwo. He waved a digit in a southeastern direction causing Sabrina to blink.
“He did not go to Pumelo island as you thought and he has disappeared from even my range of detection,” confided Mewtwo.
“Ah, a shame,” Sabrina said. She hesitated to ask but thought it perhaps prudent. “Do you know where he is going?”
“There is a continent far to the southeast with the closest coastline being shrouded in darkness. The land there seems to expel a taint from pokemon which… feels unnatural to my senses,” Mewtwo said.
Sabrina blinked. She had not been expecting that. “You can sense other continents?” Sabrina asked, stunned by this revelation.
It was rather humbling to realise how out of her league she was with a Legendary psychic. Mewtwo’s range must truly be extensive.
Mewtwo flicked his digits dismissively. “I can,” he said. He glanced to the southeast. “To me, that land is a morass of darkness and shadow. If there was ever a land that I would avoid, it is there.”
Sabrina nodded slowly only to realise that Brock was now thanking his family and she knew him well enough to know he would thank her soon.
“If I may?” she said, not wanting to offend Mewtwo but not wanting to cause a minor scandal for Brock.
Mewtwo waved a dismissive hand. “Go, I will be in touch again, soon no doubt,” he said before vanishing with a Teleport.
Sabrina pursed her lips. It was worrying that she hadn't been able to detect him but she also hadn’t picked up what he was alluding to with his ‘soon’ comment.
She’d have to mention it to Brock later.
For now, she Teleported down to join Brock’s family. When he gave her a questioning tilt she demured through a psychic link.
When Brock hoisted the trophy up high while around him his pokemon cheered with the crowd Sabrina allowed herself to feel the jubilation shared by most people.
Sabrina watched Brock march down and handed the trophy, one by one to each of his pokemon to have them hoist it up.
Rachel, the Pewter Gym’s small and highly energetic Public relations manager threw herself from side to side only pausing long enough to stabilise for a shot before changing angles. Having spent time with her Sabrina knew better than to focus any of her considerable attention on the young woman.
She had a mind that ran as fast as a herd of excitable Ponyta that had gotten into the sweet treats. Her thoughts raced each other for dominance in her mind and it made her feel like she had minor whiplash with how fast the girl changed tracks.
She was rather pleased when he waved away the question from the reporter and instead kissed her.
Sabrina smiled into the kiss, ideas forming in her mind about just how she was going to celebrate with him later.
_________________________
I woke up the next morning with an ache throughout my body, several hickie bruises scattered across my neck, and chest and probably a handful of scratches across my back. I should have some cuts but rock energy made for some great preventative measures with my body being harder and stronger in a lot of ways.
Sabrina lay on the bed, still well and truly comatose after our evening spent together.
I made for the bathroom to complete my morning rituals with a bath, a shave and a brush of my teeth.
Then I threw on a shirt and went down to feed my pokemon only to have to take a large step over a stacked-up pair of plates with a warmer on the bottom and a large bowl on top to keep the heat in in front of the door. I noted that there was a letter placed on top.
I knelt and picked it up, unfurling it to find it to be half illegible scribbles from my youngest siblings with a translation handily attached on the next page that read.
“Brock, you and Sabrina would probably like more time to relax this morning, so we’ve taken over feeding your pokemon and riding them around the cove! We’ll be back before lunch! Have a nice relaxing lay-in!”
I chuckled and picked up the plates of food to bring in to Sabrina. The smell of food and coffee roused her enough to have her sitting up.
“I could get used to breakfast in bed,” she said with a slow stretch.
I snorted, knowing that Sabrina of all people could have breakfast in bed whenever she desired with how she was capable of Teleporting things around.
“It think you mean you like having me bring it to you in bed,” I corrected, sitting down next to her and handing her the coffee.
She took a sip. “I sit by my words,” she said smugly.
I considered pointing out she was barely doing that in her reclined pose before shaking it off, deciding to just enjoy breakfast with her.
By the time we were done, the sun had well and truly risen. I grabbed up my xtransciever and hummed to myself. “Hmmm I should probably reply to these,” I said. My eye caught on a message from Lance of all people and I grimaced knowing I really should call him.
“I’ll have a shower,” replied Sabrina, floating her way towards the bathroom.
I nodded before a thought occurred to me.
When Sabrina kept the door partly open I checked to make sure Lance couldn’t see anything before giving him a ring.
When he answered he met me with a smile. “Brock! Good morning and congratulations on your victory!”
“Hi, thanks Lance!” I said making sure to announce that I was on a call. I felt Sabrina’s attention shift to centre on me and I let her in right as I adopted a serious expression. “Sorry about this buddy, but… we need to talk,” I said.
Lance’s expression blanched at hearing the dreaded phrase while I held back a smirk as from the bathroom, Sabrina laughed.
Was it mean to start this conversation this way?
Definitely.
But then again, I knew that this was going to be a headache to deal with. Thankfully not mine though. So I could extract a little enjoyment from it.
If it was a little mean, well, as Karen had discovered yesterday, I was partially dark typed.
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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support
Comments
Joseph (T3mmie)
Typo: The cameramen zoomed in on each exchange and the crowd at[e] it up
Joseph (T3mmie)
Missing word in this sentence: Even if I knew it was important to give the sponsors their moment in the sun, that didn’t make it ->[less]<- annoying.
HonorBound Fate
Carr must’ve gone to orre! Only in orre would someone have so stupid a name as Carr.
Donald Bagwell
MY DUDE WE SAID TAKE A DAY OR SO! Thanks for the chapter
Stan Lewis
Thanks for the chapter! Btw, in the final sentence, I believe you wrote ‘man’ instead of ‘mean’
Jean Marc Kunnen
i think the taint was implied to be all the shadow pokemon there collectively but i'm not to familiar with the colosseum games so i'm not sure.
the pyro stick figure 76
Correct me if I’m wrong because I don’t know if that games timeline by heart but if that comment about the entire region of Orre being blocked out by something artificial is meant to imply shadow Lugia. Then that would mean the events of the first Colosseum game have already happened? If that’s the case it means the first game protagonist west I think his name was? Already reached havoc, on the organization and captured the legendary beast trio. However, the evil team would still have the legendary birds to go along side of the shadow Lugia and I truly wonder how someone would go about handling that?
HoldTightAndPretendItsAPlan
Thanks for the update. Hope the kiddo is doing well!
TaakeTheNoble
Thanks for the chapter, heads up though the last sentence says “If it was alittle man,” instead of mean
Ghrian
Oh, Carr fled to Orre didn’t he? Well Shadow Pokémon could be an interesting insert into the story.
Crimson Grave
Sabrina remains an absolute joy in this series.
SailorOfHouseThunderBird
We need to talk 😂
Jericho Rising
Definitely wasn't expecting this at this hour. Many thanks, and great chapter as always.
thevolunteer
Good chapter! Hope things are settling down and all is well?
Wayne
Aww, it's sweet that Empress has finally accepted Brock as her trainer. And it shouldn't surprise me that Mewtwo was in fact watching the championship and even appears to have gleaned some aspect of the bond between pokemon and trainer. Now it appears that Lance is in for another unfortunate revelation.
Zax
Thank you! Hah love pranking Lance
OrigamiGuyII
Thanks for the chapter. Little one okay?
BlackRazaras
Thanks for the chapter
