Lance's Story Ch 9

Lance's Story Ch 9

Lance's P.O.V:

After breakfast, I was with Ribbons watching Michaela train with Cupcake and Fennel on the battle field.

"OK Fennel! Flamethrowner!"

Fennel began to use Flamethower, but I watched as the Flamethrower looped around in rings and Cupcake headed towards the fire, jumping through the rings as gracefully as a human ballerina!

"Wow!" I exclaimed, impressed as I watched the two.

"OK Cupcake! Use Ice Beam!" Michaela exclaimed. Cupcake used Ice Beam around the Flamethrower, evaporating it and Cupcake continued to do her somersaults with the mist trailing behind her.

"Amazing!" I said impressed, then looked at Ribbons. "So, what are they doing Ribbons?"

"Oh, they're just practicing for a Contest." The female Sylveon told me, calmly.

"Con...test?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. "Forgive me for sounding clueless, but...I...don't get out of the castle much..."

"Oh, well..." Ribbons said, as she sat up and began to have a patient look as she began to tell me all about Contest.

"...A Pokémon Contest is where trainers, called Coordinators, show off their Pokémon and their skills. Coordinators have their Pokémon performing their moves in order to showcase their style and skill. The appeals are awarded points by judges, in both the Performance and the Battle Rounds. Performance Rounds are where the Pokemon show of their skills and moves to wow the audience and if your performance impresses the judges, you move on to the battle rounds. The Coordinator with the most points, before time runs out or if they knock out the other Coordinator's Pokémon are the winners and they recieve a Ribbon. Five Ribbons are needed in order to enter the Grand Festival and get the honor of Top Coordinator."

"Wow!" I exclaimed, hearing the Sylveon explain all the details to me. "That sounds pretty interesting."

"You think so?"

"Like I said, I've spent some of my life here in The Leaf Kingdom...and...well...I never needed a reason to leave, since my Trainer's a royal and I can't just leave his side..." I explained, as I looked in the sky and saw some Beautifly fly past us in the air. I watched them fly by until they were out of sight, going wherever their wings took them...

Ribbons noticed my slightly distracted look, because she nudged me and pointed at Michaela, Cupcake and Fennel, who came over to us.

"OK, that was enough training for one day." Michaela said, as she began to stretch then she noticed me. "Hey Lance, you OK? You seem to be daydreaming..."

"What? No...no...I'm alright, Miss Michaela ." I reassured her.

"'Miss Michaela?', why the sudden formality?" she asked me, curiously.

"S...Sorry...I get this way when I'm nervous." I admitted, very flustered and began to hide my face behind my bangs.

"Don't be embarrassed Lance, besides, I heard from Nurse Joy that Nathaniel's on his way to pick you up."

"Really?!" I cheered, as I got up and wagged my tail in excitement.

"Yeah, so we got some time to kill before he gets here." Michaela told me. "So Lance, what do you wanna do?"

I sat down and tilted my head thoughtfully, wondering what should we do, until it hit me. I always wanted to battle an opponent that wasn't just my siblings...

"If it's OK with you Michaela...I'll be an honor battling you."

"Wait, you want to battle?" She asked me in surprise. I smiled and nodded determinedly.

"Yes! I always wanted to battle another opponent that's not my many brothers and sisters." I answered, with a grin. "I wanna see how will I do with a different opponent like you and your Pokemon."

"OK, if you're sure." she told me, with a nod. "Who would you like to battle, Lance?"

"If it's OK with you..." I said, as I began to choose carefully. "...I'd love to battle ShadowKnight..."

"You sure?" the pink and brown haired hedgehog asked me, a little worriedly. "ShadowKnight is one of my strongest Pokemon and he doesn't back down from a challenge easily..."

I firmly nodded, willing to take the challenge. "Yes."

"OK, that's what I like to hear, let's go!" Michaela told me, with a challenging smirk.

---

Nathaniel's P.O.V:

I rushed to the Pokemon Center as quickly as possible, I really hope that what Nurse Joy said about Lance being found by a female Trainer and is staying at the Center was true! I really want my best friend back!

I soon came in and I saw Nurse Joy and her Audino with her. They soon noticed me and bowed to me respectfully.

"Prince Nathaniel, hello!" the pink haired nurse and her Audino, bowed respectfully.

"Please Nurse Joy and Audino. There's no need to bow." I told her, a little bit embarrassed. "I just came to pick up Lance, is he here?"

"Yes, he's busy with Michaela on the battle field." Nurse Joy told me, before she pointed at the way to the battlefield.

"Thank you." I said, before I headed over there. I was excited to meet this Trainer who rescued my Lance and was keeping him safe for me. However, when I made it there, I saw something surprising...

ShadowKnight, Dig!"

I watched, as I saw a pink and browned haired female hedgehog giving orders to a Shiny Umbreon, who dug underground and her opponent...was Lance!

I began to hid and watched as Lance had a focused look on his face, he then jumped into the air and used Iron Tail on the ground, forcing the Umbreon, or ShadowKnight as the girl hedgehog calls him, up out of the surface.

"Nice shot!" she said impressed. "But, are you ready for this? ShadowKnight, Dark Pulse!"

ShadowKnight began to use Dark Pulse and it was a direct hit at Lance and he was knocked back.

"Ack!" I heard him exclaim, before he hid the ground. I gasped in shock and was about to come over there, when I saw Lance got back up, a little shakily yes...but he soon began to charge at ShadowKnight with Quick Attack, causing a direct hit and caused him to be knocked back.

"ShadowKnight!" I heard the girl exclaim, worriedly.

"I'm fine, Michaela..." ShadowKnight told her, revealing her name. "And...I'm impressed he can still fight, no matter how many times we've hit him so far."

"Right, so let's stay focus!" Michaela told him. "Bite!"

ShadowKnight charged at Lance with Bite at the ready, but Lance just stood there and began to glow green, I knew that move...

"ShadowKnight, watch out! He's about to use Absorb!"

But it was too late, as Lance began to drain ShadowKnight's energy and took it for himself. Soon, Lance was healed, while the Umbreon was now exhausted, then soon fainted.

"W...Wow!" Michaela exclaimed shocked and impressed, before she ran over to ShadowKnight, holding a Sitrus Berry in her arms. "Lance, you're incredible!"

"Th...thank you!" Lance answered, as he ran over to her and ShadowKnight. "But...is ShadowKnight OK?"

"He'll be OK..." she reassured him, before she gave him the Berry and he soon began to recover.

"Wow...I didn't expect to see that..." The shiny Umbreon said, before looking at him. "I have to say Lance, you're pretty skilled..."

"T...Thanks ShadowKnight." Lance said, with a sheepish grin.

"You're very strong, Lance. I can see why Prince Nathaniel chose you to be his partner."

"Yeah, speaking of which, where is he?" Lance asked as he looked around. "It's been about a half hour..."

That was my cue...

"Right here..." I called out as I came out from hiding, as soon as Lance saw me, he ran towards me immediately!

"Nathaniel!" he cheered, as he ran over to me and jumped into my arms. I began to hug him, laughing happily.

"Lance! I'm so glad that you're safe!" I cheered, as I held him close. "I was so worried about you when you ran off."

"I know...and I'm sorry..." Lance apologized to me.

"It's alright now..." I reassured him, before putting him down, then I looked up at Michaela. "...Thank you so much for keeping my Lance safe."

"It's really no problem, Your Highness." Michaela told me, modestly. "I just wanted Lance to be safe and back home."

"Well, thanks all the same." I told her. "And to be honest, I was there for awhile...and I saw you battle..."

"Wait, you did?" Michaela asked, shocked. I simply smiled and nodded.

"I haven't seen Lance battle like that in ages or been very happy before." I told her, as I petted Lance. "He...hasn't been quite himself, ever since his siblings left The Leaf Kingdom to start new lives and recently...his mother passed away..."

Michaela soon had a sad look and looked at him. "Is...that that true, Lance?"

Lance sighed and nodded. "Yeah...her death really hit me hard...I was there by her side, until she took her last breath and died peacefully in her sleep...We were walking by the grave site and all those sad memories came back...I...I didn't dealt with it well and...the rest is history..."

Michaela had a sympathetic look, as she petted him kindly. "I know it hurts, Lance...believe me, I've know what it's like to lose someone you were close to..."

"You do?"

Michaela nodded and hugged him. Lance was confused a little bit, before he hugged her back as well, crying as well. I watched this tender moment and began to made up my mind in my head; Lance isn't going to be truly happy here, when Michaela leaves...unless...