"Go, Petilil and Meowstic!" I throw out my Pokemon, catching the balls as they return to me after the two have formed.

  "Lil?"

  "Meow?" They both seem kind of confused, and I quickly tell them that this is how we'll get our answers.

  Then they both nod in understanding, closely observing our opponents. I observe them as well. How will I tell my Pokemon which one to hit when there are three Meowstic on the field?

  "Excuse me?" I ask before the referee throws her hand down to declare battle.

  "Yes?"Olympia doesn't seem to mind, though.

  "May I refer to your Meowstic as Blue and White?"

 Olympia smiles again, and it's only slightly unnerving this time."If you wish."

  "Battle..." The referee looks at me to see if I have any more questions. I nod to her, and she throws down her hand."Begin!"

  "Go, Millie." Clara is obviously unhappy, giving a poor attempt at being cheerful. It's as if I can see her and Clyde sitting in the back about to fall asleep.

  "Helping Hand and Future Sight!" It's that move again!

  Blue holds White's paw, the yellow energy passing through him to reach the latter. I can't do much as White's eyes close and the portals summoned from the symbols in her ears appear. Her eyes remain closed after that, but I'm sure she can still see.

  I'm not really sure of what to do, so my body remains frozen."Hm."Olympia holds her hand up to the twilight sky, the inside of her cape revealing a design similar to the different galaxies. 

  Her two Meowstic are surrounded by a blue light, floating around the air like Golden in a lake. Their movements are graceful and steady, and I have no idea what to do now!

  "Meow!"

  "Lil!"

  My Pokemon are waiting for me to give them an order. I can't let them down, then! "Charge Beam, Meowstic!"

  Meowstic gladly obeys my command, her body enveloped with a golden glow. She unleashes her attack shortly after, but Olympia's Meowstic have no problem dodging it.

  "Psyshock!" Now it's that move!

  "Protect!" Meowstic jumps in front of Petilil, shielding the both of them from the attack.

  I wish I had a plan, but Olympia isn't one to underestimate. So this is what it's like to battle a Gym Leader...

  "Helping Hand and Dark Pulse!" Dark Pulse?

  "Meow...." Blue once again raises White's attack with Helping Hand. White sends out a large spiraling beam of dark purple that's too fast for my Pokemon to dodge.

  "Meow!!"

  "Meowstic!" So it was a super effective hit!

  "Lil!" Petilil heals herself with Synthesis shortly after, nodding to me.

  "Meow?"

  I nod back. I got it!"Meowstic, throw Petilil up!"

  "Mrow!" Petilil hops off Meowstic's paws, flying across the air until she's directly above the two Meowstic. "Energy Ball!"

  "Petilil!" A familiar green light surrounds her body as she sends out an enlarged Energy Ball.

  "Meow!" They both dodge it with blinding speed, the female whirling around with a Psyshock aimed at Petilil.

  "Lil!!" 

 Then I watch defensively as both my Pokemon end up getting beaten with the Future Sight that hit a few seconds later."The challenger's Pokemon are unable to battle! "The referee announces." The winner is Olympia."

  "Oh..." I knew it wasn't possible to win, but I barely even put up a good fight. The least I could have done was guided my Pokemon better so we could have at least lasted for several minutes.

  "Meow..."

  "Lil..."

  I pick up my Pokemon, assuring them that they did their best, because really, it was my fault. "Would you care to try again?"

  "What?" Olympia wants me to battle her again?  "B-but we lost!"

  "That is of no concern." Olympia smiles, and it's as if she knows something I don't. Well, whatever it is I doubt it'd change anything. Only training and experience will do that.

  "Of course it's of concern!" Clara walks past me, her Frogadier in front of her."We can battle again."

  Clara.... I feel a tap on my shoulder and turn to see Clyde next to me, Quilladin raring to go in front of him."You did good. You should head to the Pokemon Center."

  "Meow!!" Meowstic jumps from my grasp, running off.

  "Meowstic?" I chase after her, holding Petilil tightly in my arms. "Meowstic?"

  I find her in front of the Pokemon center, her back turned to the automatic doors. She looks crestfallen. 

  "It's okay, Meowstic. We can always try-"

  "Meow, meow!"

  "Meowstic..."

  "Lil! Lil, lil." Petilil hops out of my hands, hopping over to Meowstic. "Petilil!"

  Meowstic stares at her."Mrow. Meowstic!"

  What am I supposed to do? I can't tell if they're fighting or if they're trying to calm each other down. For once I have no idea what my Pokemon are saying, what they must be feeling!

  "I'm a failure as a Trainer..."

  "You won ze Showcase, so why are you so down?"

  "Who is that?" Out of my peripheral vision I see a lady with blonde hair pulled into a bun that hangs from behind her neck. 

  "I was in the Showcase as well."

  "You must be Bijou." She was great!

  Bijou nods, then watches my Pokemon who are busy talking."I used to be a Coordinator back in my Hoenn days. I made my way to the top, battling alongside my Togekiss."

  "Togekiss?" The Pokemon I saw on stage were two Pichu and one TogeTIC. And Pokemon Coordinating is like a regular Pokemon Trainer, except...

  "The Togetic I had came from the egg of my previous Pokemon," Bijou further explains."Coordinating was my key to being in perfect sync with my Pokemon. We were one in battle, and did it ever zo stylishly. "

  Now I remember!"Coordinating is battling, but uses more than just strength, right? "

  "Qui, qui! You are correct!" She sure seems happy. "You are having ze problems with your own Pokemon, no? Then I shall teach you how to truly be in sync!"

  "O-kay." I guess it's better than nothing. Right now I bet my friends are locked in a heated battle against the powerful Olympia, and all I'd do is get in the way of that.

 "Let's be off!"

 All afternoon Bijou told me stories of her Coordinating days, but I never had a chance to ask her why she gave it up. After all, she seems so happy talking about what it was like. It sounds like something I'd do,  buy I don't think I'm that good at battles.

  The sun was beginning to set in a sky of dark orange, that brought out the beauty of the pink, crystal like Sundial. Neither Clara nor Clyde have returned from the Gym yet.

  "Now, it's time to battle!"

  "Hm?" I look at Bijou in disbelief, but the look on her face suggests that she's actually serious. "But-"

  "But? You are so tense, Millie! I have seen many of your battles before, and I say zat you are good enough to face me." She winks."After all, you still beat me on ze stage."

  "Meow?"

  "Lil?" At least the they aren't so upset anymore.

  I take Bijou's hand, shaking it firmly."Then it's a match!"

  We take our positions in front of the Sundial, and Bijou throws out three Pokeballs. A Togekiss and two Pichu.

  "What happened to Togetic?" And also, why did she throw out three Pokemon? I didn't ask for a Triple Battle!

  "Evolved right after ze Showcase." She leaves it at that, so I ask why her Pichu are there. "Can you win two against three?"

  That doesn't seem very fair, but I don't think Pichu are good managing their own electricity. Besides, this will serve as a challenge! I'm going up against an old Coordinator, a top one at that!

  "Let's do it, you two!"

  "Mrow!"

  "Lil!"

  "Hey, Millie!" Just as the battle was about to begin I hear Clyde's voice, followed by Clara's impatient one.

  "We- What's going on?"

  "A battle!" I don't have time to give out all the details, but that's all they need to know for now.

  "Let's start!"

  "Okay!"

  I assume Clara's recording it, but then again I could be wrong. She's been acting strange lately. It has to be because of Geosenge Town....

  "Pichu, Thundershock!" The two Pichu bump their small black tails together, generating electricity between them. Before I can command my Pokemon to move, the electric attack hits them both.

  "Lil!"

  "Mrow!"

  "Oh, no.."

  "Nothing will change if you just stand there like a stone!" Bijou advises."Connect with your Pokemon, and all three of you shall be as one!"

  Be as one... It's good advice, and I'm sick of losing. I don't want to keep holding up my team because I'm the one staying frigid. We have to work together to accomplish our goals! That's how it went in the Showcase, so why... Why is it so difficult to do it now, on the battlefield? Why can't I put my all into it?

  "Meow!"

  "Petilil!"

  My Pokemon turn towards me, waiting again for me to guide them. I look behind me. My friends are watching as well. If I let them down, let them ALL down, I'm only letting myself down. I've decided. I won't give up!

  I point to our opponents. "Let's do it!"

  "Mrow!"

  "Lil!" Just then I feel a pulse, like a heartbeat inside my brain. What is this?

  "Wonderful! Togekiss, Aura Sphere!" Togekiss gracefully flies into the sky, spinning as one of it's wings summons a small, radiating blue ball."Thundershock!"

  Her two Pichu use their electricity to surround the ball, causing it to rush forward in an illuminating green color.

  I close my eyes, and for a brief moment I see Meowstic and Petilil doing the same. Then an idea forms! I snap open my eyes, pointing to the oncoming ball. "Catch it!"

  "What?"

  Meowstic manages to grab the ball and stop it from hitting, being pushed back by it's power. "Throw it back!"

  "Meow...." Meowstic forms a ball of her own, similar to energy ball but enveloped in a dark purple and ominous light.

  "It's Shadow Ball!" Clara exclaims.

  She learned a new move!"Petilil!"Petilil congratulates her, and Meowstic nods in thanks. The Shadow Ball consumes the electric Aura Sphere, and she sends it back to Togekiss.

  "Ancient Power!" Togekiss destroys the combination before it hits with large rocks, however, and uses Aura Sphere again.

  "Pichu!" The Pichu link tails again, sending out even more jolting electricity.

  "Dodge!" Before I even have to order them to do so my Pokemon jump away from the attack.

  "Charge Beam!"

  Meowstic lets out a charged beam of energy, but to my surprise Bijou commands the Pichu to use Thundershock on Togekiss.

  "Huh?"

  Togekiss doesn't seem to mind, its body completely covered with yellow light from the move. Charge Beam lands, but is only added to the effect. What are they planning?

  "Go! Extreme Speed!" Bijou twirls, holding her hand out as she comes to a perfect stop.

  "Togekiss!" The large white Pokemon sprints across the sky to my Pokemon, hitting the both of them with the combination of electricity in the attack.

  "Lil!"

  "Synthesis!" 

  "Thundershock!" This time the Thundershock is without another move to fuse with, hitting Petilil and Meowstic before the two can recover.

  I have to think! What can I do?

  "Fairy Wind!"

  Togekiss twirls in the sky, sending forth an overlapping gust of pink wind. That's it!"Meowstic, spin Petilil! Petilil, Petal Dance!"

  "Petal Dance?" Bijou stares at Petilil quizzically. "Isn't it too early for zat?"

  "Millie's Petilil has potential!"

  "Hm?" Clara?

  Meowstic lifts Petilil, spinning her furiously, and Petilil's Petal Dance works great against Fairy Wind, the moves colliding evenly then bursting into an explosion of pink.

  "Interesting.." Bijou smirks, holding a hand up to the orange sky."Take a rest, Togekiss. Pichu, you know what to do."

  The same attack again? "Pi.. Chu!!"

  This time the Thundershock is huge, but I predict the move and have Meowstic use Charge Beam in advance. Instead of letting her unleash the move I have her brace herself to absorb the electricity, and it works. "What?!"

  "Petilil, Special Energy Ball!" That's what I decided to name the large Energy Ball.

  "Lil!" Petilil jumps onto Meowstic's head, creating a huge Energy Ball in front of her.

  "Meowstic, go!!"

  "Meow!!" Meowstic finally sets the Charge Beam free, in addition to the extra Thundershock, pushing the Energy Ball forward.

  "Chu!!" The two Pichu are hit, but the attack doesn't stop there.

  "Meowstic, up!"

  "Mrow!" Meowstic guides the ball up to Togekiss, landing a beautiful hit.

  "Yes!"

  "I see." Bijou glances at her Pokemon, then at mine."Let's see all you've got!"

  "I won't disappoint you!"

  "Ancient Power, go! Pichu and Pichu, go!!"

  Togekiss uses Ancient Power and sends the large rocks forward slowly. The Pichu jump from one to the other, meeting in the middle of the air." "Thunderbolt!"

  "Huh?"

  The Pichu clutch paws and link tails, creating a small gray cloud with sounds of a thunderstorm. A huge bolt of lighting strikes down on my Pokemon, forming an immense light. "Whoa! Are you two okay?"

  "Meow." Meowstic and Petilil get up, even though they've taken a fair amount of damage.

  "Synthesis!"

  "Aura Sphere!" In addition to the large rocks approaching my team, Togekiss adds an Aura Sphere to the oncoming attack.

  "Protect!" Meowstic shields herself and Petilil, who's healing herself, from the attack.

  "Good job, Meowstic!"

  "Lil?" Petilil's eyes snap open and she moves past the barrier, jumping into the air with a move aimed at the Pichu who have just landed. "Petilil!" Instead of Energy Ball or Petal Dance, she attacks with seeds that explode upon impact.

  "That was Seed Bomb!" Clyde observes.

  "Yay, Petilil!"

 "Lil!"

  "Meow, meow." Meowstic congratulates her as well. Explodes upon impact... I could use that as well!

  "Now it's getting interesting!"Bijou grins." Grab Petilil!"

  Togekiss zooms forward, snatching Petilil with its feet. "Petilil!"

  "Hold her up, and you two use Thundershock!"

  "Meow!" Meowstic gives a look, and I nod back. "Meowstic!"

  "Pi.... Chu!!"

  Meowstic takes to the sky, fast enough to save Petilil. It's too late for the Pichu to stop their move, and Meowstic bites Togekiss's back, making the white Flying-Type rear its head back, taking the attack as both my Pokemon jump off in time.

  "Amazing!"

  "Mrow?" Is this the potential Olympia was talking about?

  "Togekiss!!" Togekiss falls, landing on the Pichu, who faint afterwards. Bijou returns them, looking a bit unnerved at this point.

  "To?" Despite taking the hits, Togekiss is still completely fine. Guess I'll have to end it, then!

  "We have yet to be done!" Bijou yells, pointing to the sky. "Aura Sphere!"

  I close my eyes, that pulse in my head again. "Let's do it!" I hear a voice that sounds just like Meowstic, then another like Petilil. "Let's win!"

  I open my eyes, jumping up then landing on my feet."Then let's go!"

  "Mrow!"

  "Lil!" They dodge just in time, and the Aura Sphere, left without a target, hits the ground, creating smoke.

  "Energy and Shadow Ball Barrage!"

  Speeding through the smoke are balls of green and purple, overlapping as they find a position in the air.

  "Hm?"

  "Go!" Petilil hops from one green ball to a purple one, then another green and another purple. Meowstic does the same, jumping from purple to green to purple to green, the two crossing each other as they jump from ball to ball.

  "Now.."

  "Petilil!"

  "Meowstic!" I order the two of them to use their newly learned moves, and Seed Bomb and Shadow Ball hit simultaneously, the collision creating huge bursts of fireworks.

  "No way!"

  Togekiss falls to the ground, defeated. "Meow?"

  "Lil?"

  I stare at my Pokemon in awe and disbelief, but then my entire body is flooded with comfort, joy, and confidence as I run up to hug them.

  "We won!!"

                   Chapter 17... End! ( ^O^ )