They of the Sun
Chapter Six: Hypocrite

     They wouldn't choose a brat!

     I'd show that pretty school prince a brat! I was okay with being ignored like they had been. I'm not sure why the Tapu chose me for anything, I'm just some girl. But they still... chose me. I was just as much as he was, on his high horse.

     The nerve.

     Marching down the hall, I tried to keep my face as calm as possible, my short dark locks fluttering with each step. Arceus, I was pissed. I flung the door open to the classroom where one of the elite students was. The class jumped when the door slammed open, I locked eyes with the Youngster. My hand was already holding out Pan's capsule, shakily. "You. Me. Battle. Now."

•••

     "Hah... You're good."

     This was the last Trainer. Scratches and bruises from opponents marred through Pan's sleek feathers and one of his eyes was almost swollen shut but he stood calm. What a little trooper.

     The boy, in his dirty soccer outfit, called his pile of colorful goo back in a flash of light. I ignored whatever else he had to say, grabbing the towel out of my care kit and a Potion bottle. The little owl Pokémon couldn't help but weakly coo.

     I kneeled down to wipe off the dirt from him and spray the Potion on his wounds, watching how they closed in a matter of seconds like they had never happened to begin with. A slow clap pulled me out of my concentration, I swiveled my head around to see where it came from. My teacher, behind her- cue eye roll- Ilima and several other students.

     She was at the edge of the battlefield, a PokeBall in her hand. I scowled. I defeated all the students, didn't I? That's all that had been asked of me. I was not about to fight my teacher as well.

     "You aren't a special snowflake, Cyra," Ms. Emily said as if she were reading my mind. "To completely pass, you must battle me, too."

     She released her Pokémon in a flash of white light. I stood up with the urge to scream at the little one-eyed ball of metal. A Magnemite. An electric-type. I glanced down at my Rowlet, his eyes shining with determination. He believed in himself more than I did...

     With the anxiety climbing up my throat, I reluctantly turned to my teacher. But I wasn't going to let her know that. This was just too much trouble.

     "Leafage!" I yelled out, watching as the feathers around his neck rippled, then glowed as leaves began to form, shooting out like arrows.

      "Dodge, Magnemite, then use thunder shock!" It followed orders flawlessly, rotating the magnets on either side of its body before moving aside... releasing a stream of electricity that cut through the leaves. Shit. The light traveled quickly to my Pokémon and he screeched in pain. I closed my eyes, unable to look at his face. Oh, Arceus, I couldn't.

     "Tackle!" I yelled, my lips turning downward at the scent of his burnt plumage. He was tired, I already knew, but he flung his body into the air anyway. Smashing the floating metal into the ground. I didn't want to open my eyes.

     "Again!"

     "Again!"

     "Now, Magnemite!"

     There was the horrible yelp of pain. I could still see the electricity from behind the darkness of my eyelids. It didn't stop. His screech. Litten's screech. It seemed as if they went on forever before I finally moved, throwing myself between the two. I slapped away the Magnemite, feeling a shock through my injured hand and a whole new pain hit my already vulnerable wound. It burned to the point tears were already in my eyes and I bit my lip, refusing to cry. I could not cry... not in front of them. Wrapping my free arm around Pan, I crouched around him like a shield.

     "That's enough!"

     I couldn't figure out if the words had tumbled out of my mouth or if it was someone else. But I got my answer by the taste of blood from my lips. I lowered my outstretched arm to look at Ilima walking towards the field, still holding Pan who was gently nuzzling my cheek in thanks. He was looming over me, blocking out the sun. The usual blank smile he wore was gone, replaced by a much more uncaring look. "Lousy tactic. You can't protect your Pokémon that way, they'll never grow."

      I grit my teeth, wishing I knew how to cast a move of my own. Like Perish Song. He kept his eyes trained on me for a second, like he was trying to look through me. Trying to read me. I refused to let him see anything. He turned away to face Ms. Emily, running his gloved hand over his fairy pink hair.

     And I ran.

     I ran past the gates right as Lillie, Sen, and Hau were entering, Hau yelling a "hey!" after me. I didn't want them to know what a fuck up I was but they probably already had the idea. I didn't take the path back home - I didn't want to disappoint my mom for the umpteenth time ever- but instead stayed on the paved road leading into the city.

     On the bright side, I never have to worry about this Trainer thing again.

     There was a rustling in my bag as the RotomDex poked its eyes out to randomly speak out, "Zzzt? What a day! Incoming zzzzt!"

     I looked up at the last second before I collided with a body much bigger than my own. It was covered in fur, alive and breathing right on me. A hoof hit the ground. "Whoa, there."

     Groaning, I placed my hand on my head as a massive pain burst through, a sign that the day was finally catching up with me. You can probably tell: I'm not a very active person. "Are you alright, Cyra?"

      The Kahuna was lifting me to my foot with one big hand. I was a rag doll to him. I rubbed my temples in an attempt to get the pulse in my brain to calm down. "I'm fine."

     My eyes were glued to the Pokémon in front of me; it's caramel fur and silver horns shining in the Alolan sun. It shook its head letting out a snort through its nostrils and hit it's hoof against the road. Hala smiled at it, "Tauros is a little restless lately, he hasn't had the chance to go on much of an adventure..."

     "Cyra! Gramps!" Hau's voice sent a tremor of pain through my head. He really didn't have an inside voice. "Cyra... Are you okay? Did something happen."

      I mumbled out a response, averting my eyes away from Hau and Lillie's concerned faces; their eyes digging into me. How irritating. I didn't want to tell them anything... not like they deserved to know. No one did.

    "You forgot this," Ilima's voice caused me to lift up my head and everyone to turn. He tossed me an object while walking to us. "I talked to Asuka... you passed. The Tapu chose you for a reason and I hope to see what you really can do. I'll be waiting in the Verdant Cavern. Ciao."

     He waved a delicate hand as he passed by and disappeared into the city. I looked down at the PokeBall. The conflicting sentences bumbled in my head, stinging.

     They wouldn't choose a brat.

     The Tapu chose you for a reason.

     I looked up to Ilima in the distance, walking in the middle of the street. He wasn't close enough to hear me.

"Hypocrite."