Blooming Ambitions: A pokemon Story

Chapter 24

After that, we heal our pokemon, and since Nurse Joy said we could use the battle ground outside the pokemon center, I decided it would be best to practice a few light performance moves in preparation for the showcase that was in a couple days.

I decided I would use Braixen and Sawsbuck, since I thought it would be a nice contrast between grass and fire.

"You two okay to practice a performance routine?" I ask my pokemon, just to make sure they're okay.

They both nod and my face lights up, as I give them both a brief hug. Lotus just watches with her pokemon, since her pokemon were also tired from the battle we just had.

"Sawsbuck, can I hope on your back?" I ask her, and she nods, letting me know it was okay.

As soon as she does, I climb onto her back, wrapping my arms around her neck to hold on.

"Braixen, use fire blast! Sawsbuck, you use energy ball at the 4 corners and the center, then run and use horn leech in the center okay?" I explain, and both pokemon nod.

Braixen doesn't hesitate in using fire blast, and Sawsbuck uses energy ball in the places I said, running and jumping towards the middle of the fire blast using horn leech as she did so.

I, on the other hand, jump off of Sawsbuck's back midair, and span before landing on one hand. As Sawsbuck landed on the ground, I used the hand I was balancing on to propel myself upwards so I could land on my feet again.

"Good job you two! After that, Sawsbuck could you run to me, and Braixen you use flamethrower to create small pillars of fire. Sawsbuck, once you get to me, I want you to stop quickly so I can get on your back again. After I am, could you use horn leech to run through the pillars of fire towards Braixen. Once Sawsbuck is close enough Braixen, I want you to jump onto Sawsbuck's back too, okay?" I explained, and they both nodded.

"Alright! Let's give it a try!"

We rehearse what we just done, and it was time for the new bit.

"Braixen Flamethrower!" I call, and Braixen use flamethrower, dancing around as she creates small fire pillars in a zig-zag shape, and Sawsbuck runs to me while she does, stopping briefly so I can get onto her back.

"Sawsbuck, use horn leech!" I call once I was on her back, and she immediately springs into action, doing exactly as I had explained and once we were close enough to Braixen, she jumped over Sawsbuck's head and landed on her back behind me.

We heard clapping behind us, and I smiled as Lotus was clapping for us.

"That was great Yui!" She praises, and my cheeks turn a slight pink colour.

"Thank you, although I'm scared for the first round this time, I feel it'll be something I'm not every good at..." I admit.

"No point in worrying about it, you can cross that bridge when you come to it." Lotus reassures.

That didn't help calm my nerves though.

The next couple of days went quicker than I would have liked, and I was confidence in our freestyle performance round routine. First, however, we had to get through the first round.

Once me and Lotus had parted ways, her going to audience stands while I went to the dressing room, my nerves started to build up again.

Luckily, I wasn't in the first round of performers, but my heart dropped when I saw what the first-round performance theme was.

Pokepuff performance.

The only time I had made pokepuffs was when I was younger, and even then it was only basic pokepuffs, and I could barely remember how to make them.

Even so, when it was my turn to be on stage, I did my best during the first-round performance, my pokemon helping me when they could.

"Time for you to cast your votes to which performers performance you liked best!" The announcer says, and I knew that I wouldn't get past the first round. Even so, it didn't stop me from secretly hoping.

Just like I had thought, one of the other performers had gotten through, but it didn't mean it hurt any less.

After bowing, I made my way off stage with my pokemon. Even though I knew I wouldn't pass the first stage, still made me upset, since this was the first time I had lost not only in the first round, but in a performance in general.

"Yui!" Lotus called once I was outside, and when she got to me, she immediately took me into hug as tears fell down my face.

"It's okay, you did your best." Lotus comforts as I cry, both Braixen and Sawsbuck looking at me with sympathy in their eyes.

Once I stop crying, Lotus lets go off me and says, "Better?"

"Better. I knew I wasn't going to get through, but it didn't hurt any less." I say, as I call both Braixen and Sawsbuck back to their pokeballs.

"Maybe a gym battle will help you feel better, you want to start heading towards Anistar city? The next showcase is also there, so you can always try again to earn your last princess key." Lotus suggests, and, putting my loss to the back of my mind, I nod, as an idea comes to mind.