Chance of a Lifetime (contest entry)

As chance may have it

"Listen Misty, you know he's planning on making the move to becoming champion," sighed Lorelei over the phone.

I said calmly back, "I don't know Lorelei, I'm not sure it's my thing. Joining the elite four? That's absolutely crazy."

"You'll be fine," Lorelei attempted to assure me, "you are the best out of 8, heck, you're a water type master already. Trainers who come here say that battling you is like battling one of us. You were made to do this job, you have to do it."

"I don't know," I huffed, "I don't think I'm ready for it yet..."

"Well, sleep on it and tell me later. Please consider it, we would be glad to offer you a spot. Call me when you're ready," finished Lorelei before she promptly hung up. I guess she was having a busy day.

I sighed as I left the reception desk to sit on the diving board. My sisters were long gone, they had gone off to Kalos for a major shopping trip over the next week. It didn't matter to me though, I did most of the work because managing everything was something that fueled my passion. Which was something that reminded of my subsequent predicament: I had to choose what I was going to do.

As I swung my feet I realized, the future of the gym was gone if I chose to accept the position. My sisters wouldn't have the passion nor the commitment to take it over. If that were to happen, they would have to move, and a new gym leader would have to come. I would probably only see them two, three times a year if I were to move to the Pokemon league.

Frustrated at the downsides, I stripped from my yellow shirt and blue jean overalls, into the bathing suit that I was wearing under them. I glanced down at its  turquoise splendor as I took down my short, orange hair. Throwing my clothes down to the ground behind the pool, I swung my hands outward and bent my knees downward as I prepared to make the jump for a dive.

1...2...3...three jumps and I was in the air. Simple but effective, I swanna dived off of the board. Normally I would go for some flips or something, but simple was the best in that moment. After all, most of my Pokemon were in their pokeballs. I hadn't taken them out for one reason alone- I needed to make the decision on my own. Why had I chosen to not listen to my pokemon when I had always listened to everything in the past? It had to do with the fact that I decided this was the one decision that I had to make for myself, and that I needed to focus on it.

Starting with a streamline, I kicked in the direction of the opposite wall. About three-quarters of the way there, I had to surface for air. As I took a quick whiff of air from the corner of my mouth I looked at the walls and the high ceiling of the gym that I was so accustomed to, before I quickly ducked under to finish my 25 meter freestyle. As I surfaced to double tap the wall and later push off of it, I glanced yet again at the stands that surrounded the tank I was swimming in.  However, I went under quickly again to push off the wall and begin a different stroke by dolphin tailing. Again, I surfaced and saw the diving board as I did. Bringing my arms in a crashing loop to the front, I wondered why I chose to do the butterfree. With each upward motion I saw the gym, which reminded me that I was subconsciously  trying to distract myself from having to think about the choice.

Feeling an eerie unsatisfaction as I double tapped the wall on the other end, I climbed out of the pool and grabbed a black over-shirt that covered until my bikini bottoms. I then grabbed my keys from the reception as I sporadically started to take a walk.

Sunlight, with long shadows due to the fact golden hour was upon us, illuminated my favorite city as I stepped out to breathe the fresh air. There was one thing that was completely irresistible to me as I looked around Cerulean, and that was the radiated golden bridge of route 24. Drawn like a combee to sweet scented honey, I walked in my minimal wear to the bridge. I didn't stop there though, I decided I wanted to keep going, and so I walked all the way out past Bill's house and to Cerulean Cape. It was funny how everything was a blur to me, this was my territory and I was used to it. I was comfortable where I was.

However, I realized it as I watched one of the things I had found classic and reassuring since I started the gym: a cerulean sunset. Watching the UV rays glimmer and touch everything with luminescent hue of color, I remembered the time that I actually joined this gym to start being a leader. Staring at the calm, foamy waves that sparkled, I remembered my fear and how Ash Ketchum pushed me on to become gym leader. I guess it had been a long time since that and in a way I forgot that I needed to push myself, and in that way I traded my passion for a kind of glory.

It was funny how that one small fact made such a difference. To choose between a comfortable life, and the exhilarating risk of going on, pursuing more. In some ways, having my own decision to make was like the one that lead me to being a gym leader in the first place. I guess that all those years ago when I left home which started my journey in the first place, I left my comfort zone too. After years, it all turned out for the better though and I guess despite all the traveling I eventually hit home. That's why I decided it was time yet again. I made my decision, I was going to join the elite four, but for the sake of adventure and trying something new. So, as the rays of sunlight no longer touched Cerulean and the sky turned to a brilliant majorelle blue with ivory stars just starting to line it, I made my decision and I was going to stick with it.

Running back into town I set out to do a few things that night. I knew they were drastic changes; however, how else was I going to do something. I had to put my commitment into it and that was what I was going to do. There was no turning back and that was how I was  going to intend it.

I made 3 phone calls when I was in the gym. The first was a message to my sisters about the offer and my decision. Sufficing to say that they were in total shock. That gave me enough time to hang up and call the news who I told I would have a surprise announcement. The news ate it up, as I expected and so I left Lorelei a quick message announcing to her that she should check the news.

So, after I got dressed I headed down to the news station. My flip flops squeaked as I rushed through the city to the building. By the time I got there my hair was in total disarray and I had snagged my cover up on a tree so I was only in a bikini the color of the early, blue night sky. Though, as I saw the soft, dimmed lights of the building I  ran for what was going to be the means to adventure. And as I pushed through those clear glass doors that greeted those who would enter, I knew that Lorelei was right, that this was the right choice for me.