Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Welcome, paranoia.
<<We start things from the POV of our protagonist…>>
The day is Thursday, February 22nd, 2024.
The location: A bustling little place in the southwest of the Orre Region. Voryon City.
Okay, not so little. But not that big either.
I moved from the countryside some time ago to try my skill as a fighter.
And I wonder… How many times I’ve tried already?
I always knew the path... wouldn’t be easy. How long I have been trying already? Three years?
My progress has been steady. A bit on the slow side, but... I have reached a certain stability.
I can reach Quarter-finals, semis and even some finals consistently.
My income lets me live comfortably and eat well.
Many would be satisfied with that, I guess... but not me.
Especially after tasting...
So much defeat
“Contestant Farrah Spears is out cold!! Carly Higgins advances to the semi-finals!!”
So much frustration...
— Hahahahaha!! — A Gijinka of the Sylveon race cackled — You crashed and burned like the rest, Farrah! Or... should I call you... Failurrah!? — Then, she laughed again.
Still... with each one, I have reforged myself...
Many times, doubts have invaded me, but I have shrugged them off successfully up to date. I can’t just renounce the thrill of performing in front of the crowd.
Someday... I shall leave my mark in history.
And today might be a good starting point.
— Stay back! — The referee, an older gijinka of the Noctowl race, with a black-and-white striped shirt and black pants shouts — I’ll start the count now!
— N-no need!! — My rival, a bloke of the (Kantonian) Sandslash race chokes out — I… I surrender!
The judge asked him if he was sure, so he repeated that he yielded.
It sure feels weird. But his right knee was frozen by my touch and I had managed to take him out with a well-placed Icy Shield Bash to the head…
— Okay!! — The umpire gets the message, and then signals for the bell to ring, then raises my right hand as he shouts — Our winner, qualified for the Lanturn’s Lamp Tournament! Farrah Spears!!
The small crowd gathered there claps and cheers for me. In return, I bow to them politely, thanking them for their support…
My powers of ice manipulation had given me an important edge. Literally.
My left hand can summon a sword of sorts, albeit for the positioning of my hand, it seems more like a Pata Blade
And my right arm I use to summon a shield. Normally, a buckler-sized one suffices.
That’s an advantage that no other Ampharos carries… that I know of, at least. And I plan to keep using it wisely.
I walk towards my surrendered opponent, and he looks frightened…
— Look, milady… I’m sorry if I offended you...
He had been a haughty novice, believing that the prelims would be a breeze.
I myself failed miserably when I attempted my first two, when I was 19 years old and a fraction. And while I never outright disrespected my rivals, my attitude wasn’t precisely cordial. It was a bit too much on the rash side.
Now that I’m 22, I more often see stuff from the other perspective.
— Please, don’t hurt me any further. I was just…
— …bantering? — I interrupt
— Well, yes, you could say that… I apologize...
He seemed sincere enough for me, so I offered my hand to help him stand up.
— Worry not, lad. I can relate… you said those things to pep yourself up and not as an outright insult.
He nodded and then looked away in shame.
— There is always next year. Be sure to train harder and focus better.
— Thank you… uh… lady Farrah. — he tells me, and scampers away
— Don’t sweat it, bloke… and no need to call me “lady”!
And so, I left the small battleground, content with myself, and feeling strangely optimistic.
Maybe... just maybe... this is the day I get my hands on an actual trophy, and not a silver medal.
Time to check on my pals. I hope we all managed to qualify. It would be sad if somebody got left out.
Everybody of us joined the tournament in search for a good payday, and some excitement, of course. That was a common denominator with us…
As for deeper motives… I will never know at 100%, as I am unable to read minds.
— So… you blitzed the prelims again, huh?
A young man of Flygon race got near me and congratulated me by nudging my padded shoulder with his fist.
He, too, wore comfortable clothes and studded leather armour for extra protection, as he wouldn’t be able to fly if his protective gear was heavier.
He wasn’t particularly muscular. His build was more or less thin but not particularly lanky.
He had red-tinted goggles on his forehead that he always wore when battling. A must-have, indeed, as he loved using Sandstorm quite often.
He was almost exactly six feet tall, and therefore, about four inches taller than me.
He sported a red sweatband on his head and his hair was spiky, unkempt and blond in color, with two long upward spikes resembling antennae. He dyed them in green.
— Oh, these four rounds weren’t as easy as they looked. I had to focus a lot to avoid getting hurt and adapt. You are the one that normally does the blitzing, Ricardo.
Yep. The name of that Mystic-denominated Gijinka is Ricardo. And his last name is Ordaz
— Yeah. Got lucky this time — He admits — Four rounds. Four pushovers. Pan comido.
He made use of some gratuitous Spanish, as that was his “lengua mater”.
It pretty much forced me to learn the language. Sometimes he would mutter stuff under his breath in that idiom, and that piqued my curiosity… and sometimes, my annoyance, too.
— I see…
I acquired some basic understanding of that language in time. I could perfectly fill a resume with “Intermediate Spanish” as skill, in case I needed a new job. But he had just mastered English long ago, so he’s more of a bilingual than me.
Anyway, he kept speaking
— I overwhelmed them… although I’m aware that I shall not be able to do so in the tournament proper.
— Yeah, that means that we should be more careful from now on. Who knows what will happen next…
— Let’s see how our other two friends did… and then go home.
— Good plan.
Suddenly, the Ground/Dragon-typed dude commented about the fact we weren’t pitted against each other in the preliminaries, because...
— If we had faced, you would have destroyed me in three minutes tops.
That asseveration made me chuckle a bit.
— Don't talk like that, Rick. We both got here fair and square!
I then got thirsty, so I sipped on my water bottle as I leant on a nearby pillar
— Besides, it's all part of the fun, don’t you think?
— Concuerdo.
And then… out of the blue, I noticed someone else watching me from afar… a male Umbreon guy with black hair and glasses who wore casual attire.
An admirer? I honestly doubt so. There are many others that look stronger than me and have more experience.
Unless… he is seeking for younger fighters.
The fact remained. He made me feel uneasy.
I whisper to Ricardo.
— You know that guy?
— Not really... — he responds — but he seems to be a coach or a scout for a gym nearby, searching for fresh blood of sorts... Just try to ignore him and he’ll go away.
Solid plan. I nodded to Rick and then walked away
— Time to check on our other two friends.
He followed me, and so, we got to see if our two friends were capable of getting through.
And a couple of steps farther, we found them, happily conversing.
First, there was a Beautifly called Suzanne Galtieri that was just 2 inches shorter than me, and had a bit less muscle. She didn’t look too much like a fighter, but she could dish a lot of damage. I learned it the hard way when training together at the other friend’s backyard…
We had been classmates for years and ended up graduating together. And she’s just slightly older than me, as her birthday is in August.
Her side-gig is as a hairdresser at the Fuzzy Flamigo Salon. And she always dresses elegantly, both for combat or for mundane stuff. Right now, she uses a comfortable black dress with red and blue details, similar to her Beautifly wings.
Her hair was black, long and straight, always well-cared for and adorned with red, blue and gold beads.
And at her side... that’s Anita Valois, the Zangoose. A pint-sized, light-bronze-skinned powerhouse with loads of power. She looks like a teenager with her 5' 2" height, but she’s actually twenty years old...
We met some time ago, when the Cat Ferret Gijinka was starting her career as an arena fighter, and I could get a taste of her potential… both her and Ricardo were impressed then… and continue to do so now.
There were rumours of her going into underground fighting even before she turned eighteen.
Those grounds were lawless. Basic regulations (like no killing and no using substances) didn’t apply there. Who knows what stuff she went through there if those rumours were true?
She dressed with small, orange-coloured shorts, not dissimilar to the tight ones that female wrestlers use, but from the waist up, she used a white shirt and a white and red sweater.
Her hair was short and spiky, also in white and red colors.
— Did you manage? — Ricardo asks.
Both women answered affirmatively, while massaging themselves
— ¡Excelente! — He exclaims happily
We're going to make waves in this tournament. That’s for sure!
Wait! Is that…?
I noticed the mysterious Umbreon guy still watching me from afar and felt a slight chill down my spine.
Or is he following Sue and Annie?
That makes me even more nervous!!
— Uh… gotta go to the locker room now! — I excuse myself politely to my three colleagues.
I made a zip towards the changing area, and stayed there for a while, trying to calm myself...
I keep telling myself that he was just a regular talent scout, just as Ricardo told.
Maybe I'm just a bit paranoid...
I finished changing into a clean set of comfortable clothes, as my mind kept moving its cogs.
Besides, there are at many other interesting participants... and one is definitively head and shoulders above the rest...
I then used my smartphone to check the list of participants that qualified for the last 16. And there it was... the hottest prospect.
Kazimierz Piatek... a hunk of a Haxorus Gijinka that looked like a knight in a shining armour... well, more like an ochre armour, but still qualifies.
He’s 24 years old and looked like he was built for the MMA circuit. Maybe he could join anytime soon, who knows?
For now, he decided to stick to this free-form tournament, for reasons unknown.
He sure looks like a complete package. Looks, muscle and honour. I wonder if I would have a chance if he was my next opponent…
Okay, enough daydreaming!
Just as I was to exit, I saw that both Suzanne and Anita had already entered to check on me.
— Hey! Why are you taking so long? — The Zangoose gal calls my attention
— I beg your pardon, my lass... I just spaced out. — I apologise to Annie — Anyway, gotta go... tomorrow we keep fighting
— You sure look like you are in a hurry, chick — Suzanne says coolly
— Aye… I need to put some things in order at home.
I am not good at lying or making excuses, to be frank.
— Pfft. Whatever — Annie declares, putting her hands on the back of the neck — Good luck with whatever you have to do.
— I wish you the same… — The Beautifly gal lets out — Though I doubt you need it, gurl. — She finishes with a wink.
— Thank you.
With that, I left the room, wary about that mysterious Umbreon following me…
I scan the corridor, then I let out a sigh of relief as I find nobody following me.
— Excellent. Time to go home…
As I walk down the dimly lit corridor, my mind drifted back to that Umbreon guy.
Why does he make me so uncomfortable? Something seems off with him, but… I can't quite put my finger on it.
I shake my head impatiently, trying to dismiss the thought.
I hope to not see him again… I have a whole, non-stop tournament to prepare myself for!
And so, I decided to jog towards my apartment.
...
The preliminaries weren't as harsh as I imagined, and this stadium wasn’t too far from my apartment… so I’d rather save on transportation.
In a matter of minutes, I managed to arrive home, where one of my closest confidants, a young woman of the Sceptile race, with a broom on her right hand, and somewhat baggy pale amber eyes, opened the door for me.
She wore casual clothes - White long pants and a cream-coloured blouse - and a pink apron that somehow combined well with her tanned skin.
Her hair also had a basil green hue. It wasn’t that long, but it was somewhat voluminous, styled in a small bouffant that gave the impression she had horns, although it was clearly to resemble the shape of a regular Sceptile’s head.
— Good afternoon, Farrah... did it go well? — She politely bows to me.
I wish she stopped doing that.
— Yes. The prelims were a breeze for both me and Ricardo — I answer her question — My other friends also managed to clear them, but the true fight starts tomorrow.
And then, I change the subject
— Anything of note, dear Ga-Li?
— Negative — she shakes her head — I guess that's good news.
— Having trouble sleeping?
— Not really.
— I'll go meditate and then make some dinner for all of us.
— And I'll make sure nobody disturbs you — I hear her declare.
…
The place I call home… it is a rented apartment. Not too shabby, all things considered.
I share it with Ricardo and Ga-Li.
It was an arrangement the Flygon and I had made in order to save on rent money. We became roomies and shared responsibilities.
Coexistence started… less than perfectly, but I want to say that both of us learned to be more organized with time.
And around six months ago, we… “Welcomed” Ga-Li to the household.
Actually, I was the one that welcomed her, much to Rick’s displeasure.
She is a former delinquent. She tried to rob the apartment block, and when he broke into ours, Ricardo saw her, and gave mad pursuit.
She was fast, but Rick was faster, and waaaaay better fed. He also had the advantage of flight.
He restrained her with relative ease… and, in his words, he shouted
“Where do you think you’re going!?”
After restraining her, he called the police. And they notified me.
I was called to testify, and given the possibility to sue for damages.
There I knew her full name: Galatea Listrata. She had shortened to Ga-Li.
I decided to hear her side of the story before acting.
She admitted to the act of larceny, but told me that she had no choice.
Her actions were derived from destitution and desperation, as she was orphaned since she had use of her memory.
Also, in her words, nobody had ever shown a modicum of real support in her life, so nobody would ever miss her if she, one day, disappeared.
My heart sank and melted on the spot.
I couldn't bear to see her thrown away in jail, so I decided to vouch for her, even if Ricardo was completely against the idea.
I could understand his rationale for refusal, but I couldn’t just abandon a soul in need… so I told him that I would pack my things and search somewhere else to live if he didn’t want her.
And no. I wasn’t bluffing back then.
Surprisingly enough, he decided to just tell me, after some mulling.
— Fine. Do what you want. She can stay, but don’t expect me to show any sliver of sympathy for her. And if I catch her trying to do something funny, I’ll hogtie her and fly her myself back there.
Later, Judges gave Ga-Li the probation, and since then she has been living with us.
Ambiance was weird in the first days, as my Flygon friend wasn't forgiving… at all. He still tolerated her presence somewhat.
My biggest hope… is that they would learn to get along eventually.
Since then, the Grass-type has been searching for an honest job, with not much luck... so she is helping with cleaning and cooking in the meantime, without emitting a peep of complaint.
That helped me and Ricardo to split the chores. It gave us more time to perfecting our craft… or to attend our side gig as mechanics (it helps when there is no fighting to be done).
Sure, the servile, almost-doormat attitude Ga-Li had towards me… sometimes made me uncomfortable.
But I’m confident that, with time, her sense of self-worth would be rebuilt.
And so, I spent some time in meditation… in a room at the end of the corridor. The one that Rick and I tend to use to exercise…
I set the speaker and an USB Drive connected to it to reproduce some meditation music.
I position myself to start aligning my chakras, and then I mutter
— Please, Arceus… let me win this one. I know I can do this… I think I’m prepared enough, unlike those other times… I just need some luck.
And then, as the mantras start filling the room, I inhale… and exhale…
…
Around one hour passes, and I exit the room, feeling my soul lighter and my body more rested.
I felt a nice smell invading my nostrils.
— Smells good, Li-Li.
I tell the Sceptile, calling her by the affectionate nickname I accidentally chose one day for her.
It just came out, and the Grass-type gal didn’t protest.
I want to think she likes it. But at any rate, it stuck.
— What's cooking?
Ga-Li turned around and dedicated me a bright smile that couldn't mask the exhaustion in her eyes.
— Just simple stir-fry, nothing fancy. — She replies, flipping some vegetables in the pan. — I knew you'd be hungry after your match today.
She paused for a moment, and when I put attention to her face, she looks thoughtful.
— You look... different somehow. — Her tone takes on a slightly worried undertone.
— Yeah? How so? — I ask curiously, washing my hands in the sink.
— Well, umm... it's hard to say exactly... maybe it’s just because you feel… lighter?
— Are you trying to make a pun on my… abilities? — I asked her, rising an eyebrow, and the gem at the tip of my tail emitted a soft, blue light, as to complement my question.
— Uh… not really. I’m not good at humour. — She replies.
I giggle in response
— Maybe so, but that’s harmless enough. So you shouldn’t stop trying.
And then I changed the subject, back to myself
— Well, my spirits might be high now, but we never know...
I then remember something!! It was my turn to cook today!!
— Wait a minute! It was I the one supposed to make dinner tonight!
— Uh... sorry for that. I wanted to help, that’s all — The Sceptile defends herself
— Yeah, I know that, but you look way more exhausted than me — I told her, concern filling my mind — Look, I think we should switch beds for this night.
— No... it would be too much.
Judging by her pause after the “No”… she was actually considering it. There is no denying that the offer sounds tempting.
— You need to be in top shape for tomorrow, so I cannot take the offer.
She has a point.
— Ugh. I hate when you're right! — I let out in a joking tone, to make the ambient warmer — But the offer still stands after this little tournament is finished.
— As you wish.
The reason why Ga-Li refused was… because the apartment only had two bedrooms.
She slept in a mattress on the floor of the living room. Even after I offered to share the bed.
The second best option was to use an old mattress I put there.
I still remember the day I just moved that item so she didn’t have to sleep on the sofa… or the floor.
She was moved to tears. And that made me wonder
How come nobody had shown some basic decency to her all those years?!
And still, I felt like she deserved something better, so I bought a new, clean mattress to replace the old one, and a pair of pillows.
I remember Ricardo being bit miffed by that, whispering to me that he considered that a “waste of money”, but he never voiced that aloud.
Probably because he feared I would bash his skull with my icy fist. Or that I could shred him into ribbons with my sword.
At least, he didn't show any more animosity afterwards… that I know of.
— Seriously, you need some rest, Li-Li — I say as I set the table.
— I'll go to sleep early. I promise — Ga-Li answers me without giving too much attention...
Then, she quickly goes to open the door for Ricardo, who was about to use his keys, anyway.
— I don't know how do you manage to detect us entering without any wind chimes... you're such a wily 'mon!
I heard him giving that begrudging compliment to Ga-Li as he entered.
His tone changed, predictably, as he got close to me and asked
— Hey, champ. Did you make this dinner?
— Not me this time — I answer as I get close to the Desert Dragon guy.
And then I proceed to whisper to his ear
— Now... Li-Li knows her stuff. A bit of appreciation would be welcome.
He sighs and then tries to be (or at least sound) as sincere as he could
— Yeah, dinner looks awesome, Galatea. Thank you...
She bowed silently to him.
— Now let's chow down! — he exclaims — I brought some root beer for us!
I couldn't help but feel touched by the gesture. Things were advancing on that front. Slow and steady.
Rick gave us both one bottle each. We accepted it quickly, as the meal was served.
— Thanks… Ricardo — she says, accepting the root beer he handed her, and took a sniff on it. — It… smells great.
— Yeah… thanks, bruv — I told him
— You’re welcome, gals — He speaks in a neutral tone and then sat to eat.
Us three then started chatting about our respective activities, exchanging some stories.
Rick and I discussed some strategies we used at the preliminary rounds.
In my case, I thanked my lucky stars that I was at a level high enough to master Magnet Rise to help myself against the Ground Types… or pretty much anybody that knew how to use attacks that covered a wide space.
Ricky spoke of his own luck in avoiding strong special attacks thanks to his speed and agility as a pseudo-Flying-type (thanks, natural Levitation!).
And Ga-Li… Well, she didn't have too much to say, as she wasn't a participant, but she commented about a good cartoon she saw and us three had some laughs.
Such simple entertainment. It was like she was trying to build himself a small corner on her mind… about the infancy that she was denied.
But as we continued dining, I couldn't shake off the feeling I had some hours before…
That someone was watching over me again…
That mysterious Umbreon...
…
Nay, I’m being paranoid. I should focus on enjoying the meal with my friends.
Everybody went to sleep early. Li-Li was clearly exhausted, and both my Flygon pal and I needed to gather energy for the Lanturn’s Lamp tournament proper…
— Good night everyone — Ga-Li says first.
— Good night, sweetie — I tell her, in an affectionate tone, as I go to do the dishes
And as for Ricardo…
— Yeah, same to you. Sleep tight.
He was anything but affectionate. But at least he wasn’t excessively dismissive.
Someday… he will learn to treat her like a companion… instead of an invader.
<<End of Farrah’s POV>>