The next day arrived and I walked out of the apartment we were all saying in and fixed my jacket then put my hood on. Aurora skipped out of the apartment in a long sleeve shirt, black jogging pants and shoes. Melody walked out in a black and blue lolita dress, dark colored stockings, and black heels.
Rowlet flew out the door, followed by Eevee and her excited cried. Botafox walked out of the door and walked toward Melody. Snivy followed behind and stretched.
"Seems like you're all finally ready. Great, we can go to the Ocean Trials now." Azalea said.
~~~~~
Azalea stopped her car in front of a large building surrounded by water. She smiled and looked at the building. "The Ocean Temple also known as the Grounds of Atlantis. This is where the Ocean Trials are held."
"How long will this take?" Aurora asked.
"Probably a few hours." Azalea answered.
"A few hours..?!" Melody said in disbelief. Botafox whined and crossed her arms.
"This is nothing to me. This reminds me of the Island Trials back at home. We've got this." I said and smiled.
"I guess, I only imagine we've also got competition in this too huh." Aurora asked.
"Yep, so you three better get in there and get registered or else you'll be waiting another week to get this pass." Azalea said. "I'll be cheering from the crowd."
I nodded and got out the car. Aurora and Melody followed with our pokemon. We hurried inside the building to get registered. We noticed the amount of trainers inside and knew only a few teams were going to actually make it.
We walked over to the front desk and got registered for the Ocean Trials. Once we got registered we waited in the lobby for the trial to start. While we waited, I noticed Vain and two others with him.
The male with Vain was a guy with black hair, tied in a short ponytail, red eyes, and a Crest on his neck. He wore a red and gray coat with an Ace Trainer Badge on the sleeve, black pants, red fingerless gloves, and black shoes. He wore a black and red hat on his head.
The timid woman with Vain had long silver hair, pale skin, gray eyes, and rosy cheeks. She wore a yellow and dark brown dress to match her ace, Mimikyu. She wore a large hat on her head so she could hide her face easier.
"Hey that's Vain isn't it?" Melody asked.
I looked at Melody and glanced back over at Vain. "Yeah. We finally have our chance to battle if given the chance."
"Yo, is that the guy who's apparently your rival over there?" Kusagi pointed at me with his thumb.
Dandelion looked over at me and tilted her head. "Who is he..?"
Vain looked over at me and scoffed. "Axel Moon. He is a Champion now so I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you. His skill in battle is rather high."
Dandelion stared at me then grunted when she noticed Melody. She stumbled backwards and bumped into Kusagi.
"Whoa! Watch it, Dandelion." Kusagi said and got her off him. "Why did you freak out?"
"M-My sister is there...She doesn't know I'm a part of Team Sync.." Dandelion shyly said.
Kusagi looked at Melody and noticed she was staring directly at him with her right eye shining brightly. He shuddered and took a step back. "I can see why she would scare you. What the hell is that look..?"
An alarm began to go off and a digital banner appeared around the lobby with a message.
[All Ocean Trial Participants, Report to the First Trial Area at once!]
Aurora looked up from brushing Eevee's white coat and noticed the notification. "Well here we go."
I nodded and stood up. Melody held my sleeve as her body shuddered. I looked at her and looked around. The only person I could suspect she's sensing is Vain, but I didn't count out the possibility of there being powerful trainers around.
We all reported to the First Trial Area. We noticed there were 16 boats docked up and they looked as if they were race boats. Each time got their own boat.
"Alright!~ Let's get this party started, Ocean Trial Participants! For the first Trial it is recommended that you all use at least two Water Pokemon per team. The Water Pokemon you choose will determine the speed of your boat. The second water Pokemon will be used to knock down targets for points!" The hostess announced.
"Uhm...the only one of us that actually have water Pokemon is Aurora." I said.
"Looks like I'll be team captain for this one!~" Aurora said and stepped forward. "Evoli! Bubble Jet Forme!"
Eevee cried out and a blue ball of energy appeared above her and entered her body. Her body began shining and she began to evolve into a shiny Vaporeon. Vaporeon cried out as she sparkled.
"Whoa, did you see that girl's Eevee? It evolved without an evolutionary stone.." A trainer asked.
"Yeah, I wonder how she did it." Another said.
"Slugger, come on out!~" Aurora said and crossed her pokeball upward.
Glauslug emerged out of his Pokeball and floated toward Aurora. She smiled and pet him gently.
"The goal of this trial is to be one of the twelve teams who qualify for the next trial and you must race each other to the finish while gathering points for your team!" The hostess said. "Are you all ready?"
[3! 2! 1! Race On!]
"Evoli! Go!" Aurora said.
Vaporeon began to fire a blast of water and propelled the boat forward. The other racers began to speed past us and shot the bells that were floating around. Glauslug did his best to hit the bells.
[Current Rankings: 1. Team Vain, 2. Team Veronica, 3. Team Blake, 4. Team Chance, 5. Team Flora]
"Come on we aren't even top five! You can hold your own against a champion but you can't hit some stupid bells?!" Melody bellowed.
"This isn't easy to control! We are battling against 15 other teams remember?! I need a bit of assistance here!" Aurora said.
"Veridian, are you able to do something to help us?" I asked.
Snivy nodded and used Vine Whip to get on the top of the boat. She began channelling her lime green energy around her body. She cried out and her energy expanded to the sky and caused the sun to shine brightly, blinding the pokemon and a few trainers.
"Now's your chance!" I said.
Glauslug began to rapidly fire bubbles at the targets and began racking up points. Vaporeon gave it her all and drifted the boat to second place.
Dandelion looked back and gasped. She waved her arm and got Kusagi's attention. Kusagi looked back then smirked.
"Go Pignite! Fire away at them!" Kusagi commanded.
Pignite squealed and began to fire a wave of fire bolts at us. Glauslug retaliated with a wave of bubbles to clash with the bolts of fire. Explosions happened in the air and Pignite looked surprised to see a barrage of energy balls heading his way. He was hit and knocked away.
"Vain!" Dandelion cried out.
Vain looked back and noticed our boat. His eyes shined and he walked to the side of the boat. "Empoleon! Hyper Beam!"
Empoleon looked over at our boat and his eyes shined. He used his flippers to create a ball of black energy then fired a purplish black energy beam at us.
"Botafox! Autumn Shield!" Melody commanded.
Botafox cried out and an orange energy barrier surrounded our boat and blocked Empoleon's Hyper Beam.
"Nngh! I hate battles like these! His Empoleon is on another level because of his Final Evolution! We can't overpower him right now!" Melody said and grunted as she gave more of her dark energy to Botafox so she could maintain the Autumn Shield.
"How cute. A barrier. Look at Axel...he knows he can't win. We must keep pressing him!" Vain bellowed.
I grunted as Empoleon began to fire water energy blasts at our boat. I clutched my hand over Magearna's Pokeball. I didn't know any of Snivy's Ragnu Syncs so I couldn't utilize more of her power. Melody was busy keeping the Autumn Shield up. Aurora was busy commanding Vaporeon and Glauslug.
Everything fell onto my hands.
"Artemis! Switch with Veridian! Artemis create a leaf big enough for Veridian to ride on! We're gonna attack head on!" I said.
"What?!" Melody asked in shock. "Are you crazy?!"
"If I don't do something, you won't have enough energy to continue." I said.
"But—"
"Melody. If it's a fight that he wants..." I started.
Rowlet finished charging up her shadow energy and purple lightning crackled around her body. Snivy finished bathing in the sunlight and her light green energy surrounded her body.
"Then it's a fight he's gonna get!" I bellowed.
Rowlet and Snivy cried out and their energies surged powerfully around their bodies. Melody commanded that Botafox let down her barrier. Botafox complied then Rowlet flew toward Empoleon at full speed. Snivy surfed on the leaf toward Empoleon.
Vain smirked and his cloak flowed rapidly. Empoleon let out a battle cry and jumped toward Rowlet and Snivy. Rowlet and Empoleon clashed then Empoleon pushed Rowlet away. Snivy jumped off her leaf and twirled rapidly then slammed a Leaf Blade against Empoleon's opening. Empoleon grunted as he was launched down then he cloaked himself with water energy and propelled himself toward Snivy at invisible speeds.
Rowlet soared toward Snivy and pushed her out the way and created an illusionary copy of herself and vanished. Empoleon slammed into an empty husk of feathers then shook his head. He propelled himself back onto the boat and spit out a few feathers.
Rowlet was holding Snivy with her talons then retreated back to our boat. Our boats crossed the finish line.
[Finish!]
Melody looked at me and felt my energy. Her body shuddered and she walked over to me. She held my arm. "Axel. It's over."
I stared at Vain and my eyes shined. Battling him had awakened a hatred I hoped I had left behind. After Melody's words registered in my head, I looked at her. I noticed her tired look and held her.
Aurora smiled and held her arm. "I've never seen you like that before...or I haven't seen you like that in a while."
I looked at Aurora then smiled. "Sorry, I guess I take after my mom. When I battle against someone I absolutely hate, my battle crazed side gets the best of me. Something in me snaps..."
Melody looked at me then looked down at the floorboards. "I understand how you feel on that. My family...They are the ones to make me manifest this dark power in me. They hated me because of it. They hate me because I—nevermind. Just know I know where you come from.."
I watched Melody get out of my arms. "I'll try to control it."
Melody smiled and nodded. "I know you will..."
~~~~~
"Congratulations on the qualifying twelve! You all have shown great heart! You all have shown that willpower and the bond between pokemon can take you a long way!" The hostess said.
The hostess showed a digital screen of the Top 6 Teams.
[Top 6 Teams: 6. Team Armstrong, 5. Team Flora, 4. Team Blake, 3. Team Veronica, 2. Team Vain, 1. Team Moon]
Aurora's eyes widened and shined. She hopped in the air. "We're number one! Axel! Melody! We're first!"
"Let's go!" I celebrated and held Aurora's shoulders, laughing.
Melody smiled and walked closer to us and the dark energy around her feet circled around her. "We are a pretty good team..."
"Wait that's the guy who ended in a draw with Champion Azalea..." A trainer said.
"Yeah and that's the girl with the— Wait now it's an Eevee again!" The trainer said in awe.
"And that's the Dark Princess of Darkcrest City, home to the Dark Ragnu Master." Another trainer said.
"P-Princess?!" Aurora said in shock.
Melody blushed and looked away. "Yes I am a princess, but...I like this life style better. It's so much more better and I met Axel.."
I blushed as I felt her hold my arm.
"For the Top 6 who made it, you will be entering an exhibition match against a randomly chosen team while the other six goes through another Trial! The losers of the exhibition matches will be eliminated. This is your time to rest and regather yourselves!" The hostess said.
~~~~~
We sat in a resting area and had snacks with our pokemon to replenish our stamina. Snivy was becoming more sociable with Rowlet after their teamwork to face off against Empoleon together.
"We need to get stronger. These trainers are no joke. Everyone here has evolved pokemon." Melody said.
"Don't you have any pokemon in the back?" I asked.
"No." Melody said. "And I noticed you clutching that Cherish Ball pretty hard in your hand. Who is that?" Melody asked.
I closed my eyes and smiled. "Nothing that should be of concern right now. Just know that she's important."
Aurora looked at the ceiling. "With Vain back in our way, we have no choice but to face off against him at our greatest. I did leave my old team behind with Professor Rowan, but Eevee was all I needed for a while."
"I can understand why. With her her ability, you have like eight pokemon in one." I said.
"Exactly. Now, with the new Ragnu Pokemon and learning about already familiar pokemon, we can essentially create new possibilities. In the end...we need to defeat Vain." Aurora said.
"I know and trust me...we will." I said.
Aurora leaned her head against me and closed her eyes, resting until the next challenge was ready. Melody sat close to me and Botafox sat in her lap. She began to play with Botafox's ears. I smiled and closed my eyes and rested.