Lightning Lucille

Nimbasa City. The city "Lit by the Flash of Lightning."

The darkening skies and howling winds were no threat to this city, who commanded its own atmosphere with its lively crowds and fantastic entertainment hubs.

To my tired and aching body, its familiar bright lights and blaring sounds felt like a returning headache.

Regardless, I came back to this city for a reason.

My most recent battle with the Pokémon Champion Cynthia has left me with another loss. More importantly, it had left me with empty pockets.

Fight after fight, battle after battle, she'd easily decimate my teams. No amount of Potions or Revives could save me. No matter how many challenges I'd send her way, she'd still destroy me.

It's strange… I've defeated the Elite Four and even got Team Plasma to abandon their plans with this team… yet they still can't get passed her impossible Spiritomb.

That fact alone makes me wonder if I really was needed to stop N, or if I just needed to wait for Cynthia to come to Unova's rescue…

Whatever the case, I'm broke and I stupidly used up all of my MEDICINE items. My pockets and bags are light with their absence… all because I decided to gamble everything into an all-or-nothing battle. And it looks like Fate wanted to flirt with me, as I left with "sweet nothings" ringing in my ear.

With no more Revives or Potions left on me, there were zero chances a rematch could happen now.

Which means it's back to earning money through my daily grind against other Trainers.

And that's why I'm here… back at Nimbasa… back to the city "Lit by the Flash of Lightning."

A quick marathon of battles with those willing inside the Stadiums was my default solution – not only to fill my pockets back to the state it was in just a few hours ago, but also to whip my pokémon into better shape. Just for another rematch.

With that decided, I entered the smaller of the Stadiums – avoiding the massive crowds that swarmed the larger one's upcoming game.

The dim hallway lights that greeted my entrance flickered on and off – showing age and wear beyond its actual youth. It was a mystery to me as to why the bulbs pre- and post-game always reacted in this way; when they'd always be bright and shining during games and tournaments.

"Coincidence" was the only answer I gave myself – "coincidence" was the only answer worth searching for.

Afterall, would finding out that the bulbs had a supernatural dislike for me and would dim out whenever I was alone with them, be a satisfying answer?

Then again, to find out if the Stadiums actually had living personalities and would react to the city's energy and mood – would be a pretty crazy discovery! It would definitely unravel other mysteries; like those with inanimate objects, live locations, and spirit memories…

That would also explain why my bike hates me so much.

Before I could continue with my quickly diverting thoughts, a familiar pattern of plain orange and dark navy caught my eye and attention.

"There she is again…" I whispered to myself.

In the corner of the poorly-lit stadium, a young woman with hair of faded cerulean paced back and forth. Her eyes were wide with held excitement as they followed the athletes that worked on their pre-game drills.

With an eager expression on her face, she'd mimic the quick spins, twists, and turns of those she watched. Others would have given her odd looks and stares, but this wasn't her first time doing this – and it wasn't her first time doing it publicly.

Ace Trainer Lucille… a common view within Nimbasa's sports arenas.

A fan of all forms of sports and athleticism. I've seen her attend at least every other practice and event in either of the Stadiums. And each time I've challenged and defeated her in Pokémon Battles.

Her abilities as a Trainer were exemplary, and she battled in a way that kept me interested in what would happen next. I always looked forward to battling her…

She had a unique style.

…then again, I suppose everyone here at the Stadiums had a unique style – and all were quite common scenery around these parts.

To my left, the doctor and his Audino took their place in the bleachers – watching the athletes with professional care and attention.

To my right, the child who aspires to be a famous athlete fumbled with the poké ball in his hand – unaware that his clumsiness might get in the way of his dreams.

Many more familiar faces pocketed the area… so many I've met and spoke with, and so many I've beaten at one point or another in a battle.

But Lucille? She was… I guess you could say 'special'.

Of all the ones I ever fought within these Stadiums, she was the only one who never cared for the battles I've had with her.

True enough she'd always accept my challenge. And true enough she always fought with dignity and honor. But in the end, she still never wanted to.

At least, not here, and not now. She'd tell me, "Even as an Ace Trainer, sometimes I just want to be an ordinary girl! I want to scream for the cool athletes, and enjoy my time." It was something I was reminded of more than once.

Yet here she was… still out in the open with her easily recognizable orange and navy blue uniform. A uniform that marked her as an Ace Trainer. That alone would make those with pokémon crave for a battle with her.

And she never disappointed.

From her Jynx with her Perish Song and Body Slam combination that would keep opponents on their toes. Or its Wring Out and Blizzard attacks made to finish off the enemy as fast as possible.

And her Gliscor that would Sword Dance and X-Scissor away at any and all foes. Or its U-Turn and Guillotine techniques made to stress the enemy.

To her infamous Vaporeon, who would fortify itself with Acid Armor and Aqua Ring – practically turning itself into a tank, made to withstand all attacks until the attackers exhausted themselves completely. Or its Haze, made to refuse opponents from matching their strength to its defense. And its Last Resort, perfect when combined with all the previous attacks.

These strategies made her more than average in challenge. She certainly was a tough cookie.

Beatable and sometimes too predictable, but she definitely proved herself worth of the title "Ace".

I remember at times I'd reduce the amount of pokémon I'd use to three, just to have a fair and even battle. Or when I'd try different attacks to give her a chance to retaliate, in case it felt like she had a bad start. Despite all this, she never changed her mood: still wanting me to finish the fight as soon as possible. Still wanting me to leave her alone in haste. Still wanting me to just "go away" after the match. All just so she could continue watching the warm-ups and practices on the field or court.

The more I think about it… the more I realize I should feel guilty for practically harassing her for fights.

But again… she's hard to ignore. It's hard to ignore Ace Trainers, especially one that doesn't like to battle. In strategies and attitude, she was undoubtedly the most unique one here.

…

I think I'll try something different this time. Something that'll really get a reaction out of her.

With a quick shuffle, I closed the distance with her. My fingers softly tapped against the poké balls attached to my belt – sending reminders to my subconscious which pokémon belonged to which ball. My mind thought and formulated plans for a new strategy to use against her.

It had to be something interesting, something unique… something so special that she'd stop caring about the athletes for even just a second! A brand new plan that –

"Not you again."

Her irritated voice knocked me out of my thoughts. I froze in place, feeling off-guard as I realized that this may have been the first time she ever recognized me!

"Er… have we met?"

In my mind, I slapped my face harder into my palms than a Hariyama on a Tuesday.

I meant to say something that alluded to my surprise at her recognition. Instead, I said… that.

With my brain glitching in its stupidity, my blank smile matched with blank idiocy.

She stared at me, eyeing me oddly. "More than once, dimwit."

"She's ruder than usual." I said instead of thinking. Another embarrassing mistake. Why am I being so awkward right now? It's because she threw me off-guard, that's why… shoot.

"And you're rude for talking to me as if I can't hear you."

Her eyes rolled. Strangely enough, they rolled back to me – rather than back to the playcourt.

She reached into her purse and quickly rummaged through it. A roll of bills and a small bottle of MEDICINE were pulled out and shoved my way.

It was my turn to eye her oddly. "Um… what's this?"

"Your prize money and a bottle of PP Up. Usual stuff I give you after our fight." she responded with lax care, as if this were a common occurrence.

"But… we haven't fought yet."

"Does it matter? You'll win anyways. You always do."

"You almost beat me a few times."

"Yeah, and then you used a bunch of Hyper Potions and Revives to get yourself out of that situation. Besides…" Her eyes finally moved back to the court, with a slight frown accenting her face. "Your pokémon are already tougher than mine at this point…"

…

"If it helps, I'm actually out of any kind of recovery ITEMS…" I finally said in response.

"Great, so you can beat me without them and brag about that too."

The mood she held no longer resembled that of annoyance… but distress.

I wondered if I should just leave or if I should stay because of this change.

If I went, I could leave her to her thoughts and let privacy and time to heal her problems. That way, I could still challenge her again later after she's cooled off.

If I stayed, however, I could… help her out. It's the right thing to do, afterall. No one should ever have to go through life's troubles alone.

Then again, if I screw up – she might never want to battle me again and-…

Really? Are Battles the only thing I care about?

Wow I sound like a jerk.

"Is something wrong?"

Avoiding the items she still held up to me, I walked around and sat to the other side of her. Still keeping respectful distance, of course.

"Nothing's wrong, I just…"

"You're not usually like this."

"Look, it's nothing. Just let me watch the game. It's starting soon."

Her eyes narrowed as it gave its full attention to the athletes, benchwarmers, cheerleaders, and incoming referees… though the stiffness in her posture made it obvious that she wanted me to leave.

Do I leave? Should I leave?

For all I know, walking away now may make things worse… and not just awkwardly so.

I've already gotten the both of us into this discomforting atmosphere… I may as well finish it instead of letting it hang in the air.

So I sat.

I sat and turned, watching the people move around and away from the court. My decision was to let her watch the game, and for me to watch with her.

This, I realized, would be the first time I watched anything other than a Pokémon Battle…

The sandwich was awesome. The soda was refreshing. And the chips were addicting.

It had been some hours since I had decided to watch the game with her. Everything after that action felt like a freakish blur – as if I had experienced a completely different life.

From the boom of music that introduced the competing teams, to the intense game that followed.

From the Pansear launching the basketball with a Flame Burst, to the player that outmaneuvered the Stoutland with quick fake-outs and skillful dribbling.

From the over-the-top Half-Time Show, to that panicked rush at the food stand – minutes before the third quarter started.

Then there was the final quarter, where an insane turnaround got the crowds screaming and roaring between frustration and excitement.

And then the Overtime! The Overtime! It was like our team wasn't even TRYING to win those last few minutes! I got so riled up as I yelled towards the court, half-embarrassed at myself as I didn't know most of the players in my view. Even now, I'm still feeling on edge from that experience…

After the game… I found myself walking and talking with Lucille. She answered all my questions about the game. From what the heck a "flagrant foul" is, to the mysteries of why JOHANSEN WOULDN'T PASS THE FRICKEN' BALL?

I couldn't believe how different it all felt. I could have sworn that just a few hours ago, I was here for a completely different reason.

Next thing I know, I was here. Being treated to dinner by a girl I had barely gotten to know outside of battle.

But now… she was looking after me like a friend.

It blew my mind when I remembered she was an Ace Trainer. Other than her obvious uniform, she looked nothing like one! The way she talked, acted, and held herself… felt just like an ordinary girl. Like the ones who only do battling once in a while, or like the ones who attend those colleges and universities… The ones who look like they have no care for things that concern the Pokémon League.

Except… she was an Ace Trainer. She is an Ace Trainer!

And heck, I'm the Champion of this region now – yet I almost stopped caring about Pokémon Battles too…

"This really suits you, y'know?"

My comment made her sit up straight. "What really suits me?"

"This whole, 'normal girl' deal. It suits you."

"Oh that." She waved her hand, as if dismissing my observation physically. "I just need to let that out every now and then. I'm still an Ace Trainer at heart."

I stared at her in slight disbelief and confusion.

Was this really the same girl I had been talking to? The one who always felt like she had wanted to leave her life as an Ace Trainer in favor of being an ordinary girl? Yet now she was excusing her desires of being an ordinary girl as a feeling she had to "get out every now and then"?

"Are you sure?" I pushed, not wanting to be left in the bewildering halfway point of this discussion. "Because you really do seem happier now than when we fight."

"Maybe. Or maybe you really should stop challenging me while I'm in the Stadiums!" she countered while flicking specks of soda at me with her straw.

I dodged a few drips, but still had to wipe some out of my eye. "Hey it's not like I see you anywhere else."

"Maybe you should look harder."

"Maybe we should fight here."

She shook her head, resting her elbows on the table as she stared up into the night sky. A strong breeze passed, letting her hair flow to the side. Her expression seemed one that reminisced of old times. I wonder what kind of memories she has.

"No way, you're just going to beat me again." she finally responded.

"It's not always about winning." I defended. "Sometimes it's about the experience and thrill of the battle."

"Is that why you keep getting your butt handed to you by Cynthia? Just for the 'experience' and 'thrill'?"

Her giggled comment sent a shock of shame to my chest.

The feeling reminded me of the time when the Team Plasma goons watched me trip and fall down a staircase… a pitiful moment only made worse when they refused to battle me. Telling me that I "shamed myself enough."

But that embarrassing moment isn't what's important. What is important is…

"How do you know about my fights with Cynthia?"

She laughed heartily at my reaction. I probably was giving a stupid look.

Her laugh only caused me to bury my face into my cap, absolutely drowning in my patheticness.

"Who doesn't know about your battles?" she responded loudly. "You're a celebrity out here! Everyone knows you're our region's Champion now. Besides, everyone knows every battle Cynthia has. Mix you two together, and you've got news worthy for any network or tabloid."

The answer I was given wasn't the one I expected. Then again, every answer Lucille gave me wasn't the one I expected. She certainly had a unique style.

"Wait… so I'm famous? When did this happen? And if I'm famous, why hasn't anyone come up to me for an autograph or a battle?"

"You're known for challenging most Trainers you see… So they just assume that if 'they're good enough, you'll challenge them'." She folded her arms and leaned back, eyeing me with a look of disappointment. "As for autographs, I think it's because of your clothes."

"What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Nothing. A bit plain though. Not autograph material, if you ask me."

Should I feel offended by this? Should I… change clothes?

No! No, of course not. There's nothing wrong with my clothes. It's just early for its fashion.

"Then what about you?" An idea struck my mind… I began putting on my charms, knowing I'd get a reaction from her. "How's it feel that the Champion keeps coming back to challenge you? All the way back to this city just to face you again? You, specifically?" I gave a grin, sealing my attraction with flair.

"Annoying."

Her response was plain and simple – and it caused me to lose my confidence entirely.

"Annoying?"

"Yeah! You're like a bully that keeps picking on me for my lunch money!"

"I – I don't mean to be like that!"

"Yeah yeah, 'thrill' and 'experience' of battle." she said almost mockingly. "Whatever it is, it's annoying. Go battle that guy Ace Trainer… er… what's-his-face? Shoot, I know I knew his name."

I shrugged. "I dunno."

"Yeah, from all the way up that Champion status, us smaller Trainers must look like ants."

"That's not true!"

"Oh yeah? Well Mr. Big Shot, bet you can't even name one small-time Trainer you've met!"

"W–"

"Rivals not included!"

"I was just going to say… your name is Lucille."

Lucille bobbed her head back in surprise, absolutely not expecting me to say her name.

It was a nice look of disbelief, I'll definitely remember it.

"H-How do you know my…" She shook her head hard, as if changing her mind of where to go with her response. "Who you callin' small-time, big head?"

"I didn't mean it like that!"

"What did you mean it like?"

"Just meant that… I remember you. I don't mean to bully you, or annoy you. I just like battling you."

Though her face still remained irritated, that stiff feeling of misunderstanding disappeared from the air.

…

The silence was growing to an uncomfortable stage, and I had no idea why. She just… keeps staring at me like that. With that angry look.

I had to smooth this out somehow.

"And, treating me out really was nice of you. And hanging out and talking with you was pretty fun. It's the first time I really went out and did something that wasn't Pokémon Battle-related with someone. So it's not that I battled you because I was picking on you. I did it… cuz I guess that's the only way I know how to 'hang out'? I just wanted to hang out with you… I think. Not really sure how to word it."

…

Before I could make a fool out of myself in trying to break the silence again, she asked a threateningly simple question, "Why?"

"Why… what? Why what?" I questioned stupidly.

"Why me exactly? Remembering my name, hanging out, that kind of stuff."

There was a question I didn't know exactly how to respond to. If I had no idea how to word an answer before, I certainly had no idea how to put it now…

So I said it as simply and as honest as I could, "You have a unique style."

Her raised brow and odd frown made us both feel awkward. "That's a funny way of saying it."

"Funny way of saying what?"

Lucille smiled and shook her head. She shook her head a lot, I noticed. Each one meant something different. This one made it obvious that she wouldn't tell me what I wanted to know.

She stood and pressed the wrinkles off her clothes. "Hey, I'll see you tomorrow. There's a practice in the Big Stadium at 9 a.m. Meet me then."

Her forwardness threw me off-guard, I wondered if I'd ever get used to her… interesting way of treating me. "Are we watching another game? Because I might need to –"

"No." she interrupted, with no care to what I had to say next. "You're battling me then."

"What? I thought you said you don't like me battling you while you're in the Stadiums!"

"Yeah well, I'm a fan of traditions. It just wouldn't be the same to wait before a game without you annoying me for a battle."

Her logic confused me. Then again, everything she said and did was a bit confusing. It was her unique style.

She turned and began running off, more than likely heading home for the night. With one last look at me, she waved, yelling, "Good luck with Cynthia! You're going to need it!"

"CYNTHIA! I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO GET READY FOR HER!"

All this time I spent talking and watching sports made me forget what I came here for. With no money and no experience, I may be in worse shape for rematch than I was before! This was terrible… Who knows how long it'll be before I could afford to fight Cynthia again?

Lucille laughed at my dismay. And I would've been angry at her reaction if it weren't for what she had to say next, "Just fight me tomorrow! We'll come up with a strategy for your fight against her!"

"Really?"

"9 a.m.! Don't forget! And don't be late!"

She sprinted around a corner and away from view.

…

Ace Trainer Lucille…

She said she wanted to just be a normal girl when she watches games… yet she wants me to fight her there too.

Even though she's predictable in her fights, I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to figure her out outside of them.

Somehow, someway, she got me wishing I was a normal boy – just so I could better understand her games.

For once in my life, my mind wasn't on the idea of the next battle. And it was as if the whole world was open for me to explore. Free to think about things I never really cared to do before.

All because of just one day spent with a girl I only knew from a distance.

In a way, I kind of felt like Nimbasa City…

A city lit by the flash of lightning.