Act 2, Introduction Part 1
Idalia stood in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection. The flowing, green skirt and sunny yellow top were the nicest clothing she owned. She’d debated on whether or not to bring the outfit with her to the tournament, but reasoned that you never knew when a formal occasion would arise, and she was glad that she’d decided to pack for every occasion. A moonlit party on the rooftops was certainly an occasion to dress nicely, and she likely would have dressed up even if she hadn’t read the invitation handed to her by her silent servant that suggested nicer attire.
Standing next to her, Alec was also preening, the Bellsprout showing off varying poses in his bowtie. Idalia stifled a giggle; it would hurt Alec’s feelings to laugh at him, even though he did look as ridiculous as he did endearing.
A knock on the door came at exactly 9pm and Idalia and Alec followed their servant through yet another path through the winding maze of hallways, climbing several flights of stairs along the way. At the end of this meandering route, Idalia pulled open a large oak door onto a large roof terrace. There were tables lined up around the edges with food and flatware surrounded a large, open dance floor, and then entire arrangement was decorated elegantly with soft candlelight that was not strong enough to overpower the starlight shining from above. Idalia stood in awe for a moments, gazing around her and up at the stars, until Alec pulled at her hemline, beckoning her into the party.
Many of the servants had been put to work serving, carrying around plates of hors d'oeuvres and fluted glasses. Idalia grabbed one of the glasses expecting a light champagne, and was only mildly disappointed to discover they were filled with bubbling pear juice. It was still delicious, though, and she nibbled on some food as well, sharing some of the vegetarian options with Alec.
The other trainers began filing in. Almost everyone seemed to have some variety of formal wear they could don, except for poor James who was still decked out in his camouflage clothing and seemed rather uncomfortable. Idalia’s eyes lit up with a plan and after kneeling to confer with Alec, she walked over to James and offered him a glass. He smiled wanly and accepted it from her, gulping down the juice ferociously.
“You seem nervous,” Idalia pointed out dryly with a raised eyebrow. “Not much for dinner parties?”
James shrugged. “Everyone’s dressed up and enjoying themselves. I’m just not used to it, is all.”
“If you fit in a bit more, do you think you’d feel better? Maybe with this?” Idalia pulled a hand out of her pocket, holding up the bowtie she’d borrowed from Alec. Without waiting for a response, she clipped it into the collar of his green shirt, winking at him.
James laughed when Idalia held up a hand mirror from her purse and showed him her work. “It doesn’t quite fit with the rest of my ensemble, but at least I look like less of a monkey.”
“You never looked like a monkey, James.” Idalia folded the mirror back up and slipped it back into her bag. “But perception is everything.”
James opened his mouth to respond, but the words died in his mouth as he caught sight of something behind Idalia. She turned to see what he was staring at and watched as a procession of people began filing in through the room. She recognized Ruby, the red-haired announcer that escorted her to the Pokémon Center after she’d won her match, and Argenta, the frail little nurse woman who healed her Pokémon. Safiri was also there, an aggravated expression on her face, and others she hadn’t yet had an opportunity to meet, like the green-haired woman in a lab coat, of the golden-haired girl that could be Argenta’s twin.
However, there was no sign of Diamant. She had expected the dapper, elegant man to be at the end of the procession, preening himself and smiling for the competitors like he always had at their previous meals. Instead, the final person to enter was a surly-looking, red-haired man with a bushy moustache. He secured the doors behind him and sat in a nearby chair, eying the competitors suspiciously.
Idalia excused herself from James and began to make her way over towards Ruby. She seemed to be having an animated discussion with the green-haired scientist but turned and smiled when she saw Idalia approaching. On the outside, she looked happy, but she seemed strained and her smile didn’t quite reach up all the way to her eyes. “Good to see you, Idalia. How are you and Alec fairing? Getting excited for your upcoming match?”
“I suppose so, though it’s been nice relaxing and watching the others duke it out. I’ve never been much of a battler myself, to be honest. However, I couldn’t help but notice that Diamant isn’t here, and I was wondering…”
“Let’s go take a seat, shall we?” Ruby interrupted. “Dinner will be starting soon, and it should be really good.” She half-accompanied, half-steered Idalia into a seat at one of the table and sat down next to her, almost tearing her own red gown on the edge of the chair.
Idalia read and interpreted Ruby’s tone as one of conscious silence and she adapted the same, thanking her server with a single nod and not asking Ruby anything further for the time being. The other woman had dumped her purse on the 3rd seat of their table, subtly discouraging others to avoid the spot, and Idalia nudges Alec up onto the 4th seat, effectively blocking off the table. Within a few moments, all the tables had been filled and conversation started up again as people began conversations with their seatmates.
“Sorry if I seem abrupt,” Ruby said, sipping a glass of the sparkling juice that had been placed at her seat. One had been given to Alec, too, though Idalia pulled it out of his reach; the bubbles would leave him hiccupping all evening.
“It’s fine.” Idalia smiled, hoping to pass some of her cheer off onto the red-haired woman. Idalia and Ruby hadn’t spent much time together, though they had hit it off chatting after the match. She was more open and friendly than the cold Safiri or the prim Diamant. “I didn’t mean to pull you away from your friends.”
Ruby waved it off. “This is better. With you, I don’t have to pretend to be social. That gene seems to have skipped over me, saving itself all for my sisters. I don’t like parties even at the best of times.”
“Your sisters?”
“Safiri and Esmeralda.” Ruby winked. “Can’t you see the resemblance? Of course, that’s only skin deep. Esmeralda and I are fairly close, but Safiri and I are something of total opposites. We’ve never much gotten along.”
“I guess I can’t blame you, she seems kind of harsh.”
“She’s just very... methodical, by-the-book, so to speak. It’s made her invaluable to Diamant and that’s a position she cherishes more than anything else in the world.”
The both lapsed into silence again as their server brought them their first course, a thick potato and leek soup. It was wonderfully creamy and Idalia enjoyed it slowly, watching Alec as he ate. The Bellsprout had initially attempted to use the provided spoon but eventually gave it up, sticking his snout into the bowl and slurping up the soup directly. Ruby giggled at the sight.
Idalia put down her spoon and looked pointedly towards Ruby. “And speaking of Diamant…”
Ruby shook her head, finished her own soup with a small burp. “You’re not going to be seeing him anymore during the tournament. He’s been pulled away on business.” She shrugged. “It’s kind of a shame, really; he was so looking forward to seeing the end of the tournament, but he didn’t have much of a choice.”
“So he’s not even going to be here for any of the other matches?”
“Nope.” Ruby sighed. “And, trust me, it’s giving everyone a headache.”
They shared the rest of their meal in companionable silence, making occasional small talk, but otherwise feeling no need. Ruby was cleaning still visibly concerned about something, but Idalia chose not to pry. Instinct told her she wouldn’t be of any help and digging into Roby’s secrets would only cause her to close up, so instead she shared small stories about her life living in the forests.
The final course was a large, decadent cake, covered in pearlescent fondant that had been rolled and pulled into flowing ribbons of frosting. Ruby declined her share, but Idalia and Alec each had a large piece, Alec opening his mouth wide and swallowing his portion whole, letting out a large belch. Idalia and Ruby giggled as Idalia ate through her cake more leisurely, but with no less indulgence.
Idalia was just putting down her fork when she heard Ruby mumble under her breath, “And here comes the source of the headaches…” She turned her head to ask what her friend meant, but once again, her attention was pulled over to the large oak doors and the arrival of yet another party guest.
The new guest was another woman that Idalia had not seen yet, as elegant and charming as Diamant had been when they all first met him. She was tall and slender, dressed in a stunning ball gown that was covered in glitter and sequins that shimmered in the candlelight. Her hair, thick and honey-coloured, was wrapped and twisted into an elaborate coiffed style with ringlets framed around a long, thick braid. She smiled brightly and waved a hand, her teeth glinting just like Diamond’s had done.
“Meet Helmi,” Ruby introduced with a bit of a sigh, “Diamant’s sister. She’s the one running the show now.”
Helmi paused right in the middle of the dance floor, looking around at all of the gathered guest, trainer and helper alike, giving each a smile and nod. Idalia caught her eyes and smiled back, liking the woman despite Ruby’s misgivings. She seemed personable and friendly, without Diamant’s arrogance.
Before the silence could stretch on much further, Helmi opened her arms and spoke. “Welcome, friends, to this wonderful party on such a beautiful night. I wish my brother Diamant could be here to see you all, but he was unfortunately called away on business. I do hope that I can continue to help and guide you all throughout the rest of the tournament and make your stay as pleasant as possible. My name is Helmi, and it is a pleasure to meet you all.
“There are a few things like I would like to share with you regarding the remainder of the tournament. The first is the match-ups for the next round.”
She gestured into the air and the tournament bracket appeared, projected into the air behind her. With all eight initial matches complete, the entire first section was filled in and complete.
Helmi flicked her wrist once and the bracket changed, zooming in on the center section while the names swirled around, eventually settling into a new configuration.
Oh great, I’m the first match, again. Idalia moaned. She’d be fighting Ririka, the classiest of the younger girls with a beautiful Milotic for a Pokémon. At least Alec would be at a type advantage.
“We will be having all of the second round battles tomorrow, staring with the first match after breakfast and lunch in the middle. At the end of the day, the four remaining contestants will be matched up again, and the remainder of the tournament completed the following day.” Helmi signalled again and the bracket display disappeared.
“I would also like to announce some changes to the tournament structure. Many of these changes will be taking place in the back end, but most importantly, I would like you to know that those of you who do not win your matches will no longer be separated from the others after the match.” She smiled warmly. “My brother had the best of intentions in his plans for parting you, but I fear it has caused some of you too much stress and heartache. The other unsuccessful competitors who have already been segregated will be returning shortly and will hopefully be joining you for evening meal tomorrow.”
The rooftop terrace erupted into a happy sigh. Someone even cheered; Idalia thought it must have been Tony celebrating the imminent return of his girlfriend. Idalia herself had no attachments to any of the losers, but she was also heartened at their return. Perhaps it would help eliminate some of the fear and uncertainty she’d been feeling in the group.
After waiting an appropriate time for people to express their murmurs of gratitude, Helmi once again spoke. “I have also decided that one single prize for the final winner only was too unfair. I hope the trip here to the island has been some measure of consolation for all of you, but I have decided that I would also like to give some awards to each of you who makes it to the consecutive rounds. As such, I would like to award you all with your first prize. Congratulations for making it to round two!”
There was louding cheering this time, and even Idalia clapped along. She had never expected to win the grand prize, but it was nice to know she’d be given some token of appreciation for her successes so far. She wondered what it would be, perhaps a trophy of some sort.
A waiter came around with a tray and offered Idalia a small drink. She was pretty full from the cake and there was plenty of juice still on the table, but the waiter didn’t seem to be willing to leave until Idalia took the cup. Once it was in her hand, he left, not even offering any to Ruby.
“Do you want this?” Idalia asked. “I think I’ve had enough with the juice.” Ruby simply shook her head and gestured to Idalia to turn her attention back to Helmi.
The woman had a glass of her own and was holding it up in the air. “A toast,” she called out, “to all of the amazing trainers who have gathered here today, and all of the accomplishments they will make for the rest of their lives.”
There were some murmurs of agreement and encouragement as all of the competitors tipped back their glasses to take a drink. Idalia reluctantly brought the beverage to her mouth and took a polite sip, jerking back as the taste of the liquid exploded in her mouth. It wasn’t alcoholic, or carbonated, weirdly-flavoured, or even a different temperature, it simply tasted… powerful.
She gasped and set the glass down, shaking her head. She could see stars, little pinpricks of light in her vision that was slowly fading away into darkness.
[[What’s wrong, sister, you okay?]], a strange voice asked, deep but full of energy.
“Yeah, I’m fine, I just… the drink tasted a bit weird is all.”
“Who are you talking to?” Ruby asked, calling Idalia’s attention back to the present. She shook her head and looked over at her new friend who face was cocked in concern.
“He was concerned about… me…” Idalia trailed off, looking around in confusion. Helmi was gone. There was no one else around who could have spoken to her, but she’d heard the voice all the same, someone reacting to her responses.
[[Of course I was concerned about you,]] the voice spoke again. [[You looked like you just got back from a drinking contest with a Hariyama. Of course, I’m not used to you acknowledging me so directly. What was in that drink of yours, anyway?]]
Idalia looked around in confusion, trying to place the source of the voice. Finally, her eyes fell on Alec. The Bellsprout was cocking its head at her, a look of anxiety in his eyes. “Alec, is that you?”
[[Yeah, of course it’s me! Who did you think was sitting here, your ex-boyfriend?”]]
Idalia swayed, her vision greying out. Thankfully, Ruby was nearby and managed to catch her before she fell to the ground and hurt herself. “Idalia, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
[[Oh, come on, don’t go fainting on us, we need to talk!]] Alec hopped off his seat and joined Idalia and Ruby on the floor. He looked into her eyes. [[Can you really hear me now?]]
“Yes,” Idalia said shakily, raising a hand to stroke Alec’s cheek. “I can hear you.”
“Who are you hearing?” Ruby asked, confused. “What’s going on.”
“The gift…” Idalia said with the smile. “Helmi’s gift to us. I can hear Alec.”
“What, you can hear your Pokémon?!” Ruby startled, almost dropping Idalia. “How is that even possible?”
“Oh, it’s quite possible, I assume you.” Esmeralda appeared over Ruby’s shoulder and offered Idalia a hand up. “In fact, if you’ve been following the Devon Company’s investors’ briefings, you’d know they’ve been working on developing such a product for quite some time. Diamant Industries simply beat them to the punch. It’s not quite finalized enough for wide public release, but we have all the main bugs ironed out.”
[[So it’s true, then; Idalia, you can finally, fully understand me?]] Alec asked anxiously.
“Yes, I can,” Idalia replied with a smile. “I don’t know how it works, but I can tell you that it does.”
“It should work for any Pokémon you form a particularly strong bond with,” Esmeralda explained, “though some Pokémon will likely be easier to communicate with than others. I wish you both joy in your friendship.” Without another word, she walked off to another table, likely to provide clarifications to the other trainers as well.
Idalia picked up Alec and hugged him close. “This is the best present I’ve ever had.”
Alec hugged her back. [[I’m sure you won’t be saying that when I wake up before you and start singing to welcome the new morning at five a.m.]]
