Chapter 146:  Trick or Defeat (Part A) by Michael Keens/Exodus  

Another day began in the southern region of Hoenn slap bang in the middle of a forest clearing, this area was more populated than usual however.  
An annual event just happened to be starting a little early this year had attracted its fair share of trainers who crowded around the entrance to a wide building.  
However the event wasn't well known to everybody, case in point; as Ellie and Roslyn wandered out of the forest area and into the path completely clueless as to why there were so many trainers.  
A cheer turned into a full on applause as the girls stepped out into daylight.  
"Some sort of welcoming committee?" Roslyn questioned.  
"I doubt it since no one's paying attention to us." Ellie pondered, "What's... going on?..."  
"Huh! Why doesn't it surprise me you don't know?" a tough boisterous male voice chuckled from nearby.  
"Hey!" Ellie shouted.  
"I wasn't talking to you Stripes, though you should be ashamed for not knowing too."  
"He was talking to me..." Roslyn sighed, her expression suddenly down and negative, it was the first time Ellie had ever seen her look so miserable.  
"So Rozer-loser, who's your friend? Please tell me she's remotely talented unlike you."  
"Who wants to know?" Ellie questioned toughly, she didn't like this guy's attitude.  
"Name's Raleigh Babe.  Best new talent in all of Hoenn, I specialise in Pokemon Contests."  
"So you're a Co-ordinator too..."  
"Isn't everyone?"  
"I've never tried..." Ellie admitted.  
"Ah, run of the mill Trainer, well that's good too I guess, long as you're competent, maybe we should have a battle or something soon."  
"Or something..." Ellie repeated, trying to move away from the subject, she was hardly competent in her field.  
"So... you and Roslyn are friends?..."  
"As if!" Raleigh replied rudely, again sparking negative emotions in Roslyn, "Although we did go out once."  
"Shut up." Roslyn said, close to crying, "That's a memory I want to forget."  
"My sentiments exactly, I mean what would my fans think if they knew I went out with someone like you, that I had low expectations??? or something.  You however could be just my type.  What's your name Sweetie?"  
"Ellie, d' I mean Elise." hesitated Ellie after accidentally giving her real name rather than the one she'd gone by since meeting Roslyn.  
"Or maybe not, if you can't even remember your own name that doesn't paint the best picture.  But since you're so cute I could let it slide."  
"You mean go out on a date with you?"  
"What do you think?..."  
"God no!" Ellie yelled, "I'd never go out with such a creep.  Roslyn's my friend and you're a terrible person to treat her so horribly!"  
"Maybe if Roslyn was a competent co-ordinator..."  
"Maybe if you were the last guy on the planet...  No wait, I'd still refuse you!"  
"Burned." a guy nearby spoke out subtly, having heard most of the conversation.  
Raleigh's face scrunched up into an angry frown, he took a large breath to compose himself, "You girls are all the same, can't see a good thing in front of your face, and that includes your own Pokemon!"  
Raleigh stormed off into the crowd towards the front while Ellie and Roslyn shrugged off the half-hearted insult since it was flawed in a technical sense.  
"Ex-boyfriends, nothing but trouble." Ellie cursed.  
"We were never going out in that way..." Roslyn tried to explain, but she was cut off as the crowds acted up.  
On a stage set up in front of the building a red carpet rolled from a door into the centre of the platform, explosions occurred on the sides of the rug as small pods burst open to let streamers fly skyward and arc down, it all ended with a cloudy explosion at the front of the carpet and the crowds cheered even louder... only to die down when the smoke cleared.  
The high pitched coughing from a female that revealed a young girl dressed in a top hat and a mixture of magician's clothing leading to a frilly robe came into view, she nervously turned to the crowd and quickly adopted a pose, bending a knee and raising one hand into the air with a smile on her face.  
"What?..."  
"It's a girl?..."  
"What happened to the King of Tricks?..."  
"Welcome ladies and gentleman... Um, boys and girls-  Trainers and co-ordinators alike for the latest opening of the Hoenn Trick House!..."  
The clapping of hands followed but not as many as before, the crowds only half heartedly applauding to the unfamiliar stranger.  
"Um, um...  It's so nice to see so many of you participating this year for the grand prize of a thousand...  Or was it a million?...  Ten thou-"  
A second explosion, bigger than the first raised a large brighly coloured cloud next to the girl which gave way to a second figure, a short fat man with ringleader-like clothing, a big hat and a zany moustache, and if Ellie and Roslyn were correct in their assumptions, a little make-up on his face.  
"A Year's Supply of Pokeblocks!" he yelled out, correcting the girl.  
The crowd suddenly exploded into applause and clapped hard while cheering excessively, clearly the man ranked high in their favour compared to the nervous girl.  
"Dad, what are you doing? I was doing fine on my own..." whispered the girl to the man aggressively.  
"Sweetie you were about to lose the crowd, you know how important it is to get a target audience each time we open to the public." the man replied, "Um, carry on."  
The man took a leap back so as to be more or less behind the girl, she watched him do so before turning back to the anxious crowd with most eyes now on her.  
"You know the drill, the first trainer to successfully get from the start of the Trick House to the finish wins the prize-"  
"But it won't be easy!" the man yelled, leaping to the front of the stage, "This year I've rigged the place with tons of new tricks and obstacles and only the most skilled and smartest of trainers will avoid being hindered to get to the end first!"  
"Dad... What are you doing?!..."  
"Sorry, I couldn't help myself..." he apologised, "I now return you to the Trick Princess for the remainder of the introduction."  
After leaping back again the girl sighed, drew out a sheet of paper and read in a dull normal manner, upsetting the man.  
"You were supposed to memorize everything..." he complained.  
"The Trick House can accommodate one Pokemon per trainer under the height of four foot and under the weight of ???, no Pokemon's techniques or attacks may be used to assist it's trainer or any other.  Trick House has been built to in no way cause harm or injury to anyone but requires you to sign a disclaimer to recognise we cannot be held responsible for any injuries or loss of property, oh, and you may get wet.  Please enter the foyer in an orderly manner after purchasing a ticket to take part and the doors to the Trick House will open shortly.  Thank you."  
"So without further ado.  Let the games begin!" yelled the man.  
The trainers cheered and slowly made their way inside, Ellie and Roslyn remaining where they stood.  
"A Trick House, huh? Sounds like fun."  
"And a year's supply of Pokeblocks? That would sure be helpful."  
"Pokeblocks?..."  
"Sorry, I assumed you knew, Pokeblocks are snacks made mostly from a mixture of berries to help Pokemon develop for contests."  
"And from what I've heard you could use all the help you can get in that area."  
Roslyn sighed.  
"I didn't mean to sound insulting!"  
"I know." Roslyn said, still in a low expression, "He said a Pokemon could accompany us, right? I should use this time to bond with my Ralts.  How about you?"  
"I think I'd be better off bonding with your Ralts than any of my Pokemon."  
"You can't mean that, sometimes spending time with Pokemon outside of battle can be very beneficial."  
"Hmmm, well it worked for Dad apparently, okay fine.  Sneak...  Come on out..."  
Two Pokeballs opened around the same time to release the Pokemon in question.  
"Rallllts..." the little fairy Pokemon cried out as it stretched its arms, it looked up to see Roslyn and smiled.  
"Looks like it's feeling much better and acknowledges what you did for it." Ellie stated with a smile.  
"What We did for it." Roslyn corrected, "Without your Treecko the Pokeball containing her might have been damaged."  
Ellie broke out of her positive conversation upon realising she had been distracted from her own Pokemon, and surely the mere mention of its reluctant partner wouldn't sway Sneak's behaviour for the better.  
"And he's gone and disappeared on me again." Ellie moaned.  
She surveyed the area and finally noticed movement within a group of red berries, the red telltale zigzag trying to creep away slowly.  
Ellie had had enough of this and took drastic measures, she found a small remainder of rope in her backpack and took a successful shot at lassoing her reluctant Pokemon.  
The rope snared and tightened around the Kecleon who revealed itself and complained.  
"Leon! Kecleon!"  
"Sneak, I'm not in the mood for games, at least none of yours."  
"Leon." Sneak spoke before planting itself down, folding its arms and sulking.  
Ellie gently pulled the rope towards her until she could pick up her Pokemon and hold it like Roslyn was with her Ralts under her arms.  
"This place should be right up your alley Sneak, it's the Trick House and we're gonna race through an obstacle course to try and win Roslyn some Pokeblocks."  
Sneak turned to Roslyn, happy with her Ralts and stuck its long tongue out towards her while frowning.  
"Sneak, don't be rude."  
"Don't worry Ellie, it's just its personality, or maybe the fact my Pokemon defeated it in battle..."  
"Why you can't be more like Ralts there."  
"Naiad." Roslyn corrected.  
"Huh?"  
"Her name, it's Naiad.  I just confirmed it with her."  
"That was fast."  
"We're going to get along fine.  I just wish I'd not had to battle her at all to receive her as my Pokemon." Roslyn said, half to Ellie and half to her Pokemon she stared at during the speech.  
"Raaaaalts." it replied happily.  

At the check-in desk Ellie and Roslyn were the last to pay for admission while the other trainers stood around conversing with each other awaiting the opening of the doors so they could simultaneously enter and race for the prize.  
"Uh oh." Ellie moaned, "I'm a little short, Roz', could you lend me-"  
"Sorry Elise." Roslyn said genuinely, "I'm all out until I can get more funds from home."  
"But I'll miss the event...  I guess I can wait outside for you-"  
"Here you go Miss, you don't want to miss the fun!" said a male voice in the style of the ringmaster man except in a younger voice, Ellie turned from the small change placed in her hand to its source, a cheerful young male in flashy yellow and green clothing also wearing a big top hat, of which a little red caterpillar Pokemon clung comfortably onto.  
"Um, thanks.  But I don't even know you."  
"I'm Martin, pleased to meet you.  Now you can enjoy the Trick House with the rest of us!"  
"I'm... Elise... and this is Roslyn."  
"Hi."  
"Thanks ever so much, I'll find a way to repay you."  
"No need Little Lady, just spreading the fun and friendship."  
"I know who you are." Roslyn called out.  
"Eh?" Martin questioned.  
"You're pretending to be that Trickster man."  
Martin nearly fell back in disbelief, "You mean the King of Tricks! How can you not know the name of that comic genius?!"  
"So... you're quite a fan, huh?"  
"Are you kidding? I've been coming here every year for the last eight years."  
"So... that would mean way before you were eligible to be a trainer, and the prize has always been Pokeblocks?"  
"I've never won but the enjoyment of navigating and witnessing newer obstacles keeps me coming back for more, I'd love to actually meet the King of Tricks but he doesn't really talk to individual trainers unless they win."  
"That's quite an odd story, but thanks a lot for the lend, okay?"  
"See you inside fellow Trick Contenders!..."  

Shortly after Ellie paid for her admission, two explosions occurred on the check-in desk as the father and daughter appeared on top of it.  
"Go on..." urged the King of Tricks.  
"Um, okay everybody, everyone's clear to enter and... uh... Enjoy!" said the Trick Princess Elise, a little unsure of herself.  
"You need to work on the enthusiasm Dear." whispered her father.  
The trainers all rushed inside with a little pushing and shoving, leaving Ellie and Roslyn to hurry along behind them in the vain hopes of catching up with the desperate Pokeblock seekers...  

End of Chapter 146A  

Back to Chapter 145B
Chapter 146B
Back to Story List #141 - #160
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