Okd Skool VS. New Skool!
Some of the students had found seats that popped up from the ground, while the rest stood or sat on the ground itself, all around the field. Almost all of the teachers stood at one side of the field. There was Mr. Bones the Gengar of History class, Ms. Lita the Clefairy of Cum Studies, siblings brother Thorn the Rozureido and sister Petalia the Roselia of Dance, Mr. Muddle the Smergel of Art class, and a few others. Two teachers, Ms. Glowe the Umbreon of Dominance, and Ms. Aylra the Espeon of S-Effect, looked at each other, smiled, and looked back onto the field. At the large stand behind them, A Hitmonchan and Hitmonchan, both brothers, stood to make the announcement.
Boom (Hitmonchan): *throw up fist* Welcome, ladies and gentlemon to the Century Battle!
Bah (Hitmonlee): For the 1st years, this will be the first CB to be seen!
Boom: Unfortunately, it'll be the last!
The crowd murmured in confusion, until a sister Hitmontop in the middle of the field called out.
Siss (Hitmontop): Now, listen up! For those who are not familiar with the CB, it's somewhat of a winning streak for Mr. George Bangam, the head and starter of this school. 'Century' stands for 100 years, in which the Absol's average lifespan is. The CB event will end for good as soon as he reaches 100 accumulated wins. Now, if you check on the screen above my brothers...
Everyone looked at the above screen and saw what seemed to be highlights of Bangam's many CB matches. He fought with the toughest students, most likely 3rd to 5th years. Venomoth, Squirtle, even Combusken had gone up against him. One particular clip saw a certain Pikachu battling the elder Absol.
Frank: Interesting. So you went against him as well.
Sparkchu: *blush; scratch head* Yeah. That was last year. I kinda lost very quickly.
K-Roy: But you did manage to hit him with a few strong Electric attacks.
Sparkchu: *snicker* I know.
Aurora: *twiddle paws* I'm really worried...
Burl: Well, he is an old mon and...
Aurora: That, yes. But I know he'll be okay. I'm also worried about the Cyndaquil.
Sparkchu: *nod* Mm-hm. I know what you mean. If none of the upper-class could beat Bangam, what chance does a first year like Flay have?
K-Roy: We'll just have to see.
Siss: As you can see, Mr. Bangam has fought in 99 matches thus far, and every time, he was able to emerge victorious. Will he make it number 100, or will the underdog Flaymerar break the winning streak?
Most of the students cheered on the elder, but a few managed to cry out for the underdog. Flay and Bangam stared in anticipation.
Bangam: Listen up, Flay. I may be old, but that doesn't mean you should hold back. I shall not either. Understood?
Flay: I wouldn't want it any other way. But you can attack first, sir, if you want.
Bangam: *grin* Heh. Suit yourself...
As a clear all barrier, most likely a LIGHT SCREEN system, surrounded the field, the crowd grew quiet as the Hitmontop raised her hand, signaling the start of the match.
_______BATTLE START!__________
Siss: Fighters ready..... *drops arm; jumps out field* AND START!
Bangam wasted no time. He charged at lightning speed and TACKLE'd Flay, sending him flying. He rolled backward and landed flat on his back for a moment. The crowd mumbled, worrying that the match was already over.
Bangam: *growl* Stnad, child! I know you're better than this. I sense your strength and I know for certain that you're not ready to give up this second!
As if finding a new spark of sorts, the Cyndaquil managed to get back up on his feet, letting everyone know that this battle won't end too quickly.
Flay: *shudder* Ouch. That was some TACKLE...
Bangam: *whew* That's not the half of it. Here I come!
The Absol charged for another TACKLE, which landed a blow again at Flay. This time, he tumbled to the ground and was soon flat on his stomach. The crowd murmured again, wondering if the little mouse was down for the count. Before the Hitmontop was about to call off the match, the entire crowd saw Flay stand up again. Bangam did yet another TACKLE and hit the kid once again. He rolled over from the impact, but this time, he leaped from his forepaws and landed flat on his feet, then stood in a "ta-da" fashion. The crowd applauded in seeing this Cyndaquil's endurance. It was then Bangam became quite amused.
Bangam: *snicker; chuckle; laughs; laugh triumphantly*
Flay: *rub head* Hey! What's so funny?
Bangam: The fact that a first year was able to stand up from three direct TACKLEs. I'll be honest. I had my doubts after I attacked you once, but now, I feel that this may be a glorious battle to beheld, my friend. Now... *TAUNT* How about attacking me for once...
Flay: Gladly. FLAME WHEEL!
The audience gasped in shock as Flay rushed with incredible speed as his back flared to a bright red set of spikes. He then rolled into a great ball of fire. To even Bangam's surprise, the fast flaming ball struck him dead on, causing him to tumble in a further distance than he did with Flay. The crowd was in silence, as they saw Bangam slowly standing up one moment after the attack.
Tanjy: I don't get it. I'm glad Flay is holding his own, but how is he able to even do that against such a powerful pokemon?
Berry: BLAZE.
Tanjy: *look at Berry* BLAZE?
Berry: *smile* Yeah. Whenever a Fire type is low on energy, they could somehow find the power he or she needs to even the odds in strength. I guess since Flay took a lot of damage and also seem motivated, his BLAZE ability kicked in.
Tanjy: Oh... Wait. Look at Mr. Bangam!
Bangam soon stood in a defense stance and emitted a dark aura. Afterwards, he used SWORDS DANCE making a set of shining swords appear and spin around, charging him up. He then gathered energy into his head blade.
Bangam: Let's see if you can dodge this! BLADE TEST!
He swung his head around and unleashed a barrage of energy blades at Flay. The Cyndaquil used ROLLOUT and rolled into a ball of fur, not to attack, but to dodge. Most of the blades missed him, while others deflected his roll. At least one hit him dead-on, causing him to receive mass damage and broke from his ROLLOUT. This time the crowd cheered him on.
Student 1: Come on, Flay! Get up!
Student 2: You can do it!
Student 3: Kick his tail, Flay!
Student 4: Let's go, Flay!
Flay immediately got up and attacked the elder pokemon again. The other 1st years now knew how great a Century Battle was. Although they would never get the chance to go against the Absol, at least they were able to watch. Both competitors had gone at it for a while. They launched any available attack, and there was a mix of evading the moves or taking the hits. All of the spectators' cheers were mixed now. Some rooted for Bangam; others rooted for Flay. Soon after a while of tough tactics, they both were getting pretty tired.
Flay: *breathe hard* Man... I'm... really... enjoying... this battle.
Bangam: *breathe hard* Yes... Me too. But now... it's time... to end this.
The crowd stared in amazement as they saw both fighters charge up constantly. From both mouths, they sized up a large orb was gathering power. Bangam was collecting dark energy while Flay was gathering fire energy. This was the attack to decide the match.
Bangam: SHADOW BALL!
Flay: BLAST BURN!
Bangam fired a gigantic black orb from his mouth, while Flay fired an equally huge fireball from his. The collision of both attacks soon caused a devastating explosion.
*BOOM*
Of course, the impact plus the fact that they were both close to the blast caused a ton of damage and blew them from opposite directions and crashed into the LIGHT SCREEN walls. They both impacted hard and fell down in a heap. The audience stood in shock seeing both the elder and the youngster seemingly unconscious. Bangam was lying on his side while Flay was on his stomach. After a few minutes, it was the Hitmontop was about to call a draw...
Siss: Um... *raises hand* This match is a-- Wait a minute!
They all saw Flay struggled to get up. The students cheered on. This was it, if Flay was able to stay up for just a few seconds, he would be able to defeat the Absol. However, the moment he stood, he fell onto his back. The crowd was silent. They soon saw the Absol elder slowly rise. He had somewhat of a harder time than Flay did. However, he managed to stay up, a declaration as the winner of this match.
Siss: *throws up hand* Flaymerar is unable to battle. The winner of this match is Geoooooorge Bangaaaaaaaam!
_____________END BATTLE!_____________
The crowd roared in excitement. Seeing either an underdog defeat the champ or the champ earning his 100th win was a brilliant spectacle either way. As the crowd cheered on, the Absol elder approached the KO'd Cyndaquil.
Bangam: *nudge Flay* Flay?
To his surprise, Flay was... snoring?
Bangam: *chuckle* Poor kid. He battled himself to sleep. *nudge Flay* Flay, time to awake up...
Flay opened his eyes and slowly got up. He rubbed his head in pain.
Flay: *groan* My head. Did... I win?
Bangam: *shake head* Sorry, son. In the end, *point to main screen* I remain victorious and indefeated.
The Cyndaquil saw a flashing number 100 on the screen. But instead of disappointment, he perked up and laughed.
Flay: *laugh* I guess I wasn't strong enough, huh?
Bangam: Not true. You have done a great job in fighting against me, kid. Of all the Century Battles I've ever had since the start, this was the best.
Flay: *grin* I'll bet you said that before.
Bangam: *chuckle* Yes. That's kind of true.
???: Mr. Bangam!
???: Flay!
Aurora and a few of the teachers went to Bangam while Berry, Tanjy, and Flay's den mates gathered to him.
Aurora: *teary eyed* Oh! Mr. Bangam. I was so worried.
K-Roy: Jeez, Flay. You were so close.
Bones: You did great, man. You certainly kicked ass today.
Berry: Flay, boy. You were so awesome.
Glowe: I'm impressed with your power, sir. I guess wisdom creates power, huh?
Frank: That's most excellent, Flay. A fine work indeed.
As soon as the cheers died down, Bangam jumped to the stage with speed and grace that no one expected. The crowd then chanted "Speech! Speech! Speech!" hoping he would say something after his final victory. As he raised his paw up, the crowd's voices lowered down again before he began his speech.
Bangam: *cough* Thank you, everyone, for your standing ovation. But I don't deserve the full appreciation. You must give it up for Flaymerar, who gave me a spectacular battle.
They applauded to Flay, who was blushing from the flattery. Bangam soon continued.
Bangam: Now then. I hope you're having fun and everything. So here's an announcement I'm sure every battle-eager pokemon here will enjoy. In a couple of months, we will have our annual Maximum Striker Tournament. All of the details will be provided to you as soon as possible. For the 1st years, all I can tell you is this: The MS Tourney is possibly the greatest event of the school year; pretty much as intense as the Century Battle you have just seen. 20 students, 4 from each home den, hand picked from your friends and regardless of gender or grade, will be participating here to bring home the Maxi Cup, which will guarantee a superb points-boost for your den's hourglass. Of course, I must warn you. Just because of a points boost, it doesn't mean that winning team will automatically be the head den for the next school year, as exampled by the Artic den being the winners of the tourney but Magma becoming the head den by overall points. The lower-scored can still catch up by honors and achievements, and you can lose the points for any... *ahem* recklessness against the basic rules. Now then, after seeing young Flaymerar hold his own in the CB, I hereby nominate him to be the first of the 20 participants for the event.
K-Roy: I second the motion!
Berry: Me too!
Tanjy: Yes! I agree!
Hikozaru: Yeah! That way, I can kick his tail and win for Magma!
Lombre: Woods all the way!
Everyone cheered on, looking forward to the upcoming tournament. Bangam signaled them to quiet down again before he wrapped up his speech.
Bangam: *cough* Everyone, please be silent for a moment. I'm almost done. Right. And so, in conclusion, feel free to train and practice whenever you get the chance. Don't feel bad if you're not picked for the event, but don't too arrogant if otherwise. Now that everything is finished here, you may go back to your activities. We'll be closing Neon Central down soon for bedtime. Have a good day...
--------------------
The entire crowd, teachers, students, and Bangam himself left to their own work and leisure. The Absol walked back to the mirror to get a good rest when suddenly, the Jigglypuff assistant stood in his way.
Aurora: Um... Hi, Mr. Bangam.
Bangam: Greetings. *grin* Here to scold me again like a good mother?
Aurora: *laugh nervously* No. I just want to congratulate you on your final win. You did great out there against that Cyndaquil.
Bangam: Indeed. Who would have thought he would almost defeat an old fogey like me?
Aurora: *giggle* Anyway, I'm glad this whole Century Battle thing is over and done with.
Bangam: *roll eyes* I don't know about that. I could go for another 100...
Aurora: *growl* MR. BANGAM!
Bangam: *laugh* Just kidding. I'm done with that stuff now. *sigh* Anyway, that kid has potential. I'm not supposed to be biased, but I hope he wins the tourney.
Aurora: *nod* I'm sure he may. But since the battle, I'm sure most eager pokemon will train to get stronger than him.
Bangam: That's the best part in battles. If you feel weak, you're motivated to become stronger. And sometimes, you must continue to become stronger, even if you lose. Those who see your strength will strive to surpass your greatness. *yawn* Now, if you excuse me, this old mon must tend to his sleep. That brawl has worn me out. See you later, Ms. Aurora.
Aurora: *giggle* You too, Mr. Bangam.
---------------------
Sparkchu: I still can't believe you lost that battle. I was hoping you'd win. You did much better than I did. I'm proud of you, chu.
Berry: You certainly did great out there, Flay.
Tanjy: Yeah. Um... Too bad you did lose.
Burl: That old mon was stronger, I guess.
K-Roy: Don't sweat it, Flay. With your BURN BLAST, we can very well win that Maxi Cup Mr. Bangam was talking about.
Flay: *confused* BURN BLAST? What BURN BLAST?
Burl: Um... Flay. Are you alright?
Frank: Interesting...
Berry: What?
Frank: That blast at the end of the match must've caused him AMNESIA. He forgot how to use BURN BLAST.
Tanjy: *gasp* That's awful!
Flay: If what you're saying is true, then maybe it's for the best. I guess all that constant battling with my folks must have brought out my full power.
Sparkchu: That's sweet. Normally, you can't evolve with that kind of power.
Flay: Yeah. Of course, I can always evolve now that I have more than enough experience, I just decided not to until later in my life. But right now, if I can't use this BURN BLAST until I remember how to, *smile* maybe it's better that way if I'm picked for the tournament...
Sparkchu: *tilt head* Meaning...?
???: It means he won't be able to win so easily.
They all saw a Leafia and Wartortle in front of them. The Wartortle, a male, was a little timid and stood behind the grass eon. The Leafia, a female, was almost emotionless and had a look-can-kill stare. As the Leafia glared at Flay, she spoke in a soft and chilling voice.
Leafia: You seem to have proved your worth in battling Old Bangam. I respect an underdog going against a champion.
Flay: *shudder* Thanks, I think.
Leafia: But I warn you. I've hardly lost a single battle myself. I have yet to be in the tourney because I have turned down the invite at least three times. Now, I shall see to it I attend to the event and win.
Flay: *nervous* Um... Bring it?
Leafia: Floader, let's leave.
Floader (Wartortle): *stammer* Y-Yes, Ma'am...
Leafia: And one last thing...
Flay: ...
Leafia: I am... Fern Greengate; third year of the Woods Den.
Flay: My name's Flay; first year of Desert Den.
Fern: Flay... I shall remember that name.
The no-nonsense Leafia and the Wartortle walked off, leaving the group in the dust. The shiny Chikorita Berry was steamed at the eon's attitude.
Berry: *growl* Ooooooh! Something about her really gets me... UGH! Who does that... that... tramp think she is?! Mouthing off like that... I swear, If I'm picked to help represent the Sea Den, I'd VINE WHIP that smirk off her face!
Tanjy: But... She wasn't even smiling at all.
Berry: *sigh* Whatever. I'm outta here. Bye, Flay!
Berry, Tanjy, and the boys (save for K-Roy and Flay) had left to the districts, leaving the last two behind.
K-Ron: *chuckle* Berry, Tanjy, and now this Fern character... You're sure one with the lady plants.
Flay: Hmmm... I guess you're right.
As the last two boys went off to have whatever fun they could muster, maybe for some food or games, the Cyndaquil looked over his shoulder, curious if he would ever see that Leafia in battle during the school year.
===========================
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I may write a separate mini-series of the Maximum Striker Tournament.
Boom (Hitmonchan): *throw up fist* Welcome, ladies and gentlemon to the Century Battle!
Bah (Hitmonlee): For the 1st years, this will be the first CB to be seen!
Boom: Unfortunately, it'll be the last!
The crowd murmured in confusion, until a sister Hitmontop in the middle of the field called out.
Siss (Hitmontop): Now, listen up! For those who are not familiar with the CB, it's somewhat of a winning streak for Mr. George Bangam, the head and starter of this school. 'Century' stands for 100 years, in which the Absol's average lifespan is. The CB event will end for good as soon as he reaches 100 accumulated wins. Now, if you check on the screen above my brothers...
Everyone looked at the above screen and saw what seemed to be highlights of Bangam's many CB matches. He fought with the toughest students, most likely 3rd to 5th years. Venomoth, Squirtle, even Combusken had gone up against him. One particular clip saw a certain Pikachu battling the elder Absol.
Frank: Interesting. So you went against him as well.
Sparkchu: *blush; scratch head* Yeah. That was last year. I kinda lost very quickly.
K-Roy: But you did manage to hit him with a few strong Electric attacks.
Sparkchu: *snicker* I know.
Aurora: *twiddle paws* I'm really worried...
Burl: Well, he is an old mon and...
Aurora: That, yes. But I know he'll be okay. I'm also worried about the Cyndaquil.
Sparkchu: *nod* Mm-hm. I know what you mean. If none of the upper-class could beat Bangam, what chance does a first year like Flay have?
K-Roy: We'll just have to see.
Siss: As you can see, Mr. Bangam has fought in 99 matches thus far, and every time, he was able to emerge victorious. Will he make it number 100, or will the underdog Flaymerar break the winning streak?
Most of the students cheered on the elder, but a few managed to cry out for the underdog. Flay and Bangam stared in anticipation.
Bangam: Listen up, Flay. I may be old, but that doesn't mean you should hold back. I shall not either. Understood?
Flay: I wouldn't want it any other way. But you can attack first, sir, if you want.
Bangam: *grin* Heh. Suit yourself...
As a clear all barrier, most likely a LIGHT SCREEN system, surrounded the field, the crowd grew quiet as the Hitmontop raised her hand, signaling the start of the match.
_______BATTLE START!__________
Siss: Fighters ready..... *drops arm; jumps out field* AND START!
Bangam wasted no time. He charged at lightning speed and TACKLE'd Flay, sending him flying. He rolled backward and landed flat on his back for a moment. The crowd mumbled, worrying that the match was already over.
Bangam: *growl* Stnad, child! I know you're better than this. I sense your strength and I know for certain that you're not ready to give up this second!
As if finding a new spark of sorts, the Cyndaquil managed to get back up on his feet, letting everyone know that this battle won't end too quickly.
Flay: *shudder* Ouch. That was some TACKLE...
Bangam: *whew* That's not the half of it. Here I come!
The Absol charged for another TACKLE, which landed a blow again at Flay. This time, he tumbled to the ground and was soon flat on his stomach. The crowd murmured again, wondering if the little mouse was down for the count. Before the Hitmontop was about to call off the match, the entire crowd saw Flay stand up again. Bangam did yet another TACKLE and hit the kid once again. He rolled over from the impact, but this time, he leaped from his forepaws and landed flat on his feet, then stood in a "ta-da" fashion. The crowd applauded in seeing this Cyndaquil's endurance. It was then Bangam became quite amused.
Bangam: *snicker; chuckle; laughs; laugh triumphantly*
Flay: *rub head* Hey! What's so funny?
Bangam: The fact that a first year was able to stand up from three direct TACKLEs. I'll be honest. I had my doubts after I attacked you once, but now, I feel that this may be a glorious battle to beheld, my friend. Now... *TAUNT* How about attacking me for once...
Flay: Gladly. FLAME WHEEL!
The audience gasped in shock as Flay rushed with incredible speed as his back flared to a bright red set of spikes. He then rolled into a great ball of fire. To even Bangam's surprise, the fast flaming ball struck him dead on, causing him to tumble in a further distance than he did with Flay. The crowd was in silence, as they saw Bangam slowly standing up one moment after the attack.
Tanjy: I don't get it. I'm glad Flay is holding his own, but how is he able to even do that against such a powerful pokemon?
Berry: BLAZE.
Tanjy: *look at Berry* BLAZE?
Berry: *smile* Yeah. Whenever a Fire type is low on energy, they could somehow find the power he or she needs to even the odds in strength. I guess since Flay took a lot of damage and also seem motivated, his BLAZE ability kicked in.
Tanjy: Oh... Wait. Look at Mr. Bangam!
Bangam soon stood in a defense stance and emitted a dark aura. Afterwards, he used SWORDS DANCE making a set of shining swords appear and spin around, charging him up. He then gathered energy into his head blade.
Bangam: Let's see if you can dodge this! BLADE TEST!
He swung his head around and unleashed a barrage of energy blades at Flay. The Cyndaquil used ROLLOUT and rolled into a ball of fur, not to attack, but to dodge. Most of the blades missed him, while others deflected his roll. At least one hit him dead-on, causing him to receive mass damage and broke from his ROLLOUT. This time the crowd cheered him on.
Student 1: Come on, Flay! Get up!
Student 2: You can do it!
Student 3: Kick his tail, Flay!
Student 4: Let's go, Flay!
Flay immediately got up and attacked the elder pokemon again. The other 1st years now knew how great a Century Battle was. Although they would never get the chance to go against the Absol, at least they were able to watch. Both competitors had gone at it for a while. They launched any available attack, and there was a mix of evading the moves or taking the hits. All of the spectators' cheers were mixed now. Some rooted for Bangam; others rooted for Flay. Soon after a while of tough tactics, they both were getting pretty tired.
Flay: *breathe hard* Man... I'm... really... enjoying... this battle.
Bangam: *breathe hard* Yes... Me too. But now... it's time... to end this.
The crowd stared in amazement as they saw both fighters charge up constantly. From both mouths, they sized up a large orb was gathering power. Bangam was collecting dark energy while Flay was gathering fire energy. This was the attack to decide the match.
Bangam: SHADOW BALL!
Flay: BLAST BURN!
Bangam fired a gigantic black orb from his mouth, while Flay fired an equally huge fireball from his. The collision of both attacks soon caused a devastating explosion.
*BOOM*
Of course, the impact plus the fact that they were both close to the blast caused a ton of damage and blew them from opposite directions and crashed into the LIGHT SCREEN walls. They both impacted hard and fell down in a heap. The audience stood in shock seeing both the elder and the youngster seemingly unconscious. Bangam was lying on his side while Flay was on his stomach. After a few minutes, it was the Hitmontop was about to call a draw...
Siss: Um... *raises hand* This match is a-- Wait a minute!
They all saw Flay struggled to get up. The students cheered on. This was it, if Flay was able to stay up for just a few seconds, he would be able to defeat the Absol. However, the moment he stood, he fell onto his back. The crowd was silent. They soon saw the Absol elder slowly rise. He had somewhat of a harder time than Flay did. However, he managed to stay up, a declaration as the winner of this match.
Siss: *throws up hand* Flaymerar is unable to battle. The winner of this match is Geoooooorge Bangaaaaaaaam!
_____________END BATTLE!_____________
The crowd roared in excitement. Seeing either an underdog defeat the champ or the champ earning his 100th win was a brilliant spectacle either way. As the crowd cheered on, the Absol elder approached the KO'd Cyndaquil.
Bangam: *nudge Flay* Flay?
To his surprise, Flay was... snoring?
Bangam: *chuckle* Poor kid. He battled himself to sleep. *nudge Flay* Flay, time to awake up...
Flay opened his eyes and slowly got up. He rubbed his head in pain.
Flay: *groan* My head. Did... I win?
Bangam: *shake head* Sorry, son. In the end, *point to main screen* I remain victorious and indefeated.
The Cyndaquil saw a flashing number 100 on the screen. But instead of disappointment, he perked up and laughed.
Flay: *laugh* I guess I wasn't strong enough, huh?
Bangam: Not true. You have done a great job in fighting against me, kid. Of all the Century Battles I've ever had since the start, this was the best.
Flay: *grin* I'll bet you said that before.
Bangam: *chuckle* Yes. That's kind of true.
???: Mr. Bangam!
???: Flay!
Aurora and a few of the teachers went to Bangam while Berry, Tanjy, and Flay's den mates gathered to him.
Aurora: *teary eyed* Oh! Mr. Bangam. I was so worried.
K-Roy: Jeez, Flay. You were so close.
Bones: You did great, man. You certainly kicked ass today.
Berry: Flay, boy. You were so awesome.
Glowe: I'm impressed with your power, sir. I guess wisdom creates power, huh?
Frank: That's most excellent, Flay. A fine work indeed.
As soon as the cheers died down, Bangam jumped to the stage with speed and grace that no one expected. The crowd then chanted "Speech! Speech! Speech!" hoping he would say something after his final victory. As he raised his paw up, the crowd's voices lowered down again before he began his speech.
Bangam: *cough* Thank you, everyone, for your standing ovation. But I don't deserve the full appreciation. You must give it up for Flaymerar, who gave me a spectacular battle.
They applauded to Flay, who was blushing from the flattery. Bangam soon continued.
Bangam: Now then. I hope you're having fun and everything. So here's an announcement I'm sure every battle-eager pokemon here will enjoy. In a couple of months, we will have our annual Maximum Striker Tournament. All of the details will be provided to you as soon as possible. For the 1st years, all I can tell you is this: The MS Tourney is possibly the greatest event of the school year; pretty much as intense as the Century Battle you have just seen. 20 students, 4 from each home den, hand picked from your friends and regardless of gender or grade, will be participating here to bring home the Maxi Cup, which will guarantee a superb points-boost for your den's hourglass. Of course, I must warn you. Just because of a points boost, it doesn't mean that winning team will automatically be the head den for the next school year, as exampled by the Artic den being the winners of the tourney but Magma becoming the head den by overall points. The lower-scored can still catch up by honors and achievements, and you can lose the points for any... *ahem* recklessness against the basic rules. Now then, after seeing young Flaymerar hold his own in the CB, I hereby nominate him to be the first of the 20 participants for the event.
K-Roy: I second the motion!
Berry: Me too!
Tanjy: Yes! I agree!
Hikozaru: Yeah! That way, I can kick his tail and win for Magma!
Lombre: Woods all the way!
Everyone cheered on, looking forward to the upcoming tournament. Bangam signaled them to quiet down again before he wrapped up his speech.
Bangam: *cough* Everyone, please be silent for a moment. I'm almost done. Right. And so, in conclusion, feel free to train and practice whenever you get the chance. Don't feel bad if you're not picked for the event, but don't too arrogant if otherwise. Now that everything is finished here, you may go back to your activities. We'll be closing Neon Central down soon for bedtime. Have a good day...
--------------------
The entire crowd, teachers, students, and Bangam himself left to their own work and leisure. The Absol walked back to the mirror to get a good rest when suddenly, the Jigglypuff assistant stood in his way.
Aurora: Um... Hi, Mr. Bangam.
Bangam: Greetings. *grin* Here to scold me again like a good mother?
Aurora: *laugh nervously* No. I just want to congratulate you on your final win. You did great out there against that Cyndaquil.
Bangam: Indeed. Who would have thought he would almost defeat an old fogey like me?
Aurora: *giggle* Anyway, I'm glad this whole Century Battle thing is over and done with.
Bangam: *roll eyes* I don't know about that. I could go for another 100...
Aurora: *growl* MR. BANGAM!
Bangam: *laugh* Just kidding. I'm done with that stuff now. *sigh* Anyway, that kid has potential. I'm not supposed to be biased, but I hope he wins the tourney.
Aurora: *nod* I'm sure he may. But since the battle, I'm sure most eager pokemon will train to get stronger than him.
Bangam: That's the best part in battles. If you feel weak, you're motivated to become stronger. And sometimes, you must continue to become stronger, even if you lose. Those who see your strength will strive to surpass your greatness. *yawn* Now, if you excuse me, this old mon must tend to his sleep. That brawl has worn me out. See you later, Ms. Aurora.
Aurora: *giggle* You too, Mr. Bangam.
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Sparkchu: I still can't believe you lost that battle. I was hoping you'd win. You did much better than I did. I'm proud of you, chu.
Berry: You certainly did great out there, Flay.
Tanjy: Yeah. Um... Too bad you did lose.
Burl: That old mon was stronger, I guess.
K-Roy: Don't sweat it, Flay. With your BURN BLAST, we can very well win that Maxi Cup Mr. Bangam was talking about.
Flay: *confused* BURN BLAST? What BURN BLAST?
Burl: Um... Flay. Are you alright?
Frank: Interesting...
Berry: What?
Frank: That blast at the end of the match must've caused him AMNESIA. He forgot how to use BURN BLAST.
Tanjy: *gasp* That's awful!
Flay: If what you're saying is true, then maybe it's for the best. I guess all that constant battling with my folks must have brought out my full power.
Sparkchu: That's sweet. Normally, you can't evolve with that kind of power.
Flay: Yeah. Of course, I can always evolve now that I have more than enough experience, I just decided not to until later in my life. But right now, if I can't use this BURN BLAST until I remember how to, *smile* maybe it's better that way if I'm picked for the tournament...
Sparkchu: *tilt head* Meaning...?
???: It means he won't be able to win so easily.
They all saw a Leafia and Wartortle in front of them. The Wartortle, a male, was a little timid and stood behind the grass eon. The Leafia, a female, was almost emotionless and had a look-can-kill stare. As the Leafia glared at Flay, she spoke in a soft and chilling voice.
Leafia: You seem to have proved your worth in battling Old Bangam. I respect an underdog going against a champion.
Flay: *shudder* Thanks, I think.
Leafia: But I warn you. I've hardly lost a single battle myself. I have yet to be in the tourney because I have turned down the invite at least three times. Now, I shall see to it I attend to the event and win.
Flay: *nervous* Um... Bring it?
Leafia: Floader, let's leave.
Floader (Wartortle): *stammer* Y-Yes, Ma'am...
Leafia: And one last thing...
Flay: ...
Leafia: I am... Fern Greengate; third year of the Woods Den.
Flay: My name's Flay; first year of Desert Den.
Fern: Flay... I shall remember that name.
The no-nonsense Leafia and the Wartortle walked off, leaving the group in the dust. The shiny Chikorita Berry was steamed at the eon's attitude.
Berry: *growl* Ooooooh! Something about her really gets me... UGH! Who does that... that... tramp think she is?! Mouthing off like that... I swear, If I'm picked to help represent the Sea Den, I'd VINE WHIP that smirk off her face!
Tanjy: But... She wasn't even smiling at all.
Berry: *sigh* Whatever. I'm outta here. Bye, Flay!
Berry, Tanjy, and the boys (save for K-Roy and Flay) had left to the districts, leaving the last two behind.
K-Ron: *chuckle* Berry, Tanjy, and now this Fern character... You're sure one with the lady plants.
Flay: Hmmm... I guess you're right.
As the last two boys went off to have whatever fun they could muster, maybe for some food or games, the Cyndaquil looked over his shoulder, curious if he would ever see that Leafia in battle during the school year.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I may write a separate mini-series of the Maximum Striker Tournament.