Asuka woke with a throbbing headache. "Ooooh... serves me right! After being on so many of Misato's 'Yebisu Parties', you'd think I've grown a resistance against stuff like that..."
"Hey!" She turned around to see Link sitting next to her... or rather, Princess Zelda's bed. "You feeling better now?"
Asuka winced. "Yeah... if only the room would stop spinning..."
"It's your own fault," the hero of Hyrule smirked. "I mean, what's gotten into you? It's not like you just to let loose like that. Ralis was certainly shocked, although a bit amused, I must say."
Asuka cringed. "You think there are gonna be consequences?" she asked.
"You mean for the alliance with the Zoras? Nah, I doubt it. Ralis has never drunk alcohol himself, but he knows that even good rulers need to have fun every now and then. You just overdid it a bit."
Asuka blushed. "I really made a fool out of myself back there, huh?"
"Well, you know me: I would never disagree with the princess!"
Asuka chuckled. "So, has the prince left already?"
Link shook his head. "No, your majordomo invited him and his men to stay at the castle for today, and he accepted."
"I guess I have to apologize to him later on," Asuka said as she stood up. A glass of milk was standing next to her bed, so she took a sip and felt better instantly. She sighed. Maybe living the life of a princess wasn't so hard after all...
"So, you said there was something you wanted to tell me after the meeting?" she wondered, feeling a bit daring after today's accomplishments. And Link was indeed a handsome guy...
"Well, it's... I don't know, maybe I should wait until you are feeling better."
"Nah, I bounce back from pretty much everything you throw at me," Asuka grinned. She scooted over to him. "So, what's on your mind, big boy?"
Link frowned. What happened to Zelda that she was acting so strangely? First, she's much more nervous than usual, then she gets drunk during the banquet, and now she's acting all frisky... Well, as much as he liked those changes, he wondered what was going on.
"Well... there's something I wanna show you." He reached for his bag and pulled out a shiny object. It almost looked like a shard of a huge window... but a strangely ornamented one. It was also giving off a weird glow...
Link grinned. "Isn't this great? I found it yesterday, near Kakariko."
She smiled. "It's pretty. What is it?"
"Don't tell me you don't realize it. Zelda, this is a shard of the Twilight Mirror, I'm sure of it! I always wondered where all the pieces have vanished to after Midna shattered it, but I would recognize that glow anytime, anyplace. And do you know what that means?"
Asuka wasn't sure how she should react. "Um, what?"
Link had a wide grin on his face. "That means that we can open the gateway to the Twilight Realm again, if we find all of the other shards as well. We'll be able to see Midna again! I know you always were against that plan, but hear me out: I'm certain that Midna has managed to teach her people acceptance of their role by now. And I'm sure that not all of them are like Zant. The goddesses may have banished them, but think about the many years that have passed since that day. Nobody has deserved so many years of damnation for something their ancestors have done. We could start a new relationship with them, and maybe they can find a new place in Hyrule. I'm sure Midna would only want the best for her people... what do you say?"
Asuka really didn't know what Link was talking about, but she wasn't quite ready yet to give up her role as the princess, so she just smiled and said: "Sure, sounds like a great idea!"
"You... you really think so?" Link was ecstatic. "Great! So you'll help me find the other shards?"
Asuka shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don't have any other plans."
'Doesn't sound like it's going to be a big deal,' she thought to herself. 'I mean, we're gonna take a little ride through my kingdom, search for a few pieces of glass and have fun together.'
"I knew I could count on you," Link said. "So... I know how good you are with the bow, but I think we'll need a bit more of weaponry for you. Can you fence? And maybe you should wear something more comfortable than your dress..."
Asuka frowned. "Fence? Why should I know how to fence?"
"Well, I always figured you wouldn't own that rapier of yours just for show. And besides, the Bulblins and any other monsters we'll meet on our journey certainly won't welcome you with open arms just because you're the princess of Hyrule. But don't worry, I'll ask Dina to prepare everything you need."
And when Link left the bedroom, Asuka sat down on her bed again. Her head was spinning, but this time, it wasn't because of her hangover.
'Monsters? Weapons? I'm a PRINCESS, verdammt! I shouldn't need to fight!'
The doors leading to the Cerulean City Gym opened up. A young girl with short hair was standing there, a cocky grin on her face.
"My name is Maya, and I came here to challenge the Gym Leader of Cerulean City!" she proclaimed.
A red-headed girl in shorts with suspenders, who didn't look much older than Maya, appeared on the other side of the huge pool. "I am Misty, leader of this gym. So, you wanna earn your Cascade Badge?"
"You bet I do!" Maya grinned. "And I'm gonna win!"
Misty smiled. That girl's attitude certainly reminded her of the first time she met a certain trainer from Pallet Town... "All right, I accept your challenge. Let's make this a three on three Pokémon Battle. As a leader of a Water Pokémon Gym, I will only use Water Pokémon."
"I'm fine with that," Maya replied. "Let's take out our Pokémon on the count of three, okay?"
Misty had to admit, she liked the attitude of that girl. "Okay, one... two... and three! Starmie, I choose you!"
"Ritsu-chan, show them what you're made of!" Maya shouted and released her Squirtle.
"Squiiirr..." 'Finally, out of that thing! It's so cramped in there... Hey, where are we?' Ritsuko looked around and saw Misty and her Starmie. 'Oh great, another Pokémon Battle? Maya, you really should give me a break... oh well, let's get this over with...'
Ever since Maya had started to use her as her own Pokémon, Ritsuko had wondered if this was a dream or not. At first, she had protested against being used as a pet, or even worse, a tool to win Pokémon battles. But, given some time, she learned two things: One, this was as real as it could be. Second, Maya always treated her like a good friend. And once Ritsuko had won the first few battles for her, she actually started to enjoy herself.
But today, she was in a grumpy mood. It started when Misato mocked her when she overslept. The cheeky little Pikachu went so far to call her a slow turtle... and Ritsuko got so angry that she attacked Misato with her bubbles. Maya intervened before Misato could fight back with any electric attack and put both of them into their Pokéballs for the rest of the day.
Well, she was ready to vent her bad mood at that overgrown starfish.
"Starmie, Tackle!" Misty began the battle.
"Ritsu-chan, use Withdraw!" Maya commanded. Ritsuko instantly pulled her head and limbs back into her shell, and Starmie's attack bounced off harmlessly.
"Good job! Now, attack with Water Gun!"
Ritsuko popped out of her shell again and fired a stream of water at the flying starfish.
"Use Water Gun as well!" Misty told her Pokémon. The two water attacks hit each other in the middle of the gym. Ritsuko tried pushing the other Pokémon's jet back with her own attack, but it wasn't easy.
"That's right, Starmie, show her what you've got!" Misty cheered.
Ritsuko winced when she realized how the pressure of Starmie's Wate Gun increased. She wouldn't be able to keep this up much longer...
"Ritsu-chan, stop shooting and use Mega Punch!"
Ritsuko winced when she remembered the harsh training she had to endure to learn that attack from a wandering Black Belt, but she had to admit, a powerful normal attack would probably a better choice than a water attack her opponent knew itself.
So she stopped firing her own Water Gun, dodged the incoming stream of water and jumped towards Starmie.
"Starmie, use Dive!" Misty shouted, but it was too late: Ritsuko's fist hit the purple starfish Pokémon right in the center of its central jewel. The force of the impact made Starmie fly back until it hit the wall of the gym, where it slid down the wall and collapsed on the wet gym floor.
"You did great, Starmie!" Misty said as she called back her defeated Pokémon. "Your Squirtle is trained well, but we're not finished yet. Psyduck, go!"
The yellow duck Pokémon appeared with a confused expression. "Psy?"
"I know you can do it, so get out there and make sure to get one hell of a headache!" Misty commanded.
"Psyduck!"
"I gladly shall give him one," Maya grinned. "Ritsuko, come back!" Instead of being withdrawn into her ball, Ritsuko stood next to her trainer to watch the rest of the battle.
"Great job, I guess that ends your punishment for what you did this morning," Maya smiled. "Okay, I choose Butterfree!"
The huge butterfly appeared and fluttered above the pool. "Free-ee-ee-ee!"
Misty raised an eyebrow. That girl reminded her more and more of Ash. "All right, I know how to handle one of those. Psyduck, use Amnesia!"
"Psy? Psy?" Psyduck looked around with wide eyes. Any unexperienced trainer would think that Psyduck was just getting confused, but it actually used it's Amnesia to raise its own Special Defense.
"Is that all it can do?" Maya laughed. "Butterfree, use Gust!"
"Free-ee-ee!" Butterfree started flapping its wings rapidly and created a gust of wind that nearly pushed Psyduck back on his back.
"PSY!" it cried.
"Hang in there, Psyduck!" Misty shouted.
"Great, now stun it with Stun Spore!"
"Use Dive!" Misty told Psyduck.
Psyduck nodded and dove down into the water. Butterfree's sparkly Stun Spores harmlessly landed on the surface of the water.
"Damn, where is it?" Maya murmured. "Butterfree, watch out!"
"Free-ee-ee?" Butterfree muttered as it looked around.
"Now, Psyduck!" Misty commanded, and Psyduck came shooting out of the pool with a huge splash of water that engulfed Butterfree. The poor butterfly stumbled downwards until it landed next to the pool, exhausted.
"Okay, take your rest," Maya said and withdrew Butterfree. "Well, your Psyduck is really something else..."
Misty sneered. "I had my problems with him in the past, but now he listens to everything I say!"
"Well, I doubt he can do anything against my other favorite... Misa-chan, go!"
And in a flash of light, the hyper little Pikachu appeared in front of the pool.
"PIKA!!" 'All right, it's my turn to kick bubblegum and chew ass, and I'm all out of gum!'
Ritsuko sweatdropped.
Misty frowned. Yup, definitely like Ash. But unlike the Pikachu she knew, this one seemed intent on fighting her... this could be a problem unless...
"Psyduck, return!" she shouted. "All right, this battle will decide whether you are worthy of the Cascade Badge! Are you ready?"
"Yup, gimme your best shot!" Maya smirked.
"All right, you asked for it... Go, GYARADOS!!"
With a mighty roar, the serpentine water Pokémon appeared in the middle of the pool.
Misato gulped and stepped back a bit. "Pika..." 'That thing... is huge!' She looked back at Maya pleadingly. "Pikachu?"
"Get in there, Misa-chan, I know you can do it!" Maya shouted.
"Pika pi..." 'Easy for you to say...' Misato grumbled.
"You can do it! Use Thunderbolt, NOW!"
"Gyarados, Twister!"
"PiiikaaaCHUUUUUU!"
The electric bolt hit the sea serpent just as it was beginning to use its own attack. A twirling twister appeared around Gyarados' body and annuled the Pikachu's jolt as it spun around and headed in Misato's direction.
"Chuuuuuu..." Misato shouted dizzily as she was twirled around and around by the Twister. Finally, she landed in the pool's water with a big splash.
"Now finish it with Dragon Rage!" Misty commanded.
Gyarados roared as it began to use its signature move...
Misato gulped. That didn't look good...
"Pikaaaaa..." 'God, what I would give for a beer right now...'
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(Posted Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:06)
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