It had been five years since I had spent Christmas with my family.
It was always the same situation: one kid would schedule a battle on Christmas, hoping to have something else to celebrate alongside Christmas. This year was no different.
I was the only Elite Four member to deal with this, because no one ever passed me to face the other three members. I spent every Christmas completely alone in my cell. For one day, every ounce of my passion for battling was crushed and replaced with a feeling of dull sadness. This year was no different.
On some sort of a bright side, my usually empty chamber was decorated with all the decorations I usually brought to my parents' house. A miniature Christmas tree, a wreath hung outside the door, and a trail of white lights strung across the ceiling. Classic Christmas music played softly in the background.
Karen, the challenger has arrived.
The pre-recorded message echoed throughout my stagnant prison of a chamber. I straightened my posture, resting my right hand on my first Pokéball. The faster I defeated the challenger, the faster I could get home and throw a depressing Christmas party for me and my Pokémon.
The door slid open slowly, blowing a flurry of snow into my face. I wiped my face with my sleeve, then let my arm hang limp. There was always an awful blizzard on Christmas.
The boy, dressed in his usual cargo shorts and yellow t-shirt despite the raging storm, smiled a toothy grin that sent a wave of disgust through me. "Karen."
I eyed him calmly, my face a blank slate. "Who are you, again?"
The kid rolled his eyes, stepping up to the battlefield with a painfully familiar gait. He put his hands confidently on his hips, smirking obnoxiously as me. "Quit playing. You know my name."
I did know his name. "This is year five, right?" I chuckled. "I would expect you would have improved since then."
"If you could see past that egotistical veil of yours, you'd see that you should be scared," the boy, Landen, explained. "Each year, I get closer to beating you. The only reason it's taking so long is because you're improving too."
I nodded, pulling the Pokéball my hand had been grazing out of my belt. "Every time you lose, I get more excited to train and kick your ass again."
Landen grabbed a Pokéball from his leather belt, tossing it up repetitively. "Well, this year, my gift from Santa is going to be a win against you. There's no way I'm losing again."
"Speaking of that," I said, my gaze contorting into a fierce glare. "Why are you determined to beat me on Christmas? I'd think you'd want more days in the year to celebrate."
Landen smirked, matching my glare. "I don't just celebrate Christmas today—I also celebrate the anniversary of the day I met Meganium. How cool would it be to know it took us exactly seven years to surpass the power of the first Elite Four member?"
That was it? The reason he tore me from my family year after year was to honor a stupid anniversary? I was awed by his inconceivable selfishness, his unforgivable willingness to tear me from my family for his selfish desires. I balled my free hand into a fist, my knuckles whitening from the strength of my hatred.
I needed to calm down—hatred would make me weaker during the battle. I breathed deeply, holding it for ab second before replying. "So, your starter was a Christmas present, huh?"
"Yeah!" he exclaimed. "Only the best Christmas present ever!"
I nodded, resisting rolling my eyes. "Let's get this over with," I muttered bitterly, changing the subject before I snapped.
