Changing of the Seasons

Page Thirty One; Stunning Freestyle Performance

Logan reviewed the plans for the freestyle performance with his team, all of them eager to get going. They were all decorated in matching. "Okay, team, do we remember the moves?" He asked them for maybe the millionth time. Orval smiled up at him and nodded. "Okay then...let's go." He stood and they all followed him to the stage entrance. A stage hand held a hand to their headset and waited a moment before opening the door and nodding for him and his team to go. 

They walked out on stage full of cheering people. He smiled and waved as he walked to the center of the stage, getting into all their positions. The crowd silenced and the music started. It was a familiar latin dance song that he knew by heart, even before he began practicing it. He smiled and nodded to Lia who jumped up onto his back and jumped off, sparking her cheeks as she reached the air. "Lia! Use Thunderwave!" He called as his feet and hips began moving along with the music, working more on muscle memory than brain work. "Orval, protect!" A blue shield went up around them as the shocks of lightning flickered around them on the stage. "Pyrois! Fire Spin!" Logan began spinning and jumping around the circle made by Orval's protect as his ponyta sent fire spinning around them, mixing with Lia's electricity. "Lia, double team!" His pikachu duplicated herself and began dancing with him, her copies in a circle around the protect. They all dance in a synchronized way that they had seemingly rehearsed a million times, all three pokemon out in front of him while the moves still went in affect around them. "Okay! Orval! Blow it up!" The protect exploded, thrusting the electricity away from them and turning it in blue and golden sparkles. The fire whisked around them until it vanished into thin air and they struck their ending poses. 

The crowd cheered and after a moment of them catching their breath, they all bowed and walked off the stage together, smiling and waving. Only until they got back stage did they break their smiling facade. Logan slumped down onto a couch and started panting. "Here." He looked up to see Miguel handing him his orange water bottle. "Thanks." Logan replied and thankfully took the water and gulped it down. "You did an exceptional job, Mi Amado." Miguel said, looking down at Logan. Logan smiled a little and put down a bowl for his pokemon, filling it with the rest of the water from his bottle. "You insist on calling me that, don't you, Miguel." 

"Miguel! You're on standby!" A tech worker called out and Miguel nodded, stepping away. "Break a leg out there. I need some real competition from my rival, you know." Logan replied playfully. "Just you watch, Amado." 

"I will." Logan winked a bit and he didn't miss the light pink that came to Miguel's cheeks as he and his pokemon left the room. Logan did watch his rival's performance. To no surprise he was a great performer with his Alba, Atlas, and Belle. 

Finally it was time to gather all the freestyle round performers up on the stage. Logan's hands were shaking with Orval sitting beside him. 

"Well ladies and gentlemen! What did you think of all our performers!?" The host of the show called out from her platform above the performers. The crowd cheered wildly for the contestants as Logan's heart beat faster. No matter how many times he walked out onto a stage, he could never quite calm his nerves. "Okay! Now for the final judging by you, our audience! With the devices at your seats, please select the one performer who you believed gave the very best performance. Ready...Set...Vote!" Colored orbs filled the air as the crowd chose their favorites. A fair amount went to Miguel, smiling proudly as the red lights filled up his bar. Logan wished he had his friend and rival's confidence in a situation like this. He closed his eyes and held his hands together, trying to take a deep breath as he steadied his breathing. "Ladies and Gentlemen! We have a winner!" The lights turned out and several spotlights weaved around the stage in anticipation. "And the winner of this pokemon spectacular in Pintar Town is....." 

"Logan Parker and his partner Orval!" He opened his eyes in shock to see the whole crowd cheering for him, with the spotlight directly on him. He smiled and looked down at his partner, who looked up at him with bright blue and excited eyes. "We did it, Orval!" He picked up his partner and spun around with him in his arms happily. "Our second contest ribbon!" He laughed happily and took his ornate ribbon from the host and pinned it beside his first one on his jacket. "How about a round of applause for all our performers, huh?" The host smiled as the crowd gave a standing ovation for all the performers. 

Logan was waiting for his friends in the lobby of the performance hall, changed back into his normal clothes with all his makeup washed off. "Logan!" He turned and smiled when he saw Brooke, Charlie, and Jordan walking over to him. Brooke ran ahead and hugged Logan tightly. "Congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" 

"Thanks, Brooke!" 

"I'd never seen a contest spectacular before, that was amazing!" Jordan smiled, his hands crossed in front of him with a big smile. "I'm glad you guys enjoyed it! I had so much fun!" 

"Yes, it really seemed like it." Charles smiled. 

"Brooklyn?" They looked over and Agua was making her way over to them. "Agua!" Brooke smiled and turned to the water type gym leader. "I'm surprised to see you! You know our winner?" The turquoise haired woman smiled happily. "Yeah! I'm surprised to see you too! I didn't know you'd be judging today." 

"Don't bee too surprised, Brooke." Logan chimed in. "Agua was the one who set up contests here in Maroh." 

"You did? I didn't know that." 

"Yeah! My Dad is Wallace after all. He wasn't gonna let me get away with not performing in any contests, even away from home!" She laughed. "How have you been, Brooke?" 

"Great! I have four gym badges now." 

"Four! Look at you! You're moving right along to the Maroh League, huh." 

"You bet! Better watch out for me, Agua. I could be champion soon." 

"I'll be sure to keep an eye out." She winked and laughed. "Congrats, by the way! I can hardly wait to see ya in more contests!" Agua said to Logan before turning to Brooke one last time. "See ya at the Maroh League, Brooke!" She winked and walked off through the crowd again. 

"I can't believe I just met Agua!" She's so famous in Maroh, and Hoenn!" Logan practically squealed after the gym leader was out of earshot. "She is?" 

"Well duh, Brooke!" Logan turned to her. "Not only is she a great water type gym leader, she also holds several swimming, diving, and surfing records, and she's a talented contest performer! Almost rivaling her father."

"That is impressive." 

"I'm totally bushed. You guys wanna get somethin to eat? Dancing like that really tires someone out." 

"You don't need to ask me twice!" Brooke agreed and started out the building with her friends and their partners with them. Prizrak not missing the opportunity to flirt with Brooke as she left. 

The next morning Brooke and her friends were preparing to leave Pintar Town, and were just on their way to the docs to catch the ferry to Elektrikan Town when someone came running up behind them. "Brooke! Jordan! Charlie! Wait up!" They turned to see Logan carrying Orval to catch up with them. "Hey, Logan! Something up?" 

The performer caught his breath after a moment and set down his partner. "I wanted to ask you guys something." 

"Yes? What is it?" Charles asked and stepped up beside Brooke. "You guys wouldn't happen to have room for a fourth in your crew, would you? It gets super boring traveling with just me and my pokemon." The three trainers looked around at each other, slightly surprised by his inquiry. He looked at them eagerly for their answer, and finally, Brooke turned to Logan and smiled. "We'd love to have you join us, Logan." 

"Really?" 

"Totally! You can stay in Charlie's room when we are up in Pokemon Centers."

"That'd be great! Thank you, guys! So, where are we heading now?" 

"Elektrikan Town for Brooke's fifth gym badge." Jordan replied and Logan nodded. "No time to waste, then!" 

He pushed through them to rush to the docs. "Hey! Wait up!" Brooke laughed and they all followed him to the ferry heading to the next town.