Part 16: Hearthome City

 As I exit the route, a Buneary runs into me, and I catch it, noticing the Trainer's mark on it. A girl runs up waving her arms.

"That's my Buneary! Thank you for catching it!"

"No problem." I hand the Pokemon back to her.

"My name is Keira, drop by the Pokemon Contest Center later on, okay?" And she runs off without a word of explanation.

Whew, big city. Hearthome City exploration!

I step into a house next to the Pokemon Center and there's some sort of weird machine in the corner.

"Hi! You're a Pokemon Trainer, right?" A voice says. I look and see a blond haired woman standing there.

"That means you're using Pokemon Boxes! I love meeting end users!"

End users?

"What's up, why with that astonished look?"

I try to say something, but she interrupts me.

"Oh, there I go running my mouth again! My name is Bebe! You know the PC Pokemon Boxes? I'm the system administrator!"

She seems...peppy.

She leans in close and looks around and pulls a Pokeball from her belt. "Do you want a Pokemon named Eevee?"

I glance around at the small room with only us in it. "Sssure..." I reach out to take the ball from her hand.

"Here you go!"

I take Eevee to the PC and put it in there and continue my exploration. Eevee is kinda cute, but...I like my team alot.

I talk to a few other people, a trainer from the Hoenn region, who leads me to the contest hall.

MY EYES! SO MUCH PINK!

*shriveles up*

I hear a voice call out. "Oh! My hero!"

I look through the haze of pink and see...

"MOM?!" My mouth drops.

"Oh, hi, Donny."

Keira looks surprised. "Wait! No! Really?! Johanna is your mom? So you might be a Contest star?!"

"Oh, I don't know about that." My mom says, waving her hand. "I've never spoken to Donny about Contests. I'm surprised you two know each other, though."

What other dark secrets does my mother hold? I brood to myself.

Keira smiles. "Oh, yes, that's right! I need to thank you for earlier. Please, take this."

She hands me a bag of something...glittery and shiny and girly looking.

"It's Glitter Powder!" Her smile was wide.

I looked at the glitter bag in shock. The glitter was loud and gaudy, and I KNOW it came off the set of Twilight.

"You put that on your Pokemon before a Contest."

Over my stone cold dead body I will. I wouldn't subject any of my Pokemon to one of these Contests.

"It will lend a nice touch of sophistication and glamour."

I bite back the words that came to me.

"I'm a Contest Judge, so come join us for a different kind of fun."

I blink.

"If you're unsure of yourself, we also offer practice sessions."

I can't help but crack a smile.

"Thanks...alot." I choke out. Keira leaves to do stuff, and I turn back to mom.

"Were you surprised to see me, Donny?"

"A little bit, mom." I say, tentatively putting the glitter in my Fashion Case.

"I got bored, so I came out here for a vacation."

Just like that, huh?

"I'm surprised to see you here, my dear!"

I was dragged unwittngly by some other trainer.

"Are you serious about entering Contests? Not dressed that way!"

"But..."

"You have to dress up too if your pokemon are dressed up! Put this on for a little glamour!"

She whips out a Tuxedo and shoves it into my arms.

"That'll be perfect! Now go enjoy the Contests!"

And with that, my mom walks off, leaving me standing in the middle of a pink hallway, a tuxedo wrapped around me, and the smell of perfumes and makeup in the air.

Let me die.

I run out of the building immediately, certain that I'll never have to go back.