Work Text:
"Viv, hurricane!"
Gem's eyes went wide at Lizzie's call, eyes quickly flickering to the meadow vivillon. Its pink wings looked so delicate and vibrant under the sun, yet they were so strong as it flapped back high into the air. Viv flapped its wings hard and fast, creating gusts of winds that gathered and formed a hurricane headed to Vivillon. She swore Viv was smirking at her panic.
Gem knew Vivillon was low, any direct hit, and they would be out of the fight.
She could not lose. Not again.
"Psychic!" She ordered.
Tricolor wings impulsed back too, eyes glowing blue. A layer of blue dusted the hurricane growing closer, but it was only enough to weaken it.
Vivillon was still swept, soon being spun high above than Viv as it screamed. It broke her heart, watching her dear friend being dragged by currents of winds, wings flailing and unable to fight back.
The silver winds vanished into the air, but Vivillon was too disoriented to react. Its wings folded as he fell, a quiet, pained buzz reached down to her.
"Vivillon!"
"Psybeam!" Lizzie called, almost giddily.
Once again, Gem looked at her with wide eyes, then shifted to Viv. Between flaps of pink wings, Gem watched in horror as a ball of energy gathered in front of Viv's mouth. It grew as her brain froze.
Like the sun, like fire, orange colored the blue sky, Vivillon spun and flapped its wings down. It slowed its fall, but Gem could see the pain in its little face. There was determination still, and the electric buzz in the air, making the hairs in her arms stand.
"Hyperbeam!" Gem countered, hoping that it would be enough to weaken Viv's much stronger psybeam. It was a long shot, one with very low chances working in her favor, but all she could do was stall at this point.
Vivillon, too, gathered energy into a ball, almost drawing light from the space around it. It grew quickly, unstable with a wonky structure. It would do.
It had to.
"Now!" Both girls yelled and their pokemon shot.
Beams of light and energy directed at the other, sucking up light yet blinding at the same time, creating an explosion of wind that pushed everything nearby away. Gem felt herself slide back, the loose pebbles and dirt under her feet swooshed away. She drew her arm in front of her face, blocking some of the blinding light, squinting only for the beams to collide.
Instantly, from blinding light to clouds of smoke, the world succumbed to darkness. Dust and smoke touched her face, pulled at her arms and legs, warmed her body as a sinking feeling settled inside her.
Seconds ticked by, the air clearing out too slowly to her liking.
"Hurricane!"
In mere seconds, flapping wings cleared the smoke. Silver overtook the black and browns until no color, back to the sunny day and blue skies with only the white clouds way up high.
Against the sun, shining bright in all their glory, Viv descended slowly with Vivillon in its back. Reds, oranges and yellows behind pinks like a sunset, something nice and pretty, even if this was defeat for them again.
Gem and Lizzie walked over, waiting as Viv brought both of them down. Gem took Vivillon in her arms, and her knees gave in under her, falling down on the dirt with her pokemon secured with her. Its body was scratched up and bruised, dirt in its pretty wings, and it was weakened.
There was also disappointment in its little face, very likely matching Gem's.
Gem trembled, eyes glossing with every blink, then she froze.
A hand on her head, her shadow cast forward.
"Good job," Lizzie said, so honest and earnest, the smile on her lips so warm too. Gem stared at her dumbfounded and lost for words, heart still beating fast with even more mixed feelings now. "And you too!" Lizzie giggled, her hand moving to Vivillon as she knelt in front of them, gently caressing its little head. "You've grown so strong, haven't you?"
Wordless still, Gem watched as Viv settled on the back of Lizzie's head like a giant bow. Viv's wings were more vibrant and rich compared to Lizzie's more pastel-ish pink hair, though it was a combination she could not have enough of, apparently.
"That hyperbeam was new, wasn't it? It was so strong!" Lizzie chirped. She drew her hand back, crossing her arms on her knees as she turned her attention back to the trainer. "Even though Vivillon was weak, it still pulled that off super well! Enough to counter Viv's psybeam. That was very risky, but worth it."
Gem let out a small chuckle, eyes dropping to Vivillon with a sad smile, "Not good enough, though."
"Nonsense!" Her pink hair swayed from side to side as Lizzie shook her head, her face twisted into a more serious one, almost scolding as she pointed at Gem. Her eyes were sharp, her words firm, "You and Vivillon are very strong. You two have grown so much, and gotten so strong together. Today's lost doesn't mean anything, okay? It's just another training day. Together, you two will become stronger. But!"
Gem jumped a little when Lizzie booped her nose, cheeks going slightly pink.
"Vivillon needs rest now. And you should rest too. It's been a long day."
Lizzie smiled, places her palms on her cheeks as she tilted her head, then stood up, offering a hand to Gem.
Gem accepted the hand, letting Lizzie help her to her feet. She gave her a weak smile, then looked down at Vivillon, placing a kiss on its little head.
"You did good, bud. Thank you."