Chapter Text
"Ahh a nice morning today, isn't it Cap?"
"Pika!"
Friede walked in the hallways of the Brave Olivine, enjoying the nice and calm atmosphere of the early morning. He soon reached the main room and went in. Once inside he, as usual, saw Liko and Roy sitting side by side on the table, with Fuecoco and Sprigatito running around nearby.
What was unusual though was what they were doing.
They seemed to be staring at one another with…very fierce determination in their eyes.
"Uhh…" Friede uttered, confused at the sight that was in front of him. "Good morning you two."
"Morning!" Both trainers said, still staring at each other.
Friede looked at Cap with a perplexed look. The Pikachu shrugged his shoulders, also having no idea what's going on. Friede glanced back at Liko and Roy. "What's…going on here?" He asked.
"Liko and I are having a staring contest!" Roy answered, keeping his magenta gaze on Liko.
Friede put his hand up to his chin. "Oh I see." So they were having a staring contest huh? That makes sense.
Usually in this situation, Friede would just let the two kids to their own devices and go along with his day, but for some reason…he was kinda intrigued by this. Seeing Liko and Roy stare each other down with such resolve and determination, made Friede fired up in a way.
So he stayed and watched.
Orla yawned, stretching her arms way above her head as she walked into the main room. She stopped dead in her tracks at the odd sight in front of her.
"What's going on in here?" The mechanic asked, tilting her head.
Friede turned to face Orla. "Liko and Roy are doing a staring contest."
Orla walked over and stood next to Friede. "Ooh nice! Who's winning ?"
"Well uh there's no clear answer yet." Friede said. Both Liko and Roy gazed into each other's soul, and it looked like neither had really budged yet. "But if I were a betting man I'd say…Roy is gonna win."
Orla scoffed. "Yeah right. You're only saying that because you're biased!"
"Am not!!" Friede argued.
"Are too!!" Orla retorted. "Everyone already knows that Roy's your favorite, Friede."
"Wait I am???" Roy piped up, still locking eyes at Liko.
Orla crossed her arms, and smirked. "Yeah! He's just too embarrassed to admit it! Isn't that right, Friede?" The mechanic turned to face the professor.
Friede, ever embarrassed, pouted like a school kid, and averted his gaze away from Orla. "No comment…" He grumbled beneath his breath. Cap sighed exasperatedly.
Orla snickered a bit, before returning her sights towards the ongoing staring contest. "Well in any case, I'm rooting for you Liko! So get him!"
"Ok thanks Orla!" Liko chirped up, as she stared into Roy's magenta eyes.
The eye staring contest of the century continued.
With each passing hour more and more people came into the main room, to watch the eye staring contest.
First it was Murdock, then Mollie, Ludlow, and finally Dot.
"You're going down Liko! Just accept it and give up!" Roy taunted.
"Never!!" Liko cried out.
Both of their eyes burned, and begged to be moisturized. Liko and Roy however still held the gaze, determined to beat the other in this contest of will and resolve. Neither of the trainers were willing to give up.
"It's been five hours, how have neither of them blinked yet??" Dot questioned. The shut-in was very curious as to how Liko and Roy were able to stare at each for so long.
Mollie crossed her arms. "I don't know, but it sure isn't healthy."
"Surely one of them has to blink at some point right?" Murdock spoke.
"In a battle of wills and drive, the body will push itself to the limit to overcome any obstacle." Ludlow wisely voiced.
Liko and Roy's eyes began to quiver and twitch. Their eyelids began to finally slowly close. The end was nigh.
Everyone in the room stood up and leaned forward, excited to see who was going to win this long drawn out eye staring contest.
Liko's eyes began to close.
And so was Roy's.
Then at last-
"FUEEECOOOO!!!"
Fuecoco, who slept under the table, sneezed so loud it caused everyone to jump and close their eyes in shock.
Including Liko and Roy.
Once the shock wore off, everyone huddled around the table. "Who won?!" They all eagerly asked, dying to know who just became the victor of such a worthwhile eye staring contest.
"Uhm I-I don't know!" Liko said, as she rubbed her eyes. "I think we both closed our eyes at the exact same time!"
Everyone stood. completely still.
The room was dead silent.
"Well that was a waste of time." Dot said, as she turned around and left the room.
"There goes five hours of my life." Mollie followed suit, as well as everyone else.
"What a disappointment."
"I'll go start on dinner."
"I'll go into town for supplies."
Liko and Roy watched as everyone, one by one, exited the room. Only leaving the two trainers and their respective Pokemon behind. As the door closed shut Liko and Roy slowly turned their heads towards one another and blinked.
…
…
"Wanna go again?" Roy perked up.
Liko nodded her head. "Yeah sure!”