The Beginning of the N: Chapter 34

“All right everybody, it's time for the semi-finals to begin! Our semi-finalists are White, Concordia, N, and Marie! Who will our finalists be? We'll find out soon! Right now, it's time for the first battle of the semi-finals, and that will be Concordia vs Marie!” exclaimed Alder.

Marie smiled at Concordia, and walked over to her.
“If you win, I'll give your brother's skateboard back.” she said, with breath that felt as cold as ice. She then walked out to the arena.

“I would've got your skateboard back for you after I win even if she hadn't offered.” said Concordia, as she stood up, and was about to walk out to the arena.

“Wait, Concordia!” said N, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Concordia took by surprise, turned around to face him.
“What is it, N?” she asked.

“Concordia...you know as well as I do that there is a very small chance you'll beat her. Remember in Nacrene City? The three of us couldn't even land a single hit on her! Not to mention that she has more Pokemon than you!” N said, in a very fast pace, which made it hard to make out everything he was saying.

“N, if you're trying to talk me out of the battle, the answer is no.” replied Concordia, taking his hand off her shoulder.

“No, that's not it...I want Archeops to battle with you, to give you a better chance, as long as he's okay with it.” said N, turning his gaze to Archeops, who nodded and flew next to Concordia.

“Do your best.” N said, returning to his seat.

“Thanks, N.” she said, then proceeded to return walking out to the arena.
“He's counting on me, I can't let him down...and I won't.” she thought.

When she entered the arena, Marie pointed at her.
“They say she appeared in a doorway, playing cards at her sides.” sang Marie, pulling her out her deck of playing cards, and holding them to her sides.

“The fate that she would defy...
A Concordia is coming to die!”

This caused Concordia to stop moving for a moment, her feet feeling glued to the floor, but she pulled herself together and continued walking towards the battlefield.

“Wait now, there's too much at stake now
There she goes...
she looked to the distance and cried
The girl in white has arrived!"

“Quick on the draw
In this town, I am the law.
Is what they say true?
is this my doom?
Can she fall?”

Concordia was now on the battlefield, trying to ignore Marie's singing, wishing it would stop, but the singing continued.

“It was then
That the crowd saw Marie, and
she knew that she couldn't tell them
she was the quickest of all...
Would this be the day that she falls?”

“Wait now, there's too much at stake now
A cold wind blows...
she looked at the crowd and she cried
"The moment of truth has arrived!”

Marie then threw her microphone, and, much to everyones surprise, Concordia picked it up, and began singing herself.

“My pulse slows
I'm not scared anymore
I see the faces of my friends that have fallen before”

She stared at the floor, and clenched her fists.

“My heart slows
I'm not scared anymore
I call out my friends and in turn you're calling for yours”

She glanced over at Whismicott, who then stood in front of her, ready for battle.

“My pulse slows
What they said is a lie
The shots are heard and the bullets scream death as they fly”

She looked up, staring Marie in the eye, and narrowing her eyebrows at her.

“My heart slows
I'm not scared anymore
This is the moment that we have been waiting for”

She took a few steps forward.

“My pulse slows
your moment has come
Your speed means nothing if it's me that you're running from”

“My heart slows
I'm not scared anymore
you're joining the ranks of my enemies that have fallen before”

Backstage...

White tried to focus on the battle, but knowing that she would be against N next, it was impossible to think about anything else. She looked over in his direction, and saw Tepig sitting in his lap, which caused the words N said to her before to suddenly start echoing in her head.

“Not listening to your Pokemon's voice is a sin...
“I'll beat the Champion, I'll become unbeatable like any other...
“If your conviction is not strong enough, you will never defeat me...”

N watched the battle between Concordia and Marie, with concern, and was surprised when he heard Concordia singing.
“First Anthea was singing, and now Concordia...what's going on?” he thought.

Back on the battlefield

Marie has already sent out Blaziken to start off her battle with Concordia, who has also already sent Whimsicott to battle.
“Blaziken, Flare Blitz, please.”

“Whimsicott, Substitute.”

Blaziken charged towards Whimsicott at full speed, with her body covered in flames, but Whimsicott made her substitute far before Blaziken got to her, which protected her from the hit.

“Blaziken, Brave Bird.”

“Whimsicott, Stun Spore.”

Whimsicott scattered paralyzing powder on Blaziken, but, seemingly unaffected, Blaziken jumped high in the air, with a blue glow around her body, then slammed down on Whismicott, defeating her in one shot.

“Whismicott is unable to battle, Blaziken wins!” said the referee.

Concordia still seemed determined, regardless of Whimsicott being beat without doing any damage.
“Archeops.” she said, and Archeops flew in front of her.

“Blaziken, High Jump Kick.”

“Archeops, Acrobatics.”

Blaziken tried to jump up in the air, but thanks to Whimsicot'ts Stun Spore, Blaziken couldn't move. Archeops took advantage of this opportunity by flying circles around Blaziken, making her dizzy, then slashed the back of her neck with his sharp talons, making her shriek in pain.

“Archeops, finish it. Sky Attack!”

Archeops flew high up into the air, then, with his body shining brightly, tucked in his wings, and began flying down towards Blaziken at high speed. Blaziken tried to get away, but still couldn't move due to Stun Spore, which let Archeops crash down on her, with great force. Blaziken was knocked several feet back, and crashed into the wall, unconscious.

“Blaziken is unable to battle, Archeops wins!” said the referee.

“Blaziken, return.” said Marie, returning Blaziken to her Pokeball. “Go, Raichu.” she said, sending out Raichu.

“Archeops, Heat Wave.”

“Raichu, Protect.”

Archeops began rapidly and violently flapping wings, which sent fiery hot wind blowing towards Raichu, but Raichu protected herself with an invisible barrier.

“Raichu, Volt Tackle.”

“Archeops, dodge it with Sky Attack!”

Raichu got an all fours, and, with her body covered in electricity, began rushing towards Archeops. Before Raichu could get close enough to hit, Archeops flew high into the air, which forced Raichu to halt to a stop. Archeops then started quickly flying down towards Raichu.

“Raichu, Protect.”

Raichu put up an invisible barrier just in time, which protected her from Archeop's attack.

“Raichu, Volt Tackle.”

“Archeops, dodge, and use Rock Head!”

Raichu leapt in the air at Archeops, with her body covered in electricity, but Archeops swiftly flew out of the way, causing Raichu to crash into the ground. Archeops wasted no time; he quickly flew down towards Raichu, and smashed his rock-hard head onto Raichu's, which gave Raichu a concussion, and knocked her out.

“Raichu is unable to battle, Archeops wins!” exclaimed the referee.

Backstage...

N and Anthea both looked surprised and hopeful at how well their sister was doing in this battle.

“She actually beat two Pokemon in a row...” said Anthea, in a low voice.

“And Archeops hasn't been hit yet either. Concordia has two Pokemon left, and Marie only has one...she can actually win this.” said N, with his hands clasped together.

Back on the battlefield...

Marie has just sent out Weavile as next and final to face Archeops.
“Weavile, Fake Out.”

“Archeops-...”

Before Concordia could finish giving Archeops a command, Weavile moved behind Archeops so fast, it looked as if she teleported. She then slashed at Archeops's back with her sharp claws, which knocked him down.

“Archeops, get up and use Heat Wave!”

“Weavile, Night Slash.”

Archeops flew back into the air, then started rapidly flapping his wings, blowing fiery hot wind towards Weavile, which Weavile managed to dodge, then leapt into the air, and slashed at the back of Archeop's neck, which made him fall out of the air again.

Archeops struggled for a few moments, then managed to get back up, but instead of being ready to continue fighting, he looked frightened, and started trying to get away.

“Archeops, use Rock Head!” shouted Concordia.

“Weavile, Ice Punch.”

Instead of listening to Concordia, Archeops tried to get back in the air and fly away, but Weavile got to him before he could start flying, and punched him in the face, with her fist covered in ice, which knocked him out.

“Archeops is unable to battle, Weavile wins!” said the referee.

“Gardevoir.” said Concordia.
Gardevoir stood in front of her on the battlefield, ready for battle.

“Weavile, Night Slash.”

“Gardevoir, Double Team.”

Weavile tried to slash at Gardevoir, but Gardevoir created a dozen fake copies of herself, which took the hit for her.

“Gardevoir, Magical Leaf.”

Gardevoir sent several razor sharp leaves flying towards Weavile, which Weavile tried to avoid, but they followed her, and each leaf hit her hard, cutting into her skin, and making her bleed.

“Weavile, Night Slash.”

“Gardevoir, Teleport.”

Weavile ran towards Gardevoir at high speed, with her claws extended, but Gardevoir teleported several feet behind her, which forced Weavile to stop her attack.

“Gardevoir, now, Magical Leaf!”

“Night Slash, Weavile.”

Gardevoir sent more sharp leaves at Weavile, but this time, Weavile ran right through them, despite the pain, then slashed her sharp claws at Gardevoir so hard, Gardevoir fell down, defeated.

“Gardevoir is unable to battle, and Concordia has no more Pokemon, so Marie wins!” exclaimed the referee.

Concordia, surprisingly, still seemed determined, even after her loss. She picked the microphone back up, and started singing again.

“You're too quick on the draw...
forget this town, there is no law
but what they say isn't true
I'll still defeat you.
she will fall...”

A short while after this, Concordia was backstage again, and took her seat next to N.
“N, I'm sorry...” she said

“Don't be.” interrupted N.

“But, I-”

“You may not have won, but you did the best you could, and I won't let your effort go to waste.  I'll take the effort you put in with me, along with my own effort, and the feelings of the Pokemon, and there will be no way someone like her can defeat someone like me.” said N, confidently.

Just then, Alder began to announce the next battle.
“It's time for the final match of the semi-finals: N vs White! Who will win and move on to face Marie in the final round? We'll soon find out!” he said.

To be continued...